Billy McCreary and the Jr. Hat Tricks were getting ready for an intra-squad scrimmage Friday afternoon, looking to fill the void left by a postponed matchup with the Maryland Black Bears.
As warmups ended, the lights dimmed. The video board lit up. And the stick taps started.
A surprise video tribute was planned for McCreary, who was the recipient of the 2019-20 FPHL Coach of the Year Award. McCreary finally received a plaque to commemorate the achievement, presented to him by Danbury Arena’s managing partners Chris Buonanno and Herm Sorcher.
McCreary led the Federal Prospects Hockey League’s Danbury Hat Tricks pro team to an Eastern Division title in 2019-20, earning 94 points with a 29-12-2-3 record. Danbury also led the league in call-ups with 10 promotions to the SPHL and ECHL. He now has the Jr. Hat Tricks riding a three-game win streak early in the NAHL season.
Click the video to watch the surprise ceremony for Coach McCreary! Be sure to subscribe to the Danbury Hat Tricks Youtube channel for more content.