ST. AGATHA, Maine – Seventeen teams faced off on the ice this weekend in the 7th annual Acadian Pond Hockey Classic, an event that helps raise money for youth hockey programs in Maine and New Brunswick.
Tournament committee Chair Dean Collins said on Saturday morning that a couple of teams traveled from beyond the state to participate.
“Some kids flew in from Boston yesterday, and then we got three players from Florida,” he said. “We’ve got one guy who grew up in Madawaska, and since he’s moved to Florida he brought up three guys from there. They love the area and they love playing here. They obviously loved playing in Florida, but this is totally different for them.”
Teams played in two different divisions, open and recreational. The open division is meant for more serious players who play hockey all the time while the rec division is centered around players focused on having fun and supporting the cause.
For the second year in a row, P & E Distributors won first place in the Open Division. Kia Edmundston won second place and Financiers Elevation received third place. For the rec division, which was divided into Group A and Group B, Martin Mazda won first place in the Group A category and Lachance Services won first place for the second year in a row in Group B.
“The weather is beautiful,” Collins said as the weekend event began, and added that the ice on Saturday morning was fantastic.
A new addition this year was a 4-foot by 8-foot digital scoreboard from Pattison Signs in Edmundston, New Brunswick, he said. The sign not only helps recognize sponsors, but also lets players track the game in real time.
Adam Cormier of Caribou, who plays on the Madawaska-based Crown Lakes Realty team, said he’s been playing hockey since he was a kid in Grand Isle. He stopped for about 10 years, moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and then recently came back to Aroostook County and picked it back up by playing in the Presque Isle Gentleman’s Hockey League.
He has also been going to the Acadian Pond Hockey Classic since it started, and supports the cause of helping raise money for youth hockey programs, he said.
“It’s good to get the kids going, and equipment is definitely expensive,” Cormier said.
Cormier said he’ll keep coming back to the annual game as long as his body allows it.
Cormier’s teammate Jordan Albert has been playing hockey for the past decade, and has been involved in the Pond Hockey Classic for the past three or four years. Albert said he likes the camaraderie of hockey, the way it can bring old friends back together, and the fresh air.
Collins said the true star player is the Zamboni they purchased last year, which resurfaces the ice and has been popular with all the players.
The event also featured music and a couple of food trucks. One was Portland-based Barry Larry, who offered Asian cuisine, and the other was Maine-ly Meat ‘n Potatoes of Grand Isle. Northern Maine Brewing Company also served craft beer at the site, which was just outside the St. Agatha Town Office at Long Lake.
The event also featured a puck shot competition with a $250 cash prize, sponsored by Acadia Federal Credit Union, which is raising money to help end hunger in the region.