When Shultz stirred the pot between Raiders and Blades

The Prince Albert Raiders logo in 2004.

    Tanner Shultz loved returning to his hometown of Prince Albert as the villain when he played for the Saskatoon Blades.

    Shultz, who used to be the pest/agitator for the Blades from 2002 to 2004, came to mind when Gregg Drinnan, who is “the man” when it comes to covering the WHL, and Blades beloved play-by-play voice Les Lazaruk recently made an appearance on the WHL Unfiltered podcast. Both Drinnan and Lazaruk told some colourful stories from their time covering the circuit, and Shultz sprung to my mind with a memory in regards to the rivalry between the Blades and the Prince Albert Raiders.

    When Shultz was a member of the Blades, he returned to Prince Albert during the summer months to work and play on the city’s top midget fastpitch team. One night after one of his fastpitch games in the summer of 2003, we socialized and talked hockey. At the time, I was working as a sports reporter for the Prince Albert Daily Herald.

    Shultz, who stood 6-foot-1 and weighed 185 pounds, said that I should call him and interview him at some point during the upcoming season before the Blades were to clash with the Raiders. He said he would love the chance to trash talk the Raiders and stir the pot.

The Saskatoon Blades logo in 2004.

    In January of 2004, I decided to pursue that idea. The two teams were to meet in a home-and-home series opening with a clash on Friday, Jan. 30 in Prince Albert and concluding Saturday, Jan. 31 in Saskatoon.

    The Raiders were having a good season sporting a 29-16-4-3 record at that time. The Blades were last in the entire WHL at 6-34-11.

    Shultz had built more than a nice reputation for being loose lipped. I found out afterwards that before being fired earlier in season Blades head coach Kevin Dickie told the pest centre to be silent. That order never seemed to be followed.

    Mike Jenkins, who is now the development and marketing officer for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, was the Blades director of marketing back then, and he was one of those who was always open to doing something colourful to sell tickets. During Jenkins time with the Blades, the team held tailgate type parties before some games at a time when that wasn’t a regular occurrence in the WHL.

    When the Raiders came to Saskatoon one night, he had a “Pound P.A.” promo going, where fans could pay two-dollars to get a sledgehammer swing at a car done up in Raiders markings. The money raised went to the Blades education fund.

    Before the January 2004 home-and-home series, I called Jenkins up looking to talk to Shultz. Jenkins proceeded to give me Shultz’s billet home phone number. While Jenkins might deny it, I am pretty certain he knew the direction the interview would go on the colourful front, and it would create interest in the games.

    On a side note, Jenkins would likely get in big trouble if he did something like this on the Huskies front in the current day.

    Anyways, I get Shultz on the phone at his billet home, and he did his part. He said he really loved to get under the skin of the Raiders and he felt he could easily annoy Raiders left-winger Dane Byers and defenceman Chris Schlenker, who now works in the NHL as a referee.

    “I will try and get everyone (off of their game), but there is a couple of guys I really don’t like,” said Shultz, who was 19-years-old that season. “I will probably get in a couple of fights this weekend to make the games a bit more interesting.

    “Maybe Schlenker and Byers,” Shultz added with a chuckle. “I really don’t like that Byers. Maybe he will be ready to go this weekend.

    “I am always up for it. Sometimes, he bails out a bit. Maybe he will step up this weekend.”

    When he played at the Raiders home rink that was known as the Comuniplex at that time, Shultz went on to say he was at his happiest when the Prince Albert players, coaches, management, fans and maybe even the concession workers are upset with him. Before playing for the Blades, Shultz gained practice returning home to Prince Albert as the enemy playing midget AAA for the Saskatoon Contacts, who are still huge rivals with the Prince Albert Mintos.

    “Coming home, it is a lot more fun,” said Shultz. “You try to get the crowd on you and stuff, and it is pretty fun.

    “They are kind of harsh toward me, but that is the way I like it. I am not going to really complain about it.”

    After finishing the story, I decided the Raiders shouldn’t be tipped off as to what was said. I figured it would be best to run the story on the Friday the day of the first game and see what happens.

    Greg Nicholson, who covered sports for an extended time in Prince Albert and was a Daily Herald desker, edited and laid out my story that night. He knew Shultz’s family well.

    When he check out my story, Nicholson said, “I wonder what his (Shultz’s) mother is going to say?”

    At that time, the Prince Albert Daily Herald hit the streets at 11 a.m., and on one of the coldest days and nights of the year, that story was the talk of the town. From what I heard, one of the alums brought a copy of the story into the Raiders coaches office for then head coach Peter Anholt and assistant coach Dave Manson, who is currently an associate coach with the club, to see. That happened shortly after the time the paper hit the streets.

    On the weather front, the night was so cold that people likely shouldn’t have been venturing out of their home, but 2,341 fans turned out to the Comuniplex, which could seat 2,857 spectators in the old Smarty Box seats that were in the building back then.

