It wasn't the first time the Stanley Cup had gone missing.
Magicians, The Spencers, caused the NHL's championship trophy to vanish, then reappear in the hands of Hall of Fame defenseman Larry Robinson at the All-Star Block Party in January 2003.
An airline mixup involving a connecting flight in the Czech Republic interrupted the Cup's travels with the New Jersey Devils for about a day last year.
But until Aug. 22, the Cup never had disappeared during a direct flight.
Lightning head scout Jake Goertzen's visit was shortened by about 12 hours after the Cup was removed from a flight from Vancouver to Fort St. John, B.C., because of weight restrictions.
After scout Gerry O'Flaherty dropped him off at the Vancouver airport, Hockey Hall of Fame "Keeper of the Cup" Walt Neubrand showed the Cup to an attendant at the Air Canada ticket counter who checked it into the oversize baggage area and told Neubrand she would call the operations center to alert the baggage handlers of the Cup's presence.
But while waiting with Goertzen in baggage claim following his arrival in Fort St. John, Neubrand found the Cup wasn't there.
"I was more angry than anything," Neubrand said. "I wasn't worried about it. I wasn't panicking.
"I knew something happened."
After questioning airport personnel, Neubrand and Goertzen learned the Cup had been taken off the plane in Vancouver because it was deemed too heavy for the full flight.
They were told baggage handlers didn't know it was the Cup they had removed.
The airline apologized, blaming a communication error, and the Cup arrived on a 9:45 flight the next morning.
A public viewing in Fort St. John was cut from four hours to two, and a crowd of about 100 that gathered in a local restaurant was kept waiting.
"That's what made me angry," Neubrand said.
"This is so unneeded. It should not have happened."
About 1,000 viewed the Cup during the two-hour period, and it eventually made its way to the restaurant before it was handed over to defenseman Cory Sarich in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Tuesday.
Goertzen was granted another day with the Cup, likely sometime in October, Lightning spokesman Jay Preble said.
BANNER DAY: Sarich, who grew up in the Davidson-Bladworth area, was welcomed home with a parade past storefronts with, "Congratulations, Cory" signs and lightning bolts in the windows and ended at a local arena where a crowd of 2,000 cheered him.
In Bladworth, Sarich was greeted by a "Welcome to Bladworth" sign that included a picture of Sarich in his Lightning uniform. Dinner at an upscale steakhouse, a private party where a highlight video was shown and a benefit for the Ronald McDonald House were among other highlights of his visit.
WRONG TEAM: Phoenix's Tyson Nash, a friend of Lightning defenseman Darryl Sydor, wore a Tampa Bay T-shirt to a party Aug. 14 at Sydor's summer cottage on Lake Shuswap, near Kamloops, B.C.
Asked why he was wearing the shirt, Nash said, "If I never win the Cup, I can say I spent part of the day with it."
The Cup arrived at Sydor's dock from Cranbrook, B.C., on a pontoon plane. After taking it to a supermarket, Sydor stopped by a marina before returning to his cottage for a private party where rain and a power outage sent people scurrying under tents and into a three-car garage.
TOUR STOP: Ontario band, Three Days Grace, celebrated with Brad Lukowich Aug. 20 at an Irish sports bar the Lightning defenseman co-owns in Cranbrook.
The band, whose song, I Hate Everything About You is an alternative rock radio staple, drove nine hours out of their way between shows in San Jose and Portland, Ore.
TRIVIAL MATTERS: Forward Chris Dingman rewarded correct answers to trivia questions with Lightning merchandise during a private party for about 100 people Aug. 19 in Edmonton.
