When the Canadian and Finnish national women’s hockey teams square off at the Art Hauser Centre Sunday, it will be a rare chance to see two of the top nations go head-to-head.
The two sides will meet up Sunday at 6 p.m. in a tune-up contest ahead of the Four Nations Cup tournament, which will be held at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon from Nov. 6-10.
“Hopefully people realize just how good the hockey they are going to see here is,” Prince Albert Minor Hockey technical director James Mays said. “These programs aren’t messing around. They are bringing in their top players.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to attend the Four Nations Cup a couple of times and I’d argue it’s better than the Olympics or the World Championships as you are seeing the top nations go against each other.”
Sweden and the United States are also taking part in the tournament.
Thirteen players from Canada’s silver medal winning side at the 2018 Winter Olympics are on the roster for the Four Nations Cup tournament.
Saskatoon’s Emily Clark, a forward with the NCAA’s Wisconsin Badgers, was the lone Saskatchewan player on the roster.
However, it was announced on Thursday that she will be unable to participate due to an injury.
Rebecca Johnston, Laura Stacey, Sarah Fillier, Jillian Saulnier, Mélodie Daoust, Brianne Jenner, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, Marie-Philip Poulin, Loren Gabel, Blayre Turnbull, Kristin O’Neill and Jamie Lee Rattray are the forwards on the roster.
Canada’s blueline will consist of Jocelyne Larocque, Laura Fortino, Renata Fast, Halli Krzyzaniak, Jamie Bourbonnais, Micah Zandee-Hart and Katelyn Gosling.
Shannon Szabados, Shea Tiley and Emerance Maschmeyer will serve as the goaltenders for the team, which will be coached by long time NHL assistant Perry Pearn.
There will be a Prince Albert connection to Sunday’s contest as members of the Prince Albert Beachcomber Foxes program will be involved with the opening ceremonies.
Tickets for the cost are $15 and can be purchased at the Art Hauser Center box office until puck drop Sunday night.
“That’s pretty cheap compared to what some of the prices are for the medal round games in Saskatoon,” Mays added.
