WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WNCN) – It may be a hockey tournament unlike anything you’ve seen before.
“Sled hockey” teams from Nashville, Virginia Beach and Florida played in Wake Forest this weekend in the inaugural “Carolina Sled Hockey Classic.”
The tournament was put on by the Town of Wake Forest and the Triangle Special Hockey Association, a hockey league for players with developmental or physical disabilities.
Players said sled hockey basically follows the same rules as the hockey you’re used to – expect they’re using a sled, propelled by sticks with picks at the end. It’s almost like cross-country skiing.
“A lot of us [had] injuries or amputations later in life, so we were used to playing regular sports, stand-up sports, so it’s kind of nice to be able to get back to that,” said Wake Forest resident Steve Fortin. Fortin has been playing the sport for five years.
“I grew up watching the NHL, so I wanted to play…and then I started playing and it’s really fun,” said Tyler Jacoby, from Apex. Jacoby has been playing for seven years.
The local team, the Triangle CAT 5 Canes played this weekend and won the championship by beating the Nashville Sled Preds 2-1 in the final.
There’s a local adult team, but not enough young people to form a strong youth team. The association is hoping to get one started up if more kids are interested in joining.
The games were played at the Polar Ice House inside The Factory.
