Stars get going for real at Esso Cup

The Saskatoon Stars celebrate a goal by Jordyn Gerlitz.

    After building up anticipation over 24 off days, the Saskatoon Stars will finally get to play at nationals.
    The local midget AAA girls' hockey team left Saskatoon for Red Deer on Saturday to take part in the six team Esso Cup national championship tournament. Saskatoon opens the tournament Sunday, when they take on the Sudbury Lady Wolves. That match happens open the overall schedule for the tourney.
    Sudbury is making its second straight appearance at the Esso Cup after repeating as Ontario provincial champs. The Wolves were 16-5-1 during the regular season and won a bronze medal at last year's Esso Cup.
    The Stars are participating in the Esso Cup for the first time in team history. They have had a memorable season winning the Mac's tournament for the second time in team history and capturing their first Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League title. Including action in the SFMAAAHL regular season and post-season and the Mac's, Saskatoon enters the Esso Cup sporting a 40-3 overall record.
    The contest between Saskatoon and Sudbury contains a classic rest versus rust storyline. The Stars, who have the youngest team at the Esso Cup, haven't played a game since downing the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in the final contest of the SFMAAAHL championship series on March 25. The Wolves only had a break of about seven days since winning the Ontario final.

Sophia Shirley has been invited to a Hockey Canada camp in May.

    Saskatoon was led in scoring by the dynamic duo of Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley, who were first and second respectively in SFMAAAHL scoring. Elia had 23 goals and 17 assists helping the Stars post a 25-3 regular season record, while Shirley had 22 goals and 17 assists. Both have two years of midget eligibility remaining.
    Shirley was recently invited to Canada's National Women's Program strength and conditioning camp, which runs May 6-10 in Hamilton, Ont.
    The Esso Cup will mark the final games captain Paige Michalenko, Brittany Heuchert, Courtney Cormack and Karlee Fetch at the midget level. Defender Jenna Nash, who has committed to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, will also graduate from the midget ranks, but the she will sit out the Esso Cup due to injury with an anterior cruciate ligament tear in one of her knees.
    The six teams at the Esso Cup will play five round robin games each, and the top four teams advance to the tournament's semifinal round on April 24. The bronze and gold medal games close the event on April 25.

Swan song for Tigers overagers

Tyler Lewington, left, celebrates a goal with Marek Langhamer.

    The WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers arguably will miss their three overage graduates more than most teams in the major junior ranks will.
    When the Tigers saw their playoff run come to an end Friday with a 4-3 double overtime loss to the Hitmen in Calgary, the major junior careers of goaltender Marek Langhamer and defencemen Tyler Lewington and Kyle Becker came to a conclusion. All three were key contributors to the Tigers on the ice and in the dressing room.
    Langhamer, who has an NHL entry-level contract signed with the Arizona Coyotes, was with the Tigers for three campaigns posting a 68-42-7 record, a 2.86 goals against average, a .905 save percentage and six shutouts during his regular season career. At the moment, it appears the Czech product will be the last European goaltender to play in the WHL unless the Canadian Hockey League changes its import player rules to allow overseas goalies to play again.
    He again had a big post-season posting a 5-5 record in 10 starts with a 2.28 goals against average and a .924 save percentage.
    Lewington, who has an NHL entry-level contract signed with the Washington Capitals, spent four seasons with the Tigers. He arguably had one of the highest compete levels out of any player in the WHL, and he was the Tigers captain this past season. The Sherwood Park, Alta., product was solid in both the offensive and defensive zones posting nine goals, 36 assists, a plus-25 rating in the plus-minus department and 113 penalty minutes in 69 regular season games this past campaign.
    Becker finished the 2011-12 season with the Tigers playing 11 regular season games and two post-season contests and became a full-time team member for the past three campaigns. The Langley, B.C., product developed a reputation for handling the back end with a calming presence. As an overager, he posted 11 goals, 14 assists and a plus-11 rating in 57 regular season games.
    The Tigers entered the 2014-15 campaign with the potential to go a long way in the post-season. They fell 4-1 in a best-of-seven second round series to the Hitmen.

Kyle Becker, right, clears a puck out from deep in his zone.

    Medicine Hat's undoing in the playoffs was due to the fact the offence dried up. In 10 post-season games, the Tigers gave up 25 goals against but only had 25 goals for. Three of the five games with the Hitmen went to overtime, and Calgary claimed two of those contests, which turned out to be the final two games of the series.
    The overtime results were a key factor in the Hitmen winning the series, and it also showed the Tigers weren't able to get the goals they needed at key times in that best-of-seven set.
    Going forward, Langhamer, Lewington and Becker all have potential to experience longer futures in hockey. The Tigers have made the playoffs for 13 straight seasons, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them extend that run to 14 seasons in 2015-16, when the begin play in the new Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre.
    With their playoff elimination, the Tigers time playing games out of The Arena, which is their long time legendary home rink, has come to an end.

Wapple valiant for Pats

Daniel Wapple stood tall in goal for the Pats in the playoffs.

