Fort Wayne hockey has come a long way since the 1950s when McMillen Park Ice Rink and the Fort Wayne Komets were introduced to the city. Since then, many memories have been created for hockey fans.

On Wednesday night, Fort Wayne hockey made another lasting memory with the grand opening of Canlon Ice Sports complex.

“I remember skating on McMillen when it was an outdoor rink and watching that evolve into it what is now,” said Steve Lee, an assistant coach for Homestead and chairman of the marketing committee for the Fort Wayne High School Hockey league.

“Now, we're into the next evolution of youth hockey.”

That next evolution began with area teams competing in two of the finished rinks at Canlon. The first matchup of the night was Snider vs. New Haven, followed by Northrop vs. Homestead, and then Carroll vs. North Side in the finale.

To make the night even more memorable, it was “Stick it to Cancer” night sponsored by the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.

“There's no better company to partner with than Vera Bradley,” said FHSHL President Joe Weiss. “They're a godsend for us because they're able to bring in resources and do things for us that we could never do on our own.”

Before each game, red carpets were rolled out onto the rink as players aligned near center ice holding pink roses. Cancer survivors and victims, nominated by coaches and players, were then announced and handed a rose from the player who nominated them.

Vera Bradley sponsored the “Stick it to Cancer” event last year, raising just over $1,200. Event coordinator and New Haven head coach Dan Schiebel said he hopes this year's total reaches close to $7,000.

A portion of the proceeds were generated from raffles, which featured Vera Bradley accessories, a 40-inch Samsung flat-screen TV and vintage Komets jerseys; half the fan entry fees were also donated to the cause.

“To be part of Vera Bradley and this opening is incredible,” said Vera Bradley chief operating officer Jill Nichols.

“To see all the pink in support of cancer and with the players recognizing someone affected by cancer, I think tonight was an overall great success.”

Fans were also treated to an autograph session with legendary Komets player Eddie “Mr. Komet” Long. Each autograph cost a dollar, with all proceeds donated to the Vera Bradley Foundation.

Long, who was diagnosed with melanoma two years ago, was excited to see a new skating complex in Fort Wayne. But for the 76-year-old cancer survivor, the “Stick it to Cancer” turnout really touched his heart.

“I think it's wonderful what they're doing,” he said.