IT’S a friendly clash — a wager.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi — both of whom happen to be South Asians — are whipping up excitement ahead of the Calgary Flames-Edmonton Oilers Pacific Division finals series.
The mayor of the city that loses the series will have to eat humble pie by wearing the jersey of the team that wins — as well as full facepaint in the colours of their rival.
Usually the wager involves only wearing the winner’s jersey — but these mayors decided to take it a notch higher by agreeing that the losing city’s mayor will be in full face paint celebrating the opposing team at the first council meeting following the end of the series.
Gondek told the media that the losing city council will also donate either to Kids with Cancer Society in Edmonton or Kids Cancer Care in Calgary in recognition of five-year-old Ben Stelter’s fight with brain cancer. Ben is a superfan of the Edmonton Oilers.
All the way from Las Vegas, Ben and his friend @BarkAndreFurry are saying Play La Bamba baby!!!!! @EdmontonOilers we’re on our way home for round 2!!!!!! #oilers #yeg #BenOilersStrong pic.twitter.com/vcMcLP7Ngo
— Mike Stelter (@m_dan25) May 15, 2022
She added: “It’s fitting that the month of May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Ben has been incredibly brave in this past year and all hockey fans are cheering him on.”
The last time the two teams met in the playoffs was in 1991 — 31 years ago — when the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames on a goal in overtime in Game 7.
Game 1 takes place on Wednesday.