Army bests Royal Military College 3-2 in annual cross-border hockey tilt

A moment of silence was held on Saturday for the 67 victims of this week’s collision between a commercial passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Washington, D.C.

Players from the Royal Military College and West Point, N.Y., tapped their sticks against the ice as a show of respect after each country’s anthems were performed before the 86th meeting of the cross-border rival hockey teams.

Canadian and American flags hung side by side at one end of Slush Puppie Place, the home rink of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League, a long slapshot away from the lakefront covered in snow and ice.

Army won the fierce battle 3-2, but the outcome was insignificant. It was a (somewhat) friendly exhibition game, more a show of kinship between countries that have fought battles shoulder to shoulder around the world.

Royal Military College will play Army in hockey rivalry that goes back more than 100 years

Cadets from both countries cheered loudly throughout the contest. Their bands were both on hand. Brian Riley, Army’s coach for 21 years, was invited to participate in the ceremonial puck drop. He is retiring at the end of this season. The four officials that called the game came from military bases across Canada.

And yes, they were kept immensely busy. The first fight occurred less than four minutes into the game. The crowd roared when an RMC player exchanged fists with an opponent and pinned him to the ice.

Between the clubs there were 14 penalties assessed in the first period for a total of 52 minutes. At times hockey gear littered the ice. By the end, infractions were called for fighting, unsportsmanlike behaviour, roughing, cross checking, interference, tripping, hooking and holding – just about every no-no in the rule book.

In the first 20 minutes, each team had three members in the penalty box at the same time.

Army led 3-0 early in the second period and then RMC began to push. It was 3-2 after 40 minutes and that’s how it ended, despite RMC having several good chances in the third.

Afterward players lined up to shake hands. Pizza was delivered to the dressing rooms. Army boarded a charter bus parked outside the rink on The Tragically Hip Way for a 5 ½ hour drive back to West Point.

Richard Lim, RMC’s head coach, was headed back to the hospital. His partner, Julliane Lalonde gave birth to their first child, Grayson, late Thursday night.

“It’s been a whirlwind three days,” Lim said.