09/03/2026
Part II.
THE RAIN WASN’T GOING TO STOP US.
Maybe it was a reminder of being kids again. When you wanted to play hockey, you found a way. You stayed out until the streetlights came on. You moved the nets when a car came through. You played through the cold, the heat, the bad ice, the rough pavement.
Whatever it took to get the game in.
This year’s Main Event Outdoor Roller Game felt a little like that.
We had worked hard to create something special for the Main Event Outdoor Roller Game: string lights around the rink, the big screen, live music as people arrived, families lining the boards, kids everywhere.
And then came the rain. For a moment, it felt like the night we had envisioned was over.
Then Dru Santora - one of our Main Event goaltenders and owner of Rapid Fire Arena - said something simple:
“We can finish it at Rapid if you want.”
The players were in.
The coaches were in.
The referees were in.
The crowd was in.
And, of course, the kids were in.
So we took our upper gear and skates off, left our shins and roller pants on, packed everything up, got in our cars and drove as a pack 20 minutes to Center Moriches.
9:30 PM start time on deck.
During that drive, watching the cars make their way down the road together, I couldn’t help but think about what kind of community we’ve built here.
Nobody had to go…. Everybody (almost) went.
What started as a disappointment turned into one of my favorite memories of the entire week.
Players ranging from 17 to 53. Rec league players alongside NHL and Olympic-caliber players. Different backgrounds. Different levels. Different generations. On wheels. Playing the same game we all love.
Maybe that’s hockey in its purest form.
You find a rink. You find some players. And you find a way.
The rain wasn’t going to stop us. Hockey players finish the game. And this community proved it once again.
Hockey Is Hockey.
