Saint Anselm College’s Sullivan Arena was booming with lights flashing, buzzers ringing, and pucks flying. But, instead of the Saint Anselm Hawks, the arena hosted the best of the Boston Bruins alumni.

The Boston Bruins alumni faced off in the 7th Annual fundraising hockey game of the Bruins alumni versus Crotched Mountain Wild. Miss New Hampshire, Caroline Carter, greeted and welcomed the crowd to the game. Before the drop of the puck, the event kicked off with the singing of the National Anthem by Christopher Duffley, a famous singer diagnosed with autism and blindness. The action began shortly after the drop of the puck by Crotched Mountain resident and student, Karly Erickson.

This tradition of the charity game has been established as a fundraiser for the Crotched Mountain Accessible Recreation and Sports program, or CMARS., was very pleased with the turnout for this year.

“Thanks to sponsors and partners like Saint Anselm, the 2017 Bruins Classic was our biggest ever,” said Dave Johnson, Director of Marketing for Crotched Mountain. “The money we raised this year – the most ever – is going to help people with disabilities experience sports like skiing, kayaking, and cycling. It was an awesome event, benefiting an awesome cause.”

Founded in 1953, Crotched Mountain is a non-profit foundation and is dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities and their families. In order to assist individuals and their families, the foundation owns a 1,400-acre campus, which includes a school, hospital, outpatient clinic, aquatic center, residences, athletic complex and trails in a mountainside environment.

Little announcement of the event was present on campus prior to the event, but that did not stop students from attending. Brad Greenland (’17) attended the game and was pleased at how it reflected on Saint Anselm College.

“I think it means a lot that the Bruins Alumni come back to raise money for people with developmental disabilities. I also love how Saint A’s hosts this event because it speaks to the Anselmian hospitality on our campus.”

Not only that, but several student athletes on the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams also volunteered during the event, working to ensure that everyone had everything they needed.