A Canadian team is going for it all in the Stanley Cup Final tonight.
Local restaurant and bar managers say that should equate to decent crowds in Stratford on Monday when the Edmonton Oilers try to come all the way back from three games down to beat the Florida Panthers, in a winner takes all Game 7.
Frank Bond, bar manager at the Boarshead Pub in downtown Stratford, said they have welcomed a steady crowd during the Stanley Cup final.
Toronto Maple Leafs would draw more, he suggested, “but it’s still a consistent crowd of people coming in.”
Bond said people called all weekend to ensure they are open Monday.
Having a Canadian team in the final has certainly helped with the numbers, Bond suggested.
The Montreal Canadiens are the last Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup, 31 years ago, way back in 1993.
“People have definitely jumped on the Edmonton bandwagon,” he said.
Connie, a bar manager at Gilly’s in the downtown, said the restaurant and bar has a few Monday night reservations, and they are hoping for a big crowd tonight.
Game 6 saw a big crowd at Gilly’s, back on Friday night, when they got some guests stopping in after the local music festival.
Connie agreed that if Toronto was in the final, crowds would be bigger.
Overall, the Stanley Cup playoffs have been good for business, she said.
