High school hockey: OFA Hockey vs Cancer produces special night at Dome

Feb. 9—After each home game the OFA Hockey team holds a locker room ceremony naming a Player of the Game who is presented with an OFA Hard Helmet and a chain neckless.

On Wednesday night, after the Blue Devils downed NAC Division II opponent St. Lawrence Central 6-2 in the Hockey Against Cancer Game. The game was staged through a group effort to raise money for the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center at the Claxton Hepburn Hospital and the OFA staff honored Bus Driver Pete Amo and English Lonnie Shippee for their on-going personal battle with cancer.

Both member are dedicated to their jobs and staunch supporter of OFA students and Blue Devil student-athletes. They watched the game in the offices above the ice and the front entrance to the Edgar Newell Golden Dome. Pete Amo, who underwent a procedure at the hospital in the afternoon, and his wife Shauna left shortly after he and Mr. Shippee were saluted by a sticks-up tribute by the Devils at the game's conclusion.

OFA Coach Jon Frederick called Amo in the afternoon to see if he could make it and was told "nothing could keep me away."

Mr. Shippee came rinkside to congratulate the team and was escorted to the locker room and honored as Player of the Game.

"I haven't seen a game here in a while but I was honored to be here and I was so happy with the way you guys played. You came out on fire and took a 4-0 lead and if you would have shot the puck a little better you could have scored a lot more goals," said a moved Mr. Shippee who has taught English for four years in the district.

The Blue Devils scored four unaswered goals in the first period with Tegan Frederick scoring the first goal from Tyler Sovie and defenseman Theodore Hewko. Frederick set up Jack Mills for the second tally. Aidan O'Neil upped the margin to 3-0 from defenseman Griffin Wert and another defenseman Landin McDonald scored the fourth goal from his brother Haydin McDonald.

"We hadn't played in a while and there was a lot of emotional things going on but we came out and skated very well. Especially in the offensive end, going forward we have to work on skating better in the defensive end," said Coach Frederick.

"And that the tribute the guys made at the end with sticks to Lonnie Shippee and Pete Amo was really special. This was a very teachable situation and they handled it well."

Dylan Irvine scored for the Devils in the second period from Nathan Woods and SLC's Michael Donie answered from Gage Lamb. Frederick scored his second goal of the game for OFA in the third period with Landin McDonald assisting and Andew LaMora tallied of SLC closed out the scoring from Conor Provost and Donie.

SLC goalies Jace Dutch (32) and Braydon Cutler (10) combined for 42 saves with Dutch stopping 16 shots in the first period. Devil keeper Ty Jacobs finished with 18 saves.

OFA, which has lost only to number one state ranked Salmon River in NAC play, climbed to 9-2 in NAC play heading into Friday's home game with Tupper Lake.

"Tonight really put things in perspective for us. When you see people fighting cancer it makes you realize how good you have things," said Dylan Irvine.

"It was great to honor Mr. Shippee in the locker room. I had him for English two years ago. He is a great teacher and we had a lot of fun talking hockey and the New York Rangers. We really wanted to play well tonight."

MOVING EFFORT

Through the sale of t-shirts produced by Misty and Justin Fishel of QT Lasers, $1500 was raised and a 50-50 raffle and chuck-a-puck game at the game and private donations raised the total donation to $3,250. A generous donation from the Ogdensburg Molson Maples Oldtimers Hockey team last week kick-started the effort.

QT Lasers also produced special black and purple team jersies for the game all of the Blue Devils displayed pink tape, the global symbol for cancer fighters, on their sticks.

OFA student-athletes Ella O'Neil, Luci Worden, Jayden Awan and Hannah O'Reilly played key roles in organizing the fund-raising and Key Club members and K-Kids decorated the dome. OFA staff members ran the 50-50 raffle and chuck-a-puck for kids.

"We want to thank the Blue Devil fans and the Ogdensburg Community for your unwavering support toward the fight against cancer," said a spokesperson for the OFA Hockey Program.

Quinn, Torie, Misty and Justin Fishel of QT Lasers were on hand to present a donation check to Lyndsy McLear, Jennifer Hitsman and Michelle Camardo of the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center.