Warriors fly to new heights, Winterhawks unravel

Moose Jaw leads WHL final 2-0 heading home to “The Hangar”

Atley Calvert and the Warriors lead the WHL final 2-0.

After two games of the WHL Championship Series, it has become clear which team has been more battle tested.

On Saturday in Game 2 of the WHL final, the Moose Jaw Warriors look as composed as football quarterback Tom Brady leading a team down the field on a game winning touchdown drive in the Super Bowl. The Portland Winterhawks came unglued as the game went on and looked like a five-year-old that didn’t get his or her way.

When the dust settled at game’s end, the Warriors skated away with a sound 5-1 victory over the Winterhawks. Most of the 7,361 spectators in attendance at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland exited the rink in somber fashion. Portland was well known throughout the WHL in having one of the best home ice advantages on the circuit in the post-season, and Moose Jaw neutralized that factor.

The Warriors claimed both of the first two games hosted in Portland squeaking out a 3-2 victory in Game 1 on Friday. They lead the best-of seven series 2-0.

To make the situation even tougher for the Winterhawks, they now head in to a buzz saw as the next three games will be held in Moose Jaw at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, which is also known as “The Hangar.”

Game 3 of the series is set for Tuesday at 8 p.m., and Game 4 follows on Wednesday at 8 p.m. If necessary, Game 5 is slated for this coming Friday at 8 p.m.

The Warriors are known for having one of the WHL’s most passionate fanbases. When the franchise left Winnipeg and arrived in Moose Jaw in 1984, the Warriors had only four winning records in their first 16 seasons in “The Friendly City.”

Still, the fans packed the team’s old home rink in the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, which was best known as “The Crushed Can,” and made the building one of the most raucous on the whole circuit. Opposing teams played against both the Warriors and their fans. The fans created a noise that had a force to it.

In the current day, you can bet those same fans will be out to prove Moose Jaw still has one of the best home ice advantages in the WHL at “The Hangar.” The fact the Warriors lead the WHL final 2-0 and need just two more wins to capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup means the fans in Moose Jaw will be absolutely giddy. They will be ready to create noise and help their team to try and win the series at home on top of capturing a championship the franchise has yet to win.

Jagger Firkus had two goals and an assist for the Warriors.

It would also be the first WHL title win for the city of Moose Jaw since the Moose Jaw Canucks franchise won the league championship the first time it was awarded back in 1967.

The Warriors and Winterhawks entered the WHL Championship Series both possessing great skill. Over the first two games, the Warriors have been a step ahead of the Winterhawks tactically.

Moose Jaw has shown to be battle hardened after winning a thrilling Eastern Conference Championship Series in seven games over the Saskatoon Blades. That series saw six contests finish in overtime and had seemingly endless momentum changes due to adjustments made by players and coaches.

The Warriors players are seemingly in a state where they aren’t going to get derailed by any ups and downs of a game. They are ready to keep battling and keep pushing ahead.

The Winterhawks seemingly haven’t adjusted tactically to what the Warriors have thrown at them. The Warriors have been able to clog up the centre ice zone taking away the Winterhawks speed and have created turnovers and jumped on the counterattack.

Portland’s players seem frustrated that their sheer skill isn’t enough to overcome their foes. As Game 2 went on, it became a more common sight to see Winterhawks players engaging in scrums. They have shown a lack of composure and perseverance.

The Warriors got out to a quick start in Game 2. At the 5:48 mark of the first, the Warriors broke into the Portland zone on a two-on-one rush with 20-year-old right-winger Atley Calvert coming up the left wing with the puck and centre Matthew Savoie coming down the right wing.

Calvert passed the puck over to Savoie, and Savoie dished it back to Calvert, who was staring at an open net. Calvert popped the puck into the empty cage to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

The Winterhawks came with a push back. With about 9:32 remaining in the first, Winterhawks star right-winger James Stefan got into the Moose Jaw zone on a contested breakaway. He put a backhand shot on goal that was turned away by Warriors star netminder Jackson Unger.

Brayden Yager scored the Warriors third goal on Saturday.

When the opening frame ended, the Warriors held a 1-0 edge on the scoreboard, and the Winterhawks had an 11-8 edge in shots on goal. The host side started to sink in quicksand in the second frame.

