BIDDEFORD — Former Biddeford High School standout and two-time Stanley Cup champion Brian Dumoulin held a fundraiser entitled “Skate for Dreams with Brian Dumoulin” last Saturday at the University of New England — and it was a perfect name for the event.

Not only did Dumoulin help raise money for the Dream Factory, which grants dreams to kids with chronic illnesses, but he was able to make some of his biggest fans pretty happy by skating with them at the Harold Alfond Forum Ice Arena.

“It’s for a good cause with the Dream Factory and not to mention Brian — so on top of the good cause just for him to skate with Brian is one of his dreams,” said Biddeford resident Jeremy Hayman, whose son Aiden was one of the skaters at the event. “You don’t get many opportunities to skate with a two-time Stanley Cup champ, so it’s very exciting.”

“The kids love hockey and Brian is obviously a local hero,” added Biddeford resident Jerry Tremblay, who brought his kids to the event.

Brady Corson, a 13-year-old from Greene, was thrilled to make the trip to Biddeford to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman.

“Being able to be around an NHL player, especially (a player) from Maine which you never see that from these small rural areas … it’s pretty cool being down here,” said Corson.

Several people at the Skate for Dreams event noted that Dumoulin’s success has breathed some life into youth hockey in Maine.

“It’s huge. I tell you what it’s a lot of fire, a lot of fuel for the fire. He wants to step up every time he gets on the ice now — he’s always like ‘maybe I can be the next one from Biddeford to go on,’” said Hayman. “This has been a resurgence in hockey in Maine since Brian’s been doing this. He brings the Cup home and everybody’s like, ‘what if I could do it?’”

Corson echoed that sentiment.

“Once someone from your state and someone from a small town ends up (in the NHL) and you see them win two Stanley Cups, you see them and it’s just like — I want to be him, I want to win the Stanley Cup,” Corson said.

Maine is most certainly Boston Bruins country, but there were a lot of Dumoulin jerseys in the UNE arena last weekend.

“His second favorite team is the Penguins now,” said Hayman of his son. “He’s a huge Penguins fan, a huge fan of hockey and he’s a fan of the (Stanley Cup). The Cup is the thing they’re chasing these days. He loves his Bruins, but especially because of Brian, he is now a hockey fan.”

The Dumoulin family was thrilled to raise money for the Dream Factory, which granted a dream for a family member recently.

“To be associated with the Dream Factory is really cool because it’s for kids and seeing Brian embrace that,” said Pete Dumoulin, who is Brian’s dad. “I mean just to have a guy who can make a difference in kids’ lives has been great for us. It’s more rewarding than watching him play hockey because he’s making a difference to everybody. Brian gets into that and he appreciates his success. He’s giving back and he enjoys it.”

The Dumoulins are hoping the event, which featured a silent auction along with an open skate and clinics, will become an annual fundraiser. For more information or to donate to the Dream Factory of Maine go to dreamfactoryinc.org/chapters/portlandmaine.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.