Play begins at 9 p.m. Thursday and continues through the weekend. (Handout)
More than 200 men and women ages 16 to 75 will play in a 72-hour continuous hockey game at the Winter Garden Ice Arena, 111 Prospect Ridge, beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday.
The event will be hosted by Play For Purpose, which raises awareness and funds for local families in need of assistance due to illnesses. Proceeds will also benefit such charities as Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and the Fisher House of Connecticut.
Saturday, there will be special appearances from New York Rangers alumni from 1-2:30 p.m., including Andre Dore, Dave Maloney, Gilles Villemure, Mark Janssens and Tom Laidlaw, and depending on their schedule, John Tonelli, Nick Fotiu, Rod Gilbert and Glenn Anderson. There will be an open skate and meet-and-greet with the players, who will also sign autographs.
And the Rangers’ Sled Dog Hockey Game against the N.J. Freeze, a professional hockey team for disabled players, will be held at noon on Saturday.
The event is open to the public each day and admission is free. Opening ceremonies began at 7 p.m. Thursday and will be followed by a silent auction and cocktail reception. Play will continue through 7 p.m. Sunday.
Part of the silent auction will be a jersey signed by all of the 2015 Rangers and a stick signed by Captain Ryan McDonough.
Last year, the group raised more than $40,000 for charity and has a goal of $100,000 this year.
For more information on the event, email admin@playforpurpose.org or visit the Facebook page at facebook.com/PlayForPurpose. And to make a donation, visit www.playforpurpose.org.