Blazers, Giants..Whitehorse

WHL TO STAGE REGULAR SEASON GAME IN WHITEHORSE, YUKON

As part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on CBC



Calgary, AB -- The Western Hockey League (WHL) and the City of Whitehorse announced today that the WHL will participate in Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada by staging a regular season game between the Kamloops Blazers and the Vancouver Giants in Whitehorse on Saturday, February 12, 2011. The game will be featured as part of CBC’s national coverage of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada and will mark the first time in WHL history a regular season game is played in the Yukon. The game will be played at the Canada Games Complex in Whitehorse starting at 4:00pm PT.


“The WHL is very excited to be a part of the Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada festivities this year in Whitehorse,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “This is a rare opportunity to bring the World’s finest junior hockey players to the Yukon and help promote the game in northern Canada.”


“We are extremely pleased to have the WHL be a big part of our exciting lineup in Whitehorse for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in 2011,” commented CBC Sports Director of Production Joel Darling. “With Whitehorse as our host city, fans will get a chance to see up close some of the best Junior Hockey in the World.”



“As Canada's Hockey Bank we are proud to support this historic event for the Western Hockey League and we look forward to creating some amazing hockey memories as we bring Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada to the community of Whitehorse,” said David Poole, Scotiabank Senior Vice President, BC and Yukon Region. “There has been a Scotiabank branch here since 1971 and as Canada's Hockey Bank we can think of no better place to put the national sports spotlight.”


The Kamloops Blazers will be replacing this game against the Vancouver Giants in their 2010-11 home schedule with the SUBWAY® Super Series game between Team WHL and the Russian National Team; which will be played at the Kamloops’ Interior Savings Centre on Wednesday, November 17, 2010.



The game will feature two B.C. based WHL franchises who have a winning tradition. Considered one of the pre-season favorites to capture the WHL B.C. Division title this season, the Kamloops Blazers were the premier major junior franchise in Canada during the 1990’s, capturing the Memorial Cup in 1992, 1994 and 1995. The Vancouver Giants have been a dominant force in the WHL since entering the League in 2001, capturing a Memorial Cup in 2007 and a WHL Championship title in 2006.


The Blazers are led by 18-year-old Philadelphia Flyers prospect Brendan Ranford, who is coming off a 2009-10 season where he recorded 29 goals and 65 points. Ranford heads a young and talented group in Kamloops that includes defenseman Austin Madaisky, a Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick, exciting young forwards Colin Smith and Jordan DePape, and veteran goaltender Jon Groenheyde. Off-season additions such as former Giants forward JT Barnett and former University of North Dakota defenseman and Buffalo Sabres prospect Cory Fienage ensure the Blazers will be a strong force in the WHL’s B.C. Division this season.


The Giants return several key players who helped the team to its fifth consecutive B.C. Division title last year, including 41-goal man Brendan Gallagher and sophomore defenseman David Musil, who is considered a top prospect for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Also back is 19-year-old forward James Henry, who score 21 times last season, and veteran offensive defenseman Neil Manning, who finished seventh among all WHL defensemen in scoring last season with 17 goals and 56 points. With a goaltending contingent that includes 19-year-old Mark Segal and 18-year-old Derek Tendler, the Giants will once again mount a strong challenge in the B.C. Division.

This upcoming season marks a first… The Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club is proud to play a game in Whitehorse, Yukon as part of the CBC National Hockey Day in Canada Program. This game in Whitehorse features the host Kamloops Blazers versus the visiting Vancouver Giants and will result in season ticket holders missing this unique event. The Kamloops Blazers hockey club will be substituting this game for a ticket to the Subway Super Series which will be held in Kamloops Wednesday, November 17th. The Subway Super Series features the Western Hockey League’s best competing against the Team Russia Selects. This event is the last opportunity to identify players to be invited to the Canadian National Junior Team Evaluation Camp in preparation for the upcoming World Junior Championships.