updated 5:42 p.m. ET Oct. 8, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - Sarah Palin’s next faceoff will come at center ice at an NHL arena, not at a debate.

The GOP vice presidential nominee will drop the ceremonial first puck when the Philadelphia Flyers open the regular season against the New York Rangers on Saturday. Palin, the Alaska governor and self-described “hockey mom,” will join the winner of a team promotion for the “Ultimate Hockey Mom” to drop the puck.

Last month, Palin visited a Philadelphia bar with Flyers owner Ed Snider, who has donated money to Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s campaign.

“Because of the tremendous amount of publicity she has brought to our sport, we invited the most popular hockey mom in North America to our home opener to help us get our season started,” Snider said in a team statement Wednesday. “We are very excited she has accepted our offer and we are very proud of the publicity she is generating for hockey moms and the sport of hockey.”

The team will award all hockey moms entered into the contest with a free “puck-er peach” lipstick and four tickets to a hockey game of the Flyers’ minor league affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms. The winner will appear on the ice with Palin for opening faceoff.

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