2017-18 Humboldt Broncos still bring out best in humanity

The Elgar Petersen Arena set for a vigil on April 8, 2018.

    The tributes came in early and often over social media lines on Monday for a team seemingly everyone still takes to heart.

    Monday marked the second anniversary of the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior A hockey team on April 6, 2018. 
    The bus carrying the Broncos, who are one of Canada’s most storied junior A teams, was traveling to Nipawin to play a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff game, and it collided with a semi-truck just north of Tisdale.

    The crash resulted in the deaths of 10 Broncos players including captain Logan Schatz, Logan Boulet, Adam Herold, Logan Hunter, Jaxon Joseph, Jacob Leicht, Conner Lukan, Evan Thomas, Parker Tobin and Stephen Wack.

    Head coach and general manager Darcy Haugen, assistant coach Mark Cross, play-by-play voice Tyler Bieber, stats expert Brody Hinz, athletic therapist Dayna Brons and bus driver Glen Doerksen were all among the total of 16 people who were killed.

A Saskatchewan farm yard display supporting the Broncos in April of 2018.

    The 13 survivors in players Graysen Cameron, Brayden Camrud, Kaleb Dahlgren, Bryce Fiske, Xavier LaBelle, Matthieu Gomercic, Derek Patter, Nick Shumlanski, Tyler Smith, Ryan Straschnitzki, Jacob Wassermann, Layne Matechuk and Morgan Gobeil have all ventured on in life with various physical injuries and emotional battles.

    Camrud and Patter were in the Broncos lineup when they opened the 2018-19 SJHL regular season on home ice at the Elgar Petersen Arena falling 2-1 to the Hawks.

    In the months after the crash, support poured in for the Broncos from seemingly everywhere including the province of Saskatchewan, the rest of Canada and the entire world.

    A GoFundMe campaign for Broncos players and staffers raised over $15.1-million with donations coming from over 141,900 individuals and entities in just under two weeks.

    It is crazy to think Humboldt residents Sylvie Kellington and Caitlin Hergott originally had the small goal of raising funds to cover parking costs for the families visiting hospitals with the GoFundMe campaign.
    Their efforts became the largest GoFundMe campaign ever in Canada and is still the fourth largest in the world.

A Swift Current fan with a Humboldt Broncos support sign in April of 2018.

    In Canada, the Broncos bus crash became one of those “where were you when” moments, because at the time it happened, no one wanted to believe it was true.

    In a lot of ways, it became the ultimate one degree of separation moment, because it seemed like everyone interacted with someone who was a family member or had a personal connection with the 29 individuals on the bus.

    In Swift Current, the Humboldt Broncos bus crash took on extra meaning. The WHL’s Swift Current Broncos suffered through a single-vehicle team bus crash on December 30, 1986 resulting the deaths of players Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff.

    The Swift Current bus flew off the highway having hit a patch of black ice shortly after leaving town on route to a road game in Regina to play the Pats.

    In April and May of 2018, the sticks were out for Humboldt at the Swift Current Broncos bus crash memorial. Inside of Swift Current and the Innovation Credit Union i-Plex during playoff games for the WHL’s Broncos, you didn’t have to look far to see a sign of support for Humboldt.
    The WHL’s Broncos would win the WHL title in May of 2018. In the season the WHL Broncos had their bus accident in 1986-87, the Humboldt Broncos captured the SJHL title.
    At the moment, the current day hasn’t been the greatest of times for the world.

#SticksOutForHumboldt at the Swift Current Broncos bus crash memorial.

    The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has a number of countries in the world including Canada observing lockdown measures.

    At the time this post went live, over 81,000 people in the world and 375 individuals in Canada have died due to complications related to COVID-19.

    In Canada and the United States, shutdowns started to happen on March 11, when the NBA elected to postpone play causing a series of dominoes of postponements, cancellations and shutdowns to follow.

    For about four weeks now, the population of the world has been bombarded with anxiety inducing news regarding COVID-19.

    As strange as it sounds, it seemed like a ray of light to turn on the social media accounts on Monday morning and see tributes posted from various people and entities for the 2017-18 SJHL Broncos team. There were pictures of people once again leaving their sticks outside their doors for the Broncos players who have passed on to use.

    People are still holding those that were part of that Broncos team close to their hearts.

