The host Vernon Watkin Motors Mustangs will drill for Alberta oil in the opening game of the 51st Vernon Winter Carnival Coca Cola Classic Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
The Mustangs face the Okotoks Oilers at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 8.
All games in the eight-team, four-day tourney will be played at Kal Tire Place North.
Vernon and Okotoks are joined in the Coca Cola Division by the Calgary Royals and the California Goldrush.
The Mustangs will take on California in the featured game of opening day at 5:45 p.m. The contest follows the tournament’s official opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m.
The host team will play its final preliminary game at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, vs Calgary.
Vernon has played in the D final the past two tournaments in 2020 and 2023 (no event in 2021 and 2022 because of COVID). They fell 6-3 to North Delta in 2023.
The Mustangs have won their home tournament nine times in its long history, the last coming in 2018 which was the third of three straight Classic victories.
The defending tournament champion St. Albert Raiders of Alberta headline the Sun Valley Division, which also features the Penticton Knights from the Okanagan, East Kootenay Avalanche of Cranbrook and the Coquitlam Chiefs.
The tournament semifinals are at 12:30 and 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, featuring the top two teams in each division. The bottom two teams meet in the consolation finals.
The four trophy finals go Sunday, Feb. 10, beginning with the Mickey Ogasawara D final at 9 a.m. That’s followed by the Mickey McMahon C event final at 11:30 a.m. The semifinal losers contest the Alex Kuly B Event final at 2 p.m., and the tournament concludes with the Amy Myles A Event championship at 4:30 p.m.
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