Young stars ready for the ice
A host of top prospects from the NHL’s four Western Canada teams will be suiting up in the seventh annual Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Classic tournament Friday to Monday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The highly-anticipated four-team tourney features prospects from the Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.
The tourney gets going with two games on Friday, starting with the Flames and Oilers in the Battle of Alberta at 4 p.m., and the Canucks and Winnipeg at 7:30 p.m. The remainder of the schedule is as follows: Saturday: Winnipeg vs. Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. Sunday: Calgary vs. Vancouver, 2 p.m. Monday: Winnipeg vs. Calgary, 10:30 a.m.; Vancouver vs. Edmonton, 2 p.m.
The Canucks will also be holding practices that are open to the public Thursday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at noon. The Canucks roster for Young Stars is as follows: Goalies: Thatcher Demko, Michael DiPietro, Micahel Garteig.
Defencemen: Matt Barberis, Matt Brassard, Guillaume Brisebois, Cole Candella, Jalen Chatfield, Aaron Irving, Olli Juolevi, Mackenzie Stewart
Forwards: Brock Boeser, Kole Lind, Aaron Berisha, Michael Carcone, Johnny Corneil, Alex D’Aoust, Jonah Gadjovich, Yan-Pavel Laplante, Aaron Luchuk, Zack MacEwen, Brett McKenzie, Griffen Molino, Danny Moynihan, Jakob Stukel
Some of the top prospects from the other three teams include: Jets: Logan Stanley, Skyler McKenzie, Jansen Harkins, Michael Spacek, Luke GreenFlames: Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube, Tyler Parsons, Matthew Phillips, Mark ankowskiOilers: Kailer Yamamoto, Dylan Wells, Caleb Jones, Ethan Bear
There are still plenty of single-game and doubleheader tickets left, but only a limited number of tourney packages, said Carla Seddon, who works out of the SOEC as West Division marketing director for Spectra Venue Management.
Seddon said tickets will be available up until game time Friday, but stressed the box office is expected to be “extremely busy” on Friday with tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld also going on sale.
“We’re encouraging everyone to drop by before Friday wherever possible,” Seddon said.
Tickets are available online at www.valleyfirsttix.com, by phone at 1-877-763-2849, or in person at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC.
The off-ice festivities kick off Friday morning with the Canucks Business Breakfast at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, though the event is not open to the general public.
The big event open to the public and free of charge is the “Plaza Party” which gets going Sunday at noon outside the SOEC.
Seddon said there will a baarbecue, the Penticton Vees will be on hand for a pick-up road hockey game, while there will be other great events for kids such as face-painting, poster making and a Bouncy Castle and more.
“It seems to get bigger and more fun every year,” Seddon said.