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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Max Paddock protects the Raiders goal in 2020.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dylan Cozens in action for the Hurricanes in 2019.

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

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

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

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

At that point, COVID-19 protocols came calling.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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In a world juniors like no other, Canada had a good run

It can be easy to cannibalize of over-dissect a loss in the world of sports, especially if it happens with a program that has constant success.

On Tuesday, Canada entered the gold medal game at world junior men’s hockey championships, which were being held in a bubble environment at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., in impressive fashion.

Though the preliminary, quarter-final and semifinal rounds, Canada had a 6-0 record outscoring its opponents 41-4. The record grows to 7-0, if you add in Canada’s 1-0 victory in exhibition play over Russia.

Canada, which topped Group A in the preliminary round, hadn’t trailed in any of its game at world juniors until hitting the gold medal game.

Throughout the day on Tuesday on various Canadian sports talk stations and media outlets, there was discussion that this was the best team Canada had ever sent to world juniors including the gold medal winning team featuring Sidney Crosby in the 2004-05 campaign.

The excitement all came down to a crashing thud with Canada falling 2-0 to the U.S.A. in a contest that had a huge following on Canadian television over the TSN airwaves.

Due to the fact there were no fans in the stands and no other hockey was taking place in Canada due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had gripped the world, the Canadian side that took the ice at this edition of the world juniors had arguably way more attention paid to it than any other Canadian team in the history of that tourney.

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A post shared by Kaiden Guhle (@kguhle_4)

Opinions seemed to fly around everywhere about why Canada wasn’t able to win.

In all reality, the result of Tuesday’s gold medal game likely came from the fact Canada was playing in a one-game showdown. The United States did what it needed to do to win on that day.

During the first half of the game, the players on the United States side showed they weren’t afraid of the pedigree on the Canadian side and came out and played the game tenaciously. You could tell it truly meant a lot to the players on the United States side to win that contest.

In a one-game showdown, I think that whole aspect caught the Canadian side off guard. After the U.S. got ahead 2-0 early in the second, Canada had a lot of good chances in the final 10 minutes of the second to get back in the game.

The images of Canadian offensive-defenceman Bowen Byram hitting the post on a short-handed rush shortly after the midway point of the second likely won’t escape the minds of most of Canada’s supporters.

Canada could never get that traction goal to trigger a comeback. While Canada held a 15-1 edge in shots on goal in the third, the U.S. played a textbook defensive game in that frame and kept most of those chances on the outside.

Had both teams played another game 24 hours later, it can be argued that Canada might have won. If the battle for the gold medal was a best-of-three, best-of-five or best-of-seven series, Canada’s odds of gaining victory would be very good.

Still, star forward Trevor Zegras, netminder Spencer Knight and the rest of the U.S.A. side took the one-game showdown with Canada fair and square. The United States gets full marks for playing a great 60-minute game to claim victory.

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A post shared by Kaedan Korczak (@kaedan.korczak)

On a side note, the officiating in the tournament had to grade out as being great in the tournament, so huge kudos to the crew there.

Canadian netminder Devon Levi couldn’t be faulted on any of the two goals the United States scored, and he was more than worthy of being a tournament all-star.

Canadian forward Dylan Cozens, who stars with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, topped Canada in scoring with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in seven games. He had a sensational tournament being named a tournament all-star.

Byram, who is a star of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, was stellar at both ends of the ice and was also more than worthy of being named a tournament all-star.

On a Saskatchewan front, Kaiden Guhle, who is a defenceman for the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, had a solid tournament. Saskatchewan products in Prince Albert’s Braden Schneider, who plays defence for the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings, Yorkton’s Kaedan Korczak, who plays defence for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, and Saskatoon’s Connor Zary, who plays centre for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, all had strong tournaments.

Going back to the selection camp held in Red Deer, Alta., the Canadian side spent about 52 days together in a bubble environment. That included the fact the team had to go through a 14-day quarantine period in hotel rooms early in the selection camp due to positive COVID-19 tests.

In the exhibition game win over Russia, Canada lost captain and centre Kirby Dach with a fractured right wrist. Dach is a member the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and an alumnus of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.

