Huskies hammer Dinos 8-3

Jaimen Yakubowski celebrates scoring a Huskies goal.

    No overtime dramatics were needed in this outing.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team proved to be too much for the University of Calgary Dinos to handle on Saturday night at the ancient Rutherford Rink. The Dogs scored early and often and skated away with a convincing 8-3 victory. One night earlier, the Huskies needed double overtime to slip past the Dinos 4-3.

    In Saturday’s contest, eight different players accounted for the eight Huskies tallies. The route started when Huskies captain Kendall McFaull tipped in a point shot from Josh Roach for a power-play goal at the 6:44 mark of the opening frame.

    Rookie forward Daylan Gatzke potted his first career Canadian Interuniversity Sport regular season goal to put the Huskies up 2-0 before the first period ended. Just 84 seconds into the second period, rookie forward Andrew Johnson netted his ninth goal of the season to put the hosts up 3-0.

    Johnson’s tally chased Dinos starting goalie Myles Hovdebo from the U of C net. He stopped eight-of-11 shots fired his way. Steven Stanford played the rest of the way in relief and stopped 18 of the 23 shots he faced.

    Actually, the Huskies netted their first goal on Stanford just 94 seconds after he entered the contest, when gritty rookie Jaimen Yakubowski popped his first career CIS regular season goal. The Dinos proceeded to use a timeout to try and regroup after that tally.

    The stoppage worked for a short time, as Kevin King scored for the Dinos to cut the Huskies lead to 4-1. The Dogs’ edge ballooned to 6-1 before the second period ended thanks to a short-handed marker by Kohl Bauml and a point shot power-play blast by rearguard Jordan Fransoo.

    Dylan Busenius and Chris Collins netted singles for the Dinos in the third, which cut the Huskies lead to 6-3 for a short moment. Cameron Blair and Parker Thomas replied with singles for the Huskies to round out the game’s scoring.

Jesse Forsberg had four assists and a plus-six rating on Saturday.

    Jordon Cooke made 27 saves to earn the win in goal for the Huskies, who improve their Canada West Conference leading record to 17-3. Cooke also has 15 goaltending wins on the campaign, which are three shy of equaling the Huskies team record for goaltending victories in a season. The team record of 18 goaltending wins in a season is held jointly by Jeff Calvert (1998-99) and Ryan Holfeld (2012-13).

    The Dinos fell to 7-9-4 with the setback.

    While it seemed everyone that hit the ice for the Huskies was on a roll Saturday, their best player might have been sophomore defenceman Jesse Forsberg. Known for being a defensive defenceman, Forsberg quietly collected four assists on Saturday and was a plus-six in the plus-minus department.

    Saturday’s victory also allowed the Huskies, who are rated third in the CIS top ten rankings, to officially clinch a berth in the Canada West playoffs for the 20^th straight year.

    U of S leads the overall Canada West standings with 34 points. The Mount Royal University Cougars and the University of Alberta Golden Bears sit tied for second place with 28 points coming from identical 13-5-2 records. All Canada West teams have eight games remaining in their respective regular season schedules.

    The Huskies return to action this coming Friday and Saturday, when they travel to Vancouver to take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (9-8-3).

OT heartbreaker in Calgary

Brooklyn Haubrich had the Huskies lone goal in Calgary on Saturday.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team dropped an overtime heartbreaker in Calgary on Saturday night.

    The Huskies, who are rated sixth in the Canada West top ten rankings, fell 2-1 to the host University of Calgary Dinos at the Father David Bauer Arena despite holding a 31-20 edge in shots on goal.

    The Dinos jumped out in front 1-0, when defender Stephanie Zvonkovic scored on the power play at the 7:50 mark of the opening frame. The Huskies evened things up at 1-1, when rookie winger Brooklyn Haubrich scored with 3:45 to play in the third period.

    At the 3:07 mark of overtime, Russian import Sasha Vafina scored the winner for the Dinos shortly after getting out of the penalty box having served a minor infraction for body checking.

    Cassidy Hendricks turned away 18 shots taking the overtime loss in goal for the Huskies. Hayley Dowling stopped 30 shots to earn the win in goal for the Dinos.

    With the overtime setback, the Huskies record moves to 11-6-3, which is good for fourth overall in the very tight Canada West standings. The Dinos, who have won three straight, still sit last in the eight-team Canada West Conference, but they improve to 6-10-4.

    The Huskies return home this coming Friday and Saturday, when they host the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (12-6-2) at 7 p.m. on both nights at the Rutherford Rink.

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

Luck falls Huskies way

The Huskies celebrate an overtime winning goal.

    Lady Luck was on the side of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team.

    For a short time, it appeared the Huskies would fall victim to a comeback by the visiting University of Calgary Dinos on Friday night at the ancient Rutherford Rink. The Dogs led 3-1 after two periods of play only to see the Dinos rally back to force overtime after tying things up 3-3.

    After a scoreless five minute four-on-four overtime period, the Huskies received a huge break during the five-minute three-on-three session that followed. Sophomore Huskies forward Michael Sofillas fed the puck to linemate John Lawrence who proceeded to break towards the Dinos net for a scoring chance.

    Lawrence’s initial shot was stopped, but Dinos forward Elgin Pearce accidentally knocked the puck into his own goal while attempting to sweep it out of harm’s way.

    The Huskies themselves looked stunned for a moment before realizing they had pulled out a 4-3 victory at the 1:53 mark of the second overtime frame. The home side’s bench proceeded to empty out for a victory celebration in the offensive zone, while the crowd at Rutherford gave one of their loudest ovations of the season.

    For a while, it appeared the Huskies wouldn’t need any overtime goals to extend their current winning streak to four games. After playing through a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Huskies drew first blood, when sophomore forward Cameron Blair sniped a shot past Dinos goaltender Steven Stanford to give the hosts a 1-0 edge.

