NY Hockey OnLine
Hockey Tournament Provides Relief from Hurricane! By Randy Schultz Photos by Janet Schultz
T
he third annual USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the National Hockey League and hosted by the Buffalo Sabres, took place at the Northtown Center at Amherst in Williamsville, NY from November 9-11. The event was part of November’s Come Play Hockey Month, a joint effort of USA Hockey and the NHL. Each of the 14 competing teams were affiliated with NHL clubs including the Sabres, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals. For the Rangers, it was more than a weekend of hockey. It was a chance to get away from the devastation left behind by Hurricane Sandy. Michael Hudson, a forward on the team who has
Feature / Page 8 helped organize the Rangers squad for tournaments, explained the situation the New York team found itself in prior to travelling to Western New York. “We had four replacements that joined up from a team in Connecticut on our team for the tournament,” said Hudson. “The reason we had four is because two of our players still didn’t have power in their homes. “And two didn’t have their homes anymore. It has been tragic.” One player who joined the team was 60 year-old goalie, Karen Smith. Yes, 60 years of age. “I began playing for the Connecticut team about eight years ago,” said Smith. “The New York team is basically good friends of ours. “They ask some of us to join their team for this tournament. We felt very privileged to do that, considering everything that has been happening in the New York City area.” So how did Smith become a goalie? “It was a very strange way in which it happened,” responded Smith. “I remember when I joined the team and we had a practice one day. “The coach asked who wanted to go in goal that day
and nobody raised their hand. So I thought I could do it for that particular day. “That was nine years ago and I’ve been in the nets ever since.” Larry Minei explained his situation. “I played standup hockey before I had my injury,” remarked Minei, who resides on Long Island. “A friend kept bugging me about coming to play sled hockey. “So I finally did and here I am.”