WHL East Division bubble a smashing success

Wheat Kings take top spot, Blades, Raiders win closers

Braden Schneider and the Wheat Kings topped the East Division.

It was a unique final night in the WHL East Division bubble.

The Brandon Wheat Kings saw their seven game winning streak come to an end after a 5-2 setback at the hands of the Saskatoon Blades. At the end of Wednesday’s first contest played in a bubble environment at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Sask., the Wheat Kings were presented the Subway Cup for finishing first in the East Division and were proclaimed champions of the WHL Subway Hub Centre.

The seven straight wins the Wheat Kings posted before falling to the Blades allowed the Brandon side to lock up first place with a game to go. Brandon finished the developmental campaign with an 18-4-2 record to sit one point up in the standings on the second place Winnipeg Ice (18-5-1).

With the win on Wednesday over Brandon, the Blades exited the Regina bubble having won two straight to finish third with a 16-5-2-1 record sitting three points back of Brandon and two points back of Winnipeg.

In Wednesday’s late contest that closed all action held in the Regina bubble, the Prince Albert Raiders slipped past the Swift Current Broncos 6-5 in overtime.

The win allowed the Raiders to improve to 9-11-3-1 and leap over the Regina Pats for fourth in the East Division. The Pats finish one point behind the Raiders with a 9-12-2-1 mark.

The Moose Jaw Warriors placed sixth in the division with an 8-13-3 mark. The Broncos finished last with a 6-16-2 record but played very inspired hockey in their third season of a major rebuild after having won the WHL title in 2018.

Sharing the Subway Cup with the best fans in the @TheWHL 🖤💛#BWK 🌾👑 pic.twitter.com/IFoyhyoL7W

— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) April 29, 2021

Of course, the seven-team WHL East Division played inside of a bubble format due to the fact the world is still firmly in the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The two-month schedule of games in Regina were not disrupted due to any positive COVID-19 tests. The WHL reported on Wednesday a total of 1,930 tests for COVID-19 were conducted during the time the East Division bubble operated, and no one tested positive for the virus.

As a result, each of the seven clubs in the bubble were able to complete their respective 24-game regular season schedules.

Huge credit has to be given to all seven teams, the referees and linemen, the off-ice officials, the game day staff at the Brandt Centre, the scouts and media that worked the games in Regina. They all did their part to ensure the successful completion of all contests in the Brandt Centre with no schedule disruptions.

The schedules of the WHL’s three other divisions in the Central Division, B.C. Division and U.S. Division have all seen minor disruptions due to positive COVID-19 tests. The teams in the Central and U.S. Divisions are playing games in their regular home rinks, while the B.C. Division is playing contests in a modified bubble in Kamloops and Kelowna.

Chase Wouters scored the winner in his final WHL game.

Most of the teams in those three divisions will fall short of playing 24 regular season games each. At the moment, the final WHL regular season games are scheduled for May 12.

In a COVID-19 environment where variants are creating more havoc on the world scene, the pure bubble environment used in Regina successfully allowed the East Division to complete all 84 total games.

All involved with the East Division bubble should feel very proud of their accomplishment.

In the clash between the Wheat Kings and Blades, the Saskatoon’s three overagers had a memorable final bow.

With the teams locked in a 2-2 draw, Blades overage captain Chase Wouters tipped home a point shot from defenceman Rhett Rhinehart for the winning tally with 1:22 remaining in the second period. Wouters won the faceoff clean back to Rhinehart at the point on the play.

The Blades added two goals in the third to round out the 5-2 victory.

Wouters had an assist and a plus-three rating in the plus-minus department to go along with his goal, which was his 10^th tally of the season. The career member of the Blades also won 19-of-32 draws in the faceoff circle.

During post-game media Zoom press-conference, Wouters was told his #44 was going to be retired by the team from Blades general manager Colin Priestner.

Also in the Saskatoon win, Blades overage centre Caiden Daley had an assist and a plus-two rating, while overage rearguard Wyatt McLeod had a goal and a plus-three rating.

Nolan Maier made 35 saves in goal for the Blades.

Brandon Lisowsky, Colton Dach and Kyle Crnkovic all netted singles for the Blades.

Overage right-winger Lynden McCallum scored both Brandon goals to finish with 21 tallies on the campaign. McCallum’s 21 goals were a career high.

Brandon’s two other overagers in forwards Marcus Sekundiak and Reid Perepeluk weren’t able to post any points in their final WHL game.

Nolan Maier made 35 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Connor Ungar turned away 23-of-27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Wheat Kings.

In the night’s second contest and final game in the East Division bubble, Raiders star centre Ozzy Wiesblatt lifted a backhand shot past Broncos netminder Reid Dyck just 54 seconds into overtime to give Prince Albert a 6-5 victory.

Wiesblatt had an assist and plus-three rating to go with his goal.

The contest did have some controversy. With the Raiders holding a 5-3 lead, Prince Albert overage star netminder Max Paddock hit one of the Broncos with his blocker during a scrum around the Raiders goal with 11:59 remaining in the third.

Paddock was given a match penalty for attempting to injure and a game misconduct. Broncos centre Josh Davies was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the scrum.

Paddock left the contest having stopped 21-of-24 shots fired his way.

