Penguins captain Crosby goes from carrying Stanley Cup to running with Olympic torch

Penguins captain Crosby runs with Olympic torch

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — Five months after lifting the Stanley Cup, Sidney Crosby carried the Olympic torch as thousands of people lined a downtown street.

Clad in an official torchbearer uniform, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain ran about 300 yards Wednesday before passing the torch to snowboarder Sarah Conrad.

“You look at the people out there, you see the signs of the excitement,” Crosby said. “You never dream of carrying the torch. For me, that wasn’t something that I ever thought would be a possibility.”

Crosby’s hometown of Cole Harbour lies across the harbor from Halifax.

“It’s not just about me carrying the torch or another person — this is a celebration of the whole country and just to be a part of that, I feel so honored,” Crosby said. “Whether I was playing hockey or whether I was someone here locally who just got the chance to do it, I think we can all say that it’s a tremendous opportunity and we’re proud to be able to do it.”

The relay began in Victoria last month and will make stops in every province and territory leading up to the Winter Games in Vancouver in February.