Can the regular person identify with today’s elite athlete?

Most regular people can’t comprehend the work Tyler Chow (#5) put in.

    Can the regular person identify with today’s elite athlete?

    That is a question I have been struggling with for the past two years, especially looking at the sports scene in Canada. I don’t think the regular person realizes how hard today’s athlete has to work at their craft to be good at the elite levels of sport, unless the regular person worked in elite athletes in recent time in some capacity.

    I feel like there is a perception out there that lives of elite level athletes are like what had been before the late 1990s when year round training came into vogue.

    Before the late 1990s came around, there was a period of a good 80 to 90 years where the commonly viewed approach to elite athletics was the same.

    You basically showed up at training camp to get into shape and take part in practices and games. When you were not participating in a practice or a game, you likely weren’t doing something specific to your sport.

    You were doing normal real life things like tending to family matters, participating in social activities or even working a regular job in the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours.
    Actually, the elite athlete in the old days was viewed as a regular person who happened to be good at sports.

Most regular persons wouldn’t understand Libby Epoch’s joy for basketball.

    When the off-season came around, the time you spent on your sport likely got spent lying on a beach, golfing or partying. Often when one sports season ended, you might even follow another sport pursuit.

    For example, if you played hockey in the winter you might play baseball in the summer.

    If you worked out or lifted weights during a season, you likely got teased by your teammates.

    In the late 60s and early 70s, it was common for players in a sport like in professional tackle football to sit back, drink a coffee or smoke a cigarette at halftime.

    If you are an elite athlete in the current day in Canada, your sport is your full-time job, and it seems like you are doing something sports specific year round.

    There are very few athletes that participate in two sports at an elite level like Saskatoon’s Kaitlin Jockims, who is gifted in both hockey and basketball.

    The off-season conditioning programs of the current day are far more advanced and evolved than those offered in the early 1990s. If you visit a training facility like Ignite Athletics in Saskatoon, you will end up getting an education in core conditioning and be surprised how much goes into getting physically prepared for sport at the elite level.

    Most regular persons have never stepped into a facility like Ignite Athletics and would be shocked at what all happens there under the guidance of the facility’s outstanding staff.

Kaitlin Jockims is the rare star in two sports at the elite level.

    When the sports season begins right from training camp, elite athletes will also be immersed in classroom video sessions in their sport.

    In hockey, you are already starting to execute the systems a team wants to use during the regular season and playoffs. When the regular season starts, you hit the ice going at full pace.

    Regular persons would be shocked at how much time goes into video preparation.

    Even eating is different. Elite athletes are very aware about eating healthy. Even if they are out at a social function where alcohol is present, elite athletes will be aware about even having one alcoholic drink and might not even have an alcoholic drink at all.

    In athletics at the university level and even in major junior hockey just 10 years ago, athletes often looked forward to the Saturday game, because afterwards you were usually allowed to go out and party on a non-curfew night.

    That was usually time elite athletes in those sports were able to let loose and have fun, because in university you didn’t play a game again until the upcoming Friday.

Jaime Bourbonnais - a highly talented athlete who works hard.

    In major junior hockey, you usually went out and socialized on the Saturday if you next game wasn’t until Wednesday.
    Now, university athletes and major junior hockey players are worried about rest and recovery after the Saturday game even if a long break follows. In those situations, you often find players holding a protein shake and finishing off a cool down after visiting family.

    If teams go out on average twice every four months on a social outing these days, that is a lot.

    Even in curling which has always been viewed as the most social of sports, the athletes in that sport are now perfectly conditioned. The elite curlers aren’t stopping at the curling club lounge to have an alcoholic drink after their games, which was commonplace in the past.

    Most regular persons wouldn’t image putting all of that attention in to be able to do a sport. Also with the way the world has changed, most regular persons in Canada are often focused on the hustle and bustle of their own lives trying to get by.

    The goal is often to go on a vacation to a tropical spot like Hawaii. In most cases, the regular person worries about themselves and finds anything outside of their worlds as being irrelevant.

    Most of today’s elite athletes put full-time job efforts into their sport for very little financial reward.

Rylan Kleiter excels at football and curling.

    The number of athletes that reaches the level to make millions at the professional level is a very small fraction of the elite athletes who have tried to get to that spot.
    For most regular persons, it is all about the financial reward. They are better off financially working a full-time job than most elite athletes and will view those elite athletes as being stupid.

