FROM STAFF REPORTS 

PELHAM – The Alabama hockey program will participate in the October Saves Goalie Challenge to benefit cancer research. The team’s three goalies, Jesse Gordichuk, Garret Kingsbury and Sam Schilling have all registered to raise money for the event.

The program asks family, friends, coaches and teammates to pledge money for each save the goalies make during the month of October. Proceeds will benefit several leading cancer research organizations along with the new October Saves Scholarship Fund with the organization’s partner, The Goalie Guild.

“Obviously, cancer is something that has impacted many people’s lives,” head coach Kyle Richards said. “It wasn’t breast cancer, but other forms of cancer have taken loved ones from me, and I’ve had immediate family members beat it. It means a great deal to myself and our program to do what we can to help raise money for such a great cause. Hopefully, we can raise a lot of money. I know we have the goalies to make the saves.”

The October Saves Goalie Challenge raises money for Inova, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Stand Up To Cancer and the Goalie Guild. All donations are tax deductible in the United States. The top goaltenders who raise the most money in actual donations have the opportunity to win prizes and equipment.

“My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor,” Kingsbury said. “Thanks to the awareness and medical advancements that come from charities like this, doctors were able to find the cancer early enough to remove it before the tumor became more serious. She is currently cancer free. Challenges like this give people like me that much more reason to play and ultimately raise money and awareness for a great cause.”

Alabama will play four games in the month of October, with all of them slated to be played at home in the Pelham Civic Complex. The team hosts Utah for the first time in program history on Oct. 12-13 and Canisius on Oct. 27-28.

To make a pledge or donate please visit each goalie’s page at the links below:

Jesse Gordichuk: https://octobersaves.org/goalie/jrgordichuk/

Garret Kingsbury: https://octobersaves.org/goalie/gekingsbury/

Sam Schilling: https://octobersaves.org/goalie/epschilling12/