“Rat Line” pulls Golden Bears even with Huskies in Canada West Championship series

The Golden Bears celebrate a goal from captain Riley Kieser.

    Needing a win to stay alive in the Canada West Championship series, the “Rat Line” hit top gear for the University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s hockey team.

    U of A’s forward unit centred by captain Riley Kieser flanked by Cole Sanford at right wing and Trevor Cox at left wing played like three Theo Fleurys on the ice. They brought agitation and skill knocking the University of Saskatchewan Huskies off their game on Saturday and accounted for the Golden Bears first two goals.

    When the dust settled at Merlis Belsher Place, the Golden Bears skated away with a 3-0 victory over the Huskies in Game 2 of the best-of-three Canada West final before a packed crowd of 2,643 spectators. The win by the Golden Bears evens the series at 1-1 and forces a series deciding Game 3 on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Merlis.

Riley Kieser had a goal and an assist for the Golden Bears.

    The Huskies claimed Game 1 by a 4-2 score on Friday at Merlis.

    Following Saturday’s game, Kieser said the Golden Bears entered Game 2 with the goal of coming out with a better work ethic, more intensity and were trying to avoid getting too pretty in the skill department.

    “We won one-on-one battles,” said Kieser. “We got pucks in deep and made them work in their defensive zone. It was a lot more fun game to play.”

    Kieser’s line seemed to be in the centre of all sorts of little skirmishes in the opening frame. It appeared that unit in particular had a different sort of high intensity to their game playing at their “pest best.”

    After a scoreless first period, Kieser opened the game’s scoring 19 seconds into the second period, when he ripped home a goal from the top of the left faceoff circle. Sanford picked up an assist on the tally.

Cole Sanford had a pair of assists for the Golden Bears.

    “It is always helpful to get that first goal,” said Kieser. “It definitely gives you confidence.

    “We weren’t able to get that yesterday, but we got it today and just rolled with it.”

    At the 13:46 mark of the second period, the “Rat Line” struck again to put the Golden Bears up 2-0. Kieser had the puck behind the Huskies net and slipped a beauty centring pass to Cox in front of the U of S goal.

    Cox fired home the insurance marker with Sanford picking up an assist on the play as well.

    The trio also has all sorts of playoff experience coming in both the WHL and U Sports.

    Kieser helped the Edmonton Oil Kings win the WHL and Memorial Cup championships in his final season of major junior hockey in 2013-14. Upon joining the Golden Bears, he helped U of A win the David Johnston University Cup as U Sports national champions in his first campaign with the team in 2014-15 and last season.

Trevor Cox had a goal for the Golden Bears.

    Cox and Sanford helped the Medicine Hat Tigers advance to the WHL Eastern Conference Championship series in 2013-14 and were key players helping the Golden Bears win the Canada West Conference and U Sports national titles last season.

    “It is great to play with those two guys,” said Kieser. “They definitely bring a lot to the game.

    “They play with a lot of intensity and a lot of work ethic. I think all four of our lines came out hard tonight, but we were fortunate on a couple of goals, so that definitely set tone.”

    Grayson Pawlenchuk, who was the Canada West rookie of the year, capped the Golden Bears victory scoring a power-play goal from a bad angle at the 9:11 mark of the third period.

Trevor Cox (#36) and Riley Kieser (#14) agitated the Huskies.

    Zach Sawchenko stopped 20 shots to pick up the shutout win for the Golden Bears. Taran Kozun made 27 saves to the setback in goal for the Huskies.

    Saturday’s clash, which was the 510^th overall meeting between the two sides, was very much a rivalry game that included both teams delivering a lot of extra shots after whistles. The officials would attend to a scrum at one end of the ice, and something underhanded would happen at the other end of the ice.

    Huskie sophomore defenceman Sam Ruopp was slammed hard on a couple of occasions including being the victim of a hard hit from behind by Cox in the first period and being nailed by another U of A player in the third period.

Saturday’s game was filled with lots of rough stuff.

    Near the end of the contest, the Huskies became totally unraveled.

    With 2:11 remaining in the third, Huskies sophomore forward Alex Forsberg tackled Cox and was given a tripping minor, a roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct. Huskies captain Jesse Forsberg, who is Alex’s older brother, also received a 10-minute misconduct at that point in the game.

    At the 19:22 mark of the third, Huskies left-winger and agitator Jaimen Yakubowski was given a roughing major, while centre Wyatt Johnson and right-winger Carter Folk were given 10-minute misconducts during the same stoppage.

Golden Bears RW Brandon Magee and Huskies D Jesse Forsberg get tied up.

    Folk actually gave a love tap cross check to a linesman, which resulted in his misconduct.
    The Huskies finished the game with 58 minutes in penalties, while the Golden Bears had 12 minutes of infraction accessed against them.

    “It is always a good feeling to know that they are getting frustrated,” said Kieser. “You just want to keep playing your game, play the right way and you will get rewarded, and that is what we did today.”

