EYE ON SPORTS

reporting by Peter Papazoglou; photos by FAL Photography

MAMARONECK SQUIRT TIGERS PLAY AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

(January 22, 2008) Perhaps most of the 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, January 16 were there to watch the New York Rangers face off against the Buffalo Sabres. But for at least 100 Larchmont and Mamaroneck attendees, the highlight of the evening came between the first and second periods. That’s when 17 members of the Mamaroneck Youth Hockey Squirt Tiger team took to the ice for a 4-minute, action-packed scrimmage.

The Squirt's take to the ice wearing Ranger shirts.

The teams had 4 minutes to show their moves.

The 9- and 10-year-olds had been waiting for their turn at the Garden for months. They had applied for the opportunity back in October. Meanwhile they continued practice and play in the travel hockey program offered by the MYHA, a private, non-profit, parent-run group founded in 1994.

Finally, last Wednesday, the team got its chance.

The team was treated to a tour of the facilities and viewed the Rangers and Sabre pre-game warm up before settling in to watch the first period.

And then it was there turn – time for the Mamaroneck skaters to split into two teams and show their stuff.

"It was amazing to skate in front of 20,000 people and , so far, it was the best two hours of my life,” said Ryan Papazoglou, one of the players. ‘It was also amazing to see all of the Rangers - including the coaches - up close."

The Mamaroneck Youth Hockey Squirt Tiger team at Madison Square Garden.

Members of the team who participated are: Brendan Barger, James Dziwura, Alex Ewald, Billy Grossman, Ben Kahan, Will Kirk, Jack Knowles, Pierre Laffitte, Ryan Leblanc, Jake Levine, Jimmy Mcmillan, Liam Monaghan, Thomas Oddoux, Ryan Papazoglou, Ben Shapiro, Dylan Wit, John Wojciechowski. The team is coached by Tommy Greason, John White and Greg Tevere.