Quispamsis, sled hockey players keen for international tourney

Town officials and sled hockey players are excited about the next big event slated for the Qplex in Quispamsis. 

Hockey Canada announced this week that the town will host the 2023 Para Hockey Cup in December.

"This is the next step in that odyssey … of providing high-end hockey for the people of Quispamsis and the Greater Saint John region," said Aaron Kennedy, the town's acting chief administrative officer. 

The town previously hosted three national and international hockey events — the 2016 men's U18 National Club Championship, the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (co-hosted by Saint John) and an exhibition game between the United States and Finland prior to the IIHF World Junior Championship in Moncton a few months ago.

The other three countries that will play in the tournament Dec. 3 to Dec. 9 haven't been officially announced, but invitations typically go out in May and participants are finalized in June, said Spencer Sharkey, a communications manager with Hockey Canada.

"Recent participants have included the United States, which has won seven-straight gold medals at the event, as well as Czechia, Italy and Korea," he said.

There will be 10 games in total, said Kennedy, culminating with the bronze and gold medal games on Saturday, Dec. 9.

The U.S. and Canada are the top two teams in para hockey, said Kennedy. They met in the gold medal match at the Beijing Paralympics last year. 

Many of the same players can be expected to compete in Quispamsis, he said.

"You know the rivalry between Canada and the United States in any type of hockey, whether it's men's or the world juniors or the women's game, in para as well is extremely strong. 

"The two nations don't like each other and especially at the para level, they are