The 6th Annual USA Hockey Labatt’s Blue Pond Hockey Championships are just around the corner. The pucks are set to start dropping at 9am on February 11th, 2011 to kick this three day event. Eagle River, the Hockey Capital of Wisconsin, will once again play host to this spectacular event which takes hockey back to its roots. How many of us spent our winter break playing pickup games on the local pond? No goalies, no boards, no blue lines, this is the hockey we grew up with.
Every year this event gets larger and larger: in 2006 it started with 46 teams from 11 different states. This year over 250 teams from 22 states will hit the ice on Dollar Lake. That works out to around 1,750 hockey players competing in 15 divisions. The volunteer fire department will soon be clearing 24 rinks and getting them ready to host the 480 games that will make up this year’s competition. If you like hockey and want a glimpse into your past, stop by and watch a few games. You won’t be disappointed; you may just go home and dust off your skates.
-Justin