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Canada’s coaching staff led by head coach Andre Tourigny, who is the head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, did a remarkable job that included dealing with pandemic induced factors no other Canadian world junior coaches had to deal with.

The assistant coaches should get big credit for ensuring thing kept going forward.

The assistant coaches included Mitch Love, who is the head coach of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, Tyler Dietrich, who is an assistant coach with the Blades, Michael Dyck, who is the head coach of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, and goaltender coach Jason LaBarbera.

LaBarbera was the goaltending coach of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, but he moved over to become a full-time goalie coach for the NHL’s Calgary Flames before world juniors started. The Flames own the Hitmen.

Over a period of 14 days beginning on Dec. 23, 2020 with the exhibition game against Russia, Canada’s entry at the world juniors provided numerous thrills for a host country with most regions experiencing lockdown conditions to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Team Canada provided a welcomed breath of fresh air. It was just a winning result in the event’s gold medal game was not to be.

Canadian pride 🍁@mlovehockey | #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/OsUBj6x4e6

— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) January 8, 2021

Original Hardy Trophy sits in Sask. Sports Hall of Fame

Thank you to @EvanDaum for bringing the Hardy Trophy to the SSHF for us to display. The Trophy was retired in 1996 after going through a lot in its 75 years of use. After being rediscovered at the @USask, the trophy has been repaired and we are looking forward to displaying it. pic.twitter.com/gzbSTr9PWT

— SaskSports H of F (@SaskSportsHF) January 8, 2021

The original Hardy Trophy has a new home.

On Friday, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame showed pictures of the Hardy Trophy being dropped off on their grounds by Evan Daum, who had been the associate director of communications and marketing for the Canada West Conference.

The original Hardy Trophy was presented from 1922 to 1996 to the conference’s championship team in football. It pre-dates the U Sports national championship trophy for football – the Vanier Cup.

U Sports, which is the national umbrella the Canada West Conference plays under, first awarded the Vanier Cup in 1965 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

The original Hardy Trophy was named in honour of Evan Hardy, who was the former head of the agricultural engineering department at the University of Saskatchewan. The trophy was first presented to the University of Alberta Golden Bears in 1922.

It was last presented on November 9, 1996 at Griffiths Stadium to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies after they downed the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 37-16 in the Canada West title game.

The Huskies would move on to win that year’s Vanier Cup 31-12 over the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men.

The Huskies had a dynasty in the 1930s winning the original Hardy Trophy on five occasions in 1930, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938. The 1930 championship marked the Huskies first Canada West title win.

When the Huskies won the Canada West title in 1996, the original Hardy Trophy fell apart during the on field celebrations. It was replaced by the current trophy in 1997.

The original Hardy Trophy was forgotten at the U of Saskatchewan until finally being unearthed under a pile of storage boxes in 2008. Daum, who became the director of brand marketing and communications with the WHL’s Regina Pats this past November, had been the keeper of the original Hardy Trophy for the last four years after it was reassembled.

It is a sweet piece of Canadian sports history that the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame now has.

Funds raised to help “Woodsy” on COVID-19 recovery trail

Long time friend & past co-cost of @GlobalTV Sportsline needs big time help. Battling Covid-19 since end of November and a mountain to climb. You got this @WoodsyCJME ❤️🙏 https://t.co/u6afa2X54c

— Craig Adam (@craigadam_) January 7, 2021

Warren Woods is best known as a warm feeling sports broadcaster in Regina, but he is now riding a lengthy comeback trail recovering from COVID-19.

“Woodsy,” who is 66-years-old, contracted COVID-19 in early this past December and has been fighting the virus and its effects at Regina General Hospital ever since.

Woods is in the recovery process and a GoFundMe campaign was started by 10 of his friends four days ago to help him with his medical needs. It is expected Woods will be needing physical therapy for the next year.

The campaign has a goal of $50,000 and has raised $52,513 at the time this post went live. Anyone who wants to donate to the campaign can do so by clicking right here.

Woods was an original member of the sports department with STV Regina when it first went on the air in 1987 and later became Global Regina. He became one of the hosts of Regina’s first half-hour nightly sportscast when Sportsline went on the air.

