The Grande Prairie Storm are Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Playoffs bound.

The Storm who finished 6th in the 2023-2024 season will take on the Calgary Canucks in the first round of the postseason. The first two games in the best-of-seven series will be on the road in Calgary on March 15th and 16th. The two teams will have a day off before facing off for games three and four at Bonnetts Energy Centre on the 18th and 19th; with games five, six, and seven scheduled between March 22nd and March 26th if needed.

The Jr A team punched their ticket to the 2024 playoffs after beating the Olds Grizzlys in a best-of-five play in the series. Grande Prairie was one of six teams to compete in the play-in series, with the top five teams in the league automatically getting a spot in the postseason. The other teams who moved onto the first round of the playoffs from the play-in competition include the Canmore Eagles and Camrose Kodiaks.

Tickets for Storm's home games can be purchased online.

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Six North West Junior Hockey League teams are heading into the third game of the second round, which in two of the match-ups could be the deciding game.

Heading into the third game between the North Peace Navigators and County Of Grande Prairie Wheat Kings the two teams are tied, having split the first two games. The Navigators have home-ice advantage for the Thursday, February 22nd game, with puck drop scheduled at the Baytex Energy Centre for 8 p.m.

On Friday both the La Crete Lumber Barons and Beaverlodge Blades are looking to close out their series. The Lumber Barons lead the Sundown Oilfield Sexsmith Vipers by three games, while the Blades lead the Dawson Creek Kodiaks by the same.

The Lumber Barons and Vipers are scheduled to face-off on Friday, February 22nd at 8 p.m. at the Sexsmith Arena. The Blades and Kodiaks will hit the ice in Dawson Creek at 8 p.m. the same day.

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The Grande Prairie Athletics will host the Spirit River Rangers in a must-win game seven, in the first round of the North Peace Hockey League playoffs.

The Athletics have the home-ice advantage heading into the game, however the series has seen the away team favoured to win. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at the Design Works Centre.

Other first-round matchups around the league include the Fort St John Flyers vs the Dawson Creek Canucks, and the Valleyview Jets vs the Manning Comets.

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It could be snow or rain falling outside, but inside Bonnetts Energy Centre, Teddy Bears will be in the forecast on December 10th.

The Grande Prairie Storm's early December tilt against the Calgary Canucks will also be their annual Teddy Bear Toss Game. After the Storm score their first goal, fans can throw their cuddly donations on the ice, and all the plashed animals will be donated to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation. Executive Director Nicole Menzies says the annual game is not only a team but the community and is always fun to attend.

"It is such a feel-good thing all around; the community gets to support in the donations, the players get to go up to the hospital and visit with the kids, sign autographs and hang out with the ones that are feeling well enough."

Menzies adds for the players, the event is a special way to see the good the team is doing in the community and the impact it is having off the ice.

"The kids are always so excited to see the Storm players so that they can really bring a smile to a kid's face and deliver some gifts to them when they are kind of having a hard time around the holidays. That is something really special that sticks with all of our players."

All plush animals being thrown on the ice should be new with the tags on or in their original packaging. Following the 2 p.m. game on Sunday, December 10th, there will also be a Skate with the Storm.

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2023 PBR Canada Champion Dakota Buttar says winning the PBR Peace Country Invitational set up the rest of the seasons run in for success.

Following his perfect three-for-three championship in Grande Prairie at the end of September, Buttar was bumped into the first-place position in the PBR standings, which kept him in contention for the title when he was forced to take a month off from competing due to a broken collarbone injury. Having not competed in the month between the Grande Prairie competition and the championship event, Buttar found himself sitting third in the standings as he got set up in Edmonton.

After riding both of his bulls on Friday, November 17th, Buttar was bumped up 2nd in the Candian Standings. On Saturday, he completed a perfect four-for-four weekend and finished 38.84 points ahead of 2022 PBR Canada Champion Nick Tetz.

The Grande Prairie champion won the 2023 PBR Canadian Championship with 199 national points, walking out of the weekend with the title and $100,000.

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Grande Prairie Storm forward Tomis Marinkovic was named the Canadian Junior Hockey League's 3rd Star of the Month for October.

In his first month with the Grande Prairie club, Marinkovic played ten games, putting up 21 points, including ten goals, and earning the Star of the Game four times.

He was also named the AJHL player of the week in his second weekend of play with the local team, from October 9th to 15th. During that time, he scored a hat trick on October 20th against the Canmore Eagles and again on October 24th versus the Whitecourt Wolverines, including the game-winning goal in both victories.

Along with the above recognition, the 19-year-old was also named Alberta Junior Hockey League Player of the Month.

