GTHL Weekend Roundup: Sept. 26-27
Once the puck hits the ice, the season has begun. That was the case for nearly 200 teams and close to 10,000 participants at the GTHL’s annual Puck Drop Weekend.
The 2015-16 campaign is officially underway after two days of non-stop action on September 26th and 27th at Canlan Ice Sports at York University. The event was the fifth rendition of one of the League’s newest traditions, and kicked off what is sure to be a fantastic season.
Not only were there 95 hockey games contested on the arena’s six ice surfaces, there were also numerous visual and interactive displays on hand for players and fans alike to learn, score autographs, and win prizes.
Several League partners provided additional fun for attendees, including Scotiabank, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Hockey Hall of Fame and HockeyShot. Representatives from the Holland Bloorview Concussion Centre were also on hand to educate players and parents about hockey safety.
When they weren’t on the ice or taking a shot at winning some prizes, event-goers took the time for some photo-ops. The Maple Leafs’ Mobile Fan Zone was on site, giving a look into the locker room setup that Toronto’s stars experience. Also on hand was the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the player selected as the most proficient in his fist year of competition in the NHL, an award currently held by Florida’s Aaron Ekblad.
Saturday afternoon saw players and parents alike excited at the appearance of Leafs’ legend Rick Vaive, who signed autographs and took photos with countless participants at the Scotiabank booth.
On the ice, the main event at York opened at 9:10 on Saturday morning with Goulding Park’s Minor Atom AA squad earning a 5-1 win over York Mills. The hockey-filled weekend wrapped up late on Sunday when the Bantam AA Avalanche shut out the Duffield Devils by a score of 5-0.
Etobicoke Ice Sports also saw its share of action over the weekend, with 20 games being decided over the two-day event. The Toronto Wolverines organization played five straight games on Saturday afternoon, going an even 2-2-1 with wins from the Atom AA and Minor Peewee A teams. The Humber Valley Sharks played host for most of Sunday, finishing with four wins, a tie and two losses on the day.
Congratulations to all Puck Drop Weekend participants, have a fantastic season!
