Team to travel to Whitehorse in February for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada as winner of Scotiabank's BIG SAVE contest

PETITCODIAC-SALISBURY, NB, Dec. 15 /CNW/ - The Petitcodiac-Salisbury Bantam "A" Flyers are preparing for the hockey journey of a lifetime as they travel to Whitehorse, Yukon, to participate in Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on CBC, on February 12, 2011, a day that celebrates hockey's birthday and Canada's passion for the game.

The Flyers, made up of one girl and 17 boys, ages 13 and 14, learned yesterday, via a private broadcast from CBC's Ron MacLean, that they are the winners of the Scotiabank BIG SAVE contest. The team will fly to Whitehorse in February with the Vancouver Giants and Kamloops Trailblazers from the Western Hockey League and have their arrival in Whitehorse filmed by CBC. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will give the Flyers the opportunity to meet NHL Alumni and lace up their skates to face-off against a local minor hockey team from the Yukon in the state-of-the-art 210,000 square foot Canada Games Centre..

"This is a great opportunity for our young hockey hopefuls to develop their skills through an experience they will cherish as a team for their entire lives," said Carl O'Neill, Manager for the Flyers.  "I have been involved in Petitcodiac/Salisbury minor hockey for more than 15 years and this is the greatest thing that has ever happened.  Travelling to the Yukon, meeting NHL Alumni and playing with another team from across the country will help inspire the kids to reach their full potential both on and off the ice.  I know this will be an experience they will never forget."

To enter the BIG SAVE, minor hockey teams across the country were encouraged to make a pledge to save money toward a team goal, empowering them to make small changes that, over time, make big differences.  Throughout the 2010-2011 hockey season, the goal of the Flyers was to save for a trip to Toronto to participate in a hockey tournament.

"As Canada's Hockey Bank, Scotiabank knows how important hockey is to our culture and to our community, while at the same time, we have always been committed to helping Canadians realize their savings goals," said April Caissie, local Scotiabank branch manager. "Scotiabank's community hockey programs provide exciting experiences like this one for hockey lovers in New Brunswick, and we are all going to be watching the Flyers and cheering them on throughout their journey to Whitehorse!" 

Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada will be broadcast live by CBC on February 12, 2011 and will feature three all-Canadian NHL match ups, beginning with Ottawa at Edmonton, followed by Toronto at Montreal and Calgary at Vancouver. Spotlights from Whitehorse and various remote sites from across Canada, including Scotiabank Prairie Pond Hockey Challenge fon Wascana Lake, Regina and Scotiabank Girls Hockey Fest in Oakville, Ontario, will be shown throughout the games.

Scotiabank is very proud to be Canada's Hockey Bank. As the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHLPA® , NHL Alumni^TM and the CWHL, Scotiabank has a long tradition of supporting hockey in Canada from local teams and minor hockey associations to professional players and leagues. Through its partnerships, Scotiabank's hockey programs enrich the communities where Canadians live and work by engaging fans and players in new ways to celebrate our game. Scotiabank supports the passion and pride Canadians feel for hockey and believes it is fundamental to helping young people learn about teamwork, camaraderie and the spirit of competition. Scotiabank's partnership with Pro Hockey Life provides exclusive in-store and online discounts to Scotiabank customers, promotes advice on equipment and enhances the grassroots community programs of both companies. In addition to the Calgary Flames® , Scotiabank also has partnerships with the Montreal Canadiens® and the Ottawa Senators® , whose home arena is Scotiabank Place. For more information, on Scotiabank's hockey programs visit www.scotiahockeyclub.com

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2009 the Bank provided about $39 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.