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It's hoped superbike racing, the highspeed hybrid of modern motorcycle racing that features highly modified racing bikes, could see a resurgence in western Canada as a Grande Prairie racer starts to make a name for himself on the national stage. After winning the Canadian Superbike Championship Team of the Year Award, Paul Macdonell says he is committed to bringing the extreme sport into the mainstream.

"For a long time, it's basically been an Ontario-dominated sport. I just wanna show that we have some fast, talented racers this way and now they're going to come out this way and make a full Canada-wide series out of it."

According to Macdonell, the series is set to come back to western Canada for the first time since 2015, with races in Edmonton scheduled in 2024, and he believes the change is largely due to his contribution last season.

"There's another racer from Calgary and I think the presence from both of us shows that there's interest and talent from out in Alberta, and now they'll be coming back here and they'll see that there's a whole club full of people."

With the addition of a new Alberta track and the stop in Edmonton on the national tour, Macdonell says he believes all that is left is to get the word out that pro superbike racing is back in Alberta.

"Now that they see that there's popularity here I think there's gonna be a lot more growth of the sport and a lot more interest."

Additionally, the CSBK says it is interested in adding a Calgary venue to the tour in 2025. New owner Ross Millson has also expressed interest in turning the series into an all-Canadian experience to capture live audiences outside of Ontario.

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The Grande Prairie ELITE Basketball Club is hosting a three-on-three basketball tournament to support the club and the Movember campaign for men's mental health. The tournament will include 14 hours of non-stop action across four age divisions and multiple games per team.

President and CEO David McCoy says this is the first major event since the team was created.

"It's going to be a pretty intense day of basketball, we'll have three courts going simultaneously," he says. "We formed this club in June of this year, and our program is designed to cater to the less fortunate/low-income

McCoy lost his brother to suicide in 2010 and says Movember holds a special place in his heart. A portion of each team's $150 entry fee and other donations will support both the club and the Movember campaign.

"It'll be 50 per cent going towards Movember and 50 per cent coming to our club. We're open to all donations if anybody's feeling generous and wants to pitch in a little bit more."

The event is scheduled for November 25th from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic High School.

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Grande Prairie Storm forward Tomis Marinkovic has been named the Albert Junior Hockey League's Player of the Month for October. In the 10 games he has played since being signed by the Storm at the beginning of the month, Marinkovic has 21 points, including 10 goals, and was named Star of the Game four times in October.

He also was named the AJHL player of the week in his second weekend of play with the local team, for the week of October 9th to 15th. During that time, he scored a hat trick on October 20th against the Canmore Eagles and again on October 24th versus the Whitecourt Wolverines, including the game-winning goal in both victories.

The Grande Prairie player leads the league in average points per game, with an average of two points per game, and is tied for sixth in the league for scoring. The Storm finished the month of October with a 5-3-2 record.

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Beaverlodge's Geoff Walker and Team Gushue have won back-to-back gold medals at the Pan Continental Curling Championship, securing Canada a spot at the 2024 World Championship.

The Canadian team's 8-3 win over South Korea made them the first team to ever win back-to-back championships at the competition and kept Canada as the only team to wear gold in the men's competition. Skip Brad Gushue says the honour is something he and the rest of his team are proud of, adding that timing was crucial for their success at the international competition.

"Knowing when to go for it and when not to go for it, and having a good feel for the game," Gushue says. "[Vice-skip] Mark [Nichols] and I have been at this now for 30 years. I think those guys will get that experience the more they play. That experience and playing in big games like that, you learn in those moments. Even if you don't have the best game, you can sometimes make it happen and get the win."

Though winning gold secured Team Canada's a spot at the World Championships, it did not secure Team Gushue's spot, as they will need to come out on top during the 2024 Montana's Brier in Regina, another event in which they are the reigning champions.

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On Saturday, Grande Prairie Storm fans will be on the edge of their seat at Bonnetts Energy Centre, waiting for the first goal of the game to make it rain socks and underwear.

On Saturday, November 4th, the Storm will not only be hosting the Lloydminster Bobcats but also will be holding their 3rd Annual Tighty Whitey toss in support of Rotary Clubs of Grande Prairie Fall Dignity Drive, where they donate new socks and underwear to not-for-profit groups and homeless shelters around the city. Storm Executive Director Nicole Menzies says this game is one the team looks forward to because not only does it support a good cause, but it is fun.

RELATED STORY: 2023 Fall Dignity Drive kicks off October 1st

"We ask our fans to please bring packaged items, underwear, socks; we will also have packaged items for purchase at the game. Then, after the Storm score their first goal of the game, all the fans throw their items on the ice, and all the guys come out to clean it all up, and then we are proud to donate that to Rotary."

She says nights like the Tighty Whitey toss are important to the team because not only does it raise awareness for a good cause, but the impact can be seen with each item that hits the ice.

