Cleveland police and firefighters will trade their badges and turnout gear for skates and sticks on Friday, facing off at Rocket Arena in a charity hockey game that benefits the families of two Ohio officers killed in the line of duty. The First Responder Face-Off starts at 4 p.m., several hours ahead of the Cleveland Monsters' 7 p.m. matchup against the Admirals at the same venue.
The event benefits the family of Rittman Police Sgt. Scott Ries and the family of Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, according to a post from Cleveland Fire Fighters IAFF Local 93 on Facebook. Ries, a Rittman police sergeant, was killed in the line of duty during a mass shooting that left four people dead, as reported by cleveland.com. At his funeral, the 54-year-old sergeant was remembered as a devoted husband, father and officer committed to serving others, the outlet reported.
Ticket holders need admission to the Monsters game in order to get into both Friday contests, per the Facebook announcement. Anyone buying tickets through the event's QR code or link will have $5 from each ticket directed to the families of the fallen officers.
A Social Event and Merchandise Tie-In
Beyond the ice, organizers have scheduled a social gathering at the Clevelander Bar and Grille from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, sandwiched between the two hockey games. Cleveland fire and Cleveland police also partnered with Only in CLE to sell event shirts and sweatshirts, with proceeds from that merchandise going to the families of Ries and Cayton.
The pairing of a first-responder exhibition game with a Monsters contest isn't new. The inaugural Police vs. Fire Hockey Game was held at what was then Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in November 2024, a 4:30 p.m. matchup that day, as Spectrum News 1 reported at the time. That first event also included a merchandise fundraiser; organizers said 20% of proceeds would be donated to support fallen officers' families.
The Face-Off and the Monsters
For this year's face-off, admission to the Monsters game is required for both Friday contests, and $5 from each ticket bought through the event's QR code or link goes to the families.
This year's edition benefits the families of Sgt. Ries and Trooper Cayton. Friday's doubleheader at Rocket Arena gives fans a chance to catch professional hockey while also putting dollars directly toward that cause.
