UPDATE
PLACE members confirmed Jan. 16 the AJFHL game scheduled this weekend for the Falun outdoor rink has been cancelled due to extreme cold.
The game between the Cochrane Chaos and Central Alberta Amazons will instead be played in Cochrane Jan. 18.
The Weather Network forecasts Saturday, Jan. 18 for the Pigeon Lake area at -25 degrees, plus a -9 degree windchill.
ORIGINAL STORY
If you’re a hockey fan who loves to attend games at the beautiful Falun outdoor rink, there’s good news: two major games at the rink are coming up in January and February.
According to the rink’s parent organization, PLACE, the first big game is coming up soon: the 3rd annual Owen Moore Memorial Game Jan. 18 at the Falun outdoor rink. The game will feature two AJFHL teams, the Cochrane Chaos versus the Central Alberta Amazons. The puck drops at 1 p.m., and the admission is free.
However, PLACE gratefully accepts all donations made at the gate and will benefit the Canadian Mental Health Association for Suicide Awareness.
Two local girls will be playing in the game, Colbi Brown, who plays for the Cochrane Chaos and Torsha Okeymaw who plays for the Central Alberta Amazons.
These girls are former team mates and have gone on to play for different teams.
The second major game will be a Men’s ACAC tilt featuring the Augustana Vikings and the SAIT Trojans Men’s teams.
“The Pigeon Lake Athletic Cultural Educational Society (PLACE) provides free access to a professional sized skating rink and its facilities to members of the public and to students of the local Elementary and High Schools,” stated PLACE spokesperson Neil Brown in a press release.
“The rink and its facilities are maintained by a group of community volunteers, the members of PLACE.
“Our goal is to maintain a multi-use /multi seasonal facility that will be able to host family oriented activities such as free skating, pond hockey, in-line skating, tennis, volley ball, senior events etc. These are lofty goals but we believe they are achievable with the support of business and community members.
“We have made many improvements to the facility since last year and will continue to do so, in addition to the proceeds going to PLACE.”
Brown said the men’s college-level game is going to be good. “On February 22 2020. PLACE will be hosting the Augustana Vikings and the SAIT Trojans Men’s Hockey teams in the first ever ACAC Men’s outdoor hockey game,” he noted.
“Last year, on December 1 2018. PLACE hosted the NAIT Ooks and Grant MacEwan Griffins Women’s Hockey teams in the first ever Women’s Outdoor Hockey game in Canada. The event was named the Falun Female Frozen Challenge.
“The Pigeon Lake Athletic Cultural Educational Society (PLACE) hosted an NHL Alumni Outdoor Game on December 3 2016 at Falun Alberta. This event was named the ‘Falun Outdoor Classic’ and was between the Edmonton Oilers Alumni and the Calgary Flames Alumni along with players who paid to have a spot on each roster. This event saw over 1,000 spectators take in the outdoor atmosphere.”
Brown said organizers estimate up to 500 tickets will be available for sale. Watch The Pipestone Flyer over the next few weeks for more information.