The goalies jumped, the players bumped, and the fans all went insane on Nov. 10 at Varsity Arena. The University of Toronto Campus Police were given the impossible challenge of facing off against former NHL greats and hockey legends. They were overmatched, and in the end, the Legendary Hockey Heroes, led by former Toronto Maple Leaf Borje Salming, proved to be too much for our underdogs, clobbering them 8-4.
Though the Campus Police were short on talent, they were not short on heart. The charity event raised around $10,000 dollars towards Variety Village, a sports facility that offers a variety of programs for kids with disabilities no matter their skill level. And at the end of the night, that was the only number that mattered.
“This is amazing,” said Variety Village program co-ordinator Cathy Price, who was in attendance at the event alongside other representatives of the charity. “This will allow us to continue developing and implementing the programs for individuals with special needs.”
“It’s great. Any time we could come out and help for charity, that’s what we’re here for. That’s why the guys come out,” said former NHLer Tom Fergus.
Whether you are an experienced veteran of the game or a newcomer to the experience, there was something for everyone at this quintessentially Canadian event. If it was TSN’s Rod Black hamming up the crowd as the game’s referee and master of ceremonies or the beautiful figure-skating display from Black Ice—one of Canada’s top synchronized figure-skating teams—the crowd received a stunning show.
The Campus Police put up a good battle, helped by a gift of Timbits doughnuts from Rod Black at the start the game. They were led by one of their prized gems, a former Belleville Bulls goaltender and University of Toronto Pharmacy student Eric Tobia, the only one brave enough to spend 60 minutes getting shot at by Hockey Hall of Famers, particularly Glenn Anderson, who came out of the game with a hat-trick against him. But he also provided some spectacular saves to the appreciation of the crowd and friends who came out to support him.
“No one actually wanted to go against these guys because they were way too good. So I think I was just lucky enough and probably a little dumb enough to do it,” laughed Tobia afterward. “I knew what we were going to get into.”
The only team equal to the task of facing the former NHLers entered the game halfway through the second period. Barely three feet tall, the team of Tim Horton’s Timbits stormed Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team goalie Sami Jo Small’s crease, eliciting the evening’s loudest cheers. After we saw them slide the puck inside the goal three times, the NHLers conceded defeat, and the five-year-olds skated off the ice with a replica of the Stanley Cup to the tune of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
“I went in the dressing room afterwards with the kids, and what a thrill for them,” said a grinning Rod Black after the game. “You see these little kids’ faces and their eyes were bright and they were all smiling.”
After months of work by event organizers John Sinclair and Sean Tompa, this unbelievable event unfolded to wild success in its first year. Everyone left with a smile on their face and a lasting memory.
“Thank you so much for having us here. It’s a great event and everyone at Variety Village had a great time and a special thanks to John Sinclair and his team for organizing it. It’s fantastic. Our individuals loved it and this is a great experience for them,” beamed Price.
“It was a blast,” said a giddy Tompa afterward.
“It was awesome that I could be a part of this,” said Bob Probert.
And that evening, the good old hockey game was the best game you could name.