The Broncos got a power-play goal from rookie right-winger Mathew Ward with 9:07 remaining in the third to cut the Raiders lead to 5-4 as a result of the penalties to Paddock.

Ozzy Wiesblatt had the OT winner for the Raiders.

Broncos centre Cole Nagy, who is a former member of the Raiders, evened the score up at 5-5 potting the equalizer with 63 seconds remaining in the third.

That set the stage for the dramatics on Wiesblatt’s winner.

Overage left-winger Justin Nachbaur had a goal and overage centre Spencer Moe had an assist in their final WHL career game with the Raiders. Both were members of the team’s WHL championship team in 2019.

Reece Vitelli scored twice for the Raiders, while Terrell Goldsmith and Tyson Laventure had singles.

Broncos overage right-winger Michael Farren, who started his WHL career with the Blades, had three assists in the OT setback. Broncos overage defencemen Kaleb Bulych and Owen Williams weren’t able to pick up any points in their final outing in the WHL.

Raphael Pelletier, Bode Hagan and Carter Stebbings all had singles for the Broncos.

Raiders backup netminder Carter Serhyenko picked up the win in his relief appearance turning away 6-of-8 shots sent his way. Dyck turned away 32 shots to take the overtime setback in goal for the Broncos.

Wednesday night was a night to be celebrated in Regina.

All seven teams in the East Division bubble played 24 games each in a 2020-21 campaign that appeared highly likely of not happening at all for an extended time period leading up to the season.

Justin Nachbaur scored in his final game with the Raiders.

The games that took place in the bubble were beneficial for all involved.

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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Raiders’ Habscheid sits alone in sixth for WHL coaching wins

Prince Albert downs Swift Current 4-2 for victory 549

Marc Habscheid mans the Raiders bench in September of 2019.

During his coaching career, Marc Habscheid is often showered with praise from his players that might be greater than any championships he’s won or the victories he’s piled up.

After being guided by Habscheid, it is common for players to refer to him as the best coach they’ve ever had. Players will also say they couldn’t imagine playing for another coach after being coached by Habscheid or it was hard at first to play for another coach after playing under Habscheid.

When players start playing for another coach, they will at times have a habit of comparing what that coach was doing to what Habscheid would do in various circumstances often concluding Habscheid would handle things better.

On Saturday in a bubble environment without fans in attendance at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Habscheid hit another milestone in his coaching career. When his Prince Albert Raiders doubled the Swift Current Broncos 4-2, Habscheid picked up his 549th head coaching win of his WHL regular season career.

The victory allowed Habscheid to move one win ahead of Ernie “Punch” McLean to sit alone in sixth spot on the WHL’s all-time career regular season wins list. McLean is best remembered for being the head coach of the rough and tumble New Westminster Bruins teams that won the Memorial Cup as CHL champions in 1977 and 1978.

Habscheid took up coaching in the 1996-97 season when he became the head coach and general manager of the Melfort Mustangs in the junior A Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Swift Current, Sask., product’s coaching career came right after a lengthy playing career.

Marc Habscheid sits sixth on the WHL’s career wins list.

From 1979 to 1982, Habscheid played one partial season and two full seasons as a star centre for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades piling up 107 goals and 169 assists for 276 points in 148 career regular season games. He was a member of the Canada’s first ever gold medal winning team at world juniors in the 1981-82 season.

In the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected in the sixth round and 113^th overall by the Edmonton Oilers, who had stars like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.

Habscheid played seven games with the Oilers in 1981-82 and would earn a full-time spot in the professional ranks the next season. His NHL stops included spending time with the Oilers, Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames.

Habscheid played his final professional season with the Augsberger Panther in 1995-96 before joining the Mustangs as head coach and general manager.

After one season with the Mustangs, Habscheid moved up to the WHL ranks as head coach and general manager of the Kamloops Blazers in 1997-98. During his career in the WHL, Habscheid would also serve stints as the head coach and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets and the Chilliwack Bruins/Victoria Royals franchise.

In Kelowna, Habscheid led the Rockets to a WHL title in the 2002-03 campaign and a Memorial Cup title as the tournament hosts in 2003-04. 

Marc Habscheid has coached with four different WHL franchises.

In the 2004 WHL playoffs, the Rockets advanced to the Western Conference Championship series before falling in a series deciding Game 7 to the Everett Silvertips, who were skating through a Cinderella expansion season.

Habscheid was hired as the Raiders head coach on November 1, 2014 as a midseason replacement for Cory Clouston.

When Curtis Hunt became the Raiders general manager before the start of the 2015-16 campaign, Hunt and Habscheid became a hockey power couple. They restored the luster of the Raiders franchise to a level that hadn’t been seen in some time.

Under their watch, the Raiders would finish first overall in 2018-19 WHL regular season standings with a 54-10-2-2 record. The Raiders advanced on to win their second WHL title in team history on Dante Hannoun’s epic Game 7 overtime winner in the WHL Championship series at the Art Hauser Centre.

Hannoun’s winner in May of 2019 gave the Raiders a 3-2 victory in Game 7 over the Vancouver Giants that will live forever in the hearts of the Raiders faithful.

In all of Habscheid’s coaching stops, the players he coach always turned out to be first class citizens. His teams won with class and lost with class, and it should be noted that winning was often the norm.

Curtis Hunt, left, and Marc Habscheid have made the Raiders go.

