The Warriors will face a daunting starting lineup Friday in Edmonton. The Hanson brothers of Slap Shot fame will be the starting forward line for the home town Oil Kings. Apparently the plan is that Steve, Jeff and Jack Hanson will play a “shift” against the Warriors before making an exit. No word on whether the Warriors will be able to debut the McIlrath-Lyon-Beach line in response. It seems only fair that is the Oil Kings get the Hansons, the Warriors could at least get hometown boy Billy Charlebois in the line-up for the night. That game will be on aired on Shaw starting at 8 p.m.
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It was disappointing to learn that the Trans-Canada Clash would be cancelled, but in the long run it’s probably for the best to take a year off. When the Clash first began it was never intended to be an annual event. This year’s would have been the third in a row and fourth in five years. If the game takes a year off between games it lets fans miss it a little and would keep it fresh and novel. As someone who grew up with the rivalry, it’s always been fun to see the old names come back. Hopefully there will be some new faces coming back if the game returns in 2012.
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Once again the Warriors are offering a fan bus for the game in the Brandt Centre on Saturday, Jan. 29. The Pizza Hut fan bus has proven to be pretty popular. The cost is $35.
