Happy return to Medicine Hat, but I miss my buds who passed

Back in Medicine Hat, I had to stop and visit The Arena.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Tonight from the home of one junior hockey’s legacy franchises in the Medicine Hat Tigers, I bring you a self-serving column, because I need to do it.

On Saturday at 7 p.m. at Co-op Place, the Tigers will open a best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series against another legacy junior hockey franchise – the Prince Albert Raiders. In my 26 seasons covering the WHL, the Tigers and Raiders are the two teams I am linked to the strongest.

To be honest, the Tigers and Raiders are family. I’ve got so many great links with both teams that I am truly blessed on that front.

Now comes the challenging and heavy part. I miss my buds from the Hat who are no longer with us in this world.

The last time I was in the Hat was back in July in 2019 to take care of a personal matter. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ruined a return planned for March 14, 2020 to take part in the celebrations of the iconic Bob Ridley calling his 4,000^th game as the Tigers play-by-play voice. I wasn’t able to get back to Hat until today.

The summer of 2020 during all the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic is known as the summer of the suicides in Medicine Hat, which made the national news. I remember seeing names of six to seven men come up who took their lives, and I pretty much knew them all.

A lot were alums of the Medicine Hat Junior B Cubs Hockey Team. The pressures of that time in the pandemic played a part in what happened.

Out of the suicides in 2020 in Medicine Hat, Mitch Serr and Mike Engel were two that I built tight friendships with when I lived in the Hat from 2004 to 2014. We shared lots about our personal lives with each other.

When the Raiders blanked the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-0 on Tuesday at the storied and historic Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert in Game 7 to conclude a first round series, I was happy the Raiders were advancing to play the Tigers. Following post-game interviews, I went up to the Ches Leach Lounge to visit some friends before writing my game story for this blog and editing pictures.

On one of the big screens, the two teams’ logos popped up to tease the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. All of a sudden, I froze. The memories of the men who passed away in 2020 came back to me.

When I got back to Coronet Hotel, I started to tear up. I had talked with Nathan Reiter, who is the sports reporter for the Prince Albert Daily Herald, after the Raiders win at the Hauser about seeing if I could drive him out to the Hat with me.

After the tears came in the hotel room, I messaged Reiter and let him know what the deal was. I said in the message I believe I better head to Medicine Hat solo to be able to deal with emotionally what I needed to deal with.

I felt bad about doing that, because I believe he has developed a best friend type bond with James Tubb, who is the sportswriter for the Medicine Hat News. I believe it would be special, if they could work this series together.

Before I sent Reiter that message, I was checking out a CBC documentary from 2020 that I had seen before on the suicide deaths of Brandon Niwa and Ryan Pancoast. The stories of Niwa and Pancoast led off the documentary about the multiple suicide deaths. Even now, it was gut wrenching to see interviews from people I knew in the Hat talking about all the suicide deaths.

I had dread of what it would be like to arrive in Medicine Hat physically for the first time knowing those buds are no longer with us. A scenario ran through my head where I imagined myself freezing up while covering the games.

On Thursday afternoon or two days after the Raiders first round series win, I messaged the Tigers that I would be in the Hat two work Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. Normally, I would have sent a message the next day.

CDs that helped me on the drive to Medicine Hat.

The drive down on Friday afternoon helped settle the mind. I was also playing CD’s from MacKenzie Porter and Mahoney which was helping bring back good memories of the Hat.

At a gas stop in Oyen, I got a message that one of my old friends from Winnipeg passed away in his sleep of natural causes.

That was a gut punch, but on that front, good memories went through my mind of how that friend in Winnipeg lived life pretty much on his own terms, which at the end of the day is all any of us want. I might have compartmentalized that passing too quickly, so it might still hit me more later on. It also went through my mind on the drive it 11 years to the day my uncle Art Steinke passed away.

With the passings of my friends in 2020 in the Hat, I remember Serr and Engel really loved the Tigers. There is a story on each front there that is a good memory I feel like I can share.

First, I will start with Serr. This one makes me chuckle now.

This memory happened after the Tigers blanked the Red Deer Rebels 5-0 at The Arena in Game 2 of a first round series in the 2007 WHL Playoffs. The win evened the series at 1-1.

That series was really rough and the Tigers had taken some hits from Rebels players that were borderline. Actually, Tigers star right-winger and agitator Derek Dorsett said some of the hits were cheap looking back in recollection.

Serr was still playing for the Cubs at that time, and I saw him at one of the Hat’s night spots following Game 2. Serr was mad at hits the Tigers players were taking. He told me he wanted me to tell Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins that he wanted to gather a couple of his toughest buds from the Cubs and wanted to be dressed as a line to go send a message to the Rebels.

Serr said they would all be junior B guys, so it didn’t matter if they got suspended. Serr said he knows the Tigers players, who were his friends too, could handle anything that was thrown at them, but he said they shouldn’t have to deal with what they had been dealing with from the Rebels.

I chuckle every time I think of that moment. The passion was priceless.

Engel, who was also a Cubs alum, would come up and visit me from time to time in the press box at The Arena. At Tigers games, he was always into what was happening on the ice. He always had really good observations about the game and thought Desjardins was the best.

One time at his house, we were having a few pops, and I am hoping I remember this right. I remember him telling me he got invited to Tigers training camp, and he was so pumped for that opportunity.

At camp, he said he knew playing hockey in the WHL wasn’t going to work out for him, but he said the team still treated him really well through that process. He said he was thankful for that chance.

I think a short time after that visit was when Engel gave up drinking. I support all my friends who made that choice.

He did it cold turkey and stuck with it. I will always be proud he was able to do that.

Another thing that crossed my mind on the drive down was what was I was going to do for the upcoming playoff games between the Tigers and Raiders as far as suit and tie combos go. Of course, one of my favourite looks is wearing an orange dress shirt with a black tie. I copied that look after I saw Desjardins wear it one game, and I thought it looked super cool.

I often wear that look when I am covering big WHL games and especially games in the Memorial Cup tournament as a call back to remembering all the big Tigers regular season and post-season games I covered during my time at the Medicine Hat News from 2004 to 2014. I’ve worn that suit and tie combination for a number of big Raiders victories including their WHL title win in 2019 even though their colours are green, white, gold and black.

The players on both the Tigers and Raiders truly believe they have the best fans in the WHL. The fans of both teams are extremely passionate, and they do let you know if they don’t agree with something you have written and are protective of anyone being biased against their squads. It is all in a good way on that front too.

Out of respect for my friends who are no longer here, I feel like I have to wear the orange shirt and black tie combination for Game 1 here in the Hat. I hope my buds enjoy the series up there.

Rest easy guys and remember you are missed.

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

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Tigers’ Desjardins still at the top of his game

Bench boss surpasses 500 wins as WHL head coach

Willie Desjardins pictured in the 2007 Memorial Cup game program.

“You still got it!”

That cheer is popular in the performance art professional wrestling worlds of WWE and AEW when long time veterans like The Undertaker, Randy Orton, John Cena and Bobby Lashley put on great matches.

In the WHL, that cheer should rain down from the stands at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat for Medicine Hat Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins. Actually, any rink in the WHL could give that cheer for Desjardins as a sign of respect as one of the best to ever be on the major junior circuit.

This past weekend was a milestone one for Desjardins. On Friday, the Tigers downed the Red Deer Rebels 8-1 at Co-op Place. That was the 500^th career WHL head coaching regular season win for Desjardins, and he became just the 12^th coach in the history of the circuit to reach that plateau.

One of the most beautiful moments of that night was one most fans likely wouldn’t be able to see. Current Tigers play-by-play voice Will Bryant brought the Tigers first and iconic play-by-play voice Bob Ridley on for the post-game portion of the broadcast. Ridley, who called 4,022 games over 52 seasons as the Tigers play-by-play voice, offered congratulations to Desjardins and the two reminisced about great times from the past.

On Saturday, the Tigers travelled to Edmonton and dumped the host Oil Kings 6-1 at Rogers Place. That of course was Desjardins’ 501^st career WHL head coaching regular season win.

At age 67 close to turning age 68 in February, Desjardins has the Tigers tied for the lead in the WHL’s Central Division and Eastern Conference at 52 points with the Calgary Hitmen. The Tigers have a 25-15-2 mark, while the Hitmen are 24-11-3-1. For his time in the WHL, Desjardins has a career regular season record of 501 wins, 384 losses and 85 ties and extra time setbacks.

Willie Desjardins works the Tigers bench in March of 2024.

His win total includes 10 victories as a midseason replacement and interim head coach of the Saskatoon Blades in 1997-98. Desjardins has served as the Tigers head coach for two stints with the first coming from 2002 to 2010 and the second starting in 2019 and continuing to the present day. The Tigers won two WHL titles with Desjardins as head coach in 2004 and 2007.

One of the reasons Desjardins always had “it” as a coach was because he was way ahead of the curve when he started his career. When he became the Tigers head coach for the first time way back in 2002, most hockey teams were filled with old time shouter head coaches. It was still an era when a hockey coach wouldn’t think twice about utilizing “the bag skate” style punishment practice as a necessary evil last resort to break a slump.

For the non-hockey people out there, a bag skate practice involves the players on a team skating hard for a lengthy period of time as hard as they can, and the overall sessions can last for two hours. During these types of practices, a puck never touches the ice.

In the 1987 “The Boys on the Bus” documentary on the Wayne Gretzky-era Edmonton Oilers, cameras filmed the Oilers participating in a bag skate during a slump in the 1986-87 season. Some players were vomiting including “The Great One” himself. This often happens in a bag skate.

From 1997 to 2002, the storied Tigers fell on tough times and went five straight seasons missing the WHL Playoffs going through a series of old time coaches. The respective loss totals in those campaigns was 50, 56, 45, 40 and 36.

Then Tigers general manager Rick Carriere thought he needed an “outside the box” thinking head coach to turn things around. Desjardins arrived in Medicine Hat in the summer of 2002.

Willie Desjardins pictured in the Medicine Hat News.

One of most eye-opening experiences about how much things changed with the Tigers came from a phone interview I did shortly before Christmas of 2006 with late NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard. While Boogaard only played 27 regular season contests as a 20-year-old at the start of the 2002-03 campaign for Desjardins, the gentle giant on skates loved his final Tigers bench boss.

Boogaard, who stood 6-foot-7 and weighed 258 pounds, said the players used to do things to rebel against the Tigers coaches that were behind the bench before Desjardins came. When Desjardins arrived in town, Boogaard said he treated the players with so much respect. Boogaard said he felt comfortable enough that he could tell Desjardins everything that happened with the team before he arrived hoping the bench boss could use that information to help turn things around.

The good guy tough guy was ultimately released by the Tigers in order to allow the club to add players who had more scoring punch. Shortly after his release, Boogaard was signed by the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and assigned to the ECHL affiliate at the time in the Louisiana IceGators, which started his journey in professional hockey.

I remember Desjardins telling me he wished he had Boogaard at age 19 as opposed to age 20. The likelihood would have been high Boogaard finished the 2002-03 campaign in Medicine Hat. Still, Boogaard made his way NHL debut three years later at the start of the 2005-06 campaign.

Desjardins always believed one of the best ways to help a player is to show a player respect. During one-on-one meetings, he will get to know the player and proceed to show genuine concern for all aspects of that player’s life.

Once the player understands the coach is legitimately going to be there for you, the player will play their butt off for the coach. That has always happened in all the years when Desjardins has coached the Tigers.

He knows when to allow the players to be themselves and when it is time to focus on work. Desjardins is comfortable enough to let players give him some light-hearted jabs and create some fun around the facility.

Willie Desjardins works the Tigers bench in December of 2019.

He has never been one of those coaches that took himself so seriously that something like this wouldn’t be allowed. Still when it was time to focus on the task at hand, he was able to get that message across and everyone went to work.

Desjardins, who as a player was captain of the 1982-83 University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey Team that won a U Sports championship, always pushed the idea that hockey is a great game and the rink is the best place to be. Even after games when the Tigers lost or if they were in a slump, the players always looked forward to coming to the rink. They knew it was still the best place to be and their head coach and his staff had the answers to help them play better.

Desjardins never used tactics like bag skates, because they were negative motivators that made players hate the coach and want to rebel.

That Tigers team Boogaard started the 2002-03 campaign with was a squad of highly talented players who liked to have a good time off the ice. They were characters with character.

When it came time to be on the ice, they were focused on the task at hand. When hockey was done, they were the guys you wanted to go have pops and socialize with even to this very day.

Most of the players on that 2002-03 Tigers team that snuck into the WHL Playoffs and fell in a heartbreaking seven game second round series to the Red Deer Rebels helped the Tigers breakout in 2003-04. In 2003-04, the Tigers topped the Eastern Conference with a record of 40 wins, 20 losses, nine ties and three overtime losses and advanced on to win the WHL championship.

Some of the players that were part of the Tigers in 2002-03 that helped them win the WHL title in 2003-04 included money goaltender Kevin Nastiuk, Chris St. Jacques, Darren Reid, Clarke MacArthur, Stefan Meyer, Cam Barker, Steven Regier, Ryan Hollweg, Dan Idema, Kieran Block, Steve Marr, Tommy Maxwell, Mark Vodden, Nathan Exner and Riley Day. It could be argued that the 2003-04 WHL champion winning Tigers were one of the best group of characters that had character that ever existed in the history of the circuit and I dare say the history of major junior hockey.

A picture of the Tigers 2004 WHL championship win.

It is common for the guys from the 2003-04 Tigers WHL championship team to joke that Desjardins liked the Tigers 2006-07 WHL Championship team that included money goaltender Matt Keetley and long time NHLers Kris Russell, Darren Helm, Derek Dorsett, David Schlemko, Tyler Ennis and Michael Sauer better because they were the more serious hockey team. It should be noted the 2006-07 Tigers knew how to have a good time on the social front too, but the 2003-04 Tigers were way ahead in that characteristic.

In truth, asking Desjardins to choose a favourite between the Tigers 2003-04 and 2006-07 WHL championship winning teams is like choosing a favourite child. Everybody was special.

Over his years as a coach, Desjardins has been so beloved by his players that in the off-season it is common for him and his wife, Rhonda Carlson, to find their calendars getting filled up with invites to weddings of players he once coached.

Because Desjardins was who he is, he got to be an associate coach with the NHL’s Dallas Stars for two seasons from 2010 to 2012. He guided the AHL’s Texas Stars for two seasons being named the AHL coach of the year in 2012-13 and navigating the Stars to a Calder Cup title as AHL champions in 2013-14.

Desjardins would serve as the head coach of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks for three seasons from 2014 to 2017. He also served as the interim coach of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings for part of the 2018-19 campaign.

Internationally, Desjardins was an assistant coach on Canada gold medal winner at world juniors in 2009 and was head coach of the silver medal winner at world juniors in 2010. In the 2017-18 season, he guided Canada’s national men’s team to a Spengler Cup title and a bronze medal win at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Over the years, other WHL teams has strived build the cultural aspects into their programs that Desjardins instilled with the Tigers. It is common for coaches to strive to emulate Desjardins as opposed to being the hard-butt coaches that were shouters from the old times.

A picture of the Tigers 2007 WHL championship win.

Since Desjardins was the trailblazer in being the connected players’ coach, he still has it when it comes to coaching players in the current day. As the years and decades have gone by, Desjardins has improved and evolved as a coach, but with that noted, it has felt like he always had all the right answers when it comes to helping players be better on the ice and in their lives away from the game.

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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Last call as Tigers play-by-play voice in for Ridley

Iconic broadcaster retires after 52 seasons, 4,022 games

The Tigers retirement tweet for Bob Ridley.

Bob Ridley has bid his audience “a very pleasant good night” for the final time.

On Tuesday, the iconic play-by-play voice of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers announced his retirement. The announcement brings an end to a career that started with the inaugural campaign of the modern version of the Tigers in 1970-71 and would go on to last 52 seasons and 4,022 games.

Ridley’s 4,022 games called as the Tigers play-by-play voice is a record for most games called as the play-by-play voice of one hockey team, and he is the only hockey play-by-play voice to have hit the 4,000 games plateau. The total includes 3,590 regular season games, one standings tiebreaker game, 411 games in the WHL playoffs and 20 contests in the Memorial Cup tournament.

If someone called 80 games a season for 50 seasons, they would come up 22 contests short of Ridley’s total as the Tigers play-by-play voice.

Ridley, who is a product of Vulcan, Alta., was on the call for the Tigers five WHL championship wins in 1973, 1987, 1988, 2004 and 2007. He was there to call the Tigers two Memorial Cup title victories in 1987 and 1988 to become champions of the CHL.

During the Tigers first 51 seasons, Ridley missed calling just one game. In 1972, Ridley was assigned by the CHAT radio and television outlet in Medicine Hat to go to Saskatoon to cover the national women’s curling championships.

A Medicine Hat rink was the Alberta champion representative, and that squad was skipped by Polly Beaton. The foursome had a lead named Terry Kope, who was the wife of the station’s general manager.

Bob Ridley calls a Tigers playoff game in March of 2019.

Due to that connection, Ridley was dispatched to Saskatoon and had to miss calling one Tigers regular season game. Ridley drove the Tigers team bus for most of his career too.

This past season, Ridley was absent for all but one regular season game due to the fact he had to battle cancer. Scott Roblin filled in as the Tigers play-by-play voice during the time Ridley was gone.

Before Christmas this past December, Ridley was declared cancer free. With the world in the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he didn’t return to the broadcast booth until the Tigers final game of the 2021-22 campaign this past April 15. They fell 3-0 in that contest to the eventual WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.

The Tigers missed the playoffs having finished last in the WHL regular season standings with an 11-53-3-1 record, which was an unusual down campaign for the club.

In an interview with Gates Guarin of CHAT News on Tuesday, Ridley said he contemplated a lot of things during the down time he had this past season and decided the time was right to retire in order to spend more time with family and friends. The 78-year-old added that on top of being the Tigers play-by-play voice he spent about 47 years as the sports director at CHAT, so that meant he sacrificed a lot of time with family and friends.

For about eight years starting in 1977, Ridley was also the play-by-play voice of Medicine Hat’s representatives in the Pioneer Baseball League, which is a rookie circuit for MLB clubs. That included calling games for the A’s lone season in the Hat in 1977 followed by the first number of seasons played by the Blue Jays, who came to town in 1978 before departing following the 2002 campaign. The Blue Jays won the Pioneer League championship in 1982.

Bob Ridley gets set to drive the Tigers bus in the 2012 WHL playoffs.

Ridley has a lengthy list accolades. The accolades include receiving the Medicine Hat Civic Recognition Sports Award in 1995, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Bell Memorial Award in 2005, the Alberta Centennial Award in 2005, the WHL Distinguished Service Award in 2007, induction into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 and induction into the Western Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2019. At Co-op Place the Tigers home rink, the press box is named the “Bob Ridley Broadcast Centre” in Ridley’s honour.

On February 27, 2021 at Co-op Place, Ridley called his 4,000^th game as the Tigers romped past the Red Deer Rebels 7-2. Before that contest, the WHL feted Ridley with a unique honour.

The WHL announced the creation of the Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence to be presented annually to a member of the radio, television and print journalism industry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to sports journalism and the WHL.

Ridley was named the inaugural winner of the honour and was presented with the award by WHL commissioner Ron Robison during a special ceremony at Co-op Place before he called his 4,000^th game.

This past April 2 before a 6-1 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Tigers honoured Ridley at Co-op Place unveiling a banner to pay tribute to his career that was placed up in the building rafters alongside the retired #9 banner for Tom Lysiak and the retired #8 banner for Lanny McDonald.

Bob Ridley calls a game at The Arena in Medicine Hat.

Ridley’s career is so special that he would be deserving of the call to the Hockey Hall of Fame, if that honour should come his way one day. One day, there should be a place for Ridley in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Tigers fans are going to miss Ridley’s classic goal call, “He scooooooorrrres!”

They can always hear Ridley making his famous goal call when Brennan Bosch scored in double overtime of Game 7 of the 2007 WHL Championship Series to deliver the Tigers their fifth league title and a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants. 

The win came before a raucous sellout crowd of 4,006 spectators at the Tigers legendary former home rink in The Arena.

Ridley will always be “the Dean” of major junior hockey broadcasters. The best part about “Rids” is he has always taken all the accolades that have come his way on a humble manner, and he has never made himself that big of a deal.

Ridley is a gentleman and a Hall of Fame person. He has always treated everyone with grace and class, and for anyone associated with the Tigers, it was always a highlight to be interviewed by him.

Anyone that has come through Tigers organization has only great things to say about Ridley including players like Lysiak, McDonald, Kelly Hrudey, Trevor Linden, Chris Osgood, Kris Russell, Darren Helm, Emerson Etem and Cole Sillinger. Ridley considers current Tigers general manager and head coach Willie Desjardins as one of his all-time best friends, and Desjardins cherishes Ridley’s place in team lore.

Bob Ridley calls a road game in Saskatoon in 2017.

It does feel like a disservice not to mention everyone that came through Tigers who would have something great to say about Ridley. Team owners Darrell and Brent Maser have to feel fortunate Ridley was the team’s play-by-play voice for as long as he was.

If you did a search of Ridley’s name on social media channels on Tuesday, you will see an endless number of people and teams offering him well wishes and praise.

In finishing his interview with Guarin, Ridley said his immediate plans are to sit back and relax and enjoy his family and enjoy life. You can be sure Ridley’s wife, Deb, will be happy he is home.

On top of enjoying time with family, hopefully, Ridley will revel in some rides on his Harley Davidson motorcycle too.

Ridley has left a unique mark on the game of hockey, the Tigers and Medicine Hat as a city that will never be matched. In retirement, he deserves everything good that comes his way.

Personal note – I will miss tracking Ridley’s games called total

Bob Ridley calls a game at the 2007 Memorial Cup.

Since Stanks’ Sermon is my blog, I wanted to get a personal note in.

I am going to miss tracking Bob Ridley’s games called total as the play-by-play voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers. I know this will sound self-serving, but I enjoyed tracking that statistic over the years.

When Ridley announced his retirement on Tuesday, it felt weird for me that I wouldn’t be tracking that total anymore that closed out at 4,022 games called, which is the most one person has called as a play-by-play voice of any hockey team.

I first tallied up the number of games Ridley had called way back in August of 2006. As a sports reporter for the Medicine Hat News, I was doing stories about a tribute dinner night the Tigers did for Ridley at that time, which saw a huge number of the team’s alums turn out from all eras. I also did a story on that tribute night for Hockey Now.

After I figured out how many games Ridley had called back in August of 2006 in the newsroom of the News, Sean Rooney, who was my sports editor, suggested that I should keep track of Ridley’s games called tally going into the future. Rooney said that would be an important piece of information people would like as the years went on.

When I left the News and Medicine Hat after 10 years to move to Saskatoon in the summer of 2014 to be closer to family, I kept tracking Ridley’s games called total. When I arrived in Saskatoon, Ridley’s games called total stood at 3,545 contests.

At the end of every season, I would note on a post in this blog where Ridley’s games called total stood at. I also noted when he would hit milestones like 3,600 or 3,700 games called. Of course, it was big time exciting to see him become the first person to call 4,000 games as the play-by-play voice of one hockey team.

Over the years, I hope you enjoyed the games called total I was able to track. I hope it added to Ridley’s iconic status.

I’m going to miss seeing Ridley on the WHL beat. I’ll always consider him a great friend.

Thanks for the memories “Rids,” and cheers to you making many more great memories in your retirement years.

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

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Tigers trounce Rebels 7-2 for Ridley’s 4,000th call

Bob Ridley calls a Tigers playoff game in March of 2019.

With their icon in broadcast booth celebrating a milestone that will likely never happen again, the Medicine Hat Tigers ensured the night went as perfectly as possible.

Just 36 seconds into their WHL regular season clash with the visiting Red Deer Rebels at the Co-op Place, overage defenceman Cole Clayton fired home a point shot to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. By the 13:07 mark of the opening frame, the Tigers advantage surged to 4-0.

Medicine Hat rolled to a 7-2 victory from that point.

The win put the icing on the cake on a milestone night for Bob Ridley, who has been the only play-by-play voice the Tigers have had since the modern version of the club began play in the 1970-71 season.

On Saturday, Ridley called his 4,000^th game as the team’s play-by-play voice. The total includes 3,568 of the Tigers 3,569 regular season games, the club’s one standings tiebreaker game, all of their 411 games in the WHL playoffs and all 20 of their contests in the Memorial Cup tournament.

The Tigers won the Memorial Cup as CHL champions in 1987 and 1988.

No one has called more games as the play-by-play voice of one team in the sport of hockey as Ridley has. He drove the Tigers team bus over most of that stretch as well.

People tend to throw around GOAT status all the time in sports, and it’s often debated, but it’s safe to say, there will never be another Bob Ridley. He is one-of-a-kind.
The man is truly a legend.
Congrats Mr. Ridley on your 4,000 game milestone.@tigershockey @TheWHL https://t.co/dUFTWiCgXi

— Jason Hills (@hillsyjay) February 28, 2021

At the moment, it would take someone calling 80 games a season for 50 seasons to just equal Ridley’s total of calling 4,000 games.

Before Ridley called his 4,000^th game on Saturday, the WHL announced they had created the Bob Ridley Award For Media Excellence to be presented annually to a member of the radio, television and print journalism industry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to sports journalism and the WHL.

Ridley was named the inaugural winner of the honour and was presented with the award by WHL commissioner Ron Robison during a special ceremony at Co-op Place on Saturday afternoon.

Earlier today, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison unveiled the Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence & presented it to the @tigershockey legend.

WATCH 🎥 pic.twitter.com/qNRePDNFnB

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 28, 2021

As for Saturday’s game itself, a special tribute video was played at the Tigers home rink before puck drop. Video messages were played from numerous Tigers alumni during breaks as Saturday’s contest moved along.

On social media lines, tribute messages poured in before, during and after the game.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, Saturday’s game was played without fans in attendance. It would have made the night even more perfect, if Ridley could have received a standing ovation from a sold out building.

That development allowed all of the Tigers fans and just overall hockey fans the chance to listen to Ridley call the game on CHAT 94.5 FM either on the radio waves in Medicine Hat and area or online around the world.

Congrats to Bob Ridley on an amazing accomplishment!

Rebels take on @tigershockey tonight in The Hat in a rematch of last evening’s entertaining affair!

Puck drop at 7:30 on @1067RewindRadio and WHL Live https://t.co/L84ZnrjARo

— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) February 27, 2021

The 76-year-old product of Vulcan, Alta., was at the top of his game flanked by long time colour commentator Barry Prins, who sat in the neighbouring booth.

Listeners were able to quickly get drawn into the contest with Clayton’s goal 36 seconds into the game, which allowed Ridley to break into his classic call, “He scooorrrrrrrres!”

Just under three minutes later, Tigers overage captain Ryan Chyzowski struck on the power play to give the host side a 2-0 lead.

Right-winger Lukas Svejkovsky scored on a breakaway at the 12:11 mark of the first to increase the Tigers advantage to 3-0. Just 56 seconds later, Tigers 16-year-old rookie centre Oasiz Wiesblatt stole the puck from a Rebels player at the Red Deer blue-line, broke into the offensive zone and roofed a shot past Rebels netminder Byron Fancy.

The tally was Wiesblatt’s first career WHL goal.

Just in case you didn't know, there is another Wiesblatt who is also REALLY GOOD at hockey. His name is Oasiz. 🐯 pic.twitter.com/qlhU0GSr8G

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 28, 2021

Fancy was pulled after that tally having stopped 8-of-12 shots sent his way. Overager Ethan Anders played the rest of the contest in relief turning away 18-of-20 shots sent in his direction.

Red Deer did attempt to battle back. Overage centre Chris Douglas scored for the Rebels with 1:34 remaining in the second to trim the Tigers lead to 4-1.

Rebels 18-year-old defenceman Chase Leslie netted a single at the 4:22 mark of the third to further cut the Tigers lead to 4-2.

Rookie left-winger Brayden Boehm, who turned 17-years-old in January, restored order for the Tigers netting his first career WHL goal at the 12:08 mark of the third. Boehm converted a backdoor pass from linemate Caleb Willms to give the hosts a 5-2 advantage.

Willms > Boehm > 🥅 = 👌 pic.twitter.com/N5FtdpUqMW

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 28, 2021

Red Deer pulled Anders for an extra attacker with about three minutes to play in the third, which allowed Tigers overage centre Brett Kemp to score into an empty net to increase the home side’s edge to 6-2.

Noah Danielson, an 18-year-old centre, added a single to round out the scoring in the 7-2 victory for Medicine Hat.

Garin Bjorklund stopped 18 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Tigers.

Clayton had three assists and a plus-three rating in the plus-minus department to go with his goal.

Saturday’s contest was the Tigers home opener in a campaign that started late and was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few more photos from the second period! @tigershockey @Rebelshockey @TheWHL @MedicineHatNews #medhat pic.twitter.com/TnLlXooA9c

— Ryan McCracken (@MHNMcCracken) February 28, 2021

The Tigers improved to 2-0 with the win, while the Rebels fell to 0-1-1. Medicine Hat beat the Rebels 5-4 in overtime at the Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer on Friday.

The Tigers are slated to return to action this coming Friday, when they travel to Edmonton to face the Oil Kings (2-0).

While the Tigers had a great game on the ice Saturday, the night belonged to Ridley. He will always be “the Dean” of major junior hockey broadcasters, and one day there should be a place for him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Originally, Ridley’s 4,000^th game call was slated to take place on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at Co-op Centre in a regular season clash against the Swift Current Broncos. That moment was expected to be high point for the Tigers, who were skating through their 50^th season in the 2019-20 campaign.

TIGERS WIN!!!

The Tigers sweep the home and home series by a score of 7-2 on Bob Ridley Night! pic.twitter.com/0S7RXuZiZY

— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) February 28, 2021

Of course, the 2019-20 WHL campaign was paused on March 12, 2020 before being ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic leaving Ridley’s games called total stuck at 3,998.

With the WHL’s Central Division returning to play with the circuit’s five Alberta-based teams, Ridley was able to make his 4,000^th game broadcast a reality on Saturday with the Tigers skating through their 51^st season.

The fact that Ridley’s 4,000^th broadcast has now happened does give a moment where you have those warm and fuzzy feelings inside.

It was such a welcome development to once again hear Ridley call Tigers games, and for him to close Saturday’s broadcast with his classic, “We bid you all a very pleasant good night.”

Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins on getting the win in Bob Ridley's 4,000th game tonight:

"I think the night was Bob Ridley Night," said Desjardins. "I think what he accomplished tonight overshadowed the game for sure. I'm glad that his 4,000th game was a win."#WHL #Tigers

— Scott Roblin (@CHATTVRoblin) February 28, 2021

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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Ridley resumes journey to 4,000 as Tigers play-by-play voice

Bob Ridley calls a Tigers playoff game in March of 2019.

In a season that will be like no other, Bob Ridley will hit a special milestone that no one will likely ever reach again.

When the upcoming WHL regular season gets going on Friday with action in the league’s Central Division, Ridley will resume his journey to call his 4,000^th game as the play-by-play voice of the storied Medicine Hat Tigers.

At the moment, Ridley has called 3,998 games as the Tigers play-by-play voice. Ridley’s total includes 3,566 of the Tigers 3,567 regular season games, the club’s one standings tiebreaker game, all of their 411 games in the WHL playoffs and all 20 of their contests in the Memorial Cup tournament. The Tigers won the Memorial Cup as CHL champions in 1987 and 1988.

No one has called more games as the play-by-play voice of one hockey team at any level than Ridley has. He drove the Tigers team bus over most of that stretch as well, and he has been Tigers only play-by-play voice since the modern version of the team took the ice in 1970-71.

On Friday, the Tigers open their regular season traveling to Red Deer to take on the Rebels. The two sides go at it again on Saturday at the Tigers home rink in Medicine Hat now called Co-op Place to mark Ridley’s 4,000^th game.

The 76-year-old from Vulcan, Alta., called his 3,998^th game on March 10, 2020, when the Tigers downed the visiting Rebels 4-3 in overtime at Co-op Place.

Centre Ryan Chyzowski scored the winner and his second marker of the contest at the 1:46 mark of the extra frame.

To date, that was the last game the Tigers played as the WHL paused all action on March 12, 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had gripped the world.

Bob Ridley gets set to drive the Tigers bus in the 2012 WHL playoffs.

The remainder of the 2019-20 campaign ultimately got cancelled.

Originally, Ridley was set to call his 3,999^th game on March 13, 2020, when the Tigers were scheduled to take on the Broncos in Swift Current. The Broncos and Tigers were slated to meet on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at Co-op Place in what was originally supposed to be Ridley’s 4,000^th game.

Effort was made to ensure Ridley’s 4,000^th game would be a Saturday home contest. The Tigers and the crew at CHAT Television in Medicine Hat were working on some special festivities for the night.

A number of Tiger alums had marked that date on the calendar expecting to return to Medicine Hat for a milestone night that no one else in hockey will likely ever duplicate.

The Tigers were skating through their 50^th season in 2019-20, and Ridley’s 4,000^th game was expected to be a big high point for the team in that campaign.

With the way things are in the current day, it is still a big thing that Ridley’s 4,000^th game will happen. There is still a little fear that the COVID-19 pandemic might throw a wrench into things to cause a delay, but the milestone moment has as much certainty as possible in these times of happening.

Due to restrictions and lockdowns observed to varying degrees around the world to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have seen milestone moments not unfold as planned. Events like wedding, graduations, reunions, championship sporting events and various other special moments have been sidelined in the pandemic.

In some cases, events like weddings and graduations have gone ahead and been celebrated in a different way.

As no spectators are allowed in WHL facilities this season, Ridley’s 4,000^th game will just have to be celebrated in a different way, and it should still be celebrated in the abbreviated campaign the WHL is holding.

Bob Ridley calls a game at The Arena in Medicine Hat.

When Ridley starts the play-by-play call of his 4,000^th game, you can be sure the tributes will pour in over various social media. You can bet a large number of people who have connections to the Tigers all across the world will go online to check out the CHAT 94.5 broadcast of that game.

