Without a rink to call their own, a group of dedicated hockey players from Ireland made an 18-hour trip to play in a Halifax-area hockey tournament — and they're putting on a show.

The 38th annual Shearwater East-Dartmouth Minor Hockey Association, SEDMHA, hockey tournament got underway at rinks around Halifax on Thursday with some special guests from the United States.

Thousands of young hockey players and their parents and coaches have descended on Halifax for the 37th annual SEDMHA minor hockey tournament, one of the largest in North America.