Thousands took to backyard rinks, ponds and one particularly long ice surface Saturday to show their love for the game of hockey.
The puck was dropped at 7 a.m. on the Rideau Canal to start a Guinness World Record attempt for World's Longest Breakaway Goal.
Twenty minutes and 7.8 kilometres later, former Ottawa Senator Shaun Van Allen put the puck in the net to finish his end of the deal . . . now all Ottawa has to do is wait about three months while officials review the record.
(And in the process, potentially setting a record for World's Longest Goal Review.)
In the Township of Russell (about a 40-kilometre skate from downtown Ottawa) the outdoor rink was the focal point of their hockey celebration.
"We did this last year and (my son) completely remembers, so he's not going to have a problem remembering this," said Valerie Lawrence-Houle. "To the kids it means everything, they love it."
Hundreds of participants and plenty of donations to local food banks meant the day went well for organizers.
"So far it's been a lot of smiling faces around here," said Ian Sturgeon.
Morgan Doyle was smiling despite being heckled all day for wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey.
"My dad bought it for my birthday and they're my third favourite team," he said.
Those were just two of the events that happened on that day, of the many days that people in our region stop to make hockey a part of their lives.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Stefan Keyes
