A.L. Hockey Day set for Saturday

Published 9:00 am Thursday, February 4, 2010

Squirts Skills Competition, 8 a.m.

U12 Girls Skills Competition, 9 a.m.

Pee Wee Skills Competition, 9:30 a.m.

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Bantam Skills Competition, 10:15 a.m.

Park League Mites, 10:45 a.m.

A Squirts vs. Faribault, 11:30 a.m.

U12 girls vs. Waseca, 12:45 p.m.

A Bantams vs. New Ulm, 2:15 p.m.

B Pee Wee vs. Mason City, 2:30 p.m.

B2 Bantams vs. Sleepy Eye, 3:45 p.m.

Junior Gold vs. Woodbury, 4 p.m.

B1 Bantams vs. Austin, 5:30 p.m.

High School Boys’ Junior Varsity vs. John Marshall, 5:45 p.m.

B Squirts vs. Owatonna Silver, 7 p.m.

High School Boys’ Varsity vs. John Marshall, 7:45 p.m.

Junior Gold vs. Hudson, 8:30 p.m.

Hockey Day Minnesota might have been a couple of weeks ago, but Albert Lea has its version scheduled for Saturday at City Arena.

The fourth annual Albert Lea Hockey Day sponsored by the Albert Lea Youth Hockey Association kicks off Saturday with all-day events planned at City Arena.

For the first time in its existence every Albert Lea hockey team from the high school level to the squirt level will compete.

There will be a skills competition for squirts through bantams beginning at 8 a.m. with the squirts.

The skills competition is a highlight for many of the youth players.

The skills competition features competitions in hardest shot, most accurate shot, fastest skater, best deke, and best shootout goalie. There will be a first and second place trophy given out for each competition at each level. Trophies will be awarded after each session. Albert Lea Thunder players will be on hand to judge the best deke competition.

“The building will be packed,” said Steve Svendsen, one of the event’s organizers.

Svendsen’s wife, Jolene, came up with the idea four years ago and interest remains high. Plans were underway for an outdoor game this year like the NHL Winter Classic, but couldn’t get done in time.

Parents of players will be grilling hot dogs and brats from North Star Ranch throughout the day.

A raffle drawing will be held at 5:15 p.m. Saturday and tickets will be available to buy up until shortly before the drawing for $10. First prize for the raffle is $2,500 cash, second prize is $1,000, third prize is a 50-inch plasma TV, fourth prize is a $500 gift certificate to North Star Ranch, fifth prize is four tickets to the Minnesota Wild Calgary Flames game March 21, sixth prize is a $300 gift certificate to Stadheim Jewelers and seventh prize is a $200 gift certificate to Hy-Vee.

“It’s just a day we want to promote the hockey,” Svendsen said.

Each kid gets a puck from the event.