    A few of the surviving Broncos players posted gracious notes as well thanking the support they received throughout the world and noting they still miss their buds who passed away in that crash. A number of parents of Broncos players posted heartwarming notes too.

A Humboldt Broncos tribute jersey and puck from 2018.

    Tuesday is “Green Shirt Day” for organ donor awareness and registration in honour of the “Logan Boulet Effect.” Boulet, who was one of the players that passed in the Broncos bus crash, wanted his organs donated if he passed away, and his actions resulted in six lives being saved.

    Boulet succumbed to his injuries and passed away on April 7, 2018.

    As news of Boulet’s actions spread, over 100,000 people signed their organ donor cards in the days and weeks that followed.

    Over the course of Monday and Tuesday, the hashtag phrases of #SticksOutForHumboldt, #HumboldtStrong, #BroncosStrong and #LoganBouletAffect were shown to be alive and meaningful.

    Even as time passes, that Broncos team from that tragic bus crash in early April of 2018 is still bringing out the best in humanity.

CFL postpones start of regular season, other notes

CFL action has been put on hold until at least the start of July.

    The CFL is still hoping to play a full regular season, but its start has been postponed until the beginning of July.

    On Tuesday, the CFL released a statement from commissioner Randy Ambrosie stating the regular season won’t begin until at least the start of July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regular season was slated to start on June 11 with the B.C. Lions traveling to Edmonton to face the Eskimos.

    In part of the statement, Ambrosie said, “Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones. We salute the heroic efforts of those on the front lines of our health care system and our supply chain.

    “And, we are grateful for the leadership being shown by all levels of government. We respect the decisions being made by the federal government, provinces and municipalities on behalf of our safety, and we will continue to follow their directives. These include indications from Canadian cities that they will not allow sporting event to take place before the end of June.”

    On Friday, Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi said that Calgary’s ban on all public events until June 30 includes CFL and NHL games should those leagues resume before then.

    Toronto mayor John Tory announced last week his city is cancelling events through June 30 that require city permission. That ban did not extend to sporting events, but Ontario provincial gathering bans would factor in.

RB Andrew Harris (#33) and the Blue Bombers are the Grey Cup champions.

    Ambrosie also said in Tuesday’s statement, “While it is now clear that the 2020 CFL season won’t start before the beginning of July, we are committed to working with our teams, the Players’ Association, TSN and RDS to play a full season or as close as we can come to one. We recognize this may require creativity, and we are preparing for multiple scenarios.”

    The CFL previously announced on March 30 that training camps would be postponed until further notice.

    The last time the Grey Cup was not awarded was 1919 due to a lack of interest along with a rules dispute between the leagues that competed for the trophy at the time. The game was cancelled from 1916 to 1918 due to Canada’s participation in the First World War.

    The Winnipeg Blue Bombers downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-12 in last year’s Grey Cup held at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alta.

    This year’s Grey Cup is slated for Nov. 22 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

    In wrapping up Tuesday’s statement Ambrosie said, “We realize there are more important things on Canadians’ minds right now than games of any sort. But we also know Canadian football has long been a source of pride and unity for our country and – when the time is right – we can play an important role in its recovery.

    “Until then, let’s all be pragmatic enough to do what we need to do to stop the spread of this virus and protect one another.”

Jayda Sachs with the Fedoruk Cup in 2019.

