The Cougars – 10-12-1-0 in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League so far this season – are the defending champions of the event, having taken a 3-2 shootout win over the St. Albert Flyers in the championship final last season.
The competition promises to be just as tough this time around, as this edition of the Classic will feature two of the top teams in the 24-team AAA league.
Leading the way are the Lethbridge Headwater Hurricanes, holders of a 17-3-3 record in the AMMHL South Division and the second-best mark in the league. They’re joined by the North Division-leading Sherwood Park NIC Squires (16-5-3) and the South East Athletic Club Tigers (9-10-5).
The tournament will feature four games a day at the Barkman Arena, beginning with PHA taking on Sherwood Park at 9 a.m. on Friday, SEAC and Lethbridge at 11:30 a.m., PHA battling the Hurricanes at 5 p.m. and Sherwood Park against SEAC at 7:30 p.m.
The final two round robin games will feature the Cougars against SEAC at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and Sherwood Park taking on Lethbridge at 11 a.m.
The semifinals take place at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with the gold medal game at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
