Photo By Master Sgt. Karen Tomasik | Eielson Iceman teammates congratulate each other on another victory as wing...... read more read more
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EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – The Eielson Iceman hockey team out skated the Interior Alaska Army team 5 -1 in the 20th Anniversary of the Commanders’ Cup Hockey game at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska.
This was the Iceman team’s third straight win, which broke the tie in the series.
The victory over the Army team wasn’t an easy task and involved lots of hard work and preparation during practice leading up to the game.
“Mental preparation is key,” said Airman 1st Class Joshua Fine, the starting goalie for the Iceman team, who is assigned to the 168th Maintenance Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard. “You can’t go into the game thinking you are going to lose. We have practiced hard and it helped build confidence and let us to know that we can trust each other on the ice.”
Another reason the team was so successful against its rival was due to the hockey experience of some of the Icemen.
“The experience of the team members is vastly different,” said Tech. Sgt. Tommy Nelson, the Iceman team head coach, who is a combat arms instructor assigned to the 354th Security Forces Squadron. “Some have a couple years of experience and others have played college hockey. Some of the guys with less experience were a little on edge when we first started practicing. Having players with lots of experience helped bring them along and built up their confidence.”
The game not only provided inter-service bragging rights for the Iceman team but also gave the active-duty and Guard Airmen a chance to get to know each other and build on the total force concept.
“Playing on the team, I got to meet and know more people on Eielson,” said Fine. “Being in the Guard I don’t get to interact with the active duty that much, so this was a great chance to build teamwork. With the mix of active duty and guard, you get different people from different walks of life and different hockey playing styles -- it’s a good compilation to build a team.”
Another key to the hockey team’s success was the unwavering support from Eielson.
“I can’t thank the fans and wing leadership enough for coming out and supporting us,” said Nelson. “I am ecstatic with the final outcome of the game -- to see all the work we put in come through in the end.”
With the win, the Airmen of interior Alaska not only have bragging rights for the next year but for the Commanders’ Cup series overall.
| Date Taken: | 12.12.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2014 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 150465 |
| Location: | FAIRBANKS, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Iceman hockey team wins 20th anniversary Commanders’ Cup, by MSgt Joey Swafford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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