The province of Saskatchewan is set to celebrate hockey from border-to-border at the grassroots level, as it is Hockey Day in Saskatchewan Saturday.
Nearly 100 communities will be either hosting minor hockey games, handing out the SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Awards or having other special events in their local arenas.
It is confirmed in the Battlefords, that along with the peewee AA tournament, there will be a handful of other minor hockey games, an award presentation at the Don Ross at 2:30 p.m. and all minor hockey players wearing their jersey can get into the Midget Stars game at the Civic Centre free of charge Saturday night.
Looking around the leagues during the week leading up to Hockey Day in Saskatchewan all the local teams were busy and gearing up for the last stretch of the season.
Midget AA Barons
With a 1-15-0 record the Barons failed to qualify for provincials and will fall into the consolation portion of the playoff draw. Their next game is scheduled for Jan. 23.
Midget A Barons
The Midget Barons #1 lost their two road games last weekend, as they fell 4-1 in Meadow Lake to the Colts and 11-5 to Debden.
The Barons will finish off the season with four of five games on the road including Thursday in Edam, Friday in Spiritwood and Saturday in Big River.
They sit seventh in the nine-team STEP League with a 5-9-1 record.
The Barons #2 sit within striking distance of top spot in the league with a 7-4-2 mark and in third place. Last weekend, the Barons beat Edam 10-2 and were scheduled to play Meadow Lake.
Next is a Friday night game in Debden and Saturday and Sunday home games at the Civic Centre.
The players from the two teams who tried out for the provincial team will be up against La Ronge in the first round. That round needs to be completed by Feb. 14.
Midget Sharks
The Midget Sharks were in Prince Albert for a tournament on the weekend and will resume their league schedule with a game Sunday at home against Canwood. The Sharks record sits at 4-9-0, as they have 10 games remaining.
The Sharks will also turn their attention to provincials in the coming weeks, as they have to be finished their series with Biggar by Feb. 28.
Bantam AA Barons
The seventh place Battlefords Barons took on the second place Warman Wildcats in provincial action Tuesday. It was Warman skating away with an 11-1 win.
Game two was scheduled for Wednesday in Warman.
Next for the Barons are league games in Humboldt Saturday and Sunday.
Bantam A Barons
The Barons from the STEP League and the Hi-Way 14 combined to host their annual tournament in the Battlefords last weekend.
In a competitive tournament, both local teams lost out of semi final on the B side.
Winning the tournament was Meadow Lake with a 5-4 win over Saskatoon. In the B final, thanks to stellar goaltending, Melfort shutout Swift Current 3-0.
The STEP League Barons will be in regular season action Saturday, as they host Spiritwood.
The Hi-Way 14 Hockey League Barons hold the top spot in the standings with a 7-3-2 record. The Barons will put that record on the line this weekend, as Friday they go to Kindersley, Saturday they are in Conquest and Sunday they host Eston/Eatonia/Leader.
At the bantam provincial A level, the Barons will go up against Stanley Mission in the northern semi final. The two-game total-goal series needs to be completed by Feb. 28.
Bantam Sharks
The 7-1-1 Sharks are third in the Midget B Division of the North Saskatchewan Female Hockey League. The Sharks had two games postponed last weekend and Saturday will be hosting Kindersley. Sunday, Tisdale is in the Battlefords to take on the Sharks.
The Bantam Sharks are also planning to make a run at provincials and will have to go through Swift Current in their first round to do so. The Sharks and Colts series needs to be completed by Feb. 27.
Peewee AA Barons
The Barons have their first round of provincials with Prince Albert scheduled for Tuesday in Prince Albert with the return game Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Don Ross. The Barons hold the third spot in the Centre Four Hockey League and are six points ahead of Prince Albert in the standings.
In league action, the Barons were on the road for two games on the weekend and won both. Saturday the Battlefords won 4-3 in Humboldt. Mathew Flath was the winning goalie and the offence came from Brandon Lesko, Gavin Nolin and Owen Lamb, who scored twice in the third period, including the game-winning goal with 1:07 remaining.
Sunday, the Barons were in Tisdale and again pulled out a close win, this time 5-3 over the Ramblers. Flath was again the winning goalie while Blake Fennig, Lesko, Cody Clarke, Lamb and Jared Schmidt scored for the Barons.
The next regular season action is scheduled for Jan. 21 in Dodsland against West Central.
Peewee A Barons
The Barons #1 had a game Sunday against St. Walburg and won 10-2 improving their record to 2-9-0. The Barons hold the fifth spot in the West Division of the STEP League.
Next for the Barons #1 will be a Sunday game at Agriplex against another local Barons team.
The Barons #2 team are second in the West Division with a 6-4-0 record. They lost to Edam 13-1 Saturday and will have a rematch with Edam Sunday in Edam.
A 3-2 win on Saturday against Turtleford and a 10-1 loss to Edam Monday puts the Barons #3 at 5-5-0 this season. Next for the Barons is a Saturday game in St. Walburg and a Sunday game against the Barons #1.
The Barons #4 are the only team in the East Division and they hold a 6-3-0 record. The Barons won 7-4 in Debden Sunday and were in action Thursday against in Meadow Lake. The Barons will play Leoville Sunday.
The four peewee teams will combine for a provincial run, and that team meets up with the winner between La Ronge and LLRIB in the north final. They have time to prepare since the series doesn't need to be completed until March 14.
Battlefords Peewee Sharks
The Sharks are 9-3-0 in the East Central Alberta Female Hockey League and haven't played a regular season game since Dec. 22. The Sharks will be in Lloydminster Saturday and Peirceland Sunday.
This past weekend the Sharks played an exhibition game with the AA Atom Barons losing 6-2.
