Williams Lake Stampeders of the present and past came together Wednesday, Dec. 29 to raise money for a local cause and provide spectators with a fun evening of hockey.
Billed as Legends versus Legends, the Stampeders played against the alumni, netting $1,000 for the Williams Lake Daycare from the proceeds of the game
With a roster bragging Justin Foote, Aaron Zurak, Cliff Philpot, Stu Sasges, Bill McGinnes, Francis Johnson, John Bamsey, Gerald Overton, Tyrel Lucas, Derik Walters, Terry Duff, Anthony Robbins, Sheldon Anholt, Dyon Telford and Duanne Wilton, the alumni took the lead in the first period and never let go, winning 11-3.
Scoring for the alumni in the first period were Bamsey, assisted by Overton and Lucas, who scored the second goal, assisted by Overton and Bamsey.
Lucas scored again in the second period, assisted by Sasges and Anholt, followed by a goal by Zurak assisted by Johnson, then Bamsey, assisted by Overton and Lucas.
It would take the Stampeders until the third period to get the first of their three goals, with Cory Loring scoring, assisted by Nic Flinton.
Answering back, Sasges scored, assisted by McGinnes. Lucas scored his third goal, assisted Overton and Bamsey, and less than two minutes later McGinnes scored his first of two goals, assisted by Sasges and Telford, and assisted by Duff.
Bamsey scored a goal with 2:52 left in the game, assisted by Overton and Zurak scored the final goal with 1:21 left, assisted by McGinnes.
The Stamps’ second goal in the third period was scored by Kaleb Boyle, assisted by Chad Wilde and the third goal by Brendan Lane, assisted by Brendan Pigeon.
There was no hitting in the game and all three penalties went to the alumni team - two for hooking and one for tripping.
“It is pretty fun being on the alumni team to get all those guys back together, even more so spending time in the locker room and just chatting with each other,” said Lucas who played with the Stamps for between 2011 and 2018. “Obviously the game was fun, maybe the Stamps took it a bit easier on us because we’re older - I don’t know.”
Praising the community for its ongoing support of the Stampeders, Lucas thanked the fans.
“They always manage to come out. There was pretty good attendance there for that kind of hockey. I think that has a lot to say. I think there are a lot of good local kids who love the game and their parents have shared their love of the game with them. They have grown up watching their kids and all their friends and family come to support them.”
Another highlight was playing against some of the Stamps players he has worked with at Total Ice Training Centre Ltd., the facility he and his wife Kayla opened in 2012.
“A lot of those guys I was training when they were my son’s age - he is 13 right now. It is pretty cool.”
Lucas also thanked the organizers of the event and the volunteers who keep the Stampeders going.
“I think it means a lot to our town. Not just making that game happen but year after year to keep the Stamps going. I know some years are more challenging than others, but keeping it consistent. It has been awesome to have that team in Williams Lake and provide the opportunity for adults and men to keep playing.”
The Stampeders will be playing on home ice at the complex on Sunday, Jan. 9, 1:00 p.m. against the Kitimat Ice Demons.
A game originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 8 against the Terrace River Kings has been cancelled due cases of COVID-19 on the Terrace team, said Janna Gertzen, Stamps marketing co-ordinator, adding they are trying to reschedule the game.
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Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect the cancellation of Saturday’s game.
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