    When the puck drops for Sunday’s series deciding Game 3 between these “forever rivals,” Kieser believes the Huskies will be over their frustrations and his side has to be ready for a most focused push back from the U of S side.

The Golden Bears celebrate their win on Saturday night.

    “It is do or die again,” said Kieser. “We came out battling for our lives today, and we’re going to do the same tomorrow.
    “It is going to be a great game.”

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

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Wyatt’s moment – Huskies centre gets winner in Game 1 of Canada West final

Wyatt Johnson (#26) celebrates scoring for the Huskies on Friday.

    What a difference a year makes for Wyatt Johnson when it comes to the Canada West Championship series.

    A year ago, the two-way centre was in his sophomore season with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team, and he was unable to play in the best-of-three Canada West final against the University of Alberta Golden Bears due to a concussion injury. The Golden Bears swept that year’s series 2-0 in Edmonton, Alta., and ultimately captured the U Sports national title.

    Now in his third season with the Huskies, Johnson was on the ice Friday night at Merlis Belsher Place as his squad opened the Canada West Championship series taking on the Golden Bears for a fourth year in a row.

Wyatt Johnson breaks into the offensive zone for the Huskies.

    The graduate of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels and Spokane Chiefs made the biggest play in the Huskies 4-2 victory over their “forever rivals” in Game 1. With U of S holding a 2-1 edge in the second period, Johnson converted a picturesque passing for a power-play goal to give the Huskies a 3-1 advantage to the delight of the 2,583 spectators that jammed into the brand new rink.

    “It is unreal,” said Johnson about playing in this year’s Canada West final. “Obviously, last year was tough watching.

    “I played it in my first year, so I knew what to expect. It is awesome to be back.”

    The Huskies were working on a five-on-three power play when Johnson scored. Offensive defenceman and Huskies captain Jesse Forsberg started the play by slipping a pass to the right side of the Golden Bears net to Huskies winger Collin Shirley.

Taran Kozun makes one of his 24 saves in goal for the Huskies.

    Shirley quickly fed a backdoor pass to Johnson, who fired his goal into an empty cage.

    Johnson was pumped his team took Game 1, which means the Huskies will have a chance to wrap up the series in Game 2 on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place. If the Golden Bears force a series-deciding Game 3, it will be held on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Merlis.

    Following Friday’s win, Johnson was already looking focusing on what his team has to do to close out the series.

    “Every game, everybody rises in intensity,” said Johnson, who had five goals and 10 assists in 22 regular season games with the Huskies in the current campaign. “Every game as you get into playoffs, everybody starts bearing down on pucks more, and the intensity rises.

Brandon Magee scored the Golden Bears first goal.

    “We have to up our level, and I am sure they will over there too.”

    While the Huskies and Golden Bears know each other well, the 509^th overall meeting between the two squads on Friday started with a bit of a feeling out period.

    Just 2:32 into the opening frame, Huskies fiery left-winger Jaimen Yakubowski roofed home the game’s first goal short side over the left shoulder of Golden Bears star netminder Zach Sawchenko to give the host side a 1-0 lead.

    Huskies head coach Dave Adolph thought Yakubowski’s tally gave his side some early traction.

    “We were pretty uptight,” said Adolph. “The whole game was played kind of uptight, and the ice wasn’t great.

    “We thought in this brand new facility that things would be a little bit better, but the puck was bouncing everywhere on both teams. It was a little unnerving. I think that we scored the first goal and that might have been the difference in the night.

    “I think if they would have scored we would have been a little bit more nervous. Jaimen Yakubowski scores and it kind of just calms the sails a little bit.”

Huskies LW Jaimen Yakubowski is turned away on a scoring chance.

    Before the first period ended, the Golden Bears pulled even at 1-1, when right-winger Brandon Magee wired home a power-play goal from the top of the left faceoff circle.

    The Huskies hit another gear in the second period. At the 4:06 mark of the frame, Huskies fifth-year right-winger Parker Thomas slipped home a shot from the front of the U of A goal to put his squad up 2-1.

    Johnson’s power-play goal came just under three-and-a-half minutes later.

    “You never really separate yourself from this team, and I think they would probably say the same thing,” said Adolph. “I think we were opportunistic.

Parker Thomas had a goal on Friday for the Huskies.

    “We got a five-on-three power play and scored. You have to do that in a clutch game, and that might have been the difference on the night.”

    When it appeared the Huskies had total control of the game, the Golden Bears got themselves back into the contest, when fourth-year right-winger Jayden Hart scored on the power-play with 40.4 seconds remaining in the second period to cut the U of S edge to 3-2.

    The Huskies argued both the puck was knocked in with a high stick and star netminder Taran Kozun was interfered with to no avail.

    The hosts sealed the win with 4:02 remaining in the third period, when Huskies rookie defenceman Gordie Ballhorn sprung sophomore right-winger Carter Folk on a partial breakaway. Folk wired home a shot glove side to put the Huskies up 4-2.

Huskies G Taran Kozun,left, gets tangled with Golden Bears LW Trevor Cox.

