BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Buffalo State junior Jake Allan remembers his January 27th hockey game against Erie Community College for many reasons.
“It’s funny. I caught a glimpse of him when I scored. I swung near ECC’s bench and made a third of a second eye contact," Jake Allan told 7 Sports.
Jake was looking across the ice at his older brother Max. Because just four seconds into overtime. Jake scored the game-winning goal, pushing the Bengals club team to victory. All while Max, a coach for the opposing Kats, looked on.
“I think my first initial reaction was I smiled. But then I had to immediately take that smile away," Max said. "Because I have to stand by my team. I was happy for him. But also, a little bit mad.”
In the days that followed, the Allan family soaked in the priceless moment. The brothers' shared love of hockey started at their Cheektowaga home.
“Going full circle with the family. I mean it started when we were 10 years old playing street hockey in our driveway," Jake says. "With our three broken nets and all the pucks laying around the driveway. So It’s cool to see the years we put in will be there down the line.”
“We’ve always wanted to do well and beat each other. Not in a harmful way but a competitive way," added Max. "You want to win. And I think that's only fueled our fire to continue to be competitive and to continue to want to win even against each other.”
That simple love for the sport will only inspire Jake, Max and the rest of the Allan family to create even more memories in the years to come.
“I think it’s a great story for the family. It’s something we can tell our kids," Max said.
A memory that will carve itself into the fabric of Allan family history.
