Raiders deliver spectacular night for Vance, beat Pats 6-4

Long time business head inducted to Wall of Honour

Bruce Vance, second from right, was honoured on Friday night.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Bruce Vance might have known all the 2,383 spectators in attendance at the 2,580 seat Art Hauser Centre on Friday night.

Before the Prince Albert Raiders 6-4 WHL regular season victory over the Regina Pats on Friday night, the long time business head of the Raiders was inducted to the Raiders Wall of Honour in the builders’ category. His plaque on the Wall of Honour sits next to that good friend and long time co-worker in the late Donn Clark, who held the positions of head coach, director of hockey operations and general manager during his time with the team.

The Raiders were paying tribute to Vance, who is putting up a valiant fight against Stage IV colon cancer, for all he did with the team from 2001 to 2015. From director of marketing to business manager and director of marketing, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say Vance might have at some point in time done every business function in the Raiders office during his time with the team. Often, he was the guy that made the Raiders go.

Plaques for Donn Clark and Bruce Vance on the Raiders Wall of Honour.

Even when Vance moved on to become the Marketing and Sponsorship Coordinator for the City of Prince Albert, he still did some volunteer work with the team. That work often required his help for a special event like the jersey retirement night of the #4 for legendary Raiders defenceman Dave Manson on February 12, 2016.

“Being involved in the community was very important,” said Vance in a video address to the crowd. “The Raiders are such a passionate part of Prince Albert.

Bruce and Liane Vance, centre, watch video tributes for Bruce.

“This community is so welcoming. It was easy to become immersed in the community as a team and as a family. To work for 14 years here in junior hockey in Prince Albert was very special with a number of great moments including games where we had the Teddy Bear Toss all the way to haunted houses.

“We gave away a truck and many other fun things. We got involved in the community events like ‘Bring Back the Magic’ (campaign), the Special Olympics Power Breakfast and the Father Daughter Gala. Over the 14 years, it was incredible to work with some great staff, players, board of directors and fans many of whom are still good family friends.”

Vance more then walked the walk when it came to community involvement. If you try to name every community thing he was involved with, you would inevitably forget a sizable amount of things.

Bruce Vance, centre, walks out to centre ice.

Vance involved himself in numerous ways in the community coaching, managing and volunteering due to the sports and activities his son, Jon, and daughters, Briane and Jessica, were involved with. A lot of the involvements continued after all three of his children moved into adulthood. That included being involved with the Esso Cup female under-18 AAA national championship hockey tournament held in Prince Albert this past April.

Vance served as co-manager alongside his wife, Liane, with the Prince Albert A & W Bears, now known as the Prince Albert Northern Bears, from 2011 to 2015. He served as president of the Crescent Acres Community Club for seven years and was named Softball Saskatchewan’s volunteer of the year in 2009.

The scene after Bruce Vance drops the ceremonial faceoff puck.

Family is very important to Vance too. Missing special events like graduations or presiding over Briane’s wedding is unthinkable. One of the reasons he started working for the City of Prince Albert was it allowed more time him to see Jessica play goal in the U Sports ranks. Jessica had a spectacular career playing for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Team that included Canada West Conference MVP honours in 2017-18.

Vance also got to travel to Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in March of 2019 to see Jessica play for Canada’s women’s hockey team that won silver at the FISU Winter Universiade.

Bruce Vance shakes hands with Raiders captain Eric Johnston.

Along with his family at home, Vance had a family in the Raiders. The team collected numerous video tributes from former players, coaches, staffers and family friends that were shown through the course of Friday’s contest. Josh Morrissey, who plays defence for the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, was one of the Raiders alums that sent in a video tribute.

Another one of the video tributes that came in was from NHL referee Chris Schlenker, who played defence for the Raiders in the second half of the 2003-04 season and the entire 2004-05 campaign, where the Raiders made it to Game 7 of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series.

“When I think about my time in Prince Albert, it is still the best time of my entire hockey life,” said Schlenker. “It was because of the people of Prince Albert, the team and the overwhelming support for the Raiders around there.

Bruce Vance shakes hands with Pats captain Tanner Howe.

