It's only fitting that in a game where he was the guest of honour, Eugene Roach would post a shutout.
That's what he did as nothing got past him in regulation time in a charity hockey game at the Multiplex on Saturday evening.
James McCarthy/NNSL photo
Players from the Wade Hamer Hockey League – better known as WIMPS – and the J&A Fire Prevention oldtimers squad, the team Roach formerly tended goal for, got together to help raise money for Roach's family as he does battle with advanced stage 4 adenocarcinoma lung cancer. The official final score was 3-2 for Team White over Team Dark but the trick was that the goaltenders – Roach and Mike Hungle – switched teams after the first of two 25-minute periods.
Roach tended goal for Team Dark for the first period and didn't let a goal in and did the same for Team White in the second period. The only goals that got past him were in the shootout as the game finished tied at 2-2 after regulation time and even then, it took until the fifth shooter until a goal was scored.
Roach said it was all a fluke.
“It was all luck,” he said. “It's never happened to me in WIMPS before and I don't know if it qualifies for a WIMPS shutout or not but I have a lot of witnesses.”
The big reason for the shutout? Plenty of shots he could see.
“I had good defence in front of me all game and (the pucks) were hitting my chest all the time,” he said.
Admission to the game was $20 and there was a 50/50 draw along with a donation box for people to give money as well.
Andy Young, who helped organize the evening's event, said more than $4,000 was raised on the night.
The stands were close to half-full, which was impressive when you consider it took less than a week to put the game together from start to finish, and Roach said it meant a lot to know everyone was there for him.
“I love all of these guys,” he said. “I haven't played with my oldtimers team for a couple of years but every single one of them came out and all the WIMPS players who I've played with for 15 or so years all showed up as well so this means a lot. It's sort of a Make-A-Wish Foundation thing, only here in Yellowknife.”
Being asked to play in the game was an easy decision for Roach to make but he did have one admission following the game.
“I wish the stands were empty, to be honest,” he said with a laugh. “It's like Timbits hockey but for adults. We all should have work Timbits jerseys for the game but I really appreciated being able to hang out with the guys again and skate.”
Roach has been undergoing treatment for the past few months and aside from a slight cough, he said he feels normal.
“It's weird because I don't even feel like I'm sick right now,” he said. “It's all part of the attitude I have about it because the cancer doesn't have a chance as long as I'm fighting it.”
He added he plans on doing something like this again down the road but for a more special occasion.
“This won't be the last time we do this because I'm planning on inviting every single one of these guys back in five years when I'm cancer-free,” he said.