Large crowd enjoys Bell Pyramid Classic
Pat Payton The most talented line-up to date, the most entertaining game, and the biggest crowd in the three-year history of the event.
The 3rd Bell Pyramid Classic hockey game last Thursday evening at the Pyramid Recreation Centre had all three!
The line-up included: eight current NHLers, including four Toronto Maple Leafs, 11 other pro hockey players, former Leafs’ captain Doug Gilmour, a handful of stars and future stars in the Ontario Hockey League, three members of the Canadian Women’s Olympic hockey team, and St. Marys’ own Morgan Marziali, a Senior forward with Ohio State Buckeyes.
With that kind of on-ice talent, it was no surprise that a packed house was treated to a fast-paced game—featuring lots of skill and several picture goals.
One player worth the price of admission himself was Maple Leafs’ starting goalie Vesa Toskala, who had the crowd buzzing all night. Making acrobatic saves the entire game, the Finnish netminder helped captain Mark Bell and his Gold squad post a 10-6 victory.
The Gold team built a 4-2 half-time lead.
A shootout followed the intermission, with seven players from each side going one-on-one against the two goaltenders. The women grabbed the spotlight as the only two players to score were Morgan Marziali and Lori Dupuis. They beat former Lincs’ netminder Doug Groenestege—extending the Gold advantage to 6-2.
Toskala, meanwhile, stopped all seven Red shooters. He was so impenetrable that even when two nets were placed behind him late in the game, the Red managed to score only one goal!
Hat trick for Couture
Ottawa 67s’ centre Logan Couture, a San Jose draft pick who possesses a terrific shot, paced the Gold team with a hat trick. Marziali and Owen Sound Attack first-rounder Steven Shipley added two goals apiece. The Gold singles came off the sticks of Dupuis, Mark Bell and Boyd Devereaux.
Leafs’ centre Matt Stajan and Atlanta Thrasher Jason Williams fired two apiece for the Red squad, with the singles going to Doug Gilmour and Brian Campbell.
At the end of the game, Mark Bell thanked all the players for attending the fundraiser, the hard work of the organizing committee, and all the fans for coming out to “support a great cause.”
Terry Crisp—a man who is never short on words—pointed to the two shootout goals, by Marziali and Dupuis, as a key to the win.
“In the shootout, my two ladies—Lori and Morgan—both scored big goals. That gave our bench the big lift that we needed,” Crisp said. “They were good, honest goals.
“And then, when this new rule came in and they put two nets behind Toskala, our bench really got fired up. They said, ‘okay Toskala, defend both of them,’” he added with a laugh. “Our guys were just howling.”
Thrilled with town’s response
When Crisp summed up his thoughts for the night, the former NHLer said he was thrilled with the town’s response to the event.
“When you get a line-up like Mark Bell and his teammates and friends, who came to this town tonight, the fans were lined up at the door at 5 o’clock, waiting to get in.
“What a reception. When you ask guys like Stajan and Toskala and Gilmour, the heartening thing is to see the response you get from the town and all the fans. Full building, loving it, alive, enjoying the whole evening.
“What I like is, when you ask those guys to come, the town gives them that kind of support when they get here. And that’s great.”
Pyramid Centre fundraising co-ordinator Kelly Deeks said the night was a huge success in every way.
“When you looked around, you were in awe over it all,” Deeks said. “There were so many people, and there was so much excitement in the arena.
“I thought it was just a fantastic evening; it couldn’t have gone any better.”
Bell Classic notebook:
—Game organizers estimated last Thursday’s crowd at approximately 1,500.
—Fans started arriving at the PRC at 5 o’clock for the pre-game autograph session. Over 1,200 tickets were sold prior to the game.
—Pyramid Centre fundraising co-ordinator Kelly Deeks was specially honoured before the game, along with volunteers from the PRC fundraising committee. Deeks received a stone plaque and flowers. She has accepted a new job at St. Paul’s College at the University of Waterloo.
—Stratford Festival actor Cynthia Dale sang the national anthem and did a wonderful job. Her husband, CBC news anchor Peter Mansbridge, introduced each player in the pre-game ceremony.
—Suit Up With The Pros draw winners were Morgan Dundas, of St. Marys, and Jeremy O’Donnell, of Fergus.
Assistant coaches were Jamie Gibson and Nate Smith (Team Gold) and Sam Thorup and Frasier Lewis (Team Red).
—Between periods, two SMMHA Tyke teams—the Canadiens and Flames—entertained the crowd. Ian Waugh scored two late goals to give Canadiens a 2-0 win.
—The 50-50 draw winner took home $1,132.
—The ‘Bob FM’ summer cruiser was at last Thursday’s game, doing live broadcasts.
—There were also lots of items to bid on in last Thursday’s silent auction.
—At the live auction in the community centre, the following game-worn jerseys went for the following final bids:
Matt Stajan jersey ($200), Doug Gilmour jersey ($225), Mark Bell autographed Leafs’ jersey ($450), another Bell jersey signed by entire 2007-08 Leafs’ team ($400), Vesa Toskala jersey ($475), a Matt Sundin autographed jersey ($500), and a Brian Campbell jersey ($350).
‘Auctioneers’ Peter Mansbridge, Terry Crisp and Norm Penney had a friendly competition to see who could generate the most money in the live auction. Mansbridge’s winning total $1,700, Crisp generated $1,025, and Penney raised $875.
A Wayne Gretzky hockey stick went for $750, and an autographed Rick Nash stick went for $250.
The final auction item of the night was Sidney Crosby’s Winter Classic jersey from the outdoor game in Buffalo last season. It also included a signed print and case.
It went to Pete Hyde for a whopping $2,200.
—Kelly Deeks reports that last Thursday’s game/auctions generated approximately $22,000.
Deeks said special events originally had a goal of raising $30,000 for the PRC. To date, two Pyramid Centre galas and three Bell Classic hockey games have raised almost $100,000, she noted.