Pink brightens Baker Rink for good cause

The game-worn jerseys will then be auctioned off on a special website, ecaccoachesvscancer.com, with proceeds going to ACS. In addition to game-worn jerseys, pink ties worn by the coaches of every men’s and women’s ECAC Hockey team will be auctioned off as well. There are 250 items in total being auctioned off, with bidding scheduled to end Feb. 20.

“The member institutions have totally embraced the event,” ECAC Hockey Commissioner Steve Hagwell said in an e-mail. “Frankly, this event would not be possible if not for the efforts of the administrators, coaches, staff and student-athletes at the institutions. They have been the driving force for this great event.”

All of the game-worn pink jerseys are starting with a minimum bid of $150 and have a “Buy it Now” option of $250. Even with the large number of items being sold, Hagwell said he does not know how successful the event will be.

“We do not have any preconceived notions regarding [money raised],” Hagwell said.

The idea for Pink At The Rink came from Scott Wiley, the head coach of Colgate’s women’s ice hockey team, but all ECAC Hockey teams enthusiastically embraced the idea.

“The idea for Pink at the Rink was a collaborative effort between the league coaches and staff,” Hagwell said. “The genesis for the event came about in the fall when we received a call from Scott Wiley, head coach at Colgate. Ironically, the same day we had been in contact with the American Cancer Society staff in Albany. The timing was perfect.”

In the United States, cancer is a leading cause of death, accounting for 23 percent of deaths each year, second only to heart disease. Almost 500,000 Americans died from cancer in 2002, according to ACS.

“The support that our organization has received from the league, its coaches and players has been overwhelming around Coaches vs. Cancer,” ACS Regional Vice President Anthony Marino said. “This supports our efforts throughout the local communities, and for that we are very thankful.”

The games during Pink At The Rink will be very important for both Princeton and its fellow ECAC schools, as they will occur during the last two weeks of the regular season.

These crucial matchups will determine which eight teams will qualify for the playoffs and how they will be ranked going into the playoff tournament. No. 1 Harvard and No. 6 St. Lawrence are first and second in the conference by a wide margin. While it is not mathematically impossible for them to be caught, it is unlikely.

“I think this year’s [women’s hockey] season has been fantastic,” Hagwell said. “The competitiveness within the league is tremendous. We are looking forward to the final weeks of the regular season, and a great postseason.”

That these games are being played for a good cause adds to the significance of these last regular-season showdowns.

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If this year’s Pink At The Rink event goes well, the conference may make it an annual event.

“We have entertained thoughts about an annual event,” Hagwell said. “After the event is complete, we will sit down with all parties to review all facets of the program and discuss the future.”