CHARITY FEB. 15, '14
On Saturday, February 15, 2014 members of the West Michigan Phantoms were able to participate in a very special event for a great cause. For the first time in the team's history, the team was asked to play in a Charity Game at Van Andel Arena in Downtown Grand Rapids to help support the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation. The Youth Foundation was established in 1995 by the Grand Rapids Griffins (American Hockey League team) to promotes academic excellence, community involvement and healthy lifestyles among the youth of West Michigan, enhancing their lives through hockey and ice-related sports.
This event was spearheaded by Brian Dudek and Kevin Wootton as a way to bring two groups of hockey teams that have battled against each other at multiple rinks together in a new venue for a great cause. 30 players and 2 goaltenders squared off with hundreds of family members and friends in attendance to all support the foundation in a game that was quoted by a member of the Griffins Front Office as 'One of the Most Competitive and Intense Games' they have ever had at Van Andel in an event like this. The game took place between the West Michigan Phantoms (Walker Ice & Fitness Team) and MOS Office Solutions (Patterson Ice Arena Team) and again featured many players who have played against each other for nearly 11 years.
Despite multiple lead changes during the course of the 60-minute game, several fights and a highly competitive nature of both teams, MOS Office Solutions would cap an empty net goal late in the third period to come away with a 8-6 victory over the Phantoms. Following the Charity Game, members of both teams hit the bars in DownTown Grand Rapids to hang out and later in the evening all gathered to watch the defending Calder Cup Champion Griffins take on the San Antonio Rampage at Van Andel.
ROSTER:
1. Trent Kik
2. Keith Moorman
3. Tim Vanoverloop
4. Chad Manning
5. Nate Skoboda
6. Jordan Tompkins
7. Brad Zehr
8. Andrew Erickson
9. Matt Myers
10. Ryan Moore
11. Matt Zehr
12. Nate Tyler
13. Chris Laux
14. Brandon Myers
15. Mitch Hoolsema
G- Kevin Wootton
Coach: Mike Skoboda
Coach: Paul Erickson
Coach: Eric Ferner