    The regular person can’t see positive traits elite athletes establish in pursuing their sport. Some of those traits and skills are better social skills, strong work ethic, teamwork and leadership skills.

    Due to the fact today’s elite athletes focus on their sports more than ever before, they don’t interact as much with persons in the regular work world. As a result, regular persons have no emotional investment in elite athletes.

    So yes, I believe there is a disconnection between regular persons and elite athletes in Canada in today’s world.

    The regular person just can’t get why elite athletes do what they do.

Dach watch intensifies for Blades fans

Kirby Dach has signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.

    The watch by Saskatoon Blades fans to see if star centre Kirby Dach will return to the team next season got a surge in intensity.

    On Monday, the 18-year-old product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., signed a three year NHL entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks selected Dach in the first round and third overall in the NHL Entry Draft held in June.

    Due to Dach’s early draft selection and now that he has a signed NHL contract, the odds have increased that he could play in the NHL next season.

    As Dach hasn’t entered his overage season of junior eligibility, the Blackhawks have to return him to the major junior ranks if they don’t elect to have him play in the NHL.

    Last season, Dach, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 200 pounds, appeared in 62 regular season games with the Blades last season posting 25 goals, 48 assists and a plus-15 rating in the plus-minus department.

    He helped the Blades finish fourth overall in the WHL’s regular season standings at 45-15-8 and advance to the second round of the playoffs. The Blades fell in six games in the second round to the eventual WHL champion Prince Albert Raiders.

    If Dach makes the NHL this season, most would be happy for his success. The Blades would take that development as a good thing and move on as best they can.

“Texan Sniper” takes his talents to Switzerland

Max Gerlach is going to be sniping in pros in Switzerland.

    Sharpshooting right-winger Max Gerlach is on his way to Switzerland.

    On Wednesday, the former Saskatoon Blades standout, who is nicknamed the “Texan Sniper,” signed a one-year contract with HC Ambri-Piotta in Quinto, Switzerland. He will be loaned to the HCB Ticino Rockets in Biasca, Switzerland.

    Last season, Gerlach played out his overage major junior campaign with the Blades appearing in all of the team’s 68 regular season games posting 42 goals, 32 assists and a plus-seven rating in the plus-minus department.

    He played four seasons in the WHL split between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Blades recording 141 goals and 110 assists in 278 career regular season games.

    The product of Flower Mound, Texas, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds, was a fan favourite in both of his WHL stops.

Nickolet departs Blades for NHL’s Hurricanes

    No matter Cody Nickolet will no longer be a fixture around Saskatoon Blades games.

    On Thursday, Nickolet joined the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes as an amateur scout. Last season, Nickolet was the Blades director of analytics for the WHL and one of their scouts in Saskatchewan.

    He first joined the Blades way back in 2011-12 as the team’s communications manager. Nickolet was on the Blades scouting staff for the past four seasons.

    His time with the Blades was broken up being a prospect analyst for one season with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

    It will be a change for SaskTel Centre building staff and team supporters to no longer see Nickolet around the rink on a regular basis. He got along well with everyone, and you can bet those that know him are happy to see this opportunity come his way.

Raiders’ Leason signs NHL deal with Capitals

Brett Leason has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

    Prince Albert Raiders star right-winger Brett Leason further cemented his path to the professional game.

    On Thursday, Leason signed a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Leason in the second round and 56^th overall in the NHL Entry Draft held this past June.

    Last season, Leason, who stand 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds, had a breakout year with the Raiders posting 36 goals, 53 assists and a plus-55 rating in the plus-minus department in 55 regular season games.

    He helped the Raiders finish first overall in the WHL regular season with a 54-10-2-2 record and win their second WHL title and appear in the Memorial Cup tournament. In the WHL playoffs, Leason posted 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points and a plus-six rating in 22 games.

    The Calgary, Alta., product also earned a spot on Canada’s team at the last world junior tournament played in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.

    Leason is eligible to return to the Raiders for an overage campaign, but he will likely play somewhere in the Capitals system next season.

Raiders’ Protas also signs with Capitals

Aliaksei Protas, left, has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

    Prince Albert Raiders import left-winger Aliaksei Protas professional hockey path has moved more towards the capital city of the United States.

    On Wednesday, Protas, who is from Vitebsk, Belarus, signed a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Protas in the third round in and 91^st overall in the NHL Entry Draft that was held this past June.

    Protas, who is 18-years-old, signed a day before his linemate in right-winger Brett Leason inked a three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Capitals.

