CANTON -- The fourth Fort Drum Mountain Warrior Sled Hockey Tournament returns to the Roos House at SUNY Canton for an action-packed weekend March 4 to 6.

Tournament organizer and Mountain Warrior Sled Hockey Head Coach Mark McKenna of Canton says that sled hockey is growing, and explains that “each player is seated in a sled mounted on two blades. They propel themselves using two shortened sticks with ice picks mounted at the handle of the stick. Each of the players on the team face certain challenges, but I’ll tell you, they move quickly and compete fiercely.”

Play begins at 7 a.m. Friday with four games in the morning and a second round begins at 2 p.m. The last game of the day begins at 5. Action resumes at 7 a.m. Saturday with four games before a mid-day break when a community skate begins where spectators can try out a sled. A second round of games starts at 1:30. A Veteran’s Face-Off starts at 4:30 when the Fort Drum Mountain Warriors will take on the Buffalo Warrior Vets.

Games will conclude with the championship game and closing ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. All games will take place at the Roos House on the SUNY Canton Campus.

Fans can enter to win a weekend getaway to the ECAC College Hockey Finals in Lake Placid donated by Donaldson Funeral Home, Massena. It includes hotel, weekend passes to the games and meals for $20 per ticket. Miracle on Ice team captain, Mike Eruzione donated a signed 1980 Olympic jersey which will be included in the silent auction along with NHL and other sports memorabilia. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and chuck- a- puck.

The team was founded in 2011 when McKenna was working out in the gym at Fort Drum where he is employed as a Civil Engineer. He noticed a wounded soldier make his way around the gym to a few pieces of equipment in his wheelchair. Because of accessibility issues, the soldier was unable to get a workout in and left the gym. “I went to try to catch him to offer some help, but he was too quick for me” said McKenna. “I returned to the gym and asked the staff what they did for disabled soldiers -- did they offer wheelchair basketball or sled hockey for team sports? They hadn’t even heard of sled hockey,” he said.

He made contact with an affiliate of USA Hockey Disabled Section to see what it would take to get sled hockey to the North Country. “USA Hockey told me about their sled lending program to help bring sled hockey to new communities” he said. “They would bring all the sleds if we did a two day clinic to help teach athletes the sport if I could recruit 18 players. Next, I asked the four local colleges for old hockey equipment and MAC Sports donated as well. I worked with the Warriors in Transition Unit at Fort Drum and asked around the community about other interested athletes.

“With donations from businesses and generous community members, it didn’t take long to come up with all the sleds we needed to put the clinic on,” he said. “We never could have made this happen in a community outside the North Country. When they learn what we’re doing, everyone is incredibly supportive.”

The Fort Drum Mountain Warriors have traveled to Albany, Syracuse, Boston and Canada to compete against other sled hockey teams. In order to create more opportunities for his athletes McKenna began organizing a tournament held at the Roo’s House on the SUNY Canton Campus. Now in its fourth year, it has grown to six teams.

McKenna said they have had a lot of support from VFW Post #1231 in Canton, the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Fort Drum, SUNY Canton, the Knights of Columbus and many local hockey teams from Canton, Potsdam, and Massena have also made contributions.

The tournament last year raised nearly $9,500 to support the Fort Drum Mountain Warriors Sled Hockey Team to allow the soldiers to continue to pursue athletics despite injuries and disabilities.

More information on the 4th Annual Wound Warriors Sled Hockey Tournament can be found by visiting the Facebook page at Wounded Warriors Sled Hockey Tournament- Canton, NY or by contacting Kellie Hitchman at 265-3105. Mark McKenna can be reached at 854-0383 to answer questions about sled hockey or the Fort Drum Mountain Warriors.