Marlies Begin Pre-Season in Edinburgh

June 11, 2009

Maple Leafs Affiliate Begin Pre-Season at Scotland’s ‘Ice Hockey Homecoming’ Tournament
Jeff Jackson, General Manager of the Toronto Marlies, announced today that the club will begin their pre-season in Scotland’s ‘Ice Hockey Homecoming’ tournament in Edinburgh, Scotland from Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27 at the Festival of Ice Hockey. The Marlies opponents will include their QEW-rivals, the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens), the Belfast Giants and the Edinburgh Capitals, Scotland’s only Elite League hockey club.

The four team tournament begins on Thursday, September 24 with a battle between the Marlies and Bulldogs at Murrayfield Ice Rink in Edinburgh at 2:00 p.m. (ET).
The Marlies play the Edinburgh Capitals on Saturday, September 26 in their semi-final game at 7:30 a.m. (ET). The championship game will be played between the two winning teams from Saturday’s games and will take place on Sunday, September 27 at 12:30 p.m. (ET). The winning team on Sunday will take home the Gardiner Cup. The third and fourth place teams will play in a consolation final on Sunday morning.

“The Marlies are thrilled to participate in Scotland’s ‘Ice Hockey Homecoming’ Tournament and to compete for the Gardiner Cup,” said Jeff Jackson. “This will be a terrific hockey and life experience for our players and we’re honoured to be a part of this unique event. We are looking forward to a competitive tournament and showcasing a number of our NHL prospects to the hockey fans in Scotland.”

The Gardiner Cup celebrates the life of Charles ‘Chuck’ Gardiner. He attained NHL stardom with the Chicago Blackhawks where he guarded the net from 1927-1934 and helped lead the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup victory. Gardiner was the first Scot to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945.

For 2009-10 Marlies ticket information, including season ticket packages and group seats, visit www.torontomarlies.com or call the team’s ticket line at 416-597-PUCK.

SOURCE: torontomarlies.com