John Lawrence picked up the Huskies OT winning goal.

    The Dinos tied things up at 1-1 just three minutes later, when Spencer Edwards potted a goal from in close off a scramble type situation.

    The Huskies jumped back out front 2-1 working on a power play, when Michael Sofillas slipped home his fourth goal of the season.

    Before the second period ended, Huskies centre Sean Aschim stole the puck from a Dinos defenceman in the University of Calgary zone and immediately fed a pass to his linemate Matthew Spafford, who was alone in front of the goal. The fifth-year forward wasted little time in tucking home his second tally of the campaign to put the Huskies up 3-1.

    While play though the first 40 minutes was fairly even, the Dinos came with a huge push back in the third period outshooting the Huskies 12-5. At the 5:55 mark, Dinos rookie forward Mitch Cook picked up his first goal of his Canadian Interuniversity sport regular season career to cut the gap to 3-2.

    With 29 seconds remaining in the third, Dinos fourth-year forward Dylan Walchuk deflected home a point shot from defenceman Drydn Dow to force a 3-3 tie. The Huskies protested that Walchuk’s goal was knocked home with a high stick, but the officials ruled the goal was good.

    The Dinos carried play in the first overtime period recording the only five shots on goal in the frame.

    The Huskies lone shot on goal in the second overtime period eventually led to Pearce’s accidental own goal.

    Jordon Cooke made 35 saves to earn the win in goal for the Huskies (16-3), who are ranked third in the CIS top ten rankings. Stanford, who is a graduate of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, turned away 19 shots in goal for the Dinos (7-8-4).

    The Huskies and Dinos will go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink.

Russians power Dinos past Huskies

Iya Gavrilova had a goal and two assists for the Dinos on Friday night.

    Iya Gavrilova and Sasha Vafina came through when the University of Calgary Dinos women’s hockey team needed them the most.

    The two members of Russian’s 2014 Olympic team combined for three goals and two assists to push the Dinos past the visiting University of Saskatchewan Huskies 4-2 at the Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.

    Gavrilova, who has two assists, netted the winner at the 12:59 mark of the third period, which broke a 2-2 tie. Vafina scored twice, while Stephanie Zvonkovic had the Dinos other tally.

    Feisty forward Marley Ervine and Lauren Zary replied with singles for the Huskies.

    Hayley Dowling made 24 saves to earn the win in goal for the Dinos. Jerrica Waltz turned away 21 shots to take the loss in goal for the Huskies.

    The Huskies, who are rated sixth in the CIS top ten rankings, fell to 11-6-2. The Dinos improved to 5-10-4, but they still sit last in the eight team Canada West Conference.

    Both squads go at it again on Saturday in Calgary.

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

Oh what a Rush

The Rush's Crush Dance Team has been very visible in Saskatoon.

    If you live in Saskatoon, it almost seems impossible to escape the hype surrounding the Saskatchewan Rush.

    On Friday, the province’s National Lacrosse League team opens its much anticipated home schedule hosting the Vancouver Stealth at 7:30 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. That SaskTel Centre will be the place to be on Friday night. The anticipation level was upped a few notches when the Rush posted a thrilling 10-8 comeback victory over the Roughnecks in Calgary on Jan. 2.

    The Rush enter the current NLL campaign as defending league champions having won the Champion’s Cup last season in Edmonton. After spending 10 seasons in the Alberta capital, the Rush were forced to relocate after they were unable to secure a home venue.

    As the NLL is a well-established league, people in Saskatoon have been jumping on the bandwagon to support a club that has the makings to be a league power for some time. After the club opened its business office on 2^nd Avenue South across from Midtown Plaza, more and more residents have been spotted around “The Bridge City” sporting Rush gear. The excitement over the team is also trickling throughout the province.

    After seeing their season opener broadcast on TSN, it looks like the Rush will be a whole lot of fun to watch. It really seems like the hype is warranted.

    Actually, the Rush has a huge opportunity to really build a fan base rapidly in Saskatchewan. Out of the club’s 18 regular season games, it is possible to view 13 of them, if you attend all nine home games and the four road contests that are shown on TSN. If the Rush repeat their accomplishments of a season ago, their players will become household names.

    If all goes well, TSN might be showing post-season games from the SaskTel Centre.

    For now, feel free to enjoy the fact that the hype is likely very real. Allow yourself to enjoy the Rush.

Huskies Saskatoon’s most exciting hockey team

The Huskies celebrate a goal at the Rutherford Rink.

    While the Rush have a lot of hype, a well-established local team that dates back to 1910 is having a pretty good season to say the least.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team has been Saskatoon’s most exciting hockey club this season, and the Dogs have reclaimed a spot as one of the premier teams in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. After posting an uncharacteristic 10-15-3 last season, the Huskies top the Canada West standings with a 15-3 mark so far this season.

    With an infusion of a number of talented young forwards, the Huskies have returned to playing a real up tempo style this season that has been fun to watch. Everyone has been chipping in too, as 10 players have 10 or more points so far in the current campaign.

    The dynamic rookie line of Kohl Bauml, Levi Cable and Andrew Johnson are first, second and third respectively in team scoring. Bauml has five goals and 13 assists, Cable 11 goals and five helpers and Johnson has popped home eight goals and seven assists.

    Defence was a strong spot for the Huskies last season, and that hasn’t changed with a veteran group including Zak Stebner, Kendall McFaull, Connor Cox, Jordan Fransoo and Jesse Forsberg leading the way.

    Sophomore goalie Jordon Cooke, who is a graduate of the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets, has been spectacular recording a 13-3 record, a 2.43 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and one shutout. He has shown the ability to steal games, which helped him be named the Canadian Hockey League’s goalie of the year back in 2014.

