By Hockey Saskatchewan

LANIGAN, Sask. - The third annual SaskEnergy Hockey Day in Saskatchewan wrapped up January 16, 2010, and received participation from all corners of the province.  The event in the host community of Lanigan was extremely successful with a rink full of people and significant funds being raised to go toward purchasing a new ice plant for the arena. 

There were over 80 communities who confirmed their participation in the event around Saskatchewan, and twenty-two communities recognized local people for the SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Award.  The award is presented to an individual who has provided outstanding service as a volunteer to the local hockey community, either as a coach, an official, a team manager, or an association organizer.

Lanigan held a banquet Friday night highlighted by guest speakers Bob Nicholson, President of Hockey Canada; former NHL player Dave “Tiger” Williams; and Saskatchewan Roughriders Chris Getzlaf and Neil Hughes.  The banquet also featured both a silent and live auction, both of which were extremely successful.

On the ice, the weekend featured local minor hockey games throughout the weekend that were all very well attended and enjoyed.  Also on the ice Thursday was the SJHL All Star game, Saturday was the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA League All Star game and Sunday was highlighted by the Junior B PJHL All Star game, which was high scoring and also very well attended. 

All in all, the event in Lanigan was a tremendous success, raising somewhere in the neighbourhood of $130,000 to go toward the new ice plant.  As responses come in from around the province, further updates will be made to the event website at www.hockeydayinsask.ca.

The main theme of SaskEnergy Hockey Day in Saskatchewan is to promote the game of hockey and to build community spirit by making the arena the focal point of activity for the day or the weekend. The SHA encourages every minor hockey association to hold an event in their own community for SaskEnergy Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.  This promotion is to provide associations a platform from which to raise funds to keep the rinks alive and well in all communities, both big and small.