    Just 47 seconds into the contest and right after the puck was dropped for the game’s second faceoff, Shultz and Schlenker were on the ice, dropped their gloves and took off their helmets to duke it out. That would be classified as a staged fight and is no longer legal in the WHL. The two combatants threw bombs at each other for a good 45 seconds until the officials broke up the bout in what was one of the better fights of the season.

    The Raiders won the game 4-0 to lock up a playoff berth with Prince Albert netminder Rejean Beauchemin making 25 saves to collect the shutout. The contest had six fights in total including a second confrontation between Shultz and Schlenker and 138 minutes in penalties. Chris Savage was the referee for that contest, and years later, he would be one of the big influences that got Schlenker into officiating.

    Anholt cut to chase right away in the post-game interview.

    “Our guys read the paper and I think they understand some things were said,” said Anholt. “I thought Schlenker really stepped up tonight and showed a lot of leadership.

    “I thought our team played real well tonight. I don’t think (the fights are) that big a deal.

    “We feel we have enough toughness on our team that we can handle anything that comes our way. I don’t think we should blow things out of proportion.”

    Schlenker was ready for battle after reading my story.

    “It is just incentive to fire another guy up,” said Schlenker. “Since the pre-game meal, that was all that I was thinking about. I cut the article out in my stall.

    “I don’t really see any need for someone to do that. It worked against him (Shultz). We pretty much took it to them out there tonight.”

    Shultz was pretty proud he stirred up the pot.

    “I know sometimes we come here, and it just feels like we are playing a team in the B.C. Division,” said Shultz. “It shouldn’t feel like that.

    “I am real proud of the young guys at the end. I think we had three 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old drop the gloves. It is about time.”

    One of the undercard bouts saw rookie forward Devin Setoguchi of the Blades and rookie defenceman Jeff May of the Raiders go at it. Setoguchi, who had recently turned 17 at the time, was more known as a goal scorer and wasn’t really a fighter during his WHL career that spanned four seasons closing with one campaign with the Prince George Cougars in 2006-07.

    He has played 516 NHL regular season games with the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings.

    May, who was 16-years-old at the time, was known more as a rearguard that could supply some offence during his five WHL seasons, which concluded in 2008 with a short stint with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He went on to play in the minors and a couple of short stints in France. May has been out of professional hockey for a year.

    Courtney Gillies, who is the niece of former NHL standout Clark Gillies, shot pictures of the game that night. My standout co-worker and partner in crime on the sports beat in Prince Albert took some unreal photos of that first fight between Shultz and Schlenker. The deskers that night elected not to use them saying they were against promoting fighting in hockey, which was an odd sentiment in Prince Albert considering the Raiders rough and tumble traditional reputation.

    With the turnover in staff and the cuts in budget, I am pretty sure the photos from that night have likely disappeared into the abyss, which from a historical perspective is too bad. Media outlets all across Canada have dumped numerous pictures and rolls of video into the trash over the years due budget cuts that have caused a reduction in storage space.

    Shultz ultimately finished that season appearing in 69 regular season games with the Blades collecting six goals, four assists and 331 minutes in penalties. That was his last full season in the WHL as he concluded his major junior career with a one-game stint with the Kamloops Blazers in 2004-05.

    He eventually ended up in the U Sports ranks playing three seasons for the University of Regina Cougars men’s hockey team from 2007 to 2010. Shultz last played professional hockey with the Pensacola Ice Flyers in the Southern Professional Hockey League collecting 17 goals, 23 assists and 121 penalty minutes in 52 regular season games in 2010-11.

    The Raiders downed the Blades 5-2 before 4,512 spectators in what was then known as the Credit Union Centre to complete the home-and-home series the next night in Saskatoon. There were four fights and 72 minutes in penalties in that contest. Shultz and Byers had a bout in that game.

    Nights like that home-and-home series used to be a more common occurrence in the WHL. The league is more businesslike now as compared to then, which is due to how the game evolved over the years.

    With that said, it is still great to remember stories like this, which get lost over the years. For the younger generation, it gives a little glimpse of why the hockey rivalry between Saskatoon and Prince Albert at all levels can still get intense.

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

New Hilltops starting QB a student of the game

Walls groomed and ready to lead defending CJFL champs

Jordan Walls will lead the Hilltops as starting QB in 2017.

    Jordan Walls is pumped he will finally get the chance to apply what he has learned.

    For the last three seasons, Walls was the understudy to Saskatoon Hilltops starting quarterback Jared Andreychuk and watched Andreychuk build a legacy in the Canadian Junior Football League. Andreychuk led the Hilltops to three straight CJFL championships over the past three campaigns and posted a perfect 9-0 record in the post-season as a starting quarterback.

    Coming out of Saskatoon’s Tommy Douglas Collegiate, Walls was aware players don’t normally step in and become the starting quarterback with the Hilltops. He knew he could eventually be the starter one day, if he could learn and show what he learned in the chances he received in practices and games.

Jordan Walls drops back to pass.

    Walls admitted he had a pretty good role model to watch playing behind Andreychuk and was keenly watching the veteran signal caller in all situations.

    “He (Andreychuk) was always calm,” said Walls. “He never got too excited. He never got too down.