• Jayda Sachs has elected to bring her hockey career close to home. After playing one season with the University of Waterloo Warriors women’s hockey team, the 19-year-old forward, who is from Warman, Sask., decided to leave the Warriors to join the U of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team. The Huskies announced the addition of Sachs on Monday. Last season, Sachs played 23 regular season games with the Warriors collecting one goal and four assists. Due to the fact she is transferring between U Sports programs, Sachs has to sit out a full year before playing for the Huskies. From 2014 to 2019, Sachs played five seasons in the SFMAAAHL split between the Prince Albert Northern Bears and Saskatoon Stars appearing in 138 regular season games collecting 30 goals and 61 assists. She was a member of the Stars teams that captured the Fedoruk Cup as SFMAAAHL champions in 2018 and 2019.
• On Monday, Prince Albert Raiders captain Zack Hayes signed an AHL contract for the 2020-21 campaign to play with a new team in Henderson, Nevada, which will be the AHL affiliate for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. The defenceman appeared in 60 regular season games for the Raiders this past season posting seven goals, 16 assists and a plus-37 rating in the plus-minus department. From 2016 to 2020, Hayes appeared in 272 career regular season games with the Raiders posting 15 goals, 64 assists and a plus-97 rating.
• Tyrell Schroeder of the Saskatoon female midget A Comet Predators was named the Evan Thomas Memorial Sportsperson of the Year by the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association on Tuesday. The 15-year-old forward has played in the SMHA for the last 10 seasons all in the Comets system. Schroeder has maintained a 90 per cent average in her Grade 10 studies, and she also played on her school’s volleyball team. She will receive a $500 scholarship award. Thomas, who this award was named after, was one of the players that passed away tragically in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash on April 6, 2018.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Shirley, Leschyshyn, Fiala era comes to an end for Stars

The Saskatoon Stars have produced many memorable moments like this.

    It is one of those times when you are stuck in denial.

    After the Saskatoon Stars fell 3-2 after a tiebreaking shootout to the Ontario-based Stoney Creek Sabres in the bronze medal game of the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament on Saturday, it hits you that the Stars season is done.

    The conclusion of that contest held at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury, Ont., brings forward another reality.

    Grace Shirley, Anna Leschyshyn and Joelle Fiala will never skate for the Stars again.

    When August comes, they will be departing for the United States to play for women’s hockey teams in the NCAA ranks. Shirley will join the University of Wisconsin Badgers, Leschyshyn will suit up for the Syracuse University Orange and Fiala will play for the Robert Morris University Colonials.

Grace Shirley, right, at the Stars 2015 SFMAAAHL title win.

    All three joined the Stars on a full-time basis as 14-year-old underage rookies in the 2015-16 campaign and quickly shot up to star status.

    That trio were the constants in the Stars last three appearances at Esso Cup including last year and in 2016. This season, Shirley was the Stars captain, while Leschyshyn and Joelle Fiala served as assistant captains along with offensive defender Ashley Messier, who turned 17-years-old in late March.

    Shirley and Leschyshyn each played a handful of games for the Stars as associate player call ups in 2014-15.

    Leschyshyn was on the ice the night the Stars won their first Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League title on March 25, 2015. She picked up an assist in the Stars 2-0 victory over the Prince Albert Northern Bears that clinched the SFMAAAHL championship series.

    The Stars took Shirley to that year’s Esso Cup tournament in Red Deer, Alta., and she dressed for all seven of Saskatoon’s games.

Captain Grace Shirley in action for the Stars this season.

    Shirley is the only player to hit the ice for all 28 games the Stars have played at Esso Cup posting 16 goals and six assists for 22 points.

    They are linked extremely tight to the identity of the team. To think they will no longer be in the Stars lineup next season seems difficult to fathom.

    When the Stars returned to the Esso Cup for the fourth time in the last five years, hopes were high that this would be there year. They would make the one or two plays they hadn’t made in past years and one or two breaks would go their way allowing Shirley, Leschyshyn and Fiala to graduate as national champions.

Anna Leschyshyn in action for the Stars on March 25, 2015.

    Like the past three visits that didn’t turn out to be.

    Playing in one of the tournament’s tougher fields of six teams, the Stars finished first in the preliminary round standings with a 4-1 record.

    To show how unpredictable the results could be, the preliminary round loss the Stars suffered was a 7-3 drubbing to the As de Quebec on Monday.

    Saskatoon followed that up with a pair of one-goal wins in regulation including a 3-2 victory over the Alberta-based St. Albert Slash on Tuesday and a 3-2 triumph over the host Sudbury Lady Wolves on Wednesday.

    On Thursday, Leschyshyn set Esso Cup single game records for goals (five) and points (eight) in the Stars 11-1 win over the Halifax Fire.

Anna Leschyshyn in action for the Stars this season.

    Leschyshyn took home the award as the tourament’s top scorer with six goals and seven assists for 13 points. Messier took home honours as the tournament’s top defender posting three assists in seven games.

    The Slash and Lady Wolves ultimately met in Saturday’s championship game, where the Slash won a third straight national title with a 4-1 victory.

