The Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association is ringing in the new year by hosting a Midget Rep tournament this weekend.
The GTMHA Midget Tier 3 Smokies will host a six-team tournament with teams from Spokane, Castlegar, Winfield, and two from Calgary competing at the Cominco Arena from Friday to Sunday.
Greater Trail currently sits in first place in the Okanagan Mainland Amateur Hockey Association Tier 3 league with a 10-2-1 record, with 8-3-3 Castlegar in second and Winfield is sixth.
Although the team has been successful this season, they have yet to make it past the semifinals in three previous tournaments, but will look to turn that stat around on home ice.
Coached by Bill Birks and Darcy Martini, Trail is a team with size and speed, and solid goaltending from Josh Ballarin and Kevin Engman, but will be tested when the Smokies face a couple of unknown Calgary teams on Saturday.
Trail opens the tournament at noon today (Friday) when they face the Spokane Jr. Chiefs. The GTMHA Midget Reps then hit the ice for a 10:15 a.m. match up on Saturday versus Trail West from Calgary and again at 4:30 p.m. against the McKnight Mustangs at 4:30 p.m.
Playoffs start on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. with the finals slated for noon at the Cominco Arena.
See full schedule on scoreboard on Page 9.