FAIRBANKS - Celebrity games have become one of the showcases of Hockey Week in Fairbanks, and five games will be part of Saturday’s Hockey Extravaganza at the Big Dipper Ice Arena kicking off the week-long celebration.

This year, there are at least five games scheduled on Saturday, and all have their own identities.

• The contest between the Fairbanks Police Department and the Fairbanks Fire Department is known as the “Guns and Hoses” game.

• The contest matching soldiers from Fort Wainwright against airmen from Eielson is known as “The Commanders’ Cup.”

• The game matching alumni from the Alaska Nanooks, Alaska Gold Kings and Fairbanks Ice Dogs often proves to be most popular with the fans.

• In 2009, a high school alumni game was added and will be played again this year. Graduates from West Valley and Monroe Catholic are pitted against grads from Lathrop and North Pole.

• New this year is a game between the University of Alaska Fairbanks women’s club team and an upper-level team from the girls’ Icebreakers program.

All games will be played at the Big Dipper, but the exact schedule has not been set. A detailed schedule will be posted at Sport King, Play It Again Sports and the Big Dipper.

Hockey Week kicks off with the extravaganza on Saturday, and a variety of activities are planned throughout the North Star Borough through Feb. 21.

The Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Hall of Fame area at the upper level of the Big Dipper.

Skate sharpening

The two major hockey shops in Fairbanks will be offering free services to patrons during Hockey Week.

Play It Again Sports will off free skate sharpening on Saturday, while Sport King will sharpen skates free of charge on Feb. 20.

Hockey Week is sponsored by the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame, the Borough Parks and Recreation Department, Emerald Isle Pull Tabs and a host of generous businesses throughout Fairbanks.

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