The Cochrane Generals hit the road yesterday afternoon for Wainwright and this morning are preparing for their first game.
The Gens play in the tournament's opener at 1 p.m. against the Fort St. John Huskies. They go on to face the St. Paul Canadians and Beaumont Chiefs in the round-robin.
The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals on Saturday night, and the championship game is Sunday at 2 p.m. (full tournament schedule below).
There have been many generous supporters stepping forward to help them with the $20,000 cost of the trip. Others have been making in-kind contributions.
Gens head coach Kurtis Jones says they appreciate the incredible support shown by the community and its businesses.
The team hasn't bunked this long together all season, but its players have had a tight bond that has only grown stronger as the season progressed.
"It's a total team thing. We have two moms who will be making all the food instead of eating out, and they've done a fabulous job there. Rick (Richards) and our board members are planning it all out, so it's going to be a very exciting trip for everybody."
Jones and assistant coach Erik Krigel spent last night reviewing videos and getting to know the teams in their pool.
Jones says the team is in good spirits.
"They're focused and pretty ready to go," says Jones. "I know we lost the HJHL championship, but provincials is a whole other game, and we're hoping to get back to the final."
The Jr. B provincials can be viewed here.