The excitement was palpable and the crowd was beaming as members of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators descended upon the town of Lucan - this year's Kraft Hockeyville winner.
Fans young and young-at-heart filled the parking lot of the Lucan Community Memorial Centre Tuesday morning to catch a glimpse of their hockey favourites. Some got autographs, others selfies.
"It's a dream. I've been watching the Maple Leafs since I was a kid. It is unbelievable to see them come to my town," said Dan Kalver. "I got a hat signed. They were all very friendly."
Kalver wasn't lucky enough to score tickets to the Tuesday night pre-season game between the two teams, but still planned on taking in the event the second best way by going to the community viewing party held behind the arena.
"This is so good for the community of Lucan," said Kalver. "The support the community has shown, the way they have decorated the town, the people that are around here, it is unbelievable. Go Lucan Go."
The Maple Leafs and Senators each took to the ice for morning practice surrounded by cheerings fans, most of whom won there way in by way of a raffle.
Burlington resident Morgan Young was driving to see her parents in Thedford when she caught wind of the excitement and decided to detour through the town north of London.
"When I got here I asked if they had an extra ticket to watch the practice and they said yes. I'm a huge Leafs fan, so this is beyond amazing," said Young, who just happened to be wearing her blue Maple Leafs t-shirt. "There were pucks that where flying off the ice into the netting and they were giving them out to the kids. Everybody seems to know everybody."
While she planned on continuing her journey to Thedford, she said her visit might be a short one if her new friends in Lucan were to give her a call later in the day.
"I got to know who I was sitting beside at the practice and they took my phone number and promised if they get tickets for tonight's game they would let me know and I would drive back here in a heartbeat," said Young.
Former London Knights players Mitch Marner, Nazem Kadri, and John Tavares are among the Maple Leafs playing in the pre-season game.
Among those in the stands to catch the action was 91-year-old Evelyn Johns, a Toronto native who has called Lucan home for the past 12 years.
"I never thought I would see the Leafs here. I have been a Toronto fan my whole life, so when a friend offered me a ticket for tonight's game I jumped at it," said Johns.
Johns was all smiles wearing her Leafs jersey and ball cap and was optimistic she'd be able to get at least one autograph before the end of the night.
"I saw one girl who got autographs all over her sweater. That was really neat," said Johns. " I couldn't get close enough yet to get one, but maybe I will tonight. That would be awesome."
Lucan beat out High River, Alta., Lafleche, Sask., and Huntingdon, Que., in a social media competition in April to be named Kraft Hockeyville 2018. In addition to landing the NHL pre-season game, the town was awarded $250,000 for arena upgrades. The arena improvements included new plexiglass and boards around the rink, as well as a new scoreboard and sound system.
A special Lucan Kraft Hockeyville logo was also placed in the centre of the freshly laid ice.
The entire community was decked out in blue and red to mark the occasion. Countless front yards had hockey displays, signs, jerseys, and hockey sticks set up. Utility poles were wrapped in red and blue ribbon, the main street was temporarily renamed Kraft Hockeyville Way, and a banner heading into town welcomed all to Lucan Kraft Hockeyville.
"It just goes to show how much spirit is in this tiny community," said Lucan resident Laura Colby, who watched the practice with her neighbour Vicki Hayter and Hayter's mother Kathy Mann. "Other communities could learn a lesson from us about bringing people together."