“The first guy I think about when all of that comes to mind is you. There is nobody who lives the green and gold more than you. You really felt you were a part of the team with us even though you weren’t going on the ice.

“I’m so, so proud of you. I’m happy you are being recognized tonight. Take care my good friend.”

During the pre-game ceremony for Vance, a number of video tributes were played for Vance coming from the likes of former Raiders play-by-play voice Brian Munz, Manson, former coach and player Peter Anholt, former coach Wade Klippenstein, former captain Jeremy Colliton, former NHL Toronto Maple Leafs star Wendel Clark, who is Donn Clark’s younger brother, and Betty Clark, who is Donn Clark’s wife. Vance is a huge Maple Leafs fan.

Aiden Oiring breaks into the offensive zone for the Raiders.

Munz also traveled into Prince Albert for the festivities for Vance from Winnipeg, where he is the director of communications for Golf Manitoba.

Vance applauded all the tributes. He came out to centre ice to a standing ovation from all in attendance.

After accepting the plaque he gets to keep for his Wall of Honour induction, Vance is his customary fun style got the job quickly making an immediate puck drop for the ceremonial faceoff between Raiders captain Eric Johnston and Pats captain and Prince Albert product Tanner Howe. Both players had a chuckle while pictures were taken before Johnston scooped up the puck.

The Raiders did their part to ensure the night would have a perfect ending. They scored first, fell behind 2-1 at the first intermission and proceeded to storm ahead 5-2 early in the third period. From there, they cruised to victory by the 6-4 final score.

The Raiders celebrate a goal from Easton Kovacs (#8).

Sloan Stanick, Easton Kovacs, Tyrone Sobry, Hayden Pakkala, Niall Crocker and Brayden Dube all netted singles for the Raiders, who improved to 7-3-0-1. Matteo Michels, Borya Valis, Sam Oremba and Cole Temple replied with singles for the Pats, who fell to 7-4-1.

Chase Coward stopped 22 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders. Kelton Pyne turned away 32-of-37 shots to take the setback in goal for the Pats.

Following the end of the game, the Raiders skated to the east end of the rink to the box Vance and his family were seated in and gave him and his family a salute the then proceeded to salute the rest of their faithful in attendance at their storied home rink.

The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors (6-5) at 7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre. The Pats return to action on Sunday when they travel to Swift Current to face the Broncos (4-6-1) at 4 p.m. at the InnovationPlex.

Niall Crocker had a goal for the Raiders on Friday.

As Friday’s game between the Raiders and Pats went along, Vance met a steady stream of well-wishers. While cancer sent an ultimate unfair hit to Vance, it didn’t matter on Friday night.

Vance was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in November of 2013, and went on to get a no evidence of disease diagnosis in July of 2014. Liane being diagnosed with rectal cancer in July of 2018, and their family dog, Bella, was diagnosed with lymphoma that same month. Liane won her cancer battle, while Bella passed away after a year of battling the disease.

In August of 2020 about six months after Liane finished her treatment, Bruce was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer with metastases to his bones, liver and lungs. Vance’s diagnosis was terminal, and he was given 24 to 28 months to live. He has outlived that initial diagnosis.

Vance and his family have always approached their cancer battles with a positive nature and focus on doing upbeat things. That has been a huge ally in their cancer battles.

The Raiders give a salute to Bruce Vance and his family.

It has made people in Prince Albert and all the communities they have lived in take their family that much closer to their hearts.

Vance and his family very much deserved their special night on Friday. In the history of the Raiders franchise, he will live on as one of storied team’s most enduring figures.

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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13th career shutout extra special for Huskies’ Vance

Goalie’s mom honoured in team’s “Play For a Cure” night

Huskies G Jessica Vance and her teammates celebrate Friday’s win.

    It wasn’t close to the busiest night she ever had playing goal, but Jessica Vance’s 13^th career regular season U Sports shutout will always be dear to her heart.

    On Friday night playing before 654 spectators at Merlis Belsher Place, Vance stopped 11 shots to back the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Hockey team to a 3-0 victory over the University of Calgary Dinos. Friday’s contest was the Huskies 11th annual “Play For a Cure” game, and the team was playing in honour of Vance’s mom, Liane.