    The Stars made the national “frozen four” like their three previous visits to the Esso Cup and like those previous visits more heartbreak ensued.

    On Friday, the Stars faced the Slash in one of two semifinal contests. Defender Dayle Ross scored for the Slash 30 seconds into the third period to break a scoreless deadlock.

Joelle Fiala (#27) celebrates scoring in the 2016 SFMAAAHL final.

    Shirley and Fiala combined to set up standout forward Kaitlin Jockims to score the equalizer for the Stars with 1:34 remaining in the third to force a 1-1 tie and overtime.

    Captain Madison Willan scored 2:46 into overtime to deliver a 2-1 victory to the Slash.

    Arden Kliewer made 26 saves to take the setback in goal for the Stars. Brianna Sank turned away 22 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Slash.

    Out of the four times the Stars had played in a national semifinal, they picked up one win and lost two games in extra time. In Saskatoon’s first visit to the Esso Cup in 2015, they dropped a 2-1 decision after a tiebreaking shootout to the host Red Deer Chiefs.

    In Saturday’s bronze medal game against the Sabres, the Stars took a 1-0 lead at the 2:57 mark of the second period, when Fiala and Jayda Sachs combined to set up Calli Arnold for her third goal of the tournament.

Joelle Fiala in action for the Stars this season.

    Just 48 seconds into the third, the Stars expanded their lead to 2-0, when Arnold set up Shirley for her seventh marker of the tourney.

    The Sabres rallied scoring twice to force a 2-2 tie and overtime with singles coming from Tessa Holk and Alicia Juras. Juras netted the equalizer with 4:30 remaining in the third, when the Sabres were short-handed.

    Saskatoon held a 24-7 edge in shots on goal through the third period and overtime.

    The Sabres took the tiebreaking shootout 4-1 scoring on all four of their chances. Jenna Duarte, Alicia Juras, Vanessa Upson and Alyssa Kawa all scored for the Sabres.

    Fiala tallied in the shootout for the Stars.

    Rookie Kaitlyn Cadrain turned away 19 shots in regulation and overtime in goal for the Stars. Megan Warrener stopped 37 shots in regulation and overtime in goal for the Sabres and two-of-three shooters in the shootout.

    The shootout at Esso Cup is conducted under international rules. 

Grace Tam played with heart in her final season for the Stars.

    The bronze medal clash provided another heartbreaker that didn’t go the Stars way at Esso Cup.

    The toughest aspect for the Stars to digest from their Esso Cup appearances is that they could have legitimately one the event two to three times. Out of their four appearances, they took home a bronze medal in 2015 and fell to the Slash 2-1 in last year’s title game.

    They still had a spectacular season in 2018-19 posting a 47-3-2-1 overall record that included winning the prestigious Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament, the SFMAAAHL title and the Western regional playdown series. Saskatoon posted its best ever record in regular season play at 27-1.

    Shirley, Leschyshyn and Fiala were generational greats the Stars may never replace.

    Shirley appeared in 107 career regular season games becoming the Stars all-time leader in goals (97) and points (166). She graduates as the third all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL.

Kaitlin Jockims concluded her time with the Stars as a hot scorer.

    Leschyshyn appeared in 115 career regular season games becoming the Stars third all-time leading scorer posting 72 goals and 80 assists for 152 points. She graduates as the fifth all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL.

    Fiala appeared in 112 career regular season games becoming the all-time leader in assists at 83. She had 47 goals and 130 points to become the team’s fourth all-time leading scorer and the eighth all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL.

    At the moment, no one is near cracking 100 points in SFMAAAHL career regular season play, so Shirley, Leschyshyn and Fiala will likely remain high on the all-time scoring list for some time.

Abby DeCorby was solid on defence for the Stars.

    All total, the Stars will graduate seven players this year as Jockims, Sachs and defender Grace Tam and Abby DeCorby have all exhausted their midget AAA eligibility along with Shirley, Leschyshyn and Fiala.

    A year ago, the Stars graduated Mackenna Parker, who is the SFMAAAHL’s third all-time leading scorer, Kianna Dietz, Jordyn Holmes, Jordyn Gerlitz, Jordan Ivanco and Dana Wood. In 2017, the graduates included Julia Rongve, Abby Shirley and Willow Slobodzian.

