Amber Johnson (middle) surrounded her younger brother, Kyle Geiger (top row, 5th from the left) and his club hockey teammates after a benefit game that raised over $500 and beat St. Cloud State 4-3.
Senior forward Kyle Geiger was getting ready for another year of fighting on the ice this season when he learned his sister would be undergoing a much larger fight. Amber Johnson, Geiger’s older sister, learned three weeks after her 31st birthday she had stage 3A invasive ductal carcinoma, breast cancer. Johnson, born and raised in Antigo, Wisconsin is married with a two-year-old son and an eight-month-old daughter. She will be undergoing 20 weeks of chemotherapy, a dual mastectomy and radiation therapy. Unable to work during her treatments, Geiger suggested, since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that his University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire Men’s Hockey Club could, “Pink the Rink,” for a benefit game.
“Living in Eau Claire I felt like I couldn’t do much to help,” Geiger said. “When we decided to do this I felt like I was actually able to help her cause for the first time since she was diagnosed.”
Pink ribbons and balloons cluttered Hobbs Ice Arena on October 24, when the St. Cloud State’s Hockey Club came to town. The Eau Claire Blugolds supplied pink tape for both teams and some players honored affected friends and family members by writing names on their sticks. Generous students, parents and supporters made donations throughout the game at a table dedicated to sharing Johnson’s story. One-hundred percent of the proceeds went to the Johnson family.
Johnson, alongside a tremendous supporting cast of family and friends, made the trip from Antigo to Eau Claire to be in attendance at the game. The 6-0 Blugolds were trying to stay perfect against a competitive St. Cloud team. St. Cloud dominated the beginning of the first period but the game remained scoreless until none other than Kyle Geiger put one away late in the period.
Geiger said, “that was one of those goals that I could say, ‘That one was for you, sis.’”
The game went back-and-forth and Eau Claire was clinging to a one goal entering the third period. St. Cloud tied the game a minute and thirty seconds into the final stanza. The tie wouldn’t last long. Thirty seconds later, the Blugolds answered the call and older brother Ben Boldenow would set up his little brother Brad Boldenow for the eventual game winner.
The Blugolds advanced to 7-0, but the real winner was the Johnson family. Due to the tremendous generosity of the Eau Claire Club Hockey supporters over five-hundred dollars was raised and will go toward paying for Johnson’s treatment.
In the five years of Eau Claire’s Club Hockey existence this was their first ever benefit game. The flourishing student-run club has grown and improved every season and hopes these benefit games become a staple in the years to come.
“Living in Eau Claire I felt like I couldn’t do much to help,” Geiger said. “When we decided to do this I felt like I was actually able to help her cause for the first time since she was diagnosed.”
Pink ribbons and balloons cluttered Hobbs Ice Arena on October 24, when the St. Cloud State’s Hockey Club came to town. The Eau Claire Blugolds supplied pink tape for both teams and some players honored affected friends and family members by writing names on their sticks. Generous students, parents and supporters made donations throughout the game at a table dedicated to sharing Johnson’s story. One-hundred percent of the proceeds went to the Johnson family.
Johnson, alongside a tremendous supporting cast of family and friends, made the trip from Antigo to Eau Claire to be in attendance at the game. The 6-0 Blugolds were trying to stay perfect against a competitive St. Cloud team. St. Cloud dominated the beginning of the first period but the game remained scoreless until none other than Kyle Geiger put one away late in the period.
Geiger said, “that was one of those goals that I could say, ‘That one was for you, sis.’”
The game went back-and-forth and Eau Claire was clinging to a one goal entering the third period. St. Cloud tied the game a minute and thirty seconds into the final stanza. The tie wouldn’t last long. Thirty seconds later, the Blugolds answered the call and older brother Ben Boldenow would set up his little brother Brad Boldenow for the eventual game winner.
The Blugolds advanced to 7-0, but the real winner was the Johnson family. Due to the tremendous generosity of the Eau Claire Club Hockey supporters over five-hundred dollars was raised and will go toward paying for Johnson’s treatment.
In the five years of Eau Claire’s Club Hockey existence this was their first ever benefit game. The flourishing student-run club has grown and improved every season and hopes these benefit games become a staple in the years to come.
