Let’s just say it’s good they have day jobs, says Raymond Bourque from the Boston Bruins Alumni team, about the Red Deer Hope Stars, with a smile.
Former Boston Bruins players hit the ice to raise money for The Mustard Seed and Shalom Counselling Centre in a charity game in Red Deer Sunday. The team played Red Deer Hope Stars, made up of pledging hockey enthusiasts from the community, including representatives from the fire department, RCMP and Emergency Services, and won 9-7.
“A lot of these guys are hockey fans, Bruins fans, so it’s just fun to give them the opportunity to play against so many players that they probably watched growing up,” said Bourque after the Sunday game.
It was Bourque’s first time in Red Deer. While in the city, he managed to see his brother who lives in central Alberta.
The Hockey Hall of Famer and 2001 Stanley Cup Champion praised the event and the cause.
Scott Tilbury, The Mustard Seed fund development officer, said hockey unites people, and in this case, former NHL stars, such as Raymond Bourque, Rick Middleton, Joe Mullen, Reggie Lemelin and Ken Linseman, are bringing uniting central Alberta hockey fans.
“The Red Deer Hope Stars tried a comeback in the third period but just fell short,” he said about the game.
“We had a few of our players put a lot of pressure on the Bruins net and we were successful to come close, but it was too little, too late.”
The Bruins stepped it up in the second period, said Tilbury, adding the score was 7-4 at the end of the second period.
“The one thing about the Boston Bruins alumni team, they have a history of working really hard, they have too much pride to let a team win and go too easy, and they didn’t, and we like that, we appreciated that about them.”
Tilbury said the money raised wasn’t counted Sunday, but he hopes the organization reaches the $60,000 goal, to be split evenly between The Mustard Seed and Shalom Counselling.
He said an event like this not only raises money, but it also serves as an opportunity to educate the public.
It’s important to continue to educate Red Deer on the challenges related to the opioid crisis, challenges related to poverty because there are many men, women and children who struggle to get through every day life.
Some fans lined up in the locker room to get autographs and photos. One such fan was Jeremy Maser. The Rimbey resident said he has been a Bruins fan since he was three and was happy to finally meet-and-greet with the alumni team.
mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com
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