The 9th annual Iceberg Classic a three on three ice hockey tournament is underway in Medicine Hat. Ty Pepin from Gravelbourg, Sask. chose Duster for the name on his jersey. (Ross Lavigne/CHAT News)

By Jesse Gill

Iceberg three-on-three hockey tournament takes over the ice at Medicine Hat arenas

Apr 5, 2024 | 5:36 PM

Three-on-three ice hockey is taking over the rinks in Medicine Hat this weekend with over 600 players

The ninth annual Iceberg Classic tournament has 75 teams spread across eight divisions.

Age groups ranging from under seven up to under 13.

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It’s a little different than a regular hockey game with three skaters and a goalie a side instead of five skaters and a goalie.

The game has few stops with a faceoff only at the start of each period, no offsides, no icing.

When there is a save or a goal, the whistle blows and the goaltender passes the puck to a teammate to continue, similar to shinny hockey.

Organizer Chris Wyrostok said it’s also shorter in length than a standard game.

“Two periods of 15 minutes each, they still have penalties, and those are just a penalty shot,” Wyrostok said.

“It’s just fast-paced and quick, and lets the kids have a great time.”

Seven-year-old Stella Church plays for the Redcliff Grizzlies in the winter, but during this tournament she gets to play with the YXH O’16ers in the U-9 tier two division.

Church said she enjoys the extra space on the ice.

“That there is like only like three people and it’s not like a whole bunch of people on the ice,” Church said.

Church’s teammate Jayden Haubrich who said he’s almost eight-year-old is back to the Iceburg for his second year, he enjoys the three on three game.

“Just trying to. Well getting. I don’t know. It’s just really fun,” Haubrich said.

In the U-13 tier two divisions 11-year-old Ty Pepin travelled from Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan to play in the tournament for the Gross Misconduct team and enjoys the open ice.

“More room to skate,” Pepin said.

Pepin’s teammate Noah Mackenzie from Hazenmore, Saskatchewan enjoys the added offense.

“I don’t know scoring more goals,” Mackenzie said.

A fundraiser is being held with the tournament this year in honour of Jeff Gold, an original organizer of the Iceberg who passed away in Jan 2023.

“In honour of Jeff, as he had passed away from pancreatic cancer last year, we have a progressive 50/50 that’s going this year as well,” Wyrostok said.

“It’s the entire time that the tournament is running, and all the proceeds are going to the Marjery E. Yuill Cancer Centre here in Medicine Hat,” he added.

“So all the proceeds stay local.”

The Iceberg Classic 50/50 draw will be done on April 9 at 11 a.m.

As of 5 p.m. Friday the jackpot was already over $2200 with the winner taking home half of the total pot.

Wyrostok said the planning for the Iceberg is continuous throughout the year.

“Almost as soon as the previous year is done we start planning for the next year,” Wyrostok said.

“Registration gets going in November, so this year we filled up within probably close to a week. We had probably around 50 or 60 teams on the waiting list trying to get in,” he said.

“We just do it so the kids can have a great, fun time for their year-end. If they didn’t get to play with their friends during the year, they just pick their own team, put it together, and away they go.”