    Cooke has been overlooked for a serious professional shot due to the fact he stands only 5-foot-10, but there is no denying he has professional level talent.

    The Huskies host the University of Calgary Dinos (7-8-3) on both Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the ancient Rutherford Rink. If you haven’t seen the Huskies men’s team play in a while, now would definitely be a good time to check out a game and get reacquainted with the team.

Releases of Dressler and Chick tough to swallow

    Saskatchewan residents received a reminder of how cruel the business of professional sports can be.

    On Thursday, the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders released beloved veterans John Chick and Weston Dressler, which caused immediate shock and dismay among “Rider Nation.” The move was made to give the club’s new management group - led by new head coach and general manager Chris Jones - more room to work with under the salary cap.

    The moves caused the Roughriders to be the province’s biggest sporting news story on a cold day on Jan. 14. Actually, it is quite common for the Roughriders to be the biggest sports newsmakers on any given winter day.

    Chick and Dressler are two of the team’s biggest stars, who have been long established as premier players in the CFL. What makes their respective releases that much more tough to swallow is the fact they have been entrenched in the province’s community since joining the “Green and White.”

    Both are the perfect examples of players you want representing your team in the community. They are personable and friendly guys who are very approachable. While they are not from Saskatchewan originally, they are basically viewed as neighbours.

    Their release is almost the equivalent of watching a close family member go work in a country far away.

    Roughriders fans have experienced this same gut punches in the past, when the team released other popular stars that had reputations just like Chick’s and Dressler’s like Don Narcisse, Bobby Jurasin and Dan Farthing. All of those departures were emotionally hard to take. Unfortunately, that is the dark side of professional sports.

    With that in mind, Chick was a key part of the Grey Cup championship teams in 2007 and 2013, and Dressler also earned a Grey Cup ring in 2013. Both will be future member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and they will always be Roughriders legends.

Golf allows Nelson to travel the world

Wyatt Nelson-Zook, left, hangs with his father Gerry Nelson.

    One of my big recent thrills was getting the opportunity to write a long feature story Canadian blind golf champion Gerry Nelson for the Saskatoon Express.

    The 52-year-old Saskatoon resident lost his sight due to complications from diabetes at the age of 25. From that huge setback, Nelson built as storied career as a blind golfer.

    When you get the chance to sit down and visit with Nelson, he can captivate you with the vast amount of stories he can tell like the late great iconic CFL head coach and general manager Cal Murphy could.

    Nelson can often be found at the SaskTel Centre as a regular in the crowd at Saskatoon Blades WHL games along with his 12-year-old son Wyatt Nelson-Zook. Wyatt gives his father the play-by-play of the contest.

    Gerry Nelson’s amazing story can be found right here.

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

Huskies' Zary rediscovers offensive touch

Lauren Zary breaks into the offensive zone on a rush for the Huskies.

    For the majority of her post-secondary hockey career, it seemed like a dark cloud hung over Lauren Zary in the offensive zone.

    Basically, if she didn’t have bad luck, she would have no luck at all. The speedy forward’s work ethic could never be questioned, but the on ice drive often didn’t result in points on the scoresheet.

    In four seasons of midget AAA hockey from 2008 to 2012, Zary built a storied career with her hometown Saskatoon Stars. She piled up 44 goals and 82 assists in 103 career regular season games.

    Her shining moment came in the championship contest of 2011 Mac’s Tournament, when she recorded two goals and two assists to help the Stars claim the tournament title with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Thunder. That victory marked the first time the Stars captured the prestigious Mac’s title.

    After graduating from the Stars and completing her high school studies at Centennial Collegiate, Zary packed up for Providence, Rhode Island, to play for the Brown University Bears women’s team in the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the fall of 2012. In two seasons at Brown, Zary notched just two assists in 26 games and seemingly skated away from hockey.

    Returning home to Saskatoon, she enrolled in engineering at the University of Saskatchewan in the fall of 2014 and decided to resume her hockey career with the Huskies women’s team, who were coming off winning their first Canada West conference championship. Thanks to a then recently introduced Canadian Interuniversity Sport eligibility repatriation rule, Zary could join the Huskies without have to sit out for an entire season.

Lauren Zary (#13) battles on a draw for the Huskies.

    As an added bonus, the Huskies also contained a few of her former Stars teammates.

    During the 2014-15 campaign, Zary, who made the dean’s honour roll, started to become a bit of a factor in the offensive zone picking up six goals and eight assists in 28 regular season games. This season, she had two goals and five assists in the 16 games the Huskies played before the Christmas break.

    When the Huskies opened their second semester schedule on the weekend, Zary had a breakthrough offensively helping her squad sweep a pair of games against the visiting University of Lethbridge Pronghorns at the ancient Rutherford Rink.

    On Friday night, Zary, who stands 5-foot-5, had a goal and an assist to help the Huskies double up the Pronghorns 4-2. Kori Herner, Marley Ervine and Kaitlin Willoughby had singles for the Huskies, while Cassidy Hendricks made 24 saves to earn the win in goal.

    Brett Campbell and Lauren Fredrich responded with singles for the Pronghorns, while Alicia Anderson turned away 29 of 32 shots in the U of L net.

    On Saturday night, Zary again had a goal and an assist to help the Huskies slip past the Pronghorns 4-3. Her helper came on the Huskies first goal, which saw Willoughby wire a shot off the post and in. In the contest’s third period, Zary scored on the power play, when she flipped a shot past Pronghorns netminder Jessica Lohues.

Lauren Zary, right, celebrates her goal Saturday with her teammates.

    Rachel Johnson and Herner each had singles in Saturday’s win. Jerrica Waltz started in goal for the U of S and stopped 11 of 13 shots over two periods of action. Hendricks started the third period for the Huskies, who were locked in a 2-2 tie with the Pronghorns at that time. She turned away six of seven shots fired her way to pick up the win in goal.

