The Central Social Hall 3 on 3 Pond Hockey Championships, presented by the Canadian Progress Club, goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today on the Peace Hills Insurance Pond at Lacombe Lake Park.
The A and B finals start at 3:40 and 4 p.m. and the CPC Cup will be awarded to the A champion.
The fifth annual tournament has expanded from eight teams in year one to 48. Each team can have a maximum of five skaters in the 3-on-3 format.
The event includes a beer gardens, music, bonfire, outdoor cafeteria and horse and sleigh rides.
All ages are welcome and it’s free to the public.
There is no parking at the venue but a complimentary park and ride from the St. Albert Centre bus terminal features round trips from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Funds raised support the following charities: Kids Sport, Uncles & Aunts at Large, Camp Warwa and Special Olympics.
The last game for the St. Albert Merchants before the Capital Junior B Hockey League playoffs is Tuesday against the rival Morinville Jets.
Puck drop is 8:30 p.m. at Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
Seven wins and 11 points separated the first-place Merchants (30-6) and third-place Jets (23-10-3) in the west division before Friday’s games. The Merchants and Fort Saskatchewan Hawks (26-9-1) hooked up in the Fort in a battle of division leaders involving last year’s Founders Cup finalists and the Jets hosted the Spruce Grove Regals (7-27-2). Scores were unavailable at press time.
In league play the Merchants were victorious 9-3 in Morinville during the opening weekend of the season and on home ice against the Jets lost 4-2 in November and won 4-3 in December.
The Merchants were winners of seven in a row and 17 of 18 games prior to Friday’s showdown against the team that beat the Money Men in the fifth and deciding game in the Founders Cup final.
The Merchants are guaranteed a bye in the best-of-three opening playoff round.
Registrations are being accepted for the annual St. Albert Centre Ladies Bonspiel.
The competition runs Feb. 20 to 22 at the St. Albert Curling Club.
Last year’s bonspiel featured 24 rinks. The final was decided on a measurement in the eighth and last end as Lauren Jenkyns of St. Albert counted two with the hammer to edge Carla Graham of Fort Saskatchewan 6-5.
To register a rink, contact Nicole at 780-459-7007 or [email protected].