    Daniel Wapple made the Brandon Wheat Kings sweat.
    The Wheat Kings, who topped the WHL's regular season standings with a 53-11-4-4 mark, were heavy favourites to take out Wapple's Regina Pats in the second round of the post-season. Regina appeared to be in a rebuilding phase trading away a number of key veterans before the league's trade deadline, but the Pats surprised many finishing eighth overall with a 37-24-5-6 record.
    The Pats qualified for just their second appearance in the second round since 1998. They swept the Swift Current Broncos 4-0 in the opening round and were playing with house money.
    After the Wheat Kings took the first two games of their series with the Pats, Wapple stepped up to give Brandon all sorts of fits. The Saskatoon product made 39 saves in a 3-2 Pats victory in Game 3 of the series in Regina. Game 4 in Regina went to overtime, and Wapple made 45 saves before Brandon escaped with a 3-2 win.
    In Game 5 on Friday in Brandon, Wapple made 48 stops before the Wheat Kings prevailed again in overtime by a 3-2 score.
    Wapple will likely be back with the Pats for his overage season, which has to make fans in the Queen City feel good about their prospects in the 2015-16 campaign.

Narcisse all-star event set for Saskatoon

A Don Narcisse card from 1999.

    Former Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Don Narcisse has a one-day football kids' camp coming up in Saskatoon.
    The camp is slated for Saturday, April 25, and it is set to run from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sasktel Sports Centre. The camp is open for players aged 7 to 18 and the cost is $80 per player plus GST. The fees include a T-shirt and lunch.
    Following the camp, there will be a dinner gala held at the Travelodge Hotel at 6 p.m. with current Roughriders star defensive end John Chick slated to be the keynote speaker. Tickets for the gala dinner are $100 plus GST individually or $750 plus GST for a table of eight. Narcisse has goal to sell 20 tables by Tuesday, and he had six sold by Saturday.
    All proceeds from the camp and the dinner gala go to support Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Saskatoon and Area. Registration for the camp or gala can done by phoning 306-652-1487 or by going online through Narcisse's website by clicking here.

Oilers build NHL Draft Lottery dynasty

A memento from the Oilers winning era.

    The Edmonton Oilers accomplished a dubious milestone on Saturday.
    For the fourth time in six years, the Oilers won the NHL Draft Lottery, and they will have the first overall selection at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft set for June 26-27 in Sunrise, Florida. The distinction is dubious, because the Oilers also had to finish low enough for a number of consecutive years in the NHL standings to collect those first overall picks.
    The consensus first overall pick this year is viewed as a big prize in forward Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. McDavid, who netted 44 goals and 76 assists in 47 regular season games with the Otters, is being described as the best draft prospect since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Sidney Crosby back in 2005.
    The Oilers haven't made the playoffs since 2006, when they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals and fell in seven-game series to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since that time, Edmonton's NHL team has been the butt end of jokes for how bad it has been.
    When it was announced the Oilers had the first overall pick, social media, especially Twitter, blew up. People were in disbelief the Oilers won the pick. There were all sorts of predictions made that the Oilers will find a way to mess everything up.
    Time will tell, but it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the next two months leading up to the NHL Entry Draft.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Stars write inspiring story

Brittany Heuchert, left, and Hollie Coumont celebrate with the Fedoruk Cup.

    The Saskatoon Stars can do no wrong.
    It seems like everything the Bridge City based female midget AAA hockey club does turns to gold.
    Coming into the 2014-15 campaign, the Stars have traditionally been a strong club in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League. They won a Mac's tournament title in 2011. They made three straight league finals appearances from 2010 to 2012, but an SFMAAAHL title eluded them.
    The Stars were a respectable 13-11-4 in 2013-14, but they were swept away in the first round of the playoffs by Swift Current.
    It was reasonable to assume they would contented to appear in the league finals in 2014-15. Not even the most bright-eyed optimist could have seen the dream season that was to come.
    During the regular season, they topped the SFMAAAHL standings with a franchise best 25-3 record. They were 6-0 at the Mac's tournament winning the event's title game for the second time in team history. In the SFMAAAHL playoffs, the Stars brought their game up another level downing three determined opponents in posting a 9-0 record to win the Fedoruk Cup.
    They will play in their first ever appearance at the Esso Cup national championship tournament, which runs April 19-25 in Red Deer, Alta.

Kianna Dietz celebrates scoring a goal for the Stars.

