SAGINAW, MI – The 18th Shocks and Saves game resulted in a 12-8 final Saturday, if anyone noticed or even cared.

The more impressive numbers came in lives saved, thanks to former Detroit Red Wing star Jiri Fischer, who has helped raise more than $1 million through the annual Shocks and Saves charity hockey game at the Dow Event Center.

“This has been in the works for 19 years, and I’ve been very happy that two of my sons played in it with me,” Fischer said. “It’s fun, a different flavor or hockey. A lot of people enjoy the game.

“But it’s about the cause of generating as much interest as possible, getting people on board, CPR training and saving lives. It’s working.”

The genesis of the Shocks and Saves game came on Nov. 21, 2005, when Fischer suffered a cardiac arrest during the Detroit Red Wings game against the Nashville Predators. Fischer, a 6-foot-5 defenseman for the Red Wings, was unconscious for six minutes before Dr. Tony Colucci used CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to resuscitate him.

Fischer, who helped Detroit win a Stanley Cup in 2002, experienced two more cardiac arrests within the next month, ending his hockey career at 25 years old.

“Having endured cardiac arrest during a hockey game, I wasn’t exactly sure about coming back and playing again in this, but I’m so glad I did,” Fischer said. “It was all Dr. Peter Fattal that spearheaded it, saying let’s do something, let’s do it together. And we have.

“It’s not just about the event. I would say it’s an honor for a lot of the players to skate in this and be part of it. The effort put in, from schools to placing ads in public places, training people in CPR, saving people’s lives … it’s been a great event. It’s been a success.”

According to Saginaw Spirit president Craig Goslin, it is the most successful individual promotion in the 60-team Canadian Hockey League.

“After tonight, we’ll be over a million dollars that we’ve raised in 18 years,” Goslin said. “We’ve placed 430 defibrillators, maybe more than that, in high-traffic locations throughout the region. They’ve been deployed 45 to 50 times, saving more than 20 lives … that we know of.

“On top of that is all the CPR training. Through the CMU College of Medicine and Pulse3 Foundation, we have trained thousands of people and businesses. We don’t know how many lives that’s saved. It’s got such great momentum, you couldn’t slow it down if you wanted to.”

Saturday’s event featured seven former NHL players skating with Team Shocks and Team Saves. NHL alumni included former Detroit Red Wings Joey Kocur, Justin Abdelkader, Darren McCarty, Derian Hatcher and Kirk Maltby. Former NHL standout Chris Tamer and former St. Louis Blues draft pick Trevor Nill also skated.

“Other teams have tried something similar to this, but at the end of the day it’s all about the people,” Goslin said. “Jiri has been so focused on helping, along with Dr. Peter Fattal and Dr. Seve Vance. That threesome right there has made this what it is today.

“Other communities don’t have a Jiri Fischer. They don’t have a Dr. Vance and Dr. Fattal. That’s the difference. They work at it all year long. It takes passion, and these guys have the passion.”

Fischer does not plan on slowing down, either. His oldest two sons have moved on to competitive hockey, with Lukas Fischer playing in the OHL with Sault Ste. Marie and Braidan Simmons-Fischer playing in the East Coast Hockey League with the Allen (Texas) Americans.

Jiri Fischer spent Wednesday at the Dow Event Center, watching his son Lukas Fischer help the Soo beat the Spirit, 6-0. Lukas Fischer, a defenseman, had an assist on a power-play goal.

Jiri Fischer has another son. Jakub Fischer is 3 years old.

“I’m so glad that my older sons were a part of it,” Fischer said. “It was great watching my son play here Wednesday and to be part of all that.

“I’m very fortunate to be here and fortunate to be part of all of this.”