Woods is best remembered for hosting the show with the show’s other original host in Ron Rimer and later with Craig Adam.

In 2013, Woods moved to radio working in several roles for CJME.

Woods has covered sports of all sports and is best known for being around the football and curling circles or enjoying himself hitting numerous rounds of golf during the summer months. He is also a lifelong fan of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Woods has always been a guy everyone enjoys socializing with, and it is safe to say all who know him wish him well on the recovery trail.

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.

U.S.A. breaks Canada’s heart in world juniors gold medal clash

A TV screen shows U.S. player enjoying a world juniors title win.

The United States has Canada’s number in gold medal games at the world junior men’s hockey championships.

On Tuesday playing in a bubble environment before no fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., the United States blanked Canada 2-0 in the championship game at world juniors. World juniors were played in a bubble environment due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

In the five times the United States and Canada have met in the gold medal game at world juniors, the U.S.A. has now won the last four of those encounters in a row.

The loss was a tough pill for Canada to take. Canada had won gold one year earlier at the world juniors when they were held in Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

Through the preliminary, quarter-final and semifinal rounds, Canada had a 6-0 record outscoring its opponents 41-4. Canada, which topped Group A in the preliminary round, hadn’t trailed in any of its games at world juniors until hitting the gold medal game.

Coming into world juniors, Canada was a favourite to win gold. That favourite status increased when a number of other traditionally strong teams lots key players due to positive COVID-19 tests before entering the bubble in Edmonton.

The United States arrived in the bubble minus five players due to positive COVID-19 tests in Robert Mastrosimone, Alex Vlasic, John Beecher, Thomas Bordeleau and goalie Drew Commesso.

The U.S.A. dropped its first preliminary round game on Christmas Day by a 5-3 score to Russia. The United States rebounded to captured first place in the tougher Group B in the preliminary round with a 3-1 record and ultimately closed the event with six straight wins.

Connor Zary in action for the Blazers in 2019.

Going into the gold medal game, United States star forward Trevor Zegras said he didn’t believe Canada had faced a test as tough as one his side was going to bring. Zegras has a swagger that is comparable to that of Michael Irvin, who was a star receiver for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys three Super Bowl winners in the 1990s.

The United States came out ready to back Zegras’s assessment. The U.S. players came out with a start where they figuratively punched the Canadian side in the mouth.

The opening frame was played at a break neck pace with the United States holding a 13-9 edge in shots on goal. At the 13:25 mark of the first, the United States jumped ahead 1-0, when forward Alex Turcotte tipped home a point shot from rearguard Drew Helleson.

Zegras collected a second assist on that tally.

The opening U.S.A. goal marked the first time through the whole tournament including exhibition play where Canada trailed on the scoreboard. Canada would never get ahead on the scoreboard on this night.

After the opening 20 minutes, the United States came out blazing to open the second period and got the Canadian players running around in their own zone. A shot from the point by United States forward Arthur Kaliyev hit the back boards and came to rest at the back of the left side of the Canadian net.

Zegras calmly collected the loose puck and quickly tucked it behind Canadian netminder Devon Levi for a 2-0 lead. Levi had shifted to the right side of his goal expecting the puck to come out on that side.

Despite the jump the United States got, Canada still had a chance to get some traction before the second frame ended, and the first chance came in an unexpected spot.

Just after the midway point in the second period, the Canadian side was short-handed after forward Jakob Pelletier took a hooking penalty.

On the United States power play, Levi stoned Kaliyev on back-to-back big mid-range chances.

Bowen Byram in action for the Giants in 2019.

Following those saves, Canada got down ice on a short-handed rush. Off the rush, Canadian offensive-defenceman Bowen Byram cut across the front of the United States goal and put a backhand shot off the post.

Inside of the final two minutes of the second, United States netminder Spencer Knight turned away Canadian forward and Saskatoon product Connor Zary, who is a star with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, on a point-blank range try.

Had Canada capitalized on one of those chances, they possibly could have gotten the players on the United States side to start getting nervous and grip their sticks a little tighter.

The United States closed out the game with a textbook defensive effort in the third period. While Canada had a 15-1 edge in shots on goal in the frame, that statistic was a bit misleading, because most of those chances came from the outside.

