There’s only one Stanley Cup in the world. If you’re a hockey
player, just getting to touch it is something special.
Having endured more nighttime celebrations than a bar owner on Bourbon
Street, the Stanley Cup made one more trip to the well last week.
It landed, after a raucous night of celebration, on Johnny Ellison’s
bed in his cabin on a lake near Anchorage, Ak. The time?: 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
Needless to say, Johnny Ellison Sr. was jolted awake. Photos were snapped
of his sons, Jamie Ellison and John Ellison Jr., holding the Cup.
In one photo, 15-month-old Mackenzie Ellison, the granddaughter of Johnny
and Whitney Ellison, actually stood in the Stanley Cup with her mother, Diana, assisting.
The Cup went in the hot tub and made a dip into Campbell Lake, home of the
Ellisons.
How did all this happen?
Scott Gomez of Anchorage happened to be the National Hockey League’s
Rookie of the Year in 2000—while playing with the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey
Devils.
Each player on the Stanley Cup-winning team has a chance to bring the Cup
home. Gomez brought it to Anchorage, where that city’s hockey community brought Gomez
together with the Ellisons.
The Ellisons are big hockey boosters in Sun Valley.
Jamie Ellison, Johnny’s son, lives both in Anchorage and Ketchum and
was the top scorer for the Sun Valley Suns men’s hockey team last winter.
John Ellison Jr. lives in Hailey during the winters with his wife Diana
and daughter Mackenzie. He plays in the Sun Valley "A" Hockey League.
Their parents, Johnny and Whitney, are actively involved.
First of all, Johnny, John Jr. and Jamie fly for Susanne Connor towing the
glider for Sun Valley Soaring.
Johnny coaches the Fury women’s hockey team. And Whitney, who teaches
skiing with Sun Valley Co. during the winter, is a member of the Fury women’s sextet.
In fact, Whitney missed the Cup celebration in Lake Campbell because she
was attending the Banff International Hockey Camp (the Denny Messier Camp) with gals from
Sun Valley.
Fury Hockey members at Banff from July 9-15 were Jen Copeland, Nicky
Biddle, Lolly Greeninger, Jeannie Kiel, Tracy Osburn, Nicole Perkins, Jennifer Seiller,
Joanie Whitcomb-Fox and Ellison.
