The best Junior B hockey teams in Alberta are converging in Okotoks for the Provincial championships.
Okotoks Bisons GM Ryan Rarick is hoping for some really great crowds.
"It's unfortunate in a way that the ice is out of our home rink and we're playing down at Centennial where the Oilers play but for the crowds that we've been getting I think that's a perfect venue and thanks to the Oilers for helping, Tyler King, Rob Leatherdale and Wayne Lauinger and their group of volunteers, we wouldn't have been able to put this on without them," Rarick says.
"It's going to be a great weekend, it's going to be a great time and even though it's Easter weekend I do hope our fans that are still here come out and support our program and watch some really good, competitive hockey."
The Okotoks Bisons went into last year's provincials as a top-ranked team but came home empty-handed, something Rarick says they don't want to repeat.
"I think that there was probably a little less celebration winning the south championship and the league championship again this year, I think the kids are focused on a larger goal and that's the provincial championship."
He says there will be no easy games and there's plenty of parity among the six teams fighting it out for the Alberta championship.
The Heritage league is represented by the league champion Bisons and the Sylvan Lake Wranglers.
The Calgary Rangers take on the Sherwood Park Knights at 1 p.m. Wednesday followed by the Sylvan Lake Wranglers against the Wainwright Bisons at 4:30 p.m.
Then the host Okotoks Bisons take on the Fort St. John Huskies at 8:00 p.m.
Fri, May 3, 1:30 PM
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