Pronghorns Coming East For Pete Kelly Cup
Peterbilt Atlantic refurbishes trophy
(FREDERICTON, NB) The 2018 Peterbilt Atlantic Pete Kelly Cup will have a bit of a different look, which coincides with the fact the Pete Kelly Cup itself has a new look.
The trophy, awarded to the winner of the late December hockey series hosted by the UNB Reds, has been refurbished, thanks to Peterbilt Atlantic.
“It was an honour to rebuild it to a new level of beauty,” said Craig Allen, Peterbilt Atlantic’s Director of Marketing. “Peterbilt trucks are known as a symbol of quality and craftsmanship, which we believe is now reflected in the updated trophy.”
The new-look trophy will be awarded following this year’s Pete Kelly Cup, on December 29th, at UNB’s Aitken Centre.
The U SPORTS No. 1 ranked UNB Reds will welcome the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns that night, for a 7:00pm start.
“It’s a super opportunity for our team to play a new opponent,” said Reds head coach Gardiner MacDougall. “It’s even more special when it’s the team hosting the national championship, and a team coached by Murray Nystrom, a former UNB captain and valued alum.”
The Pronghorns, currently 6th in the Canada West men’s hockey standings, will play host to the 2019 Cavendish Farms University Cup tournament, in March.
Nystrom, who played three seasons with the Reds between 1989 and 1992, is their head coach.
“It is always a great feeling when returning to Fredericton and UNB,” said Nystrom. “I don't get back as often as is possible, although I have visited on various hockey related trips. It's a great city and I always love venturing through campus.”
Nystrom is eager to bring his team east.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to play UNB in the Pete Kelly Cup,” said Nystrom. “We view it as a chance to prepare for the second half. We’re in a battle in Canada West for playoffs, so we are looking to regain some of the positive play we created in our last month, before the Christmas break.”
“We want our player experience here to be varied, and seeking games against AUS teams is a way to provide that, while preparing for the stretch run of our season,” he said.
The Pete Kelly Cup has become a Christmas-time staple on the U SPORTS hockey calendar, attracting some of the country’s top teams to Fredericton.
MacDougall says that wouldn’t be possible without the support of Peterbilt Atlantic.
“Peterbilt has been a key supporter in this process in allowing our team to bring in top caliber teams for our fans to enjoy,” he said.
“Peterbilt Atlantic takes great pride in supporting the Pete Kelly Cup,” said Allen. “Integrity, trust, and excellence are core values that guide our business operations each day. We believe that UNB Reds hockey exudes those same values, and we’re honoured to associate our brand with a team that commands such respect nation-wide.“
Tickets for the 2018 Pete Kelly Cup are available at the Aitken Centre box office, which is open Monday to Friday, 11:00am to 4:00pm.
On game day, December 29th, the box office will be open 90 minutes before the scheduled 7:00pm face-off.