Alberta Sports

Like many young minor hockey players growing up, Mark Letestu dreamed of making it to the NHL.

The world championships scheduled Feb. 18-28 in China were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CALGARY — The Western Hockey League says major junior hockey will still be played this season.

EDMONTON — Curling Alberta has cancelled plans to hold its provincial championships later this month in Sylvan Lake, Alta., due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NexSource Centre was tabbed to host the Jan. 25-Feb.

The 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship did not go Canada’s way, as the tournament hosts and heavy favourites fell 2-0 in the gold-medal game to the United States on Jan. 5.

Pond hockey has been a tradition for generations in places like Kingman and Sylvan Lake, across Canada, parts of the U.S. and cold environments around the world.

"I'll remember that sting, that feeling, losing the gold for the rest of my life. I never want to feel that again and I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen."

The 2020 women's world championship set for Prince George, B.C., last March was cancelled. Canada is one of 14 countries slated to participate in the 2021 competition at the KSS Sports Complex.

Erik Read of Canmore, Alta., was 25th.

The mixed doubles playdowns will be held March 18-25 at the Markin MacPhail Centre, the federation said Wednesday in a release.