Canadian Press

9/25/2006 9:39:18 PM

SALMON RIVER, N.S. (CP) - Most winter days, Web Deuville sits in a small room dubbed Ballard's Box, peering through a window at children playing hockey on an ice surface he laid down a half-century ago.

Welcome to Deuville rink, a rabbit's warren of an arena the 89-year-old great-grandfather built as a labour of love in this tiny village in central Nova Scotia.

For the past few days, some of the most powerful people in hockey have travelled to Salmon River, which in June was proclaimed by Canadians as Hockeyville, beating out over 450 other communities across the country.

"This is a big deal, no doubt about it," Deuville said Monday as he sat in a rocking chair in his living room located over the rink's canteen and dressing rooms.

"It's a lot more than I ever expected."

A few hours later, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators met in an NHL pre-season game in nearby Truro to mark Salmon River's declaration. The game was played in the 2,000-seat Colchester Legion Stadium because Deuville's rink has almost no seats.

Chris Higgins and Guillaume Latendresse each scored twice as the Canadiens pounded the Senators 7-3 for their first win in five pre-season games. Andrei Kostitsyn, Jonathan Ferland and Kyle Chipchura scored the other Montreal goals.

Jason Spezza scored twice for Ottawa while Dany Heatley had the other. The Sens fell to 3-3 on the pre-season with the loss.

Earlier in the day, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ted Saskin, executive director of the NHL Players Association, visited Salmon River to pay their respects to the man whose creation captivated hockey fans.

Outside later, Bettman talked about what he saw.

"I've always believed that the passion people have for hockey knows no bounds, and I think we've witnessed even beyond that description today," he said. "This is just truly remarkable."

Deuville's patchwork creation - a jumble of dressing rooms, hallways, narrow stairways and family quarters - has to be one of the most unique rinks anywhere.

Originally built as an open-air surface, over the years it has been covered with a roof, had its natural ice replaced with artificial, and had nooks and crannies added that have left it nearly impossible to navigate without a guide.

"Dad's kitchen is right over there," said son Ellery Deuville as he took a visitor on a tour of the family-run rink, home and community centre.

"Dad started this rink 48 years ago. He sold his cottage to put a roof over it, all with his own money. He's devoted his whole life to supplying an ice surface to the kids."

The story struck a chord with viewers of the CBC's search for Hockeyville, and culminated with Salmon River winning the title, as well as perks that included the pre-season game.

Web Deuville dropped the puck during the ceremonial faceoff as fans stomped their feet and chanted "Hockeyville! Hockeyville!"

"You grow up in a rink like that," Heatley said prior to the game. "Everyone who plays the game can tell a story about playing in a rink like that. It's fun for the town and fun for us." Along with the Hockeyville title, Salmon River will get $50,000 in upgrades for the rink that will include a new roof, improved insulation and better lighting. The village also receives $10,000 in hockey equipment for needy children.

The mood before the game was loose and celebratory. Players visited schools and seniors' homes during the day and mingled freely with saucer-eyed fans outside the stadium.

Canadiens forward Mike Ribeiro even tossed a football with a teenager as a gaggle of his awestruck friends watched.

On Sunday, former Montreal greats Yvon Cournoyer and Rejean Houle brought the Stanley Cup to the Deuville rink and plunked it at centre ice.

They later escorted it through Truro on the back of a fire truck.

"I think this is a great experience for our players," said Ottawa coach Bryan Murray. "This is where we all come from as players - smaller towns and smaller rinks and sharing our experiences with people."

Outside the Deuville rink a few hours before the game, 11-year-old Cody MacDonald clutched his ticket and asked strangers if they were players.

"I think it's awesome," he said as he stood with a friend. "I live right across the street from Hockeyville."