Tag Archives: Great Northwest Showcase

Hockey for the Holidays: tickets to see NCAA puck

You’re just a few shopping days away from the big Noël, and you’ve still got a few unchecked boxes on the naughty and nice list. Maybe one or two of those stockings belong to sports fans. Here’s just one idea for how to fill that bit of footwear that hangs on the mantle.

Great Northwest Showcase
January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby
SFU, UBC, U of North Dakota, Princeton
Tickets start at $10

The 2014 Great Northwest Showcase takes place January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby. The SFU Clan host the UBC Thunderbirds, UND (Fighting Sioux) and Princeton Tigers in four high-level collegiate hockey games. Tickets start at just ten bucks a seat.
The 2014 Great Northwest Showcase takes place January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby. The SFU Clan host the UBC Thunderbirds, UND (Fighting Sioux) and Princeton Tigers in four high-level collegiate hockey games. Tickets start at just ten bucks a seat.

The SFU hockey program has made some serious steps forward over the past few seasons. One of the biggest strides was the two-day Great Northwest Showcase, which brought NCAA teams — specifically, the Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona State Sun Devils — to Burnaby. This year, January 3–4 will see teams from the University of North Dakota and Princeton University ice teams at Bill Copeland against SFU and the UBC Thunderbirds. That’s right, frickin’ Princeton. Ivy League, baby.

For the uninitiated, UND (formerly called the Fighting Sioux) is only a seven-time NCAA Div 1 champion. This year, no fewer than twelve roster spots are filled by NHL draftees, including Adam Tambellini (son of ex-Canuck Steve, and a member of last year’s Surrey Eagles team that went to the national Junior A championships). Alumni include NHLers like Jonathan “Captain Serious” Toews, Ed “I’ll Pay You a Billion Dollars” Belfour, Zach “Like Sunday Pa-Mornin'” Parise and Mike “Good Gravy I’m a Hairy, Hairy Man” Commodore. The tournament’s finale features another alumnusin the puck drop ceremony: Garry “Ex-Canuck Turned Analyst” Valk.

More, including bobbleheads and video links, after the jump.

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SFU Clan beats up on TWU Spartans

The bad news for Trinity Western sports fans: the SFU Clan converted a touchdown Saturday night against the visiting Spartans. The worse news: it was in hockey.

Depending upon which stats sheet you read, Mike Ball either got two or three points Saturday night in the SFU Clan 7–1 win over the TWU Spartans. There's no denying this was a goal, however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Depending upon which stats sheet you read, Mike Ball either got two or three points Saturday night in the SFU Clan 7–1 win over the TWU Spartans. There’s no denying this was a goal, however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Clan dominated the puck possession battle, and scored seven goals on 32 shots en route to a 7–1 spanking of the visitors from Langley. Nick Sandor was named first star of the game for his three-assist effort, while Jono Ceci garnered second star status on the strength of two goals and an assist. Goaltender Andrew Parent stopped 19 of 20 shots for third star honours.

Andrew Parent looks around a screen to make one of his 19 saves on the night. His SFU Clan cruised to a 7–1 victory over the TWU Spartans. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Andrew Parent looks around a screen to make one of his 19 saves on the night. His SFU Clan cruised to a 7–1 victory over the TWU Spartans. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

SFU’s next game comes Thursday, November 28 in Langley at these very same TWU Spartans. Their next home game is just two days later, as they host the UVic Vikes at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby. The puck drops for both games at 7pm.

The hairiest bobblehead EVAR. Mike Commodore is just one alumnus of the UND Athletes Formerly Known as Fighting Sioux. Image sourced from the UND athletics website.

On January 3–4, SFU will host the second Great Northwest Showcase, featuring exhibition hockey between the Clan, the UBC Thunderbirds, and two NCAA Division 1 teams: the Princeton University Tigers and the seven-time national champions from the University of North Dakota (athletes formerly known as the Fighting Sioux). UND alumni include Vancouver Canuck nemeses Jonathan Toews and TJ Oshie, to name two. Oh, and let’s not forget Mike Commodore, who was immortalized in this bobblehead last season. A full fifteen of their current roster members have been drafted by NHL clubs. Fifteen.

Princeton is no busload of slouches, either — in addition to the obvious academic cachet attached to the school, they’ve produced some tough NHL customers such as George Parros, Jeff Halpern, and two genetic sequels to Hockey Hall of Famer Syl Bloody Apps.*  Check out the event website here, and get yourself some tickets, damn your eyes, get yourself some tickets!

