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Hockey for the Holidays: tickets to see NCAA puck

You’re just a few shopping days away from the big Noël, and you’ve still got a few unchecked boxes on the naughty and nice list. Maybe one or two of those stockings belong to sports fans. Here’s just one idea for how to fill that bit of footwear that hangs on the mantle.

Great Northwest Showcase
January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby
SFU, UBC, U of North Dakota, Princeton
Tickets start at $10

The 2014 Great Northwest Showcase takes place January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby. The SFU Clan host the UBC Thunderbirds, UND (Fighting Sioux) and Princeton Tigers in four high-level collegiate hockey games. Tickets start at just ten bucks a seat.
The 2014 Great Northwest Showcase takes place January 3–4 at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby. The SFU Clan host the UBC Thunderbirds, UND (Fighting Sioux) and Princeton Tigers in four high-level collegiate hockey games. Tickets start at just ten bucks a seat.

The SFU hockey program has made some serious steps forward over the past few seasons. One of the biggest strides was the two-day Great Northwest Showcase, which brought NCAA teams — specifically, the Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona State Sun Devils — to Burnaby. This year, January 3–4 will see teams from the University of North Dakota and Princeton University ice teams at Bill Copeland against SFU and the UBC Thunderbirds. That’s right, frickin’ Princeton. Ivy League, baby.

For the uninitiated, UND (formerly called the Fighting Sioux) is only a seven-time NCAA Div 1 champion. This year, no fewer than twelve roster spots are filled by NHL draftees, including Adam Tambellini (son of ex-Canuck Steve, and a member of last year’s Surrey Eagles team that went to the national Junior A championships). Alumni include NHLers like Jonathan “Captain Serious” Toews, Ed “I’ll Pay You a Billion Dollars” Belfour, Zach “Like Sunday Pa-Mornin'” Parise and Mike “Good Gravy I’m a Hairy, Hairy Man” Commodore. The tournament’s finale features another alumnusin the puck drop ceremony: Garry “Ex-Canuck Turned Analyst” Valk.

More, including bobbleheads and video links, after the jump.

And that Tigers team has had some pretty good players, too. Let’s be honest, though: if you’ve got a degree from an Ivy League school, you don’t need to risk concussion and lost teeth to make good coin. That said, there are Tiger alumni sprinkled all over the ECHL and AHL, with a couple of guys in the bigs.

Mike Commodore is one of the prominent UND alumni to be honoured with a Fighting Sioux bobblehead in recent years. Photo stolen from the interweb.
Stanley Cup champion and Rogaine Research Subject of the Year recipient Mike Commodore is just one prominent UND alumni to be honoured with a Fighting Sioux bobblehead in recent years. Photo stolen from the interweb.

Did you know George “I Can Spell Mustachioed, Can You?” Parros graduated from Princeton with a degree in economics? George may be able to drop the mitts with the best of ’em, but behind that ridiculous duster is one smart dude.

Check out the event video below, but I recommend skipping the middle man and going straight to the ticket window.

Dude. A real hockey fan will love it, and you won’t cry about the outlay, either — tickets start at just ten bucks. No, you won’t get an @commie22 bobblehead doll, but you will get to see some of the best young hockey players around for less than it costs to park your car at a Canucks game.

Event Schedule

January 3rd, 2014
4:00 pm: SFU vs Princeton
7:00 pm: UBC vs UND

January 4th, 2014
4:00 pm: UBC vs Princeton
7:00 pm: SFU vs UND*

Mike Ball (#4) scores from the point in BCIHL action earlier this year. He'll suit up against decidedly stiffer competition during the Great Northwest Showcase in January. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Mike Ball (#4) scores from the top of the circles in BCIHL action earlier this season. He’ll suit up against decidedly stiffer competition during the Great Northwest Showcase in January. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.