=  Rockville, MD – An affiliate of Black Bear Sport Group, Inc. has entered into an agreement to operate the youth hockey club P.A.L. Ice Hockey. P.A.L. has 10 Tier I youth hockey teams, 13 Tier II hockey teams and 3 junior teams and has perennially been one of the premier youth hockey organizations on Long Island, NY. Ron Kinnear will continue to oversee the Midget/Junior portion of the club and Mark Dubeau will continue to oversee the youth portion of the club. With the addition of P.A.L., Black Bear now operates 33 youth hockey clubs including 10 AAA organizations. P.A.L. will continue to operate out of its existing rinks including the Rinx at Hauppauge, Northwell Ice Arena and Iceworks in Syosset.

“We are thrilled to have P.A.L. join the Black Bear family of teams,” said Thomas Palamara, Executive Director of PAL. “Our Board has decided that Black Bear has the resources to grow P.A.L. into one of the best programs in the Northeast and we are extremely excited for this special opportunity” “P.A.L. is a storied program with over 50 years of success on and off the ice and it is a pure honor to bring this organization into the Black Bear family and help guide and lead it into the future,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear. “We believe Long Island is a critical part of our operating strategy and we hope that this will be the beginning of Black Bears growth strategy on the Island and overall in New York.”

About P.A.L Jr. Islanders
P.A.L. Jr. Islanders is the premier youth hockey club on Long Island, NY. Pride in Athletics for Life represents the message P.A.L. has been delivering to youth hockey players and their families since 1975. P.A.L. has over 450 travel ice hockey players from Mite through Midget, and all levels of Tier II and Tier III juniors including a franchise in the prestigious USPHL NCDC. P.A.L. is a proud member of the Tier 1 Hockey Federation and is part of the Black Bear Sports Group ladder of development including teams starting at the 8U level extending through every junior league including the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, USPHL NCDC and Eastern Hockey League.
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About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.
Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice arenas in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 34 facilities across the United States with 64 sheets of indoor ice, four indoor turf fields, 33 youth hockey clubs, four hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Atlantic Girls Hockey Federation, Tier 1 Hockey Federation, and Foundry Adult Hockey, two tournament businesses, Defender Hockey Tournaments and the National Girls Hockey League and seven Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, United States Premier Hockey League NCDC and the Eastern Hockey League.

Junior teams transfer subject to league approval

Belle Vernon, Pa – Today, Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. announced a new partnership and brand name for its recently acquired Rostraver Ice Garden in Belle Vernon, PA property. The facility will now be known as cfsbank Event Center.

“The venue provides tremendous opportunity and enhancement to the quality of life in the Mon Valley community that we so proudly serve, “said cfsbank President and Chief Executive Officer, John Gill. “We admire what Black Bear Sports Group is doing to revitalize sports and entertainment facilities and are thrilled to be a part of the future of cfsbank Event Center.”

The cfsbank Event Center has tremendous versatility to host so many different event types for our community” said Danielle Maurer, Chief Retail Officer, “With a main arena that seats up to 2,500, a year round banquet center, meeting rooms, party rooms, a 7 acre outdoor area supported by a fully equipped restaurant, sports pub, concessions and catering kitchen there is capability for concerts, shows, sporting events, trade shows, expos, corporate and community events and so much more......the potential is unlimited, it’s very exciting to be part of it”.

“We are proud to be working with a true community partner like cfsbank” said Black Bear Sports Group Founder and CEO Murry Gunty. “We look forward to providing Mon Valley with a diversified array of affordable family entertainment and quality programming for years to come”

About cfsbank Event Center – cfsbank Event Center, owned by Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a multi-purpose venue located in Belle Vernon, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania also known as the Mon Valley. The venue measures 65,000 square feet and includes a 2,500-seat arena, a banquet center, meeting rooms, party rooms and a 7-acre outdoor area that is host to many concerts, shows, sporting events, trade shows, expos and corporate or community events that are supported by a fully equipped restaurant, sports pub, concessions, and catering kitchen. The cfsbank Event Center offers a full array for programs, drop-in programs, leagues, themed skating events, public skating, birthdays parties and is the home of The Mon Valley Youth Hockey Association, Penn West-California University Hockey, Ringgold High School Hockey, Elizabeth Forward High School Hockey, Thomas Jefferson High School Hockey and Foundry Adult Hockey.

