Griffins hold off late Golden Bears' push to earn weekend split with 3-2 victory

EDMONTON – It's not every day that you get a chance to play against a national team, so the MacEwan Griffins are preparing for a unique experience when they welcome the Chinese men's hockey team to their barn for an exhibition game on Wednesday as part of their January tour of Edmonton.

The contest (7 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV) will be a terrific opportunity for the Griffins to stay sharp during their bye week and test their game against a country's best players. Admission is free.

"I think that's awesome," said Griffins forward Vincent Scott of getting the experience of playing against another country. "Being in Canada, we don't get to play against other cultures like that, so this is a great opportunity to grow the game. I'm sure they're going to be a great team, so it will be a good test for us."

The Chinese team is coached by Perry Pearn, a native of Stettler, Alta., who used to be the bench boss of the NAIT Ooks (1978-93) before he was an assistant coach in the NHL for more than 20 years with the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks. 

"I met Perry Pearn through Vimy Ridge (Hockey Academy in Edmonton) when he was done his NHL coaching career," said Griffins head coach Zack Dailey.

"Perry is trying to get his group as many competitive games together as possible. He knows Edmonton and was already coming to play NAIT. Luckily we were on our bye week, so we're able to play them as well."

The Chinese team will host the World Division IB Championship in Shenzen, China from April 29 to May 5. Other teams at the tournament are Romania, South Korea, Estonia, Spain and the Netherlands. The winner will be promoted to the IA Division in 2027 and the loser relegated to Division IIA.

For context, the IA Division is right below the top division, which features Team Canada. IA has national teams from Kazakhstan, France, Ukraine, Japan, Poland and Lithuania.

What that means for the level of play the Griffins will be going against is intriguing and unknown. It's likely China doesn't have all of its top players due to pro commitments, but the level should still be high.

"Honestly, this is my first time playing a national team, so I don't really know what to expect," said Scott. "We don't know what their lineup looks like yet. It's kind of we're preparing just like any other game, and we'll be ready for anything."

Dailey has an idea about the habits of the team they'll face, though.

"Obviously, detailed is probably one thing," he said. "Any time you're on a national team, there's that pride level, as well. So, I think the passion and competitive level is going to be quite high. Their pro league over there is quite good, so I expect a quick, skilled team that's detailed and ready to go."

And that will be a good test for the Griffins, who are coming off a weekend sweep of Trinity Western that's moved them ahead of cross-town rival Alberta into second in Canada West's West Division. They will resume conference play against Manitoba Jan. 23-24, needing just two points to clinch a playoff spot.

The test against the Chinese National Team will be important to keep them sharp during the bye.

"We're excited for the opportunity," said Dailey. "It's another opportunity for our group to solidify what we do well. No matter the opponent, we want to play the same way, so it's just a chance for us to solidify some good habits."