Hockey Alberta along with the Edmonton Oilers celebrated Hockey Day in Canada by hosting sixteen children from Inuvik, NWT who traveled below the 60th parallel, many for the first time, to experience an on ice skills session topped off with watching the Flames take on the Oilers.
"It was great to see the excitement and enthusiasm out on the ice." said Justin Fesyk of Hockey Alberta. "The majority of these kids have never been exposed to an NHL facility or an NHL game. For many it was a dream come true."
The group aged 8-10 also took a backstage tour of Rexall Place and the Oilers dressing room, as well as watched the Flames and Oilers pre-game skate. Prior to the game the children took part in an honour guard ceremony and received Oilers gear as a souvenir of their trip.
Inuvik is one of the northern most towns situated two degrees above the Arctic Circle on the Mackenzie River and Delta. Located over 3000 km from Edmonton, this northern community is home to nearly 3300 residents. Inuvik enjoys 56 days annually with twenty four hours of daylight in late June, July and part of August and has 30 days without sunlight mostly in the month of December.
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