Just before the midway point of the second, Warriors overage import right-winger Martin Rysavy broke into the Portland zone down the right wing. He passed to the puck to 18-year-old left-winger Pavel McKenzie, who was positioned in front of the net.

McKenzie did a half toe drag and snapped a shot home past Winterhawks star import netminder Jan Spunar for his second of the post-season that gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

After falling behind 2-0, the Winterhawks seemingly started getting involved in more scrums. With 3:24 remaining in the second, a rare fight in the WHL Playoffs ensued between Winterhawks star left-winger Josh Davies and Warriors 19-year-old right-winger Rilen Kovacevic.

Just 84 seconds after that fight, two of the Warriors biggest stars made an impact on the contest. Warriors right-winger and WHL player of the year Jagger Firkus sprung Warriors centre and the winner of the WHL’s most sportsmanlike player award Brayden Yager in on a breakaway to the Portland net. Yager fired home a shot to the top right corner of the Winterhawks goal to put the Warriors advantage out to 3-0.

At that point out of nowhere, it appeared the Winterhawks got a traction moment. Warriors captain and the WHL’s defenceman of the year Denton Mateychuk made a rare error.

Mateychuk was playing the puck behind his own net, and he was pressured on the forecheck by Winterhawks standout right-winger Marcus Nguyen. The Warriors blue-liner proceeded to throw a blind backhand pass up centre ice.

Winterhawks star centre Nate Danielson quickly knocked home the errand pass into the Moose Jaw net to trim the Warriors lead to 3-1.

During a stoppage a short time later with 36.7 seconds remaining in the second, Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary called a timeout to get his squad calmed down.

Kalem Parker had an assist on the Warriors fifth goal.

In the third, Firkus ensured there would be no Winterhawks comeback. Just 15 seconds into the frame, Firkus got the puck in the right faceoff circle in the Portland zone and roofed a shot to the top left corner of the Winterhawks net to push the Warriors lead out to 4-1.

Firkus added his second of the night working a give and go with offensive-defenceman Kalem Parker at the 5:35 mark of the third to round out the 5-1 final in favour of the visitors. Firkus entered the Portland zone with the puck and dished it to Parker.

Parker skated the puck below the icing line and passed it back to Firkus, who was positioned on the doorstep at the right side of the Portland net. Firkus popped home his second of the night and 14^th of the post-season to give the Warriors their four-goal edge.

The Winterhawks outshot the Warriors 17-4 in the frame, but the Warriors were focused on shutting things down defensively playing most of the frame with their four-goal lead.

Unger stopped 37 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Warriors. Spunar turned away 22 shots to take the setback in net for the Winterhawks.

During the regular season, the Winterhawks finished third overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 mark and were rated fifth in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Warriors finished fifth overall in the WHL regular season with a 44-21-0-3 mark.

The Warriors and Winterhawks met once during the regular season back on February 28. Moose Jaw took that encounter 4-3 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The WHL final between the two sides was expected to be tightly contested, and it still might turn out that way.

In order for that to happen, the Winterhawks need to find some composure and perseverance and make some adjustments. They face a sizable amount of work, if they want the series to return to Portland for a potential Game 6 and possibly a Game 7.

Jackson Unger stopped 37 shots in goal for the Warriors.

At the moment, the Warriors are in the driver’s seat, and they have the inside track when it comes to capturing the WHL title.

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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Blades, Warriors series has some underlying fan angst

The Blades and Warriors have played an outstanding series.

MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Some fans of the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors mirror Peyton Manning in the AFL Championship game from the NFL’s 2006 season.

That NFL conference title match featured Manning’s Indianapolis Colts taking on the visiting New England Patriots quarterbacked by Tom Brady. At that point in time, Brady had three Super Bowl rings and had never lost to Manning and the Colts in the post-season. Manning had yet to quarterback a team to a Super Bowl title.

With a minute remaining in the game, Colts running back Joseph Addai scored a touchdown on a three-yard run to put Indianapolis up 38-34 with one minute remaining in the contest.

