MacIsaac supporters, including Jessica MacInnis, Alyssa Dewar, Allie MacLeod and April Crocker cheered their team to victory at the BurMac Cup, the annual hockey battle of St. F.X.’s Burke and MacIsaac residences, played Feb. 1 at the Antigonish Arena. A crowd of 1,534 spectators attended the game won by MacIsaac 5-3. (Richard MacKenzie photo)

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It seems there were a few winners in the recent playing of the annual BurMac Cup.
The game, a hockey battle of St. F.X. residences Burke and MacIsaac, was held Feb. 1 at the Antigonish Arena. MacIsaac took the Cup with a 5-3 victory.
The other two winners on the night may have been the arena, which hosted 1,534 spectators for the game, and Antigonish RCMP who reported the event went off without too much trouble.
“Overall, very well managed” was how Antigonish RCMP Sgt. Brian Rehill described the game.
It was noted the arena employs extra security staff for the event. Approximately 15 additional security staff joined extra police for the game.
The RCMP did take 14 people into custody and all were for offences under the Liquor Control Act for being intoxicated in public. That number accounted for less than one percent of the overall attendance, as noted by Antigonish RCMP.
“Everything went well,” arena manager Bud MacInnis said. “Everyone had a good time and it was a good hockey game. We’ve already scheduled next year’s game.”
MacInnis noted the game featured 10 junior ‘B’ players and four junior ‘A’ players which certainly added to the caliber of the contest.
Paul O’Brien, a member of the winning MacIsaac team and house president, said it was “probably, the most exciting game I ever played in.”
He said the spirit on campus surrounding the game is definitely strong.
“It’s crazy,” O’Brien said. “It means the world to the winning house for sure and the losing house is just devastated. It just heats up the rivalry.”
As for the performance of some students who take the rivalry a little too far, O’Brien said, as house president, he tries to encourage and remind follow students it’s about supporting your house and not putting down others.