Sound Beach native Brandon Bussi brings the Stanley Cup to Long Island
The Carolina Hurricanes goalie brought the Stanley Cup to The Rinx at Hauppauge on Wednesday and was greeted with much fanfare
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Brandon Bussi returned to his childhood rink a champion.
The Carolina Hurricanes goalie brought the Stanley Cup to The Rinx at Hauppauge on Wednesday and was greeted with much fanfare as his friends and family members, fellow Long Islanders, youth hockey players and coaches and Suffolk County officials energetically greeted him.
Bussi, 28, and the Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games to win the Stanley Cup in June. The Sound Beach native posted a shutout in the deciding game, a 3-0 victory for the Hurricanes in Las Vegas, on June 14. The win clinched the Canes first Cup in 20 years.
With each player getting a day to celebrate with the Cup this summer, the Miller Place High School graduate brought the NHL's top prize to the place where he first learned to play hockey. He was greeted by legions of fans enthusiastically chanting "Bussi! Bussi!"
"This moment, for me, is pretty surreal," Bussi said. "To be able to come back to the place where I strapped on my pads for the first time with loved ones, seeing a lot of old faces, old coaches, old teammates, the youth hockey community out here to support me, and be able to celebrate this moment with me is very special."
In honor of his arrival, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine ceremoniously christened Wednesday Brandon Bussi Day across the county.
In addition to The Rinx, Bussi planned to bring the Cup to Bracco's Clam and Oyster Bar in Freeport for an evening celebration.
The goaltender said being able to return home with the coveted Cup will stick with him.
"This is extremely special to me," Bussi said. "I will never forget this day. So, thank you."