Manning feared too much time was left on the clock for Brady. After the Colts scored to go ahead, Manning actually said a prayer to God asking for this one time that Brady doesn’t make game-winning drive for the Patriots. Brady ultimately was intercepted on the Patriots final drive and the Colts won the contest 38-34 and would go on to triumph in Super Bowl XLI.

Currently in the 2024 WHL Playoffs, the Blades and Warriors are going at it in the league’s best-of-seven Eastern Conference Championship Series. The Blades lead the series 3-2 and four of those contests having gone to overtime.

Game 6 is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre in Moose Jaw. Over the first five games of the set, the Blades and Warriors have been playing arguably one of the greatest post-season series the WHL has ever seen.

With that said, there seems to be an underlying feeling of angst among some of the fans of both teams. The angst comes from the fact both teams are searching for their first WHL title and Memorial Cup title, which goes to the CHL champion.

Fans at the SaskTel Centre cheer on the Blades.

The Blades were formed in 1964 and were a charter member of the WHL in 1966. In their history, the Blades have never won a league championship or a Memorial Cup.

The Blades have appeared in the WHL final five times and have come away empty handed on each trip. In the those five trips, the Blades went to a series deciding Game 7 with the set locked in a 3-3 tie and weren’t able to bring a WHL title to Saskatoon.

The Blades made the 1989 title game of the Memorial Cup tournament as the host team and fell 4-3 in overtime to the Swift Current Broncos with Tim Tisdale scoring the winning goal for “Speedy Creek.”

The Warriors franchise played in Winnipeg for four seasons before moving to Moose Jaw in 1984. They Warriors have never won a WHL title or a Memorial Cup title. The franchise’s only appearance in the WHL final came in 2006, when they were swept away by the Vancouver Giants.

A previous Moose Jaw entry in the WHL in the Canucks won the league title in the circuit’s inaugural season in 1966-67.

Fans of both the Blades and Warriors are hoping that 2024 will finally be the one time their team wins one or both the WHL title or the Memorial Title to become CHL champions. When something goes wrong for either side, some fans go through a doomed reaction reflecting on being empty handed when it comes to WHL and Memorial Cup titles.

For the Blades, they have a lot of newer fans and have attracted a lot families with kids to their games thanks to ground work of getting into the community including through elementary school visits and being guest coaches for minor hockey teams. 

Fans at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre cheer on the Warriors.

The kids in those families have greatest time in the world at the Blades home rink in the SaskTel Centre, and the parents are usually pleased their kids are having a good experience.

No matter what happens in the post-season, that group of fans will see the playoff run as being memorable.

The Blades also have legacy fans too who have supported the team for decades. Some of those fans have a higher chance of basing their happiness about the season around the Blades winning one or both the WHL and Memorial Cup titles.

There are legacy fans that will be positive for the Blades no matter what ups and downs come the club’s way. Still, those fans really deep down hope 2024 will be the one time the Blades pull it all out.

The Warriors are an institution in Moose Jaw. It feels like everyone in “the Friendly City” is a legacy Warriors fan.

From 1984 to 2000, the Warriors kind of almost had a lovable loser image similar to that of the MLB’s Chicago Cubs, which the Cubs carried for a lengthy stretch. Over the span of time, the Warriors posted winning records on just four occasions.

Despite that, their legendary former home in the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, which was best known as “The Crushed Can,” was packed with a raucous bunch of supporters. When you played the Warriors at “The Crushed Can,” you were playing against the Warriors and their fans. The noise the fans made came at opposing teams with force.

Kalem Parker (#8) is checked by Fraser Minten.

You also had to form an admiration on some level for Warriors fans, because the losing seemingly wouldn’t drive them away for long. If they did go away, they came back to “The Crushed Can” when just even the smallest positive thing happened for the team. You wondered what Moose Jaw would look like if the Warriors did manage to win WHL and Memorial Cup titles.

Since the start of the 2000-01 campaign, the Warriors have been one of the WHL’s better franchises and at times they have been one of the circuit’s elite franchises. 

They moved into a new home in the Moose Jaw Events Centre at the start of the 2011-12 campaign and finished first in the WHL’s regular season standings in 2017-18 with a 52-15-2-3 mark.

The championship still didn’t come in the post-season.

