The Delta Ice Hawks will return to action from the holiday break on Saturday with no favours from the Pacific Junior Hockey League scheduler.
The Hawks will take on the Grandview Steelers at 4 p.m. at Minoru Arenas as part of the Fifth Annual PJHL Winter Classic in Richmond. The event showcases all 12 teams playing two games over the three days.
Delta will be back on the ice at 10 a.m. Sunday to take on the Langley Trappers. If facing the league’s second and fourth overall teams wasn’t a tough enough task, the 18 hour turnaround between games is easily the tightest among the PJHL clubs.
The Hawks then return to the Ladner Leisure Centre to host the Surrey Knights on Tuesday (7:35 p.m.) before going back to Minoru next Thursday for their final regular season meeting against the Richmond Sockeyes.
Following the hectic stretch, the Hawks (14-13-3-2) will have just eight games over the next month as they try to secure a PJHL playoff spot. They currently sit fifth in the Tom Shaw Conference but would crossover to play in the Harold Brittain Conference. They are three points ahead of fourth place Aldergrove but the Kodiaks do enjoy a game in hand.
Here is the entire PJHL Winter Classic schedule at Minoru. Daily admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $5 for kids 6-to-12. That covers all four games each day.
Friday, Jan. 3
10 a.m. North Vancouver vs. Grandview
1 p.m. White Rock vs. Surrey
4 p.m. Langley vs. Aldergrove
7 p.m. Richmond vs. Abbotsford
Saturday, Jan. 4
10 a.m. Surrey vs. Port Moody
1 p.m. Mission vs. White Rock
4 p.m. Grandview vs. Delta
7 p.m. Ridge Meadows vs. Abbotsford
Sunday, Jan. 5
10 a.m. Delta vs. Langley
1 p.m. Port Moody vs. Mission
4 p.m. Aldergrove vs. Ridge Meadows
7 p.m. North Vancouver vs. Richmond
Icing…
Also coming this month is the new look All-Star and Prospects games.
The PJHL has reached a partnership with the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League that will see the two play against each other. The Prospects Game goes Sunday, Jan. 12 in Nanaimo, while the All-Star Game will be hosted by the Ice Hawks, Sunday, Jan. 26 (2 p.m.) at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
Hawks defenceman Bradley Araki-Young has been selected for the Prospects game.
