GORE BAY—While the annual Frosty Cup Benefit Hockey tournament was again a huge success, and will benefit several residents in need, the event was tempered with the recent passing of Ken Blodgett, one of the founding members of the organizing committee, player and coach over the years. He passed away on November 29 at the age of 79.
“Ken was one of the founding members of the Frosty Cup committee. He was an avid hockey player and a die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He would take in the odd game in Toronto and could regularly be spotted wearing a Leaf’s jersey,” in memory posters displayed in the Gore Bay arena during the tournament read. “Quoting Wayne Gretzky, his favourite saying was, ‘You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take,’ so much that he had a poster of this printed on the wall of his home. While not playing in the most recent years, Ken would still be on the bench in Gore Bay as a coach and cheerleader and will be missed by his hockey pals.”
“The team Ken coached in recent years carried forward the (Blodgett) team name this year,” said Scott McDougall, one of the organizers of the tournament. “Members of the committee and all his friends want to acknowledge everything Ken did over the years, his being such a big promoter of hockey and the Frosty Cup tournament. We are going to miss him.”
The final game of the tournament was probably the best of the three division (ladies, 40 plus and sportsmen) final games and one of the best of the weekend, pitting the Chiefs and the King team in the finals.
The Chiefs grabbed a 2-0 lead over the first two periods and held it until the third period when the King team made a furious comeback, tying the game up with about 5:18 remaining in the final stanza. It took a Chiefs goal with just under two minutes to play that determined the outcome.
The Chiefs team included Jordan Trudeau, Ryan Mooney, Ethan Corbiere, Jalen Waindubence, Tanner Webkamigad, Greg Trudeau, Chase Kanasawe, Levi Morrison, Lucas Abotossaway and Samuel Assinewai.
The women’s final saw Northern Storm shutout the Under Dogs 2-0 in the final game. The two teams had finished in a tie for first place in the round-robin portion of the tournament.
Members of the Northern Storm team included Amber Lewis, Roxxanne Corbiere, Victoria Trudeau, Delaney Webkamigad, Gerri Lynn Manitowabi, Sonya Stencell, Danielle Shawana, Niibin Pitawanakwat, Lyric Peltier, Shayne Ominika, goalie Alycia Shawana.
In the men’s 40 and over division, M’Chigeeng defeated the Noland team 5-2 in the final. The M’Chigeeng team roster included Troy A., Travis C., Perry C., Joe N., Josh Taibossigai Sundance Hare jr. (who played goal in the championship game), Craig Abotossaway, Bryan Corbiere, John Ense, Sheldon Migwans, Greg Mishibinijima, Jordan Bennett.
“It was a very good weekend,” stated Mr. McDougall, who pointed out the annual tournament was first held in 2014, and proceeds raised from this year’s tournament will go to benefit four local recipients.
“As the committee we want to state that we were very pleased with the sportsmanlike and respect shown by all the players in the tournament,” said Mr. McDougall. “It was a real good year on the ice with really good hockey being played by all teams.”
“Overall, the traffic in the arena over the weekend was good both downstairs with fans watching the games as well as upstairs (in the arena where the bar, manned by the Gore Bay Rotary Club was set up),” said Mr. McDougall. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 514 in Gore Bay hosted a very successful tournament dance on Saturday, December 21.
“We were also very happy and grateful with the number of sponsors we had for the tournament,” added Mr. McDougall.