The 6th annual North Island Eagles Alumni Hamper game was held on Saturday night at the Chilton Regional Arena in Port McNeill, and it was a lively, passionate crowd that came out to watch some exciting Eagles' hockey action.
Entrance to the game was by donation of a food item, with the proceeds going to the Gazette's Christmas Hamper Fund.
Once again, the Midget Eagles went to battle against the Alumni, and they fared a little bit better than last year where they lost 10-7.
After a brief warm up, the puck was dropped and it was the Eagles who got out to a hot start in the 1st period, with Josh Borg netting the first goal of the game at 7:00.
The Alumni scored at 6:27 to tie it back up 1-1, but Borg once again lit up the Alumni's goalie Sarah Case with his second goal of the night at 4:06 to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The 2nd period featured some great back-and-forth play in both ends of the ice, but it was the Eagles' Tanner Roberts who put on a show by scoring a beautiful penalty shot goal at 11:53 to go up 3-1.
The Alumni made a bit of a comeback and were pressuring in the Eagles' zone for the rest of the period, and they ended up scoring with 4:36 left on the clock to come within one of tying it up, but that was as close as they got.
The Eagles continued to put the puck in the back of the net, netting three more big goals in the 3rd period, courtesy of Clayton Bono, David Charlie, and Roberts, as they cruised to an easy 7-3 victory over the Alumni.
All told, the Hamper game raised $457.20 in cash for the Gazette's Christmas Hamper Fund, as well as bringing in numerous food items and toys.
In a game that featured fathers and sons playing against each other, old teammates skating side-by-side once again, and a tough group of midgets who put on an exciting show for everyone that came out to watch and cheer them on, it was a fun-filled night of fast-paced hockey for a great cause.