Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Names Tournament Champions

Players overcame freezing temperatures, grueling winds and Sunday's slow ice to win

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Feb 17, 2011, 01:36 ET

BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Three days of ice cold temperatures, grueling winds and hard fought hockey games ended Sunday with 16 divisional winners. Officials at the Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament named the following champions for the 2011 event:

Elite over 21 Division: Pink Beavers
Feeder Division: Santora's
Advanced A over 21 Division: The Frozen Seamen
Advanced B over 21 Division: Meatsticks
Advanced A over 30 Division: Kathy Lane Killers
Advanced B over 30 Division: Paleals
Intermediate over 21 Division: Bare Knucks
Intermediate over 30 Division: Fire
Intermediate over 40 Division: The Norsemen
Recreational over 21 Division: Gabels
Recreational over 30 Division: The Geckos
Recreational over 40 Division: The Labatt 50s
Novice A over 21 Division: Pilthy Puckers
Novice B over 21 Division: The Frumpkins
Novice C over 21 Division: The Whalers
Women's Division: Performance Solutions

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110217/NY50500 )

"There's just something special about playing hockey outdoors. The conditions aren't always perfect. The ice is choppy, the weather is unpredictable, but that's what real hockey is all about. This tournament is old school hockey at its best," said Brett Carlsen, associate brand manager, Labatt Blue. "Congratulations to all our division champs and everyone who competed. We're already looking forward to the 2012 Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament next year."

Freezing Temperatures Didn't Slow Competition

According to Carlsen, the goal of the tournament was to take people back to their roots and to a time when players laced up their skates and hit the local pond. The Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament delivers that Real Hockey experience for local adult hockey players. "Every year, the players face a different challenge. This year we had freezing cold temperatures, followed by a 'warm up' which made for slow ice late Sunday," Carlsen said. "But everyone's getting used to the fact that it's part of the tournament experience. It's what makes the Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament special."

One hundred twenty four teams and more than 700 players competed on ten man-made rinks on Lake Erie, Feb. 11-13, 2011. Labatt Blue worked with the City of Buffalo to create the ice surface and rinks. Over the past several weeks, crews coated the ice, smoothed out rough patches and cleared snow and slush. This year, city crews prepped 10 rinks so that eight could be in play at all times.

"The extra rinks came in handy on Sunday when ice conditions became rough. The City of Buffalo workers maintained the ice and even created two additional rinks in order to get all the games in," said Carlsen.

"The commitment the City of Buffalo workers have to the tournament is unmatched. They work around-the-clock for weeks leading up to the games, battling whatever Mother Nature throws their way. Their dedication is what makes the Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament a reality and we can't thank them enough," said Carlsen.

About the Tournament

Teams, representing novice, intermediate, advanced and elite level players, are comprised of four to six players, 21 years of age and older. Nets are six inches high and six feet wide like the goals used in USA Pond Hockey. Each year, the Labatt Blue Buffalo Pond Hockey Tournament is held in February in downtown Buffalo's Erie Basin Marina. For more information, visit www.labattbluepondhockey.com or www.facebook.com/labattbluepondhockey.

About Labatt USA

Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, Labatt USA imports Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light daily from Canada. Labatt Blue is America's top-selling Canadian beer. First brewed in 1951, Labatt Blue offers a clean, refreshing taste, light color, slight hop aroma, good balance, fruity character and a slightly sweet taste. Labatt Blue Light, an American-style light lager, won a Gold Medal in the 2004 World Beer Cup. Labatt Blue Light is the No. 2 Canadian import behind Labatt Blue.

Labatt USA, owned by North American Breweries, imports and markets Labatt Blue™, Labatt Blue Light™ and other Canadian brands into the United States. View and subscribe to news from Labatt USA here: http://www.pitchfeed.com/labattusa/1974

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SOURCE Labatt USA