    “He handled himself in pressure moments very well. He just knew how to handle it and how to make the big time throws.

    “I think when you watch from the sideline you learn to see the game from a different view. You get to learn behind Jared (Andreychuk), which was good for me and good for my development. To have the reins now, I am excited to go.”

    At the Hilltops Alumni Game last season, Walls started that contest and gave a glimpse of what he could do. He threw the ball well all over the field and using his eyes to move defensive backs to get receivers open.

    It took a great play by defensive back Joel Lipinski, who is a former member of the University of Regina Rams and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, to get an interception off Walls. After Walls was pulled, the Alumni team stormed to a 41-10 victory.

    During the regular season in 2016, Walls completed 24 of 31 attempts for 245 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions stepping on the field during mop up duty.

    At the Hilltops Alumni Game on Thursday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Walls showed solid command of the offence playing the first half, which the Alumni team won 16-14. The 21-year-old signal caller throws the ball with some good authority despite being smaller in stature standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 155 points.

Jordan Walls throws downfield on the run.

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said his team is pumped to have Walls leading the offence and his teammates rally around him.

    “We are excited,” said Sargeant. “Jordan is the guy. He has done everything that we’ve asked him to do.

    “He can make all the throws and all the reads, so now it is just game experience. He just got to keep playing. We have got to get him good situations and good calls.

    “He has to trust the calls. He has to trust himself, and he has to make the plays.”

    Sargeant said there are still some fine tuning things the coaching staff needs to help Walls out with. The veteran sideline boss is confident good things will result as constant improvement is made.

    “He (Walls) has a real strong arm and is accurate,” said Sargeant. “Our job is just to give him a better understanding of what he needs to do and how he needs to do it.
    “When that takes place, you’re going to see this offence blossom, and we anticipate making a lot of plays this year.”

    Walls, by his own admission, said he is working on his vision on the field.

Jordan Walls fires a pass downfield from the pocket.

    “It is getting there,” said Walls. “Obviously, we have a lot of talented players on this offence, and they get open and they find the holes.

    “You get a guy like (running back) Logan Fischer or (receiver) Sam Mike, they make your job pretty easy.”

    Before joining the Hilltops for his fourth season, Walls saw the game of football in a different light, when he became the offensive coordinator of the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League this past spring. He was also the club’s quarterbacks coach. Walls was entrusted with helping groom the Valkyries talented and personable sophomore quarterback Alex Eyolfson.

    With the Valkyries having an elite program guided by head coach Pat Barry and defensive coordinator Jeff Yausie, who is the Hilltops defensive coordinator, Walls found a lot of what he learned in his coaching role could be transferred over to the field guiding the Hilltops as quarterback.

Jordan Walls calls signals at the goal-line.

    “You see it from a different point,” said Walls. “You get to coach with great coaches.

    “Jeff Yausie and Pat Barry, those guys have been around for ages coaching, so to sit down in the meeting rooms with them and kind of hear what they have to say really helped with understanding situations and what defences are trying to do here and there. That helped a lot.”

    Walls is looking forward to getting the regular season going. The Hilltops open the regular campaign traveling to Regina on Saturday, Aug. 12 for a 7 p.m. clash with their provincial rivals the Thunder. That contest will mark the first time both squads play at new Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

    The Hilltops are also on a quest to become the first team to win four straight championships in the history of the CJFL dating back to 1908. Saskatoon won three straight CJFL titles on two other occasions from 2002 to 2004 and 2010 to 2012, which means this will mark the third time the Hilltops will try to win four league championships in a row.

Jordan Walls (#19) is protected by running back Adam Machart (#20).

    As the season progresses, Walls said the key for his team will be to focus on the present as opposed to worrying about keeping the Canadian Bowl - the CJFL championship trophy - in Saskatoon.

    “It is daunting I guess when you start to look at the big picture of it,” said Walls. “Obviously, no one has ever done it, and we’ve had a few chances in the past to do it as the Hilltops.

    “I think you have to take it game by game and week by week and slowly work your way towards it. They are not going to be handing out the Canadian Bowl next week, so we know that and we have to stay patient.”

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

Adversity will make Slobodzian stronger

Expect Stars grad to “bring it” at Hockey Canada camp

Willow Slobodzian controls the puck at the point for the Stars.

    Over the past 12 months, it seemed like adversity piled up on Willow Slobodzian, but you can expect it to help her in hockey.

    Growing up in Clavet and playing her minor hockey in the Saskatoon area, Slobodzian made the game look easy. The offensive-defender skates beautifully and effortlessly, has vision on the ice to see a game no one else sees and can fire home the puck with a gift of a deadly accurate shot.

    There might not be a sweeter sight than Slobodzian going coast-to-coast and wiring home a goal past a startled netminder.

    As she progressed to play with the Saskatoon Stars of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League, tales started to rise up from the local rinks about how good Slobodzian was growing up, and you don’t know if they are true or not. There were a number of stories of her going to all-boys hockey camps growing up and coming away with the camps award as the best defender.

