Hockey Fights Cancer Night Rocks the Rink Pink for the cause

AUBURN — Hockey Fights Cancer Night’s Rock the Rink Pink event on Oct. 18, which featured cancer patients, survivors and cancer charities, was a big success organizers said.
The city of Auburn and Norway Savings Bank Arena, together with the Twin City Thunder and other Premier League hockey teams hosted the event. The Twin City Thunder teams hosted the opponents on a pink ice surface. TCT co-owner Dan Hodge expressed that the pink colored ice “is something that no one else in the New England area is doing and will become part of our annual event.”

The evening served a tandem purpose — to educate and to raise money for two causes that hit close to home. Robin Wooster, who is battling breast cancer, is a local emergency medical technician who dropped the ceremonial puck. Wooseter was joined at center ice by her two children, who were flown to Maine to surprise her. “To be invited to drop the honorary puck at the game Friday night was simply an honor,” said Wooster. “But when I got to the game and was presented with a jersey from Camp Wekeela, I felt like a rockstar! As I turned around and saw the beautiful faces of my children standing before me, it was surreal and so unexpected.”
Local youth hockey coach Jesse Robitaille of the Maine Gladiators is also fighting cancer and was recognized throughout the weekend. Fundraising efforts on Saturday netted nearly $10,000 to support the Robitaille family.
Twin City Thunder players wore commemorative pink jerseys, which were auctioned off during the game. All proceeds from the auction went to the Wooster and Robitaille families, along with $1 from each event ticket sold.
“On behalf of the Thunder organization, I would like to thank the entire staff at the NSBA, especially Rory Mushlin, who went above and beyond to make our second annual ‘Pink in the Rink’ event a huge success,” said Hodge. “The look on Robin’s face when she turned around to see her kids was one that I will never forget. For the night, hockey took a back seat to raising money to fight cancer.”
“It was extremely rewarding to host this event,” said Marc Gosselin, executive director of Community Partnerships & Sports Tourism for the city. “We were excited to showcase our venue and our partnership with the Twin City Thunder. A night such as this unites the hockey community and, hopefully, inspires faith and courage for those who are living with, going through and moving past cancer.”

TOP PHOTO: Pink Ice at Norway Savings Bank Arena for Rock the Rink Pink cancer awareness and fundraiser event. (Submitted photo)