Another way to skate

WASILLA — Gerry Milbrett has a favorite saying, “sled hockey is being alive.”

Each week Milbrett and a handful of teammates prove, regardless of physical limitations, it’s still possible to have the opportunity to play hockey.

Milbrett, 46, is the captain of the Alaska Avalanche sled hockey team, a team that had the chance to show more than 700 hockey fans another way to skate, pass and shoot the puck in a scrimmage during an intermission of an Alaska Avalanche Junior A hockey game at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Friday.

“It’s another good sport that people in wheelchairs can do without freezing to death outside doing it,” Milbrett said after the scrimmage.

Sled hockey takes many of the concepts of the standard game of ice hockey, but incorporates different equipment to give the able bodied and disabled equal opportunity to play the game.

The sled, normally made of aluminum or steel and sized according to a player’s height, features a bucket seat and safety straps. Underneath are two blades mounted parallel and a runner at the front.

Players use two shortened hockey sticks with a metal pick on one end and the blade of the stick on the other. The sticks are used to both shoot or pass the puck, and to help move the player across the ice.

And just like ice hockey, players wear helmets and a full set of protective pads.

All help to create a sport that has the tendency to lure people in.

“I’m hooked. I’m an addict,” Milbrett said with a laugh. “I never used to think hockey until now. Now I sleep hockey. I didn’t think I’d do that.”

Milbrett said he’s been playing sled hockey for about two years. He first ventured out onto the ice after getting a call from Challenge Alaska, an organization dedicated to helping all participate in athletics and activities regardless of limitations. Now he skates during the practices, and regularly hits the ice during the free skate sessions at the Palmer Ice Arena.

Sled hockey has also given Milbrett, who uses a wheelchair, the opportunity to compete in a sport with his two sons — Chris, 21, and Jesse, 15.

“They’ve never been able to play a sport with their dad,” Challenge Alaska therapeutic recreation coordinator Jeff Dick said. “That is really special and cool to them.”

Dick is one of about four able-bodied individuals who plays and practices with the sled hockey team. Through his work at Challenge Alaska, Dick was also able to help secure a sponsorships with the Alaska Avalanche junior hockey franchise and a relationship with the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex.

“The Avalanche were gracious enough to pick us up as a sponsor,” Dick said. “The Sports Complex has been really good to us.”

Dick said anywhere from eight to 10 people regularly attend the weekly practices at the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex. The group varies in age from 15-60. And many of the athletes are from the Mat-Su Valley.

One player, Tom East, makes the commute from South Anchorage each week to play with the team.

East, 51, has been playing sled hockey for six years. Before becoming involved with the sport, East said he had read about it. And at about the same time someone had contacted him about playing.

East said it’s simply the fun that keeps him coming out and, “the mobility you have skating on the ice.”

For beginners, East said, there is a fairly easy transition into the sport.

“We’ve had people come and within a week or two, they’re having fun and enjoying it,” East said. “It takes time to get good, but you can still be having fun playing.”

During the practice sessions, each of the athletes get the chance to play a variety of positions.

“The group’s not big enough to field two full teams, so a lot of the time we’re playing all kinds of positions,” East said.

Most of the rules that apply to the standard game of ice hockey are also used in sled hockey. There are six players on the ice for each team — three forwards, two defensmen and one goalie. Substitutions can be made during play or at a stoppage of play. Sled hockey is played on a standard sized ice rink, with a standard sized goal and puck.

Slight differences include roster limit and the time of each period.

The games include 15-minute periods and team rosters have a maximum of 15 players.

The Alaska Avalanche sled hockey team is currently the only squad of its type in Alaska. For the most part that means the teams just scrimmages as a squad.

East did have the opportunity to travel with a team to the Western Regionals in Canada three years ago.

“That was a lot of fun,” East said.

East’s team took home a silver medal from a tournament made up predominately by Canadian teams.

“They weren’t too pleased an American team came in and took the medal,” East joked.

The Avalanche sled hockey team would like the chance to hit a tournament like the Western Regionals in the near future.

“There’s another version of that in April. We’re going to train for that if we can get enough people signed up,” East said.

In order to meet their goals the team would like to recruit new members.

“We want more disabled people out here,” Milbrett said.

Challenge Alaska is also helping the team raise funds to pay for ice time and potentially give the team the chance to travel to a tourney outside of the state.

Dick said Challenge Alaska does seek financial assistance from businesses as well as individuals. Those interested in donating to the Alaska Avalanche sled hockey team can contact development director Heather Plucinski at heather@challengealaska.org or 907-344-7213.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.