Bark-Andre Marchy? Stuffed animal finds a home with Conn Smythe winner

As the Vegas Golden Knights captured their first Stanley Cup on Tuesday night in a dominant 9-3 victory over the Florida Panthers, a memento of one of their beloved late furry friends went home with the family of their most valuable player.

A stuffed animal of Bark-Andre Furry, the beloved Jack Russell terrier and unofficial Golden Knights mascot who passed away earlier this month, was launched onto the ice as part of a post-game tradition and made it into the hands of the daughter of Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault.

Bark was a favorite of Knights fans, as well as a therapy dog who regularly visited local hospitals.

“It was great to see,” Rick Williams, the owner of Bark and his brother Deke-Henri Furry, said of the stuffed animal’s fate. “I met up with Drew Johnson yesterday and asked him as a favor that when he throws a flamingo on the ice, could he throw a Bark stuffy as well.”

Drew Johnson was the man behind the tradition of the Victory Flamingo, which is used to celebrate wins for the hockey team. The tradition started in 2018 when Johnson brought in a plastic pink flamingo to cheer on the team following a losing streak. Johnson hurled the flamingo onto the ice, and since that moment five years ago, fans throughout the arena throw their own flamingos on the ice to celebrate goals and victories.

In a tweet Tuesday, Johnson tweeted that his flamingo for the night would also be giving the Bark stuffed animal a ride to the ice.

I'm giving @BarkAndreFurry a ride to the ice when we win the Cup! 🦩❤️🐾 pic.twitter.com/NXjhdHTuih

— 🏆 - Victory Flamingo🦩 (@VGKFlamingo) June 13, 2023

Williams said Johnson threw the Bark stuffy onto the ice Tuesday night and texted him later that night to say that Marchessault’s daughter ended up taking it home.

“I can’t remember exactly what I said at the moment but I just thought it was so cool,” Williams told the Review-Journal Wednesday. “It means so much to us.”

Deke’s official Twitter account posted about the moment following the game.

“I cannot thank @VGKFlamingo enough! My brother’s stuffy found the ice and he’s going home with the Conn Smythe Trophy winner’s daughter!” the message, signed from Deke, read.

Williams said it was extra special that the team finally won the Stanley Cup so soon after losing his beloved Bark.

“I’m like anybody else who’s followed the Knights, we were ecstatic watching the game,” Williams said. “Across the board the Knights were apart of the healing proccess following 1 October. They embraced the town and in turn, the town embraced them.”

Contact Kiara Adams at kadams@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-0399. Follow @kiadams101 on Twitter.