There are tons of fans in Leaf Nation, but the ones shining brightest at Thursday night's game will undoubtedly be Hamilton's Bishop Ryan students Lukasz Orzel and Riley Kisel.

If the statisticians counted their smiles instead of Leaf goals and their enthusiasm over players' skill, the Leafs would win hands down and by a huge margin.

The two students with special needs will be on the Air Canada Centre ice just before the game starts. They will use sign language to adccompany Kaitlin Kozell in singing the Canadian and American national anthems.

It's a dream come true, says Kisel, 17. When reminded the Leafs players including her favourite, centre Tyler Bozak, could be at centre ice during the singing of the anthems, her face glows.

Kisel and Orzel's enthusiasm and excitement were highly contagious as they practised and then spoke mostly through interpreter and educational assistant Jutta Custodio with The Spectator on Tuesday.

Orzel, 20, has been a fan his whole life. He watches every game with his dad and little brother Jacob. When asked if this is his first time going to a Leafs game, he lights up with a huge smile and emphatically says "yah".

His favourite player? Right-winger Phil Kessel.

The duo, joined by other students with special needs sign at all student assemblies, says Custodio. Last year, they signed to the song Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson at the year-end assembly.

They also signed the national anthems in the middle of the court at a Raptors game last year, says Custodio, who called both the Raptors last year and the Leafs this year to arrange for them to sign the anthems.

Kisel and Orzel, both huge Leafs fans and very good friends, are going to the game in style with Custodio and another chaperone and some family members in a limo provided by Mermaid Limo Service. They'll practise for a half-hour, then dine at the Real Sports Bar and Grill, courtesy of the Leafs management.

At the game, their signing, the anthems and the game will be broadcast on the specialty channel Leafs TV — or as Riley puts it — not just TV, but actual Leafs TV.

After the anthems, they'll watch the game from gold-section seats.

The two have a big week ahead. After all the excitement of the Leafs game, they are going to the school prom together on Friday.

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At the game, they will be joined by, among others, Kisel's grandparents and Orzel's dad and younger brother.

Kisel, who has played sledge hockey for 10 years now and has been to Leafs games before, will also be joined Thursday by her mother and brother. If the Leafs win, it'll be all the more satisfying because they are playing against her brother's favourite team, the Nashville Predators.