ESTEVAN - The largest recreational hockey tournament in Saskatchewan is now underway.
The 39th annual Estevan Strippers Molson Spring Bust Tournament opened Wednesday night in Estevan. Four games were played: the Estevan Flyers faced the Estevan Eclipse, the Energy City Wings met the Estevan Capitals 45, the Souris Valley Sioux played the Taphouse Rookies and the Tower Wolves battled the Torquay Hoppers.
Five more games will be played Thursday. The 6 p.m. games are the Estevan Wildcats against the Bienfait Bulldogs at Affinity Place and the Estevan Flyers versus the Estevan Red Army at the Power Dodge Arena. At 7:30 p.m., the Oxbow Hot Dawgs play the Weyburn Oil Queens at Affinity Place and the Estevan Vikings meet the Weyburn Ambassadors at the Power Dodge Arena. And at 9 p.m., the Weyburn Thrashers meet the Alameda Red Army.
The tournament picks up on Friday with 13 games between Affinity Place, the Power Dodge Arena and the Bienfait Memorial Arena. The first games are at 3 p.m. and the last ones start at 9 p.m.
There will be 17 games Saturday between the three arenas, with the first games starting at 10 a.m. and the final games beginning at 5:30 p.m.
And the tournament will wrap up Sunday with 15 games. First contests are at 10 a.m. and the final ones start at 4 p.m.
Thirty-six teams are entered between the nine different divisions. There are two women's divisions, three over-45 divisions and four over-30 divisions.
Approximately half of the teams are from out of town, creating a considerable economic spin-off for the community.
In addition to the hockey, there are beer gardens each night at the Power Dodge Arena and cabarets on Friday and Saturday night.
The Strippers use the funds raised at the tournament to support projects in the community.
Next week's edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