    Jocelyn Sabourin, Tricia Van Vaerenbergh and Chelsea Kasprick replied with singles for the Pronghorns, who fell to 8-9-1. Lohues stopped 30 shots to take the loss in the U of L net.

    With the wins, the Huskies, who are rated seventh in the CIS top ten rankings, improve to 11-5-2 to sit second in the Canada West conference. In the congested Canada West women’s standings, the Huskies are just two points back of the University of Alberta Pandas for first place, but are only six points ahead of the Mount Royal University Cougars, who sit sixth overall.

    The Huskies return to action this coming Friday, when they take on the University of Calgary Dinos (4-10-4) in Calgary.

    For the moment, Zary seems to have found a comfort zone playing on a line with Willoughby and one of her former Stars teammates in Ervine. If Zary can remain a factor offensively, the Huskies chances of finishing near the top of the Canada West standings will increase greatly.

    Zary’s work ethic on the ice and in the classroom will always be there. It would be nice if an extended run of good luck would come her way too.

Dogs take care of business in Lethbridge

John Lawrence fights for a faceoff for the Huskies.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team looks intent on proving their impressive results before the Christmas break were no fluke.

    The Huskies, who are rated fourth in the CIS top ten rankings, opened the second semester by traveling to Lethbridge to sweep a series with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. The wins allowed the Huskies, who are 9-0 on the road, to improve their Canada West leading record to 15-3. They sit five points up on the second place University of Alberta Golden Bears, who were swept away by the University of Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg.

    In Lethbridge on Friday night, the Huskies slipped past the Pronghorns 3-1. Rookie Levi Cable, John Lawrence and Jesse Ross netted singles for the Huskies, while Jordon Cooke made 37 stops to earn the win in goal. Jay Merkley replied for the Pronghorns, while cancer survivor Dylan Tait turned away 39 of 41 shots to earn the win in goal.

    On Saturday night, the Huskies found another gear storming out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and cruising to a 7-2 victory. Lawrence and fifth-year defenceman Zak Stebner both had a pair of goals for the Huskies, while Kohl Bauml, Jesse Forsberg and Logan McVeigh each had singles. Cooke turned away 24 shots to pick up another victory in net.

    Zane Jones and Tim Campbell replied with singles for the Pronghorns. Tait turned away 13 of 16 shot before being pulled at the 14:07 mark of the opening frame. Warren Shymko stopped 23 of 27 shots in relief.

    The Pronghorns have lost six in a row to fall to 6-11-1.

    The Huskie return to action this coming Friday, when they host the University of Calgary Dinos (7-8-3) at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink.

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

Tigers break Blades' hearts

David Quenneville, right, celebrates his empty-net goal with his teammates.

    Brock Hamm returned to his early season form, but it wasn’t enough to help his Saskatoon Blades.

    The 18-year-old netminder, who has faced a lot of struggles for about the last month and a half, was flat out spectacular turning away 50 of 52 shots on Friday night before 5,073 appreciative spectators at the SaskTel Centre. Unfortunately for Hamm, the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers skated away with a 3-1 victory, which included an empty-net goal.

    Hamm had a number of strong outings helping the Blades jump out to a 7-4-3 start, but he and his team have struggled since falling from the top eight of the WHL’s Eastern Conference and out of a playoff spot.

    Against the Tigers on Friday, it appeared Hamm might steal the game. Early in the first period, he robbed Tigers left-winger Ryan Jevne on a breakaway making a sprawling stop with his left pad, which set the tone for what was to come that night.

    Just past the midway point of the opening frame, the Blades proceeded to jump ahead 1-0 on a power-play goal from speedy centre Cameron Hebig, who redirected a nice set-up pass coming across the face of the Tigers goal from linemate Connor Gay. The marker was Hebig’s 20^th goal of the season.

Brock Hamm stopped 50 of 52 shots taking the loss in goal for the Blades.

    Shortly after that tally, Hamm had to come up with a huge short-handed breakaway stop on Tigers centre Chad Butcher. Medicine Hat held a 17-12 shots on goal advantage after the opening 20 minutes.

    The second period was a high-tempo frame that resulted in both squads having quality scoring chances, where the Blades had a 14-12 edge in shots on goal. Hamm continued turn aside waves of Tigers chances, while Medicine Hat netminder Mack Shields kept the Blades at bay.

    Medicine Hat dominated the third with a big push and finally broke through on the scoreboard at the 12:28 mark of the frame while working on a two-man advantage. Butcher, who was on the point, fed a perfect pass to rearguard David Quenneville near the top of the left faceoff circle, and he wired a blast past Hamm to tie things up at 1-1. The goal game on the Tigers 42^nd shot of the contest.

Matthew Bradley picked up the winning goal for the Tigers.

    About three minutes later, Tigers winger Matthew Bradley fired home a shot low stick side on Hamm to put the visitors up 2-1. That tally came on Medicine Hat’s 47^th shot of the contest. Quenneville sealed with win with an empty-net goal with 23.2 seconds to play. Shields made 34 stops to earn the victory in goal for the Tigers.
    Medicine Hat improved to 15-21-3-1 to sit four points back of the idle Edmonton Oil Kings (17-20-4) for eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. Edmonton holds the conference’s final playoff spot. Saskatoon falls to 15-22-3 to remain five points behind the Oil Kings.

    The Tigers return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Prince Albert to face the Raiders (23-14-3-1).

    The Blades head to Moose Jaw on Saturday to take on the Warriors (20-15-4-1). Over the next five weeks, the Blades will play just four times at home, which increases the difficulty they face in attempting to move up the standings into a playoff spot. In total, Saskatoon plays 12 of its next 16 games on the road.
    The next home game for "The Bridge City" bunch is Jan. 23, when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings at 7 p.m. local time at the SaskTel Centre.

