November 21, 2023
Delta Hockey Academy Prep Green scored a 4-2 victory over Northern Alberta Xtreme to take the top spot in the inaugural Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational.
Delta Hockey Academy Prep Green posted a perfect 6-0 record in the four-day tournament. “Going undefeated is never easy and it takes a team effort,” says Owen Pighin, vice president, Delta Hockey Academy. “We know how good every team is and realistically, you take it game by game. In the end, we are very proud of all the players and coaching staff for this amazing achievement.”
Earlier this year, organizers announced the U15 Elite Division will be featured as a stand-alone invitational tournament in November, providing a better scheduling opportunity for young players to show their skills to Western Hockey League and associated scouts.
“Being a school-based program in Delta, participating in tournaments over school breaks is not an option,” says Pighin. “So, when the option of participating in the Pat Quinn Classic outside of the Christmas break time frame was offered, we were all in. This tournament fit in perfectly with our schedule and it was easy to manage. We hope this successful event is the start of many more.”
In addition to winning the top trophy, two players from Delta earned awards:
- Tournament Top Goalie: Matthew Wong, Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep Green
- Tournament Most Valuable Player: Ryder Dunn, Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep Green
Other honours were awarded to:
- Tournament Top Defensive Player: Brock Cripps, St. Georges (Vancouver)
- Tournament Top Forward: Blake Chorney, Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
Players in the tournament were also eligible for Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational Scholarships, supported by the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association. Following an evaluation of applications, the $2,500 scholarship recipients are:
- Ryan Fox, Burnaby Winter Club U15 Prep
- Logan Fuller, RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep
The scholarships recognize players for their on-ice and scholastic achievements and community contributions. Kalli Quinn, representing the Quinn Family, and Jason Krog, representing the Vancouver Canucks Alumni presented all the awards following the tournament final.
“We congratulate all 16 participating teams for helping to make this first U15 Elite Invitational a great success,” says Robyn Hughes, director of Sport Burnaby. Tourism Burnaby and Sport Burnaby own the Pat Quinn Classic and collaborated with Inside Edge Hockey to stage the U15 Elite tournament.
“Having teams from the Okanagan, Alberta and the United States join us in the Lower Mainland contributed to the high level of competition for this first Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational,” says Joe Saloustros, co-founder of Inside Edge Hockey.
U15 Elite Invitational scores and standings are available here.
Organizers are now turning their attention to planning for the next part of the 2023 Pat Quinn Classic with competition continuing in December with eight divisions.
- Dec. 27 – 30: U15 Female Elite and U13 Female Elite
- Dec. 28 – 31: U17 Integrated Elite, U17 Integrated Flight 1, U15 Integrated Flight 1, U15 Integrated Flight 2, U13 Integrated Elite, and U13 Integrated Flight 1
Backgrounder – The Pat Quinn Classic
The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association began hosting the annual December Bantam hockey tournament in 1962. It is now the longest-running event of its kind in the world. The tournament became the Pat Quinn Classic in 2015, named after the legendary player, coach, general manager and team owner. Pat Quinn is internationally-recognized as one of the hockey’s greatest coaches and ambassadors. Proceeds go to the Pat Quinn Scholarship Fund. Managed by Hockey Canada, the fund supports players in post-secondary education after their hockey careers. Quinn is one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian sport and has made an enormous contribution to sport in British Columbia and Canada.
The objective of the Pat Quinn Classic is to create a top international-calibre tournament in Western Canada to showcase local teams alongside some of the strongest programs in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Organizers worked with the Quinn family to create a unique tournament that strikes the right balance between exciting hockey, skill and leadership development and community engagement. Pat motivated players at all levels to work hard on the ice and live with passion and integrity off the ice. The vision of this tournament exemplifies his love of hockey and his unwavering commitment to give back to the community.
MEDIA CONTACT: info@patquinnclassic.com