On the ice, the biggest thing he did was allow his players the play the roles they were suited for. Skilled players who scored were skilled players who scored and were encouraged to execute creative plays.

Defensive players played defence. In goal, Habscheid’s netminders usually had the confidence to shine in big moments.

Overall, Habscheid instilled confidence in his player that they could accomplish big things as long as they focused on getting better every day. He also makes coming to the rink enjoyable.

In Saturday’s win over the Broncos, the Raiders received an inspired performance from overage power forward Justin Nachbaur, who had a goal, two assists and engaged in a first period fight with Broncos overager defenceman Kaleb Bulych.

The goal, assist and the fight allowed Nachbaur to pick up the “Gordie Howe hat trick” for the night.

Dallyn Peekeekoot, who is a 16-year-old rookie centre from the Ahtahkakoop First Nation in Saskatchewan, scored his first career WHL goal tallying 67 seconds into the first period to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

After Broncos defenceman Sam McGinley evened things up at 1-1 at the 15:46 mark of the opening frame, Nachbaur scored with 2:50 remaining in the first to put the Raiders up 2-1.

Justin Nachbbaur had a “Gordie Howe hat trick” on Saturday.

Overage centre Spencer Moe scored early in the second to increase the Raiders advantage to 3-1.

Broncos rookie right-winger Josh Filmon, who turned 17-years-old in March, scored on a breakaway early in the third to cut the Raiders lead to 3-2.

Raiders veteran centre Eric Pearce sealed the 4-2 win scoring into an empty net with 47.5 seconds remaining in the third.

Overage netminder Max Paddock made 19 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders (4-6-2). Veteran 19-year-old netminder Isaac Poulter turned away 22-of-25 shots to take the setback in goal for the Broncos (3-8-1).

Star centre Ozzy Wiesblatt picked up three assists for the Raiders, while 19-year-old veteran centre Reece Vitelli had a pair of helpers.

The Raiders return to action on Monday in the Regina bubble against the Brandon Wheat Kings (8 p.m., 900 CKBI).

The bubble environment is being utilized due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

So far during the shortened 24-game developmental 2020-21 campaign, the Raiders have dealt with a rash of injuries. They also weren’t able to bring in bring veteran Belarusian forward Aliaksei Protas and Belarusian forward newcomer Vladislav Shyla to Canada due to how the COVID-19 pandemic has played out.

Marc Habscheid raises the Ed Chynoweth Cup in May 2019.

With all that noted, Habscheid has the patience to allow newcomers to learn and grow playing in the WHL. While he will be challenging and providing road maps for ways that players can improve and be better, Habscheid knows there will bumps in the road and won’t panic.

When the developmental season comes to an end, you can bet the Raiders players will depart for their respective homes believing they had never played for a better coach.

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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It's sweet Wouters, Paddock, overagers will get final bow

Chase Wouters (#44) enjoys an OT winner in the 2019 WHL playoffs

So what would it have been like had Chase Wouters never suited up again as captain of the Saskatoon Blades or Max Paddock never put on the pads again to play goal for the Prince Albert Raiders?

It appears questions on those fronts will be pushed off until this coming May.

Wouters and Paddock are slated to get the chance to hit the ice again.

The WHL’s five teams based in Saskatchewan along with the two clubs in Manitoba will each play a 24-game regular season schedule in a bubble environment at the Brandt Centre in Regina without fans. Team will be able to practice in the neighbouring Co-operators Centre.

Those seven clubs make up the WHL’s East Division for this coming season, and they are slated to hit the ice on March 12.

At the moment, the WHL’s Central Division containing the league’s five teams based in Alberta are set to hit the ice on Feb. 26 with club’s playing in their home centres. The U.S. Division will begin play on March 19 with all games expected to be held in the state of Washington.

The teams in those divisions will each play a shortened 24-game regular season.

Plans are still in the works to get the B.C. Division back into action.

Max Paddock protects the Raiders goal in 2020.

For the overage players from 17 teams that have been cleared to return to play, they will get the chance at the moment to have a final bow.

With anything right now, there is always a possibility the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic can throw a wrench into things.

The overages won’t play in front of a physical crowd. In the case of Wouters and Paddock, they won’t get to play one last time in their home centres.

The returning overagers will get a chance to put on a WHL jersey again. Back on March 12, 2020 when the 2019-20 WHL campaign was paused and the remainder of the season was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there seemed to be a real chance the overagers for the 2020-21 campaign wouldn’t hit the ice in the WHL again.

All the returning WHL players watched as the overagers from the 2019-20 campaign basically all saw their major junior careers come to a sudden end at the same time. Teams did tribute videos and pieces for the departing overagers on team websites and social media platforms.

There was still a sting those graduating overagers took that they actually didn’t expect their respective WHL careers to end when they last stepped off the ice.

The same fate could have happened to this year’s overage class. It does feel good to know that they won’t have their careers come to a sudden end.

In Wouters case, he was selected in the first round and 18^th overall by the Blades way back in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. After playing two games as a 15-year-old call up in 2015-16, Wouters has been a career regular on the Blades roster since.

He has appeared in 259 regular season games posting 65 goals, 94 assists and a plus-10 rating in the plus-minus department.

Chase Wouters has played 259 regular season games for the Blades.

