6th Annual Veterans Hockey Game (St. Anthony’s Friars vs. Northport Huntington Tigers)
To honor our Nation’s veterans, St. Anthony’s Friars and Northport/Huntington Tigers gathered at Superior Ice Rink to battle at the 6th Annual Veteran’s Hockey Game before a packed house, which included more than twenty (20) United States Military Veterans from the Northport VA Hospital. While the Tigers came away with a 4-0 victory over the Skating Friars, this day was much more than high school hockey.
Both teams and their families turned Superior Rink into a welcoming party for our veterans with both breakfast and lunch provided by the hockey moms and dads and served by the players. Nearly $375 was donated to the Northport VA Hospital through a fifty-fifty raffle and more than $3,500 in iTunes gift cards were collected by the teams, which will be given to all of the hospital patients. These cards will be used by the veterans to load their favorite music on their new iPod Shuffles, which were recently provided by the hospital.
JV Friars Team Mom, Kathy Smith noted “It is so important for our young boys to understand what the veterans have done for our Country. This is an opportunity for them to give back and Salute Our Vets”. St. Anthony’s Friars and Northport/Huntington Tigers have been involved with this event from it’s inception. A brainchild of JV Friars Head Coach, Marc Sambach, it has grown to become a highlight of the hockey season. Players from both teams enjoyed time sitting and talking with the veterans. Some of whom do not get many opportunities to take field trips, no less to an exciting and fast-paced high school hockey game. Both teams gave them quite a show, ending with a skills and scoring competition that finished with a 5-5 tie.
Adding to the patriotic air of the day, the St. Anthony’s Friars Pipe and Drum Band performed at intermission a salute to our Armed Forces tunes for the veterans and the attending crowd.
Northport/Huntington Hockey Team participates in the Suffolk County High School Hockey League, playing their games at The Rinx in Hauppauge, NY. St. Anthony’s Hockey Club participates in the Catholic High School Hockey League, playing their home games at The Rink at Dix Hills Park in Dix Hills, NY