Prince Rupert’s police and fire fighter crews laced up their skates and renewed a friendly rivalry on March 2 to give kids in the city an opportunity to participate in sports.
The Guns and Hoses charity hockey game took place at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre Arena pitting the two teams against each other for the 10th straight year. The fire department beat the RCMP team 6-3 in the competitive affair, which kept the crowd of family and friends entertained, and raised money for a worthy cause.
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“We had a great time with the game,” said Ryan Fuzi, one of the event’s organizers. “Some games are more competitive than others, but this year’s was a good one.”
The RCMP took an early lead in the first period following goals scored by Jamie Quast and Travis McNeice. The fire department tied the game with two goals of their own at the end of the first with Brittany Waite and Dylan Lawrence.
In the second period, Lawrence scored two more goals to give the fire department a two-goal cushion heading into the third.
The RCMP was able to make the game close with nine minutes remaining in the game after McNeice scored on a power play goal, but the fire department closed out the game with two more goals by Tim Dopko and Lawrence to seal the victory.
The charity game has become a staple in the Prince Rupert with money being raised through donation entry. Each year, the game’s organizers select a different organization to donate to.
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This year, proceeds from the game will go to KidSport, a B.C. organization that helps provide opportunities for young athletes to access sports they would not be able to otherwise due to financial constraints.
David Geronazzo, the city’s recreation director and a volunteer with KidSport, was present at the event, providing information about the program. He said the value of receiving the community support to make the KidSport program viable was huge.
“None of this is possible without community support,” he said. “That’s the reality and the nice thing about this community in Prince Rupert.”