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Rink of Dreams 24-hour hockey game comes back to Bear Mountain Arena

Back for a third year, the Macquarie Rink of Dreams 24-hour charity hockey game has become a highlight on the annual rec league calendar.
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Lawyer Nav Parhar and investment advisor Harp Sandhu organize the MacQuarie Rink of Dreams 24-hour charity hockey game at Bear Mountain Arena. The third edition of the event goes March 23 to 24.

Back for a third year, the Macquarie Rink of Dreams 24-hour charity hockey game has become a highlight on the annual rec league calendar.

There are returning teams and returning players, making the event successful, said organizer Harp Sandhu.

“Every year I feel the need to remind everyone this is not a ‘leave-your-house-late’ kind of beer league hockey game,” he added.

“Don’t say goodbye to your family, bring your family!”

The noon-to-noon, March 23 to 24 event at Bear Mountain Arena is a hockey carnival with a beer garden from noon to 11 p.m. and food vendors during the day.

There’s tons of stuff for kids, Marty the Marmot and other entertainment from noon till 3 p.m.

On the ice, it’s light versus dark in a game that almost makes it 24-hours around the clock (teams and players are invited to stay during the wee hours, but its optional). Every hour two new teams take the ice and the score is cumulative.

Cutoff for adults to signup has passed but there’s still a few spots for kids open.

Funds raised at the event have been matched by the Macquarie Group Foundation bringing the total to nearly $200,000 through the first two years, all of it going to the Victoria-based Help Fill A Dream Foundation.

It also happens to an “unofficial” hockey day in Canada, with five different Canadian teams playing on the big screen from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., including the Vancouver Canucks at 1 p.m.

There are dozens of quality prizes donated from the community up for grabs with the spin of the big wheel, a new feature, and a couple of other fresh takes on the prize raffles.

The chuck-a-puck event now has dedicated puck-chuckers, so ticket buyers needn’t worry about staying if home is calling.

One lucky adult hockey player will also get their name drawn to shoot for a new Subaru  XV Crosstrek. To win, the player must score 16 of 20 pucks in 20 seconds, into the far net from their blue line.

And in addition to the many Canucks and Victoria Royals tickets is the debut of this year’s Hat Trick Raffle, a trip for two with return Helijet return travel, prime seats to see the Vancouver Canucks versus rival Chicago Blackhawks on April 22, and two nights at the five-star Hotel Georgia. It also includes two spots at an exclusive Canucks autism fundraiser put on by MacQuarie Vancouver. Canucks general and assistant general manager and alumni players sit among the guests. It’s a total value of $3,000.

Tickets are $20 each or three for $50 with only 500 tickets being sold.

Second prize for the Hat Trick Raffle is dinner for two at Il Terrazzo. Third place wins two Macquarie branded composite hockey sticks, made by Flarow.

Kids play Sunday morning, followed by the closing ceremonies at 11 a.m. and a media game. Visit macquarieprivatewealth.ca/rinkofdreams for more info.

sports@vicnews.com