By WAHEEDA HARRIS

Maple Leaf Gardens (Photo: Michael Clesle)
Hockey playoffs begin this week and what better way to add to your fan cred and keep your fervour going in the post-season than with a visit to one of the hockey shrines of Canada? (more…)
By WAHEEDA HARRIS

Maple Leaf Gardens (Photo: Michael Clesle)
Hockey playoffs begin this week and what better way to add to your fan cred and keep your fervour going in the post-season than with a visit to one of the hockey shrines of Canada? (more…)
After months of waiting, the stars are finally coming to town…the NHL All-Stars, that is! Just in time to celebrate the Ottawa Senators‘ 20th season, Scotiabank Place will be the battleground for the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 29, which sees some of the best players in the league face off (and our Captain, Daniel Alfredsson, lead one of the teams). But the game itself is not the only event taking place. On Jan. 28, check out the NHL Skills Competition, and from Jan. 26 to 28 the NHL Fan Fair will offer interactive games and attractions, plus special appearances, entertainment, and more. It will definitely be a weekend to celebrate Ottawa, hockey, and the National Hockey League.
Tennis Canada takes on France in the Davis Cup, at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre (Feb. 10 to 12).
Soccer Goooaaalll! That’s what the eight teams are shooting for in CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Soccer, at BC Place Stadium (Jan. 19 to 29).
Basketball An evening watching the Harlem Globetrotters perform? It’s a slam dunk, at Rogers Arena (Feb. 24).
Hockey Luongo, Kesler, the Sedins and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks have the home-ice advantage for several games, at Rogers Arena.—Sheri Radford
After close to 20 years without a Western Hockey League team, Victorians were thrilled to welcome the WHL’s Victoria Royals to town this fall.
Since opening in September to a sold-out crowd at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, the players – talented 16 to 20-year-olds striving to make it to The Show – have offered thrilling, fast-paced hockey action for both home fans and visitors alike.
Led by NHL and national team veteran Marc Habscheid as coach and GM, the boys in blue have come off the bench flying on their inaugural season. As members of the WHL, visiting teams this winter will include some of North America’s best such as the Vancouver Giants, the Calgary Hitmen and the Portland Winterhawks. All are vying not only for their league championship, but also a place on the national stage, as the West’s representative at the prestigious Memorial Cup. And, with single-game tickets starting at just $12, there’s no better deal for hockey fans!
For ticket information, visit the Select Your Tickets box office at the arena, call 250-220-7889 or find your perfect seat online at www.selectyourtickets.com

Wildlife photos at the Royal BC Museum
Head Indoors for these Winter Escapes.
Victoria is indeed a beautiful city no matter what the season, but during the winter, it’s inevitable we’ll have at least a few days that aren’t ideal for outdoor activities. Luckily there’s plenty of indoor options to both inspire and entertain! Here are five of our favourites…
1. Make it the museum. Victoria is blessed with several fine museums that make it easy to while away an hour, an afternoon or a day! Overlooking the harbour is the Royal BC Museum, with its natural history, First Nations and settlement displays. This winter, meet animals around the world with the visiting exhibit Wildlife Photographer of the Year, from London’s Natural History Museum. Around the harbour, the Maritime Museum of British Columbia explores all things nautical, from pirates to the BC Ferries and everything in between!
2. Take in a movie – IMAX style! Also at the Royal BC Museum is the six-storey tall screen of the IMAX Theatre, showing both the ever-popular IMAX films as well as Hollywood movies given a whole new look with the theatre’s state-of-the art technology.
3. Enjoy a little family fun. No matter what your age, who can resist an entertaining stroll through history and literature at Miniature World or the fascinating world of insects and arachnids presented at the Bug Zoo, both within a few minutes’ walk of the Inner Harbour.
4. Chill out at the rink. Victoria boasts two great choices for hockey, the WHL’s Victoria Royals and the BC Hockey League’s Victoria Grizzlies. The Royals heat up the ice at downtown’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, while the Grizzlies entertain fans at the Bear Mountain Arena in Colwood.
5. Get inspired in the garden. The world famous Butchart Gardens is a joy any time of year. In addition to the outdoor gardens, the New Year also brings two indoor features, Spring Prelude and the annual historical exhibit. Take a tropical vacation without ever leaving Vancouver Island with a visit to the beautiful Victoria Butterfly Gardens, also on the Saanich Peninsula. With colourful birds, butterflies, fish and flowers, it’s impossible to visit and not be inspired.
Tuesday, Oct. 11. With a new season comes new hope as the Ottawa Senators introduce a batch of fresh young faces to the line-up, just in time for the 20th anniversary of the modern franchise. Led by captain Daniel Alfredsson and superstar Jason Spezza, the team will be looking to make their mark this year. With new coach Paul MacLean behind the bench, goalie Craig Anderson between the posts, and All-Star Erik Karlsson on the ice, you’re definitely going to want to catch a game this season. We suggest their first regular season home game, which sees the Sens face off against the Minnesota Wild (also know as Dany Heatley’s new team), meaning it’s going to be one that really gets the fans going. All together now: Go Sens go!
The Halifax Mooseheads, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, have a daunting schedule this month. Highlights include matches with always tenacious Moncton on October 5, provincial rivals Cape Breton on October 9 and league champions Saint John on October 21.
The NHL’s return spins off benefits to a hockey-crazy city
When the Winnipeg Jets play their season home opener on October 9, Lauren Robb will be at the MTS Centre, along with 15,000 other crazed fans cheering themselves hoarse.
After all, 15 years is a long time to wait for the return of the home team.
“I’ve been excited at the prospect for years,” says the 35-year-old, who runs the website Winnipegjetsonline.com.
He’s not alone. (more…)