    The bulk of the players who were responsible for the Stars run of success over the past five seasons under head coach Greg Slobodzian are gone.

    The returning players and future additions will create their own identity with the team.

    Will they match the accomplishments the team posted over the last five seasons? That in all reality is too much to ask.

Jayda Sachs picked up points during important moments for the Stars.

    In NHL terms, how often have the Edmonton Oilers matched what their club accomplished with a roster of generational players in the 1980s following their last Stanley Cup win in 1990?

    Of course, they have never duplicated the run they had in their heydays in the 1980s.

    The era of Shirley, Leschyshyn and Fiala marked a unique time in the history of the Stars that contained lots of good times. It is too much to ask for a run like they’ve had to happen again.

    Their time with the team was truly something to behold.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Esso sweet Esso – Stars return to nationals for fourth time in last five years

The Stars captains celebrate their Western regional win.

    With the Saskatoon Stars one win away from returning to nationals, Jayda Sachs came to the rink feeling a little down.

    The veteran forward of five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League seasons was dwelling on the fact she could be playing her home game at Merlis Belsher Place on Saturday. The down mood didn’t last long for Sachs, who turned 18-years-old in March.

    In Game 2 of a best-of-three Western regional playdown series, the Stars dominated the visiting Westman Wildcats from Hartney, Man., posting a 3-0 victory along with a 42-4 edge in shots on goal.

Jayda Sachs scored the Stars third goal on Saturday.

    Having claimed Game 1 by a 3-2 final on Friday at Merlis, the Stars swept the series 2-0 to capture the Lanchbery Family Trophy.

    They will return to the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament for a second straight year and for the fourth time in the last five years. The Esso Cup runs April 21 to 27 in Sudbury, Ont.

    “There is nothing really better than this feeling,” said Sachs, who played her first two SFMAAAHL campaigns with the Prince Albert Northern Bears before joining the Stars. “This is where we want to get to as a team and then move on to Esso.

    “Especially my last year, this is a pretty special thing. To have my family all being here, this is what we work towards all year as a team. This is a pretty special feeling.”

    To cap the Game 2 victory, Sachs scored the Stars final goal with 1:32 remaining in the third period with linemates Kaitlin Jockims and Makena Kushniruk picking up assists on the play.

Halle Helperl scored the Stars first goal on Saturday.

    “I thought about, ‘Oh, what if I score today?’” said Sachs. “My brothers were bugging me about it.

    “As soon as that puck went in the net, I was just like oh this is a great feeling, and to have everybody here to see it happen, it was amazing.”

    The Stars controlled play from wire to wire, and it took a sensational 39 save performance from Wildcats netminder Natalie Williamson to keep her team in the game.

    After a scoreless first, the Stars broke through on the scoreboard at the 9:57 mark of the second, when a shot from veteran defender Chace Sperling was deflected home by Stars underage rookie forward Halle Helperl. Helperl’s tally turned out to be the series winner.

Ashley Messier scored the Stars second goal on Saturday.

    “It was a good feeling, because it was the first goal,” said Helperl, who had six goals and eight assists in the Stars 28 regular season games. “I just was kind of standing there, and the puck was just coming.

    “I felt it on the side of my leg, and I didn’t know where it went. It was in the net.”

    Helperl was pumped about the chance to go to nationals for the first time.

    “It feels amazing,” said Helperl. “We’re on our way to Esso, so everyone is obviously super excited. It is a really good feeling.”

    With the way Saturday’s game was going, the Stars lead grew to an insurmountable one, when standout offensive defender Ashley Messier fired home a power-play goal from the point with 4:40 remaining in the second period. Messier’s shot just trickled over the goal-line between the legs of Williamson.

Netminder Natalie Williamson made 39 saves in goal for the Wildcats.

    Messier believed her Stars would have closed out Saturday’s win even if she didn’t score an insurance marker.

    “I guess it was nice to have another goal,” said Messier. “We would have done it no matter what happened I think.”

    Messier was named the top defender at last year’s Esso Cup, and can’t wait to make the return trip this year.

    “Going back, it is really exciting,” said Messier. “We know what to expect, or at least I do this time.

    “I am really excited to see how our new girls will like it, because I know my first time it was just amazing. We’re going to get it this time. We’re not going to let it slide.”

