Fashioned after Boston’s traditional Bean Pot Tournament, The Dean Patterson “Little Stanley Cup” tournament will kick off on Thursday, December 26. While the New England tournament includes the four Division I schools in close proximity to Boston-Harvard, Northeastern, Boston College, and Boston University-the local tournament will feature four local high school teams-Central Pennsylvania, Hollidaysburg, Altoona, and Bishop Guilfoyle. And the tournament will also feature the Pittsburgh Celebrity team playing the high school coaches and the Trackers.
Tournament organizer Ken Koronowski said he hopes to raise $5,000 for the local teams that will split the proceeds evenly. Koronowski said the tournament is designed to help reduce the yearly fees for local players who, because of the sponsorship of Dean Patterson, will play in the tournament for free.
“We want to try to make this expensive sport more affordable,” Koronowski said.
The four high school teams will participate in a round robin set-up in which they will play each other once. Teams will accumulate one point for winning each period, a half point for tying a period, and two points for winning a game. The two teams with the highest point totals will play each other in the championship game on Monday, December 30.
Five junior high teams will also participate in the tournament. Those teams include Central Pennsylvania, Altoona, Bishop Guilfoyle, and the two Hollidaysburg junior high teams-Hollidaysburg Blue and Hollidaysburg Gold. The junior high tournament is double elimination with the championship game on Sunday, December 29.
The tournament will also feature the Pittsburgh Celebrity team. Koronowski said Craig Patrick, General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has sent him a roster of players who may be available for the game, but the roster will not be set until just a few days before the game. Players whose names appear on the roster include Patrick, former NHL Hall of Famer Joey Mullen, goalie Greg Szazynski, ex-Steeler Bill Hurley, ex-Penguins Peter Tagleanetti and Jay Caufield, Fox Sports’ Guy Junker, and KDKA’s Larry Richart.
Tickets for the celebrity game are $10 for adults, $5 for students. Children under six are free. Tickets for the tournament games are $2 per game, but a tournament pass is only $5. Tickets are available at Galactic Ice, J.K. Sports, Dave Weaver’s School of Hockey, Altoona Radiator, through any team representative, or by call Koronowski at 695-1381.
Koronowski said representatives from all four local teams will be on hand selling team apparel. There will also be a Chinese auction and a 50-50.
SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 26
-Opening Ceremonies begin at 5 p.m.
-Hollidaysburg Jr. High v. Altoona 5:30 p.m.
-Central PA Jr. High v. Hollidaysburg Gold 7 p.m.
-Varsity Bishop Guilfoyle v. Central PA 8:30 p.m.
Friday, December 27
-Junior high game-Runner up game one v. Runner up game two 4:45 p.m.
-Pittsburgh Celebrity game 6 p.m.
-Junior high game-Bishop Guilfoyle v. Winner game two at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 28
-Varsity game, Altoona v. Hollidaysburg, 9 a.m.
-Junior high game–Winner game three v. winner game four at 10:30 a.m.
-Varsity Hollidaysburg v. Bishop Guilfoyle 4 p.m.
-Varsity Central PA v. Altoona 5:30 p.m.
-Junior high game-Winner game one v. Winner game four
Sunday, December 29
-Junior high game Winner game five v. Runner up Game six, 10:30 a.m.
-Varsity Altoona v. Bishop Guilfoyle 11:50 a.m.
-Varsity Central PA v. Hollidaysburg 4 p.m.
-Junior High Championship Winner game six v. Winner game seven 5:20 p.m.
Monday, December 30
-Varsity Championship-two teams with top point totals, 6 p.m.