    Protas, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds, was a WHL rookie in the 2018-19 campaign, and he steadily improved posting 11 goals, 29 assists and a plus-24 rating in 61 regular season games. He had a head turning WHL playoffs posting 12 goals, 10 assists and a plus-12 rating in 23 games helping the Raiders win a league title.

    Protas will likely rejoin the Raiders next season for a sophomore campaign unless he makes the Capitals NHL team.

Football Canada Cup Hail Mary something to see

    If a television-type broadcast camera had been present, the Football Canada Cup would have had a highlight that could have potentially on viral across North America.

    This year’s Football Canada Cup is going on right now in Kingston, Ont., the first of two semifinal games held on Wednesday provided a crazy highlight.

    In the first semifinal, Team Quebec led Team Alberta 23-16 with one snap to go in the fourth quarter and Alberta had the ball around midfield. Alberta quarterback Eli Hetlinger fired a Hail Mary pass down the right sideline that deflected off the hands of two Quebec defensive backs to Alberta receiver Dawson Gladue.

    Gladue secured the catch at the Quebec 16 yard-line and raced the rest of the way for a touchdown that forced a 23-23 tie score and overtime.

    Quebec prevailed 29-27 after a fourth set of overtime possessions.

    Gladue’s touchdown catch was shown on TSN, but the cameras used for the Internet telecast of the game weren’t the best quality. The score still looked good on the overhead shot, but it could have been better.

    Had there been a television broadcast quality camera present, you would have had a crazy highlight that could have been shown anywhere.

    There are NCAA athletic programs in the United States that have Internet broadcast quality cameras that are almost as good as television broadcast cameras.

    Unfortunately, sports bodies in Canada don’t have that type of money to purchase technology that is used by the top end NCAA athletic programs.

    Gladue will always have that lasting memory of his catch. Still, it could have been bigger moment for amateur sports in Canada.

Final Play: @FootballAlberta sends it to overtime in the Canada Cup semifinals. #TryFootball @FootballCanada pic.twitter.com/pI9knpuuzH

— CFL (@CFL) July 12, 2019

    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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Sting of gold medal loss fuels Stars at Esso Cup

The Stars to make their fourth trip to Esso Cup a golden one.

    Out of the massive amount of games the Saskatoon Stars have won, a single setback sticks our prominently in the minds of the returning players from last season.

    A year ago, the Stars made it to the championship game of the Esso Cup female midget AAA national hockey championship tournament for the first time in team history.

    In the title game at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., the Stars dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to the Alberta-based St. Albert Slash, who captured the national title for a second straight year.

    The Stars had been 14-0 at that point in the post-season and were riding a 24-game winning streak. Saskatoon finished the 2017-18 campaign with a 44-7-1 overall record.

Captain Grace Shirley will go down as one of the Stars all-time greats.

    The Stars topped the regular season standings in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League as well, but the Esso Cup championship game loss created a tough way to end the campaign on.

    “I think coming into the season we were all having that in the back of our minds,” said Stars captain Grace Shirley. “It pushed us and it motivated us.

    “I think that is why we had some of the success that we did this year is just because we were motivated and we want to win the gold this year.”

    The Stars are going back to the Esso Cup for the fourth time in the last five years. This year’s tournament starts Sunday and run through to April 27 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury, Ont.

    Saskatoon begins round robin play taking on Ontario provincial finalist the Stoney Creek Sabres on Sunday. The host Sudbury Lady Wolves captured the Ontario female midget AAA provincial crown, which allowed Stoney Creek to qualify for the nationals as the runner-up in the Ontario final.

Arden Kliewer is set to carry the big game load for the Stars.

    The Sabres were 11-7-4 in the regular season in the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League and are 5-2 so far in the post-season.

    The Stars finished first in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League for a fifth straight year. This season, they posted their best regular season record ever at 27-1.

    Saskatoon has an 8-1 record so far in the post-season winning the SFMAAAHL title and a Western regional playdown series to qualify for the Esso Cup tournament. Overall, the Stars have a 43-2-1 record in the 2018-19 campaign.

    A year ago, Stars netminder Arden Kliewer watched from the bench as veteran Jordan Ivanco, who was the squad’s 17-year-old veteran, had a solid game stopped 16 shots to take the setback in goal for the Stars in the title game to the Slash.

