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Emergency services clash

Better luck next year, Athabasca. Boyle emerged victorious for the sixth straight year in the annual Emergency Services Charity Hockey Game with a 12-9 victory over Athabasca Jan. 27.
The Athabasca and Boyle emergency services hockey teams group together in centre ice at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex after the sixth annual Emergency Services Charity
The Athabasca and Boyle emergency services hockey teams group together in centre ice at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex after the sixth annual Emergency Services Charity Hockey Game.

Better luck next year, Athabasca.

Boyle emerged victorious for the sixth straight year in the annual Emergency Services Charity Hockey Game with a 12-9 victory over Athabasca Jan. 27.

The annual game fought between Athabasca and Boyle’s firefighter, RCMP and EMS members is done to raise money for a charitable cause of the host municipality’s choice. With this year’s game held at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex, money went to the Rob Winder Memorial Scholarship, aimed at students going into a career in emergency services.

Athabasca Fire Department Chief Traivs Shalapay said in an interview he could take solace in raising money for charity in spite of yet another Boyle victory.

“It’s all about the fundraiser really,” Shalapay said. “We’re all a little bit competitive. We really hope to bring it home once. But you know what, we raise money for a good cause. I can take our licks and we’ll try again next year.”

Boyle has won all six years the game has been held. The team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period of this year’s game and stayed ahead. The two sides traded goals back and forth throughout the second and third periods but Boyle never let go of its lead.

Boyle RCMP Const. Colin Folk, who skated in the game, said his team produced a good turnout and was able to tire the opposition out.

“It was good. It’s fun every year we do it and we get a good turnout from Boyle and it’s a good time,” Folk said.

This year featured the shortest bench for Athabasca in the game’s history, according to Shalapay, with only seven players suiting up for Athabasca versus ten from Boyle.

Shalapay said in an interview many planned participants were called away to work.

“Because we are an emergency services organization, we had a lot of players that had to work,” Shalapay said. “This year, a lot of players that planned on playing called in, had to work, weren’t able to make it.”

The event and scholarship were originally made six years ago to honour Rob Winder, a long-time member of the Athabasca Fire Department who passed away, according to Athabasca Fire Department Lt. Hilary McLean.

As the first-ever recipient of the Rob Winder Memorial Scholarship, McLean said in an interview she felt good to be organizing the event this year.

“It actually feels great. I love to give back to the community, especially since this scholarship helped me so much and advanced my career,” McLean said. “It’s great that we can keep adding to the funds for future youth coming into this industry.

Athabasca firefighter and game goaltender Steve Gauthier said he has participated in the event all six years. He added the rivalry helps make the game worthwhile.

“It’s all for good fun, good charity. We have a good rivalry between Boyle and Athabasca. We always have,” Gauthier said.

McLean said there is a strong bond between all of the emergency services which make this game happen.

“It’s a complete brotherhood between all the services,” McLean said. “We’re all different in little ways but very much the same.”

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