Abbotsford hockey talent will be on full display at the Male U16 BC Cup event this weekend in Salmon Arm.
Six local products are amongst the 144 players from born in 2003 from B.C. and the Yukon to compete at the event.
Players were selected after participating in regional camps earlier this month. The players are divided into eight teams, and will battle it out in a three-day tournament that began yesterday.
Abbotsford hockey talent heading to Salmon Arm includes: goalie Liam Vanderkooi from the Yale Hockey Academy, defender Graham Sward from YHA, forward Jake Chiasson from YHA, goalie Cole Savage from the Delta Hockey Academy, forward Kyle Wickman and defender Jayden Martin.
Vanderkoi, Sward and Chiasson will all suit up for Team BC Blue, Martin is on Team BC Orange, Savage suits up for Team BC White and Wickman is a member of Team BC Yellow.
Local coaches Peter Hay (Team BC Yellow) and Brad Rihela (Team BC Teal) are also heading to Salmon Arm as head coaches for their respective teams.
YHA products heading to the event include: forward Parker Bell (Team BC Black), forward Ty Gagno (Team BC Black), defender Tyson Galloway (Team BC Blue), goalie Brayden Melnyk (Team BC Green), forward Logan Stankoven (Team BC Green) forward Zachary Funk (Team BC Grey), forward Ashton Taylor (Team BC Teal), defender Nolan Bentham (Team BC White), defender Devin Benson (Team BC Yellow) and forward Kobe Verbicky (Team BC White).
Games opened on Thursday morning, with the event wrapping up on Sunday afternoon.
Following the BC Cup, players will be selected for the Summer Provincial Camp in late July, which narrows the field of players from eight teams to three.
The team will eventually be whittled down to one squad that will represent the province at the annual WHL Cup event in October.
Players from BC compete against teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba at that event.
For live action from the 2018 BC Cup, follow along on Twitter via @BCHockey_MU16BC or watch online via pay-per-view at www.playfullscreen.com
For more information about BC Hockey, visit bchockey.net.