Sanford out after trade request

Cole Sanford (#26) in action for the Tigers on Dec. 27, 2015.

    The Tigers were without star overage right-winger Cole Sanford on Friday night, who requested a trade prior to the game.

    Sanford, who was the team’s captain, has 21 goals and 17 assists in 33 games this season. The Vernon, B.C., product had a career year last season piling up 50 goals and 45 assists in 72 games. During his WHL career, Sanford, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds, has 106 goals and 111 assists in 230 regular season games.
    Sanford last dressed for the Tigers on Tuesday, when they dropped a 4-2 decision to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors at the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat.

    With Sanford out of the lineup, the Tigers named overage defenceman Ty Stanton as their new captain.

    Sanford has spent his entire WHL career with the Tigers having been selected in the sixth round and 117^th overall in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft. The WHL’s trade deadline is set for 12 p.m. Mountain Time on Sunday.

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

WHL trade deadline not all fun and games

Adam Helewka is a recent Rebels addition.

    Fans might find the WHL’s trade deadline fun, but it far from that for a lot of people associated with the league.

    This year’s deadline passes at 12 p.m. Mountain Time on Sunday, and its conclusion is often greeted with relief. As soon as the Christmas break ends, anxiety heightens on the part of the players from that point until the deadline passes. It is recognized that this short time span becomes the last chance for some clubs to bolster their rosters for a long playoff run, while other teams might be looking towards the future.

    Players that might think they are safe might get thrown into a multi-person blockbuster deal, because you often have to give up a good asset to acquire a good asset. Most of the brain trusts in the league are pretty sharp, so it is pretty hard for one club to fleece another club in a trade.

    During this lead up, players often wonder if they will have to leave friends they have made and the billet families they have gotten to know in short order to venture into a new world. That will often leave their parents and agents scrambling to help them relocate to a new centre.

    The lead up to the deadline is also hard for general managers. They often work mobile phones day and night mostly in an effort to tire kick to see what is out there. The deals result from only a small amount of the tire kicking.

    While working the phones, general managers often give up whatever short family and personal time they already have. When the deadline passes, that sacrifice no longer has to be made.

    Believe it or not, the trade deadline is often not fun for a number of the media outlets that cover the league. Most of the media outlets in WHL centres have a minimum of resources to work with. Reporters are often trying to squeeze in a trade story along with covering other local sporting events in their respective communities and satisfying the technical aspects that come with producing stories in print or broadcast.

Jake DeBrusk's addition adds to the Rebels offence.

    Trades often break at the strangest times, and reporters are often left scrambling to rework their schedules.

    The only person that seems to have any control on what goes on is Richard Doerksen, who is the WHL’s vice-president of hockey. All of the league’s trades go through Doerksen, who gives deals the final stamp of approval.

    When I interviewed for a trade deadline feature about a couple of years back, Doerksen said the only time trades can’t be made are from 11 p.m. at night to 7 a.m. in the morning, because he shuts his mobile phone off during those hours in order to sleep. He still has somewhat of a set schedule.

    During the final stretch leading up to this season’s trade deadline, the Red Deer Rebels, who will host this year’s Memorial Cup tournament, have to be viewed as the big winners so far. When action resumed after the WHL’s Christmas break on Dec. 27, 2015, the Rebels sat third overall in the 22-team league with a 23-12 mark.

    Since that time, the Rebels have swung three big deals that have bolstered their chances to enter the Memorial Cup tournament as possible WHL champions. On Dec. 27, 2015, they acquired 19-year-old winger Jake DeBrusk from the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for 18-year-old forward Lane Pederson, a first round pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft and a third round selection in the 2016 Bantam Draft.

Taden Rattie is caught in a scrum against the Blades.

    DeBrusk had been the face of the Broncos franchise and will likely add some strut to the Rebels lineup. He has 14 goals and 22 assists in 30 games this season.

    On Jan. 1, the Rebels acquired high-scoring overage winger Adam Helewka from the Spokane Chiefs. The Chiefs picked up overage winger Wyatt Johnson, 15-year-old prospect Eli Zummack, a second round selection in the 2016 Bantam Draft and a fifth round pick in the 2017 Bantam Draft. Helewka has 19 goals and 18 assists in 22 total games this season, while Johnson had been the Rebels captain.

    Red Deer’s third major move came on Sunday, when they picked up overage centre Luke Philp from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for overage winger Presten Kopeck, 17-year-old defencaman Ryan Pouliot, the rights to 16-year-old forward Tanner Sidaway, and a second round and a third round selection in the 2016 Bantam Draft. Kopeck was dealt a day later to the Chiefs in exchange for overage winger Riley Whittingham and a fourth round selection in the 2017 Bantam Draft.

    Philp has 13 goals and 16 assists in 22 games with the Ice, but he is still out with an ankle injury he suffered back on Nov. 21, 2015.

    In a minor move on Dec. 28, 2015, the Rebels picked up 18-year-old winger Taden Rattie from the Portland Winterhawks for a fourth round selection in the 2016 Bantam Draft. Rattie, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds, recorded seven goals, five assists and 155 penalty minutes in 53 games at the junior A level last season with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Whitecourt Wolverines, and he should add a physical presence.

Landon Bow was traded by the Broncos.

    The additions of DeBrusk, Helewka and a healthy Philp make the Rebels that much more of an extremely dangerous offensive team. Red Deer (28-13) hosts the Lethbridge Hurricanes (28-12) on Friday in a battle for first overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

    The Rebels would benefit from having a little more depth on defence, but a running theme among scouts that watch the WHL is that this is a thin campaign when it comes to the number of good rearguards and goaltenders that are in the league. The asking price for those spots will be at a premium.

