Twenty-five teams hit the ice this weekend to raise money in honour of Lindsay Leigh Kimmett and in the name of a good old-fashioned game of hockey.
"It was a complete success to be honest, everything went according to plan," said Kimmett Cup co-chair Joe Maclellan. "We were a little bit worried about the weather before we even started because it looked like it was going to be maybe a bit too warm.
"It was great though; everybody was warm and enjoying themselves. We pulled the whole thing off without a hitch."
Maclellan, who was friends with the late Kimmett in med school, said they expect to far exceed their fundraising goal of $100,000 for the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation.
"I think we might push $150,000, which we're really thrilled about," he said. "After the cancellation last year, the tournament only being half full and all the restrictions — just being able to do what we did even without the fundraising — it was a success."
The event saw only half the number of divisions created with roughly half the number of teams playing as in previous years.
Instead of two recreational divisions, competitive and fun divisions, the event hosted just the two recreational divisions with only one that was eligible for playoffs.
This year, it was the Tofield Fighting Snowgeese who took the cup in a 21-15 game against the runner-up Cochrane Cruisers.
Co-chair Jason Baserman said it was a great competitive final that went to a deserving team.
"This was an amazing team with some members flying all the way from Vancouver to be here," he said. "They raised over $6,000 for the event. They really came and played the right way and captured the prize in a way I think everyone could be proud of."
Team captain Mike Kauffman is originally from Tofield, Alta., and now lives in Vancouver. He said this was his eighth or ninth year playing in the tournament.
"It was fantastic to be back. This year a buddy of mine from Cochrane helped me to round up almost the whole team, so I brought just myself and my son and then the other eight came from around the area."
Baserman said he believes this year was easily one of the greatest Kimmett Cup's of all time.
"We were able to show that there is a tremendous amount of goodwill out there and a tremendous amount of spirit and initiative to do good and to do something beyond oneself which I think is so meaningful and needed at this time," he said.
On top of team registrations, the event's silent auction brought in roughly $10,000 and received more than $30,000 in sponsorship.
Donations for the Kimmett Cup's Make-A-Wish campaign have reached $88,000 and their campaign for the Children's Cottage Society has reached $8,000. Both are open until the end of February.
Donations will also be going toward Cochrane Search and Rescue.
