Mike Dea Classic The 20 th annual Mike Dea Classic tips off Thursday for the Bellerose Bulldogs, Paul Kane Blues and St. Albert Skyhawks at St. Francis Xavier High School and SFX Sports Centre.
Mike Dea Classic
The 20
th annual Mike Dea Classic tips off Thursday for the Bellerose Bulldogs, Paul Kane Blues and St. Albert Skyhawks at St. Francis Xavier High School and SFX Sports Centre.
In the 16-team men’s draw, Bellerose plays William Aberhart Orange of Calgary at 2:30 p.m.
The next game Thursday is against the Leboldus Golden Suns of Regina or Holy Trinity Trojans at 6:30 p.m. in the consolation bracket or 8:30 p.m. in the quarter-finals.
Bellerose is coming off a 9-1 metro Edmonton division two season and the only loss was in the quarter-finals.
Paul Kane and the Skyhawks are slotted on the same side of the 12-team women’s draw and the tournament openers are 10:30 a.m. for the Skyhawks against the Regina Christian Grizzlies and 4:30 p.m. for Paul Kane, the defending champion, against the SFX Rams or Luther Lions of Regina.
The Skyhawks also rattle the rim Thursday against the Rams or Luther at 1 p.m. in the consolation side or 4:30 p.m. against St. Joseph in the quarter-finals.
The Skyhawks and Paul Kane are expected to cross paths in the 6 p.m. Friday semifinal.
Both teams posted winning seasons as division one semifinalists and at the 4A provincials the Skyhawks won the consolation final in the 16-team competition and Paul Kane finished 1-2.
In three St. Albert showdowns, the Skyhawks won 67-49 at the REB Invitational at Jasper Place and a few days later Paul Kane was victorious 53-49 in league play at PK and in the 4A Edmonton zone three/four playoff in March the Skyhawks prevailed 57-55 at PK.
Meanwhile, Paul Kane won its second exhibition in five days in Monday's 88-30 result against the host Spruce Grove Panthers.
Heroes hockey
The Heroes Hockey Challenge is Sunday’s main event in St. Albert.
The Edmonton Oilers Alumni and the Warriors, a Canadian Armed Forces team, will stage a charity game in support of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Foundation and the Edmonton Garrison Military Family Resource Centre.
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the ceremonial face-off is 2 p.m. at Go Auto Arena. Tickets are $10.
The Heroes Hockey Challenge is a charitable hockey fundraising event held annually across Canada featuring various NHL alumni teams and celebrities.
Hayley Wickenheiser, Ryan Smyth, Ty Gretzky, Gord Bamford, Craig MacTavish, Shawn Belle, Garry Unger and Dave Pelletier are among the participants for the St.Albert scrimmage. Bamford will also sing the national anthem.
The Conn Smythe, Hart, Art Ross and Canada Cup trophies will be on display during the exhibition.
