The country of Kenya has an ice hockey team and it is the only one in eastern Africa. With nobody to play, the team was rusty — until NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon stepped in.
In partnership with Canadian coffee company Tim Horton’s, the two helped to sponsor an all-expenses-paid trip for the Ice Lions — from Kenya to Canada — complete with new uniforms and equipment. The team skated with the pros and played one of their first games in a long time, since there’s no competition over in Africa. (RELATED: Jaguars All-Pro Jalen Ramsey Says He Could Make The NHL)
“It’s a dream to be in Canada,” Kenya’s captain, Ben Azegere, said to his teammates in the locker room in a video sponsored by Tim Hortons. “To play our first game in full gear, it’s all amazing.”
You can watch the team’s journey from Kenya to Canada below:
It’s hard not to be inspired watching this. To see how little the Kenyan team has to work with, and how much they’re willing to do for the love of the game is powerful on many levels.
“Seeing my favorite player come through the door wearing our jersey, I felt like I was in heaven,” captain Azegere continued.
This is a special moment for NHL and hockey fans everywhere. And since its upload on Monday, the video has already received almost half a million views.
Sounds like everyone’s a winner in this situation.