OTTAWA (CIS) – For the second straight year, the University of Alberta Golden Bears have earned the number one seed heading into the CIS men’s hockey championship in Saskatoon.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE: www.universitycup.ca 
 
The seeding and pools were announced Sunday for the PotashCorp University Cup presented by Co-op. The six-team tournament, hosted by the University of Saskatchewan, gets under way on Thursday at the Credit Union Centre and culminates next Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Central Time with the gold-medal final, live on Sportsnet.
 
Sportsnet also has live coverage of the last two contests of the preliminary round, Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. CT, on Sportsnet 360. All seven games from the championship will also be webcast live on www.CIS-SIC.tv.
 
Joining Canada West champion Alberta at the competition will be the second-seeded Acadia Axemen (AUS champs), No. 3 Windsor Lancers (OUA champs), No. 4 McGill Redmen (OUA finalists), No. 5 Saskatchewan Huskies (hosts) and No. 6 Carleton Ravens (OUA bronze medallists).
 
Alberta will skate in Pool A with McGill and Carleton in the round-robin portion of the tourney, while Acadia, Windsor and Saskatchewan battle in Pool B. Opening day will see the Golden Bears take on the Ravens at 1 p.m. and the Axemen square off against the Lancers at 7 p.m.
 
The Bears are the most decorated team in CIS men’s hockey history with 13 University Cup titles. Acadia (2), McGill (1) and Saskatchewan (1) have also claimed the CIS banner in the past.
 
NOTES: A complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday... A meet-the-teams media conference is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CT on Wednesday at the Credit Union Centre... The CIS major award winners and all-Canadians will be announced on Wednesday night.
 

SEEDING & POOLS

 
1. Alberta Golden Bears (CWUAA champions: 25-2-1 regular season / 4-0 playoffs)
2. Acadia Axemen (AUS champions: 21-4-3 regular season / 6-2 playoffs)
3. Windsor Lancers (OUA champions: 17-11-0 regular season / 7-1 playoffs)
4. McGill Redmen (OUA finalists: 21-5-2 regular season / 6-2 playoffs)
5. Saskatchewan Huskies (Hosts: 17-10-1 regular season / 1-2 playoffs)
6. Carleton Ravens (OUA bronze medallists: 22-5-1 regular season / 6-3 playoffs)
 

Pool A

1. Alberta
4. McGill
6. Carleton
 

Pool B

2. Acadia
3. Windsor
5. Saskatchewan
 
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times CENTRAL TIME)
 

Wednesday, March 19

13:15 Meet the Teams Media Conference (Credit Union Centre)
18:30 SaskTel All-Canadian Presentation (TCU Place)
19:15 SaskTel Gala (TCU Place)
 
Thursday, March 20
13:00 Pool A #1: No. 1 Alberta vs. No. 6 Carleton (www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
19:00 Pool B #1: No. 2 Acadia vs. No. 3 Windsor (www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
 
Friday, March 21
13:00 Pool A #2: Loser Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 McGill (www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
19:00 Pool B #2: Loser Pool B #1 vs. No. 5 Saskatchewan (www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
 
Saturday, March 22
14:00 Pool A #3: Winner Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 McGill (Sportsnet 360 & www.CIS-SIC.tv)
19:00 Pool B #3: Winner Pool B #1 vs. No. 5 Saskatchewan (Sportsnet 360 & www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
 
Sunday, March 23
13:30 Final (Sportsnet & www.CIS-SIC.tv) 
 
* The webcasts of the 3 televised games will be on pay-per-view basis.