The Wilkes University men’s hockey team held an inaugural memorial game on Friday for a young woman who loved hockey so much that she made it her legal middle name.
Julia Hockey Mazur, known by friends as simply “Hockey,” was a marketing and sports management student at Wilkes and the equipment manager for the Wilkes men’s hockey team before she died of stage four metastatic melanoma in November 2023.
Beyond Wilkes, Mazur’s passion for hockey extended into the local hockey community. She joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins ice crew at just 13 years old and worked at both a local hockey shop and ice rink by the time she was 17. Her ultimate career goal was to work within the National Hockey League.
At the inaugural memorial game against King’s College, Wilkes men’s hockey honored her legacy and dedication to the sport and collected donations for the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to spread kindness and happiness to those dealing with sickness and hardships, as Mazur did during her battle with cancer.
Men’s hockey coach Tyler Hynes delivered a message before the ceremonial puck drop, honoring the life of Mazur. Hynes spoke about Mazur’s commitment to her schooling during her battle with cancer.
“Julia was taken from us far too soon but she left us with memories and a legacy that will last a lifetime,” Hynes said.
Mazur’s mother, Carey Mazur, dropped the puck, with Wilkes’ Joe Johnson and King’s College’s Alex Ray representing their respective teams.
The game saw the Colonels score three unanswered goals in the third period to take the win, 5-3.
In the days leading up to the event, the Wilkes men’s hockey team invited students, faculty and staff to make purple butterflies for the game. Butterflies have become a symbol of Mazur’s spirit, and purple was her favorite color.
Dozens of these handmade butterflies lined the glass walls of the Toyota SportsPlex rink during the event.
Outside of balancing her two majors and involvement in various hockey organizations, Mazur managed to find the time to pursue another passion: sewing. She ran her own upcycled and reworked clothing business called Red Light Rework, worked as an alteration specialist at David’s Bridal, decorated and bedazzled hockey jerseys, sewed her own prom dresses and even won awards for her sewing skills.
“In the simplest terms, Julia went above and beyond,” Hynes said. “She did a lot and she did it all very well.”
To some, Mazur was an avid hockey enthusiast. To others, she was a marketing and sports management scholar or a talented seamstress. But to all, she will be remembered as a compassionate beacon of inspiration who brought kindness and joy to those around her.
To learn about or donate to the Julia Hockey Mazur Foundation, visit https://juliahockeymazurfoundation.com.
