WESTFIELD – Area residents got a chance to witness a bit of Bruins history Sunday night, and likely may not have known about it.
Bruins legendary left winger Don Marcotte stepped onto the ice for the Black and Gold Legends for one of the last times Sunday, announcing just moments before play began against the Westfield Fireman’s Association in a charity game that he was ready to retire.
“My mind says ‘yes,’ but my legs say ‘no way,’” said Marcotte, who has skated for the Legends for the last 10 years. The Legends are former Bruins’ alumni playing for charitable causes.
Marcotte retired from the Bruins in the fall of 1982 after a remarkably successful career, and is the last current Legend player who has hoisted a Stanley Cup for the B’s. He last did so in 1972.
“I’m going to be 65 in April – this is hard on the body,” Marcotte explained before skating out on the ice to take on Westfield’s firefighters, EMTs, family members, and friends.
Marcotte, even at 64, proved to be too much to handle for some, scoring two goals and setting up teammate Quinton Brickley, who scored six goals. Brickley had a hat trick less than five minutes into the game, which was divided into two 25-minute halves.
Nick Gezotis, the son of firefighter Curt Gezotis, provided Westfield with its first goal in the fourth minute on a nice feed from Seth Ellis. Eric Schnopp, another firefighter’s son, delivered the second goal to trim the Legends lead to 8-2 early in the second half. And Westfield News Group president Patrick Berry (yes, our very own) scored the final goal just seconds after having his initial shot turned away by Legends goalie Mike Bocuzzi.
“It was impossible trying to chase Marcotte and Brickley,” said Westfield firefighter Chris King, the team captain. “Obviously, that’s why they were legends in the NHL.”
“We did better than I thought we would do … but it’s for a good cause anyways.”
The proceeds benefited the firefighters’ “Save a Life” fund.
Before the game, local youths received the opportunity to participate in a hockey clinic put on by some Legends, a small handful of Saints’ hockey players, and volunteers.
“I thought it was great that these (former Bruins) guys would come out here and do this for us,” said 12-year-old clinic participant Josh Adams. “It’s not something you do every day.”
Adams is also a Westfield Youth Hockey League player for the Pee-Wee A team.
“It was awesome,” he said. “It feels like anything you could never do before.”
The event also featured an incredible rendition of the national anthem from local singer Julia Busselli, a presentation from the Honor Guard, a bagpipe performance, raffles, memorabilia, the Westfield Fire Department’s firehouse chili, and a sprinkling of TD Garden water, christening the ice at Amelia Park.
The final score was Legends 10, Westfield Firefighters 3.