    Liane was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last summer. She is still undergoing treatment for the disease, but since it was detected early, she has a good prognosis.

Jessica Vance covers up one of her 11 saves on Friday.

    This wasn’t the first time Jessica has seen a family member battle cancer. Her dad, Bruce, is a colorectal cancer survivor.

    He was diagnosed shortly after attending the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders 2013 Grey Cup victory in Regina and is closing in on being cancer free for five years.

    When Bruce went through his cancer battle, Jessica was starring for her hometown Prince Albert Northern Bears female midget AAA hockey team. She said the hockey rink is the happy place for her and her family.

    “You just go out there, and you just play your game,” said Jessica, who was Canada West Conference MVP and a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star last season. “They love the sport of hockey too, so it makes them happy and myself playing too.”

    Jessica took part in a pre-game festivities, where Liane dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff.

Jessica Vance was the Canada West Conference MVP last season.

    Follow the game, Jessica took part in on ice photos with her family. She was perky and upbeat at night’s end.

    The 21-year-old, who has four shutouts this season, said she has focused on being as positive as possible this season as her mom battles cancer. Just recently, the Vance clan found out one of their family dogs, Bella, is battling cancer.

    “You try not to let it affect you too much,” said Jessica, whose Huskies improved to 10-6-1 with the win. “I’ve been through it before.

    “My family has been through it before. We kind of just know how to take it and know how to deal with it. I think playing hockey really helps too.

    “It was a big night for my mom and us, so it was fun.”

Liane Vance, centre, watches Friday’s Huskies game. 

    The opening 20 minutes of Friday’s game was the busiest stanza for Jessica, who made six saves in the frame. The Dinos held a 6-4 edge in shots on goal after the first period.

U of S took over the contest from that point on.

    The Huskies held 21-4 edge in shots on goal in the second period. They finally broke through scoring on the power play at the 17:02 mark of the second frame.

    Working down low in the right corner of the Dinos zone, Huskies fourth-year defender Leah Bohlken fed a pass across the face of the Dinos goal to third-year forward Emily Upgang, who made an easy backdoor tap to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.

Bruce Vance is a cancer survivor.

    With 1:58 remaining in the third, Bohlken scored on the power play herself, when her shot from the right corner boards deflected off a Dinos player into the U of C goal to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.

    Huskies rookie forward Kennedy Brown rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal with 16.6 seconds remaining in the third period. Brown’s goal was the first of her U Sports regular season career.

    Kelsey Roberts turned away 30-of-32 shots to take the setback in goal for the Dinos (2-13-2).

    “It is pretty special,” said Jessica about the night. “It was nice that I could get a shutout too.

    “It just kind of all makes it even more special, so it was good.”

    When the game itself got going, Jessica said it felt natural to focus on the task at hand

    “After puck drop, you just have to treat it like a normal game,” said Jessica, who is in her third year of U Sports eligibility. “You just try to not think about anything else.

Emily Upgang scored a power-play goal for the Huskies.

    “Maybe, you’ll have that extra kick, because there is something special to play for tonight.”

    Liane and Bruce try to make as many of Jessica’s games as possible like they did on Friday. It is rare for them to miss a home game, and last season, they made it to a number of Jessica’s road games.

    Jessica said her parents have been the biggest influences in helping her along in hockey. Bruce, who held a number of roles with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders from 2001 to 2015, was the team manager for the Bears, when Jessica played for them.

    With the Bears, Jessica played five seasons from 2010 to 2015 appearing in 91 regular season games posting a 48-36 record, a 2.27 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and 16 shutouts. Her career games played and win totals are still Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League records.

    Jessica moved on to play for the Bisons before joining the Huskies. In her two seasons with the Huskies, Jessica has appeared in 30 regular season games posting a 21-7-2 record, a 0.95 goals against average and a .957 save percentage to go with her 13 shutouts.

Jessica Vance (#30) poses for a post-game team picture.

    She is thankful for everything her parents have done for her.

    “I wouldn’t be where I am today without them,” said Jessica. “From footing the bill in AAA to me wanting to be a goalie, it is not cheap.

    “I literally wouldn’t be here today without them. They support me in whatever I want to do.”

    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.