The Westfield Firefighters Local Union 1111 and Bruins Legends met in a benefit game in 2016. This time, the Bruins Alumni team will battle the Westfield Youth Hockey Association to raise money for the local program. The charity event will be held Sunday at Amelia Park Arena at 1 p.m. (Staff File Photo)
WESTFIELD – For the first time all season, the Westfield Youth Hockey Association will likely be OK with a loss to their upcoming opponent.
Advance Manufacturing Co., made up entirely of coaches and members from Westfield Youth Hockey, will battle the legendary Bruins Alumni Team in a charity ice hockey game Sunday at Amelia Park Arena at 1 p.m.
Westfield Gas & Electric General Manager Tony Contrino will perform the ceremonial puck drop. There will be two 30-minute periods and a 20-minute intermission, where fans will able to meet and greet select Bruins Alumni members.
Tickets are affordably priced at $10 for the event, which is sponsored by Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber, Advance Manufacturing, Reminder Publishing, Berkshire Bank, and King Gray Coach Lines.
The recent announcement to hold this fundraising event comes on the heels of Westfield Youth Hockey Association’s 50th anniversary and will go a long way to help ensure both organizations can continue to serve the local community and surrounding area.
The Boston Bruins Alumni Association is a non-profit organization that has raised more than $5 million for local charities and youth hockey programs acrosse the state. The Alumni team is made up of past players of the B’s, such as former captains Rick Middleton, Terry O’Reilly and Raymond Bourque.
The legendary squad is often comprised of players such as Middleton, O’Reilly, Bourque, Rejean “Reggie” Lemelin, Andrew Raycroft, Glen “Feather” Featherstone, Ken Hodge, Jr., Bill O’Dwyer, Guy Larose, Joe Mullen, Ken Linseman, Tom Songin, Mark Mowers, Bob Sweeney, Frank Simonetti, Bill Bennett, Andy Brickley, Hal Gill, Steve Leach, Dan LaCouture, Jay Miller, John Carter, Bruce Crowder, Bob Beers, David Shaw, Cleon Daskalakis, Bruce Shoebottom, Andrew Alberts, Tim Sweeney, Al Iafrate, David A. Jensen, Fred Ahern, Graeme Townshend, Rich Brennan, and Terry Virtue.
The best part about the game is that proceeds from Sunday’s fundraising event should go a long way in helping further the continued growth of the Westfield Youth Hockey program, which ultimately helps keep kids off the streets, builds character, teaches teamwork and leadership skills, and furthers competition at the high school level.
Westfield has been a hotbed, of sorts, for a good part of the last two decades when it comes to ice hockey with the Bombers high school hockey team always in the mix for a championship, the girls hockey co-operative program with Longmeadow on the rise, and with the city being home to Olympic gold medalist Kacey Bellamy, a three-time US hockey defenseman.
St. Mary’s once fielded a highly-competitive team, and Southwick’s program is currently on the rise. Amelia Park is also home to the Westfield State Owls.
