Team Wins Scotiabank's BIGGER SAVE Contest and Travels to P.E.I.

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Dec. 20, 2011 /CNW/ - Christmas came early to the girls from the Abbotsford Ice Atom team yesterday as they learned they won the Scotiabank BIGGER SAVE CONTEST, getting the chance to travel across the country to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to participate in Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on February 11, 2012.

The team, made up of sixteen girls, ages nine and ten, learned through a special message from CBC's Ron MacLean that they are the winners of the contest. This incredible experience will see the young players fly to P.E.I., meeting their NHL heroes and facing off against a local hockey team. Their entire journey will be filmed by CBC as part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, a unique day celebrating Canada's passion for the game.

To enter the Scotiabank BIGGER SAVE contest, 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 add up to a big difference over time. Throughout the 2011-2012 hockey season, the goal of the young players from Abbotsford was to save for a trip to Surrey, B.C. to participate in a hockey tournament. They found out yesterday, they'll be travelling even farther than they had hoped.

"This is a fantastic experience for our girls to improve their skills and take advantage of an opportunity that they'll remember for the rest of their lives," said Rod Wiebe, team manager of the Abbotsford Ice. "Going across the country to be a part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in P.E.I. will help our team members grow both as hockey players and as young women."

"A love of hockey develops in many Canadians from a young age," said Nilusha Alibhai, Scotiabank District Vice President of North Coast & Fraser Valley. "I can't think of a better way to encourage these girls to follow their hockey dreams than for them to be a part of the festivities at Scotiabank's Hockey Day in Canada. Scotiabank is committed to the future of Canadian hockey and providing new and exciting ways for hockey lovers to enjoy the sport, we're excited to cheer on the teams when they lace-up in P.E.I."

Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada will be broadcast live by CBC on February 11, 2012, featuring all of the Canadian NHL teams in action across the country.

About Scotiabank
As the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHLPA®, NHL Alumni™ and the CWHL, Scotiabank is very proud to be Canada's Hockey Bank.  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 the Bank's customers, promotes advice on equipment and enhances the grassroots community programs of both companies.  Scotiabank also has partnerships with the Montreal Canadiens®, the Calgary Flames® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome, 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, through our global philanthropic program, 'Bright Future'.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $44 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.