    With that in mind, the Seattle Thunderbirds were able to acquire standout overage goaltender Landon Bow from the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for 18-year-old netminder Taz Burman and overage winger Jamal Watson on Tuesday.

    A hockey family reunion was created in a Monday deal involving the Saskatoon Blades and the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Blades sent 17-year-old defenceman Schael Higson, overage rearguard Mitch Wheaton and second round selection in the 2017 Bantam Draft to the Wheat Kings for 18-year-old winger Braylon Shmyr and overage defenceman Colton Waltz.

    Waltz’s younger sister, Jerrica, is a sophomore goalie for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team.

Kennedy to get WHL Alumni Achievement Award

    On Thursday, the WHL announced that Sheldon Kennedy will be presented with the WHL Alumni Achievement Award.

    Kennedy will receive the honour in a pre-game ceremony in Swift Current before the host Broncos take on the Moose Jaw Warriors at 2 p.m. at the Credit Union i-plex. The Brandon, Man., product was a star winger for the Broncos from 1986 to 1989 and was the captain of the 1989 Memorial Cup championship Broncos squad.

    Kennedy is best remember for coming forward about how he was sexually abused by his former coach in Swift Current, Graham James. James was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual offenses against Kennedy and another player.

    Since that revelation in the 1990s, Kennedy has been an unprecedented leader in the cause of awareness and prevention of child abuse, and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014.

    On Friday, Kennedy will be in Swift Current as that centre launches a new initiative called “Youth Certification and Safe Places,” which is a certification and registration strategy that requires background checks for anyone that works directly with children.

    It has been good to see Kennedy and the community of Swift Current move forward in a number of positive ways in recent years.

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

Top 10 memories of 2015

Tom Sargeant gets the Gatorade shower after the Canadian Bowl

    At the start of the year, I didn’t know what would be on this list.

    No longer working full time in the mainstream media, I really thought I would not go through enough experiences to create this list. To my surprise, I was able to make a whole bunch of memories mainly through creating this blog and my freelance work. Reflecting on that fact gives me a confidence boost that I do not have to be part of the mainstream media to have moments where I feel like a rock star, which in recent years has been a struggle.

    Through most of this year, I felt I had to scrap, kick, claw and fight for a just the smallest, tiniest, mini-break. I do keep trying to push for a major break in both my career field and also the relationship front – both of which seem they will never come.

    One of the big things that drove me on was seeing this blog surge past 32,000 page views. I never imagined I would get 5,000 views. During interactions with you the readers, I get that upper where I feel like I matter. I thank you for that.

    I have so enjoyed the relationships that I have renewed writing this blog and the new ones I have made.

    I think one of the top feel good moments came on Nov. 7, 2015 after the Saskatoon Hilltops downed the Okanagan Sun 38-24 to win the Canadian Junior Football League title game the Canadian Bowl.

    I remember running on to the turf at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, and I ended up hugging energetic and heart on his sleeve Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant who said, “Thank you for everything you have done for us.”

    That meant a lot to me. The 2015 CJFL campaign marked the first time I covered the Hilltops for a complete season. I respect those guys so much, and I hold the coaches in such high regard that I will cherish that moment always.

    It felt good to matter, and you all make it happen by reading this blog. Again, thank you.

    Now without further ado, here are the memories. Wow, it is cool to see how much happened.

10. UFC’s visit to Saskatoon

A young fan gets a picture taken with a UFC title belt.

    I had worked one mixed martial arts card on a minor promotion, but I had never dealt with the UFC in any form before.

    The UFC stopped in Saskatoon for the first time ever on Aug. 23, 2015 with its UFC Fight Night 74 card, and I covered it for The Canadian Press, the Saskatoon Express and my blog. It was cool seeing the lead up spectacle covering the open workout at O’Brians Event Centre, checking out the weigh-ins, the UFC Experience fan festival and the fights themselves.

    I befriended UFC staffers Carolyn Blakely, Neil Springer and Stephanie Ura, and they all made working the UFC stop easy. The fighters were a joy to deal with. They were all so engaging and all had cool stories to tell.

    It was so cool to watch the fights from the floor at cage side. Another highlight was helping Octagon Girl Chrissy Blair with her phone.

    The action inside the cage was impressive, and the crowd of 7,202 definitely got their bang for their buck. The UFC stop in Saskatoon was definitely a good time.

9. Valkyries and Riot play a conference final classic

Valkyries RB Sam Matheson runs through the Riot.

    In the short history of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, the Saskatoon Valkyries and the Regina Riot played arguably the circuit’s greatest game on June 28, 2015, when they battled in the Prairie Conference final.

    The Valkyries entered the contest having won the WWCFL title in each of the previous four years. The Riot were looking to knock off their provincial rivals and were hosting the conference final at Mosaic Stadium. Regina also thumped the Valkyries 49-9 in a regular season encounter in Saskatoon, so one had to wonder if the Riot’s time to rise to the top of the league had come.

    The conference final was gritty clash that saw the Riot slowly build what appeared to be a comfortable 28-7 edge early in the fourth quarter. While Regina had a big lead, it never felt like Saskatoon was out of the game.

    One of those classic strong Mosaic Stadium winds was blowing at full force in that contest, and the Valkyries had the wind at their backs in the fourth quarter.

    A long pass reception by Valkyries receiver Marci Kiselyk set up an 18-yard touchdown run by running back Sam Matheson. Kiselyk caught a two-point conference to further cut the Regina lead to 28-15 and the game’s momentum had swung.

    Matheson proceeded to run in scores from 28 and 25 yards out to give the Valkyries a 29-28 lead with 1:26 to play. She accounted for all four Saskatoon majors piling up 159 yards rushing on 14 carries.

