The Hamper Fund exhibition hockey game was held at the Chilton Regional Arena in Port McNeill Saturday,
Dec. 12. The North Island Eagles Midget Rep team played the North Island Eagles Alumni team in what was
three spirited periods of back and forth, exciting hockey action. Entry to the game was by donation of a food
item, with the proceeds going to the Gazette’s Christmas Hamper Fund. The game opened with an instrumental
version of O’ Canada, and then the puck was dropped. The Alumni jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with a couple
nice goals from Marty Gage and Tyson Cadwallader. With 6:13 left in the 1st period, the Midget Eagles Josh
Borg got his team on the scoreboard with a quick wrist shot in front of the net. The Alumni’s Tyren Dustin
returned the favour a couple minutes later, with a big slap shot goal through the Midget Eagle’s goalie Nyck
Ruel’s pads to make it 3-1 for the Alumni going into the 2nd period.Just 17:40 into the 2nd period, the Alumni’s
John Murgatroyd banged in a rebound goal over a sprawled out Ruel. Down 4-1, the Midget Eagles picked up
their play. Borg scored his second goal of the game on a two on one rush, knocking the puck past the Alumni
goalie Drake Baron, making it 4-2 for the Alumni team. The Midget Eagles kept up the pressure, adding two
more goals before the 2nd period ended, but couldn’t stop the Alumni from answering back with goals of their
own, and as such, ended up trailing the Alumni 7-5 going into the 3rd period. The Midget Eagles started the
3rd period off well with a goal from Sean Pineda, but just like in the 2nd period, they couldn’t stop the offensive
rushes of the Alumni, who added three more goals before the game ended, taking the fast paced exhibition
game 10-7.The Hamper Fund game turned out to be a fun hockey exhibition filled with great goals and
impressive saves, but above all, it was a good night for a good cause.