Jayda Sachs celebrates her goal with netminder Arden Kliewer.

    The most underrated aspect of the Stars win on Saturday was the mental focus of third-year veteran netminder Arden Kliewer. Kliewer stayed sharp enough to make four saves to earn the shutout win in goal.

    Two of Kliewer’s stops were quality scoring chances that came after long stretches of inactivity.

    When the dust settled, Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian was proud of how his team played and was happy his players received a tip of the hat from Wildcats head coach Guy Williams.

    “Shaking the other coach’s hand he gave us the ultimate compliment,” said Slobodzian. “He said, ‘You know what, that is a full 60-minute team you have right there.’

    “Years gone by sometimes that hasn’t been the case. Feeling that way going towards Sudbury, Esso Cup, I’m really happy about it. Just seeing everybody on the ice, it is about what is going on right now.

The Stars pour off their bench to celebrate going to Esso Cup.

    “The glow of being a champion and moving on and seeing grandmas out here hugging their granddaughters is just fantastic.”

    At last year’s Esso Cup in Bridgewater, N.S., the Stars entered the championship game posting a 6-0 record at that point in the tournament having outscored the opposition 28-4. They lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the gold medal game to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash, who claimed the national title for a second straight year.

    Messier said the goal of her squad is to take care of some unfinished business this time.

The Stars and Merlis Belsher are all smiles after a Western regional win.

    “We kind of let it go last year,” said Messier. “Now we are going to come for it this time.”

    The Stars open Esso Cup on April 21 taking on the still to be determined champion from Ontario.

Sachs said the Stars are intent on finishing the campaign winning the team’s first national championship.

    “We’re pretty excited,” said Sachs. “It is good to have the experience of it for sure.

    “I think from last year losing in the final there we are even more motivated to win it this year.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Stars’ Fiala surpasses 100 career points in SFMAAAHL

Shirley ties for second on Saskatoon’s all-time scoring list

Joelle Fiala collected her 100th career regular season point.

    Joelle Fiala was oblivious to the fact she became just the 20^th player to hit a lofty milestone in the history of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.

    Playing against the host Prairie Fire in Melville last Saturday, Fiala collected a goal and three assists to help her Saskatoon Stars post a 5-0 victory. When the Clavet, Sask., product assisted on the Stars final goal, she became the 20^th player to score 100 career points in regular season play in the SFMAAAHL.

    When the two sides met again last Sunday in Melville, Fiala had a goal and an assist to help the Stars claim another 5-0 victory. Thanks to the points she recorded in those two outings, Fiala has 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points in 88 career SFMAAAHL regular season games all played with the Stars.

    The news of the milestone came as a surprise to the skilled forward, when she was told about it.

    “I didn’t know I did (it),” said Fiala, who has three goals and four assists over the Stars first four games this season. “I wasn’t really paying attention, but it is really exciting.

    “I definitely thought before I was on the Stars that is not something that would happen for me. It is really exciting that I’ve been able to work towards that.”

    Entering the current campaign, Fiala needed to collect five points to total 100 career points in SFMAAAHL regular season play. She never thought about hitting that milestone as the season started and progressed through its early stages.

    Fiala was pumped to hear she was just the 20^th player to hit that milestone in scoring.

    “Now that I’ve achieved that, I just have to keep on pushing through,” said Fiala, who stands 5-foot-8.

    Committed to play for the Robert Morris University Colonials women’s hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks next season, Fiala is one of three players on the Stars roster to have scored 100 or more points in regular season play.

Joelle Fiala current has 102 career regular season points.

    Captain Grace Shirley has 126 points coming off of 73 goals and 53 assists in 86 regular season games. Anna Leschyshyn has 116 points coming off 56 goals and 60 assists in 91 career regular season games.
    Former Stars superstar Mackenna Parker graduated from the club at the end of last season finishing as the second all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL with 158 points coming off 82 goals and 76 assists in 104 career regular season games. Parker is the Stars all-time leading scorer.

    Fiala said fact the Stars have had four players break the 100-point barrier over the past two seasons shows how good the team has been in recent years. The Stars have won three out of the last four SFMAAAHL titles and fell in the Esso Cup gold medal national championship game 2-1 to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash last April.