    After falling behind, the Riot responded gutting out a final drive that was powered by the work of running back Carmen Agar and quarterback Aimee Kowalski along the ground. With 15 seconds to play, Morgan Turner kicked a 12-yard field goal to give the Riot a 31-29 victory.

    The Riot advanced to the WWCFL title game in Winnipeg and crushed the Edmonton Storm 53-6, but in all reality, the league title was decided in that classic Prairie Conference final clash between the Riot and Valkyries in Regina.

8. Labour Day Classic a feel good day once again

The Roughriders get set to plunge in for a touchdown.

    The Labour Day Classic at Mosaic Stadium always seems to be a yearly highlight.

    The 2015 edition made for the ultimate lost party weekend in Regina. The host Saskatchewan Roughriders downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 37-19 for an 11^th straight victory in this annual clash.

    Cheering for the Roughriders, all you could feel was elation after that game. The Riders were 0-9 at that point in the season, they have just fired their head coach and general manager and they had a whole host of key injuries. They were without their star starting quarterback Darian Durant, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the opening game of the season.

    It seemed like the Roughriders were never going to win a game in 2015. After posting that convincing win over the Bombers, I remember streaming off to Wayne’s World and dancing with girls I just met to David Lee Murphy’s “Dust on the Bottle.” Wayne’s World is a backyard party spot at a house situated across the street from Mosaic Stadium.

    The party went long into the night at various locals in Regina. For a small moment, it felt like everything was right.

7. A farewell to Beily’s

    After 10 years in operation, Beily’s Ultralounge on 8^th Street closed its doors forever back in February, and its farewell weekend was one to remember.

    For most of its existence, Beily’s was the hotspot to be at in Saskatoon before a whole bunch of pubs opened up in downtown.

    NHL players often stopped in. For a number of years, there was often an annual impromptu gathering there during the weekend NHLers came to town to support the annual golf tournament to raise funds for Royal University Hospital.

    Beily’s relived its prime during its final weekend, which was also the February long weekend. Friday and Saturday were packed leading up to the final industry Sunday on Feb. 15, 2015. The final industry Sunday was an epic send-off party.

    A number of people that don’t normally go out did for Beily’s final weekend. Most wished owner Jeff Ledding well.

    After the last song played on Sunday night, you could feel the finality. Staff members were hugging each other and hugging the patrons. There were also a few tears shed.

    I took a cab home that night, which also created another weird memory. When I returned to recover my car the afternoon on the following day, I remember looking at quiet and empty Beily’s building. The electric sign out front thanked the city for a great 10 years.

    It really hit me at that time I would never have a night out at Beily’s again. It also hit me that would be the last time I recovered my car the next day after spending a night out at Beily’s. It felt strange.

    With that said, thanks Beily’s for all the great memories.

6. Motley Crue rocks Saskatoon one last time

Nikki Sixx plays during Motley Crue's last show at the SaskTel Centre.

    Finalities seem to be a theme for me in 2015, and Motley Crue’s farewell tour stop in Saskatoon provided another epic memory.

    On Dec. 10, 2015, Motley Crue played the SaskTel Centre for the last time ever and Alice Cooper opened the show. Both legendary acts nailed down iconic performances and the SaskTel Centre was pretty much packed.

    I saw Motley Crue for the first time a couple of years back to strike something off the bucket list. Their final performance in Saskatoon is something I will always remember taking everything in from my floor seat.

    Like the first time I went to Motley Crue, I went to the show on a limo bus that left Outlaws with a big group of friends. The after party back at Outlaws was pure fun.

    You could also feel the finality. After Motley Crue concluded their set with “Home Sweet Home,” I remember a realization hitting me that I will never see this band play live again. I took a selfie on the floor at the SaskTel Centre before departing to join up with my friends on the limo bus.

    I savoured the night as much as I could, but it seemed to go by way to fast.

5. The final regular season night at The Arena

The Tigers raise a banner to the rafters of The Arena thanking the fans.

    Wow, I will always remember the love from the people in Medicine Hat on this night.

    On March 21, 2015, the Medicine Hat Tigers played their final regular season game at The Arena downing the Saskatoon Blades 6-2. I came back to check out the final regular season game along with a huge number of former players. The contest also marked the first time I had been to Medicine Hat since moving away at the end of July in 2014.

    I lived in Medicine Hat for 10 years, but my last three years in the Gas City were filled with turmoil mainly stemming from work. Driving to town, I remember feeling excited to get to Medicine Hat, which was special. I could still recall return trips to Medicine Hat after visiting family and friends in Saskatoon from 2011 to 2014 and constantly feeling fear about how the roof will fall in.

    When I pulled into the Hat, I immediately went to The Arena to see the Tigers office staff. I remember hugging Tim Machan, who was the Tigers creative services and digital media manager, and going into the building to check out the video screens that were set up for that night’s festivities.

    After checking into the hotel, I returned to The Arena for game time and felt constant love from the moment I stepped in the building. It took me 15 to 20 minutes to get from one end of the building to the other due to shaking hands and visiting with fans. The former Tigers players that came back for that night had similar experiences.

    Fans brought out old pictures and memorabilia, which brought back so many cool memories. I got to go to the Tigers alumni function that was held after the game at Ralph’s, and soaked in sharing memories with a huge group of friends I made from the 10 seasons I covered the team as a beat writer. I wish that get together could have lasted forever.

4. One Voice Fundraiser – A night of love those battling mental illness longed for

    It was a night where it felt like dealing with mental health issues was given a proper respect.

On July 24, 2015, I attended the One Voice Fundraiser at TCU Place, which supports the Neural Health Project at the University of Saskatchewan. The hope of the Neural Health Project is to develop a more complete approach to the treatment of mental illness.

    Since 2012, I have knowingly battled issues with anxiety. I have long gone public about these battles, and during my journey on this front, I frequently run into people that think mental issues are non-issues or fake issues.

