Even though the victory made Friday night exciting, it wasn’t all about the win. The night was about Toys for Tots and the donations people provided.

“Toys for Tots is an organization that helps kids that can’t afford toys or don’t have access to them to get them through other people,” junior Charlie McPherson, #64 JV defensemen, said.

The goal for the players this year was to exceed last year’s donation count. Ever since 2009, York hockey has been doing Toys for Tots. Each year they’re trying to “one-up” the previous year.

“I think we got upwards 300, I know that,” sophomore Thomas Wesolowski, #41 varsity goaltender, said about last year’s donation. “I’m hoping we surpass last year’s number of toys, hopefully, we can pass it by a small number and beat it.”

Boy, did they. Not only did they past it by a small amount but left it in the dust.

“York hockey, holy freaking smokes,” Stephanie Kazier, United States Marine Corps Active Events Coordinator for Dupage County, said. “You guys really outdid yourself this year, 499 toys. Wow. thank you so, so much for your contribution to the DuPage County Toys for Tots Campaign!”

This event is not just impacting kids, but also the players on the team, remind them what the night is really about.

“I feel like its a great thing and it just makes you feel good,” McPherson said. “You feel like a good person once you’ve done it.”

“It teaches us as players to be humble and to really and truly appreciate everything that we have,” junior Jackson Timble, #12 varsity defensemen, said

Dukes tamed the Broncos

This game was an unexpected win. From being behind 3-0 at the end of the first period to taming the wild beasts at the end of the third period, the varsity team won with a final score of 8-5.

The Dukes were a little slow at first. After fifteen minutes in the second period their first goal was scored by senior forward Billy Pashcen, #7; assisted by sophomore Quinn Haller, #6 forward.

A power-play goal; courtesy of Mikey Kamienski, tied it up. The goal was assisted by Haller and Pashcen.  At the end of the second period, the score was 4-4.

Byt the start of the third period, fans were at the edge of their seats, anticipating the final score in seventeen minutes. No one carried that Jackie Chan was blaring over the booming speakers.

Four more minutes were left in the game, the score tied, again, 5-5. Both teams were leaning forward on their benches, watching the green and white jerseys going back and forth on the ice. Then, at 2:55 minutes left in the game it happened.

Senior Joseph Guerino, #26 forward, passed the puck to sophomore James Millins, #46 forward, and getting the winning goal. Forget about Jack holding up Rose in Titanic, Kaminski holding up Millins for the game winner is the next blockbuster.

With the last goal of the game, senior captain Chris Lee, #13 defensemen, had the leeway to get the eighth goal of the game. Wesolowski saved twenty-four out of the twenty-nine shots.

In sports chemistry is essential. Without it, a team is not a team.

“I really do think we have great team chemistry,” Timble said. “We are all great friends, and we all get along and hang out together often. I feel like York Hockey is a brotherhood, and I am proud to be proud of it.”

Brotherhood, indeed.

“We’ve been working a lot more on the ice,” Wesolowski said. “We’ve been doing longer practices, more practices throughout the week, and we’ve been doing more team building exercises.”

It appears the York Dukes are trending the right direction and are taking steps to continue to improve themselves as a hockey team.

So far this season, Varsity’s record is 6-5-1 in twelve games with them being ninth in the league, as of November 26. With their win Their next game, on December 14, they’re against Glenbrook North Spartans at 7:05 P.M at the Addison Ice Arena. The Spartans’ record currently is 7-1-0 in eight games.