Wouters had a memorable playoff moment scoring the overtime winner to lift the Blades to a 3-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors at the SaskTel Centre in Game 1 of a first round series in 2019. The Blades swept the best-of-seven set 4-0 before falling 4-2 in a best-of-seven second round series to the eventual WHL champion Prince Albert Raiders.

Wouters has represented the Blades with class for his whole career and done seemingly every community appearance that was asked of him. It is heartwarming to know he will get to wear Blades colours once again.

Paddock got his start WHL start with the Regina Pats. As a 17-year-old rookie in 2017-18, Paddock was in goal when the Pats made it to the championship final as the host team of the 100^th Memorial Cup tournament, which determines a CHL champion.

Paddock turned away 41-of-43 shots as the Pats were blanked 3-0 by the QMJHL champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

The Brandon, Man., product proceeded to play through a 2018-19 season where the Pats were going through a major rebuild after hosting the Memorial Cup.

Paddock remained with the Pats until he was traded to the Raiders on January 9, 2020 for sophomore left-winger Jakob Brook, a second round selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and a conditional third round selection in the 2022 WHL Bantam Draft that depended on Paddock suiting up with the Raiders as an overager.

In 114 career regular season games with the Pats, Paddock had a 44-49-10 career record, a 3.27 goals against average, a .901 save percentage and four shutouts.

In just over two months with the Raiders, Paddock appeared in 19 regular season games posting a 13-3-3 record, a 1.67 goals against average, a .935 save percentage and three shutouts.

With Paddock’s help, the Raiders were sitting first in the WHL’s East Division with a 36-18-6-4 record before the rest of the 2019-20 campaign was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Max Paddock in goal for the Raiders in March of 2020.

At the moment, Paddock is with the AHL’s Stockton Heat on an amateur tryout contract. The Heat are playing out of Calgary, Alta., due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paddock is expected to be back with the Raiders when the East Division starts regular season play on March 12.

Along with getting to make a final bow, Wouters, Paddock and the other overagers will get to compile recent game footage of themselves in action. They could use that football to potentially attract opportunities in the professional or Canadian university ranks.

While they will have that footage as a tool to attract future opportunities, they will get a change to be with their WHL teammates once more and get to create more of a proper closure to their junior careers.

Cozens on shaky ride in NHL COVID-19 campaign, other notes

Dylan Cozens in action for the Hurricanes in 2019.

Dylan Cozens showed he was ready for the NHL until COVID-19 protocols took him off the ice.

The former star centre with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes began the 2020-21 season serving as an alternate captain for Canada’s world junior team. At world juniors played in a bubble environment at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., Cozens topped Canada in scoring posting eight goals, eight assists and a plus-11 rating in the plus-minus department in seven games.

Canada fell 2-0 in the gold medal game to the United States on Jan. 5.

Cozens then joined the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres for his rookie season as a professional. The product of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territories suited up for nine regular season games collecting two goals, one assists and a plus-one rating.

At that point, COVID-19 protocols came calling.

Cozens, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 188 pounds, dressed for the Sabres as they dropped a 5-3 decision at home to the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 31. Due to issues with COVID-19, the Sabres wouldn’t play a game again until this past Monday, when they dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the New York Islanders.

Cozens was placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 “protocol list” on Feb. 6. He returned to practice with the Sabres this past Tuesday, which means he is off the “protocol list.”

At this point, Cozens still hasn’t suited up for a game since that Jan. 31 encounter with the Devils. The Sabres travel to New Jersey on Saturday to face the Devils.

The Devils actually didn’t play any games between downing the Sabres on Jan. 31 and dumping the Rangers in New York 5-2 this past Tuesday due to issues with COVID-19.

Through Monday, the NHL has postponed 35 regular season games due to COVID-19, and all those postponements have been in the United States.

The NHL has been changing its protocols to try and prevent even more postponed games.

That included a change on Feb. 11 that said all players, coaches, training staff, equipment staff and other members of the team’s traveling party on the road will be required to remain at home during home games.

They can’t leave their place of residence except to attend practices and games, exercise outdoors on an individual basis, perform essential activities like going to the doctor or deal with family or other emergencies and other extraordinary circumstances.

The NHL also strongly recommended that household members limit their activities outside the home as well and is encouraging teams to provide way for household member to be tested for COVID-19 regularly.

As you can see, completing an NHL campaign where teams aren’t confined in bubble environments has been very challenging in the United States in these COVID-19 times. Players like Cozens have experienced highs and pitfalls of these present day moments.

