A century may have passed since the Victoria Cougars hoisted the Stanley Cup, but the memory of their historic win in 1925 now lives on in a place few would expect – under a plastic dome in downtown Vancouver.
The BC Sports Hall of Fame recently unveiled a one-of-a-kind bubble hockey game that pits the 1925 Cougars against the 1915 Vancouver Millionaires in what it calls the “British Columbia Historical Classic.”
Visitors can lace up their fingers and go head-to-head on the miniature ice in a tribute to the province’s only two Stanley Cup champions.
“It was just perfect timing,” said Jason Beck, curator and facility director at the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “We were already planning to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cougars’ Stanley Cup win, then this call comes out of the blue in November from a conference organizer.”
That organizer was Dr. Robert O’Connor, a Metchosin family physician and hockey history enthusiast who built the customized Super Chexx Pro game in his garage to mark the Cougars’ centennial. It debuted at a medical conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre last fall and was later donated to the Hall.
“They didn’t even tell us exactly what it was,” Beck said. “Just that there was a bubble hockey game available after the conference, and asked if we wanted it. We figured it couldn’t be more used than the one we already had.”
When it arrived, staff were stunned.
“It looked brand new,” Beck said. “Turns out only about 100 people used it over three days. So it’s basically like buying a car and someone’s just driven it around the block.”
It also travelled back to Victoria in March for a celebration of the Victoria Cougars winning the Cup.
The game’s attention to detail goes far beyond what you'd expect from a typical bubble hockey setup.
Each player is hand-painted in the correct uniform – sky blue and gold for the Cougars, and maroon and cream for the Millionaires – and labelled with names and numbers of actual players from the era. That means fans can face off with hockey legends from both sides, such as Cyclone Taylor of the Millionaires and Frank Frederickson of the Cougars.
“You’ve probably got seven or eight Hall of Famers on the ice,” Beck said. “And most people don’t realize Victoria was the last B.C. team to win the Stanley Cup. That blows people away.”
A mini Jumbotron suspended above the rink displays “Patrick Arena” – a nod to the Victoria rink that once hosted the Cougars. There’s a pre-game national anthem, crowd noise, a goal siren, and even a voice-over by Vancouver broadcaster Blake Price calling the action.
The machine's base is wrapped with a rich historical display, including old photographs and facts about the Pacific Coast Hockey Association – the league founded by the Patrick brothers, who brought numerous innovations to the game. Blue lines, jersey numbers, even goaltenders dropping to their knees – all of it started in Victoria and Vancouver.
“The impact the Patrick's had on the game is still felt today,” Beck said. “To have this game showcasing all that history, it’s just a perfect fit.”
The installation is free to play for anyone visiting the Hall of Fame, located at Gate A of BC Place Stadium. Beck hopes it offers a dose of nostalgia and a fresh spark of curiosity.
“These were two teams that changed the game,” he said. “Now anyone can come down, give it a spin, and relive a piece of that story.”
