Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By IAN MINIELLY
Ironwood — The Ironwood Fighting Yoopers will host a three-on-three invitational hockey tournament for four age brackets: U-8, U-10, U-12 and U-14 on Sept. 16-17.
The registration deadline is noon on Sept. 8. The online schedule for match-ups will be available Sept. 9.
The cost to play is $120 per team or $40 per goalie. Each team must have at least three skaters, with a maximum of four. Each team is also expected to have light and dark jerseys.
Scott Kellett, owner and president of the Yoopers, saw an opportunity when Wausau canceled its annual tourney during the weekend of Sept. 15-17. The Wausau tournament would generate around $40,000 in income, so when they decided to stop hosting their weekend tournament, Kellett figured Ironwood and the Yoopers could fill the void.
So far, according to Kellett, teams from the Upper Peninsula, lower Wisconsin and Minnesota have registered. Kellett said the tournament format can accommodate eight teams in each of the four classes.
The games are played on half-ice, similar to a basketball half-court game. The puck must be cleared when possession changes hands, just like in basketball. The goalies are their own separate group, though, not affiliated with any team and they rotate nets. As stats accumulate for the goalies throughout the tourney, goalies with the best percentages are chosen for the championships.
The Fighting Yooper players will run the clock, referee the games, hawk paraphernalia, and make themselves available for autographs and photos.
It is a no-checking tournament, so the play is expected to remain clean, with no tolerance for checking.
The tournament is free to the public.
