A packed house is expected Sunday at Performance Arena, when the St. Albert Raiders host the Canadian national women’s team at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youths under 12 and seniors and are available at St. Albert Source for Sports stores.
The Team Canada line-up features St. Albert minor hockey product Meaghan Mikkelson on defence.
It’s the first game of the new year for the gold medal contenders at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. It’s also three days before the Olympic flame comes through St. Albert and 30 days before the Olympics begin.
The Canadian squad is playing a series of games against Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League teams in preparation for the Olympics. Several of those games count in the league standings, including Sunday’s event.
Meanwhile, the Raiders (17-4-5) rang in the new year Sunday in Grande Prairie with a 4-3 win over the Storm (6-14-4). It was their first game after going 0-3-1 at the Mac’s tournament at Calgary.
In the north division the league-leading Raiders are two points ahead of the second-place Lloydminster Bobcats (16-3-5) but the Border City team has two games in hand.
Tonight at 7:45 p.m. the Raiders play the Maple Leafs (4-16-3) at Londonderry Arena.
The SAPEC Boston Pizza junior high basketball tournament tips off Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Sir George Simpson, Vincent J. Maloney, Lorne Akins and Ecole Sainte Marguerite d’Youville (ESSMY) schools.
The tournament draw consists of 16 girls’ teams and 16 boys’ teams. Action continues Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 8 a.m. Saturday’s finals are 3:30 p.m. (girls) and 4:45 p.m. (boys) at ESSMY.
SAPEC teams competing for tournament titles include the Elmer S. Gish Warriors, William D. Cuts Crusaders, Richard S. Fowler Falcons, Sir George Simpson Voyageurs, Lorne Akins Gators, Vincent J. Maloney Marauders, Morinville Wolves and ESSMY Leopards.
League play starts Jan. 12. The reigning SAPEC champions are Simpson (two-time defending boys’ playoff winners) and the lady Wolves. Head coach Dan Wiles of the lady Gators expects his team to challenge for playoff honours in a very strong division. Simpson will be pressed by Lorne Akins and Maloney for the boys’ crown.