    As the journey through the season progressed, it looked the Stars enjoyed every moment of it. No matter what point in the season it was, you could see there was a special pure love for the game. When the playoffs came around, there was an excited and maybe even innocent attitude from the players that if they won this big game they would get to play in another big game and it was all great.
    When it was game time, they were the determined and focused team, where everyone stepped up to contribute. When they won trophies celebrating the Mac's and league title wins, they were your classic energetic and excited group of teenage girls aged 14 to 18. They were almost bouncing off the walls due to just being pumped up because they won.
    Another cool thing is there was no arrogance either, when they claimed victory. They acted with a legitimate belief that it was super cool they were experiencing success, and they should feel that way.
    Offensively, they were led Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley, who played for the team as 14-year-old rookies in 2013-14 and blossomed into superstars in 2014-15 as sophomores.
    Elia, who was the SFMAAAHL's most sportsmanlike player, led the league in scoring with 23 goals and 17 assists, while Shirley, who was the SFMAAAHL's most valuable player, came in second in league scoring with 22 goals and 17 assists. They raised their respective games to another level in the SFMAAAHL playoffs.
    In the league championships series against the Prince Albert A & W Bears, they were key. Game 1 of the best-of-five series went to overtime, and Shirley set up Elia, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time, for the winner to give the Stars a 3-2 victory.

Emma Johnson covers up a loose puck for the Stars.

    Shirley put the team on her back in Game 2 in Prince Albert scoring twice and adding an assist in a 3-0 victory. In the nine SFMAAAHL playoff games the Stars participated in, Shirley had 12 goals and 12 assists.
    Julia Rongve has found her niche being a nice fit as the third forward on the line with the dynamic duo of Elia and Shirley. Rongve picked up six goals and seven assists in nine post-season games.
    Every championship playoff run also needs some X-factors to emerge, and Saskatoon received key contributions from the supporting cast in big moments.
    During the SFMAAAHL championship clinching victory over the Bears, the Stars went ahead 1-0 in the second period, when 15-year-old rookie forward Kianna Dietz set up fellow rookie Jordyn Gerlitz. Just 14 seconds later, Dietz potted a key insurance goal to give Saskatoon a 2-0 victory. Due to how their birthdays fell, both Dietz and Gerlitz still have three more years of eligibility at the midget AAA level, so big moments like these are not necessarily expected at this point in their careers.
    Thanks to how strong the team has played, the Stars goaltenders often can be overlooked. During the post-season, 15-year-old sophomore Emma Johnson carried most of the workload and made a number of big saves in the semifinal and championship rounds.

Courtney Cormack clears the puck out of her own zone.

    In the SFMAAAHL title clinching win, Johnson ensured the 2-0 lead her team held didn't evaporate in the third period. The Bears came on with a serious third-period push and outshot the Stars 8-1 through about the first eight minutes of the frame. Johnson turned away every big challenge to help her side withstand the Prince Albert surge of pressure to ensure the shutout would hold.
    Karlee Fetch, the Stars 17-year-old veteran goalie, came through with a big 25-save performance, when Saskatoon swept away the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats in the league semifinal series with a 3-2 victory in Game 3 of that best-of-five set.
    The team's second line of Brittany Heuchert, Danielle Nogier and Courtney Cormack have become the defensive shutdown unit. When the Stars are holding a one or two goal edge in the final minute of the third period, that trio hits the ice to seal up the final result. They also added timely offence combining for 12 goals and 11 assists in the team's nine playoff games.
    When veteran defender Jenna Nash, who recently turned 18, was lost for the season tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee playing for Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., in February, it appeared the Stars would have a big hole on their back end. While no one person could replace Nash, the Stars defenders Paige Michalenko, Willow Slobodzian, Hollie Coumont, Rayna Jacobson and Danielle Girolami as a collective all brought their play to a higher level to make up for the loss of Nash.
    The team's coaching staff of head coach Greg Slobodzian and assistant coaches Patrick Nogier, Don Rongve and Jason Schneider have all done a stellar job working with this group of young athletes. The fact the chemistry on the team is so good has to go to the fact the coaches have created an environment that allows their players to reach their potential.

The Stars celebrate a goal by Hollie Coumont, second from left.

    Away from the rink, the Stars have been supported by a spectacular group of parents. They are there positively supporting their daughters but have never been pushy.
    The parents have enjoyed watching their children have success but have never demanded attention due to that success. The fathers and mothers have been humble in victory.
    At times, they had to go beyond the call of duty in support, which included driving their kids to Calgary on Christmas day to take part in the Mac's tournament. Money can be tight for female midget AAA hockey teams, and this move allowed the Stars to save some funds.
    The Stars have enjoyed a season to remember, but all good things do come to an end. If they make the final of the Esso Cup, they will play a maximum of seven more games together over a period of seven days. If the rest of this season is any indication, you can bet they will enjoy every day of that national championship tournament.
    They have bested every obstacle they have faced. It is not that far-fetched to see them playing at an even higher level and taking part in one more championship trophy winning celebration as the top female midget AAA hockey team in Canada.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.

Sweet title sweep for Stars

The Saskatoon Stars celebrate winning the SFMAAAHL title.

    The Saskatoon Stars didn't have to rely on their superstars to lock up their first Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship.
    On Wednesday at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars scored twice in a span of 14 seconds and downed the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in Game 3 of the SFMAAAHL championship series. Saskatoon swept Prince Albert in the best-of-five set 3-0 to claim the Fedoruk Cup.
    In the championship clinching contest Saskatoon's top line of Nara Elia, Sophia Shirley and Julia Rongve were held off the scoreboard. Elia and Shirley finished first and second respectively in the SFMAAAHL regular season scoring race.
    Saskatoon's supporting cast came through. First, Kianna Dietz set up Jordyn Gerlitz to put the hosts up 1-0. Dietz then scored herself to put the Stars up 2-0 with Anna Leschyshyn collecting an assist on the play.

