Squirt Hockey Opens Season With Holiday Classic

Thanksgiving weekend is typically full of good food, lots of shopping, and get-togethers with families and friends.

This year, it is also full of youth hockey in St. Louis Park.

The will be home to an annual tradition — the Minneapolis Cup Tournament — as various Squirt teams take to the ice.  For the 10- and 11-year-old Squirts, it's the first game action of the season.

"It's kind of a big kickoff to the year," said Joe Arko, St. Louis Park Hockey Association Squirt coordinator. "I think all the kids and the families are really excited."

Three St. Louis Park Squirt teams will be competing in three separate tournament brackets (you can see those at right), with play beginning Friday at 1:30pm and continuing through Sunday's championship games. Games are being held at the St. Louis Park Rec Center because Minneapolis ice is booked with teams in other age groups also competing in the cup this weekend.

Arko coaches the St. Louis Park Black Team, which competes in the B2-level bracket (Squirt hockey is broken into A, B1, B2 and C groups, based on skill levels). He said he's excited to see the kids kickoff their season, and he's optimistic about their chances in the cup.

"I think they'll be fine," Arko said. "[But] you never really know until you see them react."

The Minneapolis Cup, which has been a Thanksgiving weekend hockey mainstay for 36 years, is often a good chance for players to slowly get up to speed, Arko said.

"Players kind of ease themselves in," he said.

And for that reason, they also usually find the tournament to be a lot of fun, Arko added.

So, if you're in town this weekend and are looking to catch a fun sporting event, head over to the Rec Center for this holiday classic.  Admission is free, and you're bound to see a neighbor or two in the stands.

And, if you're really pumped up for the Minneapolis Cup, you can get a tournament T-shirt (or other gear) online.

Want to share your cup highlights after the weekend is over? E-mail write-ups and photos to local editor Michael Rose and they could be used in next week's Amateur All-Stars column.