While the hockey between the Blades and Warriors in this year’s Eastern Conference Championship Series has been beyond epic, some fans will seemingly be bothered or take it too hard when their team doesn’t win. The most visible sign of being bothered usually manifests in blaming losses on the officials.

At times, it seems like the fans on both teams and bond over their shared belief the officials can’t do anything right. With that said, you have to respect the passion the fans have.

Due to the fact the Blades and Warriors are searching for their first WHL and Memorial Cup titles, fans on both sides likely believe their team will win this series, because they are not facing someone with a winning pedigree.

The Blades press around the Warriors net.

Had the Medicine Hat Tigers been made it to the Eastern Conference final and managed to take a 3-2 lead on either the Blades or Warriors, some fans of either the Blades or Warriors would be certain the Tigers would close out the series, because they’ve won the WHL title five times and captured the Memorial Cup on two occasions. There would be a feeling teams like the Tigers are destined for those accomplishments and teams like the Blades and Warriors are not.

Honestly, you hope the fans of the Blades and Warriors get to see their teams win WHL and Memorial Cup titles one day. At the moment, those clubs are giving an incredible show.

No matter who wins this series, hopefully the fans on the winning side will have empathy for the fans on the losing side. They might not be mirror images of each other, but the fans of the Blades and Warrior do share a lot of commonalities.

Cougars have new life in Western Conference final

Keaton Dowhaniuk scored for the Cougars on Thursday.

The heavyweight showdown between the Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks is back on in the WHL’s Western Conference Championship Series.

For a moment, it looked like the Winterhawks were going to skate away with a series victory. Due to the lengthy travel between Prince George and Portland, the series is being conducted in a two-three-two format.

The Cougars finished second overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 49-15-1-3 mark, while the Winterhawks were third overall in the WHL’s regular season with a 48-15-4-1 record. That meant the Cougars would host the first two games and the final two contests of the series.

After the two sides split Games 1 and 2 in Prince George, it appeared the Winterhawks home ice advantage would be too much for the Cougars to overcome. Last Monday, the Winterhawks took Game 3 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland 4-1.

The Winterhawks followed that up claiming a 5-2 victory to take Game 4 of the series on home ice last Wednesday along with a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. It seemed like it was academic the Winterhawks would take Game 5 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum last Thursday.

At the 7:03 mark of the first period of Game 5, 20-year-old star centre Gabe Klassen scored to give the Winterhawks a 1-0 lead. It appeared at that point the party was going to be on in Portland. Since the Winterhawks moved to Portland on June 11, 1976, they have won three WHL titles and two Memorial Cup crowns becoming CHL champions.

Riley Heidt and the Cougars have new life in the post-season.

After Klassen’s goal, the Cougars proceeded to play their best game of the post-season. Cougars skilled 19-year-old right-winger Koehn Ziemmer scored twice before the first period ended to give Prince George a 2-1 lead.

Hunter Laing added a single in the second period to push the Cougars edge out to 3-1. Ondrej Becher, Borya Valis and Keaton Dowhaniuk added singles for the visitors in the third to round out an impressive 6-1 victory. Valis’s tally came on a penalty shot.

Joshua Ravensbergen stopped 25 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Cougars. Jan Spunar turned away 31 shots to take the setback in net for the Winterhawks.

The Cougars romped to victory in Game 5 with their two biggest stars in Riley Heidt and Zac Funk being held pointless.

With the next two games of the series set for the CN Centre in Prince George, the Western Conference title is up for the taking. Game 6 is slated for Monday at 7 p.m. local time at the CN Centre. If the Cougars win Game 6, a series deciding Game 7 will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. local time at the CN Centre.

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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Beloved Sasakamoose leaves great trailblazing legacy

Fred Sasakamoose 1933-2020

Fred Sasakamoose, right, at the 2018 Memorial Cup.

When I first met Fred Sasakamoose way back on February 25, 2004, he was underestimating the epilogue of his life.

We had a long visit in the old conference room on the second floor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald office building. I was interviewing him for a story for the next day’s paper.

Sasakamoose had recently been in Shaunavon, Sask., as a guest at the Hockey Day in Canada festivities. He attended on an invite from CBC.