    Emma Johnson slammed down the door for the whole contest making 24 saves to pick up the shutout win for the Stars. Jessica Vance, who is the SFMAAAHL's all-time career leader in goaltending victories, turned away 20 shots in the Prince Albert goal.

The Saskatoon Stars pose for the traditional championship team picture.

    The Stars also improve to 40-3 overall counting action in the regular season, post-season and their championship win at the prestigious Mac's tournament in Calgary. In the SFMAAAHL championship series, the Stars took the series opener 3-2 in overtime on home ice in Saskatoon on Saturday and claimed Game 2 in Prince Albert on Sunday 3-0.
    Saskatoon had made three previous visits to the SFMAAAHL title series falling in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
    With the SFMAAAHL championship win, the Stars advance to play in the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament which runs from April 19-25 in Red Deer, Alta.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com. Check out the Twitter handle @stankssports to see more photos of the Stars Game 3 win over the Bears.

Stars battle Bears for provincial crown

The Stars celebrate a goal in the SFMAAAHL semifinal round.

    The Saskatoon Stars and Prince Albert A & W Bears appeared destined to face each other for the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League title.
    During the regular season, they were the two top teams in the league. The Stars finished first with a 25-3 record, while the Bears were second with a 20-6-2 mark. They also split four regular season meetings.
    They will now battle in a best-of-five series for the Fedoruk Cup to become SFMAAAHL champions. Game 1 is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Agriplace Arena in Saskatoon. Game 2 follows at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert.
    The Stars have had their most memorable season to date in team history. The 2014-2015 campaign marked the first time they ever finished first overall in the regular season standings. They also won their second Mac's tournament title in team history and are currently 37-3 counting regular season, post-season and Mac's tournament action.
    Saskatoon is making its fourth appearance in the league final having lost in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
    The Stars are led by a young dynamic duo in Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley, who both have two years of eligibility remaining in midget hockey. Elia topped the SFMAAAHL scoring race with 23 goals and 17 assist. Shirley was second in SFMAAAHL scoring with 22 goals and 17 assists.
    Elia was injured after being on the receiving end of a head hit in Game 1 of the Stars three game sweep of the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats in the league semifinal round. Odds are good that she will be available at some point for the league championship series.

Willow Slobodzian controls the point for the Stars.

    Rookie Willow Slobodzian was Saskatoon's top scorer on defence recording six goals and 13 assists in the regular season. Paige Michalenko, the Stars 17-year-old captain, had three goals and six assists in 21 regular season games and is strong at controlling play in the defensive zone patrolling the back end.
    Netminders Karlee Fetch and Emma Johnson split time in goal for the Stars during the regular campaign. Fetch, who is a 17-year-old veteran from Prince Albert, posted and 11-3 record, a 1.79 goals against average, a .916 save percentage and five shutouts. Johnson, who is a 15-year-old Saskatoon product, won all 14 of her starts posting a 1.28 goals against average, a .933 save percentage and three shutouts.
    The biggest absence from the Saskatoon roster is 17-year-old veteran defender Jenna Nash, who suffered a season ending injury while playing for the Saskatchewan provincial team at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C., in February. She had two goals and nine assists in 24 games.
    The Bears last won the league title back in 2009. Loaded with a number of key veterans, they love knock off the Stars to return to the top of the SFMAAAHL heap.
    Madison Casavant and Tylor Lindsay, who are both 17-year-old forwards topped the Bears in team scoring with 26 points each. Casavant had 14 goals and 12 assists, while Lindsay had 12 goals and 14 assists.
    Brooke Hobson, who is a 15-year-old defender, topped all Prince Albert blue-liners in scoring with six goals and 17 assists. Prince Albert's back end received a huge boost when 17-year-old veteran Morgan Willoughby returned from injury. She had two goals and four assists in 15 regular season games and was a steady presence in her own zone.

Captain Paige Michalenko anchors the back end for the Stars.

    In goal, the Bears are backed by 17-year-old standout Jessica Vance, who is the SFMAAAHL's all-time career leader in regular season wins with 48. Vance had an outstanding campaign in her final midget season posting a 13-6 record, a 1.60 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and four shutouts.
    With how the regular season meetings played out between the Stars and Bears, the provincial championship series between the two teams has a big chance of going the distance. Victory is not a guarantee for either side. A break or two will likely decide the final outcome.
    Game 3 of the series is slated for Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena in Saskatoon. If necessary, Game 4 follows on Thursday, March 26, at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. If a series deciding Game 5 is required, it will be held on Saturday, March 28 at 3 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Stars sweep away Wildcats

The Saskatoon Stars celebrate their Game 3 SFMAAAHL semifinal series win.