Willow Slobodzian looks to make a pass in the offensive zone.

    Slobodzian, who turned 17 in January, never confirmed those stories when asked about them. She would smile, laugh and shy away from the queries.

    Off the ice, Slobodzian was the most perfect well-manner teenager you could ever meet. During interviews and interactions with others, she carried herself in a fashion similar to the way Wayne Gretzky did in his iconic NHL playing days.

    Slobodzian spoke with politeness, insight and class. She always had great things to say about her teammates, coaches and opponents.

    It seemed like she would have a charmed life in hockey.

    Last summer, new doors started opening in the sport for her. In July of 2016, she attended a women’s high-performance camp hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation in Finland.

    In August of 2016, she took part in Hockey Canada’s under-18 women’s team selection camp. From that camp, Slobodzian was selected to play for Canada in a three-game series against the United States later on that month, but she was left off the roster for the under-18 worlds held in January in the Czech Republic.

Willow Slobodzian gets set to make a pass to her defensive partner.

    That marked the first time Slobodzian, who stands 5-foot-7, had been cut from any hockey team she tried out for. After the initial shock, she didn’t let that get her down.

    She returned to play her third and final season for the Stars and was named the team’s captain for her final campaign. Saskatoon romped through the regular season with a 25-2-1 record and advanced to the SFMAAAHL title series for a third straight year. The Stars won the Fedoruk Cup in 2015 and 2016 and earned a berth in the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament in both those years.

    This time, the Stars season ended in March after they were swept 3-0 in a best-of-five series by a stellar Prince Albert Northern Bears side.

    Shortly after that series ended, Slobodzian’s life was turned upside down, when she discovered she would have to find a new post-secondary hockey home.

Willow Slobodzian sneaks in from the point.

    She had committed to joining the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks women’s hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, but the team was folded in a shocking announcement on March 29.

    Global’s sports department in Saskatoon localized the story, and Slobodzian spoke to them about the situation shortly after it happened. Often in today’s media landscape in Canada, it is starting to be more common place that teenagers in sports are almost viewed as little kids, and they don’t get asked about tough subjects very often.

    The way Slobodzian handled her interview after the Fighting Hawks folded at age 17 showed more maturity than most adults have especially when you consider that tough situation was totally out of her control.

    Slobodzian caught on with the NCAA’s Cornell University Big Red women’s hockey team a short time after the Fighting Hawks women’s team folded and will join the Big Red in Ithaca, New York, for the upcoming season.

    Having graduated from Clavet High School in June, Slobodzian is heading back for a second shot to make Canada’s under-18 women’s team. She will take part in Hockey Canada’s National Teams’ Summer Showcase that runs from Aug. 5 to 13 in Calgary.

    Slobodzian is one of 42 players that are part of the under-18 camp. The invitees include now former Stars teammates and forwards Mackenna Parker and Grace Shirley along with SFMAAAHL defenders Hannah Koroll from the Bears and Taylor Kirwan from the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats.

Willow Slobodzian helped the Stars win two SFMAAAHL titles.

    The players will be dived into two teams that will play two intrasquad games against each other. Each will team will also play two games against an under-18 team from Russia. Besides game action, the players at camp will participate in several practices, off-ice dryland training, fitness testing and classroom sessions.

    From the selection camp, 23 players will be selected to play for Canada’s under-18 team in a three-game series against the United States that runs from Aug. 17 to 20 in Lake Placid, New York. Following the series, Hockey Canada scouts along with the team’s coaching staff will continue to evaluate players to choose Canada’s roster for the 2018 under-18 women’s world championships, which will be held Jan. 6-13 in Dmitrov, Russia.

    Going into this year’s under-18 Hockey Canada camp, Slobodzian will be motivated. In sports, athletes often have to rise past disappointments, and Slobodzian has another golden chance to show she can persevere.

Willow Slobodzian gets set to drive a shot on goal.

    During her three seasons with the Stars, she never missed an SFMAAAHL regular season or post season game. Between the SFMAAAHL regular season and playoffs, Slobodzian appeared in 113 career games collecting 25 goals and 59 assists.

    In the 2015-16 campaign, Slobodzian was named the SFMAAAHL’s top defender and a first team all-star. She was an SFMAAAHL first team all-star this past season.

    She is also physically tough, which might be one of her most underrate traits. One time while playing on Saskatchewan’s provincial team, she was hammered hard into the boards by a member from the University of Regina Cougars women’s hockey team during an exhibition game.

    Slobodzian injured her shoulder, but she played through the injury and was still effective. Besides already being a great player, that moment made her a warrior.

    Slobodzian has always achieved great things, and you can expect she will continue to achieve great things. Her dream and goal is to play for Canada women’s team at the Olympics, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see those hopes become a reality one day.

Shirley, Willoughby and Magwood off to Summer Showcase

Sophie Shirley (#8) helped the Stars win an SFMAAAHL title in 2015.

    Sophie Shirley, Kaitlin Willoughby and Jaycee Magwood will all be participating in Hockey Canada’s National Teams’ Summer Showcase.

