By Jeromy Corirgan

Local NHL showdown slated for Saturday afternoon

Mar 2, 2018 | 3:44 PM

After two months of waiting, residents of Grande Prairie and the Peace will finally get to see the local NHL matchup which they have been waiting for.

New York Islanders forward and Grande Prairie product Tanner Fritz and the Pittsburgh Penguins Carter Rowney who hails from Sexsmith, were supposed to play each other for the very first time in the NHL back in January, but an upper-body injury sidelined Rowney which delayed the matchup.

Both players were a major fixture in Grande Prairie as members of the Storm who went on to win the AJHL Championship in 2008-2009.

” Seeing them play against each other has to be pretty exciting for them. They are good buddies off the ice too. I’m sure they are both looking forward to it, ” said Storm Assistant Coach Dennis Rix, who played with both Fritz and Rowney.

Fritz is just getting his feet wet in the National Hockey League as he made his debut in early January but has come along in just two months.

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The Islanders forward netted his first NHL goal on February 19th against the Minnesota Wild, and earlier this week was practising on the Islanders top line with John Tavares and Anders Lee.

Rowney’s Penguins continue to have another strong year and are poised to go on another lengthy playoff run.

Rowney has also chipped in with two goals and two assists so far this season.

With both player’s in the NHL, it does wonders for the Grande Prairie Storm as an organization for potential recruitment in showing they can send players to the next level.

” It’s definitely huge to have two names in the NHL and local boys as well. Carter from Sexsmith and Tanner right from Grande Prairie. Just to have them both in the NHL and play against each other is huge for the Storm organization, ” noted Rix.

Rix concluded by saying it shows that players can stay in Grande Prairie, play through the GPAC system, join the Storm, and still reach their goals and dreams without moving away from home.

Fritz’s Islanders are in Pittsburgh to face Rowney’s Penguins Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Grande Prairie time.