The Capital Beltway Warriors win big at Disabled Hockey Festival

The Capital Beltway Warriors, a local Disabled Veteran ice hockey team with members from Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland, and Washington D.C., traveled to Chicago to participate in the 14th Annual Toyota/USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival over the weekend.

The Festival has taken place in a different area of the country each year with huge success and tremendous growth. The mission of the Festival is to provide a fun and exciting weekend of hockey in a grand event as well as promote and grow disabled hockey throughout the country. The event is the largest disabled hockey event of its kind.

The Capital Beltway Warriors competed in and won the Warrior Standing C division composed of 12 teams of Disabled U.S. Service Veterans from around the country that have service connected disabilities.

In the final matchup, the Capital Beltway Warriors faced the Minnesota Duluth Warriors. Before the game both teams came to the center of the rink for a moment of silence to remember the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus accident.

The Duluth Warriors struck first with a goal from Defenseman Jeff Dwyer (Assist John Keller). The Capital Beltway Warriors would answer with a gaol from Forward Jon Bonar (Assist Matthew Patterson) with 8:54 remaining in the first period. The Capital Beltway Warriors would strike again with 4:45 remaining in the first with a gaol from Center, Joey Martell (Assists Matthew Holben and Jon Bonar). Jeff Dwyer would find the net for his second goal of the game for the Duluth Warriors with a solo goal with 3:20 remaining in the first period. The first period would end with the Capital Beltway Warriors up 3-2. In the second period, the Capital Beltway Warrior's Center, Joey Martel with assists from Matthew Patterson and Matthew Holben would the only goal of the period with 4:52 remaining in the second. In the third period, Joey Martell got his hat trick of the game with an assist from Defenseman Mike Vaccaro with 13:34 remaining in the third period. Forward, Chris Whipple would score Capital Beltway Warrior's 5th and final gaol on a break away with 5:27 left in the game. The Duluth Warrior's Jeff Dwyer with an Assist from Forward Zach Musolf would get his hat trick of the game with 1:24 remaining in the game. This was a very even matchup and a great battle for the title, but in the end, it was the Capital Beltway Warriors that prevailed to win the Warrior Division C title. You could see the appreciation and camaraderie that both team had for one another as they congratulated each other at the end of the game in the spirit of Warrior Hockey. The Final Score was Capital Beltway Warriors 5, Duluth Warriors 3. The game was broadcast live, with commentary, on HockeyTV.com and can be watched on demand by subscribers.

Goals:

Capital Beltway Warriors: Martell (3); Bonar, Whipple

Duluth Warriors: Dwyer (3)

Assists:

Capital Beltway Warriors: Holben (2); Patterson (2); Vaccaro; Bonar

Duluth Warriors: Keller; Musolf

Penalties:

Capital Beltway Warriors: None

Duluth Warriors: Lilya, 2:00 for Roughing

Shots on Goal:

Capital Beltway Warriors: 19

Duluth Warriors: 20

Saves:

Capital Beltway Warriors: 17

Duluth Warriors: 14

Winning Goalie: Jay Bottelson, Capital Beltway Warriors

The Capital Beltway Warriors are a nonprofit organization and are always looking for voluntary as well as monetary support to help get Disabled Veterans on the ice.

You can find out more about the Team, their cause, and follow their progress in the Disabled Hockey Festival by following their website at www.capitalbeltwaywarriors.com.