The 3rd annual hockey match between Powell River Catalyst and the Howe Sound Krakens ended in a tie despite a strong lead from the Krakens in the first half.
A dinner, dance and casino night fundraiser at Sita’s Spag and Suds followed the game on March 5 at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre. Krakens’ manager and goalie, Pat Momer, said that he would have preferred to win, but the game is about community more than anything.
“Our game brings everybody together, that’s what makes me proud. That’s what gets me going,” Momer said. “On the ice we’re men who want to compete – nobody plays to lose – and it got rough in the corners a couple times. But the fact is, at the end of the game – at the end of the day – we’re all friends, no matter what.”
Proceeds from the game went to the Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Association (SCMHA) and funds raised at the after party went to the BC Cancer Society in honour of James Sachs – a volunteer firefighter on the Coast who played on the Krakens team. Sachs was diagnosed with cancer in September 2014.
“Sachs was a beloved Kraken teammate, family man and respected volunteer fireman who lost his battle with cancer,” Momer said. “We sadly said goodbye to him in the late winter of 2015.”
Unfortunately, this year “was a big negative” for the BC Cancer Society, Momer said.
“The attendance was less than half what we had last year, so basically I donated for people to have a good time,” Momer said. “But since it’s long term, it will just keep growing one way or another.”
The event also raised money for the SCMHA.
The Krakens are from Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill and Catalyst is from Catalyst Paper, the Powell River paper mill. Momer said he intends to continue organizing more of these games in the future; he would even like to get more mill teams involved.
“Eventually I would like to see a full weekend of several other mill teams. That would be very cool, I would love to do that,” Momer said. “It’s about bringing people together, it’s a good cause, it helps the kids, it helps [cancer research]. It’s our game, how can it be more Canadian than that? Only maple syrup is more Canadian than that.”
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