Stanley Cup comes home to Ventnor

Last Updated on Thursday, August 09, 2012 09:47 am Written by Shaun Smith Wednesday, August 08, 2012 03:45 pm

VENTNOR – Justin Williams of the Los Angeles Kings brought the Stanley Cup to his offseason home in Ventnor Thursday, Aug. 2.

Williams, who plays right wing for the National Hockey League’s 2012 Stanley Cup Champions, previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers and won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes prior to beginning his current stint with the Kings during the 2008-2009 season.

Williams is a native of Ontario, Canada but spends the summer at his home in Ventnor.

It is tradition that each member of the winning team has their name etched on the cup and gets to spend one day with hockey’s most prized trophy. Prior to a public appearance at Caesars Hotel and Casino, Williams played street hockey with friends at the Ventnor tennis courts where he played goalie for the winning team. There, he took photos with some of the people who were watching the game and took the cup for a visit to Ventnor City Hall.

In Commission Chambers, a group of residents gathered in anticipation for the white Ford Excursion limo to arrive with Williams, the cup and a crew filming his day with the cup for the NHL Network.

“Thanks for coming. I just wanted to meet some people here since I spend my summers here,” Williams told the crowd.

He took the time to let everyone get a photo with him and the cup and was happy to sign autographs and talk hockey.

When Williams got word that employees in the tax office couldn’t make it up to the second floor, he brought the cup in for a surprise to workers and residents waiting in line before departing for his next appearance.

Photos by Shaun Smith