Get your pink on! Tri-City Americans face off in 15th Breast Cancer Awareness game

Fifteen years ago, the ice at Toyota Center was painted pink for the first Breast Cancer Awareness Game.

Pink is putting it mildly. It was a deep raspberry color. You could hardly see the lines on the ice.

Now, the Toyota Center crew has the pink down to an art form, and Friday, Feb. 28, night fans will see a pink glow from the playing surface when the Tri-City Americans host the Portland Winterhawks in their 15th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game.

“The pink ice accentuates the night,” said Americans General Manger Bob Tory. “It has become a magical night for so many in our community. We are proud to be a part of it.”

The Americans were the first ones to have pink ice in the Western Hockey League, and the event has grown each year since its inception.

It will be the first BCA Game for rookie defenseman Marc Lajoie.

“Obviously, it is cool and unique,” said Lajoie, who has eight goals and five assists this season. “I’ve never been a part of something like this before. It’s a good cause and will help spread awareness in the community.”

The first year, the event raised $2,800 for the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation. In 2011, the total was nearly $22,300.

Over the past 14 years, the event has raised $260,000.

“It’s amazing,” Tory said of the growth of the event. “Not only the way the community has embraced it, but it is an event, not just a hockey game. For me, I like how the money stays in our community. We are proud to facilitate something that does so much good in the community, and we appreciate the support we receive from our fans.”

Game-worn and non-game worn jerseys will auctioned behind Section R. The minimum bid is $250, with a buy-it-now price of $800.

There also will be T-shirts for sale for $20 on the concourse behind Section X, along with a large silent auction behind Section J that will have gift baskets, Americans memorabilia and more.

“We get people coming who are not die-hard hockey fans,” Tory said. “It has built itself into an event people go to.”

Where the money goes

Several of the Tri-City players took a tour of the Cancer Center this week, getting a look at the technology and services available to patients, and learning first hand what the patients go through during treatments.

The money raised from each Breast Cancer Awareness Game is used for two different services.

The first provides support services to cancer patients and their families. Included in that is patient navigation, nurse navigation, wigs, hats and breast prosthetics that are available in the resource center.

Money also helps provide materials for the library, chaplain services and capital purchases that make a difference in treatment.

The second service involves programs offered to improve the health of the community, like the free mammograms, cervical screenings, and educational materials. The Cancer Center provided 166 mammograms and 70 ultrasounds in 2019.

A rocky season

The Americans (17-34-4-1, 39 points) have had a tough go of things this year with trades and injuries stretching from early in the season until now.

“We had a rough patch after trading away Beck (Warm) and Oly (Kyle Olson),” Lajoie said. “We are young and some of us haven’t been in all situations before. We just have to keep moving forward.”

At present, captain Krystof Hrabik is out with an upper-body injury, though he was in the ice Wednesday during the morning skate. Also on IR is forward Paycen Bjorklund with an upper-body injury, and rugged defenseman Mitchell Brown suffered a season-ending injury before Christmas.

“Soon,” Tory said of Hrabik’s return. “We are hoping a week to 10 days. We don’t want to rush him before he’s ready.”

Tri-City has won three of its past 10 games, but dropped its last two in the Central Division to Medicine Hat and Red Deer.

“It has been a frustrating year,” Tory said. “We got off to an 11-6-1 start. It got to a point where we decided it was time to reset the team and culture. The young guys have been put in spots they haven’t been in before. Hopefully they learn from their ice time.”

At present, the Americans are last in the Western Conference, three points back of Prince George and 14 behind eighth place Seattle. With that said, Tri-City will miss the playoffs for just the fourth time in 20 years. The last time was the 2015-16 season.

“It has been hard on the players, management and coaches,” Tory said. “We haven’t been in this position much before. Credit to the players, they have stuck with it through this transition. It’s hard on the room, but they have continued to work hard, have a positive attitude, and have been good people in the community.

“Our fans have been supportive through this,” Tory continued. “Our fans have been very loyal, and I’m appreciative of that.”