Frisco prepares for Robertson Cup
April 5, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Texas Tornado News Release
By the end of this weekend, the first round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs will be in full swing. In less than a month, five teams will emerge from those playoffs and play for the Robertson Cup, the championship of the North American Hockey League. From May 3rd to May 8th, the five NAHL division-winners will join the host team, the Texas Tornado, in Frisco for a six-day, round robin tournament to crown the league's champion. Should the Tornado win the South division, the team that finishes second will also earn a Robertson Cup berth. With NAHL teams located from Alaska to New York, Frisco will likely be taking in visitors from all corners of the country; all to watch the best teams in the NAHL battle it out on the ice for the right to call themselves champions.
"The Robertson Cup is a great event that we're excited to be hosting for a second time in franchise history," Tornado Vice-President Ben Weber said. "We're looking forward to having people in our building from all over the country and giving fans a chance to see some quality hockey featuring some of the best players in the entire league."
"On behalf of the City of Frisco and the Frisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, it is my pleasure to welcome the 2012 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship to Frisco," Frisco Mayor Maher Maso said. "We are proud to play host to the oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States and to be affiliated with an organization that holds fair play and sportsmanship at such a high regard- giving the participants, coaches, families, and spectators from around the area the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful event."
The decision to bring the Robertson Cup back to Frisco was announced in March 2011 and came with high praise from the league.
"We're very excited to be bringing the Robertson Cup back to Frisco and North Texas in 2012," NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld said at last year's press conference. "Over the years, the Tornado has proven to be one of the model organizations of the NAHL, both in terms of fan and community support as well as player development. With the new ownership group in place led by Bill Yuill and Gary Gelinas, there has been a renewed commitment to excellence and we're confident they will put on a first-class tournament in one of the best facilities in the country."
The Road to the Robertson Cup begins Thursday night as the Odessa Jackalopes travel to Amarillo to take on the Bulls in the first game of a five-game series. Amarillo takes the league's best record into the playoffs, but the Robertson Cup field will not be set until the final games are played later in the month. Until then, there is still a lot left to be decided.
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North American Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2012
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- Wild Will Wear No. 24 to Support Rumble - Wenatchee Wild
- Season Ending Banquet a Success for IceRays - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Frisco prepares for Robertson Cup - Texas Tornado
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