Game on! Street hockey tournament comes to OR Winter Market

Wanna beat the H-E-double-hockey-sticks out of your industry competition? Here’s your shot.

The Canada Goose Cup, a five-on-five street hockey tournament, will be held at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Industry Party in the Salt Palace, Thursday, Jan. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m.

But you better make a fast break to the phone, because only the first 10 teams to sign up (with a $300 donation) can compete in the tournament, which is hosted by Canada Goose (www.canada-goose.com) and will benefit The Conservation Alliance (www.conservationalliance.com). One hundred percent of the registration fees will be donated to the Conservation Alliance in the winners’ names.

As of today, seven companies had already expressed interest in registering, according to Taryn Westerkamp, account coordinator for CGPR.

While the tournament grand prize will be the Canada Goose Cup trophy, there will also be an award given to the team with the best uniform, so teams are encouraged to sport cool jerseys.

Westerkamp said all equipment will be provided (basically, sticks and balls) as well as optional eye goggles. Since this is hockey, we assume mouth protection is optional — really, who plays hockey with a full set of teeth? And if you’re not familiar with street hockey, this flat-footed sport doesn’t involve inline skates. Just bring your sneakers and the desire to release your inner Gretzky.

Canada Goose has billed this as a “friendly competition,” but anyone who has experienced an OR dodge ball tournament or this summer’s rugby match knows that the outdoor industry likes spirited competition. Think Paul Newman in “Slap Shot.”

You’ll even get a chance to face off with the SNEWS®/Backpacker crew, which boasts the team name We Don’t Puck Around. When asked what he was doing to get ready for the tournament, SNEWS® president Michael Hodgson replied, “I’m biting the heads off dozens of chocolate Santas every day…and liking it. I was worried about a let-down this winter with no rugby match, so imagine my joy at finding yet another way to hurt myself during a trade show.”

For more information or to register a team, contact Westerkamp at taryn@cgprpublicrelations.com, 781-639-4924.

–Marcus Woolf