Team Midwest makes good first impression against former Blackhawks

ST. JOHN | Pat Philbin had reason to be nervous.

He was about to play in front of a packed house at the Midwest Training and Ice Center against a team comprised of former Chicago Blackhawks. But that's not why he was worried.

"This will be the first time my 6-year-old daughter (Paige) will see me play hockey," said Philbin, a coach for MTIC's Maniax youth program and winger for Team Midwest, which faced off against the Blackhawks Alumni Association team Saturday.

Don May, 36, of Dyer, was more excited than nervous.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said May, who plays center for a "B" division adult team at MTIC. "I wanted to take advantage."

Former NHL winger Cliff Koroll, who scored 208 goals for the Blackhawks in the 1970s and helped the team get to the Stanley Cup finals in 1971 and 1973, said the trip to St. John from Chicago brought back some memories.

"You ride the bus with your teammates just like the old days," said Koroll, who is president of the Blackhawks Alumni Association. "It's a lot of fun just getting here."

The BAA team last took the ice in earnest a month ago in Europe against alumni teams from Finland and Sweden. Two years ago, the former Blackhawks played at MTIC for the first time.

"One thing I remember about these guys (from Midwest) is that they knew they weren't NHL players, and didn't try to prove that they were," Koroll said. "Sometimes, we play against guys who think they should have made the NHL, and they take the game too seriously."

Early on, Team Midwest put up a game effort and jumped out to a 3-1 lead with two goals by Scott Peterson, and another by May with Adam O'Shaughnessy assisting. Team Midwest goalie Marty Hollingshead also showed he was up for the task, stopping a 20-foot slap shot from former two-time 30-goal scorer Grant Mulvey, and a breakaway attempt by former winger Brian Noonan.

But with two goals by Dave Mackey, and another by former Frank J. Selke Trophy recipient Troy Murray with Noonan assisting, the former Hawks took a 4-3 at the end of the first period. The game ended after presstime.

LOCAL HOCKEY