WINNIPEG - When a Manitoba festival has "ice" in its name and features a bunch of people wearing helmets, it's impossible for a hockey mascot like myself to stay away. Though they were celebrating Iceland and vikings, and not hockey, I trekked north to Gimli as I have done for the last several years for the Icelandic Festival to join in the festivities on Aug. 5. As always, I jumped in on the parade, handed out giveaways and met tons of Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose fans. You wouldn't believe what big hockey fans all those Vikings are! And after seeing the Viking battles, I'd face Dustin Byfuglien on the ice instead of them any day!