A Denver couple scored an unforgettable moment on Monday after the Stanley Cup was mistakenly delivered to their door instead of to its intended recipient — Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.
It's a well-known tradition that every member of a Stanley Cup-winning team gets to spend a day with the prized trophy. And on Monday, the day after the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning to finish the series in six games, it was Landeskog's time to shine.
But first, the Stanley Cup made an unexpected appearance at the home of neighbors Dmitri Rudenko and his husband Kit Karbler.
The couple were in their home Monday night when Rudenko noticed someone pulling into the driveway, they told NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver.
“I was the first one who saw the car being parked in our driveway. I saw the car backing up,” Rudenko said.
“The person opens the trunk and I saw the case and I recognized it, because I watched the final [Stanley Cup] games,” he said. “Jokingly said, ‘Is that the Stanley Cup?’ And he says, ‘Yes!’”
It turns out that Landeskog lives in the same area of the couple and shares a similar address. And with a large tree obscuring the couple's address, the mix-up unfolded.
“They’re only one digit off,” Karbler said. “Because of that one digit, it was fortuitous for us!”
The couple said the keepers of the Stanley Cup were extremely friendly, letting Rudenko and Karbler spend a few minutes with the prize.
Karbler, who got to pick up one of the most famous trophies in all of sports, said he felt as if he were touching a piece of history.
“They were gentlemen, completely. They were eager to share the experience of the Cup,” Karbler said. “I had no idea that I would find it so fascinating myself.”
Rudenko said he didn't want to keep the keepers waiting, so he never got a selfie with the Stanley Cup, but will clearly treasure the memory for years to come.
“I was just so happy to have the Stanley Cup in our driveway,” he said.
They were able to snap a quick photo of the trophy in its case, however, before it moved on to its intended destination.
“We made sure it arrived safe,” Rudenko laughed, with Karbler saying the couple showed the trophy handlers where to go.
“It made our day, and it’s something that we’ll be able to talk about and laugh about for a long time,” Karbler said.