    Kozun turned away 24 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies. Sawchenko stopped 21 shots to take the setback in goal for the Golden Bears.

    Friday’s encounter included a number of scrums and some chippy play, which is expected when the Huskies and Golden Bears face each other.

    Golden Bears top agitator Trevor Cox tried to do his thing, which included standing in front of Kozun and waving his stick in the air in the third period. The two got tangled together later on in the frame.

    Cox’s linemate, Cole Sanford, also tried to stir things up too.

    Adolph said his side always has to be aware that both Cox and Sanford are dynamic players, which adds to the challenge of countering the duo.

Huskies captain Jesse Forsberg, left, fights to get to a loose puck.

    “Not only are they a little pesky, but they are also highly skilled,” said Adolph. “If they can get you chasing them around a little bit, their skill will prevail.

    “I think that we were calm enough tonight to handle it. We have to do it again. It is a best of three.”

    When the teams hit the ice for Game 2 on Saturday, the Huskies will be trying to win the Canada West title for the first time since 2016, when they swept the Golden Bears 2-0 at the ancient Rutherford Rink.

    Johnson said the players on his team are aware of what they can accomplish with one more win.

    “Obviously, the excitement is huge,” Johnson. “We try and stay even keel, but everyone knows what is on the line tomorrow.

The Huskies celebrate their Game 1 victory on Friday.

    “We have to come a do a job.”

    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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Will fate finally fall way of Huskies men’s hockey team?

U of S faces “forever rivals” in Canada West final again

Parker Thomas (#23) jets down the wing for the Huskies.

    Will the 2018-19 campaign finally be the year of the Dog?

    Or more accurately, will the 2018-19 campaign finally be a dream season for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team where they go all the way.

    Formed in 1910, the Huskies are one of the most storied programs in the history of U Sports. Year in and year out, they are one of the powerhouse squads in Canadian university hockey.

    The Huskies, who have won 17 Canada West titles, are backed by a sizable fanbase and a very large and loyal group of alumni. For the alums, being part of the Huskies holds a special meaning they take to their souls from the fact the program has had such a positive impact on their lives.

    For coaches, staffers and supporters, they hold the Huskies dear to their hearts.

Golden Bears F Stephane Legault battles Huskie D Tanner Lishchynsky.

    Despite the special history the Huskies have, fate has only allowed U of S to win the University Cup, what is now known as the David Johnston University Cup, just once as U Sports national champions in 1983. The Huskies have appeared in the David Johnston University Cup national championship tournament 19 times and advanced to the event’s title game on seven occasions.

    Since winning the their only national title in 1983, the Huskies have make the U Sports final four times in 1987, 2005, 2014 and 2017 and come up on the short end of the scoreboard on each of those occasions.

    Part of both excitement and cruelty in university sports is one loss can do you in at a national championship tournament. With U Sports switching to a final-eight format that is played through single elimination for both the men’s and women’s national hockey championship tournaments, Canadian university hockey teams began to experience the pure form of “March Madness.”

Huskies G Taran Kozun was named Canada West’s goaltender of the year.

    Ultimately, one loss at a national championship tournament doesn’t take away from the fact a team that appeared there had a strong season. It is hard to get to nationals.

    When you look at the Huskies “forever rivals,” the University of Alberta Golden Bears, it really feels like the Huskies have be short changed by the hand of fate.

    The Huskies and Golden Bears are the first two university men’s hockey teams to be formed in Western Canada, and they first met head-to-head on February 27, 1911.

    The Golden Bears have won the David Johnston University Cup 16 times. They claimed both the Canada West and U Sports national titles last season. Over the last five seasons, the Golden Bears have won three national titles.

    Over the years, it seems the Golden Bears have always been there to crush the Huskies hopes. Last year, the two sides met in U Sports national semifinal contest that saw the Huskies take a 2-0 lead only for the Golden Bears to rally back for a 3-2 overtime victory as skilled forward and agitator Trevor Cox netted the winner.

Golden Bears F Trevor Cox scored a big playoff goal against the Huskies.

    In 2018-19, the Huskies had a dream regular season posting a 25-3 record to finish first in the Canada West Conference. The Huskies regular season win total and standings points total of 50 were team records.

    Despite the outstanding campaign by the Dogs, the Golden Bears were right at their heels finishing second in Canada West with a 24-3-1 record.

    The two sides split their four regular season encounters and will face each other in the best-of-three Canada West Championship series for a fourth straight year. Game 1 is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

    Game 2 is slated for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Merlis, and if necessary, Game 3 will be held on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Merlis.

    The Huskies and Golden Bears have combined to win the last 22 straight Canada West titles.

Golden Bears F Luke Philp was the Canada West player of the year.

    You can be sure Cox will be reminding the Huskies players of past post-season heartbreaks as part of trash talking sessions on the ice.

    One wonders if the Huskies dreams of winning conference and national titles will again be dashed by the Golden Bears.

    By making it to the conference final, both teams will play in the David Johnston University Cup national championship tournament slated for March 14 to 17 in Lethbridge, Alta.