It didn’t feel like the United States had lost control of the game in that frame.

With just over two minutes remaining in the third, Canadian forward Dylan Holloway had the best chance to score for his size in the stanza, but his close in shot was turned away by Knight.

Knight turned away 34 shots in goal for the United States to pick up his third shutout of the tournament. Levi made 19 stops to take the setback in net for Canada.

Zegras led the event in scoring piling up seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in the seven games the United States played. He was named the tournament’s MVP and was placed on the tournament all-star team.

Levi, Byram, who is a star with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, and Dylan Cozens, who is a star centre with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, were named to the tournament all-star team from Canada. Cozens topped Canada in scoring with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points in seven games.

Also named to the all-star team were German forward Tim Stutzle and Finland defenceman Ville Heinola. Finland downed Russia 4-1 in the bronze medal game held earlier in the day on Tuesday.

Dylan Cozens in action for the Hurricanes in 2019.

While Canada didn’t win, the Canadian team’s journey to the gold medal game at world juniors provided some normalcy over the holiday season for the Canadian team’s fans. Judging by social media, it is safe to say a sizable portion of Canada’s population took in Tuesday’s gold medal game.

Still, it was a contest and a night that belonged to the United States – country that ultimately showed its depth in the game and its swagger.

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.

One to go – Canada dominates in world juniors semifinal win

Braden Schneider in action for the Wheat Kings in 2020.

A Canadian supporter could be forgiven for having DJ Otzi’s “Hey Baby” at the ready on Tuesday night for the gold medal game of the world junior men’s hockey championship.

Canada was that impressive in their 5-0 win over Russia in the tournament’s first semifinal game played inside of a bubble environment with no fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., on Monday night. World juniors are being played in a bubble due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Just 59 seconds into the game against Russia, Canadian centre Alex Newhook, who returned after missing one game due to injury, ripped home a shot in close to the top right corner of the Russian net with so much mustard the officials needed to stop the contest to check video review to confirm the puck went into the goal.

After the officials said that tally was good, Canada kept storming the Russian end and exited the first frame with a 3-0 lead. The world junior hosts added single goals in the second and third periods to round out a convincing 5-0 victory looking like the NHL’s 1980s Edmonton Oilers in the process.

The win propels Canada into Tuesday’s goal medal game (8:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN).

Canada will face the United States, who slipped past Finland 4-3 in Monday’s other semifinal. Finland and Russia will go at it in Tuesday’s bronze medal game (4:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN).

For Canada in Monday’s dominant win, the tournament hosts never took the foot off the gas after Newhook gave the Canadian side a 1-0 lead.

At the 10:33 mark of the opening frame, Dylan Cozens and Jacob Pelletier combined to set up linemate Connor McMichael on a backdoor feed, and McMichael ripped the puck into an open cage to increase Canada’s advantage to 2-0.

Following that tally, Canada struck again this time on the power play at the 15:05 of the opening frame when forward Cole Perfetti ripped home a shot glove side on Russian netminder Yaroslav Askarov to give the tournament hosts a 3-0 lead.

Cozens and Bowen Byram, who is star offensive-defenceman for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, picked up helpers on Perfetti’s tally.

Canada held a 16-7 edge in shots on goal after 20 minutes.

Dylan Cozens in action for the Hurricanes in 2019.

Things didn’t get any better for the Russians in the second. At the 4:09 mark of that frame, Canadian defenceman and Prince Albert, Sask., product Braden Schneider ripped home his first goal of the tournament through a screen to put Canada up 4-0.

Schneider, who plays for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, has his best game of the tournament as he was sound and physically strong at both ends of the ice.

With less than three minutes to go in the second, Russia appeared to gain a measure of relief when forward Mikhail Abramov deposited a power-play goal in the back of the Canadian net.

The Russians couldn’t even get a reprieve from that development.

The Canadian coaching staff immediately challenged the goal sighting an offside zone entry. Following a video review, the official determined the play was offside and disallowed the Russian marker allowing Canada’s lead to hold at 4-0.

The only thing that seemingly went wrong was Cozens was stopped on a penalty shot with 29.4 seconds remaining in the second.

