Eric Perrin, the Lightning rookie, took the Stanley Cup to his parents' Laval home during his day-long celebration with the Cup.

While Tampa firefighters were watching the final period of Tampa's 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames in the opening game of the Stanley Cup final, the alarm rang and set into motion a flurry of activity. Firefighters were astounded to discover that the blaze they were battling belonged to Lightning defenseman, Dan Boyle.

Boyle's South Tampa home sustained over $300,000 in damage; the result of an electrical fire. "They told me after the game that my house was on fire," Boyle said at the time. "I thought it was some kind of joke. Sometimes, you think you're superhuman, but this makes you realize you're not."

A third of the two-storey home was destroyed in the fire, as well as all of Dan's clothes and a number of personal items, although his hockey memorabilia was all saved. "It's going to be a long summer, but it'll be better if we can win this thing."

The good news, of course, is that while Dan's home is being rebuilt, he can spend the summer as one of Tama Bay's reigning champions. And with that honour comes the privilege of spending a day with the Stanley Cup.

Dan Boyle and the Stanley Cup sat in on the morning show at Ottawa's all-sports radio station, TEAM 1200.

Tuesday afternoon (July 13), before heading off to the Ottawa home of Dan Boyle, the Stanley Cup made a stop in Laval, Quebec for a visit with Eric Perrin. Although he only played four games with the Lightning through the regular season, spending most of the year with the AHL Hershey Bears, Eric was an integral part of Tampa Bay's playoff run and was most appreciative to be given the opportunity to spend time with hockey's most esteemed trophy. Eric and his family had professional photographs taken with the Stanley Cup, then held a private catered party for family and friends in his parents' backyard. Among those in attendance were Hershey teammate Steve Brule as well as Tim Thomas, the former Boston Bruin netminder who played with Perrin at the University of Vermont.

Tuesday at 10PM, a throng of people were waiting on the arrival of the Stanley Cup at the Orleans, Ontario residence of Dan Boyle's parents. After spending thirty minutes showing those gathered, Dan took the Cup to Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub and Restaurant, where donations to Roger's House, a cancer care home for children initiated to honour Roger Neilson's memory, secured a Polaroid photo or Dan's autograph. Many put the donated money right into the bowl of the Stanley Cup.

Sipping bubbly from the Cup with Dan Boyle was on tap at On Tap in Ottawa's Byward Market.

Although Dan left the pub at 3AM, he was back on the road in the Ottawa area by seven Wednesday morning. When the limousine arrived to begin the day, Dan was astounded but delighted to see that the driver was actually his first ever hockey coach!

The Stanley Cup was taken to TEAM 1200, an all-sports radio station, where JR, Steve and Jungle Jim, also known as Three Guys on the Radio, talked to Dan about his Stanley Cup experience. Then, it was off for brunch with the Boyle family in the backyard of their home. The affair was catered, with steak and eggs the order of the day. CJOH-TV had a camera crew documenting the day's events.

At 11AM, Dan returned to the co-op residence in downtown Ottawa where he grew up to exhibit the Stanley Cup for lifelong friends. By noon, the Cup was taken to Greco Martial Arts Studio where Dan trains during the summer.

Two buddies, Dan and Stanley, are down but not out as they re-energize between stops.

Lunch Wednesday took place at Fratelli's, and Dan and his girlfriend Amber enjoyed chicken penne. The roadtrip continued with a stop at l'Institute Canadien-Francais d'Ottawa, a French social club. Then, it was off to the Byward Market in Ottawa's downtown core where Dan and the Cup stopped in at The Cabin. Again, money was raised for Roger' House for those wishing to get either a photograph or autograph. A quick stop at Kanata Ford preceded dinner at the Kanata location of Fratelli's. Patrons again were awed to see the Stanley Cup in their midst, and many got on CJOH-TV's six o'clock news during a live feed of Dan Boyle with the Stanley Cup from the restaurant. Live on the TV airwaves, Dan presented a cheque for $2,000 to Roger's House — the total dollar amount accumulated through his fundraising efforts with the Stanley Cup in Ottawa.

The night ended with a visit to On Tap; one of Ottawa's best clubs. While a rock band played, Dan posed with the Stanley Cup for delighted patrons. After several hours, the Stanley Cup was packed, rock, stock and barrel, bid adieu to Dan Boyle, and prepared for a flood of memories with Cory Stillman in Peterborough, Ontario.

On Wednesday, Cory Stillman gets revenge on the New Jersey Devils' Scott Stevens, and you'll find out all about it in Stanley Cup Journal.