    Shirley, who has been part of Canada’s under-18 women’s team for the past two seasons, will be one of 25 players skating as part of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp. They will be competing for spots on the Canadian team that will compete at the 2018 Nations Cup in Fussen, Germany in January.

    Besides her time with Canada’s under-18 women’s team, Shirley, who is an 18-year-old forward, officially dressed for her first two games with Canada’s Senior National Women’s team in December of 2016 as part of a two-game series in Sarnia, Ont., and Plymouth, Mich., against the United States.

Kaitlin Willoughby gets set to drive a shot on goal.

    The Saskatoon product also played 36 games last season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy’s female prep team based out of Penticton, B.C., collecting 32 goals and 28 assists.

    Shirley helped the Saskatoon Stars win their first SFMAAAHL title in the 2014-15 campaign and earn a bronze medal at the Esso Cup national female midget AAA championship tournament. She was named the SFMAAAHL’s most valuable player that season.

    The players at the development team selection camp will participate in several practices, intrasquad games, off-ice dryland training, fitness testing and classroom sessions.

    They will also play two games against a national team from Japan and two games against a team of all-star players from the U Sports women’s league.

Jaycee Magwood sets to unload a turnaround shot.

    The roster of the U Sports team was announced on Tuesday and it includes Willoughby and Magwood, who both helped Canada win a silver medal at the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan in February.

    Willoughby is a star centre with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team. She led the Huskies in scoring last season despite missing time due to her Team Canada commitments recording 11 goals, 10 assists and a plus-nine rating in the plus-minus department in 24 regular season games.

    Her goal total and plus-minus rating were both career highs, and in four seasons, the Prince Albert product has piled up 41 goals and 51 assists in 106 regular season games.

    Magwood is a star forward with the University of Regina Cougars women’s team. She led the Cougars in scoring recording 12 goals, 12 assists and a plus-eight rating. In two seasons, the Killarney, Man., product has posted 23 goals and 27 assists in 52 regular season games.

    The U Sports all-star team consists of 21 players, and they will also the national team from Japan twice.

Amundson commits to Mount Royal

Camryn Amundson drives into the offensive zone for the Bears.

    Speedy Prince Albert Northern Bears forward Camryn Amundson has found a post-secondary home following the completion of her midget AAA career.

    On Monday, the Bears set out a tweet that said Amundson had committed to joining the Mount Royal University Cougars women’s hockey team in U Sports. Last season, Amundson piled up 13 goals and 14 assists in 27 regular season games with the Bears.

    She played a key role in helping the Bears win their second league title recording five goals and three assists as Prince Albert rolled through the SFMAAAHL playoffs to capture the Fedoruk Cup with nine straight wins. The Bears swept a best-of-three Western regional playdown series 2-0 against the Hartney, Man., based Westman Wildcats to advance to the Esso Cup national female midget AAA championship tournament for the first time.

    Amundson will play her 17-year-old and final season of midget AAA eligibility with the Bears in the fall.

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

Still totally in awe of the house “Rider Pride” built

An inside look at new Mosaic Stadium.

    REGINA - Every time I sit inside new Mosaic Stadium part of me still doesn’t believe what I am seeing.

    I keep having to convince myself that this place is actually real. I attended the first football game ever held at the state of the art sports facility in Regina, when the University of Regina Rams downed the U of Saskatchewan Huskies 37-29 on Oct. 1, 2016 in U Sports action.

    So far, I have made it to two of the Saskatchewan Roughriders home games during the CFL club’s inaugural season in the new park. Even during my third overall visit there on Saturday when the Roughriders downed the visiting Toronto Argonauts 38-27, I kept constantly looking around. I still haven’t gotten over being in awe of the “new” aspect of the place.

The Roughriders Pep Band plays outside new Mosaic Stadium.

    It has been cool to see the Roughriders play in a modern home.

    It is even better to see the charm of game day has transferred over from old Taylor Field to the new park. I will likely have a better appreciation of that fact after I more digest the “newness” aspect of the facility.

    When they built new Mosaic Stadium, they definitely got it right. It is a place the province of Saskatchewan can be proud of. All the amenities are way better than the old park, and I know that is quite the “Captain Obvious” statement.

    At halftime, it no longer takes up the whole break to use the washroom. You are in and out within five minutes even with a lengthy line. Actually, the washrooms of the facility are so immaculate you question if you should be using them.

The Roughriders Drum Line plays at the tailgate party.

    It is easy to get in and out of concessions. It is nice be able to buy beer on tap.

    It has been great to be able to circle the stadium on the concourse. At Taylor Field, it was impossible to see friends on the other side of the park once you entered the place for the game.

    The best surprise has actually been the familiarity around Roughriders games.

    One of the best parts of game day is arriving two hours beforehand to take in the other festivities. It seemed so reassuring when I ran into the Roughriders Pep Band during my first home game at the new park – a 37-20 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on July 8.

    They were belting out a whole pile of traditional team songs, and it seemed to set a good vibes tone for the rest of the night.

Gainer the Gopher entertains the fans.

    Seeing the drum line parade all over the place is another great site.

    The tailgate party, which used to be on the practice field beside the old stadium, was moved to a newly built park on the west side of the new stadium. It has become a great meeting place. It is filled with games for the kids and concessions and beer stands that are easy to get to.

    The new tailgate area is well shaded by numerous trees and has a relaxed feel to it. The park is also has a spot to bring special things in like a small Canadian Football Hall of Fame exhibit that was present on Saturday.

    Slowly, I am starting to get an idea where the veteran diehard fans are in the park. For the most part, they are seem to be sitting in areas geographically that are close to where they sat in at the old park. If you attend Roughriders games on a regular basis, you develop an attachment to the community that comes to games consistently.

    One minor difference seems to be the fact the south end zone known as “Pil Country” has replaced Section 28 of the old park in being the spot that holds the most rowdy and colourful fans. Section 28 existed on the east side of Taylor Field.

    The only thing that is missing at the new park is the history and the shared memories from the old park. Those can never be replaced.

    With that in mind, new Mosaic moments are starting to be made at the new park.

The Roughriders paid tribute to the late Joe McKnight on Saturday.

    Before Saturday’s game, the Roughriders held a moving tribute for running back Joe McKnight, who was tragically killed in a road rage incident on Dec. 1, 2016 in Terrytown, Louisiana. The tribute included a video honouring McKnight, who joined the club last season. A large contingent of his family was brought in for the contest.

    The team presented the McKnight family with one of the late tailback’s #33 jerseys, which was signed by the members of the Saskatchewan team.

    During the win over the Argos, a great romance moment between team and fan was created by Roughriders receiver Duron Carter. After he made his spectacular one-handed touchdown catch shortly before halftime, he proceeded to give the ball off to 12-year-old lifelong supporter Paige Hansen.

Duron Carter (#89) makes an acrobatic TD catch just before halftime.

    Paige and her mom, Michelle, have been going to games for years, and they know a few of the players. I knew where they were sitting in the north end zone, and when Carter sprinted to that part of the park, I figured he was running to give the ball to them.

    I saw the family after the game, and they said Carter told them before the contest he was going to give them the ball if he scored in the north end zone. I didn’t hang out long enough post-game to see Carter come out, autograph the ball and visit with the family.

    Carter hauled in nine passes for 131 yards and scored two touchdowns that night, but the fact he gave the first TD catch ball to Paige Hansen ensured that game and performance will always be remembered.

    It was great to see media outlets both mainstream and non-mainstream pick up on that story. From there, I learned young Paige survived cancer at age four and has been an ambassador for both the Children’s Wish Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society thanks to Drew Edwards of 3DownNation.

“Pil Country” is becoming home to the more rowdy fans.

    I never knew the Hansens’ background story. I always just saw them as great fans, and similar with most fans at the park, conversations focused on the Roughriders and subjects that are light in nature. Their story in connection with Saturday’s game made that night at new Mosaic Stadium that much more special.

    One day, the overall “newness” of the Roughriders new home will pass. The best part is you know in your heart more great memories are waiting to be made.

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

Wilson’s passion for teaching goaltenders still shines

Veteran coach seen role evolve over 17 years

Eli Wilson, centre, has made his mark in hockey coaching goalies.

    Eli Wilson remembers the days when being a goalie coach in hockey was a rarity, and he was part of that rarity.

    When Wilson specifically began teaching puck stoppers 17 years ago, the notion of having one coach in hockey working just with netminders was still a relatively new one. Now, the 40-year-old, who has worked with 30 goalies who went on the play in the NHL including Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, is surrounded by lots of company.

    “There are more goalie coaches than coaches,” said Wilson. “It is just non-stop.

    “I think when I joined the (WHL’s Medicine Hat) Tigers in 04, there were at the time some teams who didn’t have goalie coaches then. Some of the teams that did, it would be a guy that was maybe around once in a while type of thing. With (then Tigers head coach and general manager) Willie (Desjardins) there, he wanted me there once a week.

A young netminder mades a glove stop at Eli Wilson’s goalie camp.

    “I would come down on the weekends, watch the games and then spend Monday and Tuesday there. I was around a lot with those teams.”

    Wilson was involved with the Tigers through four seasons from 2004 to 2007, and he played an integral role in developing the team’s goalies. Thanks to Wilson’s work, the Tigers won WHL championships in 2004 and 2007 and earned berths in the Memorial Cup tournament in both of those years. Star netminders Kevin Nastiuk and Matt Keetley were the WHL playoff MVPs in those runs in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

    Besides working for the Tigers, Wilson also spent time working with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants and the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and the Anaheim Ducks’s AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch. With the Senators, Wilson played a big role in helping Ray Emery backstop that franchise to a Stanley Cup finals berth in 2007. He recently signed on to work with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, who happen to be Price’s former major junior team.

A young netminder works on positioning at Eli Wilson’s goalie camp.

    During his career, Wilson has criss-crossed Canada and ventured into the United States running goalie schools. He established his Eli Wilson Goaltending company in 2010 and has operated that school year round outside of stints where he has worked with WHL and professional teams.

    Now that there are numerous goalie coaches out there, Wilson said teaching netminders has evolved.

    “You go to a Western League level game or you go to a junior A game, everyone can move,” said Wilson, who wrapped up a week long goalie camp at the Jemini Arena in Saskatoon on Friday. “Everyone looks like they are a goalie, but some guys don’t have a feel or a read for the game and that is the tactical part of it that really makes a difference.

    “Ten years ago, some guys were further advanced technically, and it made all the difference in the world. Now, that is not good enough.”

A young netminder makes a blocker stop at Eli Wilson’s goalie camp.

    Wilson said mental toughness is the other factor that separates good goalies from great ones. He brings former WHL netminder Pete Fry, who played for the Portland Winterhawks, Spokane Chiefs and Victoria Cougars in the 1980s, to work with goalies on the mental aspect of the game.

    To show how much of a difference mental toughness can play in sports, Wilson has recently been telling his netminders to look at the NFL’s New England Patriots in the last Super Bowl. Despite the fact the Patriots fell behind 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons, Wilson said you could tell by body language that Patriots all-world quarterback Tom Brady and mastermind head coach Bill Belichick never lost confidence.

    The Patriots rallied to beat the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.

Eli Wilson, second from right, address a group of goalies at his camp.

    “You saw what Tom Brady did this year,” said Wilson. “That was all mental, all of it. That is what you need.

    “Pete (Fry) talks about a lot of that stuff. That is the biggest thing. It blankets the entire position.”

    Wilson works with goalies at various ages and various levels of hockey. When it comes to teaching goalies, Wilson uses the same approach with relative newcomers to the position all the way to NHL veterans.

    “I’ll have an eight-year-old kid and I wouldn’t do anything differently or get him to try and play any differently than I would the best goalie in the world,” said Wilson. “I would take the same approach, the same structure, the same game plan, the same movement patterns, the same save techniques, the same tactical (and) the same technical.

A young netminder makes a stick stop at Eli Wilson’s goalie camp.

    “It doesn’t matter really what age, what size (or) size in comparison to the level of play.”

    Wilson works on four principles with netminders. They include the knowledge of positioning, technique and the ability to get into position on time, save technique and rebound control and post-save response.

    On the overall technical side, Wilson said there was one key.

    “It is about making the save the easiest part of your game,” said Wilson. “You make it as simple as possible to eliminate margin for error to give you your greatest chance of success.”

    He is frequently assisted at his camps by his veteran students.

    During the camp in Saskatoon, Wilson was helped out by Emery, Rylan Toth, who just wrapped up his WHL career after playing with the Red Deer Rebels and Seattle Thunderbirds, and Rylan Pareateau, who just wrapped up his WHL career with the Prince Albert Raiders and Americans.

    At the NHL Entry Draft in June in Chicago, Ill., Wilson was present to see two of his students hear their names called by NHL teams. 

Eli Wilson barks instructions at his goalie camp.

    Stuart Skinner, who plays for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, was selected in the third round and 78^th overall by the Edmonton Oilers. Dylan Ferguson, who plays for the Kamloops Blazers, was selected in the seventh round and 194^th overall by the Dallas Stars before his NHL rights were subsequently traded to the Las Vegas Gold Knights.

    “You get so many guys that are just so thankful for the time that they’ve spent with you,” said Wilson. “It is a constant reward.

    “When you work with a lot of goaltenders, you get to see a lot of success.”

    Besides the technical, tactical and mental parts of the game, Wilson also stresses a couple of intangibles to his goalies. One is to enjoy the time you have with your teammates and coaches.

Former NHL netminder Ray Emery, right, gives instructions.

    “Enjoy the people that you get a chance to work with and meet,” said Wilson. “I think that is a huge part of the game.

    “My biggest thing is coming to the rink every single day and I get to do exactly what I want, and I just feed off that every day all day. I’ve been able to do that for 17 years.

    “It is constantly rewarding to go on an ice time and watch a group of goalies be way better in an hour and a half than they were in an hour and a half earlier. That is a huge part.”

    The other intangible Wilson stresses is to enjoy the journey of reaching a set end goal. Even when teams aren’t as successful as they want to be in the wins department, Wilson said you have to find the positives, and you can still grow and have a good experience.

Eli Wilson, centre, said it is key to enjoy the people you meet in hockey.

    Wilson said the joy of accomplishing a goal is fleeting, but the memories a goalie builds on the journey to accomplishing a goal is the thing that last.

    “You win the Olympics, you just won and then it is over,” said Wilson. “It is the whole process beforehand that is the point that should be enjoyed.

    “Reminiscing about winning something, it fades and goes away. Enjoying the process as you get there and you do the whole thing, then you’ve won weather you win or lose at the end anyways, because you’ve followed the process and you’ve enjoyed the process.

    “Just because you are not winning every night and there are tough parts about it, you have to find positives. You have to enjoy it and enjoy the people.”