    What was tougher to watch was the face Camryn Drever turned away 14 shots to pick up the win in the Slash goal and was assisted by the fact her teammates blocked a tonne of shots.

    “Even just kind of closer to Esso just kind of thinking about last year, it is definitely still part of it that stings a little bit,” said Kliewer. “Especially just because how we lost to them, we were so close.

Kaitlin Jockims has piled up the points this season for the Stars.

    “We were on that big winning streak. And then all of a sudden, the one game we had to lose was that final. It is really still sticking around there.”

    Kliewer is one of 13 returning players from last year’s squad for the Stars this season. In her third campaign with the team, she is having her best season with the Stars.

    Kliewer, who turned 17-years-old in February, was outstanding in the regular season posting a 16-0 record, a 1.21 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and seven shutouts. She will be called up tend goal for the Stars most critical contests at Esso Cup.

    “I’m getting a little nervous knowing that I’m going to be kind of the go to for the tournament,” said Kliewer. “I am definitely excited to kind of go there and help my team like I have throughout the season and kind of show Canada that we deserve to win this.”

Anna Leschyshyn has been one of the Stars constant top performers.

    Shirley led the Stars in regular season scoring with 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points. She was the second leading scorer in the SFMAAAHL.

    Kaitlin Jockims, who is another standout 17-year-old forward, finished second in Stars team scoring with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. All of those totals were career highs for Jockims.

    Anna Leschyshyn was third in team scoring with 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points and is also looking to graduate from the midget AAA ranks after this season on a high note.

    Joelle Fiala, who is also playing her final midget AAA season, was fourth in team scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points.

    The Stars have a strong defensive unit that can get things done offensively as well. Ashley Messier, who just turned 17-years-old in late March, led all Stars defenders in regular season scoring with career highs in goals (five), assists (27) and points (32).

Joelle Fiala has made her mark as one of the Stars all-time best playmakers.

    Chace Sperling, who turned 17-years-old in January, had a breakout year on the back end posting career highs in regular season play in goals (eight), assists (12) and points (20).

    Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian is full of anticipation for this return trip to the Esso Cup.

    “I can’t remember being this excited for going back actually,” said Slobodzian. “Whether it is a feeling of not really unfinished business, I think you are going back with 13 girls that had such a great experience but came up short.

    “Now, they know exactly what it takes. A lot of things have to happen in regards to whether it is staying healthy, the things that you can’t control. I think we’re really, really prepared.

    “Whenever you are prepared for something it is exciting to jump into. I think that is the feeling we have as a group.”

Ashley Messier is one of the Stars most dynamic players.

    In the opener against the Stars, the Sabres will be looking to get big games from forwards Tiana Faccio, Regan Minor and Vanessa Upson.

    The Esso Cup nationals are a six team tournament, and this year’s field features the Stars, Sabres, Lady Wolves, the defending champion Slash, the Halifax Fire from Nova Scotia and the As de Quebec from Quebec City, Quebec.

    The six teams play each other once in a round robin, and the top four teams advance to two semifinal games. The semifinal games are slated for April 26. The bronze and gold medal games follow on April 27.

    Shirley was on the Stars roster in their three previous visits to the Esso Cup in 2015, 2016 and last season. She played in the 2015 tournament as an associate player call up.

    In total, she has appeared in 21 games at the Esso Cup tournament collecting nine goals and four assists.

    She gives the Slash full marks for winning last year’s title game, but believes her team will find a way to come out on top this year.

    “I think they (the Slash) are a good team, and we don’t want to take anything away from them,” said Shirley. “At the end of the day, I think we just need to focus on what we can do.

The Saskatoon Stars hope to enjoy a celebration like this at Esso Cup.

    “If we go out there and if we play our game, then I think hopefully we’ll find success that way.”

    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 build SFMAAAHL dynasty, win fourth Fedoruk Cup in last five years

Anna Leschyshyn, right, lifts the Fedoruk Cup, while Ashley Messier cheers.

    It felt like it was just a matter of time before the Saskatoon Stars championship pedigree was going to rise to the surface.

    On Tuesday, the Stars were looking to sweep the best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Championship series in a Game 3 clash against the Regina Rebels at Merlis Belsher Place. The host Stars seemed to start a little slow coming out of the gate, and the Rebels held a slight edge in play holding a 10-8 edge in shots on goal over the first 20 minutes.

    At that point, the Stars hit another gear.

    Just nine seconds into the second period, Stars star veteran winger Anna Leschyshyn blew home a power-play goal to the top corner of the Regina goal to give the Stars a 1-0 advantage.

