LABATT BLUE AHL BUBBLE HOCKEY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS DATES ANNOUNCED

Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons announced dates and locations on Wednesday for the 2013 Labatt Blue AHL Bubble Hockey Tournament of Champions.

Bubble hockey players have eight opportunities in the Springfield area this year to qualify for the Team Final, which will be held in two stages at the MassMutual Center on Saturday, Mar. 30 during that evening's Falcons game against the Connecticut Whale. The preliminary Team Final stage will take place on the concourse at the start of the Falcons game, and then the championship contest will occur on the ice during the second intermission. The Team Final champion will move onto the Tournament Finals at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. on Sunday, Apr. 21. Falcons players Jake Hansen and Allen York kicked off the 2013 tournament on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Pasquale's Restaurant in East Longmeadow.

The 2013 Labatt Blue AHL Bubble Hockey Tournament of Champions winner receives a Super Chexx Bubble Hockey game. Players must be 21 or older to participate.

Click here for the official rules.
Click here for the complete AHL schedule.

Below is the Springfield-area tournament schedule:

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Pasquale's Restaurant, East Longmeadow
Friday, Feb. 15, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m., JT's Sports Pub, Springfield
Saturday, Feb. 16, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m., JT's Sports Pub, Springfield
Thursday, Feb. 21, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Hooters, West Springfield
Sunday, Feb. 24, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Hooters, West Springfield
Friday, Mar. 1, 9:30 - 11:30 p.m., McCaffrey's Public House, Springfield
Saturday, Mar. 2, 9:30 - 11:30 p.m., McCaffrey's Public House, Springfield
Thursday, Mar. 7, 9:00 - 11:00 p.m., Theodore's, Springfield
Saturday, Mar. 30, 7:00 p.m., Team Finals, MassMutual Center