On December 23, the players of the Estevan female Power Dodge bantam A Chargers, made up of 1996 and '97-born players, will get the chance to do something only a handful of Canadian hockey players experience in their lifetime - play against international competition.
As part of a tour through southern Saskatchewan, Moscow Atlant, a female bantam hockey team from Russia, will make a stop in the Energy City for a matchup against the Chargers at the Civic Auditorium.
While Russia is a powerhouse on the male side of the game, they're not quite on the level of the likes of Canada and the United States when it comes to the female side. Because of this the Russian Ice Hockey Federation is making an attempt to not only increasing their female participation levels, but also to secure a more consistent spot in the world A pool at various IIHF events.
It's tours like this one that will allow the female game to gain exposure, and give girls in non-traditional female hockey markets the chance to compete at higher levels.
While Estevan is a hockey-mad city, even on the female side, those involved would like to create more of a buzz about girls' hockey.
"I think once of the biggest challenges for female hockey is getting the fans out, and getting people to realize that it's a good, fast-paced game as well," said Tricia DeBruyne, director of female minor hockey in Estevan. "Our goal with this is to get as many people to the rink as we can because the Chargers are a really good hockey team, so hopefully people will see that."
The Chargers are currently in second place in the 14-team South Sask Female Hockey League, with an 8-2-0 record, and competing against a team from Russia will only enhance their skills and hockey smarts, both as individuals and as a team.
"I'm excited. I think it will be fun, and something new. It's a great opportunity to learn about different cultures," said Chargers player Macy Earl.
The game between the Chargers and Moscow Atlant will be the Russian team's final stop on their eight-game, 15-day tour through Saskatchewan so the Chargers are hoping to leave a lasting impression.
It is not known exactly how the clubs will stack up against each other, but DeBruyne said the Russians are working hard to develop their younger kids, and she is assuming that the skill level of the two teams will be fairly close.
The Chargers' players are extremely excited to be playing against international competition, as it is something they can take with them for the rest of their lives.
"It's a great opportunity for our team to play them. The coolest experience will just be meeting them and talking about hockey, and different languages," said Chargers' captain Madison Colbow, who added that she and some of her teammates have already been talking to the Russian players through Facebook.
"It's a once in a lifetime experience to play against international teams unless you make it to the national level, so I'm sure it will be something that they never forget, said DeBruyne."
Though the Russian players are not yet experienced in playing against teams from other countries, their coaches, led by Dmitriy Nikonov, are no strangers to international competition, having competed as players at previous Olympics and world championships.
The Chargers are planning to host the Atlant at a potluck dinner in the afternoon prior to the game, and the two teams will have a small gift to exchange before the puck drops. It is also hoped to have both countries' national anthems sung as well.
The game will take place at the Civic on December 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are already on sale. You can buy them from any of the Power Dodge players and they are also on sale at Henders Drugs for $6.
