THUNDER BAY – Sports – An SIJHL Official takes the spotlight today. Adam Blando will represent the SIJHL and Hockey Northwestern Ontario at the World under-17 Hockey Challenge, which gets underway Saturday in the Quebec communities of Drummondville and Victoriaville.
Every Superior International Junior Hockey League contest features three teams on the ice, in both competing clubs as well as the officials assigned to work the game. Blando was chosen after earlier attending Hockey Canada’s Officiating Program of Excellence, which helps to identify officials for high-calibre events, such as the World under-17 Hockey Challenge.
“Adam has worked hard on fine tuning his officiating skills,” stated SIJHL referee-in-chief Gary Nistico. “He has been one of our most solid young officials, is always willing to listen and learn and never backs down from a challenge.”
“Adam will do the SIJHL and HNO proud and we are very lucky to have him on our officiating staff. We wish him well in this upcoming event.”
The 10-team tournament features five regional U-17 squads from across Canada taking part as well as the national under-17 teams from Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States.
The week-long event concludes Jan. 4 with the gold medal game.
