An exciting exhibition game on April 5 between the OPP and the Huntsville Hoyas girls hockey team brought the community together in support of the Kelly Shires Foundation.
Local fans and supporters came to cheer on the Hoyas as well as the OPP. They didn’t expect to be entertained by the comical antics of the OPP and head referee, Scott Doughty, who sported pink shorts for the occasion. Colour commentator, HHS student Luke Murphy, provided additional comic relief.
There were make-believe arrests, with one Hoya heading to the penalty box cuffed to an OPP officer. The goalies swapped ends for part of the game, and there was rampant player interference. Ref Doughty even held back skaters and redirected the puck. It was all good fun in the name of a great cause.
Entry to the event was by donation, with a chuck-a-puck contest raising additional funds during the first intermission. A target shooting challenge between a Hoya player, shooting pucks, and a member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), shooting a bean bag gun, entertained the crowd during the second intermission.
The ERT may have had the advantage in the target challenge, but it was the Hoyas who won the game, 5-3.
(From left) Wendy Strickler, Lynda Cranney from the Huntsville OPP, Hailey Bender from the Almaguin OPP, Sarah Van Norman from the Bracebridge OPP and Leslie Pratt from the OPP Auxiliary accept donations from hockey fans before game time
The ceremonial puck drop was performed by OPP Chief Superintendent Rose Di Marco, with (back from left) OPP Superintendent Brad McCallum, HHS principal Kim Williams, Scott Doughty (General Manager of Hidden Valley Resort), and Huntsville OPP Staff Sergeant John Graham
Hoya Kalei Huddlestone gets sent to the penalty box in cuffs
Comical player interference was among the OPP’s game tactics
The Hoyas used pucks for the target challenge…
…while the OPP’s Emergency Response Team brought some heavier ammo
To cheers from the fans, the game’s organizer, OPP Constable Lynda Cranney, announced that donations on game night reached almost $1,200. The Hoyas also held a pink cupcake bake sale and pink ribbon campaign at HHS earlier in the week that both raised awareness and $250 for the cause.
At the start of the game, Hoyas team captain, Lindsay Young, presented a cheque to Doughty, General Manager of Hidden Valley Resort who was there to represent the Kelly Shires Foundation, bringing the event’s fundraising total to almost $1,450. The foundation hosts the annual Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run at Hidden Valley Resort every February, and provides financial support to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Scott Doughty (right) accepts a cheque from Hoyas team captain Lindsay Young on behalf of the Kelly Shires Foundation
Hoyas Coach Brian Webb holds up a sign to thank the game’s refs for their support. Webb sported a suit and pink tie for the game.
The Hoyas wore pink socks for the game, courtesy of Sharpley Source for Sports
In addition to all of the fun on the ice, there was some great hockey to watch, too
The players, coaches and organizers sent out a big thank you to all of the game’s volunteers and sponsors, including Ward Edmonds for donating the ice time and water for the benches, Sharpley Source for Sports for donating pink socks and tape for the players, RadioWorld for donating two hockey sticks as chuck-a-puck prizes, and Hidden Valley Resort for donating a dinner for two for the chuck-a-puck contest.
What a great way to end the hockey season, Hoyas!
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