"Having clean overwear, having clean socks, new mittens, things like that, those really go a long way in the community for dignity."

Puck drop for Saturday's game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., and tickets are still available.

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A pair of losses on the road ended the Grande Prairie Storm's five-game win streak, with two losses in Bonnyville over the weekend.

On Friday, October 27th, the Grande Prairie Junior A Team lost in overtime to the Bonnyville Pontiacs 3-2. Forward Alex Atwill put the Storm on the board 1:30 into the game, the Pontiacs came back to respond seconds later; Tomis Marinkovic scored the other Storm goal Friday night. On Saturday, October 28th, the Grande Prairie team lost 5-1 to the Pontiacs, with Logan Cunningham scoring the only Grande Prairie goal of the night.

The Storm's one point on the weekend dropped the Grande Prairie team to 9th place in the AJHL standings, one point behind the Okotoks Oilers.

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For the second week in a row, a Grande Prairie Storm player has been named Alberta Junior Hockey League Player of the Week.

Alex Atwill was recognized for his gameplay, earning six points, including a hat trick between October 16th and 22nd. The Storm forward got two assists against the Canmore Eagles on October 21st and recorded four points the following night against the Olds Grizzlys, including three goals.

Going into the Storms' Wednesday, October 25th game against the Whitecourt Wolverines, the 20-year-old was tied second in the league for scoring with 24 points, including 10 goals, and was leading the Grande Prairie Team. Atwill recorded another three assists in the Storm's 5-3 win over Whitecourt.

The Grande Prairie team will be on the road for the next three games, starting with a back-to-back stop in Bonnyville on Friday and Saturday, where the 8th-place Storm will face the 7th-place Pontiacs and look to extend their five-game win streak.

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Grande Prairie Storm fans are encouraged to wear pink to support Breast Cancer awareness during their game against the Olds Grizzlys.

Storm Executive Director Nicole Menzies says the Pink in the Rink Game on Saturday, October 21st, is in partnership with Peace Diagnostic Imaging. The evening will include the Grande Prairie team wearing specialty-designed jerseys, which will be up for auction after the game, with all proceeds going to Breast Cancer support in Grande Prairie.

"It is an important [cause] for us, as everyone unfortunately has one way or another been touched by cancer," Menzies says. "We are excited to partner with Peace Diagnostic Imaging, as they do a ton for women's health; they have a whole women's imaging department."

Along with raising funds, Menzies says the goal is to raise awareness and support for the community throughout the night. On the 21st, Peace Diagnostic Imaging will be at the Bonnetts Energy Centre Arena with information about screening, research, and supports and services in the city and throughout the province.

"We will also be having a frisbee toss during the second intermission, with all the proceeds going to support Breast Cancer research and programs in the community."
The Storm will also hand out pom poms to the first 150 fans through the door on Saturday.

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Brad Walker and Team Gushue will compete to secure Team Canada a spot at the 2024 World Championships during the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championships.

The upcoming competition will be held in Kelowna and is the qualifying competition for teams looking to represent their country on the international stage next year in Switzerland. For the Canadian team to secure their spot in the 2024 World Championships, they must finish within the top five teams at the upcoming competition.

Ahead of the Pan Continental event, Gushue explained their team's fifth man will be Vernon's Jim Cotter.

"It'll be fun to spend a week with him. Kelowna is a beautiful city, and I would imagine the ice is going to be pretty good."

However, even securing Team Canada a spot at the World Championships does not guarantee a spot for the Beaverlodge native and the rest of his Newfoundland-based team; they will need to come out on top during the 2024 Montana's Brier in Regina, an event in which they are the reigning champions.

While Team Gushue competes to secure a spot in the men's competition, Team Einarson, based out of Gimli, Manitoba, will be looking to snag a spot in the women's division.

The Pan Continental Championships is from October 29th to November 4th in Kelowna.

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When the dust settled at the seventh annual PBR Peace Country Invitational, Dakota Buttar walked away the event champion after going a perfect three for three. The Canada Cup Series event win bumped Butter to the top position in the PBR standings, ahead of Cody Coverchuk and Nick Tetz.

Buttar would record 84, 87, and 89.5-point rides throughout the three rounds. According to the PBR, the Peace County Invitational Champions 89.5 championship ride was the event's best score.

"With an early pick in the championship round bull draft, Buttar architected a showdown with Chico. Bursting from the chutes, Buttar remained centered atop the swift bovine, however, was initially called for a buck off in arena. PBR's officials, however, quickly sent the out into review. Upon inspection, Buttar was deemed to have made the 8."

Wyatt Gleeson finished second in the event and was the only other rider to go a perfect three for three, ending the weekend with 82.4, 82, and 86-point rides.

