Should they win Game 6 Monday night and capture the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks have made it clear they won’t let the boozy post-game tradition of drinking champagne out of the Cup happen since it conflicts with the underage drinking law, as winger Teuvo Teravainen is still just 20 years old. Five bottles of sparking grape juice have been placed in Teravainen’s locker in lieu of Champagne.
“I asked Kimmo to watch him to make sure he doesn’t do anything illegal,” said Joel Quenneville. “He’s just a little kid, we don’t want him being irresponsible.”
“I know in Finland the legal drinking age is 18,” defenseman and fellow Finn Kimmo Timonen said. “But I’ve put my blood, sweat and tears into this game for 20 years. I’m not going to watch some punk rookie win the Cup and get drunk like it’s nothing.”
Teravainen himself spoke about the matter after the team morning skate on Monday.
“People are making it sound so bad, but it isn’t,” said Teravainen. “Have you ever had sparkling grape juice? It’s delicious. Keep hating. You’re all just jealous.”
Teammates weren’t so sure.
“Teuvo keeps saying he’d be happy to drink anything out of the Cup, even if it’s non-alcoholic,” said forward Andrew Shaw, who was on 2013’s Cup-winning squad. “But after all the disgusting stuff that’s been in the Cup, the only thing you want to drink out of it is alcohol because it kills most of the germs.”
Added Shaw: “Just trust me on this one.”