    The last time the Huskies won the Canada West title might have been their most memorable conference championship to date. On March 5, 2016 at the ancient Rutherford Rink, the Huskies swept the Golden Bears in the Canada West title series 2-0 with a 3-2 victory in Game 2.

    That year, it felt like the Huskies were ordained to win it all.

Logan McVeigh (#14) celebrates a goal in the 2016 Canada West final.

    They were playing to honour the memory of gritty forward and alumnus Cody Smuk, who passed away due to cancer in June of 2015. Smuk, who played for the Huskies from 2010 to 2014, was known for his hard work and being the ultimate glue guy in the dressing room.

    The Huskies brought Smuk’s jersey on to the ice for the post-game celebrations and his family on to the ice for the team picture with the Dr. W.G. Hardy Trophy and the Canada West championship banner. A number of Smuk’s teammates were still with the Huskies at that time.

    Unfortunately, a 2-1 triple overtime loss in a national semifinal contest to the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men dashed the hopes of winning a U Sports national title. The X-Men’s winning goal came on a power play from a borderline weak checking from behind penalty on Huskies winger Levi Cable.

    Those events made the Huskies 2016 foray to the David Johnston University Cup one of the most heartbreaking ever.

Kendall McFaull shows Cody Smuk's jersey to the crowd in 2016.

    This year, the Huskies will again give it their best shot to win the Canada West and U Sports national titles. Huskies head coach Dave Adolph was named the Canada West coach of the year for the fourth time in his 26 seasons with the team.

    Sophomore Huskies netminder Taran Kozun was named the Canada West goaltender of the year for a sensational season.

    The Golden Bears captured four major individual Canada West awards. Third-year forward Luke Philp was named the player of the year for a second straight campaign after leading Canada West in scoring with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points.

Carson Stadnyk was a first team Canada West all-star.

    Third-year rearguard Jason Fram claimed defenceman of the year honours, forward Grayson Pawlenchuk was the rookie of the year and fifth-year forward Riley Kieser captured the student-athlete community service award.

    As far as Canada West all-star selections went, Kozun, forward Carson Stadnyk and defenceman Jesse Forsberg picked up first team selections from the Huskies, while forward Kohl Bauml was a second team all-star. Huskies defenceman Gordie Ballhorn made the all-rookie team.

    The conference all-stars from the Golden Bears included Philp and Fram on the first team and netminder Zach Sawchenko, Kieser and forward Cole Sanford named to the second team. Pawlenchuk was named to the all-rookie team.

    The Huskies have won 12 straight games including action in the regular season and playoffs and are rated third in the U Sports Top 10 rankings.

    The Golden Bears have won 15 straight games including action in the regular season and playoffs and are rated first in the U Sport Top 10 rankings.

The Huskies and Golden Bears will faceoff for the Canada West final.

    These teams have one of the best pure rivalries in sports and the Canada West title series will be hotly contested.

    While both sides are deserving of going all the way, the Huskies wouldn’t mind a little help from the hand of fate for once.

    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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Sanford deserves NHL shot

Lack of size stigma only obstacle in path of Tigers captain

Tigers captain Cole Sanford gets set for a faceoff.

    MEDICINE HAT - Cole Sanford chuckled at the notion that it might take an old Medicine Hat Tigers link to get a break at the professional level.

    The Vernon, B.C., product and current Tigers captain knows the fact that he stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds is the biggest obstacle he faces when it comes to trying to get an NHL entry-level contract offer. Playing in Medicine Hat, the thought does get booted around that maybe Vancouver Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins might take an interest in Sanford and create a chance for the skilled right-winger, who is small in stature.

    Desjardins was with the Tigers as head coach from 2002 to 2010 and also held the general manager’s role for the last five of those campaigns. He had a string of success utilizing smaller, skilled players, so naturally one would think there would be fit for Sanford.

    “Obviously, connections are nice,” said Sanford, who did attend Edmonton Oilers training camp in September. “If that happened, obviously, that would be exciting for me.

    “I am sure whatever came up or if there is any kind of opportunity, I’d be excited. It doesn’t matter where it is.”

    For his part, Sanford has already done more than enough to earn an NHL deal. After potting two goals and nine assists in 53 games as a 17-year-old rookie in 2012-13, Sanford had a break-out year as a sophomore netting 33 goals, 40 assists and a plus-47 rating in the plus-minus department.

    As an established star last season, he became one of the few players in recent WHL campaigns to crack the 50-goal barrier recording 50 goals, 45 assists and a plus-24 rating. Sanford missed some time this season with a shoulder injury, but he has still recorded 17 goals and 15 assists in 30 games on a Tigers team that has seen its lineup shuffle due to a number of key injuries.

    Those challenges have contributed to the fact the Tigers, who have made the playoffs for 13 straight seasons, sit an uncharacteristic 10^th overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 12-20-3-1 mark.

    Sanford is hopeful a professional shot will come.

Tigers captain Cole Sanford gets set to wire a shot on goal.

    “It is my goal,” said Sanford. “Right now I have basically half a year to find something and find an opportunity up there.

    “Obviously, that is everyone’s goal is to move on. We will see what happens.”

    As far as Sanford’s time in Medicine Hat goes, Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston said the veteran forward’s value cannot be overstated.

    “He has had a great career here,” said Clouston, who is second on the Tigers career regular season coaching wins list. “He has been a player that other guys can look up to.

    “He has gotten better, because he has committed to improvement. He has found ways to elevate his game at important times. He has been a great Tiger.”

    Clouston added that the uphill battle for smaller players to make the NHL seems to never go away, but he said Sanford keeps consistently doing his best to turn heads.

    “I think it is always a challenge,” said Clouston. “I think any time that a player is not 6-feet tall there is a bit of a label.

    “They have to fight through that. They have to prove themselves more so than a lot of the other players. He is a guy that continues to prove himself year in and year out.”

    The veteran bench boss added that Sanford’s game is still getting better.

    “He is a guy that has really committed especially late in games to doing the right thing, whether it is protecting the lead, finishing checks and getting clears,” said Clouston, whose team won four of five games heading into the WHL Christmas break. “He has been a real go to guy during this stretch where we have had more success.”

Cole Sanford (#26) celebrates a Tigers goal with his teammates.

    Sanford has put together a standout WHL career playing with a few different linemates as well. When he broke out offensively in 2013-14, Sanford was the triggerman on a high octane unit that contained Curtis Valk at centre and Trevor Cox at left wing. That trio formed one of the most exciting lines the Tigers had ever seen.

    Last season, Steven Owre stepped in at centre between Sanford and Cox after Valk was lost to graduation. Due to injuries and trades this season, Sanford has played with a variety of linemates.

    “It is definitely a lot different than the last two years, but I think it is good for me,” said Sanford. “It is good for me to play with different guys and adjust to that.”

    Sanford said he is a player that has a tendency to shoot more than pass in the offensive zone. With that said, he had a couple of nice assists in his club’s 5-4 overtime home ice loss on Sunday to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The best helper came on the Tigers third goal, when Sanford slipped a feed that had eyes across the face the Lethbridge goal to Mark Rassell, who capitalized on the chance.

Tigers captain Cole Sanford follows through on a shot on goal.

    Since joining the team, Sanford said he has been fortunate to play on lines that contained smart playmakers, who had great vision, which has resulted in him being the finisher around the goal. During his time in Medicine Hat, Sanford has made a number of good memories, which included helping the club advance to the WHL’s Eastern Conference championship series in 2014.

    He also had the chance to play in the Tigers first home rink, The Arena, and the team’s new home, the Canalta Centre, which opened this season. No matter what happens on the professional front, the Tigers will always have a place in Sanford’s heart.

    “I’ve come a long ways with this team starting off as a 17-year-old and not playing too much and kind of earning my ice there as an 18-year-old and then getting the opportunity to play,” said Sanford. “Obviously, last season was a career year for myself. Everyone here has helped me lots.

    “When I was 15 looking at this organization, I was real excited to see all the videos and the rich history here. To be a part of that now with the new rink and obviously the old rink it is pretty cool.”

Canalta Centre looks sweet

A look over Tigers goalie Nick Schneider into the Canalta Centre.

    On first impressions, I think the Medicine Hat Tigers time in the Canalta Centre is going to be alright.

    When the moment came for the storied WHL franchise to play in a new home rink, there was a bit of a fear that something might be lost due to the fact the team was no longer playing in The Arena, which was the only home rink the franchise had known until the current campaign got underway.

    The nostalgia and the lively boards are two things The Arena will always have. The Tigers and their fans shared countless memorable experiences in that old rink including Brennan Bosch’s double overtime goal that won the seventh and deciding game of the 2007 WHL championship series. That building rocked in the post-season as sellout crowds of 4,006 packed the place in its final seating configuration.

    With those memories in mind, it was cool to see the Tigers playing in a modern home facility that seats 6,016 spectators in the Canalta Centre. There are no bad sightlines, and even though the building is bigger, you don’t feel far from the action.

    The view from the “Bob Ridley Broadcast Centre” press box and the box seating have to the envy of the league. You think the view from those areas would be far, but when you are in them you feel on top of the action.

    When the Tigers fell 5-4 in overtime to the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday, you could still sense a good atmosphere as 5,032 spectators filled most of the seats. The rival Hurricanes also brought a healthy contingent of a few hundred supporters, whose cheering helped engage the host side’s fans.

Tigers centre Chad Butcher gets set up in the offensive zone.

    The game was widely entertaining, and you could set the highlight video to the old Tom Cochrane song, “Big League.” Basically, that night was the Western Hockey League at its best.

    There was also a familiarity factor to the place, even though it is new. The majority of the game day staff from The Arena came over to the Canalta Centre, and all the Tigers ardent supporters came too. Anyone that was at the old facility would recognize most of the people at the new facility on a game night.

    There are still obvious signs that the move in isn’t complete. The Tigers are suiting up in what is supposed to be the visitors’ dressing room due to the fact the home one isn’t finished. The Tabbies still don’t have a merchandise store set up and none of the team’s banners are hanging in the rafters.

    All of those items will be looked after over time. There is only so much that can be done, when you undertake a major move, which also included issues with getting a framework down for a lease.

    There is also a bit of a sense that everyone is still getting used to the new building, but you do have a gut feeling the Canalta Centre will be the place to be during a long Tigers playoff run. The Tigers new home is sweet, and it will be interesting to see what a game experience will be like when the club has a full off-season to prepare for the Canalta Centre’s sophomore campaign without worrying about a move.

    Still, the Hat’s new rink even right now is a place you have to see.

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

The Arena will always feel like home, the fans inside will always be family

The Tigers raise a banner to salute the fans at The Arena.

    MEDICINE HAT - Seeing The Arena empty is enough to make you feel happy.
    Walking into the only home rink the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers have known for 45 years makes the mind go on a nostalgia trip for anyone that has spent time in the grand old barn. You look up into the rafters and you see all those championship banners.
    You look down upon the ice and into the stands any they only appear vacant for a short time. Quickly, the memory goes to work and the stands appear full of cheering fans. Willie Desjardins is behind the Medicine Hat bench swaying from side to side guiding the club as head coach.
    The Tigers are on the ice too. Brennan Bosch is once again scoring his double overtime goal to win Game 7 of the 2007 WHL Championship series. Rocky Thompson is out there winning a fight.
    Trevor Linden is no longer a 44-year-old man but a youthful forward aged 17 or 18. He is laying out crowd pleasing hits and wheeling coast to coast to score big goals.
    Kelly Hrudey is there too making big saves in that molded fibreglass mask that has a tiger face painted on it.
    Lanny McDonald and Tom Lysiak are again a magical dynamic duo leading the team to a league championship.

    In a more recent time, Curtis Valk is potting his 100^th career regular season goal, and Trevor Cox is diving into the net to save the souvenir for his linemate and friend.
    No one has passed on. Those images are not ghosts, but they are still there. They still seem real, and those moments somehow and someway are still playing themselves out.
    On Saturday, the Tigers lived out one of the final chapters during their time in the building that sits on Ash Avenue S.E. along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. They were playing their final regular season game against the Saskatoon Blades, who are a charter member of the WHL. The Tigers will play in the new Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre next season.

Trevor Cox follows through with a shot on goal for the Tigers.

    About 66 players were back in person from those old Tigers days, along with various former staffers, rink attendants, supporters and long-time fans on a night that just seemed perfect.
    Looking into the stands and despite the passage of time, there was a feeling things stayed the same. The fans were there cheering their hearts out like they always have. What is even better is the fact that in this rink you know them.
    In one corner is Medicine Hat's "Mr. Baseball" Lovell McDonnell. He has been a season ticket holder for what seems like forever. You can picture him walking over from neighbouring Athletic Park after doing some administration functions to watch the Tigers game with his grown up son Rob, who is a teacher and baseball coach in the Gas City.
    In the other corner of the rink is Sandy Morrice. He has volunteered his time at what seems like every sporting function in the Hat, and he has been a fixture at most Tigers games.
    Sporting goods store owner Hal Benson is there too visiting as usual along the walkway on the north side of the building that runs parallel to the South Saskatchewan River.
    You can go on and on naming and picking individuals in the crowd. They were all there in the past, and they were all there again on Saturday night.

Tigers captain Tyler Lewington celebrates a goal with Marek Langhamer.

    For the former players that returned, that made the gathering that much more special and so unique. At times, it would take 15 to 20 minutes to walk from one end of the building to the other.
    The trip was filled with handshakes, hugs and conversations that recalled the old days. Those interactions seemed endless, and at the same time, you didn't want them to end. You could run into someone you hadn't seen for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years, but it seems like it was yesterday you saw them.
    For the former players, they wanted to see everyone. Those spectators in the stands were your former billets, teachers or buddies you hung out with away from the game. They all helped add to your life, and in reality, they are like a big extended family.
    Some brought old priceless mementoes in person or showed them on social media. One of those was a picture of late Tigers enforcer Derek Boogaard, who was carrying a young boy at a skate with the Tigers event. You almost couldn't believe that such a picture still existed somewhere.
    You could feel the love and the warm feelings in the air.

Brennan Bosch gives a stirring speech at The Arena.

    On the ice, the current Tigers were doing their part to ensure the night's festivities were complete. They rolled out to an early 3-0 lead and held a 6-0 edge after 40 minutes of play. It was a script that played out in some form many times before for a franchise that has won five league titles and two Memorial Cup championships.
    The team's coaches did their part and call off the dogs a bit. Backup goaltender Nick Schneider came in to relieve starter Marek Langhamer for the final 20 minutes. The third and fourth lines played most of the final 10 minutes.
    It felt like the visiting Blades didn't stand a chance in stopping the host Tigers from posting a 6-2 victory.
    When the final buzzer sounded, Bob Ridley stepped out of the broadcast both after calling his 3,617^th game as the Tigers play-by-play voice to be the master of ceremonies for a post-game celebration to commemorate the place. No one from the sellout crowd of 4,006 spectators left the building.
    The old players were brought out one-by-one to grace the ice surface one again to cheers. Bosch gave a stirring speech on behalf of the alumni. 
    Video messages were shown from former Tigers players, who are active in the professional ranks, expressing how much they appreciated their time playing at The Arena for the orange and black. A written message was red from Lysiak mirroring those same sentiments.

The fans at The Arena cheer on the Tigers.

    A video highlight reel was played showing the great moments that have been lived in the rink over the years. A banner thanking the fans was raised to the rafters and a big team picture was taken with all generations of Tigers players past and present on the ice.
    The night was better than anyone could imagine, and it won't be forgotten.
    Anyone that was at The Arena on Saturday night will now see those images when they walk into the hallowed old barn, especially when it is empty.
    Like all the great moments in the history of The Arena, the events from the final regular season game on Saturday night will keep repeating themselves in some way inside that building's walls without end. The memories will live on forever.

    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 from the Tigers final regular season game at The Arena.

Roughed up at Rutherford

Kaitlin Willoughby gets in a scrum with two UBC players.

    It was an odd sight to see Kaitlin Willoughby exchanging punches with opponents, but it was something you could see coming.
    On Saturday night at the Rutherford Rink, the Huskies were trailing the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 5-1 late in the third period of a Canada West women's hockey game. The clash featured constant exchanges of chirps and pushes and shoves between whistles. The 5-1 score would be the final outcome, but before the game concluded, the frustration of last season's Canadian Interuniversity Sport rookie of the year took over.
    As she drove to the Thunderbirds net late in the third, you could see in her eyes she was driving to the goal motivated by rage, which isn't uncommon at that point in a chippy contest. You either suspected Willoughby would score on that rush, drive goaltender Danielle Dube into the net or get involved in an altercation.
    Willoughby's shot was stopped as she went to the net hard, and then she got involved with a UBC forward Rebecca Unrau and defender Madison Patrick. Both sides got off two to three serious punches each in the scrum, before the officials broke things up without handing out penalties.
    With that setback, the Huskies dropped their fourth game in a row. They also dropped a 1-0 decision at the Rutherford Rink on Friday. Having sat first overall in Canada West at the semester break, the Huskies have dropped to fifth in the conference and face the biggest stretch of adversity they have encountered all season.
    In the losses to the Thunderbirds (12-4-4), the Huskies (11-7-2) visibly got dragged down over time by all the extra-curricular activities that occurred between the whistles. Out of all the teams the Huskies faced in the tight Canada West conference this season, the Thunderbirds arguably are the best skating team they have encountered. UBC also has a lot of talented players like Rafter and Unrau.
    The Thunderbirds also came into the games playing with a high tension edge, which is similar to that of the NHL's Boston Bruins or Philadelphia Flyers. That was a characteristic you hadn't seen to that extent in any other team in the Canada West women's league.
    During Saturday's game, a lot of words were exchanged between whistles. As players went off for line changes, they would usually bump into or shoulder each other as a way to pester each other. A few times, the odd slashes would get traded.
    The Thunderbirds also ran over Huskies netminder Cassidy Hendricks a couple of times early in the contest, which resulted in goaltender interference calls. That also added to the frustration for the home side.
    In some form or other, the exchanges between whistles, be it verbal or physical, will always be part of hockey. The Huskies have to do their best to skate away from that type of activity, because it takes the focus of what they should be doing in the game.

Kandace Cook takes a draw for the Huskies.

    By the sounds of things, that type of activity was even more prevalent in Friday's setback than it was in Saturday's loss.
    Besides the on ice distraction factor, the Huskies need to contend with the fact their offence has dried up, as they have scored only four goals in their four-game skid. Defence has also been the name of the game in the Canada West ranks as only five players are averaging a point or more per game.
    In Saturday's contest Unrau and Tatiana Rafter each scored twice for the Thunderbirds, while Nicole Saxvik had a single. Dube made 27 stops to earn the win in goal for UBC.
    Kandace Cook had the lone goal for the Huskies, while Hendricks made 25 saves suffering the loss in goal for the defending conference champs.
    On Friday night, Thunderbirds forward Stephanie Schaupmeyer had the lone goal of the contest, while Samantha Langford made 25 stops to earn the shutout win in the UBC goal. Hendricks made 25 stops in goal for the Huskies.
    Going forward into their final eight games, the Huskies need to focus on having a good outing in their next outing against the University of Manitoba Bisons (14-5-1). Those two teams meet this coming Friday at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink. There is still lots of time for them to get their game back to the level it was in the first semester before playoffs roll around.

Fourth time a charm for Adolph

Head coach Dave Adolph works the Huskies bench. 

