OTTAWA (CIS) – For the second straight season, the University of Alberta Golden Bears are the tournament favourites for the CIS men’s hockey championship.
 
University Cup website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mice
 
The seedings were announced Wednesday morning for the 2010 Cavendish University Cup, presented by TBay Tel. The six-team tournament will be hosted by Lakehead University at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont., from Thursday, March 25 to Sunday, March 28.
 
Joining the Canada West champion Bears at the championship will be the second-seeded McGill Redmen (OUA champions), No. 3 Saint Mary’s Huskies (AUS champions), No. 4 Lakehead Thunderwolves (OUA finalists), No. 5 Manitoba Bisons (Canada West finalists) and No. 6 UQTR Patriotes (OUA bronze medallists).
 
Alberta, Lakehead and UQTR will battle in Pool A in the preliminary round, while McGill, Saint Mary’s and Manitoba skate in Pool B. The first-place finishers from each group meet in the national final on March 28 at 7 p.m., live on Rogers Sportsnet.
 
The Redmen and Bisons face off in the tournament opener on March 25 at 2 p.m., while the Golden Bears and Patriotes kick off Pool A action at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Huskies and T-Wolves take the ice on March 26 against the losing teams from the opening-day duels.
 
New University Cup champions will be crowned in Thunder Bay as last year’s gold medallists, the UNB Varsity Reds, fell in the semifinal round of the Atlantic conference playoffs.
 
Alberta, McGill, Saint Mary’s and Lakehead return from the 2009 tournament, when they all failed to advance past pool play.
 
The Golden Bears were the last team to triumph as the No. 1 seed, in 2006, and hold most University Cup records including all-time titles (13), appearances (34th in 2010), finals (17), games played (88), wins (59), losses (27), goals for (404) and goals against (264).
 
NOTES: In addition to the championship final, Rogers Sportsnet will broadcast the final two pool games on Saturday, March 27... SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all seven University Cup contests...
 
SEEDINGS & POOLS
 
1. Alberta Golden Bears (Canada West champions: 23-4-1 regular season / 4-1 playoffs)
2. McGill Redmen (OUA champions: 22-6-0 regular season / 7-1 playoffs)
3. Saint Mary’s Huskies (AUS champions: 16-8-4 regular season / 8-1 playoffs)
4. Lakehead Thunderwolves (OUA finalists: 19-7-2 regular season / 6-2 playoffs)
5. Manitoba Bisons (Canada West finalists: 16-10-2 regular season / 3-3 playoffs)
6. UQTR Patriotes (OUA bronze medalists: 23-3-2 regular season / 5-3 playoffs)
 
Pool A
1. Alberta
4. Lakehead
6. UQTR
 
Pool B
2. McGill
3. Saint Mary’s
5. Manitoba
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
 
Wednesday, March 24
11:00 Media Conference (Fort William Curling Club – Fort William Gardens)
18:00 All-Canadian Awards Banquet (Fort William Historical Park)
 
Thursday, March 25
14:00 Pool B #1: McGill vs. Manitoba (SSN Canada webcast)  
19:30 Pool A #1: Alberta vs. UQTR (SSN Canada webcast)  
 
Friday, March 26
14:00 Pool B #2: Saint Mary’s vs. Loser Pool B #1 (SSN Canada webcast)     
19:30 Pool A #2: Lakehead vs. Loser Pool A #1 (SSN Canada webcast)      
 
Saturday, March 27
14:00 Pool B #3: Saint Mary’s vs. Winner Pool B #1 (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast) 
19:00 Pool A #3: Lakehead vs. Winner Pool A #1 (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast)  
 
Sunday, March 28
19:00 University Cup Final (Rogers Sportsnet / SSN Canada webcast) 
 
 
-CIS-