A team of preteen Ukrainian refugees that have been scattered across Europe by war arrived Wednesday in Quebec City, where theyB次元官网网址檒l get the chance to compete in a renowned hockey tournament.

The team of 11- and 12-year-olds landed in Montreal before being bused to the provincial capital ahead of next weekB次元官网网址檚 Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament, which has been attended in the past by all-time greats such as Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur.

The bleary-eyed team arrived at the B次元官网网址tron Centre in Quebec City, where they were greeted by the local families who will host them during their stay. The team, who wore hats and jackets bearing the Ukrainian flag, had a chance to look at the ice, where thousands of people are expected to gather in the stands to watch them play.

Coach Evgheniy Pysarenko described the teamB次元官网网址檚 presence in Quebec City as B次元官网网址渁lmost a miracle.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淏efore it was mission impossible, now itB次元官网网址檚 miracle on ice,B次元官网网址� he said.

Pysarenko told reporters at the hockey arena that it will be hard for players to forget the war in Ukraine, where some have fathers that are on the front lines fighting the Russian invasion.

But he hopes theyB次元官网网址檒l leave the tournament with lifelong memories and the belief that B次元官网网址渁nything is possible.B次元官网网址�

The team, he added, are B次元官网网址渕essengers of hope,B次元官网网址� and symbols of B次元官网网址渟pirit, strength and solidarity.B次元官网网址�

Twelve-year-old Maksym Kukharenko, whose hometown is Kyiv, has been living in the Czech Republic. He said the trip to Canada was B次元官网网址渧ery long,B次元官网网址� but that heB次元官网网址檚 excited to play.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very cool that IB次元官网网址檓 going to this country and this city,B次元官网网址� he said.

His teammate, also named Maksym, said the tournament is B次元官网网址渁 chance for us to show ourselves to other teams in America, in Canada.B次元官网网址�

The teamB次元官网网址檚 improbable journey comes after months of effort by Pysarenko and a Quebec City businessman, who had to sort out visas and arrange travel for players who were displaced by war and living in countries across Europe.

At least one boy is originally from Kherson, which spent months under Russian occupation, and others are from Odesa, which has been bombed.

The Ukrainian team will have some time to settle in before theyB次元官网网址檙e scheduled to take to the ice at the B次元官网网址tron Centre on Feb. 11 to play the Junior Bruins from Massachusetts.

Patrick Dom, the general manager of the tournament, said the last few months have been a B次元官网网址渞oller-coaster of emotions,B次元官网网址� filled with doubts about whether the team would make it.

Given what theyB次元官网网址檝e been through, Dom said he has few expectations for how theyB次元官网网址檒l perform on the ice. But in this case, the final score isnB次元官网网址檛 the point.

B次元官网网址淲hen they go back to their country or wherever theyB次元官网网址檙e coming from, they will say, B次元官网网址榯here were 15,000 people cheering, wearing white shirts for peaceB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hey will remember this for the rest of their lives. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what we want.B次元官网网址�

The tournament runs Feb. 8-19.

B次元官网网址擬organ Lowrie, The Canadian Press