Sailors from aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) faced off against Sailors from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in a friendly hockey match at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, Nov. 21.

Lincoln's team defeated Ike 7-4 with the final goal coming in the last period of play.

"We started off great and put a couple of pucks in the net," said Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Travis Cabe, Ike's team captain. "The Lincoln was able to get their legs underneath them and work hard on the ice. In the end, they ended up being the better team."

Matches like this provide Ike and Lincoln Sailors an opportunity to interact and meet Sailors who share a similar interest in the sport.

"Playing against other carrier teams is always fun," said Ike team member Electronics Technician 2nd Class Nicholas Trybus. "There is always the Navy camaraderie and we are all out there to have fun. It's great to play with and against other Sailors that come from a similar walk of life."

Trybus said he was honored to play at the Scope arena and he feels it is a special opportunity for the teams to play for their commands.

"We love these Scope games and having family and friends come out to our games," said Trybus, Ike hockey player. "Hearing the crowd cheer is a great motivator and not something we are used to hearing. It's great having people get into it and makes us want to play harder."

The match also gave Sailors from both ships an opportunity to hone their skills and talents against shipmates they otherwise might have never met.

"Playing on the team is a great opportunity," said Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Anthony McGinley, a player on team Ike. "Being on the team has increased my skills on the ice and my control with the puck."

For Trybus, the game has the power to make him feel younger again.

"My favorite part about playing hockey is when I show up to the rink," said Trybus. "I put on my skates, turn my phone off and get on the ice to skate around with my friends. It almost makes me feel like a kid at home again."

Although they lost, Cabe is confident team Ike will continue to hone their skills and build up their game. He said he envisions a far different outcome next game.

"The next step for the team is to get better by skating more together, building more camaraderie, building continuity and more practice," said Cabe. "Next time, we'll be able to win."

Ike is undergoing a planned incremental availability (PIA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP).

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit http://www.navy.mil/.