'He would be so proud': Kids lace up for three-day non-stop hockey game to raise money for Ben Stelter Fund

Dozens of kids from the Edmonton area are pulling shifts on the ice over the weekend, playing hockey to help kids that can't.

The puck dropped on the  Kid's World's Longest Hockey Game Friday morning, with 80 players between 11 and 16 years old preparing to play around the clock for three days to raise money for the Ben Stelter Fund.

"It's awesome," said Mike Stelter, Ben's father. "It's going to be just full of excitement, it's going to be really good."

The game is taking place at Saiker's Acres in Sherwood Park and was organized by owner Brent Saik and Stelter and inspired by the World's Longest Hockey Game fundraiser.

"Nobody signs up for what their family signed up for," Saik said. "The process that they're doing, what they're doing it for is obviously incredible, and the fact that I have this little pond that we can play on. . . I'm in. It's amazing."

Money raised at the game will go directly to research for glioblastoma. It's the cancer Ben died of last year.

"It's been the same treatment since 1970, so we're trying to put money into that to get better treatments and hopefully find a cure one day," Stelter said.

The kids will play on two teams in four-hour shifts eight hours apart for more than 50 straight hours.

"If you want to see 11-year-olds play the best hockey of their life, it'll be four in the morning today," Saik said. "This will be one of the biggest times of their life, I promise."

"If you could see what's going on in that dressing room with those kids, they're doing it because some kids can't," he added.

The Stelter Family is out here at Saiker’s Acres, manning our welcome trailer! Stop by when you come to cheer on the kids.

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You can also donate here: https://t.co/vPE81jrHbi pic.twitter.com/3sEDYEMFcQ

— Kids World's Longest Hockey Game (@KidsWLHG) March 3, 2023

At least one player on the ice shares a special connection with the cause.

Novak Ribich, a 13-year-old right wing, is Ben's cousin and shares his passion for hockey.

"He was the best cousin I could ever wish for," Ribich said. "I think he would be so proud and so freaked out that they're doing all this for him."

But, despite many players donning special Ben Stelter 22 jerseys, Stelter said the game is bigger than just his family.

"It is really special for us, and it's special that it's not just for Ben," Stelter said. "They're here to support all kids fighting it right now and other kids that unfortunately passed away as well."

Benjamin Shaw, a 14-year-old centre, said he's excited to play the game he loves and raise money for a good cause.

"I think it's going to be a lot of fun," Shaw said. "There's going to be times when you're cold and tired, but I think we're going to push through it for the kids in the Stollery that we're raising money for."

Donations can be made online at the event's website. Stelter said people can also show support by getting out to the game and cheering on the teams in person.

"These are pretty special kids, and the fact that they're thinking about this – that they're thinking about kids in the hospital right now that would love to be out here but can't, is huge," he said. "We're hoping people will come out this weekend and help support the kids so they can beat their target."

The fundraiser surpassed its $250,000 goal with $273,501 raised.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb