Shirley passes Zary as Stars second all-time leading scorer

Grace Shirley has become the Stars second all-time leading scorer.

    Grace Shirley continued to cement her place as one of the greatest to ever play in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League last weekend.

    On Saturday at Crescent Point Place in Weyburn, Shirley picked up an assist on the Saskatoon Stars first goal of the game against the host Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings to become the second all-time leading scorer in the history of the Stars program. The Stars captain teamed with offensive defender Ashley Messier to set up Anna Leschyshyn for a goal just 19 seconds into the contest to give the Stars a 1-0 lead.

    The assist on Leschyshyn’s marker gave Shirley 127 regular season points in her SFMAAAHL career moving her one point past Lauren Zary for second on the Stars all-time scoring list.

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

    Her 82 career assists is the Stars team record, and she is the sixth all-time leader in career regular season points in the SFMAAAHL.

    Against the Gold Wings on Saturday, Shirley, who stands 5-foot-8, piled up four goals and two assists as the Stars romped to a 14-1 victory. Thanks to that effort, Shirley, who has been a member of Canada’s national under-18 women’s hockey team, now has 77 goals and 55 assists for 132 points in 88 career SFMAAAHL regular season games.

    The 17-year-old centre vaulted to fourth on the SFMAAAHL’s career regular season points list passing Brienna Gillanders in the process. Gillanders, who is now the circuit’s fifth all-time leader in career regular season points, piled up 57 goals and 74 assists for 131 points playing 111 career regular season games from 2006 to 2010 with the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats and the Notre Dame Hounds.
    She moved on to play for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs women’s hockey team.

Grace Shirley has scored 77 career regular season goals for the Stars.

    Shirley, who has committed to play for the NCAA’s University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team next season, jumped into third on the SFMAAAHL’s career regular season goals list as well passing Alyssa Wiebe. Wiebe piled up 74 goals and 68 assists for 142 points in 55 regular season games with the Hounds playing in the SFMAAAHL’s first two regular seasons ever from 2006 to 2008. 

    Wiebe, who moved on the play for the now defunct University of North Dakota women’s hockey team in the NCAA, is the third all-time regular season leading scorer in the SFMAAAHL.

    Former Stars superstar Mackenna Parker graduated from the club at the end of last season finishing as the second all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL with 158 points coming off 82 goals and 76 assists in 104 career regular season games. A former Saskatoon team captain, Parker, who now plays for the Boston University Terriers women’s hockey team in the NCAA, is the Stars all-time leading scorer.

    Sophomore 15-year-old forward Calli Arnold had a big game for the Stars on Saturday piling up three goals and three assists, while Messier recorded a goal and five assists. Defender Emily Holmes had five assists for the Stars, and forward Kaitlin Jockims had two goals and two assists.

    Kaylee Baun, Joelle Fiala and Abby DeCorby round out the goal scoring for the Stars with singles.

Kaitlyn Cadrain turned away 15 shots to pick up the win in goal for Saskatoon.

    Kira Barham had the lone reply for the Gold Wings, and her tally tied things up at 1-1 for a time in the first period.

    Amara Lewendon turned away 46 shots to take the setback in goal for the Weyburn.

Sunday’s encounter by these same two clubs in Weyburn was a lot more hotly contested. With the two teams locked in a 2-2 tie, rookie 15-year-old defender Bridget Rezansoff scored short-handed at the 7:56 mark of the second period to give the Stars a 3-2 lead.

    Rezansoff’s tally, which was her first career SFMAAAHL regular season goal, would hold up as the game winner. Jockims scored a late third period goal for Saskatoon to secure a 4-2 victory.

Makena Kushniruk and Chace Sperling both had singles for the Stars.

Grace Shirley is the SFMAAAHL’s fourth all-time leading scorer.

    Veteran netminder Arden Kliewer turned away 17 shot to pick up the win for Saskatoon. The Stars improved to 6-0 with their two victories.

    Madison Lafoy and Mahteya Dumelie replied with singles for the Gold Wings.

    Daneka Dickson stopped 39 shots to take the setback in goal for Weyburn. The Gold Wings fell to 0-6 with their two losses.

    The Gold Wings held Shirley pointless in Sunday’s contest.

    The Stars return to action on Nov. 3, when they host their home opener at 7:30 p.m. against the Battlefords Sharks at Merlis Belsher Place. That contest will mark the Stars debut at the new rink on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

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

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Stars’ Parker bangs home tally #75, sits second in career SFMAAAHL goals

Mackenna Parker (#11) celebrates her 75th career regular season goal.

    Mackenna Parker’s 100^th career Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season game turned into a bigger major milestone night.

    On Thursday at the Agriplace Arena, the 17-year-old captain of the Saskatoon Stars captured another lofty career league accomplishment. With the Stars holding a 4-3 lead over the visiting Battlefords Sharks, Parker banged home a goal in front of the visiting net to put her squad up 5-3 at the 3:26 mark of the third period.

    That tally was Parker’s 75 career regular season goal, and it allowed her to sit alone in second on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career regular season goals list. Saskatoon product Alyssa Wiebe, who played for the Notre Dame Hounds in the SFMAAAHL’s first two campaigns of existence from 2006 to 2008, now sits third on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career regular season goals list with 74 tallies.

Stars captain Mackenna Parker (#11) battles a Sharks player.

    Parker’s goal on Thursday sparked a surge that allowed the Stars to skate away with a 7-3 victory.

    The Clavet product was pleasantly surprised to hear she now sat alone in second place on the SFMAAAHL’s career regular season goals list.

    “I think it is amazing,” said Parker, who stands 5-foot-5. “It is nice to know that all my work has paid off.

    “It is my teammates too over the past four years. It is not just me that is putting in the work, so yeah, it is an amazing feeling.

    “I just kept banging on it in front of the net. I got my own rebound. It is pretty much what happened.”

    The skilled centre’s night got off to an upbeat start. She picked up assists on the Stars first two goals coming from the sticks of 14-year-old rookie Calli Arnold and 17-year-old veteran Jordyn Holmes to give the host side a 2-0 first period lead.

Mackenna Parker sets up to shoot a backhanded shot.

    Thanks to the three-point night, Parker has piled up 26 goals and 25 assists in the current campaign for 51 points to become the second player in the history of the Stars to score 50-or-more points in one regular season.

    Emily Clark, who is playing for Canada’s women’s hockey team at the Winter Olympics that are just starting in PyeongChang, South Korea, is the only other player to score more points for the Stars in one regular season than Parker. Clark piled up 26 goals and 34 assists in 26 regular season games for the Stars in the 2011-12 campaign.

    “It is so cool,” said Parker about doing something only Clark had done with the Stars. “I don’t even know.

    “It is so amazing. It is my goal to be the best that I can be, and it is nice to know that is paying off.”

    Earlier this season, Parker became the SFMAAAHL’s second all-time career leading scorer in the regular season. She has 74 career assists to go with her 75 career goals to total 149 points.

    With four games remaining in her regular season career at the midget AAA level, she is way out of range to jump into the top spot for career regular season goals or points in the SFMAAAHL.

Mackenna Parker has scored 51 points so far this season.

    Moose Jaw product Olivia Howe, who played 106 career regular season contests over four seasons with the Hounds from 2008 to 2012, is the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career leader in regular season goals (107), assists (100) and points (207).

    In what has been a memorable current campaign, Parker played for Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Under-18 Women’s World Championship that wrapped up Jan. 13 in Dmitrov, Russia. Parker helped Canada win a bronze medal, and she was joined on the Canadian squad by current Stars teammate Grace Shirley and former stars teammate Willow Slobodzian, who plays for the Cornell University Big Red women’s hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks.

    “It is an amazing feeling to go to Russia,” said Parker. “It is a once in a lifetime experience, so I have to take it in.

Grace Shirley scored a pair of goals for the Stars.

    “It was so much fun. It was so nice knowing that I had friends with me by my side the entire time and making friends there too. I am so glad that they (Shirley and Slobodzian) were both able to go.”

    The Sharks stayed tight with the Stars for much of Thursday’s contest. Sharks forward Ensley Fendelet scored on the power play before first period ended to cut the Stars lead to 2-1.

    Early in the second, Joelle Fiala tallied for the Stars to increase their edge to 3-1, but Sharks defender Cassidy Carlson fired home a goal with 7:27 remaining in the second to cut Saskatoon’s advantage to 3-2. Shirley scored on a backhand shot with 9.3 seconds remaining in the second to give the Stars a 4-2 lead.

    Defender Keera Tiringer tallied for the Sharks 92 seconds into the third to trim the Stars edge to 4-3.

    Parker scored a short time later to put the Stars up 5-3. Saskatoon’s scoring was rounded out by a single from Kaitlin Jockims and Shirley’s second tally of the contest.

    Arden Kliewer made 16 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Stars. Chloe Burt turned away 38 shots to take the setback in goal for the Sharks.
    Centre Kianna Dietz played her in 100th career SFMAAAHL regular season contest with the Stars on Thursday picking up one assist.

Calli Arnold (#9) scored the Stars first goal on Thursday.

    “I think we came out maybe a bit slow in the first and second,” said Parker. “We can’t take teams for granted either.

    “We have to keep going. I think in the third that is when we started to go, and that is what paid off on the scoreboard.”

    The Stars improved to 20-3-1 to move into first place in the SFMAAAHL with 58 points in the standings to hold a one-point edge over the Prince Albert Northern Bears (19-4-1). In the SFMAAAHL, three points are awarded in the standings for regulation wins, two points for extra time wins and one point for extra time setbacks.

    The Stars, who had won six straight, earned their 58 points from 17 regulation wins, three extra time victories and one extra time setback. The Bears have 57 points in the standings coming off 18 regulation wins, one extra time win and one extra time setback.

The Stars celebrate a goal and moved into first in the SFMAAAHL.

    Both teams have four games remaining on their respective regular season schedules.

    Parker enters her team’s final four regular season contests needing to record one point for 150 in her regular season career. She is also two goals away from equaling the Stars team record for goals in one regular season at 28, which was set by Sara Greschner in the 2010-11 campaign.

    The Stars return to action on Saturday, when they host the Regina Rebels (16-6-3) at 7:45 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena.

    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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Rockets’ Lind out to lessen the sting of world juniors cut

Right-winger gets three assists, fights in 5-0 win over Blades

Kole Lind, left, celebrates the Rockets win with goalie James Porter.

    Kole Lind is living two different lives on and off the ice in the immediate aftermath of being cut from Canada’s world junior team.

    The 19-year-old Shaunavon, Sask., product was cut from the Canadian team on Thursday. The skilled right-winger departed from the Canadian training camp in St. Catharines, Ont., to reunite with his WHL squad, the Kelowna Rockets, for their final two contests on their six-game road trip through the WHL’s East Division.

    Lind rejoined the Rockets on Friday night in Prince Albert and scored three goals in a 7-3 romp over the host Raiders. On Saturday, Lind had three assists, a plus-three rating in the plus-minus department and engaged in a fight to help the Rockets blank the host Saskatoon Blades 5-0 before 3,263 spectators at the SaskTel Centre.

Kole Lind jets up ice for the Rockets.

    When he is on the ice, Lind’s focus is on helping the Rockets do well. After the Rockets last two games came to an end, Lind returned to digesting his cut from the world junior squad.

    “It has definitely been an emotional roller-coaster for me going from heartbreak and trying to bounce back and play two games right away,” said Lind, who has 16 goals and 26 assists in 25 games with the Rockets this season. “It was definitely a difference for me traveling and everything.

    “Something that I have been through a lot is trying to stay mentally tough and just staying with the game. Hockey has been something that just takes my mind off everything it seems like. It has definitely helped me get through it.”

    Lind said he has been extra motivated to show that he shouldn’t have been cut from Canada’s world junior team. He is trying to emulate what Regina Pats star centre Sam Steel did last season after being cut from Canada’s world junior team. Steel made Canada’s world junior squad this season.

    “Sam Steel did the same thing last year, a late cut and he ended up winning WHL player of the year,” said Lind, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 173 pounds. “I want to go out there and try and prove something and just try to play my best game.”

Rockets RW Kole Lind looks to get past Blades D Seth Bafaro.

    Playing in front of about 15 to 20 family and friends on Saturday, Lind started out showing a tonne of energy in his first few shifts, and he forced Blades netminder Ryan Kubic to make a big save early in the first period.

    While Lind was playing well, the Rockets went ahead 1-0 at the 8:44 mark of the first period, when he wasn’t on the ice. Working in close on the Saskatoon goal, Rockets left-winger Ted Brennan fed a beauty backhand pass across the face the Blades net to linemate Jack Cowell, who popped the puck home past a sprawled Kubic.

    With 22.9 seconds to play in the first, Lind picked up his first assist on the night on a positive bounce power-play goal from left-winger Carsen Twarynski to give the Rockets a 2-0 edge.

    In the second, Lind picked up his second and third assists of the night in almost identical fashion to each other on two-on-one chances. Coming down the right wing, Lind feather passes on both rushes across the front of the Saskatoon net to linemate Kyle Topping, and Topping buried both of those chances to give the Rockets a 4-0 edge.

Blades LW Tyler Lees fights Rockets RW Kole Lind.

    “I think my teammates create a lot of space for me, and they got open for me,” said Lind, who is a second round NHL Draft selection of the Vancouver Canucks. “I think that was the main thing.

    “I’ve always been kind of a playmaker, finding holes through guys’ skates and their sticks and bodies. I just try to look for that. My guys got open.

    “It made it easy playing with the guys I did tonight.”

    At the 3:52 mark of the third, Lind, who is in his third full season with the Rockets, took part in his fifth career fight in the WHL taking on Blades 17-year-old left-winger Tyler Lees. Both players received fighting majors, while Lind received an extra minor penalty for roughing.

Goalie James Porter made 40 saves to earn the shutout win for the Rockets.

    “I’ve done a bit of it in my career,” said Lind. “I try to hold my own and not have anyone step in for me because I want to be a guy who can do anything.”

    Right-winger Liam Kindree scored the Rockets final goal of the contest netting a short-handed marker with 39.1 seconds remaining in the third period.

    James Porter, who is a 17-year-old rookie, made 40 saves to post his first career WHL shutout playing goal for the Rockets. Kubic turned away 20 shots to take the setback in goal for the Blades.

    The Rockets improved to 20-11-2-1 to sit in a tie for first in the B.C. Division with the 20-13-3 Victoria Royals with 43 points in the standings. Kelowna has two games in hand on Victoria.

The Rockets celebrate a short-handed goal from Liam Kindree, far right.

    The Blades fell to 14-17-2-1 to sit two points back of the Prince Albert Raiders (13-14-5-2) for the second wildcard playoff berth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

    On Sunday, the Blades return to action hosting the Regina Pats (16-16-3) at 4 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre in their Secret Santa game. Fans are invited to bring a new unwrapped toy to the contest as a donation to the Secret Santa Foundation. The Pats will host the Memorial Cup this coming May.

    The Rockets embark on their Christmas break and return to action on Dec. 27, when they host the Kamloops Blazers (16-17-0-1). Lind was pleased his team heads into the break on a high note.

    “We had two big wins carrying a lot of momentum into the break,” said Lind. “I think that is something that you always look for.

    “Now we are just going to try and carry it on and have our rest here and go into the second half on a positive side.”

Stars’ Parker moves into second in SFMAAAHL career scoring

Mackenna Parker is the SFMAAAHL's second all-time career scorer.

    Saskatoon Stars captain Mackenna Parker achieved a major milestone on Saturday night in her team’s wild comeback overtime victory over the Diamond Energy Wildcats in Swift Current.

    The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead in the second period of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season clash at the Fairview Arena on a single tally from Crystal Wale and a pair of goals from Taylor Lind. Stars forward Chase Sperling scored in the final seconds of the second to cut the Wildcats lead to 3-1, and Stars forward Joelle Fiala scored with 5:16 to play in the third to further trim Swift Current’s edge to 3-2.

    With under 30 seconds to play in the third, Parker picked up her first point of the night setting up a goal by Grace Shirley to force a 3-3 tie and send the contest to overtime.

    In overtime, Parker setup with winning goal from 17-year-old veteran forward Jordan Holmes to deliver the Stars to a miraculous 4-3 victory.

    With her two assists, Parker moved alone into second place on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career regular season scoring list. In 95 career regular season games, Parker, who is in her final campaign of midget AAA eligibility, has 72 goals and 71 assists for 143 points.

    The 17-year-old jumped ahead of former Notre Dame Hounds star forward Alyssa Wiebe by a point for second on the SFMAAAHL’s career scoring list. Wiebe, who is a Saskatoon product, piled up 74 goals and 68 assists for 142 points playing 55 regular season games for the Hounds from 2006 to 2008, which were the first two campaigns in the history of the SFMAAAHL.

Mackenna Parker set up the Stars OT winner on Saturday.

    Parker likely won’t catch Olivia Howe for the top spot as the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career leading scorer.

    Howe, who is from Moose Jaw, played forward for the Hounds from 2008 to 2012 and piled up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points in 106 career regular season games. She is the SFMAAAHL’s career leader in goals, assists and points and was a consistent high point producer in each season she played in the league.

    Parker also achieved another milestone in Saturday’s overtime win becoming the fifth player in the history of the SFMAAAHL to surpass 70 career assists.

    Besides accomplishing huge milestones with the Stars, Parker will play for Canada’s women’s team at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Under-18 Women’s World Championships, which runs this coming January 6-13 in Dmitrov, Russia.

    In Saturday’s clash with the Wildcats, Arden Kliewer went the distance in goal for Saskatoon making 17 stops to help the Stars improve to 14-0. Harper Davey turned away 24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Wildcats, who saw their record move to 6-6-0-3.

    The Stars and Wildcats will go at it again on Sunday in Swift Current.

    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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Parker close to becoming SFMAAAHL’s second all-time leading scorer

Mackenna Parker is set to move to second in SFMAAAHL career points.

    Mackenna Parker is on the cusp of achieving a huge milestone, but the skilled centre will have to wait a bit to achieve it.

    The 17-year-old captain of the Saskatoon Stars is one point away for equaling Alyssa Wiebe for second all-time in career regular season scoring for the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League. Parker has 72 goals and 69 assists for 141 career points in 94 regular season games.

Wiebe piled up 74 goals and 68 assists for 142 points playing 55 regular games at forward for the Notre Dame Hounds from 2006 to 2008 in Wilcox.

    With the way the SFMAAAHL regular season schedule has worked out, Parker will have to wait a bit for her next chance to pass Wiebe. The Stars next regular season game is set for Dec. 16, when they travel to Swift Current to face the Diamond Energy Wildcats.

    The SFMAAAHL is in its 12^th season, so what Parker is about to do can be viewed as a significant accomplishment.

    It also provides an opportunity to reflect on some recent women’s hockey history.

Mackenna Parker has been on fire this season.

    Wiebe, who is from Saskatoon, played for the Hounds the first two seasons the SFMAAAHL existed. She played the first games Canada’s under-18 women’s team ever took the ice for in 2007 before moving on to the university ranks.

    She played four seasons in the National Collegiate Athletic Association with the now defunct University of North Dakota women’s hockey team at the Division I level piling up 49 goals and 66 assists in 141 overall games.

    Following her hockey days at UND, Wiebe returned home to Saskatoon and suited up for the Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League for the past two seasons. She became a star receiver and helped the Valkyrie win a league championship in 2016. Wiebe was part of Saskatchewan’s team that won gold at Football Canada’s inaugural Senior Women’s National Championship tournament in July of 2016.

    Wiebe, who is now 27-year-olds, showed just insane athletic ability playing football for the Valkyries. That same athletic ability showed through, when he played high level hockey.

    Parker, who is playing out her final season of midget AAA eligibility, will pass Wiebe, but likely won’t catch Olivia Howe for the top spot as the SFMAAAHL’s career all-time leading scorer.

    Howe, who is from Moose Jaw, played forward for the Hounds from 2008 to 2012 and piled up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points in 106 career regular season games. She is the SFMAAAHL’s career leader in goals, assists and points and was a consistent high point producer in each season she played in the league.

Mackenna Parker will play for Canada’s under-18 team in January.

    Following her time with the Hounds, Howe, who is now 23-years-old, played four seasons with the Clarkson University Golden Knights women’s hockey team in the NCAA Division I ranks from 2012 to 2016 piling up 42 goals and 58 assists in 152 overall games. She helped the Golden Knights win the NCAA championship in 2014.

    Parker has been on a tear to start the season with the Stars. She leads the SFMAAAHL in scoring with 23 goals and 20 assists in 13 games played and needs one more point to match her career high in points set last season.

    Besides accomplishing huge milestones with the Stars, Parker will play for Canada’s women’s team at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Under-18 Women’s World Championships, which runs this coming January 6-13 in Dmitrov, Russia.

Dorsett had a great run through WHL and NHL

Derek Dorsett, centre, during down time at the 2007 Memorial Cup.

    Feisty forward Derek Dorsett decided retire from the NHL due to an injury issue with his back.

    About a year ago, the Kindersley, Sask., product underwent a cervical-fusion surgery to heal up a damaged disk in his back. About a week ago, Dorsett’s doctors in Los Angeles, Calif., discovered another herniated disk near the rebuilt section of his back, and he was advised to not play again. The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks officially announced Dorsett’s retirement on Thursday.

    Dorsett had gotten out to a great start with the Canucks netting seven goals and two assists in 20 regular season games. After spending his first professional season with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch in 2007-08, Dorsett started playing in the NHL on a full-time basis with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09.

    He appeared in 515 regular season games with the Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Canucks netting 51 goals, 76 assists and 1,314 penalty minutes. Over his hockey career, Dorsett, who stands 6-feet and weighs 192 pounds, became one of the game’s best agitators, but he was also viewed as one of the best teammates no matter where his career took him.

    You hated to play against him, but you would love it if he was traded to your team.

    At one time, it didn’t appear an NHL career would be in the cards for Dorsett. His services were offered to every team in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, and only the Swift Current Legionnaires stepped up to take him.
    With the Legionnaires in 2003-04, Dorsett collected 19 goals, 34 assists and 132 penalty minutes in 42 regular season games. That season wasn’t enough at that time to ensure him a spot in the WHL.

    As a result, he started the 2004-05 campaign in the junior A ranks with his hometown Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

    Dorsett’s career path changed on Nov. 19, 2004, when he jumped on board the bus of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers outside the 7-Eleven in Kindersley. He dressed for that night’s road clash with the Blades in Saskatoon and picked up an assist in a 6-2 Tigers victory.

    During his career in “the Gas City,” Dorsett recorded 49 goals and 79 assists in 180 regular season games. To this day, he still remains an all-time fan favourite among the Tigers faithful.

    Dorsett was a heart and soul player with the Tigers who agitated opponents, scored, blocked shots, fought guys that were much bigger than him and was still effective playing with injuries.

    He set the emotional tone and the intensity for the Tigers every time he stepped on the ice. Dorsett always gave his best.

    If something needed to be said in the dressing room to get the Tigers going, Dorsett was entrusted with being the guy that said something.

    Dorsett played a huge role in capturing the WHL championship in 2007 and advancing to the final of that year’s Memorial Cup championship tournament before falling 3-1 to the host Vancouver Giants.

    In the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected in the seventh round and 189^th overall by the Blue Jackets, which opened the door to his NHL career.

    Dorsett’s 31^st birthday is Dec. 20, so he has a big next chapter to live in life. Let’s hope he enjoys lots of great days with his wife, Allison, and their two young sons Dylan and Ethan.

SHA should rethink boundary changes for female game

    If you’re involved in female hockey in Saskatchewan, you’ve likely heard through mainstream media outlets that the Saskatchewan Hockey Association is intent on going ahead with plans to make Saskatoon and Regina geographical subdivisions for the 2018-19 campaign.

    Basically, girls from rural Saskatchewan will be unable to go to Saskatoon and Regina to play on those cities’ teams. The SHA is putting that rule in place to push rural minor hockey associations to create their own female teams and leagues.

    When girls become old enough to play at the midget AAA level, they can go play for any of the provinces eight female midget AAA programs.

    I normally try to avoid minor hockey arguments and minor hockey issues. In the past, I find involvement in minor hockey politics just tends to bring me down.

    This issue has been in the news a lot, so I figured I would say something.

    I can see what the SHA is trying to do in theory, and there is concern about getting numbers up in rural areas and allowing rural girls to play closer to home.

    Through all sorts of social media channels, I’ve seen great push back against this decision. Actually, it is hard to find a voice that agrees with the SHA.

    I’ve seen numerous former players, current coaches, family members of current coaches and players, and executives from minor hockey associations speak out against this. There have been a number of people I know speak out against this move, who I deeply trust when it comes to judgments about the female game.

    I saw the martial from the Saskatoon Comets regarding this decision. They noted from experience that next season rural Minor Hockey Associations won’t develop a female program of any kind and will welcome girls to join their boys’ teams. The Comets said girls will quit if the appropriate level of play in girls hockey isn’t available to them.

    The Comets said the rural Minor Hockey Associations cited a number of reasons for not starting a new female committee including too much work for too short of a deadline, shortage of available ice, don’t know where to start and no one on their current boards have an interest in female hockey. I can respect these arguments, because life in the current day is way more stressed than it has ever been.

    There is a big concern girls in rural areas will decide to quit and take up another sport or activity as opposed to playing on a boys’ team. When players get old enough that body contact is allowed, there are a lot of girls that don’t want to play on boys teams if hitting is involved.

    I saw one post from a mom that lives in Pilot Butte, which is just outside and almost now borders with Regina, be downright upset that her daughter would have to go to Weyburn to play next season, which is a lot further away. I don’t like the idea of cutting Saskatoon and Regina off from their suburb bedroom communities.

    I know long time veteran SHA general manager Kelly McClintock has taken a lot of heat over this.

    I feel comfortable siding with the large number of people in the female game that are against these changes. Since I moved to Saskatoon in the summer of 2014, I have been impressed with how much everyone involved with female hockey pulls in the same direction. People from rival teams have respect for each other and hope players from the rival side do well.

    You do not see that type of unity on the boys’ side of the game, and it is refreshing to see that unity in the female game.

    I trust the judgment with those involved with female hockey in Saskatchewan and hope the SHA will delay the border changes or rethink them entirely. At the moment, I believe these border changes will hurt the female game in Saskatchewan.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. A special shout out thanks to the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats female midget AAA team, who provided the information about Dorsett’s one season with the Swift Current Legionnaires midget AAA team in 2003-04. That piece of information was missing in a previous version of this post, and it was great to include it.

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Eyolfson growing into bigger role with Valkyries

Alex Eyolfson fires a pass downfield for the Valkyries.

    Alex Eyolfson had trouble grasping that the Western Women’s Canadian Football League season was over, but the 19-year-old quarterback was pumped her team went out on a high.

    On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the host Saskatoon Valkyries downed the Edmonton Storm 44-20 in the WWCFL consolation final. The win allowed the Valkyries to finish the campaign with a 5-2 overall record, while the Storm were 2-4 overall.

    The Valkyries played their seven games over seven consecutive weeks without a bye week. While Eyolfson was pleased her team went out on a winning note, the graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School said it felt different that the season was over.

Alex Eyolfson (#15) rolls out of the pocket for the Valkyries.

    “It went by so fast,” said Eyolfson. “It was so condensed.

    “We all need a break now. It was a good hard season. It is crazy. It went by in like a month and a half.”

    After the Valkyries received a consolation plaque, the Regina Riot took the field for the WWCFL championship game and blanked the Calgary Rage 53-0. The Riot claimed their second WWCFL title in three years.

    The Valkyries claimed the WWCFL championship last year. Their quest to repeat came to an end with a 34-24 WWCFL Prairie Conference championship game loss to the Riot on June 4 at Taylor Field in Regina. That contest was the final competitive tackle football game played at the fabled facility.

    Eyolfson admitted there was a bit of a sad feeling that her team wasn’t playing in the WWCFL title game.

    “Definitely, we are all disappointed,” said Eyolfson. “We could have had that game.

Alex Eyolfson (#15) calls out signals for the Valkyries.

    “We went into this game just going it is our mission go play, go win and finish off the season on a strong note.”

    The Valkyries did just that on Saturday, with Eyolfson completing 7-of-14 passes for 82 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Both of her touchdown throws came in the first quarter.

    The sophomore signal caller hit sophomore receiver Alyssa Wiebe for an eight-yard strike at the 1:42 mark of the first quarter to put the Valkyries up 7-0. With 1:49 to play in the first quarter, she hit Jaime Lammerding, who plays both offensive and defensive line, for a two-yard TD toss that got the Valkyries bench rocking.

    Lammerding is one of four players to play in all seven seasons the Valkyries have existed, and her touchdown score was the first of her career. The catch increased the Valkyries lead to 20-0. Saskatoon’s other seven-year members included linebacker Beth Thomson, defensive back Tori Giles and defensive lineman Lori Smith.

    In between Eyolfson’s touchdown tosses, kicker Carly Dyck nailed field goals from 30 and 35 yards out.

    The Valkyries also did a few other different things in their final outing. Wiebe played quarterback for a series completing one of her two pass attempts hooking up with receiver Kelsey Murphy for a 38-yard gain.

Jaime Lammerding (#21) celebrates her TD reception for the Valkyries.

    Rookie Devyn Peters, who turned heads playing linebacker and defensive back this season, was inserted at running back, and she carried the ball 15 times for 218 yards and scored two touchdowns.

    “We just wanted to go out and have fun and play hard our last game,” said Eyolfson. “It was fun like getting Devyn (Peters) in at running back, and she got two touchdowns.

    “It was good to get (Alyssa) Wiebe in too at quarterback.”

    Edmonton did make the consolation final interesting. With 10.8 seconds to play in the first quarter, Storm running back Brenna Bouchard ran in a major from 18 yards out to cut the Valkyries lead to 20-7.

    Early in the second quarter, Storm quarterback Aria McGowan ran in a touchdown from 36 yards out to further shrink the Valkyries edge to 20-13. Edmonton’s conversion attempt failed after that score.

Devyn Peters (#31) had a monster game rushing.

    The Valkyries surged back up to hold a 34-13 lead thanks to rushing majors coming from Peters from 12 yards out and Melanie Harris from one yard out.

    As the second quarter expired, Storm running back Sarah Deutscher ran in a score from a yard out to trim the Valkyries edge to 34-20.

    The Valkyries rounded out the game’s scoring in the third quarter with a 37 field goal from Dyck and a spectacular 73 yard touchdown run from Peters.
    McGowan completed 9-of-24 passes for 163 yards and one interception for the Storm. She ran the ball eight times for 134 yards.

    Due to numerous injuries the team sustained this season, the Valkyries had a number of new faces playing new roles like Peters and running back Ricki Obed. Eyolfson enjoyed seeing how everyone improved.

    “A lot of girls stepped up, and we played like amazing,” said Eyolfson. “We stepped up played for the injured players.

    “For sure it was a hit to our team, but like girls stepped up and played awesome. It was great.”

    Eyolfson took big strides as well. During her rookie year last season, she split time at quarterback with Reed Thorstad for the majority of the campaign.

Alyssa Wiebe tears upfield after a pass reception.

    Eyolfson went the distance in that year’s WWCFL Prairie Conference championship game completing 10-of-18 passes for 151 yards and four touchdowns in a 29-14 win over the Riot.

    This year as a sophomore, Eyolfson was the Valkyries starter all season and went the distance in their two regular season matches with the Riot and the playoffs outside of Wiebe’s one series in the WWCFL consolation final.