It will feel all warm and fuzzy inside to hear Ridley calling his 4,000^th game.

One day, there should be a place for Ridley in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He will always be “the Dean” of major junior hockey broadcasters.

Way back in August of 2006, the Tigers held a tribute night for Ridley in Medicine Hat. Maybe when the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end, another tribute night could be held.

The Tigers alums love going to reunions and another potential tribute night for Ridley might be the most welcomed reunion of all.

“Goals For Mental Health” WHL style, other notes

WHL goal cellys in Canada mean more money for mental health.

The WHL will take part in a new fundraiser for mental health in the shortened 2020-21 campaign.

On Wednesday, the WHL announced it was taking part in the “Goals For Mental Health presented by RE/MAX” fundraiser for the Canadian Mental Health Association in Western Canada.

As part of this fundraiser, RE/MAX will be donating $15 to the CMHA for every goal scored by the 17 WHL teams located in western Canadian markets.

The WHL plans to announce ways for fans to take part in the campaign as the upcoming season goes on.

The fundraiser will be delivered in support of the CMHA’s Talk Today program, which will have new digital integrations for the 2020-21 regular season.

The WHL has worked with the CMHA to deliver Talk Today programming in all 22 WHL markets since January 2017. Talk Today includes an educational component for WHL players providing mental health training specific to suicide awareness.

The training helps teach individuals the importance of talking about mental health, how to acknowledge signs of suicide, seek help when they’re in need of support and connect others in need of support to suicide first aid resources.

Each team is also linked to a CMHA mental health coach, who can provide support and mental health resources to individuals in need.

Talk Today is a mandatory program within the WHL’s Players First support services programs. The WHL’s Players First programs provide educational, mentorship and support services that touch on many issues including bullying, mental health, leadership and extensive health and safety initiatives.

• On Monday, it was revealed that Alan Miller will be stepping down as the general manager of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors to become Hockey Canada’s new director of player personnel within the Program of Excellence. Miller will start his position with Hockey Canada this coming Monday.
• On Wednesday, the Medicine Hat Tigers announced their leadership group for the 2020-21 campaign. Overage centre Ryan Chyzowski was named the team’s new captain. Overage centre Brett Kemp and overage defenceman Cole Clayton will be full time alternate captains. Corson Hopwo and Lukas Svejkovsky, who are both 19-year-old right-wingers, will share responsibilities as the third alternate captain.
• On Wednesday, the WHL announced the first game of the regular season in the U.S. Division will see the Portland Winterhawks take on the host Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., on March 18. The Winterhawks are slated to play their first two home games at the Accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., on March 21 and 26. The Accesso ShoWare Centre is home to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. The location for the Winterhawks other 10 home games are listed as still to be determined.
• On Wednesday, the WHL announced its games will be streamed on WHL Live on CHL TV. Back on Feb. 16, the CHL announced Verizon Media Platform would be its streaming partner for this season. For WHL games, a season pass will cost fans $59.99 or a 24-hour pass will cost $6.99. As fans aren’t allowed to attend WHL games this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many were looking for information regarding live streams for games. You can find more information on WHL Live on CHL TV by clicking right here.
• Tickets are on sale for the February jackpot for the Saskatchewan Amateur Football Mega 50/50 lottery. The funds from this 50/50 lottery will go to support the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and the WWCFL’s Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot. One prize will be drawn per month, and the remaining draw dates are Sunday, February 28, 2021, March 31, 2021, April 30, 2021 and May 31, 2021. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• Last Friday, the junior A Alberta Junior Hockey League received approval from the Government of Alberta to resume its 2020-21 regular season under the protocols of a new return to play plan. All AJHL teams will use weekly private PCR testing through DynaLIFE Medical Labs to test for COVID-19. The testing runs through the end of the season. If a player or staff member of an AJHL team tests positive for COVID-19 at any point in the remaining season, the team will be required to isolate and suspend in person activities for 14 days. The AJHL last had games take place on November 14, 2020. A start date and updated schedule are still to be announced. On Sunday, the Canmore Eagles elected to opt out of returning to play the current AJHL season leaving 14 out of the circuit’s 15 teams to continue on.

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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One month anniversary since last live sports event

COVID-19 pandemic puts different milestones on the mind

The Warriors and Contacts go at it on March 12.

    I never imagined thought a midget AAA hockey playoff game would cross my mind as a milestone moment.
    Under the specter of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, different types of milestones cross the mind.

    This year’s Easter Sunday already felt weird when I woke up. Usually, there would be a big family get together to look forward to at dinner time.

    My whole mom’s side of the family pretty much lives in Saskatoon, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone remained at their respective homes during the dinner hour.

    Eventually during the morning hours, my mind began to drift to other things. One included noticing that it was April 12 on the calendar. When I saw that, it popped into my mind that one month had passed since the last time I was at a live competitive sporting event.

    That event was Game 3 of a best-of-five Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League semifinal series between the Saskatoon Contacts and Moose Jaw Warriors at Merlis Belsher Place on March 12.
    Originally, I wasn’t planning to go to that contest to cover it for this blog.

Forward Riley Girod (#10) breaks up ice for the Contacts on March 12.

    I was originally planning to use that night to prepare for a trip two days later to go to Medicine Hat, Alta., to take part in the festivities in Bob Ridley calling his 4,000^th game as the play-by-play voice of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

    As of March 10, that was still my plan. Little did I know, March 10 would be the final day that progressed like a regular day.

    The COVID-19 pandemic became a larger reality in North America on March 11, when the NBA announced it was stopping its season. That started a chain reaction of postponements, cancellations and shutdowns in the sports and entertainment worlds.

    The shutdowns quickly included what was the normal every day world as society in Canada went into shutdown and lockdown.

    Looking back now at March 11 and 12, it was crazy to think how quickly all the shutdowns materialized.

    On March 12, the NHL put its season on pause and Canada’s three major junior leagues including the WHL paused their respective campaigns too. That development nixed the trip to Medicine Hat.
    The remaining regular season games and post-seasons for the three major junior circuits have since been cancelled.

Warriors forward Connor McGrath (#15) rushes up ice on March 12.

    About two hours before the Contacts and Warriors took the ice, Hockey Canada put out a release that it was cancelling its sanction events effective on March 13. That announcement wiped out the remaining post-seasons and nationals for the minor hockey bodies under the Hockey Canada umbrella.

    After seeing the Hockey Canada release that night, I figured I better check out the playoff match between the Contacts and Warriors, because my gut told me that would likely be the last competitive hockey game I would see for a while.

    Ultimately, it was the last competitive hockey game held in Saskatoon for the 2019-20 campaign, unless a pie in the sky hope turns into a reality where the NHL uses “The Bridge City” as a quarantine city to host playoff games. At the moment, that is highly unlikely.

    On that March 12 night, the Warriors downed the Contact 5-3 to sweep the best-of-five set 3-0. Looking back now, I am happy I did go to that SMAAAHL playoff game.

    A lot of people from Saskatoon’s hockey community were at Merlis that night, and it was great to see everyone before the shutdowns came into effect. No one knows when that type of gathering will happen again.
    On March 14 and 15, I stopped in to see some friends at what were basically “beer league” games at Merlis. That marked the last time at the moment I have stepped into a hockey rink.

Contacts forward Alex Bernauer cuts to the net on March 12. 

    Since that time, I have only ventured medium distances from home for travel about once a week to pick up supplies. I did drive past Merlis during one of those runs to see it sitting locked up and empty. 
    The biggest talk around the new rink on the University of Saskatchewan campus lately has been about converting it to a field hospital, if the COVID-19 pandemic really goes crazy and overruns the health system in the city.

    When that facility officially opened before the start of the 2018-19 hockey season, I don’t think anyone envisioned using that twin pad rink for that purpose.

    Since that first panic around March 11 and 12, a new normal has been discovered that includes working from home and waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to pass.

    Still, it is bizarre to think a month has passed since I last went to a live competitive sporting event.      Heck, I haven’t been to a recreational sports activity since March 15.

    It seems like at the moment there is no end in sight for the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of cases and deaths from the virus keep going up.

    There are moments it seems like the lockdown and societal shutdown measures will never come to an end, or they won’t wrap up for a very long time.

Merlis Belsher Place sits empty in the crazy current days.

    On the plus side, I feel like I have gotten into a better habit of ignoring toxic social media posts.

    I also feel like I’ve gotten into the habit of just dealing with the challenges each particular day brings. One of the challenges today included seeing family members be sad that there were no big dinners for Easter.

    I find if you focus on the living day-to-day, it makes it easier to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. 
    Still, it is starting to cross the mind that a sizable amount of time has already passed in dealing with this situation and that amount of time will get even larger before the COVID-19 pandemic becomes part of the past.

Easter fun on social media

    In a rarity in the crazy current days, social media ended up being a good place to be on Easter Sunday.

    At least for me, it was a good place to be.

    In my family, there was a sizable amount of sadness and disappointment there would be no big get together somewhere for dinner due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On the plus side, it was great to turn on all the social media lines and see numerous happy Easter posts. It seemed the post came in a steady fashion throughout the day.

    Usually, I find I have to limit time on social media lines due to the posts becoming toxic. It was nice to see that wasn’t the case on Easter Sunday.

    Of course, the Prince Albert Northern Bears female midget AAA hockey team is always game for a good post for days like Easter Sunday.

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you are able to spend time with those you love whether it’s in person or through technology. From our family to yours, we wish you all the best, stay healthy and we miss you all 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/CZbH27rztw

— PA Northern Bears Female AAA (@PABears) April 12, 2020

    Outlaws Country Rock Bar has a sweet one on their Instagram account.

View this post on Instagram

Happy Easter to all our friends and family. We miss y’all #staysafe

A post shared by Outlaws Country Rock Bar (@outlawscountryrockbar) on Apr 12, 2020 at 11:01am PDT

    The Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL had a cute one featuring forward Corson Hopwo.

Wishing you a Hoppy Easter!! 🐣 #medhat #50yearsofTigers pic.twitter.com/i7W9jMp7Jx

— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) April 12, 2020

    The Saskatchewan Rush provided a post from the entire National Lacrosse League.

From our homes to yours. 🐥🐇🌿 pic.twitter.com/eQBxlqEkkn

— Saskatchewan Rush (@SaskRushLAX) April 12, 2020

    And finally, the Cornell University Big Red women’s hockey team put in a group effort to pass on Easter greetings.

View this post on Instagram

Happy Easter and Passover. Take care of each other.

A post shared by Cornell W Ice Hockey (@cornellwhockey) on Apr 12, 2020 at 9:20am PDT

    I could keep going on and list some more posts.

    With that noted, it is great any time social media lines can be more of a positive place. It would be sweet if that could occur more often.

Tweet of Easter Sunday from David Wells

    Retired Major League Baseball star hefty lefty pitcher David Wells was fielding questions on Twitter on Sunday night.

    Wells played in the majors from 1987 to 2007 with the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.

    He was a member of World Series winners with the Blue Jays in 1992 and the Yankees in 1998. He pitched a perfect game with the Yankees at old Yankee Stadium on May 17, 1998.

    Wells began his professional career in 1982 with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays rookie team. The Medicine Hat Blue Jays won the Pioneer League championship that season.

    I decided to fire off a question to Wells and received a wicked response.

Shit how’d you know about that. They were epic https://t.co/F1ZGcY0ugJ

— david wells (@BoomerWells33) April 13, 2020

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

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