The St. John’s IceCaps announced Tuesday that the top prospects of the Montreal Canadiens will travel to Newfoundland and Labrador in October to compete for the fourth annual Mary’s Cup, sponsored by Mary Brown’s restaurant chain.
The three-game American Hockey League exhibition series will pit the Hamilton Bulldogs against the IceCaps. The Syracuse Crunch won the last two titles, while the Norfolk Admirals claimed the inaugural crown in 2011.
The 2014 Mary’s Cup series starts on Oct. 2 at Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium in Grand Falls-Windsor. Game 2 is at the Gander Community Centre on Oct. 3, and the series concludes on Oct. 5 at Mile One Centre in St. John’s.
The Oct. 5 game will be a ‘school game’ which will feature educational messaging on the video board throughout the contest and all in-game elements will be student-focused. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in everything from the official puck drop to singing the national anthem to making in-game announcements. Students will be able to access tickets at a special student rate for this game.
“Once again I would like to thank Mary Brown’s Famous Chicken and Taters for their continued support of the IceCaps and this exciting American Hockey League series,” said Glenn Stanford, chief operating officer and governor of the IceCaps. “I have no doubt the involvement of the legendary Montreal Canadiens organization will help make this the best Mary’s Cup yet. These games will enable IceCaps fans to get their first glimpse at what promises to be an exciting, young team. Once again, we are pleased to include a school game in addition to the Mary Brown’s ticket giveaway, which will help the IceCaps reach an even broader audience.”
Hamilton Bulldogs president Stephen Ostaszewicz says the Bulldogs are eager to see how they stack up against the IceCaps.
"The Hamilton Bulldogs are excited to face off against the St. John’s IceCaps in the Mary’s Cup,” said Ostaszewicz. “This exhibition series will allow us to see how our club matches up against the defending Eastern Conference champions and it affords us a chance to bond as a team in a unique setting while preparing for the season ahead.”