    The Saskatoon Stars weren't going to be denied a chance to play for a league title.
    Facing a determined Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats side in front of a packed gathering this afternoon at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars fell behind 1-0, before surging 3-1 thanks to three straight tallies in the second period. The visitors rallied back netting a goal in the third, but that was as close as they would come to a comeback.
    The Stars held on for a 3-2 victory in Game 3 of a best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League semifinal series between the two clubs. Saskatoon swept the series 3-0 and advances to a best-of-five league championship series.
    The Stars will play the winner of the other league semifinal series between the Prince Albert A & W Bears and the Weyburn Southern Range Golden Wings. The series between the Bears and Wings is tied 1-1 heading into tonight's Game 3 in Prince Albert.
    In the afternoon clash between the Stars and Wildcats, Taylor Kirwan gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead early in the second period. The Stars rallied back with singles coming from the sticks of Julia Rongve, Brittany Heuchert and Sophia Shirley to head into the second intermission with a 3-1 lead.

Brittany Heuchert, the assistant captain, celebrates her goal for the Stars.

    Shirley, who picked up assists on Rongve's and Heuchert's goals, tipped home a shot from linemate Courtney Cormack on the power play with 6:40 play in the second period, and that tally stood up for the winner.
    Kirwan added her second of the game with 3:44 to play in the third to pull Swift Current to within 3-2, but the speedy Wildcats couldn't find the equalizer.
    Karlee Fetch made 25 saves to earn the win in goal for the Stars. Jasey Book turned away 27 shots taking the loss in goal for the Wildcats.
    With Saturday's victory, the Stars improved their overall record to 37-3 in the 2014-15 campaign including play in the regular season, post-season and Mac's Midget Tournament.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. Check out the Twitter handle @stankssports to see more photos of the Stars Game 3 win over the Wildcats.

The shining Stars of Saskatoon

Nara Elia led the SFMAAAHL in scoring this season.

    So good. So young.
    Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley look like they are ready to play hockey in the university ranks right now. However, two full seasons still have to pass before the two top scores from the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League can jump to the post-season ranks.
    The talented duo are helping lift their hometown Saskatoon Stars to heights the program has never seen.
    The nation got a first glimpse of them on New Year's Day. In the nationally televised female final of the prestigious Mac's Midget Tournament, Elia set up Shirley for three goals as the Stars doubled up the Calgary Fire 4-2. The win completed a 6-0 run for the Stars at the Mac's, which they also won back in 2011.
    In the SFMAAAHL regular season, Elia won the league scoring title piling up 23 goals and 17 assists. Shirley was a second – a point back – with 22 goals and 17 assists. Those accomplishments are amazing as Elia turned 16 in February and Shirley is still 15.
    The large majority of players in the midget AAA are older than them, and yet they can make a lot of those veterans look out of place.

Sophia Shirley was second in SFMAAAHL scoring.

    When they hit the ice on the Stars top line, you notice them pretty fast as they make the puck dance in the offensive zone. The chemistry they have to make plays is inspiring. They are seeing a game that no one else on the sheet of ice they are playing on is seeing.
They play on a team that is deep in talent. To be fair, placing them on the Stars roster might be the equivalent of giving Superman brass knuckles to take out the bad guys. They make their coaches look like better coaches, because they are that good.
    As a result of the superhuman efforts of Elia, who stands 5-foot-7, and Shirley, who stands 5-foot-4, the Stars rocketed to first place in the Saskatchewan league with a 25-3 mark. Add in results from the Mac's and the playoffs, the Stars are an incredible 36-3 overall.
    During semifinal round of the SFMAAAHL playoffs, the Stars dynamic duo has shown they can once again take their game up another level, when the stakes get higher and the competition gets tougher.
    In Game 1 of a best-of-five series against the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats on Tuesday at the Agriplace Arena, Shirley laser beamed the game's first goal top corner on Wildcats goaltender Jasey Book. Book appeared to have a look of disbelief after that rocket beat her.
    After the Wildcats tied the game 1-1 early in the second, Elia got the puck to Shirley down low, and she potted a pretty goal on a deke move to put the Stars up 2-1. The duo teamed up to set up linemate Julia Rongve to put the Stars up 3-1. Brittany Heuchert, a veteran 17-year-old forward, potted the Stars final goal in the third period in the 4-2 victory.

Nara Elia wheels with the puck for the Stars.

     The performance of the Stars two superstars was legit solid. The Wildcats were a respectable 15-11-2 in the regular season and are also a fast skating club. They also had to be a confident team, because they dumped the Stars 5-2 in the final regular season contest for both clubs back on Feb. 22 in Swift Current.
    Elia and Shirley showed they were ready for the challenge. The only downer in Game 1 came from the fact Elia was lost to injury in the third period after being on the receiving end of a head hit from Wildcats forward Chloe Smith, who was given a major penalty and a game misconduct on the play.
    In Game 2 on Thursday in Swift Current and playing without Elia, the Stars showed their depth pulling out a 3-2 overtime win. Shirley had an assist, but the supporting cast came through. Danielle Nogier and Kianna Dietz scored in regulation, while 17-year-old Courtney Cormack, who recently committed to playing for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's team, potted the overtime winner.

