St. Paul will welcome former NHL players Darcy Tucker and Shayne Corson, as well as an array of local talent, to the Clancy Richard Arena on April 12 for the second annual Xtreme Hockey Night in St. Paul, hosted by Westlock-St. Paul MP Brian Storseth.
“I’ve done a few charity hockey games down east with (Tucker and Corson) and built a good relationship with them, and they’ve both decided to come out,” said Storseth. “We’ve got some former professional players coming, but I think the real highlight of this event is showing off the rich hockey history that we have in St. Paul.”
The day will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a youth shootout and skills competition, where local youngsters will be invited out onto the ice to show their shots, speed, skill and agility.
“We reached out to minor hockey in each of our communities, so Elk Point, Two Hills, Glendon, St. Paul and Mallaig, this year we invited the Bantam level to send five individuals to come participate in the skills competition,” he said. “Fastest skater, hardest shot, those kind of things.”
The puck drops for the big game at 2 p.m. with Tyler Poirier leading captain of one team and Corey deMossiac sporting the C for the other. Storseth said the game will be both a unique opportunity to see some former NHL greats hit the ice, and an exciting display of the vast hockey talent within the Lakeland area.
“The really exciting part about this event is that it’s an opportunity to show off some of the local talent, that’s what I really love about this event. You’ve got guys like Corey deMoissac, Shawn Germain, Shawn LaFrance, the list goes on and on, Brad Crawchuk, guys that played Junior A and even Major Junior and professional hockey to all come out of St. Paul,” he said. “We’ve actually invited one of the young boys in AAA hockey that’s from St. Paul to come play in the game, Brayden Labant is coming this year. It’s great, we’ve got some scouts coming from the WHL to check out a couple of the young guys. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and it’s an opportunity to show off our community.”
The event will also feature the retirement of three jerseys, as guests of honour Wilf Martin, Pierre Dechaine and Guy deMoissac will have their numbers hang from the rafters at Clancy Richard Arena.
“I know from talking with Calvin (Bespalko), the president of minor hockey, it really is about demonstrating the history of our community and the hockey history.
It’s so rich and most people don’t know about it,” said Storseth, adding all three guests of honour played hockey for the Regina Pats, and that all three have donated countless hours of their time to minor hockey in St. Paul. “It’s an opportunity to thank these men and their families for the amazing work that they’ve done.”
Fellow MPs Patrick Brown (Barrie, Ont.), Blake Richards (Chair of Parliamentary Tourism Caucus, Airdrie) and James Rajotte (Chair of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance, Edmonton) will also take to the ice, while Minister of Western Economic Diversification Michelle Rempel will take on a role as coach.
“Three of them are playing, Michelle doesn’t play hockey so she’ll be coaching,” he said. “That stuff’s great, and it certainly adds to our game.”
Following the game, a banquet will be held at the Recreation Centre starting at 5:30 p.m. Storseth said the banquet will showcase both the theme of the event and the local hockey legacies of Martin, Dechaine and deMoissac. A silent auction and live auction will be held at the banquet, with all funds raising going to local organizations.
“I can’t speak to where it’s all going because that’s the committee’s choice, but certainly I know the Columbus House of Hope will be receiving some of the money,” said Storseth. “I know that each of the surrounding communities that comes and volunteers and puts effort in gets a chunk of money going to their Ag. Societies or wherever they decide, and the rest is dispersed through St. Paul.”
For more information on Xtreme Hockey Night in St. Paul, and a complete list of rosters, visit www.xtremehockeynight.ca. Tickets can be purchased at the door $10 for adults, with free admittance to anyone aged 17-and-under. Tickets cover the skills competition and the game.
“There’s really such an amazing hockey history we have in our town, and in our area,” said Storseth. “This game is an opportunity to show off that history to the young kids in our community, and show them that with hard work and dedication they can go on and play in Chilliwack or Regina, or Michigan State or even professional hockey like some of the guys that are there.”
