Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, food, and hockey.
The Saint Ignatius Varsity Prep hockey squad will be busy over Thanksgiving Weekend, traveling to Shady Side, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Wildcats will take part in the annual Shady Side Thanksgiving Tournament from this Friday through Sunday.
The fun begins on Friday, with the 1-1 Ice Cats battling the Hoosac School Owls. Founded in 1889, the New Jersey school boasts a strong tradition of hockey excellence. The Owls frequently send student-athletes to play at the NCAA Division III level. Friday's puckdrop will be at 8 pm.
The action continues with a doubleheader on Saturday. The Wildcats will face off with the St. Francis Red Raiders. Based in Athol Springs, just outside of Buffalo, the school was founded in 1926. The Red Raiders were a founding member of the Midwest Prep Hockey League (MPHL) in 2000. The program has sent Patrick Kaleta, Todd Krygier, and Aaron Miller, and Lee Stempniak into careers in the NHL. Stempniak is the lone active player, as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. The Wildcats and Red Raiders will do battle at 10 am.
The Ice Cats continue the tournament with a showdown against Shady Side Academy's prep team. The Indians have a 5-4 record, according to the team's Twitter account. Shady Side Academy opened its doors in 1883 and founded its hockey program in 1990. The Indians, also founding members of the MPHL, will face the Ice Cats on Saturday at 4 pm.
The Wildcats will also hope to play on Sunday in the championship game. Wyoming Seminary Prep (Wilkes-Barre, PA) and St. Michael’s College Prep (Toronto, ONT). St. Michael's College Prep might have the longest tradition, with 200 former players going on to play in the NHL and 14 alumni in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The weekend's slate will provide some of the toughest competition the Wildcats have faced in the past few seasons, and a good early test for the men of Coach Pat O'Rourke '90.
Make sure to follow @SIHSPREPHOCKEY for up-to-the-minute updates from Pittsburgh.