Pandemic Puck-Drop: SMU Huskies Hit The Ice

Written by Drew McConnell

Thumbnail and Header Photo of the SMU Huskies by Nick Pearce

Friday, February 12th could be looked at as another day in the seemingly never-ending Groundhog Day that we’ve come accustomed to since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. But for myself —and more importantly, dozens of varsity athletes — it felt like a step towards a new day. A better day. A normal day. 

After being sidelined for 11 months due to the cancellation of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) season, the Saint Mary’s Huskies joined two other Nova Scotia universities,  Acadia and Dalhousie, in taking part in a handful of exhibition sporting events. Although more events are tentatively on the schedule,  the first event — a men’s hockey game between the SMU Huskies and the Acadia Axemen — took place on the 12th of February at the Dauphinee Centre. 

A few days prior to puck drop, SMU’s Communications and Events Coordinator, Lori Forbes, wrote me to let me know about the game, and included a sentence I have been waiting to hear for nearly a year: 

“...are you interested in doing the game commentary?” she asked. I could barely contain my excitement as I jumped from my bed, kicking the blanket and scaring my cat in the process. “I’d love to… I’m really looking forward to it” I replied excitedly.  

I was equal parts excited and nervous. The last game I had the privilege to call was the 2019-2020 season-closing game between the Huskies and Dalhousie Tigers,  way back on February 8, 2020. By the time I threw on the headset for this exhibition game, it would be 370 days between webcasts on austv.ca. But who’s counting, right?

March 12, 2020 — the last game played by the SMU Huskies during the 2020 U-Cup. Photo by Saltwire Network

Despite the long layoff, the pressure was on for both myself and the athletes to be at our best. This game was important for a lot of reasons, but the most important in my mind was that the family and friends of the players on both teams would be watching. I felt I owed it to the players to provide the proper lyrics to the music they were making on the ice and allow the viewers (specifically players’ families) to enjoy watching their son or brother play hockey for the first time since the onset of COVID. 

When I got to the Dauphinee Centre, it was apparent that things were going to be a lot different than before. Firstly, it’s worth knowing that a portion of the Homburg Centre, SMU’s Health and Wellness facility adjacent to the arena, has been converted to a COVID-19 testing site. Secondly, perhaps even more notable was the absence of excited Huskies fans waiting to enter the building for the night’s festivities.  Due to COVID restrictions, only essential personnel were permitted in the arena such as the public address announcer, timekeeper, and off-ice officials. There might have been seven or eight people there, including me. 

Despite the changes, you could barely tell the difference once the players took the ice. While the lack of fans certainly took away from the atmosphere, the athletes made up for it by playing their hearts out and making you truly sense how much this game meant to them. On most nights, the fans in attendance are who bring this energy.

From the drop of the puck, you could feel the determination from both sides. The two teams played with the intensity of a playoff game — like a game 7 in sports parlance. The Huskies and Axemen gave their all as if the next game wasn’t a guarantee. Which, because of the precarious nature of this pandemic, the next game is far from a guarantee. 

When SMU broke the ice in the first period with a goal from 2nd year forward Keith Getson, the excitement and adrenaline were palpable throughout the rink. That was also the case for the next five goals from the home team, as well as the four goals scored by the visitors. 

Given that this was an exhibition game, no points were up for grabs, standings were nonexistent, and personal statistics were irrelevant. But when the horn sounded, securing the Huskies a 6-4 victory,  there was still a feeling of jubilance in the air. After close to a year of pent-up frustration and disappointment about not being able to play, there was finally a breakthrough. There was finally a game to be played. And while it wasn’t in front of 800 or so screaming Husky fans at the Dauphinee Centre, it was still a cathartic experience nonetheless. 

It was a step towards a new day. A better day. A normal day.