About cfsbank - cfsbank is a full-service community bank headquartered in Charleroi, PA. It has been an independent and locally managed mutual savings bank since 1935. cfsbank operates 10 offices, spanning four counties including Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. With a team of approximately 100 people, cfsbank is committed to exceeding the expectations of our customers and the growth and development of the markets they serve.
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About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. - Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice arenas in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 34 facilities across the United States with 64 sheets of indoor ice, four indoor turf fields, 31 youth hockey clubs, four hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Atlantic Girls Hockey Federation, Tier 1 Hockey Federation, and Foundry Adult Hockey, two tournament businesses, Defender Hockey Tournaments and the National Girls Hockey League and four Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, United States Premier Hockey League NCDC and the Eastern Hockey League.

Newark, Delaware – An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) Patriot Ice Center is pleased to announce Sean Cannon as the new Hockey Director for the Delaware Ducks Youth Hockey Club. Sean’s coaching experience runs the gamut from mite to the collegiate and junior levels, and everything in between. Sean, a highly respected teacher of the game with Level 4 USA Hockey coaching certification, coached the Valley Forge (PA) Minutemen of the Tier 1 Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) from 2015-19, and before that served as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Titans and Philadelphia Jr. Flyers of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), along with stints coaching the West Chester University women’s and University of Iowa men’s collegiate (ACHA) programs. Sean joins Delaware Ducks from the Jr. Blue Hens where he ran the Midget program. 

“Our mission for Ducks is to continue the long-term growth and unity of youth hockey in Delaware,” said Sean Cannon. “We will strive to raise the standards across the board in our culture, coaching and environment, and ensure the best possible experience for each player.”
“Sean is, without a doubt, one of the top coaches in the area and we are so lucky to have him join us to lead our program,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear.  “With Sean in charge, we have no doubt that we will change the face of hockey in the great state of Delaware.”
Tryout information for the 2023-24 season can be found on the Patriot Ice Center website and are summarized below.

2023-24 DELAWARE DUCKS TRYOUT INFORMATION
Wednesday, March 22
8U- 6:40-7:40 p.m.
10U- 7:50-8:50 p.m.
12U- 9:00-10:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 23
8U- 5:40-6:40 p.m.
10U- 6:50-7:50 p.m.
12U- 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Monday, April 10
14U- 5:40-6:40 p.m.
​16U- 6:50-7:50 p.m.
18U- 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 12
14U- 5:50-6:50 p.m.
16U- 7:30-8:30 p.m.
18U- 8:40-9:40 p.m.

Monday, April 17**
14U- 5:40-6:40 p.m.
16U- 6:50-7:50 p.m.
18U- 8:00-9:00 p.m.
**If Necessary

About The Patriot Ice Center- The Patriot Ice Center is in Newark, Delaware, approximately 44 miles south of Philadelphia, PA. along the I-95 corridor. The arena houses two sheets of ice (one NHL and one Olympic-sized rink), a snack bar, pro shop and two fitness training spaces. The arena is home to the Delaware Ducks Youth Hockey Club, which competes in the Atlantic Hockey Federation, as well as local high schools Delaware Military Academy (DMA), A.I. DuPont High School and Hodgson Vocational Technical School.
 
About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.- Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice arenas in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 34 facilities across the United States with 64 sheets of indoor ice, four indoor turf fields, 31 youth hockey clubs, four hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Atlantic Girls Hockey Federation, Tier 1 Hockey Federation, and Foundry Adult Hockey, two tournament businesses, Defender Hockey Tournaments and the National Girls Hockey League and four Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, United States Premier Hockey League NCDC and the Eastern Hockey League.