KIRKLAND LAKE, Ont. – The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, in conjunction with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, announced Tuesday the team will be travelling to the U.S. from December 11-15 to participate in their first annual NCAA Campus Tour and exhibition series.
The five-day event will see the Gold Miners visit and tour the campuses of four NCAA programs during the trip as well as play a trio of exhibition contests against Eastern Hockey League junior competition.
Among the schools the players and staff will visit are NCAA D-III programs; Utica College, Trinity College and NCAA D-II Southern New Hampshire University as well as NCAA Division-I University of Connecticut.
Kirkland Lake will also take on the EHL’s East Coast Wizards on Dec. 13, the Walpole Express on Dec. 14 as well as another EHL side in the New Hampshire Avalanche on Dec. 15.
In announcing the trip, Gold Miners’ head coach and general manager Ryan Wood offered his thoughts on discussing the event.
“This trip will offer additional exposure to all our players,” stated Wood.
“The NOJHL as a league continues every year to up it’s game to provide extra opportunities to showcase it’s players and this is just another case of league commissioner Robert Mazzuca understanding the importance of exposure,” added the Kirkland Lake coach and GM.
“When brought up for the necessary approvals, the commissioner was very supportive and was happy to see us do something like this for our players.”
An opportunity to give his team added exposure to a multitude of NCAA programs in the vicinity can only been seen as a positive feels Wood.
“There is over 40 schools in the East Coast and bringing our group right to them seemed like a great benefit for our program. We Hope this goes well so that we can offer this opportunity yearly.
“We thank commissioner Mazzuca, the NOJHL, the NOHA, the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada for their support and approval to make this trip possible as well as our amazing executive here in Kirkland Lake for supporting this venture.”
For more information on the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, visit the team website at klgoldminers.com or via Twitter through @KLGoldMiners.
KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS NCAA CAMPUS TOUR & EXHIBITION SERIES
Main Itinerary
Tuesday, Dec. 11
T.B.A.: Depart Kirkland Lake and travel to Utica, N.Y.
Wednesday, Dec. 12
8 a.m.: Practice at Adirondack Bank Center (Home of the AHL’s Utica Comets)
9:45 a.m.: Utica College Campus Tour NCAA D-III
T.B.A.: Travel to Hartford, Conn.
7 p.m.: AHL Game between Springfield Thunderbirds and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Thursday, Dec. 13
9:30 a.m.: Trinity College NCAA D-III Campus Visit
3:30 p.m.: Game vs East Coast Wizards (EHL)
Friday, Dec. 14
9 a.m.: UCONN NCAA D-1 Campus Visit
2:50 p.m.: Game vs Walpole Express (EHL)
Saturday, Dec. 15
11 a.m.: Southern New Hampshire University Campus NCAA D-II visit
2 p.m.: Game vs. New Hampshire Avalanche (EHL)
Return to Kirkland Lake immediately following game.