Sophia Shirley battles for a draw for the Stars.

    The Stars will try to close out the Wildcats on Saturday in Saskatoon (2 p.m., Agriplace Arena). Elia likely won't be available for that next title, but her absence just makes her team a little bit more human.
    Shirley and the rest of the Stars have more than enough to finish the job against the Wildcats and earn a berth into the league championship series.
    Before Saskatoon's post-season run ends, Elia will likely return at some point and will once again be teamed with Shirley. With that combo together again, the Stars might be too much for anyone to handle. As it stands right now, few teams have been able to hang with the Stars as it is.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Great night for Smuker

Cody Smuk drops the ceremonial faceoff at Friday's Huskies game.

   For one night, the rusting deficiencies of the Rutherford Rink were forgotten.
   The 85-year-old facility on the University of Saskatchewan campus was the warmest place to be.
   On Friday night, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team hosted their long-time rivals the University of Alberta Golden Bears to close the regular season in a match that celebrated the rink's birthday during a vintage night promotion.
   The bigger thing everyone was focused on was the fact the game would be a fundraiser for Marty's Men, which is the really for life team for alumnus Cody Smuk. Smuk has been battling cancer since May of last year.
   He had gone through five days of chemotherapy treatments to deal with cancer in his lung before Friday's contest rolled around. As a result, there was some uncertainty if he would be able to attend the game himself.
   There shouldn't have been any doubts. Smuk was there and received a loud and warm standing ovation when he dropped the puck for a ceremonial faceoff. That was followed by first the Golden Bears lining up, so they could all shake his hand. The host Huskies then followed suit, and some of those handshakes turned into heartfelt hugs with former teammates.
   In seeing Smuk, you could tell he lost a little bit of weight, but it was clear he had some extra jump in his step, when he was at the game. He seemed to be energized by the positive vibes.
After the game, he spent just over an hour visiting with former teammates and friends, and it was inspiring to see how positive and upbeat he was.
   Over the course of his cancer battle, he also developed into a top rate public speaker, when it comes to dealing with cancer related issues. On his Twitter account, he has been retweeting posts that contained stories of the testicular cancer battles U of Lethbridge Pronghorns goaltender Dylan Tait and equipment manager and athletic therapist Brennan Mahon are going through.
   Smuk originally had testicular cancer and tests show he is clear of that form of the disease.
   The only thing that didn't happen on Friday night was the fact the Huskies couldn't pull out a victory.

Cody Smuk shakes hands with the Huskies players.

Playing in front of largest crowd of the season at the Rutherford Rink, which included the school's pep band, the Huskies fell behind 4-0. They tried to rally late, but the Golden Bears skated away with a 4-2 victory.
   Kruise Reddick, T.J. Foster, Johnny Lazo and Jordan Hickmott netted singles for the Golden Bears, while Luke Siemens made 24 saves to earn the win in goal.
   Sean Aschim and Michael Sofillas responded with singles for the Huskies, while Jordon Cooke made 39 stops suffering the loss in goal.
   The Golden Bears finished the regular season first overall in the Canada West Conference with a 24-3-1 record and have a bye into the semifinal round of the conference playoffs.
   The Huskies finished sixth in the conference with a 10-15-3 mark. They will travel to Calgary to face the Mount Royal University Cougars (17-10-1) in a best-of-three quarter-final series slated to start on Feb. 20.
   As far as events on Friday went, the highlight was seeing Smuk with a big smile on his face. During the game itself, $2,300 was raised for Marty's Men. By Saturday, $3,500 has been raised.
   Those looking to donate to the Relay for Life team can do so right here.

Holfeld valiant in final home stand

Ryan Holfeld makes a stop for the Huskies.

   Ryan Holfeld almost pulled off a Miikka Kiprusoff type victory.
   With the Huskies locked into playoff all their games in the 2015 post-season on the road, Holfeld, the team's fifth-year goaltender, made his final home start on Thursday at the Rutherford Rink, when the Huskies hosted the Golden Bears in the first match of a two-game set. The LeRoy, Sask., product made 48 saves through regulation and two overtime periods as the Huskies and Golden Bears went to a tiebreaking shootout locked in a 1-1 draw.
   In the shootout, Holfeld turned away the first four Alberta shooters before being beaten by Reddick. The Golden Bears took the tiebreaking session 1-0 and the game 2-1.
   Holfeld was the reason the Huskies got to a tiebreaking shootout. At the other end, Golden Bears netminder Kurtis Mucha made 21 saves over 70 minutes and stopped all five shooters he faced in the shootout.
   Hickmott gave the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead in the second, but Jesse Ross picked up the equalizer for the Huskies just under three minutes later to make the score 1-1.
From there, Holfeld did whatever he could to keep the Golden Bears off the scoreboard. In overtime, the Huskies had a number of chances to steal the victory, which included a pair of breakaway chances. The hosts couldn't find the back of the net to win the game.
   Holfeld finished the season with an impressive .922 save percentage and a stellar 2.42 goals against average. The Huskies, who have 12 first year players on their roster, struggled with scoring all season, and as a result, Holfeld only had a 5-8-1 record on the season.
   Cooke also had strong numbers posting a .905 save percentage and a 3.13 goals against average. Due to the team's lack of scoring, he had a 5-9 record on the year.
   The Huskies couldn't ask for any more out of their goaltenders in the regular season. It is too bad they couldn't pull out a few more wins for the puck stoppers.

