Hockey Night in Tupper brings players of all levels, all sizes together under one roof

by Dan McClelland

A new event this year at the Tupper Lake Civic Center on November 21 brought together in a fun and mutually-supportive way all the hockey players in Tupper Lake- from varsity on down.

The evening began with a mingling of players of all sizes, all ages and all levels on the local ice sheet, beginning at 5p.m. The players skated, posed for photos, gathered in bunches, hugged each other- just sort of relaxing in the camaraderie of the moment.

It was the first time in local history, perhaps, that all of Tupper Lake’s hockey teams were in the same place at the same time.

The event was organized by Tupper Lake High School Athletic Director Dan Brown and officials and coaches of the Tupper Lake Hockey Association.

The formal part of the evening when all of the players present joined at the three lines to stand for the National Anthem, sang in very accomplished fashion by student Raegan Fritts.

A large group shot at the blue line was taken of all the players present. That photo appeared in last week’s edition.

Master of ceremonies for the evening was a local hockey coach and hockey booster, Larry Callaghan, who introduced each youth hockey team and each player present that evening. So enthusiastic were his announcements, it could have been a professional wrestling match.

He introduced the Tupper Lake Youth Hockey’s leaders first: President Marcus Wilson, Vice President Briggette Shaheen, Treasurer Eric Proulx, Secretary Amanda Lizotte and Board Members Wes Keays, Monique Seafuse, Janelle Wilson, Chris Dewyea and Lynn Ostrander.

“Thank you all for your countless hours of service,” he told them all.

He introduced that night’s Varsity Lumberjack “Home Team” wearing white:

Brayden Shannon, Bryce Hutt, Noah Plumley, Griffin Shaheen, Collin Bencze, Sawyer Dewyea, Logan Flagg, Garrett Dewyea, Gavin Mitchell and Avery Amell, who filed onto the ice one after another to the loud applause of the crowd that evening. He next introduced the varsity “Black Team (Away)”:

Tyler Wood, Jamin Whitmore, Phil Beaudette, Aiden Churco, Kyler McClain, Brendan Clark, Christian Moody-Bell, Brenden Arsenault, Cooper Cuttaia, Bauer Callaghan and Jack Desmarais.

Not participating because of injury that evening were Jack Brooker, Phil Lindsey, Lucas Shaheen, Thomas Smith, Mason Fowler and Brady Skiff.

The varsity team then gathered at the eastern gate to the ice and formed an honor guard, holding up their sticks to create an archway.

Mr. Callaghan first introduced the 2022-23 14U Bantam team: Brenden Arsenault, Carver Bell, Leo Brooker, Aiden Churco, Adrianna Dattola, Luka Dukette, Ivan Favreau, Carson Flagg-Schneider, Daniel Flagg-Schneider, Brayden Harris, Alyvia Huckle, Liam Kavanagh, Gauge LaValley, Alexa Lindsay, Luca Rishe, Owen Schofield, Brady Skiff, Abby Stalhammar and Nolan Wilson.

He next introduced the Tupper Lake 12U Peewee team: Gavin Brown, Brody Dewyea, Graedyn and Traxon Ellers, Jacob Hanley, Nolan Macagg, Nathan Ostrander, Anderson Sparks, Benjamin Thompson, Zackary Todd, Wyatt Trudeau, Jace Wagner, Brayden Whitman and Blake Young.

Next up was the Tupper Lake Second Year 10U Squirt Team: Anna Kavanagh, Maddox Lizotte, Denver Proulx, Brandon Schofield, Ryan Smith, Landon Smithers, Kole Snyder, Ian Taylor, Carson Toohey, Liam Toohey, Carsyn Trudeau.

Playing for the First Year Squirts this winter are Peyton Clark, Kieran Furlong, Logan Hosley, Garrett LaValley, Grady and Greysen Pelkey, Grayson Roberge, Tommy Skiff, Franklin Tremblay and James Zaidan.

Mr. Callaghan then introduced who he called “the undefeated” 8U Mite team: Remi Bean, Beckett Bell, Jason Brown, Merrick Cole, Phoenix Counter, Finn Dewyea, John Keays, Zayne King, Skylinn Proulx, Daryl Smith, Louis Tremblay, Oliver Trudeau and Copper Willett.

On the 6U “learn to play” Mini Mite team were Radar Brown, Kaden Clark, Roland Counter, Darrah Dattola, Kelley and Kylie Eggsware, Oliver Gagnier, Theo Guerette, Evangeline and Vivian Hutt, Christopher Kohan, James Lalonde, Hunter Phippen, Abel Schaffer, Paisley Silvia, Eve Taylor, Thomas Tremblay, Patrick Williams and Lilliana Zeallor.

In addition to the loud applause from the audience, came the pounding of sticks on the ice by all the players that evening.

The final highlight of the evening was a four-part skills and drills competition among select Varsity players and an inter-team scrimmage, which was won by the White Team, 5 to 0.

Gavin Mitchell and Logan Flagg, both of the White Team, were the two fastest skaters of the evening when each team entered four skaters. The time was measured from one blue line once around the rink and back.

It featured a lap by both goalies in full goal dress- Jamin Whitmore and Braydon Shannon, which Jamin did in a time of 19.9 seconds. Braydon’s time was one-tenth of a second faster.

Griffin Shaheen

and Noah Plumley, again from the White Team, posted the hardest shots on goal.

In the stick-handling relay, the best varsity players were Garrett Dewyea, Collin and Grant Bencze and Avery Amell.

In the Breakaway Relay, which featured some fast skating and quick moves, the winners were Phil Beaudette, Ryder Willette,

Kyler McClain and Brendan Clark.

In the overall scoring the White Team dominated the four events, 22 to five.