Day Nine

Friday, February 20th

Kick off game for the Winter Classic International Classic

Winter Classic International Kick Off Game

The snow is continuing to fall today and for the team, it's going to be a late start for them.  They have the morning free and depart for Ste-Catherine de la Jacques Cartier, a community, 45 minutes outside of Quebec City.  The San Jose Jr. Sharks will have their own Popsicle Series Outdoor game tonight at the Parc De Glisse Du Grand-Heron. They will be taking on

A couple of  brave parents

Academie St-Louis Arsenal from Quebec City.  This game is being advertised as a pre-game to the Winter Classic International Tourney that will be held this weekend. Since the team won't be able to make the Stadium Series game in California; why not play in their own????  These players are playing in -20 degrees weather in the cold of night, deep in the

Quebec province; not a balmy 70 degrees in the heart of Silicon Valley in California.  On this day, I believe the true hockey players are the twelve year olds.  Some of billet families along with the diehard California families braved the subzero temperatures and snow to cheer on the players .  Go Families Go!
Due to the extremely cold weather, it was decided that the game would be played as two twenty

Old School Scoreboard

minute periods instead of three fifteen minute periods. They also decided to penalty shots instead of sending the poor player into the sin bin to freeze like a popsicle.  Let the teeth start to chatter.  These two teams were evenly matched up.  The Jr.Sharks struck first but Arsenal came right back.  Both teams traded goals throughout the game.  Sure hope that the Stadium Series game will be equally as exciting.  Like two champion heavyweights, the teams battled down to the final buzzer.  Regulation ends in a 4-4 tie.  This was going into a shootout.  In the end, the Team Teal comes out ahead, 3 goals to 2.  Way to go Jr. Sharks!  Afterwards, one of the parents from Team Arsenal provided pizza for the players of both teams.  That's what I call a perfect way to end the evening.  Tomorrow, the players will be spending their final day in Quebec with their billet families.  I can't believe this adventure is coming to an end.

Enjoying a slice of post game pizza