Winter break always has been a time for reconnecting with old friends, convalescing from the scars of another year and, for a select few, settling old scores on the ice at the annual alumni hockey game. While some participants may have added pounds and wrinkles since their glory days, the years had done little to diminish the skills of the high school’s former frozen heroes on display at Sunday’s game.

“Some of them are seasoned, some are pickled,” said Jevon Rego of the men’s squads after taking in the women’s game from the warmth of the announcer’s booth.

“Eh, they’re probably all pickled,” he said after surveying warm-ups.

Pickled or not, both games thrilled, with no shortage of goals or puck-handling wizardry.

In the women’s game purple team goalie Jamie Forend endured an early blizzard of slapshots and breakaway blitzes from Liane Dixon, allowing only one goal to the former Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and Northeastern standout. While Ms. Forend tended net at the high school last year, the opposite end of the ice was defended by Elyce Bonnell, goalie of the pioneering women’s squad, which inaugurated the high school program a decade ago.

“Some of them are seasoned, some are pickled ...” — Ray Ewing

Ms. Bonnell registered a number of remarkable saves, but goals by Elizabeth Clark, Megan Wiley and a pair by Boston University sophomore Cristina Wiley put the purple team up to stay.

“It’s fun to come here and reconnect with all the girls,” Cristina Wiley said after the game.

“It’s just really familiar,” said the white squad’s Alexa Fisher of the annual scrimmage. “This is where I learned to skate.”

While the women’s game was coached by Jim Kelleher and Andre Bonnell, the men’s game went uncoached, and announcer and scorer Brian McGroarty had an easy explanation.

Both games thrilled, down to shoot-out finish. — Ray Ewing

“I know all these guys,” he said. “They’re uncoachable.”

Before long the purple team was on the board thanks to a nimble wrist shot by Brooks Billingham.

Referee Sandy King skated to the scorer’s table and underscored the game’s informal, friendly nature, “Give the assist to whoever you want,” he said. “Whoever’s trying the hardest.”

“Assists to Jason Schwab and Teddy Kram . . . whether they were on the ice or not,” came the announcement.

— Ray Ewing

One player recovered woozily from a check and ambled over to the scorer’s booth.

“Pats update?” he inquired.

Late in the game the goals came fast and furious with additional scores logged by Casey Elliston, Derek Avakian and Brandon Willette for the white team and Brooks Billingham and Jason Schwab scoring for purple.

Tied 3-3 with less than a minute to play, the contest hurtled towards its hectic conclusion as first Micah Deary of the white team fed Derek Avakian for the go-ahead goal with 43 seconds left, and then with only three seconds left, the purple team, playing without a goalie, equalized on another Brooks Billingham goal assisted by Henry Smith and Jason Schwab.

A mob of players young and old harassed Mr. King and referee Jim Rogers for a five-player shoot-out to settle the match, which was granted.

Leading off for the more grizzled white team was Tisbury selectman and, according to Mr. McGroarty, St. Michael’s College single season penalty minute record holder, Geoghan Coogan, who scored easily. Danny Campbell matched for purple. When Trey Rasmussen and Henry Smith put purple up by one goal it was up to goalie Eli Bonnell to seal the fate of the aged white team, which he did by stuffing Derek Avakian for the win.

— Ray Ewing

And so another alumni match ended as it always does, with the Vineyard besting its fiercest rival: the Vineyard.