GPAC SET TO HOST ALL STARS
By GORDON ANDERSON
Daily Herald-Tribune
It’s not often the cream of the crop stop by to showcase their particular set of skills.
Grande Prairie will play host to the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League all-star game at the Coca-Cola Centre on Saturday.
This collection of talent in one location is the winning golden ticket for the hockey glitterati. There will be scouts from all levels of junior hockey, from the Western Hockey League to the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“It’s fast paced and it’s the best of the best (bantam-aged) players in Alberta,” Grande Peace Athletic Club president Tyler Stojan said. “It’s exciting hockey to watch.”
Game time is set for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Admission is free.
The Grande Peace Storm have two players in the game as forward Jayden Watson and defencemen Wyatt Day were selected for the north team.
“Day skates with the puck really well and he’s got a lot of offensive sense,” Storm AAA bantam coach Matt Chomyc said. “He has a great work ethic in the defensive zone as well. He’s improved from the start of the year and our coaching staff has continued to challenge him to (improve) and he’s risen to the occasion.”
Day is second in AMBHL scoring for defenceman with 18 points (six goals and 12 assists) in 26 games played.
Obviously, Watson is no slouch, either.
“(Watson is) one of the more elite power forwards in the league,” Chomyc continued. “He doesn’t back down from a physical challenge and he skates with the puck really well. He loves playing a physical game that creates (space on the ice) for his teammates.”
Watson leads the Storm in scoring with 17 goals and 13 assists in 25 games played.
Based on their spot in the standings the Storm were allowed to select up to five players - three forwards and two defenceman -- from their roster. The all-star coaching staff from St. Albert chose Day and Watson.
“They reached out to me and asked me a few questions about each player and what we think of them,” Chomyc said. “We provide our feedback as such. All five were deserving of going. I think the two they picked are going to be great representatives of our team and, as a coaching staff, to have them in the game, they will represent GPAC proud.”
Both teams will also practice at the Coca-Cola Centre on Friday night. Team South will skate on The Academy ice sheet from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. while Team North will practice on the Weyerhaeuser ice sheet from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m.
