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FLATHEADBEACON.COM OUTDOORS
JANUARY 8, 2014 | 55

Head coach Joakim Falt, right, talks with his team during a Glacier Nationals hockey practice in Whiteish. BEACON FILE PHOTO

Twenty-nine squads have already registered for participate. Players must be at least 21 years of age to
ments. Teams are asked to collect pledges for the FVHA
in lieu of traditional entry fees. The teams that raise the the outdoor tournament that’s being hailed as another participate. The team registration fee is $500. Register
most pledge money will have the chance to draft either signature event in the Flathead, similar to the popular at PondHockeyClassic.com/Montana.
McDonald or Patterson onto their squad.
Montana Dragon Boat Festival and Spartan Race.
For more information visit craftbrewershockey- The lineup of teams includes six from Canada and FLATHEAD FUSION HIGH SCHOOL
league.com or call 406-314-2767.
six from Washington. As of last week, the open divi- HOCKEY TEAM
sion had the most entries with 10. The “Just for Fun High school hockey players from across the valley
GLACIER NATIONALS JUNIOR Under 35” division had seven teams and the “Just for teamed up this winter for the irst time under the new-
HOCKEY TEAM
Fun Over 35” division had six teams. The 50 and older ly established Flathead Fusion program. It combined
In their third season, the Glacier Na- division and 40 and older division still need some more two previous teams that played separately in Whiteish
tionals are establishing themselves as a competition, with only one team signed up in each. The and Kalispell as a way to bolster and unify rosters. Sev-
quality junior hockey franchise in the
women’s division had three entries.
enteen players are currently suited up for the Fusion,
American West Hockey League. The Whiteish team, The tournament will be played in a four vs. four, which is entering the inals months of the season play-
consisting of players between 15 and 20 years old from round-robin format. Each team will play two games ing against teams across the state.
across the country, is in the thick of a playof hunt, sit- Friday, Feb. 21, and two games Saturday, Feb. 22, on “The kids are playing phenomenal with each other.
ting in fourth place with only two months remaining the 150-foot x 75-foot sheet of natural ice. Qualifying They’re having a blast,” head coach Luke Knepper said.

in the regular season. The Nationals (14-17 overall) teams will compete in playof games on Sunday. In ad- “Developmental is my biggest thing, to make sure the
are chasing irst-place Helena (27-1), Great Falls (23- dition to the hockey action, activities on and of the ice kids are out there and progressing, whether it be stick
6) and Gillette (16-12). Glacier defeated Yellowstone will keep players and spectators entertained, including handling, shooting, passing, team building; the pro-
2-1 last Tuesday and edged out a shootout victory over an appearance by the NHL’s Stanley Cup.
gression is my fundamental goal. The second one is
Billings on Jan. 4. Chris Cutshall, a second-year player Lanny McDonald, a hall of famer and Stanley Cup that the kids have fun.”
in Whiteish, has developed into one of the best in the champion who lives part-time in Lakeside, has helped The Fusion, which began playing games in Novem-
AWHL. This season he’s notched 11 goals and 27 as- promote the upcoming event across Canada and the U.S.
ber, are based primarily at the Woodland Ice Rink in

sists. Fans have a few more opportunities to catch a “Playing hockey outdoors, like I did growing up, Kalispell. The season ends with the state tournament
hometown game at Stumptown Ice Den: Jan. 10, 24, 25, takes you back to the beginning of the game. That’s in Billings.
Feb. 8, 22, 28, and March 1. All games begin at 7 p.m. why I’m proud to be a part of the growing pond hockey “It was an interesting experience at irst because
For more information, visit glaciernationals.com
movement in the United States and Canada,” he said in everybody is new and there’s new guys to play with,”
an open invitation.
said team captain Mason McInnes. “But it’s working
POND HOCKEY CLASSIC
“The tournament will be Montana’s irst major pretty well. We coalesce pretty well, which is great. I
Montana’s irst Pond Hockey Classic, pond hockey tournament and one of the irst in the love all the guys.”
slated for Feb. 21-23 atop frozen Foys Lake Northwest United States.”
For more information on the Fusion, visit lathead-

outside Kalispell, is quickly gathering Players are encouraged to form teams of four to lames.org.
teams from across the Paciic Northwest.
eight players, depending on the division in which they
[email protected]