During a banquet at that event, longtime Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Dick Irvin Jr. introduced Sasakamoose to the crowd. Irvin summarized Sasakamoose’s place in hockey history.

He was one of the first Indigenous players to play in the NHL. He made his NHL debut on November 20, 1953 with the Chicago Blackhawks playing against the Boston Bruins.

Sasakamoose played one more game with the Blackhawks before being sent back to the junior Moose Jaw Canucks.

With the Canucks in 1953-54, Sasakamoose appeared in 34 regular season games collecting 31 goals and 26 assists. In February of 1954 after the Canucks season finished, Sasakamoose was called back up to the Blackhawks.

The centre played in 11 games in total with Chicago collecting no points and six penalty minutes.

Irvin’s father, Dick Irvin Sr., coached Sasakamoose in Chicago.

At the time I interviewed Sasakamoose in February of 2004, he was 70-years-old. He thought at that time what took place in Shaunavon was a high point in his life.

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A post shared by Brigette Lacquette (@briglacquette)

“That put the icing in my life,” said Sasakamoose. “The finishing touch of the cake.

“The finishing touch on my life, when they put on the icing by Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, by CBC Hockey Night in Canada, (and) by the people of Shaunavon for the invitation. I hope they read this in Shaunavon, and what I finished saying.

“It was the greatest moment of my life.”

Little did Sasakamoose know, his story took on a bigger life from that point.

He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. The Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation member became a member of the Order of Canada in 2018.

On top of those honours, Sasakamoose has been inducted into the Saskatchewan First Nations Sports Hall of Fame, the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame, the Meadow Lake Wall of Fame, the FSIN Circle of Honour and the Canadian Native Hockey Hall of Fame.

Today we are sadden to hear the passing of @FredSasakamoose. You will be greatly missed by our indigenous communities. You have paved the way and allowed us to believe in our dreams. #warrior #leader #Inspiration #nativepride pic.twitter.com/B7pvNFHhCC

— Jordin Tootoo (@Jtootoo22) November 25, 2020

He continued to be an incredible positive influence on young Indigenous athletes and that developed into lifelong friendships into adulthood.

Sasakamoose spoke on the real hard subjects too. Much of his childhood was spent at the St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Sask. During a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing in Prince Albert in 2012, he publicly acknowledged that he was sexually abused by other children at the school when he was nine years old.

At age seven, he and his brother, Frank, were whisked away by the government to the school.

Sasakamoose overcame all of that adversity to make it to the NHL. Following his time in the NHL, Sasakamoose’s playing career concluded with time spent in various minor leagues.

When he was done playing, he became a band councilor with the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation and served one six-year term as Chief.

He spent a large amount of time developing sports programs for Indigenous children.

On Tuesday, Sasakamoose passed away at age 86 after recently being hospitalized for COVID-19.

So sorry to hear about @FredSasakamoose today. Thank you for being a leader and paving the way for all of us indigenous hockey players and helping us dream big. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/SYAYozKDEs

— Theo Fleury (@TheoFleury14) November 24, 2020

Tributes poured in from all over the hockey world, especially from the Indigenous community.

Because of Sasakamoose’s exploits, it allowed the sport of hockey to be blessed with the likes of Bryan Trottier, Theo Fleury, Jordin Tootoo, Brigette Lacquette, Ethan Bear, Brady Keeper, Justin Nachbaur and Jaydon Dureau to follow in the strides Sasakamoose made.

Sasakamoose watched those youngsters grow with great pride and was someone they could always turn to.

A lot of Sasakamoose’s biggest impacts on a number of those individuals came after I did my interview with him back in February of 2004. During that visit, I could tell I was only scratching the surface of the wisdom Sasakamoose, who was born on December 25, 1933, had to share.

It is safe to say some great wisdom was shared with various Indigenous athletes after my visit with him in Prince Albert.

Fred Sasakamoose (#21) in Saskatoon in Jan. 2018.

During the initial aftermath of the news of his passing, it feels like Sasakamoose should have had more opportunities to continue to have a profound impact on people. He was truly a gem of a person.

If each of us could emulate a fraction of who Sasakamoose was, this world really would be a better and more understanding place.

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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