By Greg Higgins

NHLer steals show at ball hockey tournament

May 16, 2016 | 8:14 AM

The Civic Centre was a little fuller Sunday after it was learned an NHL player was participating in the local ball hockey tournament. Calgary Flames forward Micheal Ferland played for the Pit Bulls.

“I have a lot of friends and family from Brandon, Manitoba,” Ferland said. “They joined the tournament and asked me to play with them a few months ago, so I said yes. I live in Calgary, so it’s a bit of a trip but it’s been a real fun weekend to pay some ball hockey with friends and family.”

“He can score at will,” Corey Bugler said, tournament organizer. “He played two games yesterday and scored a hat trick in both games.”

“Ball hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in Saskatchewan. We also have a couple of WHL guys playing, so when you get guys like that out, you can really see how big it is getting,” he added.

This is the fifth tournament that Bugler has organized, but the first one in North Battleford. Bugler is from Red Pheasant First Nation and wanted to bring a tournament closer to home.

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“I really like the Civic Centre so I think we’re going to stay here for the next few years. The glass is higher than all the other arenas we have been to, so we can keep the ball in play and keep the game moving,” Bugler said.

ghiggins@jpbg.ca

@realgreghiggins