Cook slams down gorilla

Kandace Cook played OT hero for the Huskies on Saturday.

   It definitely wasn't an overstatement to say the U of Saskatchewan Huskies women's team slammed down a big gorilla that was on their collective backs.
   The Huskies took a seven-game losing streak into their match against the U of Alberta Pandas on Saturday in Edmonton. Before the skid, the Huskies were sitting first overall in the Canada West Conference. They dropped to fifth due to the slide, while the Pandas jumped into first.
   Locked into a 1-1 draw heading into a second five minute overtime period to be played three skaters versus three skaters, fifth-year forward Kandace Cook slammed the gorilla to the ground. Just 27 seconds into the frame, the fearless Cook popped home her ninth tally of the season to give the Huskies a 2-1 victory. Linemate Kaitlin Willoughby picked up the assist.
   In the second period, Cook set up Willoughby to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. Hannah Olenyk scored for the Pandas in the third to tie things up at 1-1.
   Cassidy Hendricks made 32 saves to earn the win in goal for the Huskies (12-9-3). Lindsey Post turned away 18 shots taking the loss for the Pandas (17-6-1) in goal.
   Due to injuries and defender Julia Flinton's departure to play in the 2015 Winter Universiade in Granada, Spain, the Huskies played with 17 skaters, which is one short of the regular number of 18.
   On Friday night in Edmonton, the Pandas downed the Huskies 4-1. Lauren Zary gave the Huskies an early 1-0 lead with a power-play goal.
   Olenyk, Alison Campbell, Deanna Morin and Gillian Altheim had singles for the Pandas.
   Hendricks turned away 21 of 24 shots taking the loss in goal for the Huskies. Post made 10 saves picking up the win for the Pandas.
   The Huskies travel to Lethbridge this Friday and Saturday to face the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns.

Young duo shines for Stars

Nara Elia in action for the Saskatoon Stars.

   Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley might be one of the best kept secrets in the Saskatoon sports scene.
   The two 15-year-old forwards with the Saskatoon Stars team are the top two scorers in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League. Elia tops the scoring race with 20 goals and 15 assists, while Shirley is second with 21 goals and 13 assists. The linemates have powered the Stars to top spot in the league at 22-2, and they were key factor in the Stars winning the female division of the prestigious Mac's Midget Tournament in Calgary.
   The Stars posted an easy sweep of the struggling Notre Dame Hounds at the Agriplace Arena by scores of 8-1 and 7-0 on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Saskatoon rolled its lines in those two contests, and Elia and Shirley were far ahead of everyone else on the ice. They also seemed to know where each other was on the ice making numerous creative plays.
   Watching the duo on the ice, you almost can't believe they will still play two more full seasons together at the midget AAA level before moving to the post-secondary ranks. With Elia and Shirley on the ice, the Stars will take part in a lot of big games this season and in the two campaigns that will follow.

Blades make youngsters happy

   From the unexpected file, members of my family have been sending a number of thank-you messages to the Saskatoon Blades.
   My cousin Jeff Chomitzky, who was a single father, passed away recently and was only about a couple of months in working with the maintenance crew with the Sasktel Centre, which is the Blades' home rink. Roger Vaillancourt, who is a family friend, wanted to take Jeff's two young sons, Braden, 11, and Blake, 9, to see the Bridge City Bunch play.
   In what was put together in less than a couple of days, Braden and Blake became Blades for a day during the team's 4-0 home win over the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday. They got to read out the team's starting lineup and stand on the bench for the national anthem. The experience was definitely a big highlight for the two.
   The Blades put together a wonderful little documentary video which can be viewed here.

   If you have any feedback about this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.

Canada golden again

            Canada rules! 

            What more needs to be said?

            You didn’t have to be glued to a social media feed to know that most people in Canada were watching the final of the world juniors on Monday night on television, and if you were real lucky, you were one of the lucky spectators at the game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

            In an all-time just plain great game, Canada downed Russia 5-4, but it was a different sort of classic.

            When someone thinks of Canada winning a critical world junior game or the championship game itself, there are usually visions of heroic past performances by Jordan Eberle and Jonathan Toews.

            In this one, Canada built what seemed to be a safe 5-1 lead in the second period, but the Russians stormed back with three straight goals before the second intermission rolled around to cut the lead to 5-4.

            What made this performance great was how Canada regrouped in the second intermission.

            Russia started the third on the power play and had capitalized on 2-of-3 power-play chances. The first order of business was to kill off the fourth Russian power play, which Canada did admirably.

