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EAST ALTON – East Alton-Wood River junior hockey player Kaleb Harrop had a most memorable game Monday night.
Harrop was on the Blue team for the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association's Class 1A All-Star Game at East Alton Ice Arena; once Harrop started finding the back of the goal, he couldn't stop scoring.
Harrop eventually scored five goals for his team, including a shorthanded and power-play goal for the Blues in the game, which ended in favor of the Red team 8-7 thanks to a five-goal third period that saw them rally from 7-3 down in the third to get the win.
“I have to give thanks to all my linemates for all the great setups and passes they gave me tonight,” Harrop said. “It wasn't an individual effort, thought it might have seemed like it; I have to give thanks to all my teammates out there.”
Harrop's shorthanded goal “was kind of crazy”, he said. “I didn't think it was going to happen, but it did.”
An all-star game gives players a chance to relax and play with players they might not have had the chance to play with before, Harrop felt. “It's fun to get out here and play against guys you haven't played against before and make a lot of new friends from teams you never thought you would make friends with,” Harrop said.
“It's pretty much fun overall and I had a great time with all the guys.”
That the game took place prior to the start of the MVCHA playoffs was a good way to let the players have fun before the serious part of the season begins. “It's a good thing to have this before the playoffs,” Harrop said. “Most definitely, it keeps your legs moving and stuff like that; it's a pretty fun night.”
Harrop began playing hockey at age three with the Twin Bridges Lightning club. “I started playing with Twin Bridges, then moved to the Decatur Flames and came back to Twin Bridges; I've been with them since,” said the junior at Bethel Christian in South Roxana. “It's a fun game.”
Harrop was wearing jersey number 91, made popular by the St. Louis Blues' Vladimir Tarasenko. “I watch him a lot, so I try some of the stuff he tries during games,” Harrop said. “After I graduate, I hope to play junior hockey somewhere, go on to college hockey and try to go as far as I can in hockey.”
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