• Tickets are on sale for the February jackpot for the Saskatchewan Amateur Football Mega 50/50 lottery. The funds from this 50/50 lottery will go to support the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and the WWCFL’s Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot. One prize will be drawn per month, and the remaining draw dates are Sunday, February 28, 2021, March 31, 2021, April 30, 2021 and May 31, 2021. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• There has been a sizable grouping of minor hockey parents in Saskatchewan that have been saying if their kids in minor hockey can’t play than the WHL shouldn’t play. Those parents are trying to compare two different spectrums. In order to play, WHL clubs are providing private PCR testing through DynaLIFE Medical Labs as far as the COVID-19 testing component is concerned. Plus, the five Saskatchewan based clubs and two Manitoba based teams are playing in a bubble environment in Regina. Minor hockey bodies don’t have that type of money to afford those types of things. I guess if minor hockey players could play in a bubble environment where associations provide regular weekly COVID-19 testing, then you could have minor hockey in Saskatchewan.
• On Feb. 12, the junior A Manitoba Junior Hockey League cancelled the remainder of its 2020-21 campaign including regular season and playoffs due to continuing government restrictions brought in to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In many Saskatchewan media outlets over the last few days, Saskatchewan Hockey Association general manager Kelly McClintock said there was really no hope of playing any more competitive minor hockey for the 2020-21 campaign. Those comments came after the Government of Saskatchewan decided on Tuesday to extend current Public Health Orders and restrictions to battle COVID-19 to March 19. Teams are still allowed to continue training with players in groups of eight.
• On Monday, the Saskatoon Blades acquired 2001 born right-winger Blake Stevenson from the Tri-City Americans for a conditional fifth round selection in the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft. In 2019-20, Stevenson appeared in 47 regular season games with the Americans collecting 10 goals and 10 assists. He is eligible to play in the WHL as an overager in 2021-22.
• On Tuesday, the Red Deer Rebels announced Troy Gillard would be the team’s play-by-play voice for the club’s shorted 24 WHL regular season schedule. Gillard will work the Rebels 12 home games with colour analyst Mike Moller. The Rebels open the regular season on Feb. 19 hosting the Medicine Hat Tigers.
• On Tuesday, the Everett Silvertips announced overage left-winger Cole Fonstad and overage defenceman Gianni Fairbrother were named the team’s co-captains for the 2020-21 season. Fonstad helped the Prince Albert Raiders win the WHL title in 2019 before a trade early in the 2019-20 campaign brought him to Everett. In 60 regular season games split between the Raiders and Silvertips in 2019-20, Fonstad had 15 goals, 59 assists and a plus-39 rating. This season, he had five goals and five assists in six games with the Estevan Bruins in the junior A Saskatchewan Junior Hockey league before play was halted due to government restrictions to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019-20, Fairbrother appeared in 37 regular season games for the Silvertips posting five goals, 20 assists and a plus-six rating.
• On Thursday, the Regina Pats dealt 17-year-old defenceman Daylan Weigel to the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft. In 2019-20, Weigel dressed in one regular season game for the Pats. He played 42 regular season games in the Saskatchewan Male Under-18 AAA Hockey League collecting six goals and 20 assists with the Saskatoon Blazers. He suited up for the Blazers in four games this season collecting one assist before play was halted due to government restrictions to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On Thursday, the Brandon Wheat Kings announced 19-year-old defenceman and Prince Albert, Sask., product Braden Schneider was named the team’s captain. In 2019-20, Schneider appeared in 60 regular season games for the Wheat Kings posting seven goals, 35 assists and a plus-nine rating. This season, he was a member of Canada’s silver medal winning team at world juniors appearing in six games collecting one goal, two assists and a plus-eight rating. He dressed for two games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack posting one assist and a plus-two rating.

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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Raiders hammer Hitmen 8-3

The Raiders celebrate one of their eight goals on Tuesday.

    PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - The Prince Albert Raiders delivered a technical knockout to the Calgary Hitmen.

    On Tuesday before 2,481 spectators at the Art Hauser Centre, the Raider stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the first period and romped to an 8-3 victory in a WHL regular season clash between the two sides. The win was a third straight for the defending WHL champions who improved to 35-17-5-4 to sit five points up on the Brandon Wheat Kings (34-21-4-2) for first in the East Division.

    “I liked our energy,” said Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid, whose team was playing their fourth game in five days. “Their goalie had a tough night to be fair.

    “I thought we were on the puck. Our ability to get the puck back when we lost it in our end I thought was key. I like the jump.

    “I like the resiliency. They (his players) had built in excuses, but they didn’t take them.”

Brayden Watts (#27) had two goals and an assist for the Raiders.

    The Raiders came out on fire and drew first blood at the 9:01 mark of the opening frame when a mid-range shot from left-winger Brayden Watts snuck between the legs of Hitmen netminder Jack McNaughton and trickled into the Calgary goal.

    Just 1:41 after that tally, Raiders captain Zack Hayes fired home a point shot through a screen to give the host side a 2-0 edge.

    The onslaught continues with 6:02 remaining in the opening frame when 18-year-old centre Reece Vitelli tipped home a shot from the left boards taken from right-winger Spencer Moe to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead.

    Things continued to get worse for the Hitmen as Watts tallied on the power play with 2:43 remaining in the first to put the Raiders up 4-0.

Prince Albert had a 19-7 edge in shots on goal over the first 20 minutes.

Reece Vitelli had a pair of goals for the Raiders.

    “We just had a hot start,” said Watts, who had an assist to go with his two goals. “I think that kind of got us going.

    “We had some moments there where they kind of took over the game. Luckily, our goaltending was really good tonight as usual, and we were able to notch a couple more in the second and third.”

    The Hitmen attempted to battle back scoring two goals 12 seconds apart shortly after the five-minute mark of the second coming from the sticks of Cael Zimmerman and captain Mark Kastelic. Those tallies cut the Raiders lead to 4-2.

    The Raiders called a timeout after Kastelic’s tally to regroup.

