Sidney Crosby fans celebrate Cup win with pilgrimage to famous dryer

Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby kisses the Stanley Cup after defeating Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Nashville, Tenn. on Sunday, June 11, 2017. (AP / Jeff Roberson)

HALIFAX -- Mere hours after Sidney Crosby won his third Stanley Cup, the hometown museum that touts itself as "Home of the Sidney Crosby Exhibit" was already coveting new keepsakes.

"I'm hoping that he's going to save a stick or two from this Cup run," said Bruce Rainnie, executive director of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in Halifax, whose collection of memorabilia includes the famous puck-marked clothes dryer that is part of the Crosby legend.

"It all adds to the allure."

Crosby, from nearby Cole Harbour, N.S., has along with his family donated a range of items including pucks, hockey sweaters, sticks, a pair of skates, and a helmet he wore during the Vancouver Olympic Games.

"We're glad he's from Nova Scotia and his family has been really kind to donate a lot of cool exhibits, including his world famous dryer," Rainnie said Monday. "A lot of people thought he shot on the dryer on purpose, but actually when he missed the net he'd hit the dryer and it got blasted by pucks. A lot of people come in here to see that."

Rainnie said many of the people who drop in during the summer months are American tourists off cruise ships. A look at the guest book confirms recent visitors from as far away as New York City, Pittsburgh and California.

Doug Briggs of Anaheim, California, said he decided to look in after missing Sunday night's cup clinching game. Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 2-0 in game six of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"We didn't get to see the game because we were on the cruise ship," he said.

The baseball and hockey fan said he has been to Anaheim Ducks games, but has never seen Crosby play live.

"It was great," Briggs said of the exhibit. "I loved the dryer, that was probably my favourite part."

Chris Flaherty, a student at the Maine Maritime Academy, said he decided to check out the display after the academy's ship docked in Halifax.

"I knew Crosby was from around here and I also knew this museum was here," said Flaherty. "I've been a fan most of my life so I figured I'd stop in."

Flaherty also missed the game on television because he was at sea, but said he listened to the play-by-play on the radio.

"It was definitely different but I was just happy I could at least listen to it," he said.

Rainnie said Crosby has seen the exhibit, which he describes as in keeping with the Penguins captain's persona.

"He's a guy that has this quiet confidence and humility and I'm sure he didn't want this overdone because he's not in the hall yet."

Then Rainnie said with a smile: "I'm sure he'll make it some day."