September 24, 2011, Victoria, BC - "Marty the Marmot", the official mascot of the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Victoria Royals leads the team on to the ice for the first ever home game in franchise history. The sold out crowd of 7,006 at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Arena would not be disappointed as the Royals would defeat the Vancouver Giants 5-3 for their first win in franchise history.

Why I Chose This Photo: Aside from the historical significance of the game, this was the first shot of "Marty" in the pre-game ceremony that has ever turned out for me (he was also the mascot for our ECHL franchise). Usually my camera is set for the light that will be on during the game, so when trying to shoot a spot-lighted Marty, it has not been successful. In this case, I am not sure if there was an extra spotlight, or if it was just the extra light bouncing off the unfurled flag, but the light, combined with the slight reflection in the glass, made for a nice composition on this evening.