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For several years
Fire District Commissioner Gary Wilcox and his wife Diane ran
Cans Helping Kids! which donated the proceeds from the
redemption of donated bottles and cans to several charitable
causes. It was through Cans Helping Kids! that Gary met Ken
Messier of Connecticut Sled Hockey. Knowing that several members
of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company played hockey, Gary
approached the Fire Company to see if the membership was
interested in scrimmaging with the Connecticut Sled Hockey
Wolfpack. The purpose was simply to serve as a team for the
Wolfpack to practice against and to have some fun.
Ice sled hockey was
invented at a Stockholm, Sweden rehabilitation center in the
early 1960s by a group of Swedes who, despite their physical
impairment, wanted to continue playing hockey. Players sit on a
specially designed sled riding on two ice skate blades and use
modified hockey sticks equipped with picks on the end to move
across the ice. Rules for sled hockey are very similar to ice
hockey with some modifications.
On the evening of
January 6, 2006, members from the Connecticut Wolfpack and the
Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company HellFighters met at the Simsbury
Farms outdoor ice rink to do battle. Much to everyone's
disbelief, temperatures that day had soared into the seventies
and the ice was soft at game time. This would surely slow the
game down and seemingly aid the HellFighter's chances of
avoiding annihilation.
Before the drop of
the puck, many boisterous and hopeful fans crammed the
HellFighter's bench to cheer the team on. However as the game
wore on and the possibility of a HellFighter victory dwindled,
several of them proved to be fair-weather supporters at best.
The HellFighters fought hard throughout the game but in the end
were vanquished in a 2-0 defeat by a Wolfpack squad with
superior skills and unrivalled speed.
After the game, both
teams reconvened at nearby
West Simsbury Station for
dinner, to relax and get to know each other better. Members of
the HellFighters did indeed find the match to be very enjoyable
and found the sport to be extremely challenging as well. Rumors
of a re-match have already begun to circulate.
To learn more about
the sport be sure to visit
Connecticut Sled Hockey and the
United States Sled Hockey Association.
Honorary Life Member Peter Gilbert gets fitted for his sled prior to the match. A typical ice sled for sled hockey. The sled sits upon two ice hockey skate blades. Honorary Life Member Gary Wilcox and Firefighter Jay Dixon select their sticks. Like a hockey stick, sled sticks are shorter with a different blade angle, and have picks on their ends that players use to propel them selves with. Members of the Connecticut Wolfpack warm-up prior to game time. The game was refereed by Gerry Toner, Director of Simsbury's Recreation Department. Firefighter Greg Doskos in pre-game warm-ups. Ken Messier of Connecticut Sled Hockey goes over the rules with the HellFighters before the game. HellFighter goal tender Jason Gilbert sprawls over backwards to deflect a shot. Greg Silpe of the HellFighters works the puck up ice. The Wolfpack's Anthony Kuntz carries the puck across the red line. Anthony Kuntz's shot travels across the crease and sails just wide. The HellFighter's Greg Silpe fights for a puck along the boards. The teams congratulate each other at center ice on a fun game well played. Members of the Connecticut Sled Hockey Wolfpack and Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company HellFighters.
Honorary Life Member Peter Gilbert gets fitted for his sled prior to the match.
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Clip 1 |
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Clip 2 |
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The Wolfpack
work the the puck down low and create a good scoring
opportunity |
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The
HellFighters get caught on a line change and the
Wolfpack makes them pay |
Photographs and
video by
Cliff Williams
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