* I’m not kidding here. Syl Apps Jr went to both Princeton and Queen’s Universities before embarking on an NHL career of his own — albeit not quite as stellar as his dad’s, Jr acquitted himself quite well. Syl Apps III followed dear ol’ dad to Princeton, doing well enough to get some pro contracts as a bottom-six forward in the AHL and ECHL. Syl III’s sister Gillian ain’t too shabby with a puck, either. She won Olympic gold with Team Canada in 2006 in Turin and again at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Great Northwest Showcase Finale – SFU Clan vs ASU Sun Devils

Amazingly, Vancouver-born Freshman Arizona State forward did not score on this play. He hit the post after a solid deke around third-year SFU Clan goaltender Graeme Gordon. His Sun Devils did win the game 5-3 however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Amazingly, Vancouver-born Freshman Arizona State forward did not score on this play. He hit the post after a solid deke around third-year SFU Clan goaltender Graeme Gordon. His Sun Devils did win the game 5-3 however. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

I didn’t get a chance to post pictures from the final game of the Great Northwest Showcase, a 5-3 win for the Arizona State Sun Devils over the host SFU Clan. The Sun Devils found their legs between the previous day’s misadventures against the UBC Thunderbirds — and chatter by players during pre-game stretches suggested the Americans aren’t used to the aggressive forechecks thrown at them by the T-birds on Friday.

More after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

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Great Northwest Showcase Day 2 – The Empire Strikes Back

Sophomore Oklahoma Sooners defenseman Kevin Zehnder pins UBC Thunderbirds forward Wyatt Hamilton during Great Western Showcase action at Bill Copeland Arena on December 29, 2012. The Thunderbirds won the game 4-3 in overtime. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Sophomore Oklahoma Sooners defenseman Kevin Zehnder pins UBC Thunderbirds forward Wyatt Hamilton during Great Western Showcase action at Bill Copeland Arena on December 29, 2012. The Thunderbirds won the game 4-3 in overtime. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Okay, I already feel bad about the title. Sure, the visiting teams in the inaugural Great Northwest Showcase are American. And yes, there are national politics and cultural question marks that make them the Darths and Emperors of the world next to our farmboy-cum-Jedi status up here. But goldang it if each and every one of the team members and staff that I met this weekend weren’t incredibly nice, wonderfully passionate people who revolve their lives around the great game of hockey. (I’m lookin’ at you, Oklahoma University men’s hockey Assistant GM Chris Kelly… Not naming any names…)

But hey, the title is what the title is. In the immortal words of Billy Crystal, “It’s already out there.” And after day one of this exhibition tournament, which saw the Canadian teams trounce their American visitors by a combined score of 12-2, the empire really did strike back. They had to, just to make the plane ride back to the south bearable.

More after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase Day 2 – The Empire Strikes Back

Great Northwest Showcase Day 1: Home Cookin’

Sophomore goaltender Colin Fernandes makes a first-period save during SFU's only power play of the night on December 28, 2012. The Surrey-born netminder allowed four goals in the Sooners 4-0 loss to the home team at the Great Northwest Showcase at Bill Copeland Arena. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Sophomore goaltender Colin Fernandes makes a first-period save during SFU’s only power play of the night on December 28, 2012, with Jono Ceci waiting to pounce on the rebound. The Surrey-born netminder allowed four goals in the Sooners 4-0 loss to the home team at the Great Northwest Showcase at Bill Copeland Arena. Ceci had a goal and two assist in the win. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Day one of the inaugural Great Northwest Showcase is in the books, and it was a good day for the boys eating home cooking. Both the UBC Thunderbirds and SFU Clansmen iced winning sides against American collegiate sides — UBC thumped the NCAA’s number-one ranked Arizona State Sun Devils 8-2, while SFU shut out the number-six Oklahoma Sooners 4-0.

More after the jump, including a photo gallery for your visual pleasure.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase Day 1: Home Cookin’

Great Northwest Showcase: SFU Clan, UBC T-birds, ASU Sun Devils, OU Sooners

Netminder Evan Kurylo is 16-3-1 with two shutouts in his collegiate career. He also has the coolest family name in the history of families. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Netminder Evan Kurylo is 16-3-1 with two shutouts in his collegiate career. He also has the coolest family name in the history of families. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

The Simon Fraser University Clansmen are hosting familiar crosstown rivals and distant strangers alike this weekend, as the Great Northwest Showcase goes down on December 28-29 at the Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby, BC.

Featured in the inaugural running of the GNS tournament are SFU, the UBC Thunderbirds, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Arizona State Sun Devils. Tickets are $15 ($10 for students and children). Check out the schedule here — and of course, there is a Facebook event page as well.

It’s a great opportunity to check out some quality hockey in a very intimate setting — the Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby screams small-town puck despite being in the middle of the Lower Mainland — and there are some interesting players to watch for as well.

More after the jump.

Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.

Continue reading Great Northwest Showcase: SFU Clan, UBC T-birds, ASU Sun Devils, OU Sooners