By Hockey Canada

REGINA, Sask. – The top female Midget teams from across the country will be in Regina, Sask. starting Sunday to compete for the second annual Esso Cup. Canada’s National Female Midget Championship runs from April 18-24 at the newly constructed Co-operators Centre, a state-of-the-art facility at Evraz Place.

The host Regina Rebels of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League will be joined by five regional champions: the Edmonton Thunder (Pacific), Moncton Rockets (Atlantic), Notre Dame Hounds (West), Remparts du Richelieu (Quebec) and Thunder Bay Queens (Ontario).

The Thunder is the only team to return to the Esso Cup for a second year in a row, while Richelieu is the first team from Quebec to play in the tournament. The Westman Wildcats won the inaugural Esso Cup last year in Calgary, Alta., defeating the Scarborough Sharks 5-2 in the gold medal game.

This year’s gold medal game begins at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 24 and will be broadcast live on TSN2, while all other games will be available online through FASTHockey at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com. Access Communications Co-operative Limited, a local cable television provider, will also broadcast all Regina Rebels games.

“The existence of the Esso Cup, now in its second year, is proof positive that women’s hockey is growing across the country,” says Julie Healy, director of female hockey for Hockey Canada. “Fans will be in for a real treat when many of the top up-and-coming female hockey players from across the country take to the ice in Regina starting this Sunday.”

“The Saskatchewan Hockey Association is proud to host the second Esso Cup,” says general manager Kelly McClintock. “This event provides a national platform for Midget girls to display their abilities on the ice.”

Ticket information for the 2010 Esso Cup are available by clicking here. Full event passes are $40 each, while day passes during the round robin are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. Day passes during the playoffs are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and students. Children 10 years old and under are admitted for free.

“We’re 100 per cent ready and thrilled to be welcoming teams from across Canada,” says Lynn Tulloch, chair of the 2010 Esso Cup host committee. “Fans will get a double feature during this tournament – the chance to watch some phenomenally skilled female hockey and the opportunity to enjoy our new arena in Regina.”

Esso Cup action kicks off Sunday, with the Remparts du Richelieu taking on the Moncton Rockets (12 p.m. CT), the Notre Dame Hounds facing off against the Edmonton Thunder (4 p.m. CT) and the Thunder Bay Queens playing the Regina Rebels (8 p.m. CT). The five-day round robin will be followed by two semifinals, which will determine who will play in the bronze and gold medal games.