    “We’ve all made each other better in different ways and push each other,” said Fiala. “We’re all equal, and we are all going to be pushing towards the same thing.”

    Fiala wasn’t the only Stars player to hit a milestone last weekend. Collecting a goal and two assists in the Stars victory over the Prairie Fire last Saturday, Shirley equaled former Stars captain Lauren Zary for second on the team’s all-time scoring list.

    Zary collected her 126 points off 44 goals and 82 assists playing 103 career regular season games for the Stars from 2008 to 2012. Following her time with the Stars, Zary played for the Brown University Bears women’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team in U Sports. Her 82 career assists is the Stars team record.

    Shirley will sit alone for second on the Stars all-time regular season scoring list and fifth on the all-time SFMAAAHL regular season scoring list, when she collects her next point.

    “I really try not to focus on that too much,” said Shirley, who has three goals and five assists over the Stars first four games. “I don’t try to think about it too much.

Fiala was pumped to find out she scored her 100th point.

    “I kind of like just want to go out there and work my hardest, and I want our team to do well. I don’t really think I am too worried about that right now.”

    Shirley, who stands 5-foot-8, believes she will reflect more on her milestones, when she hangs up her skates.

    “I think in the moment you are focusing on getting better and kind of how the team is and team success,” said Shirley, who has committed to play for the NCAA powerhouse University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team next season. “Maybe it is something to look back on in the future.

    “I think right now it is just kind of focusing on developing and having a good season with the team.”

    Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian was proud to see both Fiala and Shirley reach their most recent milestones.

    “It is always rewarding for them and for a coach to sort of be around while they get them,” said Slobodzian. “Those two girls are very special players.

    “They deserve all the milestones that they will achieve and all the awards that they will achieve. It is not going to stop with the Stars obviously. They are going to go on and have very healthy and positive careers in the game of hockey.

    “Getting the chance to be around them when they are young like this, it is a lot of fun. Those little achievements and awards mean a lot. It is not only for them, but for the team as well. Everyone feeds off of it when someone does well.”

    Also in last Saturday’s win, the Stars receive singles from Kaitlin Jockims, Leschyshyn and Jayda Sachs. Kaitlyn Cadrain, who is a 15-year-old rookie, turned away 17 shots to pick up her first career regular season SFMAAAHL shutout and win in her first career start.

    Cheyenne Jamieson turned away 32 shots to take the setback in goal for Melville.

    In last Sunday’s win, Jockims had a hat trick for the Stars, while Haylee Kos, who is an underage 14-year-old rookie forward, had a single for her first career SFMAAAHL goal.

    Arden Kliewer, who is the Stars 16-year-old veteran netminder, turned away 18 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars, who are 4-0.

Grace Shirley has piled up 126 career regular season points with the Stars.

    Jamieson turned away 30 shots to take the setback in goal for the Prairie Fire, who are 0-2.

    The Stars return to action this coming Saturday, when they travel to Weyburn to face the Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings (0-4).

    Fiala, Shirley and Leschyshyn are three of five active players in the SFMAAAHL who have scored 100 or more career regular season points. Taylor Lind, who is the all-time leading scorer for the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats, has 117 career points coming off 66 goals and 51 assists in 60 career regular season games.

    Abby Soyko, who is the all-time leading scorer for the Prince Albert Northern Bears, has 103 points coming off 53 goals and 50 assists in 112 career regular season games.

    The SFMAAAHL’s inaugural season was played in 2006-07.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Stars roll to 5-0 at Esso Cup, will face Pionnieres in semifinal

Grace Shirley has four goals and two assists for the Stars at Esso Cup.

    It seemed like everyone was pitching in for the Saskatoon Stars in their final round robin game at the Esso Cup.

    On Thursday at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., five different players scored for the Stars as they rolled past the Northern Subway Selects from New Glasgow, N.S. 5-2. Saskatoon built a 5-0 lead after 40 minutes, and the Selects scored twice inside of the final three minutes of the third period to round out the contest’s scoring at the female midget AAA hockey national championship tournament.

    The Stars finished play in the preliminary round with a perfect 5-0 record, and they became the fourth team in the history of the Esso Cup, which is being contested for the 10^th time this year, to win all of their round robin games in regulation. The defending Esso Cup champion St. Albert Slash from Alberta are the last team to win all their preliminary round games in regulation pulling off that feat last year, when the Esso Cup was held in Morden, Man.