    Dave Adolph finally got the record.
    The head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team became the Canadian Interuniversity Sport leader in career conference wins on Friday night, when his Huskies down the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 4-3 in double overtime in Vancouver. Friday's victory gave Adolph his 378^th career conference victory, which passed the old mark of 377 held by legendary University of Alberta Golden Bears head coach Clare Drake. Adolph also holds the record for career games coached in the CIS, which stood at 722 after Friday's action.
    "There's only one Clare Drake," said Adolph to UBC sports information assistant Tim Huebsch. "In my mind, he's responsible for the success of CIS men and women's hockey. I've been fortunate to have coached for a long time, and although records are meant to be broken, Clare Drake remains in a league of his own."
The veteran bench boss had to wait for the record breaker. The Huskies lost their previous three games before pulling out the double overtime victory over the Thunderbirds.
    For a while, it appeared Friday's game would be a fourth straight setback. The Thunderbirds led 3-0 on goals from Nick Buonassisi, Luke Lockhart and David Robinson. Robinson's tally came at the 6:51 mark of the third, and it appeared the game was over.
    The Huskies, who have had trouble scoring goals in bunches this season, stormed back to force a 3-3 tie to send the contest to overtime. Craig McCallum scored for the Huskies on a power play, and Jesse Ross added another goal for the visitors just 33 seconds later to cut the lead to 3-2. Defenceman Connor Cox picked up the equalizer with 5:27 to play in the frame.
    After playing a scoreless four-on-four first overtime period, McCallum scored in the three-on-three second overtime frame to give the Huskies a 4-3 win.
    Ryan Holfeld made 30 saves to earn the win in goal. Eric Williams turned away 22 shots in net for the Thunderbirds.
    The Huskies weren't able to duplicate the comeback heroics one night later falling 5-0 to the host Thunderbirds. Buonassisi, Greg Fraser, Brad Hoban, Joe Antilla and Anthony Bandaro netted singles for the Thunderbirds (11-9-4). Matt Hewitt made 22 saves for the shutout win in the UBC goal.
    Jordon Cooke made 32 saves suffering the loss in goal for the Huskies (10-13-1).
    The Huskies return to action this coming Friday and Saturday, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the University of Manitoba Bisons (12-12). U of S needs to earn four more points in the standings to lock up a playoff berth.

Mistaken identity

Tigers forward Trevor Cox celebrates a goal. 

    So it appears Connor Cox was in two places at the same time on Friday night.
    Out in Vancouver, Cox had the equalizer for the U of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team to tie the UBC Thunderbirds 3-3 in the third period. The Huskies would win that contest 4-3 in double overtime.
    Back in Saskatoon, a Blades online game story from their 5-4 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers in a WHL clash at the Sasktel Centre gave the Tigers fourth goal to Connor Cox.
    The line in the game story said, "Connor Cox would add to his league-leading points total, scoring just seconds after a Tiger power play ended."
    The story meant to say Trevor Cox, who leads the WHL in scoring, picked up the Tigers fourth goal.

The real Connor Cox manning the Huskies blue-line

    To be fair, I understand how easily the mistake could happen. During his career in the WHL, Connor Cox played 121 regular season games with the Blades from 2010 to 2012. Over that time, Connor became extremely popular in the Blades' dressing room, with the team's staff and the local media that covered the hockey club. He also became a fan favourite as he developed his strong reputation as being a team-first guy.
    You can be sure the staffers with the Blades have a bunch of good memories of Connor, and his name was likely ingrained in the head of the person writing the game story for the web.
    I know for myself I have made my share of errors during my years writing stories. You don't want them to happen, but they do.
    As for the one from the online story, it allows those that know and are friends with Connor to engage in some humour with him.

Blades looking good

The Saskatoon Blades celebrate Friday's win.

    Speaking of the Saskatoon Blades, they played their first home games since the WHL trade deadline and Jan. 10, and the team's young roster impressed.
    Stuck near the bottom of the league standings, the Blades made a bunch of moves leading up to the deadline to build a more youthful roster. Currently the Blades only have two overage players and four players in their 19-year-old seasons.
    On Friday night, they pulled off a major 5-4 upset of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who are once again a powerhouse club in the league. The contest was a back-and-fourth affair, where the Blades ultimately overcame a 4-3 deficit to pull out a one-goal victory.
    Rookie defenceman Nolan Reid scored the winner near the midway point of the third.
    Best part about that win for Saskatoon was the fact the Blades played aggressive the whole game and weren't afraid to make plays offensively. They also received some much needed breaks getting a pair of goals to go in off the skates of Tigers defencemen and capitalized on a giveaway on a short-handed situation.
    On Saturday night, the Blades slipped past the Kootenay Ice 3-2 at the Sasktel Centre. Wyatt Sloboshan played the role of hero scoring the winner for Saskatoon with 10.8 second to play in the third to break a 2-2 tie.
    With three wins in a row, the Blades improve to 12-29-2-1. While the win column has been dry for long stretches of the season, the work ethic has been there for the Blades. The wins should supply some confidence and help the team to continue to set building blocks for the future.

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