With 1:29 remaining in the third, Cozens scored into an empty Russian net to complete a three-point night and round out Canada’s 5-0 win. The star centre for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes has points in all six of Canada’s games through the preliminary and playoff round netting eight goals and eight assists for 16 points over that time.

Canadian netminder Devon Levi was brilliant again making 28 saves to pick up his third shutout of the tournament. Askarov turned away 30-of-34 shots to take the loss in goal for Russia.

Canada and Russia met in the goal medal final at last year’s world juniors in Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Canada fell behind 3-1 in that contest in the third period but rallied for a 4-3 victory with forward Akil Thomas scoring the winner with 3:58 remaining in regulation.

In Monday’s win, another group that needs to take a bow is Canada’s coaching staff led by Andre Tourigny, who is the head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. The staff includes assistant coaches Mitch Love, who is the head coach of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, Tyler Dietrich, who is an assistant coach with the Blades, Michael Dyck, who is the head coach of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, and goaltender coach Jason LaBarbera.

LaBarbera was the goaltending coach of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, but he moved over to become a full-time goalie coach for the NHL’s Calgary Flames before world juniors started. The Flames own the Hitmen.

The fact the Canadian side came out of the gates on fire and never let up on Monday showed the coaching staff did their part to make sure the players were motivated and prepared. The Canadian players haven’t got complacent even with the fact Canada hasn’t trailed at one time during this event going 6-0.

Bowen Byram in action for the Giants in 2019.

When Canada won gold at the world juniors held during the 2017-18 hockey season in Buffalo, New York, DJ Otzi’s “Hey Baby” was the popular goal song for the Canadian side. It has become a popular tune for Canadian fans to play when Canada experiences success at succeeding world juniors.

After watching Canada romp past Russia on Monday, it is easy for Canadian fans to envision “Hey Baby” being played again on Tuesday night.

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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Canada performs as expected – Big tests next at world juniors

Kaiden Guhle in action for the Raiders last season.

Let’s see – going 3-0 while outscoring the opposition 29-3.

It is safe to say Canada got all it needed out of its first three preliminary round games of the world junior men’s hockey championship.

On Tuesday playing inside a bubble environment at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta., Canada crushed Switzerland 10-0 in a contest that was played without fans. World juniors are being played in a bubble environment due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Canada, which already had a berth locked up in the playoff round, improved to 3-0 in the preliminary round with Tuesday’s win and is 24-0 against Switzerland all-time at world juniors.

Canada will close preliminary round play on Thursday against Finland (5 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN). Finland is 2-0, but the New Year’s Eve tilt with Canada will be for first place in Group A.

Finland will play 1-1-1 Slovakia on Wednesday (1 p.m. Saskatchewan time, TSN), but will still have a chance to finish first no matter how the clash with Slovakia concludes.

Canada heads into that showdown with Finland playing as well as can be expected after three preliminary round wins. Canada was a heavy favourite to win each of its first three preliminary round contests and was a vastly superior squad in two of those outings.

One of the outings where Canada was expected to win in a romp was Tuesday’s clash with Switzerland, and Canada did just that.

Canada actually only led 1-0 after 20 minutes thanks to a goal from centre Philip Tomasino just 90 seconds into the contest. Tomasino wired home a sweet setup pass from centre Quinton Byfield, who is a centre with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves.

Canada held a 14-3 edge in shots on goal showing a lack of finish around the net and looked off on three power-play opportunities in the first frame. If anyone wanted to be over-critical, the opening 20 against Switzerland provided ample opportunities to go off.

The flood gates did indeed open from there as Canada held a 5-0 advantage after the second period and rolled off five more goals in the third to close out the 10-0 victory.

Byfield had two goals and four assists in the romp. Jakob Pelletier scored twice, and Dylan Cozens, Ryan Suzuki, Connor McMichael, Cole Perfetti and Kaiden Guhle all had singles for the event’s host country.

Devon Levi turned away all 15 shots he faced to pick up the shutout win in goal. Noah Patenaude, who plays for the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, turned away 42 shots to take the loss in goal for Switzerland.

