Birmingham Unified Hockey Team Releases 2012-13 Schedule

As the weather gets cooler and high school football season winds down, winter sports fans are getting ready for one thing: hockey.

While Red Wings fan may not be able to see a game anytime soon due to the NHL lockout, the Birmingham Unified varsity and junior varsity hockey teams — made up of high school hockey players from Seaholm and Groves — are ready for the 2012-13 season.

With tryouts currently underway, the team enters the 2012-13 season with new coaches. After coaching the Birmingham junior varsity team for five years, Shelby Township resident John Chateau will be taking over the varsity squad as head coach. Chateau launched the hockey program at Utica Eisenhower in 2000, the first hockey program in Macomb County. Last year, the Birmingham Unified junior varsity squad finished second the league.

Taking Chateau's spot as junior varsity head coach is Fraser resident Steve Kruk, who has served as junior varsity assisant coach for two seasons now. A lead instructor with Suburban Hockey Schools, Kruk has played juniors hockey with the Leamington Flyers and Chatham Maroons in Ontario.

The Birmingham Unified hockey teams will kick off their season on Nov. 11 during a bowling fundraiser at Royal Oak's Star Lanes. All proceeds will go toward the 2012-13 season.

Want to check out a game this season? Here's the line-up for the varsity and junior varsity squads. All home games are played at the Birmingham Ice Sports Arena.

Varsity

November

• 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 vs. Port Huron (home — scrimmage)
• 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17 vs. Macomb Dakota (home)
• 6 p.m. Nov. 23 @ Thanksgiving Tourney (home)
• 3 p.m. Nov. 24 @ Thanksgiving Tourney (home)
• TBA Nov. 29 vs. Clarkston (away)

December

• 8:30 p.m. Dec. 1 vs. Utica Eisenhower (away)
• 7 p.m. Dec. 6 vs. Farmington (away)
• 8:25 p.m. Dec. 10 vs. Utica Stevenson (away)
• 6:50 p.m. Dec. 14 vs. Howell (away)
• TBA Dec. 15 vs. Bloomfield United (away)
• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 vs. St. Clair Shores (away)
• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 vs. Stoney Creek (home)

January

• 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 vs. North Farmington (home)
• 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 vs. West Bloomfield (away)
• 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19 vs. Lake Orion (home)
• 8 p.m. Jan. 25 vs. Rochester United (away)
• 8:30 p.m. Jan. 26 vs. Oxford (home)
• 8:30 p.m. Jan. 30 vs. Caton (away)

February

• Feb. 2 @ MAC/OAA Day (away)
• Feb. 8-9 @ Trenton Showcase (away)
• Feb 15-16 @ OAA playoffs (away/home)
• 7:15 p.m. Feb. 20 vs. Port Huron Northern (away)
• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 vs. Lakeland (home)
• Feb. 23 @ OAA championship

Junior Varsity

November

• 4:30 p.m. Nov. 10 vs. Stoney Creek (away — scrimmage)
• 7 p.m. Nov. 17 vs. Traverse City (home)
• 4:30 p.m. Nov. 21 vs Brother Rice (away)
• 8:50 p.m. Nov. 27 vs. Clarkston (away)

December

• 4:30 p.m. Dec. 1 vs. Dakota (away)
• 8 p.m. Dec. 8 vs. Stoney Creek (away)
• 4:30 p.m. Dec. 15 vs. Rochester United (away)
• 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19 vs. DeLasalle (away)
• 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21 vs. Eisenhower (away)
• 4:30 p.m. Dec. 22 vs. OLSM (away)
• 5:45 p.m. Dec. 28 vs. WLC (away)
• 4:30 p.m. Dec. 29 vs. CC (away)

January

• 4:30 p.m. Jan. 5 vs. Farm Hills Prep (away)
• 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11 vs. Cranbrook (away)
• 4:30 p.m. Jan. 12 vs. Eisenhower (away)
• TBD Jan. 18 vs. Dakota (away)
• 7 p.m. Jan. 19 vs. Bloomfield (home)
• 4:30 p.m. Jan. 23 vs. WLC (away)
• 7 p.m. Jan. 26 vs. Clarkston (home)
• 4:30 p.m. Jan. 30 vs. Rochester United (away)

February

• 4:30 p.m. Feb. 2 vs. Stoney Creek (away)
• 12:15 p.m. Feb. 9 vs. DeLasalle (away)