INNISFAIL – It was not a classic hockey game that will ever earn Hall of Fame recognition but it won the hearts of more than 1,000 Innisfailians.
The 1st Annual Battle of the Badges Charity Hockey Game on Jan. 6 at the Innisfail Twin Arena between the Innisfail RCMP and Innisfail Fire Rescue was a shootout that ended in a 15 – 10 victory for the Mounties.
Each team had about 16 players, with local rosters boosted by Mounties and firefighters from the City of Red Deer, Olds, Bowden, Red Deer County and the Calgary Flames Alumni (CFA).
Neither team had even one practice before the highly anticipated game.
But for the more than 1,000 hockey fans that packed the Innisfail Twin Arena, it did not matter. They cheered, sang songs and oohed and aahed at the intense and entertaining ice action.
But it was the announcement that more than 1,487 pounds of food was raised for the Innisfail and District Food Bank that really mattered for everyone, including the players on the ice. Before the game even started the excited crowd cheered the presentation of a $2,500 CFA cheque for the food bank.
“The fire department that reached out to us with this great idea and we supported it 100 per cent,” said Innisfail RCMP Sgt. Ian Ihme, the detachment’s interim commanding officer and coach of the RCMP hockey team. He accepted the cheque with Innisfail Fire Department Chief Gary Leith, the coach of Innisfail Fire Rescue.
“This is such a community-driven town and people came and supported it 100 per cent,” said Ihme. “This is going to go a long way to refill the food bank after Christmas and make sure people have food.”
The players also realized the importance of the event, notably the six retired professionals from the CFA.
Carstairs’ native son Tony Stiles is a former NHL hockey player from the Calgary Flames. He was proud to play in the game for the firefighters, even if he was not used to playing three full periods of hard, grinding hockey.
“The last time I played three full periods was about 25 years ago. Another three months I will be in shape,” said Stiles with a chuckle after the game. His focus though was suiting up to support the community.
“I think that’s amazing. We had fun going out playing but it’s the people who come out and watch, bring the food and make the atmosphere,” he said. “So, hats off to everybody for organizing it and everybody who came out to watch.”
Across the rink in the Innisfail RCMP dressing room, Innisfail RCMP Const. Craig Nelson, who was an event co-organizer and ice participant, believed the packed house also benefited from witnessing an entertaining hockey game, which despite the final score was still close in the first half of the third period with a score of 10 – 9 for the Mounties.
“We knew they were going to be a hard team to play. It was back and forth all game and we were able to pull out a win,” said Nelson, a defenceman for the game who had a “dream come true” by partnering with ex-NHLer Jeff Schultz.
Schultz, who played several seasons with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, said it was important for the former pros to always give back to the communities as they are role models.
“It was an event that touched the hearts of a lot of the alumni. It was for a good cause and it was their inaugural game,” said Schultz. “It was something the alumni wanted to be part of.”