Anna Leschyshyn had the Stars first goal on Tuesday.

    The Rebels evened things at 1-1 just 29 second later on a goal from 15-year-old forward Neena Brick, who was the SFMAAAHL’s rookie of the year this season.

    Saskatoon responded with two goals before the second frame ended to go up 3-1 and cruised to a 3-2 victory.

    With the win, the Stars swept the SFMAAAHL title series 3-0 and captured the Fedoruk Cup as league champions for the fourth time in the last five years.

    “It is obviously really special,” said Stars veteran captain Grace Shirley. “We’ve kind of been working for this ever since the beginning of the season.

    “It is really awesome that we could get the win. It is pretty special, because it is my last year. I kind of wanted to go out of the league on a winning note.

Neena Brick scored for the Rebels on Tuesday.

    “It is obviously super special, and I’m excited for what’s next.”

    When the Rebels evened the game up at 1-1, the Stars didn’t get rattled. They controlled the majority of the play for the rest of the contest.

    At the 4:12 mark of the second, Shirley put the Stars ahead 2-1 when her seemingly innocent backhand shot had eyes and found its way past Rebels netminder Chantel Weller.

    Shirley said her goal was a lucky one, but despite the luck, her team found its edge offensively.

    “I think started just like playing our game offensively and getting shots and chances,” said Shirley. “Once we started to do that, they started to go in for us, so it was good.”

Captain Grace Shirley had a goal for the Stars on Tuesday.

    With 1:37 remaining in the second period, rookie forwards Halle Helperl and Kaylee Baun teamed up to set up 17-year-old veteran linemate Kaitlin Jockims for a goal to put the Stars up 3-1.

    The Rebels were held to just two shots on goal in the third period, but one of those shots resulted in a goal from veteran 17-year-old forward Samantha Sichkaruk that cut the Stars lead to 3-2 with 8:50 remaining in the frame.

    During the dying seconds of the third, the Rebels had a huge chance to tie the game, but a final desperate shot by Brick from in close on the left side of the Saskatoon goal went just wide of its mark.

    Rookie Stars forward Haylee Kos, who turned 15-years-old in early February, said her team’s confidence was still high even after the Rebels closed to within 3-2.

    “There was a little bit of nervousness, because we got so close,” said Kos. “I think we all had some pretty good composure.

Sydney Pedersen brings the puck up ice for the Rebels.

    “We kept our defence up.”

    When the third period clock hit zero, Kos said she screamed and jumped over the boards as fast as she could to celebrate with her teammates. She said this was a dream moment during her journey in her rookie campaign.

    “It is absolutely incredible,” said Kos. “It was a little bit chaotic at first adjusting to everything, but I think once I got used to it, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

    Arden Kliewer made 15 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Stars. Weller turned away 24 shots to take the setback in net for the Rebels.

    Saskatoon finished first in the SFMAAAHL regular season with a 27-1 mark, which was the best record the team ever posted in regular season play. Regina was second with a 17-7-4 record.

The Stars begin celebrating their SFMAAAHL title win.

    Greg Slobodzian has guided the Stars to all four of their SFMAAAHL title victories as head coach. 
    The Stars claimed the league crown in 2015, 2016 and last season. He said it is always special to finish as the top team in the province and that all of the Stars SFMAAAHL championship victories had equal meaning.

    “They are all great,” said Slobodzian. “This one is really nice, because you’re with this group of girls for so long, like the other ones too.

    “We’ve got a pretty big graduating class this year. We’ve got some young girls here that I am so happy that they get a chance to experience this. They are all great.

The crowd at Merlis Belsher Place salutes the Stars for their title win.

    “This one is just like all the other ones. I’m going to be enjoying it for a long time.”

    The Stars will now host the Manitoba female midget AAA champion Westman Wildcats from Hartney in a best-of-three Western regional playdown series. The dates and times of that series are still to be announced. It is expected the series will start around April 5.

    The winner of that series advances to the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament to be held April 21 to 27 in Sudbury, Ont.

The Stars pose for the traditional team championship photo.

    Saskatoon has advanced to the Esso Cup the three previous times it has won the SFMAAAHL title.

    Shirley is pumped to get the chance to play in another regional playdown series.

    “It is awesome,” said Shirley. “I think any time you get to play more games it is good.

    “I think we are just going to keep getting better and see where that takes us.”

    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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