I always love the approach of fall with the seasonal opening of local cider mills, the changing colors of the leaves, the great harvest at the farmers' markets, the cooler weather and the anticipation of a new hockey season!
We're big fans of the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers, a Junior Major team of skilled 16-to-20-year-old hockey players embarking on what they hope will be a long and successful careers as a professional hockey players.
The Whalers start their 25th regular season later this month, with their first home game happening on September 27 as they take on the Erie (Pennsylvania) Otters at the Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
There are a couple of pre-season contests and scrimmages each year, but one of our favorite pre-season events is the Whalers' alumni game that happens every other year. This was the fourth semi-annual alumni game for the Whalers.
This year's alumni game happened at Compuware Arena on August 16 with Team Blue besting Team White by a score of 8 to 7. This was despite the best efforts of the game's referee to force a tie score in regulation in order to set the stage for a shoot-out, just as the alumni contest that happened two years ago ended.
Still, the scores in these contests are never really important as the real winners include: the former players who get a chance to re-connect with their friends, long-time fans and billet families who hosted them during their time with the Whalers; long-time Whaler fans who love the chance to catch up with their favorite Whalers from years past; and the Children's Miracle Network at Beaumont Hospital, which received the proceeds earned from the game that day.
These games always seem like such good-natured matches, judging from the smiles you see among the players on ice, and they're a lot of fun for long-time fans like us.
The Whalers field two teams of players that always seem to include a few former Whalers who still currently play for National Hockey League teams.
I especially love seeing players who I enjoyed seeing during the early-to-mid 1990s like Dan Pawlacyzk (1993-1997) and Mike Morrone (1994-1997) and players that I admired as great skaters during their days as Whalers like Tyler Seguin (2008-2010) and Alex Aleardi (2010-2013).
There are always a few players currently signed to NHL teams that manage to come on back to Plymouth for the game as well. This year, players currently in the Big League at the game included David Legwand (Ottawa Senators), Brett Bellemore (Carolina Hurricanes), Tyler Seguin (Dallas Stars), Stefan Noesen (Anaheim Ducks) and Matt Hackett (Buffalo), who is recovering from an injury but came out the cheer for the on-ice crew and mingle with fans at a pre-game autograph session.
Goalies Scott Wedgwood (2008-2012) and Bill Ruggiero (1999-2000) each faced nearly 50 shots on goal during the two 25-minute game halves. Wedgewood wore a camera strapped to his helmet to record the action at ice-level, and the two net minders split their duties by playing by alternating playing for each of the Blue and White squads.
The lack of blocking shots and the unpredictability of knowing the current playing styles of players who haven't played together on a regular basis made for a high-scoring game.
Goal scorers included: Seguin (2008-2010), Bellemore, Legwand, Noesen and Kevin Holdridge (1996-1999).
Alumni who came in for the game included: Ruggiero, Shaun Fisher (1997-2000), Jason Lawmaster (1995-1998), Holdridge, Noesen, John Vigilante (2002-2006, and currently an assistant coach for the Whalers), Myles McCauley (2008-2010), Legwand, Mike Yovanic (2007-2009), James Livingston (2009-2011), Aleardi, Rob McBride (2000-2002), Wedgewood, Bellemore, Andre Robichaud (1998-2002), Seguin, Pawlacyzk, Joe Byrne (1996-1998), James Ramsey (1998-2001), Damian Surma (1998-2002), Morrone, Robbie Czarnik(2009-2011), Chris Terry (2005-2009), Hackett, Jamie Lalonde (1997-2000) and Jared Newman (1998-2002).
You can catch up with the pro careers of former Whalers who are also current NHL players or NHL alumni here.
We're long-time season ticket holders for the Whalers, and I can remember watching the team when they first played as the Detroit Ambassadors during the 1990-1991 season at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit. We've followed the team through their days as the Detroit Junior Red Wings (1992-1995), the Detroit Whalers (1995-1997) and now as the Plymouth Whalers (1997-present)
Whalers hockey is great hockey and family-friendly entertainment at an affordable price.
You can score individual game tickets online or at the arena box office in Plymouth. The team also offers season tickets (we've got great seats center-ice) or a nice selection of mini-plans, Family Value Packs and group outing options.
Download the Whalers app for scores, standings, news and more.
Connect with the team on Facebook or via Twitter where the Whalers often post trivia questions and interact with fans during games (I'm still trying to perfect my Smart Seat Tweet trivia form as I'm not the speediest with a phone keyboard, although I managed to nab a trivia prize once during a game last year!).
See you at the arena!
© Dominique King 2014 All rights reserved
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