    The host side went back up 5-2 at the 12:10 mark of the second, when Belarusian import centre Aliaksei Protas tucked home a shot from the front of the Calgary. 

Aliaksei Protas scored his 30th goal on Tuesday.

    The tally was the 30^th of the season for Protas.

    Vitelli added his second of the night about 2:40 later to give the Raider a 6-2 advantage.

    “Habby (Habscheid) made a great choice calling a timeout there to settle us down,” said Vitelli, who was a plus-two in the plus-minus department. “We don’t want to give up two at the start of the second period there and get them back in the game.

    “We responded well in the second half of the second period and just continued there for the rest of the game.”

    Early in the third, 18-year-old left-winger Ilya Usau tallied on the power-play early to give the host side a 7-2 advantage.

    Moe scored on a breakaway tucking the puck five-hole on McNaughton to give the Raiders an 8-2 lead.

    Zimmerman rounded out the game’s scoring tallying his second of the night for the Hitmen.
    Max Paddock made 24 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders. Jack McNaughton turned away 36 shots to take the setback in net for the Hitmen (34-22-4-1).

Spencer Moe had a goal and two assists for the Raiders on Tuesday.

    The Raiders top line of Protas centring Watts and Moe had a big night. While Watts collected three points, Protas and Moe both had a pair of assists to go with their goals to post respective three-point outings.

    “They are our top line,” said Habscheid. “They have to produce.

    “They have to score. We need them to score. It is nice when your depth chips in.

    “Singers sing, dancers dance and goal scorers score goals, and they have to score goals. That is just the way it is.”

    Usau had a pair of assists to go with his goal for a three-point night, while Raiders sophomore star defenceman Kaiden Guhle had a pair of assists.

The Raiders salute the Art Hauser Centre faithful after their win on Tuesday.

    The only down part about for the Raiders was the fact that 19-year-old right-winger Justin Nachbaur left the game late in the third period. Habscheid said Nachbaur was day-to-day, and the extent of his injury was still being determined.

    Besides the work of his top line, Habscheid liked how Vitelli played on Tuesday.

    “Reece (Vitelli) has carved out a little bit of a niche,” said Habscheid. “He is a faceoff guy.

    “He blocks shots. He plays the right way. He is good teammate.

    “He fits in well to our room.”

    The Hitmen return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Saskatoon to take on the 31-23-2-3 Blades (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre).

    The Raiders get back at it on Friday hosting the Wheat Kings (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

Huskies’ Willoughby, Vance star on “This Girl Can” night

Morgan Willoughby sets to drop the ceremonial faceoff puck.

    Morgan Willoughby and Jessica Vance, who are both veterans of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team, were treated to star status leading up to the Prince Albert Raiders game on Tuesday.

    The two are from Prince Albert and are both alums of the Prince Albert Northern Bears female midget AAA hockey team. Willoughby and Vance took centre stage for the “This Girl Can” night that was put on by the Raiders.

    The promotion was held in conjunction with the Bears and the 2020 Esso Cup committee. Prince Albert will host the Esso Cup, which is the female midget AAA national championship tournament, from April 19-25.

    “This Girl Can” night was held to celebrate young girls and women in sport, business and in community groups.

Jessica Vance (#30) shakes hands with Raiders captain Zack Hayes.

    Willoughby and Vance took part in an on-ice session with young female players from Prince Albert and area on Tuesday afternoon. Following the on-ice session, they were the main speakers for a speaking engagement at the Ches Leach Lounge.

    During a pre-game ceremony before the Raiders thumped the visiting Calgary Hitmen 8-3, Willoughby and Vance took part in a ceremonial faceoff.
    Willoughby just finished her fifth and final season as a tough defensive defender with the Huskies. She skated in 117 career U Sports regular season games posting six goals, eight assists and a minus four-rating in the plus-minus department often playing against the top lines of opposing teams.

    This past season, Willoughby appeared in 26 regular season games with the Huskies posting one goal, two assists and a plus-five rating.

Jessica Vance and Morgan Willoughby wave to the Art Hauser Centre crowd.

    Vance has been a star goalie for the past three seasons for the Huskies. She has appeared in 59 career U Sports regular season games posting a 38-14-6 record, a 1.17 goals against average, a .947 save percentage and 20 shutouts.

    This past season, Vance saw action in 19 regular season games posting a 12-4-3 record, 1.44 goals against average, a .930 save percentage and five shutouts. She has one season of U Sports eligibility remaining after starting her university career with the University of Manitoba Bisons.

    The Huskies finished third in the Canada West Conference with a 17-7-2-2 record this past season. They lost two overtime games in the post-season falling in a best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series 2-0 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

    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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Tigers remain kings of the tiebreaking shootout

Raiders fall in fast-paced heartbreaker

The Tigers mob Brett Kemp (#21) after his shootout winning goal.

    PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – It was a game where both sides deserved to win.
    On Saturday night, 2,577 spectators at the Art Hauser Centre saw the WHL at its best as the defending WHL champion and host Raiders went toe-to-toe with the Medicine Hat Tigers in a high paced back-and-fourth affair, where both teams transitioned quickly up and down the ice.

    The two sides exited regulation and a five minute three-versus-three overtime session locked in a 3-3 tie, which forced them to go to a tiebreaking shootout.

