Hockey scouts will be out in force next week when some of the top midget-aged players in Western Canada converge for the BDO 38th annual Kelowna International Elite Midget Tournament.
Hosted by the Central Zone Fripp Rockets, the 12-team tourney is set for Jan. 11 to 15 at Rutland Arena and CNC. Thirty-three games will be played during the course of the five-day event, featuring teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
Among the teams competing are the Saskatoon Contacts, who are coming off an appearance in the gold medal final of the Calgary MacÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s midget tournament.
The Okanagan is represented by the host Fripp Warehousing Rockets, the BCMMLÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s Okanagan Rockets, and two teams from the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA Red and White).
Travelling the longest distance to Kelowna for the tournament is the Burlington Eagles from Ontario.
The championship game will be played Sunday, Jan. 15 at Rutland West and will be broadcast live on Shaw TV.
The tournament will also feature, for the first time, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Prospects Game on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Rutland Arena. The game will be broadcast live on Shaw TV beginning at 2 p.m.
HereÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s a look at the tournament schedule for the first two days of action:
Wednesday, Jan. 11
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 1:30 p.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”OHA Red vs Burlington
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 2:00 p.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”OHA White vs Saskatoon Contacts
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 4 p.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Delta U18 vs Fripp Rockets
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 4:30 p.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Swift Current vs Yale U18
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 6:30 p.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Lethbridge vs N. Alberta Extreme
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 7:00 p.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Okanagan Rockets vs Burnaby WC
Thursday, Jan. 12
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 8:00 a.m. @ CNC 1ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Fripp Rockets vs Swift Current
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 8:00 a.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”OHA Red vs Delta U18
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 8:30 a.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Burlington vs Yale U18
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 10:30 a.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”SÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™toon Contacts vs Burnaby WC
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 10:45 a.m. @ CNC 1ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Okanagan Rockets vs N. Alberta Extreme
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 11:00 a.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Lethbridge vs OHA White
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 3:00 p.m. @ CNC 1ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Swift Current vs OHA Red
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 4:30 p.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Burlington vs Delta U18
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 5:00 p.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Yale U18 vs Fripp Rockets
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 5:30 p.m. @ CNC 1ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”SÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™toon Contacts vs Okanagan Rockets
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 7:00 p.m. @ Rutland EÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”Burnaby WC vs Lethbridge
ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½¢ 7:30 p.m. @ Rutland WÎÚÑ»´«Ã½”N. Alberta Extreme vs OHA White
The remainder of the schedule is available online at