    On May 21, Eyolfson hit Murphy for an eight-yard winning touchdown pass with seven seconds to play to lift the Valkyries to a 20-17 regular season win over the Riot at Taylor Field.
    That moment at the storied stadium, which is best known as the long-time home of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, was a huge season highlight.

    “Winning in the last minute and getting that pass, that was something I won’t forget,” said Eyolfson.

    The best might still be coming for Eyolfson whose command and presence in the huddled has grown immensely the past two seasons.

The Valkyries celebrate their WWCFL consolation final win on Saturday.

    As she turns 20 in September, she doesn’t plan on walking away from football just yet.

    “I love it,” said Eyolfson, who studies kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. “I will be playing at least a few more years. We will see.

    “I love all the girls. We made friends for life. It is just great playing with this group of girls.

    “They work so hard, and we all work for each other. It is amazing, and they are awesome.”

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

Valkyries quickly find some balance on offence

Saskatoon gears up for clash with archrival Regina Riot

Alex Eyolfson warms up for the Valkyries.

    The Saskatoon Valkyries appear to have quickly found some offensive balance, and it has the potential to serve them well in what is slated to be a lightning fast Western Women’s Canadian Football League season.

    On Sunday, the Valkyries opened their regular season dumping the Winnipeg Wolfpack 47-6 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Unlike their 56-6 exhibition victory over the Edmonton Storm on April 29 at SMF Field, the Valkyries were able to get a little even production between passing and rushing yardage against Winnipeg than they did against Edmonton.

    During the exhibition win over the Storm, the Valkyries, who are the defending WWCFL champions, piled up 308 yards on the ground and only 76 yards through the air. Sophomore starter Alex Eyolfson and rookie Cori Thorstad combined to connect on 6-of-23 passes in that contest.

    The bumps in the passing game had to be somewhat expected due the fact Thorstad is a rookie, and the Valkyries have a number of new receivers.

    In the win over the Wolfpack on Sunday, the Valkyries piled up 266 yards on the ground, but they also piled up 149 yards thought the air. Overall, the passing game was more fluid.

    Eyolfson connected on 5-of-7 attempts for 79 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Thorstad also hit on 5-of-7 attempts for 70 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Samantha Matheson zips downfield for the Valkyries.

    Saskatoon had five different players catch at least two passes in Carly Dyck, Nadia Doucoure, Alyssa Wiebe, Kelsey Murphy and Samantha Matheson. Dyck topped all receivers with 41 yards and scored one touchdown.

    Matheson, who is a running back, made both of her catches coming out of the backfield piling up 39 yards and scoring one major. She also ran the ball four times for 30 yard and scored a touchdown along the ground.

    The bulk of Saskatoon’s rushing yards were put up by all-purpose star tailback Julene Friesen, who ran the ball 10 times for 185 yards and scored two majors. Thorstad had the Valkyries other major along the ground.

    Dyck recorded three singles with two coming off kickoffs and one off a punt. Saskatoon received two points from a safety to round out its scoring.

    Quarterback Rebecka Clark accounted for all the Wolfpack’s points on a rushing major. Winnipeg was collected 124 yards along the ground and 85 yards through the air.

    Defensively, the Valkyries received contributions from everyone on their roster. Denise Kolosky and Devyn Peters each had three solo tackles for Saskatoon.

    Still, the best sight from Sunday’s win was the fact the Valkyries had good success though the air due to the fact their next two encounters are with their archrivals the Regina Riot. The more balance the Valkyries can have offensively it will increase their chances of having better success against the Riot.

    The two teams face each other on Saturday at 7 p.m. at SMF Field. This will also be the Valkyries “Teal Game,” and they will be doing some fundraising for Ovarian Cancer Canada.

Alex Eyolfson (#15) calls a play in the huddle for the Valkyries.

    The Valkyries and Riot will go at it again on Sunday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at old Mosaic Stadium in Regina. The two encounters will play a huge part in determining the final standings in the Prairie Conference in the short four-game regular season.

    The Riot blanked the Manitoba Fearless 41-0 in their regular season opener on Sunday in Regina. Veteran running backs Mallory Starkey and Carmen Agar had big outings in that contest. Starkey carried the ball 13 times for 106 yards, while Agar ran the ball 12 times for 81 yards and scored one rushing touchdown.

    The Valkyries and Riot split their two regular season encounters before meeting in the Prairie Conference final. Saskatoon claimed last year’s Prairie Conference final 29-14 at SMF Field.

Back in the Express with Dyck

An article on Carly Dyck in the pages of the Saskatoon Express.

    I was back in the pages of the Saskatoon Express this week with a feature story on veteran Valkyries receiver Carly Dyck.

    Dyck is playing in her sixth WWCFL season. She spent three campaigns with her hometown Lethbridge Steel and is now in her third season with the Valkyries. She joined the Valkyries after settling down in Saskatoon.

    In the piece, Dyck talks about her experience at the Women’s World Football Games in January. She reflected on last season and her hopes for this season. She will play for Canada as a receiver and likely a kicker at the International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship, which runs June 24 to 30 in Langley, B.C.

    Dyck wanted to ensure she learned all of the U.S. football rules at the Women’s World Football Games in order to be prepared for Women’s World Championship in Langley.

Carly Dyck, middle, powers downfield for the Valkyries.

