This weekend, the 12 members of the St. Louis Sled Hockey team will have a chance to play in front of a hometown crowd during the second annual St. Louis Sled Hockey Tournament.

The weekend of events will take place at the Lindenwood Ice Arena in Wentzville. On Sunday, hockey fans can watch a charity match up between Lindenwood's Hockey Team and alumni members of the St. Louis Blues.

Six other sled hockey teams will travel from across the country for this weekend of league play, said Kelly Behlmann, president and founder of the Disabled Athlete Sports Association.  Sled hockey players must have a physical or visual disability to join the team. Players sit in long sleds with a skate blades on the bottom and use modified hockey sticks to propel themselves across the ice.

The team from San Antonio comprises wounded war veterans, said Behlmann.

Some players who are amputees are able to remove their prosthetic legs and sit in an aerodynamic bucket with a blade on the bottom.

“The fastest and most agile players are the players that are double amputees,” said Dowling.

The 12 players on the St. Louis Sled Hockey Team live across the region on both side of the river, includes Ryan Demler, who is from St. Charles.

“They are all great athletes and big hockey fans,” said Mike Dowling, head coach and coordinator of the team.

The team’s record is at 1-2 so far on the season. The team will play 15 games in total this year.

“We should be much stronger at home,” said Dowling, because they will have a full roster of players.

Charity match up

On Sunday, several St. Louis Blues Alumni will face Lindenwood University’s Hockey game in a fundraiser for the DASA team. Tickets to the game are $5 and can be purchased on the day of the game. A small number of VIP seats are available for $25 and include food and an opportunity to meet the players. 

Lindenwood University has worked with DASA for the past several years, said Jane Baum, Lindenwood University Athletic Development Director. The University retrofitted the Lindenwood Ice Arena to make it more accessible for the DASA sled hockey team players. The wall in front of the bench is now plexiglass so players are able to see the rink and the lip to get onto the ice is gone.

Dowling said he’s hopeful that several hundred people will come out to the charity game, which will benefit the team. The conference play games are open to the public.

“We’d love for everyone to come out and see this great sport,” said Behlmann.

Saturday  games —

• 8  a.m. — Chicago Blackhawks vs Minnesota
• 9:25 a.m. —St. Louis Blues vs Phoenix Coyotes
• 10:50 a. m. —  San Antonio Wounded Warriors vs Colorado Avalanche
• 12:45 p.m. — Sled Hockey All Star Game featuring 13 USA Paralympic Gold Medalists-   
• 5 p.m. — Phoenix vs Minnesota
• 6:25 p.m. — San Antonio vs St. Louis Blues
• 7:50 p.m. — Colorado vs Chicag0

Sunday games

• 8:30 a.m. — Phoenix vs Minnesota
• 9:55 a.m. — Colorado vs Minnesota
• 11:20 a.m. — Chicago vs St. Louis
• 1 p.m. — Lindenwood University vs St. Louis Blues Alumni  Fundraiser Game to Benefit DASA