Under-17 tournament kicks off Thursday

It took months of preparation and Thursday marks the opening of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie.

For local organizers, the event is a culmination of months of work.

“All those late nights and meetings figuring out how it’s all going to play out, now to see it all come to fruition is a really great feeling,” said tournament co-chair Perry Vilaca.

Vilaca said ticket sales for the event have roughly doubled in the last week and noted that the interest in the quality of players has gone up as the tournament approaches.

“Everyone has gotten excited about it,” Vilaca said.

Teams have been on the ice this week ahead of the tournament to practice while game action opens on Thursday night with four pre-tournament games, two at the Essar Centre and two more at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

At the Essar Centre Team Canada White will face Team Russia at 4 p.m. while Team Canada Red faces Team USA at 7:30 p.m. The games at the John Rhodes will see the Czech Republic face Team Finland at 4 p.m. and Team Canada Black will meet Team Sweden at 7:30 p.m.

The round robin opens on Sunday at noon as Team Canada Red faces Team Finland at noon at the Essar Centre.

There has been one roster change made by Hockey Canada. Forward Joseph Veleno of the Saint John Sea Dogs was scheduled to participate but has been ruled out due to injury. He was replaced on Team Canada White by Ryan Chyzowski of the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers.

Veleno was the first player granted exceptional player status in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and was drafted into the league as a 15-year-old last season.

An interesting note on Chyzowski is that he is the third member of his family to compete for Canada. His father Dave, who spent time in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks, won gold with Canada at the 1990 World Juniors. His brother Nick was a member of Team Pacific at the 2014 U17 tournament where he won silver.