    In the shootout, captain James Hamblin and star right-winger Brett Kemp scored for the Tigers to give them a 2-1 victory in the tiebreaking session and a 4-3 overall victory in the game.

Brett Kemp scored the shootout winning goal for the Tigers.

    Raiders star centre Ozzy Wiesblatt, who had two assists in regulation, scored the Raiders goal in the shootout.

    The Tigers improved to a WHL best 5-1 in shootouts this season and upped their regular season record to 30-14-1-1. The Raiders fell to 1-4 in shootouts and saw their regular season record move to 24-14-5-4.

    Kemp was the final player to take shot in the shootout, and Tigers offensive defenceman Daniel Baker said his club was thankful Kemp’s shot found the back of the net.

    “It was just relief,” said Baker. “You don’t like it to come down to one shot.

    “Mads (Sogaard) has made some big saves for us and Jimmy (James Hamblin) and Kemper netted some big goals, so it was good.”

Ozzy Wiesblatt had a pair of assists for the Raiders on Saturday.

    With Prince Albert having downed the WHL Eastern Conference leading Edmonton Oil Kings 3-2 at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday night, Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid was fine with how things played out for his club.

    “It was a good weekend,” said Habscheid. “We accomplished a lot of things.

    “We got our identity back. We got our foundation in place. They beat us in the skills contest tonight, so it is all good.”

    The Tigers opened the scoring 52 seconds into Saturday’s tilt as right-winger Corson Hopwo zipped down the right side of the Raiders zone and slipped in a close in shot past Raiders netminder Max Paddock. Hopwo scored on the Tigers first shot of the game.

Daniel Baker had a goal and an assist for the Tigers on Saturday.

    Just over two minutes later, the Raiders returned the favour scoring on their first shot of the game with left-winger Matthew Culling netting his sixth of the season.

    Culling had an assist to go along with his goal in a real spirited effort on Saturday.

    “He does a lot of the hard work,” said Habscheid. “He goes to the net.

    “He forechecks. He can kill penalties and play power play. He just plays the right way.”

    Before the opening frame ended, the Raiders jumped ahead 2-1 when defenceman Landon Kosior fired home a point shot through a screen on the power play.

    Kosior scored on the second part of a power play that was created when Kemp was given a double minor penalty for high sticking. 

Matthew Culling had a goal and an assist for the Raiders on Saturday.

    Kemp’s penalty will automatically be reviewed by the WHL office for a possible suspension.

    The two clubs continued to blitz up and down the ice in the second, but the only goal came when Baker fired home a point shot through a screen to even the score at 2-2 with 2:37 remaining in the frame.

    Baker, who had an assist to go with his goal on Saturday, is having a breakout season as an 18-year-old sophomore. In 45 regular season games with the Tigers, the Edmonton, Alta., product has 11 goals, 22 assists and a plus-32 rating in the plus-minus department.

    As a rookie last season, Baker had two goals and 15 assists appearing in all of the Tigers 68 regular season games.

    “He (Baker) has been big,” said Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins. “He has certainly put up bigger numbers than last year.

Kyle McNabb had two assists for the Tigers on Saturday.

    “I think he is a guy that he always seems to find his spot to jump in the rush or do whatever. Our whole defence is good. I thought all the guys played hard.”

    Baker said he has found a higher comfort level on the ice playing through his second full season in the major junior ranks.

    “It has been really good so far,” said Baker. “The puck is going in the back of the net.

    “Our forwards do a good job of getting to the net, so it has been good.”

    Just 1:58 into the third, the Tigers jumped back out in front 3-2. Entering the Raiders zone with speed on a rush, Tigers right-winger Kyle McNabb fed a pass across the front of the Prince Albert goal to linemate Nick McCarry, who knocked home his eighth goal of the season to give the visitors the lead.
    The assist was McNabb’s second helper of the contest.

Kaiden Guhle scored the third period equalizer for the Raiders.

    The Raiders didn’t goal away. With 7:34 remaining in the third period, Raiders offensive defenceman Kaiden Guhle wired home his eighth goal of the season to force a 3-3 tie and overtime.

    Guhle potted the equalizer about four minutes after taking a knee-on-knee hit from Tigers right-winger Lukas Svejkovsky. Svejkovsky received a minor penalty for that hit.

    Habscheid thought Svejkovsky’s hit could have resulted in a stiffer penalty but noted the officials only get to see a play once in making a judgment call.

    “That was a dirty hit,” said Habscheid. “I hope the league looks at that.

    “That was just a bad hit. We don’t want that type of hit in this game. I think that if they looked at it on replay they might have called it differently.

    “They don’t get that opportunity.”

    Guhle’s equalizer ultimately set the stage for the Tigers to take the contest in the tiebreaking shootout.

Mads Sogaard makes a third period stop in goal for the Tigers.

    Mads Sogaard made 19 saves over 65 minutes in goal for the Tigers and turned away two of three shooters in the shootout. Paddock turned away 30 shots over 65 minutes in goal for the Raiders and one of three shooters in the shootout.

    Desjardins said Saturday’s contest was a tossup, where his side just happened to come out on the better end of the scoreboard.

    “I thought it was a good game,” said Desjardins. “I thought it was a playoff type game.

    “I thought both teams played hard. Obviously if you go into a shootout, the game could have gone either way.”

