By: THE CANADIAN PRESS
7:24 AM |
OTTAWA — An atom B hockey team from China played their way to victory in a New Year’s tournament Thursday, in part by using borrowed equipment after being forced to abandon their own while fleeing an early-morning fire.
The nine- and 10-year-olds escaped with their lives after an apparent arson attack on their Ottawa hotel, but in the rush they had to leave their hockey equipment behind.
The players and their families were among 108 guests forced to evacuate the downtown Radisson Hotel and flee outside, where the temperature was -18.
Team coach Tom McCabe contacted the tournament organizers, who scrambled to find six complete outfits which the team wore as they won their semi-final match.
After dousing the flames, Ottawa firefighters retrieved the team’s equipment from the hotel and delivered it to the arena in one of their own trucks in time for the afternoon championship game.
The visitors were clearly touched by the firefighters’ effort, and the response of the community in finding them equipment and offering them shelter.
“They actually brought the equipment here to the arena to the game for us. And they went into the building for us to get it,” said Tom Kirkwood, the father of one of the team members.
“They actually went way beyond the call of duty and I want to thank Ottawa for that.”
From the Winnipeg Free Press
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