Miragh Bitove vividly remembers her first time seeing the Stanley Cup.

She was a teenager. A cousin was visiting from out of town. Her dad suggested they head to the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto and take a look.

When the pair hit the top step of the staircase leading to the sportB次元官网网址檚 silver chalice, Bitove was in awe.

B次元官网网址淣othing like it,B次元官网网址� she recalled. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a glow.B次元官网网址�

An art history and museum management major, Bitove went on to work as a Hall of Fame post-secondary intern in 2003 before parlaying that into a job as an archivist at the venue.

Years later, sheB次元官网网址檚 taken another massive leap B次元官网网址� as the first woman in the B次元官网网址淐up KeeperB次元官网网址� role on the annual celebration tour.

Bitove, her white gloves on whenever thereB次元官网网址檚 a chance she might touch the trophy, hit the road with colleagues last summer, crisscrossing North America as the Vegas Golden Knights basked in the glory of their victory.

B次元官网网址淲e see a bit of everything,B次元官网网址� Bitove said. B次元官网网址淔rom wedding-sized parties right down to potlucks in grandmaB次元官网网址檚 garage. ItB次元官网网址檚 great watching peopleB次元官网网址檚 natural reactions.

B次元官网网址淚ncredibly special.B次元官网网址�

WhatB次元官网网址檚 also special is Bitove blazing a trail handling the Cup.

The mother of three B次元官网网址� two boys and a girl B次元官网网址� doesnB次元官网网址檛 want special treatment. She also understands the attention in a sport that, while beginning to change, has been dominated by men for the better part of a century.

B次元官网网址淎 bit surreal,B次元官网网址� Bitove said of being the first woman in the job. B次元官网网址淭hat part doesnB次元官网网址檛 really enter into my train of thought.

B次元官网网址淲hen you go out on these trips, you get some sad faces in the house. IB次元官网网址檝e always said, B次元官网网址業 want to go out there and travel so that other girls can see me working in hockey.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Bitove has also turned some heads on those gruelling journeys that can last 10 or 11 days, often from before dawn until well past midnight.

B次元官网网址淚f IB次元官网网址檓 in my (Hall of Fame) blazer itB次元官网网址檚, B次元官网网址極h, I didnB次元官网网址檛 know they made that blazer for women,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said the Toronto native. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 great B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 glad to be out there and have people see it.B次元官网网址�

Phil Pritchard B次元官网网址� the Hall of FameB次元官网网址檚 vice-president and the B次元官网网址淜eeper of the CupB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� remembers when Bitove first arrived in the building.

B次元官网网址淪he had all the interest, all the background, everything that weB次元官网网址檙e looking for,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen you get someone like that, you donB次元官网网址檛 want to lose them.B次元官网网址�

Qualifications and passion aside, Bitove also has the game in her blood. While never a hockey player herself, the family tree includes great uncle Ted Kennedy, who won the Cup five times with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1945 and 1951.

B次元官网网址淗ockey was sort of in my periphery,B次元官网网址� she said looking back. B次元官网网址淚n my grandmotherB次元官网网址檚 house was a giant portrait of my uncle Ted in game action B次元官网网址� black and white, beautiful photo.

B次元官网网址淚 walked (into the Hall of Fame) actually looking for information on my uncle Ted. It organically sprouted from there.B次元官网网址�

Bitove, who along with her husband can be found in community rinks most nights, and her colleagues are tasked with taking care of the Cup every moment itB次元官网网址檚 on the road. The team atmosphere and camaraderie is crucial, especially on those long stretches away from home.

B次元官网网址淭hat hockey family environment, she brings it to work every day,B次元官网网址� Pritchard said. B次元官网网址淪he fits the perfect mould for the Hockey Hall of Fame.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 where Bitove belongs.

B次元官网网址淨ualified to do exactly what sheB次元官网网址檚 doing,B次元官网网址� Pritchard added. B次元官网网址淚f that falls under the arc of being the first woman on the road with the Cup, so be it.B次元官网网址�

And when she isnB次元官网网址檛 getting hundreds of pictures taken at barbecues or community centres alongside the Cup in small towns and big cities, Bitove works with other artifacts to tell the gameB次元官网网址檚 story.

B次元官网网址淓very new item that comes into the museum comes through my desk, so IB次元官网网址檓 writing the history of hockey,B次元官网网址� she explained. B次元官网网址淔ifty years from now people can go back and see what the Hockey Hall of Fame had to say.B次元官网网址�

Bitove has spoken to her seven-year-old daughter B次元官网网址� the only girl on the little oneB次元官网网址檚 co-ed hockey team B次元官网网址� about what mom is up to.

B次元官网网址淚 always tell her, B次元官网网址榊ouB次元官网网址檝e got to double down, work hard and prove that you belong,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Bitove, whoB次元官网网址檚 equally proud to have her boys, ages nine and 11, witness a woman in this role. B次元官网网址淲hen I go on the road B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 doing it so other people can see me working in hockey.B次元官网网址�

That journey started more than two decades ago.

The Hockey Hall of Fame used to parade the Cup a short distance back to the museum from TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Union Station at the conclusion of every summer tour.

Back in 2003, that event happened to fall on BitoveB次元官网网址檚 first day as an intern.

B次元官网网址淧hil Pritchard goes, B次元官网网址極h, just hold on. IB次元官网网址檒l be right back. I have to do this parade,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 looked out the window of our offices and I saw him parading down with the Stanley Cup.

B次元官网网址淚 thought, B次元官网网址榃here am I? This is crazy.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Now sheB次元官网网址檚 one of the select few sporting the white gloves B次元官网网址� Cup in hand.