The Bentley Generals hockey team knows plenty about playing in an Allan Cup tournament, winning the trophy in 2009 and runner up in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
We’ll now see how the club is at hosting the event at the end of this Senior Men’s AAA hockey season.
Six teams will battle for the cup in the Red Deer Arena this coming April 15-20, with the Generals as the host of the 2013 Allan Cup.
“The atmosphere for senior men’s hockey here is amazing. I know the players love playing here and if you come and watch a game it’s just amazing,” said chair of the host committee Dave Mousseau.
In the past when the Generals have played at the arena during the MacKenzie Cup series it has been standing room only so a nice little perk has been added to the mix as well. The committee has made provisions to allow more people to take in the cup with the newly renovated Red Deer Curling Centre being used to entertain and host the fans.
There will be a closed circuit TV feed into the curling club to accommodate fans who may have missed out on tickets, especially when the Generals are playing.
It allows up to 2,000 people to attend and be able to experience senior men’s championship hockey, said Mousseau.
The Generals have established themselves as one of the stronger senior men’s hockey teams over the last six or seven years and the expectation continues for this season.
The team has reached this event through the playoffs but to host it means they are already in which is another special opportunity according to new Generals head coach and former player Brandin Cote.
“We’re going to have the support of the community behind us and that’s something we are going to use to our advantage,” he said.
He admits being guaranteed a spot somewhat changes the approach to the season but Cote says they can’t get too far ahead of themselves.
“In the back of your mind you know you’re going to be there so you have to prepare but you don’t want to go in the back door, you want to do it the right way,” said Cote. “We want to win as much as possible during the regular season and do the things that we need to do to prepare for this tournament.”
Ticket information about the Allan Cup can be found at www.allancup2013.ca.
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