The Whistler Recreational Hockey League is heading into its first ever all-star break, complete with an all-star game and a player skills competition.
They may not be NHL-ers and put the puck on the net every single time, but the hockey is better than you’d think, says all-star organizer John McBean. And besides, it’s for charity.
All proceeds from the first annual Whistler Men’s Recreational Hockey All-Star Game will go towards the Whistler Minor Hockey Association. Tickets to the event, which will be held at Meadow Park arena on Jan. 19 at 8 p.m., are $5 at the door.
The 10 teams in the recreational league will be divided into two divisions, each with an all star team. The first All-Star team is Team Spanky’s, which will be comprised of players from Black’s Marmots, the Mongolie Grillers, the Cyclone Taylor Cyclone’s, the Alpenrock team and Tapley’s Rockets.
The second is Team McConkey’s, picked from the Citta Cheetah’s, Garfinkel’s Mighty Moose, the Blackcomb Blackhawks, Dusty’s and the Nomis Bushwhackers.
The top teams in the league, the Marmots, the Grillers and the Cheetahs, can submit four players each, while the Cyclones, the Mighty Moose and Blackhawks submit three players. All other teams can send two players.
The top four goalies in the league have also been selected. Andy Skerlac of the Marmot’s and Carl Rochon of the Cheetah’s will mind net for Team McConkey’s, while Brad McNamera of the Blackhawks and Pat MacGregor of the Griller’s puckstop for Team Spanky’s.
There will be two periods of regular play, and a halftime shootout. A post-game party is being held at Tapley’s.
