If you’ve ever imagined yourself scoring a goal for the Vancouver Canucks, now is your chance.
Port Moody’s Al Murdoch, who has been the team’s public address announcer at Rogers Arena since 2011, is adjusting his daily goal call that he launched on social media last Sunday as a way to keep hockey alive while the NHL season — and all levels of hockey in general — is on hold to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, instead of calling the names of Canucks’ players scoring imaginary goals, he’s taking personal requests.
Murdoch said the idea was inspired by a request from a hockey dad whose six-year-old son's minor hockey season was cancelled. He said that wasn’t the only such email he’s received.
“We’re seeing a lot of messages from people who have kids in minor hockey and, unfortunately, their season has been cancelled or postponed,” Murdoch told The Tri-City News, adding the response to his new direction has been “overwhelming.”
Murdoch said it’s his little way of filling the hole the absence of hockey has left in fans' lives — as well as his own — while providing a bit of relief from the anxiety and stress many are feeling.
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “It’s more important than ever we support each other.”
Murdoch said he’s taking personal requests through his social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
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Read more on Al Murdoch's project here:
Port Moody's Al Murdoch scores with hockey-starved Canucks fans on Twitter