    While the Tigers are known for their fast-paced style of going up and down the ice, Desjardins said the Raiders are strong at playing that way too.

The Tigers celebrate their win on Saturday night.

    “They are a good team,” said Desjardins. “They can play that way as well.

    “They have some high end guys that like to skate and like to play a transition game. I think whenever you look at their game you think of them as a transition team, a speed team. I think it was probably equally suited for both teams.”

    The Tigers are back in action on Tuesday when they host the Swift Current Broncos (7 p.m. Alberta time, Canalta Centre).

    The Raiders return to play on Wednesday when they host the Victoria Royals (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

    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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Blades buck Broncos 5-2 to start new year

Kirby Dach scored for the Blades on Tuesday.

    Saskatoon Blades gave the SaskTel Centre faithful sweet treat on New Year’s Day.

    In an afternoon game played before 3,818 spectators, the Blades received goals from five different players to down the Swift Current Broncos 5-2. The WHL regular season tilt was a competitive one as the Blades held a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period and a 2-1 advantage at the end of the second frame.

    The Blades opened the game’s scoring at the 13:33 mark of the first period on a power-play goal from overage right-winger Max Gerlach, who knocked home the puck from the left side of the Swift Current goal.

    Saskatoon extended its edge to 2-0 at the 2:31 mark of the second, when right-winger Josh Paterson knocked home the rebound of a shot taken from linemate Kyle Crnkovic.

    The Broncos didn’t go away. Inside of the final 20 seconds of the second, Broncos 16-year-old rookie defenceman Billy Sowa potted his second goal of the season to cut the Blades lead to 2-1.

    In the third, the Blades jumped ahead 3-1, when captain Chase Wouters converted a tick-tack-toe passing play from Gerlach and left-winger Gary Haden.

    Saskatoon’s lead grew to 4-1, when 17-year-old centre Kirby Dach scored on a breakaway with a backhand shot.

    With 4:55 remaining in the third, Alec Zawatsky scored for the Broncos to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 4-2.

Captain Chase Wouters scored for the Blades on Tuesday.

    The comeback hopes for the visitors were short lived.

    With 62 seconds remaining in the third, Blades left-winger Riley McKay cut across the front of the Swift Current goal and scored on a backhander.

    Nolan Maier made 17 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Blades, who improved to 23-11-5. Joel Hofer turned away 41 shots to take the setback in goal for the rebuilding Broncos, who fell to 7-27-2-1.

    Tuesday’s game had its feisty moments too.

    Near the end of the first period, McKay and Broncos right-winger Tanner Nagel engaged in a fight.

    There was also a skirmish at the 11:48 mark of the second period that saw fighting majors assessed to Broncos defenceman Matthew Stanley, Blades right-winger Zach Huber and Blades centre Randen Schmidt.

    The Blades return to action on Friday, when they host the Regina Pats at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. The Broncos return home to host the Portland Winterhawks on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Innovation Credit Union i-Plex.

Raiders put Pats winning streak on ice

Sergei Sapego scored the winning goal for the Raiders on Tuesday.

    The Prince Albert Raiders had to put the pedal to the metal to put away a very game Regina Pats side on New Year’s Day.

    On Tuesday afternoon before 5,877 spectators at the Brandt Centre in Regina, the Pats, who are in a major rebuild, took a 3-2 lead over the Raiders in the third period. The Raiders rallied scoring the final three goals of the contest to pull out a 5-3 victory and bring an end to the Pats three game winning streak.

    The Pats downed the Raiders 2-1 when the two sides met on Sunday in Prince Albert.

    With the Pats holding a 3-2 lead in Tuesday’s WHL regular season clash, Raiders overage centre Sean Montgomery netted the equalizer from the left slot on a beauty backhand set up pass from linemate Parker Kelly to force a 3-3 tie with 8:56 remaining in the third period.

    Raiders import defenceman Sergei Sapego scored the winning goal with a point blast through a screen on the power play with 4:21 remaining in the third. Kelly cemented the win with an empty-net goal with one second remaining in the third.

    Kelly also opened the game’s scoring with a short-handed goal 19 seconds into the second period.

Veteran left-winger Robbie Holmes responded for the Pats to send the two sides into the second intermission locked in a 1-1 tie.

Noah Gregor had three assists for the Raiders on Tuesday.

    Early in the third, star left-winger Cole Fonstad scored to put the Raiders up 2-1. Just 14 seconds after Fonstad’s goal, overage defenceman Liam Schioler netted the equalizer for the Pats to tie things up at 2-2.

    Just 82 seconds after Schioler’s goal, the Pats jumped ahead 3-2 on a goal from left-winger Riley Krane. That set the stage for the Raiders final surge to win the game.

    Brett Balas made 20 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders, who improve their WHL leading record to 34-3-0-1. The Raiders are the top rated team in the CHL’s Top 10 rankings.
    Max Paddock turned away 51-of-55 shots to take the setback in goal for the Pats, who fell to 12-25-0-1.
    Raiders star overage centre Noah Gregor had three assists in the win and has recorded points in his last seven consecutive games. During that stretch, Gregor has recorded 10 goals and seven assists.

    The Raiders return to action on Friday, when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert. The Pats are also off until Friday when they travel to Saskatoon to face the Blades at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    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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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.