LEWISTON – Gary Doak was ready to take the ice again, but he had time to sign one more autograph. A young boy handed him a program and Doak began to scribble.

“Don’t write it in cursive,” the boy said.

His father, who appeared much more awe struck at the sight of the former Boston Bruin, looked embarrassed. He encouraged Doak to sign the autograph any way he pleased.

There was a lot of that going around. Kids and teenagers were at the Colisee Friday night to see an exciting game of hockey. Their parents and grandparents on the other hand, came to see some of their sports heroes from decades past.

That kind of stunned admiration was not just for those sitting in the stands. Some skaters for Lewiston’s Police Athletic League All-Stars also had to struggle to keep hero worship from messing up their game.

“The problem is, you spend half your time on the ice watching these Bruins when you should be playing hockey. These are the guys we grew up watching on TV,” said comedian and Lewiston native Bob Marley, who skated for the PAL team.

“I was over in the corner and I should have been playing the puck,” Marley said. “But I was too busy thinking to myself: ‘Wow. That’s Gary Doak.’ Then Doak grabs me, takes the puck and skates away laughing.”

Former Bruins greats like Don Marcotte, Ken Hodge, Bob Sweeney, Ken Linseman and Bob O’Dwyer were among the Bruins Legends who wowed the crowd with prowess and off ice mingling. But they didn’t overwhelm the local team like they have in previous years.

Strengthened by some civilian talent and players borrowed from other departments, the already talented Lewiston police skaters made it a game.

“We’ve got some talent. I’m not worried a bit,” said police Chief William Welch, between periods, when the PAL All-Stars were down by two. “These Bruins are really old. I think our guys are just taking it easy on them right now,” he said watching from the stands.

A few days earlier, police detective and goalie Jim Theiss made the mistake of publicly referring to the former Bruins as old while predicting an easy victory. The old Bruins made him pay for it Friday night, firing shot-after-shot at the detective early in the game.

“I had to go shooting my mouth off like that,” Theiss said, winded and sweaty between periods. “This is what happens.”

In the end, the former Bruins skated to an 11-8 victory before a sellout crowd at the Colisee. Between periods, the former pros talked to kids and signed autographs. The PAL team hurled souvenirs into the stands and other items were raffled off.

Money raised at the event will be given to various local charities.

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