    At the One Voice Fundraiser, mental health issues were discussed normally in a comfortable and upbeat setting. For those that have battles with those issues, you felt great and unafraid.

    The event was spearheaded by Mike Babcock, who is the head coach of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dr. DeeDee Maltman, who is the medical director for the Centre of Integrative Medicine at the U of S. For me, it was uplifting to see someone of Babcock’s statue champion the fact we need to do a lot better in tackling mental health issues.

    The two times I have visited with Babcock in my life have been spectacular. The demanding coach has a big heart.

    On the night, over $1-million was raised for the Neural Health Project.

    I was glad I could help in a small way what happened that night with a big advancer article about my mental health story. That had been one of the few nights in recent years I truly felt on top again.

3. Hilltops capture 18^th CJFL title

Austin Thorarinson and the Hilltops raise the Canadian Bowl.

    Since I moved back to Saskatchewan, one of the great things that has happened to me is renewing ties with the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops.

    In 2014, I wrote a handful of stories on the Hilltops, and I had so much fun going to games and hanging around the team I made it a point to follow them for a full season in 2015. As a side bonus, my posts on the Hilltops rank right up there with my most viewed posts.

    As the season progressed, it was fun to Hilltops improve game in and game out. When they advanced to host the Canadian Bowl, I remember waking up on the morning of Nov. 7, 2015 full of anticipation for what was to come. I couldn’t wait to get down to Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    When I arrived, it was amazing to fans and former players tailgating in the parking lot, which doesn’t normally happen at Hilltops games. The stadium was packed, and you got to see all sorts of familiar faces like former Saskatoon StarPhoenix sportswriter Cory Wolfe.

    With 3:46 to play in the third quarter and the Okanagan Sun holding a 21-17 edge on the Hilltops, I can still see Saskatoon quarterback Jared Andreychuk hitting receiver Tyson Sawatzky on a 73-yard bomb pass play to put the hosts up 24-21. The connection came two plays after the Hilltops had a similar long touchdown pass called back due to a penalty.

    Saskatoon pulled out a 38-24 victory to claim an 18^th Canadian Junior Football League title. The hang out party at the Hilltops clubhouse afterwards was a blast.

    The Hilltops are a first class team, and everyone from coaches, players, parents, directors, support staff and cheerleaders are all outstanding people to deal with. It was a blessing to around the whole 2015 championship campaign.

2. Saskatoon Stars shine brightly

The Stars celebrate winning a SFMAAAHL title.

    I must admit the only reason I discovered the Saskatoon Stars midget AAA female hockey team was due to the fact my young cousin Danielle Nogier is one of their players.

    After you go to a couple of games, you kind of get hooked on how upbeat, energetic and optimistic the Stars players are. The team also has one of the best parent support groups I have ever seen as well.

    Over the 2014-15 season, the Stars posted a 45-5 overall record including play in Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season and playoffs, the Mac’s tournament and the Esso Cup national championship tournament.

    They won the Mac’s title, the SFMAAAHL championship and a bronze medal at the Esso Cup.

It was a special to be at the Agriplace Arena on March 25, 2015, when the Stars downed the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in Game 3 of the SFMAAAHL champion series to sweep the best-of-five set.

    That night proved to be one of the few of my many sports memories that contained a family member. I got a lot of joy snapping a picture of Danielle skating around the rink with the championship banner.

    Actually, it seemed like the Stars players were bouncing around all over the place with pure joy and happiness. You almost forget how much energy a group of teenagers aged 14 to 18 have.

    Entering 2016, the Stars are again first in the SFMAAAHL with a 16-2 record. Danielle is the team’s captain playing in her final year of midget eligibility. They might have a few more highlight moments coming up in the next few months.

1. Cancer battles – RIP Cody Smuk and Dominic Rooney

Cody Smuk at the Rutherford Rink on Jan. 30, 2015.

    The most memorable moments of 2015 also proved to be the most emotional and heart wrenching.

    In Saskatoon, former University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team forward Cody Smuk passed away after a battle with cancer that lasted over a year. In Medicine Hat, little Dominic Rooney, who is the son of Medicine Hat News sports editor Sean Rooney, passed away after a two-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia just shy of his third birthday.

    Both deaths were way too sad and way too soon.

    Since moving to Saskatoon at the end of July in 2014, I had been around to see most of Smuk’s battle. Smuk was actually the first person I interviewed when I moved to Saskatoon as part of a feature story for the Saskatoon Express. I was impressed with how deep of a person he was during that one-on-one talk at the ancient Rutherford Rink and how optimistic he was in his fight.

    It was inspiring to see the community of Saskatoon rally again and again to help Smuk. I can still remember the warm fundraising night at the Rutherford Rink, and the big send off for him at the airport when he traveled to Germany for alternative treatment. Actually, my two most viewed posts ever are about Smuk.

    Smuk passed away on June 25, 2015 at age 26. I still feel for his father, Marty, mother, Darla, sister, Brittnie and fiancée, Stephanie Vause.

Items from Dominic Rooney's celebration of life.

    From a distance, I watched for the last year how Dominic Rooney’s battled played out. When I moved away from the Hat, he was in more of a stable spot, and his father, Sean, and mother, Trish, were pretty happy.

    It was cool to see how Medicine Hat rallied around the Rooney family. I think everybody realized how unfair that whole situation was.

    When Dominic was given just weeks to lived, the little guy managed to keep kicking for 36 weeks. He managed to go on a trip to Vancouver and one to Orlando.

    It was impressive to see how much Sean and Trish grew through this whole situation, but it is definitely something you don’t want anyone to go through.

    Dominic passed away on Sept. 3, 2015. I hope Sean and Trish have been able to find a new normal.

    The celebrations of life for both Cody Smuk and Dominic Rooney were spectacular. Both will always be remembered.

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