Last year's PBR Peace Country Invitational champion, Aaron Roy, finished fourth with 86 and 86.5 point rides.

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The Grande Prairie Storm's head coach is looking optimistically forward as the 2023-2024 Alberta Junior Hockey League season kicks off.

Eric Thurston says there were some shifts on the team's roster over the off-season, especially with last year's leadership group, including Ty Teows, Robert Pizzey, and Hudson Foley aging out and moving on to the next stage in their career. Thurston explains like any result-based business, the Storm looked at what worked and didn't work last season and built off that.

"We have done quite an adjustment with our roster, and I think the biggest thing where I see us is we have gotten a lot bigger, we have a stronger team, our defence is going to be really strong. I like the new additions."

Along with adding to the team's defensive core, Thurston adds he is looking forward to seeing the work the additions to the offensive line will bring, including Matt Corbet, who the team acquired from the Calgary Canucks in July. Along with looking at players' production on the ice, Thurston says the character they bring to the team's dressing room was also important when putting together this season's roster as the organization looks to continue to build its presence in the Grande Prairie community.

"We are working on a new initiative we are just trying to get organized, where we would let minor hockey coaches come in to watch and be on the ice during our practices, and then give them a chance to take what they have learned from us back to their teams," Thurston says. "We have also added quite a few more Sunday games, and then after our Sunday games, we will have a Skate with the Storm, where the kids can come out on the ice after our games with the Storm players, and we are going to try to do that after most of our Sunday afternoons."

These skates would take place after 2 p.m. games on Sunday. The Grande Prairie team opened their season by losing a pair of games on the road but will look to make those losses up during Friday, September 22, home opener against the Drayton Valley Thunder when they host them in a pair of back-to-back games.

A fan festival will be a part of the home opener Friday, including face painting, games, food trucks, and music at Bonnetts Energy Centre. from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

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Two Peace Country players will compete on the Alberta men's team at the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Grande Prairie next May.

Forwards Seth Flett from High Prairie and Asher Lamabe from Peace River will be part of the 21-player team representing the province at the national tournament. Head coach for Team Alberta Male Darren Reid says the coaching staff is excited to work with the group of athletes announced by Hockey Alberta and the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta on September 14th.

"The team looks to have more offence and got bigger in size. The boys are stronger this year, and we have a great core."

Tryouts for the team were held in Red Deer at the beginning of August for 2006 to 2009-born athletes of Indigenous heritage. The 2024 NAHC tournament will be held in Grande Prairie from May 6th to 12th, marking the first time the event will be held in the province.

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Going into the last show of the 2023 chuckwagon season, Chanse Vigen is fighting for the world title, being tied for first in the world standings.

The Grande Prairie driver is competing in the five-day event at Century Downs Racetrack in Calgary off an aggregate championship win in Rocky Mountain House on Monday. The Battle of the Rockies championship is Vigen's third title of the season, having won both the aggregate and championship at the Grande Prairie Stompede and Ponoka Stampede.

Since the season started at the end of May, Vigen has broken a pair of records on the wagon trail. In Ponoka, he broke a 61-year-old record by posting the fastest time all six nights, breaking the previous record set in 1962 when Dale Flett made five consecutive first-place runs at the Calgary Stampede, a streak broken by Vigen's grandfather Ralph Vigen. On his way to win the Rocky Mountain Championship, Vigen also broke the track record by running a 1:13.52.

Heading into the world championships, Vigen is tied for first with Jamie Laboucane, the only other driver to win multiple titles during the 2023 season. The world champion will be decided after races on Saturday night in Balzac.

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Two Grande Prairie swimmers will compete at the upcoming Junior World Championships in Israel.

Jordan Greber and Oliver Dawson will be competing in the international under-18 competition after qualifying during the Canadian competition back in April. Director of Swimming for the Grande Prairie Piranha's Swimming Club, Alex Dawson, says Greber will compete in several backstroke events, while Dawson will compete in the breaststroke events.

The swimming director explains this is 15-year-old Dawson's first time competing at an international competition.

"He did exceptionally well back in April - and it was a little unexpected for him to make the team, but he punched his ticket," Dawson says.

Greber, however, is no stranger to international competition, having competed in the Junior Pan Pacific's last year and making it to the finals for Team Canada.

Having Grande Prairie athletes compete at a prestigious is exciting for the club and something Dawson says they have been working towards since he took over the club eight years ago.

"We are heading into next season, which is an Olympic year, so they are going to be choosing those teams next May, so we got two aspiring athletes that are looking ahead. The world's best swimmers are going to be at this event, and some of those swimmers do get to go on in another year from now if they continue to train, compete and continue to elevate."

Dawson will also be joining the two athletes as a Team Canada staff member on their trip across the ocean.

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