Police officers and firefighters from across the Las Vegas valley traded badges for skates Feb. 28 at Lee’s Family Forum, as the annual Guns N’ Hoses Charity Hockey Game returned to Henderson in support of first responder mental health. The Henderson Silver Knights organized the event in partnership with Sin City FD Sports, with proceeds benefiting organizations working to break down barriers and reduce the stigma surrounding firefighter mental health.”This game brings both departments together, meaning police and fire,” said Matt Wilson, a Las Vegas Fire & Rescue medic and firefighter and founder of Sin City FD Sports. “We’re all one brotherhood. We’re all out there serving the public, doing our thing, working together.”
Players represented the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Henderson Police Department, the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, the Clark County Fire Department, and the Boulder City Fire Department. Vegas Golden Knights alumnus Deryk Engelland also laced up at Lee’s Family Forum, returning to the ice in a show of support for the first responder community.
“When they reached out and asked me if I could come play, absolutely,” Engelland said. “Anything that they do, I support them in all ways because what they do on an everyday thing, every day, keeping our community safe.”
For many participants, hockey in Las Vegas is inseparable from the events of Oct. 1, 2017, when the Golden Knights were days into their inaugural season as the city reeled from a mass shooting. LVMPD officer Robert Anderson reflected on the impact.
“When October 1 happened … what that did is changed the city for the better,” Anderson said. “We had our own team that was our own, and they were our boys.”
He added that the Golden Knights’ early success gave the city something to rally around. “Having that relationship inside of Vegas in the hockey community, it is a fight to the very end, and it’s an awesome fight.”
While the on-ice rivalry runs hot, the camaraderie off the ice remains the event’s defining quality. Wilson acknowledged that the competition can take on a life of its own.
“When we get on the ice, we’re able to kind of let loose, and it becomes like a friendly competition that sometimes turns not so friendly,” Wilson said.
Mental health awareness anchored the day’s broader message. Anderson urged fellow first responders to seek support.
“The strongest thing you could ever do is ask for help, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “As soon as we come off that ice, we’re all smiles.”