Golden Bears hockey to be featured on Hockey Day in Canada

EDMONTON - The most successful men's hockey program in the history of Canadian Interuniversity Sport, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, will be featured in a segment as part of the Canadian Broadcast Company's (CBC) annual Hockey Day in Canada broadcast on January 30, 2010.

CBC's annual Hockey Day in Canada celebrates Canada's fascination with and passion for hockey with a mammoth 13½ hour broadcast, coast-to-coast, highlighted by an NHL triple-header featuring Canada's six teams. The day-long broadcast profiles the significance of hockey in communities across the country, with former NHLers and popular CBC personalities making guest appearances on the program. This year's broadcast, the 10th in CBC history, will be done live from Stratford, Ontario beginning at 10:00 a.m. MST.

The University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team, founded in 1908, has won a CIS record 13 University Cup trophies since the 1962-63 season, and has competed in a record 33 national championship tournaments, including a streak of 10 straight from 1997 to 2006 when they won four CIS banners. The Bears have also won 47 Canada West conference championships, and sent 13 players onto National Hockey League careers.

The Golden Bears program will be featured in a segment that explores what it means, and takes, to be a successful team. CBC national reporter Lynda Calvert spent time with former Golden Bear head coach Clare Drake, who's 697 career wins puts him first place in CIS history, as well as current head coach Eric Thurston, winner of six national championships as a player and coach with Alberta, former player Rick Swan, who has 101 points in 81 career games with Alberta, and is now a Sergeant with the Edmonton Police Service, and current player Eric Hunter, the 2008 Canada West rookie of the year, and a 2006 New York Rangers draft choice (174 overall).

Alberta is currently 18-1-1 on the season, and occupies first place in the Canada West standings.