By Brian Schultz
The University of Manitoba Bison women’s hockey team is preparing to host a three-day, six-team tournament over the holidays.
The Holiday Classic, set for December 29-31 at Max Bell Arena, will include top teams from Canada and the United States in this non-conference series.
Along with the Bisons, the Alberta Pandas, McGill Martlets, Saskatchewan Huskies, North Dakota Fighting Sioux and Team Manitoba will make up the star-studded lineup.
Five Olympians will hit the ice, made up of McGill goaltender Charline Labonté (Team Canada at 2010 Winter Olympics) and defenceman Gillian Ferrari (Team Canada at 2006 Winter Olympics), Jocelyne Lamoureux (Team USA at 2010 Winter Olympics), forward Monique Lamoureux-Kolls (Team USA at 2010 Winter Olympics) and forward Michelle Karvinen (Team Finland at 2010 Winter Olympics).
The action opens Wednesday, December 29 with Manitoba playing McGill at 2 p.m., followed by Alberta vs. Saskatchewan at 5:30 p.m. Three more games are scheduled for December 30, and two more games to end the tourney with the final match pitting UND against Manitoba at 5 p.m. CT on December 31.