Dylan Cozens in action with the Hurricanes in 2018-19.

Canada held a 52-15 edge in shots on goal, went 3-for-6 on the power play and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.

Cozens, who is a star centre with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, has points in all three of Canada’s preliminary round contests posting four goals and five assists over that time.

Guhle, who is a star offensive-defenceman with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, has two goals in Canada’s three preliminary round games.

In the third period on Tuesday, Canada didn’t let the foot off the gas, which was a good thing. Canada needed to avoid playing the trap for prolonged periods of that contest to avoid getting into bad habits for when the schedule gets more difficult.

Last Saturday, Canada opened the preliminary round thumping Germany 16-2. Germany’s roster was decimated due to positive COVID-19 tests.

The last 25 minutes of that game really didn’t help Canada, because the issue was decided and Germany was just trying to get out of that game too at that point.

There were ample opportunities for all sorts of bad habits to develop.

Last Sunday, Canada was pushed hard in its second preliminary round game by Slovakia. Canada led 1-0 after the first and was still up just 1-0 after the second.

Canada ultimately won 3-1 and needed an empty-net goal inside of the contest’s final 15 seconds to seal victory. Canada held a 23-18 edge in shots on goal in that gritty outing.

While that win wasn’t a romp, the clash with Slovakia forced the players on the Canadian side to get their intensity and complete level up another notch.

Tuesday’s romp over Switzerland had to play out to the satisfaction of Canadian head coach Andre Tourigny, who is the head coach of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s.

Now business picks up. Canada has a big first place showdown for first place in Group A with Finland on Thursday.

After that contest comes the playoff round that begins with one-and-done quarter-final games.

Canada is where it needs to be at this point in time, but the host squad still has to find ways to improve and find ways to win as the schedule gets tougher going forward.

Huskies’ Lokombo picks up East-West Shrine Bowl selection

Nelson Lokomko (#25) was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Nelson Lokombo is still collecting accolades even with the COVID-19 pandemic keeping his University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team off the field.

On Tuesday, the Huskies star defensive back was named to the roster for the 2021 East-West Shrine Bowl. The East-West Shrine Bowl is the oldest college football all-star game in the United States dating back to 1925, and it typically showcases graduating student-athletes from the NCAA ranks.

Canadian university players began receiving invites for the contest since 1985, and Lokombo is the seventh player from the Huskies program to pick up an East-West Shrine Bowl nod.

The upcoming East-West Shrine Bowl was set for Jan. 23, 2021 to be held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, but it won’t be played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the game won’t be played, it was decided roster selections for the contest would be announced throughout December of 2020 to recognize outstanding senior seasons.

Players selected for the East-West Shrine Bowl will be able to participate in various virtual training/informational drills with current NFL coaches and members of NFL operations staffs.

Some of the 2021 all-stars will also participate in various virtual experiences with Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Lokombo wasn’t able to hit the field in 2020 due to the U Sports football season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had a memorable campaign in his third-year of eligibility with the Huskies in 2019.

Lokombo topped the Huskies with four interceptions, and he returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns during the team’s eight-game regular season.

The Abbotsford, B.C., product posted 23.5 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and four pass breakups during the regular campaign as well.

Lokombo was named the winner of the Presidents’ Trophy as the U Sports defensive player of the year. On top of winning the Presidents’ Trophy, Lokombo was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star.

Huskies head coach Scott Flory applauded Lokombo’s East-West Shrine Bowl selection.

“This selection shows how legitimate of a professional prospect Nelson (Lokombo) is, both north and south of the border,” said Flory in a release. “He has every bit of potential to be a phenomenal professional athlete.

“It’s all there for him. He is athletic, tough, durable and without a doubt one of the most talented player to ever put on a Huskie uniform.”

Lokombo still has two more seasons of U Sports eligibility to potentially use with the Huskies.

Oct/Nov. junior hockey worries gone in December, other notes

Cole Fonstad in action for the Raiders in 2018-19.

It is crazy how much of a difference a change in the month can make, especially when it comes to people losing it over the developments in junior hockey in Canada.

Back on Oct. 23, the WHL announced it had granted temporary transfers to WHL roster players to continue their development playing competitive hockey in junior A, junior B or the under-18 levels. Those loans were slated to expire on Dec. 20.

