2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship just two weeks away
The 2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Tournament is just over two weeks and will be held from May 10-13, 2013 at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. The Robertson Cup crowns the NAHL’s playoff champion and also represents USA Hockey’s Tier II Junior National Champion.
This year’s event will mark the third time in the last 10 years that the Robertson Cup Championship tournament will have been held at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. Back in May, the NAHL Board of Governors voted to change the format to let the league operate and run the event, rather than a host team. As a result, the winners of the four divisional finals series will earn a berth to compete in the 2013 Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament.
The Division Finals begin on Thursday, April 25th and feature the following teams, each playing in a best of five series:
Central Division Finals – Bismarck Bobcats vs. Austin Bruins
North Division Finals – Jamestown Ironmen vs. Soo Eagles
South Division Finals – Texas Tornado vs. Amarillo Bulls
West Division Finals – Fairbanks Ice Dogs vs. Wenatchee Wild
In conjunction with the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) and North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) will both showcase their respective Top Prospects Tournaments, featuring 160 of the best players (80 from each league) competing in four games each.
The 2013 NAHL Robertson Cup Schedule will be as follows:
Friday, May 10th: 4:30pm, #2 seed vs. #3 seed – 7:30pm, #1 seed vs. #4 seed
Saturday, May 11th: 4:30pm, #2 seed vs. #4 seed - 7:30pm, #1 seed vs. #3 seed
Sunday, May 12th: 4:30pm, #1 seed vs. #2 seed – 7:30pm, #3 seed vs. #4 seed
Monday, May 13th: 7:30pm, Robertson Cup National Championship Game (top two teams after round-robin)
Tickets for the event are available at the door and are $25 for a Tournament pass (All NAHL, NA3HL and NAPHL) games or $10 for a daily pass (all games that day). All seating is general admission. Suites are also available for sale. There is also special pricing for groups of 10 or more.
Scout packets for all four days of the Robertson Cup, North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) Top Prospects and North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) Top Prospects will be complimentary for all professional and collegiate scouts. Scout packets will be available for purchase for all other scouts for $50 (cash, check or credit card accepted). Day passes are also available for $20. The packet includes a pass for entrance into Dr Pepper Arena for all four days of the event, access to the scout area, which will include food and beverage throughout the event, a tournament program, line charts for each game and all pertinent team and player information.
Opened in September of 2003, the Dr Pepper Arena is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue located in Frisco, Texas, in the heart of Collin County - one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. In addition to being home to the NAHL’s Texas Tornado, it’s the home practice facility and executive offices for the NHL’s Dallas Stars. During the 2008-09 season, the Dr Pepper Arena was renovated to increase the seating capacity from 3,733 seats to 5,000-7,000 seats depending on the event, and includes 12 luxury suites and a full service Gold Club restaurant and bar.
The oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States, the Robertson Cup is named in honor of Chuck Robertson, a pioneer of junior hockey in the NAHL and youth hockey in the state of Michigan. Robertson was the owner of the Paddock Pools team when it won a record seven straight NAHL championships from 1976-83.
For more information on the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, visit www.robertsoncup.com
