Charlottetown, PEI / Saint John, NB –Each hockey season, 1,600 bantam hockey players throughout Atlantic Canada compete for the opportunity to participate in the Irving Oil Challenge Cup. Hockey PEI and Hockey Canada’s Atlantic Regional Centre recently announced that the Sherwood Parkdale Minor Hockey will host the 18th Annual Irving Oil Challenge Cup, Atlantic Canada’s Bantam Hockey Championship.

The Sherwood Falcons will host the event at the MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI Campus from April 2-5, 2009.

The championship will crown the top Bantam AAA team in Atlantic Canada. Teams will include the provincial Champions from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and the host Sherwood Parkdale Falcons.

Sherwood Minor Hockey was successful in their bid attempt, as they were selected among two bids that were submitted to Hockey PEI. A committee comprised of members of Hockey PEI Minor Council reviewed the bid applications and made the selection for the championship.

"Sherwood Parkdale Rural Minor Hockey is very pleased to have been selected as the host Association for the 2009 Irving Oil Bantam Cup. Our committee looks forward to working with everyone from Irving Oil, Hockey PEI and Hockey Canada’s Atlantic Regional Centre," states association president Joe Doran.

"Congratulations to the Sherwood Falcons for being chosen to host the 2009 Irving Oil Challenge Cup," comments Lisa Savidant of Irving Oil. "Our company has been a great supporter of Bantam AAA Hockey throughout our region and it is exciting that the people of Sherwood Parkdale will have the opportunity to host these tremendous young athletes."

Irving Oil has sponsored bantam hockey throughout Atlantic Canada since 1992. The company sponsors over 50 bantam teams during the hockey season, their respective provincial league championships, as well as this Atlantic Championship tournament.

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