That decision was made at that time, because the WHL wasn’t planning to hit the ice until January 8, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In various hockey circles people cried foul saying the major junior players were taking roster spots meant for others and the moves crush development in the junior A, junior B and under-18 levels. The cries came when the announcement was made and lasted through most of November.

As the number of new COVID-19 cases spiked and new restrictions were introduced in the four western Canada provinces which all hockey seasons at all levels come to a halt, those cries of foul about major junior transfers went away.

Some of those major junior players got in only five or six games before the season was halted. Cole Fonstad, who is an overage left-winger with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, played junior A in the Saskatchewan junior Hockey League with his hometown Estevan Bruins.

Fonstad, who helped the Prince Albert Raiders with a WHL title in 2019 before being traded to the Silvertips, appeared in six regular season games with the Bruins collecting five goals and five assists.

In the big picture of things, was it worth it for someone to lose their mind over the major junior transfers issue over five or six games knowing everyone would hit the point they wouldn’t be playing?

As November went a long, most people that had any common sense could see the road was heading to a point where all hockey seasons were going to be put to a halt.

On Dec. 14, WHL announced it was pushing back its planned Jan. 8, 2021 start date and did not give a date for when its upcoming regular season will start.

All other hockey leagues in Western Canada are playing the same waiting game regarding the continuation of their respective seasons.

Everything depends on how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to play out. The vaccines rollouts that are occurring now likely won’t cause any major changes to allowing sports to resume until potentially July or August of 2021, if everything plays out positively on that front.

Another thing that people lost their marbles over was the notion bodychecking could be banned in the OHL for the 2020-21 campaign. In early October, Lisa MacLeod, who is the minister of sport for Ontario, said the OHL should remove bodychecking if it wants to return to play for the 2020-21 season.

There were various circles that went nuts over throughout October and November. There were people acting like this was the end of the world.

Come December, major lockdowns started to occur in Ontario again. A province-wide lockdown was put in place this past Saturday.

On Dec. 23, the OHL announced it wouldn’t be able to start its upcoming regular season on Feb. 4, 2021. No new start date has been set.

Looking back now, how much energy was wasted on the freak out of a bodychecking ban?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, what may be viewed as some a major tragedy in the sports world during one month may become a non-issue when the calendar changes to the next month.

• At the moment, the QMJHL is shut down too with play having been suspended on Dec. 1. The circuit is hoping its 12 teams in Quebec can play in four markets in late January of 2021. No timetable has been set to for the circuit’s six teams in the Maritime provinces to resume play.
• On Monday, it was learned Kirby Dach, who is a centre for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, will be out four-to-five months after having surgery on a his fractured right wrist. Dach was the captain of Canada’s world junior team. He injured his right wrist in Canada’s 1-0 exhibition game victory over Russia played in a bubble environment on Dec. 23 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta. Dach’s injury occurred during what seemed like a harmless bodycheck in the game’s third period.
• The National Women’s Hockey League is slated to hold its upcoming season and playoffs in a quarantined bubble in Lake Placid, N.Y., from Jan. 23 to Feb. 5, 2021. The six-team circuit includes a Canadian expansion entry in the Toronto Six. The Isobel Cup semifinals and championship final will be shown live on the NBC Sports Network.
• Back on Oct. 12, NWHL commissioner and founder Dani Rylan stepped down as the circuit’s commissioner. She was replaced by Tyler Tumminia as interim commissioner. Rylan is still with the circuit overseeing the operations of the Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters and Minnesota Whitecaps. She is searching for independent ownership of those league operated teams. Rylan got married this past August 1 to Sean Kearney.
• Gregg Drinnan continues to track how the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the sports world in his Taking Note blog. His entry from Monday night can be found by clicking right here.
• Chase Claypool, who is a standout receiver for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and is from Abbotsford, B.C., posted a tribute on Instagram to late University of Saskatchewan Huskies running back Samwel Uko on Sunday. Uko, who played for the Huskies in their Canada West Championship season in 2018, passed away in May due to suicide while he was in the middle of going through a mental health crisis.

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