            After the kill, the Canadian players closed out the third defensively to preserve the 5-4 win. Zachary Fucale made 11 saves in the third and 26 overall in the contest to backstop the victory.

            In the third, the Canadians were outshot 11-4, but it didn’t totally feel like the host side was in trouble. Canada calmly did its job shift after shift and preserved the win and a 7-0 tournament record.

            Max Domi, who is the son of long time former NHLer Tie Domi and basically grew up in Toronto, came through as a hometown hero. He set up Canada’s opening goal 23 seconds into the contest by Anthony Duclair, scored Canada’s fourth goal and assisted on Sam Reinhart’s deflection tally, which ultimately won the game.

            Nick Paul and 17-year-old phenom Connor McDavid tallied Canada’s other two goals. Defenceman Darnell Nurse was a beast on Canada’s back end, and he deserved being named the team’s player of the game for the contest.

            Captain Curtis Lazar didn’t register a point in the final, but the ultra-positive forward was instrumental all tournament long in helping Canada win its first gold medal since 2009 to end a six-year drought. Lazar also helped the Edmonton Oil Kings win the Memorial Cup last May, which also ended a six-year drought for the WHL as a league when it came to winning major junior hockey’s biggest prize.

            Right now for Canada, it is celebration time. There is always so much pride that goes along with a golden finish.

Huskies go up, go down

Defenceman Chad Suer of the Huskies.

            Being a little risky with the puck likely cost the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team a series sweep in their first regular season weekend back from the Christmas break.

            On Saturday at the ancient Rutherford Rink, the Huskies erased a 3-2 deficit after two periods to roll off a 5-3 victory over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. In trying to break out of their zone at time over the first 40 minutes, the Huskies were a bit too loose with the puck, which helped the visitors get some turnovers and get ahead.

            Early in the third, sophomore forward Josh Roach slipped home the equalizer for the Huskies to lock the score up at 3-3. With 3:57 to play in the third, the line of Roach, Michael Sofillas and Craig McCallum forced a turnover that resulted in McCallum’s winner.

            Matthew Spafford scored twice, while Zak Stebner had a single for the Huskies. Ryan Holfeld made 24 saves to earn the win in goal.

            Ryon Moser, David McMullen and Cason Machacek had singles for the Pronghorns, while Damien Ketlo turned away 35 of 39 shots suffering the loss in goal.

            The Huskies did a great job playing under control in the third period rally, but turnovers proved to be their undoing on Sunday at Rutherford, when the Pronghorns rebounded with a 5-2 victory.

            Lethbridge jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second, before forward Jesse Ross stopped the bleeding for the Huskies. Before the second ended, the Dogs had a glorious chance to cut the Pronghorns lead to one.

            Working on a two-man advantage, Huskies rookie forward Parker Thomas had a chance to tap in a pass from across the face the Pronghorns goal, but he misfired. That proved to be a key turning point.

            The visitors scored twice early in the third to go up 5-1, before McCallum netted the Huskies final goal. Jordon Cooke made 25 stops in goal.

            Warren Shymko made 39 stops to earn the win for the Pronghorns in net. Brandon Clowes had a hat trick, while Artsiom Kalashnikov and Cass Mappen had singles for the road side.

            The Huskies sit fourth in Canada West with a 9-10-1 record, while the Pronghorns are last in the eight-team loop at 4-16.

            While the split was disappointing, it was good to see defenceman Chad Suer return to the Huskies lineup after missing the first half of the season due to injury. The fourth-year veteran, who played five WHL seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Everett Silvertips, is a solid blue-liner on the ice and one steady team guys you need in the dressing room.

            It was way better seeing him on the ice than in the stands, even though he a fun person to sit with in the stands.

            The Huskies return to action this coming Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. both nights at Rutherford against the University of Calgary Dinos (13-7).

            The Huskies women’s hockey team hits the road this coming Friday and Saturday for their first action since the Christmas break traveling to Calgary to face the Dinos.

Stars shine at Mac’s

Sophia Shirley, right, of the Saskatoon Stars.

            The Saskatoon Stars midget AAA girls’ hockey team might be the coolest story on the Bridge City’s sports scene over the last 10 days.

            On New Year’s Day, the Stars won the female final of the prestigious Mac’s Midget Tournament downing the Calgary Fire 4-2 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Sophia Shirley, who is a 15-year-old forward, had a hat trick for the Stars, while Kianna Dietz had a single. Karlee Fetch made 13 saves to earn the win in goal. Saskatoon was a perfect 6-0 at the Mac’s.

            After one day off, the Stars returned to Saskatoon and posted 3-1 and 3-0 victories respectively on Saturday and Sunday over the Battlefords Sharks at the Agriplace Arena. Saskatoon sits first overall in the Saskatchewan Female Midget Hockey league with a 16-1 record.

            The Stars also won the Mac’s title back in 2011, when they doubled up the Edmonton Thunder 4-2. In that contest, current University of Saskatchewan Huskies forward Lauren Zary had two goals and two assists for the Stars.

           

If you have any feedback on this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.