Discover® And The NHL® Surprise The United States Naval Academy Hockey Team With A Visit From The Stanley Cup®

April 22, 2014

Special Day with the Cup Event in Annapolis Celebrates the Most Successful Navy Hockey Team in History and the Military’s Unwavering Service to our Country

ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 22, 2014-- Celebrating the most successful United States Naval Academy Hockey team in Navy history, Discover partnered with the National Hockey League (NHL®) today to surprise members of the Midshipmen with the Stanley Cup®, the most revered trophy in professional sports. The Midshipmen, who finished this season at 29-7-2 and ranked eighth nationally, were treated to a celebratory reception this afternoon at McMullen Arena in the Brigade Sports Complex. Navy hockey team members, who were holding an informal scrimmage at the arena, were treated to a surprise visit from the Stanley Cup. The surprise did not end there, as players from the Navy Youth Hockey league, along with their families, were invited to the arena to join the celebration where pizza and beverages were served and the Navy youth hockey players had the chance to skate with some of the Midshipmen players. Unbeknownst to them, they too would be getting a visit with the Stanley Cup.

Mike Fox, the head coach of the Midshipmen, helped organize the surprise from the beginning, and could not have been happier to see his team get a chance to spend a day with the most coveted trophy in sports.

“I am so proud of the incredible season these young men had,” said Fox. “For Discover and the NHL to recognize our accomplishment by allowing the team a chance to spend a day with the Stanley Cup, is a perfect ending to the season; especially for some of our players, who will be leaving to serve their country in a few short weeks.”

Navy’s hockey team finished first in their division and made it to the quarterfinals of the American Collegiate Hockey Association National tournament. Two of their players, forward Tom Krysil and goalie Andrew Mills were selected to play in the ACHA All-Star game.

“Discover is a proud supporter of our military and is always looking for ways to give back to those who serve our country,” said Matt Towson, senior manager of media relations and community affairs at Discover. “When we learned of the Navy Hockey team’s incredible season, we knew we had to bring the Stanley Cup to Annapolis and are grateful that our relationship with the NHL could help make this happen.”

The Stanley Cup is the oldest and most recognized trophy in professional sports. It was crafted in Sheffield, England in the late 1800s and was first presented in 1893. It is the only trophy in professional sports that is passed along from player to player in the summer their team wins it. The Stanley Cup travels close to 300 days per year and has logged more than 800,000 miles in travel since the 2000-2001 NHL season, including trips to Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Austria, Germany, Italy, England, Belarus, Ukraine, Belgium, Afghanistan, Dubai, France, the Bahamas and the Arctic Circle. It is made of silver and nickel alloy, weighs 35 pounds and stands at three feet tall. There is only one Stanley Cup -- authenticated by the seal of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the bottom of the Cup; this seal can be seen when winning players lift the Cup over their heads.

Photos and b-roll will be available 24-48 hours following the event. Please contact Matt Towson at matthewtowson@discover.com to obtain these assets.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company operates the Discover card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private student loans, personal loans, checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its direct banking business. Its payment businesses consist of Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.

About the NHL

The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL® consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other major professional sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (NBCSNk, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Satellite Radio). Through NHL Green™, the League is committed to reuse, recycle and reduce its ecological impact by pursuing sustainable business practices and raising awareness of environmental issues among its fan base. The NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, visit NHL.com.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. © NHL 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Source: Discover Financial Services

Discover
Matthew Towson
773-454-5396
matthewtowson@discover.com
or
NHL
Nirva Milord
212-789-2123
nmilord@nhl.com