    Saskatoon will face the Pionnieres de Lanaudiere (2-2-1) from Quebec in Friday’s early semifinal set for 1 p.m. Saskatchewan time. The Slash (4-1) take on the Brampton Canadettes (3-2) from Ontario in Friday’s late semifinal set for 4:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time. The Selects (1-3-1) and host Metro Boston Pizza (0-4-1) were eliminated from playoff round contention with Thursday’s results.

Kaitlin Jockims scored for the Stars on Thursday.

    In Thursday’s encounter between the Stars and Selects, the Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes getting goals from standout centre Grace Shirley, superstar captain Mackenna Parker and right-winger Jayda Sachs. Sachs tipped home a point shot from rookie 15-year-old defender Emily Holmes right before the first period buzzer went.
    Holmes had two assists in the contest.

    Just 2:17 into the second, the Stars went ahead 4-0, when veteran right-winger Kianna Dietz, who turned 18 in January, netted her second goal of the tournament. With 81 seconds remaining in the second, Kaitlin Jockims potted her third goal of the event to give the Stars a 5-0 advantage.

    Inside of the final three minutes of the third, Maddie Quinn and Kara MacLean scored singles for the Selects.

    Jordan Ivanco stopped 14 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars. Jenna Landry turned away 27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Selects.

    The Stars currently have five players averaging a point or more per game so far at the Esso Cup. Parker leads all players in tournament scoring with five goals and six assists for 11 points. Centre Joelle Fiala has seven points coming off three goals and four assists.

    Shirley, right-winger Anna Leschyshyn and defender Ashley Messier all have six points each. Shirley has four goals and two assists, Leschyshyn had two goals and four assists, and Messier has one goal and five assists.

Emily Holmes had two assists for the Stars on Thursday.

    The Pionnieres have two players who are averaging a point or more per game in the Esso Cup. Centre Ann-Frederik Naud has seven points coming off three goals and four assists. Her linemate and left-winger Megane Quirion has six points coming off six assists.

    The Stars are 13-0 in this year’s post-season. They will be looking to earn their first semifinal win ever at the Esso Cup on Friday.

    At the 2015 tournament in Red Deer, Alta., the Stars fell 2-1 after a tiebreaking shootout to the host Chiefs. At the 2016 Esso Cup in Weyburn, Sask., the Stars fell 4-0 to the Brantford Ice Cats from Ontario, who moved on to win the event’s championship game.

    The Stars are trying to become the first Saskatchewan based team since the Weyburn Gold Wings in 2014 to win the Esso Cup.
    The tournament’s bronze and gold medal games are slated for Saturday, and the gold medal final will be shown live at 4 p.m. Saskatchewan time on TSN.

Parker officially receives Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award

Congratulations to @StoonStarsAAA captain Mackenna Parker on receiving the 2018 Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award at the @HC_EssoCup! pic.twitter.com/eAqlPjANdO

— Team Canada Women (@HC_Women) April 26, 2018

    On Thursday, Saskatoon Stars captain Mackenna Parker officially received this year’s Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Female-Player-of-the-Year Award from Hockey Canada.

    The award is given annually to a player that most demonstrates good values, leadership and strong community involvement. Hockey Canada named Parker the winner of the Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award back on April 5.

    Parker topped the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League in regular season scoring with 33 goals and 27 assists in 23 regular season games. She was named the winner of the SFMAAAHL’s most valuable player award and a first-team all-star.

    In the process, she equaled the Stars team record for most points in one regular season also set by Emily Clark, who is a member of Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team. Clark piled up 60 points in 26 regular season games in the 2011-12 campaign with the Stars coming off 26 goals and 34 assists.

    Parker is completing her final season of midget AAA eligibility and will graduate sitting second on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time regular season scoring list with 82 goals and 76 assists in 104 regular season games.

    In January, Parker helped Canada win bronze at the under-18 women’s world championship, which was held in Dmitrov, Russia.

Congrats @mack_parker11. So deserving! Some below average company in the photo though😉Good luck tomorrow @StoonStarsAAA you are making everyone back home so proud! https://t.co/uqqPeOjCej

— Emily Clark (@emclark13) April 27, 2018

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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