    “I wanted to be able to focus on myself,” said Dyck, who originally moved to Saskatoon to attend the University of Saskatchewan. “That is kind of what I have been doing all year is working on me, working on my skills and working on my attitude just so that I’m ready for worlds.

    “That is pretty much all I have been doing lately is doing anything to be ready for worlds.”
    My Express story on Dyck can be found by clicking 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.

Valkyries hit ground running in pre-season win over Storm

WWCFL season will be a sprint in 2017

Denise Kolosky (#44) and her Valkyries teammates hit a Storm tailback.

    The Saskatoon Valkyries are looking like themselves out of the gate, which will be key in what will be a lightning fast 2017 season.

    On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Valkyries dumped the Edmonton Storm 56-6 in a pre-season tilt. The contest also served as a rematch from last year’s Western Women’s Canadian Football League title game, which the Valkyries won 81-6 in Lethbridge.

    Normally, the Western Women’s Canadian Football League schedule is spread a little over two months. With the International Federation of American Football Women’s World Championship running from June 24 to 30 in Langley, B.C., there is a push to get the WWCFL campaign concluded a touch faster in comparison to past years.

    The Valkyries will go from their pre-season game right into a four-game regular season contests. The playoffs have been shortened as well.

Kelsey Murphy returns a punt for the Valkyries.

    The top two clubs in the four-team Prairie Conference that the Valkyries are part of will advance to a conference championship game to be held on June 3 or 4. In past years, all four teams in the Prairie Conference were automatically placed in playoffs.

    The winner of the conference title game will advance to the league final, which will be held June 10 in Saskatoon against the first place club from the three-team Western Conference. If the Valkyries return to the league final for sixth time in seven years, they will do so playing seven games on seven consecutive weekends including the pre-season, regular season and post-season.

    The 2017 schedule doesn’t contain a single bye week for the Valkyries.

    In noting how Saskatoon’s schedule plays out, it might have been even that more impressive the Valkyries utilized pretty much everyone on their 53-player active roster in Saturday’s romp of the Storm. Defensively, the Valkyries were impressive holding the Storm to 226 yards of offence.

    Most of Edmonton’s yards came from star running back Brenna Bouchard, who carried the ball 18 times for 140 yards and scored her team’s lone major in the first half.

Kendal Matheson (#25) zips downfield for the Valkyries.

    Valkyries veteran star linebacker Beth Thomson proved she can still be one of the WWCFL’s most dominant defensive players making four solo tackles, knocking down a pass and registering a sack off an edge blitz on Storm quarterback Aria McGowan. Linebacker Denise Kolosky made three solo tackles and recovered a fumble, while standout safety Shaylyn de Jong came up with an interception.

    Offensively, the Valkyries were dominant on the ground. They utilized seven different ball carriers who combined for 308 yards. They limited Julene Friesen, who is their all-purpose do everything tailback, to six carries, but she still piled up 99 yards and scored three touchdowns.

    Sophomore running back Kendal Matheson ran the ball seven times for 90 yards and scored two majors. Both her scoring runs were pretty impressive.

    On her first major late in the fourth quarter, Matheson ripped out of a number of tackle attempts by Storm players and sprinted home for a 50-yard touchdown run. Her second score was a three-yard short yardage carry, where she twisted and turned through the Storm defensive line to reach the end zone.

Beth Thomson (#2) sacks the quarterback for the Valkyries.

    Rookie running back Sarah Wright scored her first rushing major for the Valkyries running the ball four times for 49 yards.

    Only the passing game seemed to be a bit clunky for the Valkyries due to the fact they have a number of new receivers looking to build some chemistry with sophomore quarterback Alex Eyolfson and rookie signal caller Cori Thorstad. That part of the game traditionally seems to smooth itself out as the campaign moves long.

    Eyolfson did hit sophomore receiver Alyssa Wiebe for a touchdown toss in the first half. Veteran pass catcher Carly Dyck also showed more explosion and power in her route running than she had in past years. She had an impressive 28-yard catch and run touchdown, where she broke out of a couple of tackles, called back due to an illegal block penalty.

    In the kicking game, Dyck made all seven of her converts, hit field goals from 32 and 28 yards out and had a single from a missed field goal attempt from 39 yards out.

    The biggest hurdle the Valkyries will have to overcome offensively is the absence of star receiver Marci (Kiselyk) Halseth, who will miss the entire season after injuring her Achilles tendon leading up to the pre-season game with the Storm.

Carly Dyck nails a field goal for the Valkyries.

    The coaching staff has been shuffled from last season. Pat Berry moved from defensive coordinator to head coach, while former head coach Jeff Yausie shuffled into the role of defensive coordinator.

    Jordan Walls, who was the quarterbacks coach last season, assumed the role of offensive coordinator from Chad Palmer, who has departed from the team. Walls is also the big favourite to take over the role as starting quarterback for the defending Canadian Junior Football League Saskatoon Hilltops, when their campaign starts in August.

    Chris Hengen-Braun returns as the Valkyries special teams and offensive line coach.

    The Valkyries quest to repeat as WWCFL’s champs begins in earnest this coming Sunday, May 7, when they host the Winnipeg Wolfpack at 1 p.m. at SMF Field. They host their archrivals the Regina Riot on Saturday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at SMF Field. The two teams face each in Regina on May 21.

    Saskatoon closes its regular season schedule on May 28, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Manitoba Fearless.

    If the Valkyries progress like they have in past seasons, it would be no surprise to see them playing in the WWCFL title game on home turf on June 10.

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