OTTAWA - The 14th annual Bell Capital Cup, the world’s premier atom and peewee hockey tournament, continues with games and events on Saturday, Dec. 29.

The 2013 edition of the annual holiday hockey fest, which runs through Tuesday, Jan. 1, includes 19 divisions, 380 teams and more than 6,500 players vying for the Allen J. MacDonald Memorial Trophy. This year’s field will be comprised of teams from five different countries, including Canada (three provinces and one territory), China (Hong Kong), Finland, Germany and the United States (with representation from nine individual states).

For more information on the Bell Capital Cup, including updated schedules, statistics and results, visit www.bellcapitalcup.ca.

Tournament events for Saturday, Dec. 29

Bell Capital Cup Skills Competition

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. - Please visit www.bellcapitalcup.ca for additional start times.

The 2013 Bell Capital Cup will host 28 different tournament skills competitions during the tournament. The skills events are a unique and innovative way to promote fundamental skill development for atom- and peewee-aged players. Each team will have the opportunity to participate in a skills competition, which will include five events: the power-play challenge, breakaway relay, agility relay, target shooting and the team relay race. The skills competition is among the tournament’s biggest highlights for players, coaches, parents and fans. In some divisions, more than 200 players will compete in a single skills event during this year's tournament.

Capital City Condors

The Capital City Condors, a hockey club for children with special needs, are participating in this year’s Bell Capital Cup for the first time. On Saturday, the team will make its tournament debut when its players take to the ice for a 3:30 p.m. contest at Bell Sensplex’s Mattamy Homes pad. Special needs Ontario-based hockey teams from Cambridge, Guelph, the Kawartha region and Orangeville are also participating in this year’s Bell Capital Cup.

Bell Capital Cup awards for players

At the conclusion of each game, a Rival Hockey player of the game and an Ottawa Senators hardest worker of the game will be selected from each team. The player of the game will be presented with a pewter and rosewood statuette, while the hardest worker will receive a silver medal to commemorate his or her overall effort. Recipients are ineligible to earn the honour twice, unless the second award is for play in the championship game or a team’s final game of the tournament. Nearly 3,200 trophies and medals will be distributed throughout the Bell Capital Cup.

Games of note for Saturday, Dec. 29

Peewee House A – Iqaluit Blizzard (Nunavut) vs. Gladiateurs d’Aylmer at 8:30 a.m., Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex

Major Peewee AA – Ottawa Valley Silver Seven vs. Karhu-Kissat Bears (Finland) at 1:55 p.m., Ray Friel Recreation Complex (Pad 2)

Minor Peewee AA – Gloucester Rangers vs. Jokerit Blue (Finland) at 1:55 p.m., Earl Armstrong Arena

Major Atom AAA – Burnaby Bruins (B.C.) vs. Kanata Blazers (coached by former Senators defenceman Jason York) at 3:25 p.m., Bell Sensplex (Scotiabank pad)

Major Peewee A – Barrie Colts vs. Karhu-Kissat Bears (Finland) at 4:05 p.m., Minto Arena

Minor Atom AA – Kingston Canadians vs. German Eagles at 4:40 p.m., Bell Sensplex (Palladium Insurance pad)

Major Peewee A – Syracuse Blazers vs. Espoo Blues Yellow (Finland) at 5:30 p.m., Minto Arena

Major Peewee AAA – Suffolk PAL (N.Y.) vs. Espoo Blues Blue (Finland) at 5:35 p.m., Ray Friel Recreation Complex (Pad 2)

Major Peewee AAA – Ottawa Sting vs. Upper Ottawa Valley Aces at 5:35 p.m., Ray Friel Recreation Complex (Pad 1)

Major Peewee AA – TNT Tornadoes vs. German Eagles at 6:50 p.m., Ray Friel Recreation Complex (Pad 1)

For more information on the Bell Capital Cup, including updated schedules for round-robin play and the Scotiabank-Canadian Tire all-star games, statistics and results, please visit www.bellcapitalcup.ca.

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