The snow dump that blanketed the Prince George area this week couldn't have come at a better time for organizers of the B.C. Pond Hockey northern regional championships.
With the tournament one week away, they now have what they need to build their rinks on West Lake.
"We thought we might have to import snow, just like they did at the Olympics, to make rinkboards, but that's no longer the case," said event organizer John Reed.
"The storm system that's blown through deposited about a foot-and-a-half of snow on the lake. We have a great ice team and five rinks are cleared and ready to go."
The deadline for registration originally set for today has been extended to Monday. As of Thursday afternoon, 40 teams and 160 players had signed up, and Reed is hopeful more teams will fill out registration forms online at www.bcpondhockey.com before the stroke of midnight Monday night.
Teams will compete for regional titles in seven divisions, including: men's open championship/ competitive, men's recreation, men's masters, men's recreation senior masters, women's recreation, women's open championship/ competitive, and mixed open. Each team is guaranteed four games, with each game consisting of two 15-minute halves.
All players must be at least 19 years old. Skaters in the masters division have to be at least 35, while 50 is the minimum age for the senior masters division.
Winners of each division are eligible for prizes and will also receive free entry into next year's regional tournaments in Prince George and Rossland. The northern regional tournament is part of a provincial series overseen by B.C. Pond Hockey, which has plans to add a third tournament next year in the East Kootenays.
Three of the five 75-foot X 150-foot rinks on West Lake will be devoted to tournament games. A fourth rink will be used by teams for practices. The fifth will be set aside for families to give them a chance to skate and stay warm during the tournament.
A fireworks display will officially open the festivities next Friday at about 5 p.m. Lights will be set up to allow for night games. The tournament continues all day the following day, with finals set to begin Sunday, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m.
Concessions, including a beer garden and food sales, will be provided by the Downtown Prince George Rotary Club. The tournament banquet and dance will be held Saturday, Jan. 15, starting at 8 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Community Centre on Domano Boulevard. Live music with Sound Addiction will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 each, with all proceeds to be donated to the community centre.
Reed says the West Lake area is ideal to expand the tournament next year to include ice sculpting, snow volleyball, sled dog rides, or snow golf.
Pond hockey rules
- Four-on-four games start with the sound of a siren. Any teams late for the start will be penalized by one goal for every minute they are late. Teams are allowed a maximum of six players.
- Slap shots and raised shots above knee level, and hand passes are prohibited and will result in loss of puck possession. Sticks are not allowed to be carried with the blade above the knee.
- Goaltending, in which the defender backs deep into the net area, lays down on the ice, or puts a stick or knee down to block the path of a shot on goal, is not allowed. If any goaltending infraction occurs, a goal will be awarded or a penalty will be called.
- If the puck leaves the playing area, whichever team last touched the puck will give up possession to the other team. Defending teams must allow players two stick lengths of separation while the puck is being returned back into play.
- There will be no offside or icing calls made.
- Teams will be awarded an automatic victory if they build a 10-goal lead.
- Minor penalties will result in a change of possession. The number of penalties each team incurs will be tallied at the end of the game and penalty shots will be awarded for the team that takes less penalties.
