Talkeetna Cup ends in victory for Ptarmigan squad

TALKEETNA — The sky was blue and the sun was shining bright on downtown Talkeetna for the playing of the 4th annual Talkeetna Cup Hockey Tournament. The crowd anxiously waited for the rival teams to appear and begin the contest for the puck and local hockey fame.

The hearse was down due to mechanical problems, but that didn't stop the Anchorage hockey team, the "Moegline Gravediggers," from making it to the game on time.

The team was there to face off once again with Talkeetna's hockey team, the "Fighting Ptarmigan."

The two teams met Feb. 24 on the famous Talkeetna outdoor ice to vie for possession of the Talkeetna Cup trophy and rotating bragging rights.

At exactly 1 p.m. the puck was dropped and the excitement began. The Gravediggers were striking in their gold jerseys with "BARIUM" and "RIP" printed on the backs. The Fighting Ptarmigan were also in fine form, wearing royal blue jerseys with the Big Dipper and North Star emblazoned on the fronts.

For three full 20-minute periods the two teams raced up and down the ice battling for the puck.

At the end of the second period the Ptarmigan had a solid 4-2 lead over the Gravediggers. The Gravediggers turned up the heat in the third period and when the final horn blew, the game was tied 4-4.

This was the first time in the history of the tournament that there was a tie. The Gravediggers wanted to have a shootout, the Ptarmigan wanted sudden death overtime. A puck with a gouge out of one side was used as a coin and the Ptarmigan won the toss. Sudden death overtime it was.

The winning goal was scored by first-year Ptarmigan Martin George. The game was over, with the Ptarmigan winning it 5-4.

On the Ptarmigan team were: captain Jack McDonald, Larry Draveling, Carl Brent, Dave Hansen, Ralph Ellerd, Dave Downey, Jerry Heartly, Martin George, Vince Pokryfki, and goalie Charlie Banberry.

Ptarmigan players on loan to the Gravediggers were: Craig Whitmore and Brian O'Neil.

Moegline Gravediggers players: Mike Moeglein, Frank Nosek, Bob Kowal, Chris Spuerhase, Pete Hegg, Luke Hegg, Jimmy Reese and goalie Tony Bloomfield.

Refereeing the game was Butch Serencha.