It's a game to some, a religion to others. To me, hockey is part of my love story with Canada

This First Person column is written by Erlinda Tan, a Filipina Canadian and Edmonton Oilers fan who now lives in Vancouver. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ.

The first full hockey game I ever watched was during the 2010 Winter Olympics — the memorable final against the U.S. when Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal in a nail-biting overtime.

Along with friends on Vancouver Island, I watched the game on a big TV screen and then followed the news to see Canada erupt in jubilation from coast to coast to coast. Cars honked for victory, while people sang O Canada inside trains, buses, malls, just everywhere.

I had moved to Canada from the Philippines just a few months earlier. I had only seen hockey in photos. But I couldn't believe a hockey victory could unite a nation to such a degree. It was one of the most beautiful displays of people-power I had ever seen. 

From then on, I became curious about the sport. From time to time, while busy settling in my new country, I would briefly check the game on TV. It didn't excite me the way it had on Feb. 28, 2010, but as I built my new life, it was like the sport was following me — people wearing hockey jerseys, loud cheers in my apartment building when the game was on. One day, I included hockey in my "To Learn" checklist as a new immigrant in Canada. 

It was spring 2014 when I went to my first in-person hockey game. It was the Edmonton Oilers versus the Anaheim Ducks. I was invited by a friend who's a big hockey fan and buys tickets for the whole season. 

When I heard the buzzer sound, I was reminded of the sound of ships about to dock back home in the Philippines. But I wasn't at the ocean. I was inside Edmonton's Rexall Place, a hockey arena with a sea of people dressed in orange jerseys chanting "Let's gooo Oilers!"

The images I remember from TV came alive but this time, I was part of the big, cheering crowd.  The Oilers won and everyone left the arena smiling. I still have those lovely images in my mind today.

I started to realize how big the sport of hockey was in my city. My co-workers would wear Oilers' jerseys to work and I learned the boss might not be in a good mood if the Oilers lost. I heard talk about a "Battle of Alberta," and after searching online, I found out it's not a historic war but a fierce hockey rivalry between Edmonton and Calgary. 

I also began realizing that in Canada, hockey is not only a sport — it's way bigger than that. It's almost like a religion. It's integrated into the culture — and even into the street names. My curiosity about Wayne Gretzky Drive was answered when I watched online videos of Mr. Gretzky and found out why he's a living legend of the game.  

I started watching the game on TV and sort of enjoyed it. I'm an avid follower of news and if the Battle of Alberta was a big event, I didn't want to miss it. I bought small towels with the Oilers logo and hung them in my kitchen. Nine years later, I still have these towels. 

I was falling in love with hockey at the same pace I was integrating into the country. It was nice to join conversations in the office about the game and feel that I belonged.

Two years later, in 2016, I moved to Vancouver to find work after being laid off from my job in Edmonton. Restarting life in Vancouver was not easy. Looking for a new job and getting to know the city was my main focus for months. I had to take a break from many pastimes, including watching hockey. 

By 2018, when I was settled in my new city, I met Mike. He's a big hockey fan. For Hockey Night in Canada, he prepares special dinners and makes sure he has enough beverages to last the game.