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

Lapcevich lives up to hype at Saskatoon’s NASCAR Pinty’s stop

Cayden Lapcevich and his crew celebrate a first place finish.

    Cayden Lapcevich is leaving the sophomore jinx in the dust.
    Last year, the Grimsby, Ont., product burst on to the scene becoming the first driver to win the NASCAR Pinty’s Series championship and the NASCAR Pinty’s Series rookie-of-the-year award in the same season. He accomplished both those feats at age 16.

    This year as a 17-year-old sophomore, Lapcevich has a win and two finishes in the top five after the first five races of the Pinty’s Series season. He sat fifth in the driver’s standings, but he considered the start a slow one due to the fact he has visions of repeating as the circuit’s champion.

Cayden Lapcevich (#76) holds of the Pinty’s Series field.

    On Wednesday, Lapcevich made big gains as the series stopped at Saskatoon’s Wyant Group Raceway for unique pair of 100-lap feature races called the Bayer Velocity Prairie Thunder Twin 100.
    He came away with a third place finish in the first race and captured top spot in the second race at the three-eighths mile oval track.

    Thanks to getting his second win of the season, Lapcevich was pleased with how his day progressed.

    “I thought it went pretty good,” said Lapcevich. “We were good in practice. We qualified OK.

    “We’ll build on it. I think there are still improvements to be made. It was definitely tough staying mentally prepared for today.

    “I’m excited to see what the rest of the ovals bring. I think we’re back in the championship chase.”

Cayden Lapcevich won last year’s NASCAR Pinty’s Series title.

    If it wasn’t for a short moment of bad luck, Lapcevich could have left Saskatoon with two feature race wins. On lap 40 of the first race, Lapcevich was involved with a bump and a spin with another car that drew a caution. He pushed back in the field because of that mishap.

    From there, Lapcevich worked his Dodge racer back into third spot behind race winner Alex Labbe and runner-up DJ Kennington. Kennington led a number of laps in that first run before being overtaken by Labbe.

    Lapcevich said all he could do was shrug off his bad luck.

    “It is part of racing,” said Lapcevich. “You build on it and learn from it.

Alex Labbe (#32) captured Wednesday’s first Pinty’s Series race.

    “After we had a tough first race, it was definitely good to rebound and win the second one and be able to climb in the championship.”

    In the second feature race, Lapcevich calmly maneuvered his way through the field like a seasoned veteran. After the first 39 laps, he sat outside of the top four. At the 59^th lap, Lapcevich worked his way into third place.

    By the 75^th lap, Lapcevich worked his way into second spot and vaulted into the lead by the 78^th lap. He held top spot for the duration of the race. Kennington finished second and Labbe came in third.

DJ Kennington placed second in both Pinty’s races in Saskatoon.

    On the twin feature race day, Lapcevich said the biggest challenge was to maintain focus, but the day wasn’t that much out of the ordinary when compared to a day with just one longer feature race. In previous years, the NASCAR Pinty’s Series stop in Saskatoon consisted of one feature race 250-laps in length. Lapcevich won the 250-lap feature race last year in Saskatoon.

    “It is not too much different,” said Lapcevich. “It was just tough to stay mentally prepared.

    “We pushed through and worked hard at it. I’m glad to come out with a win.”

Trent Seidel holds off the local super late model field.

    The two Pinty’s Series races were divided by a 100-lap feature race from the Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association’s super late model class. The local class put on a great show before large turnout of spectators that packed the track’s stands.

    Andrew Hardy led the early portion of the race in his Dodge Challenger before being overtaken by veteran standout Trent Seidel driving his Chevrolet SS with about 65 laps to go. Seidel held on to top spot from there.

    While Seidel was pacing himself to victory, the battle that was occurring behind him for positioning turned out to be interesting. Matthew Shirley, Kevin Dyck, Jim Gaunt and Kelly Admiraal all jockeyed to get into the top three. When the dust settled, Admiraal slipped into second while Shirley came in third.

Trent Seidel (#70) and Matthew Shirley (#12) battle in a corner.

    Wednesday’s action closed the annual two-day Pinty’s Series stop, which featured racing in the SSCRA’s local classes on Tuesday.

    The SSCRA season resumes at 7 p.m. on Aug. 11 at the Wyant Group Raceway.

    As for Lapcevich, he turns his attention to the next stop in the Pinty’s Series, when the circuit hits the Edmonton International Raceway in Wetaskiwin, Alta., on Saturday.

    The young driver did take some time to reflect on everything that has happened to him this season and last season. In May, he was named to the NASCAR Next program, which gives additional help to young standouts over a 12-month period so they may one day race at NASCAR’s higher levels.

Cayden Lapcevich aims to rocket up the NASCAR ranks.

    The Pinty’s Series is a minor-league circuit that prepares drivers to compete one day on NASCAR’s top level – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    With being part of the NASCAR Next program, Lapcevich receives media training and sponsorship support to help him develop professional skills to assist him in growing his marketability. At times, the last 19 months have been a whirlwind for Lapcevich.

    “It has progressed so much quicker than I thought it would have been,” said Lapcevich. “It has been a lot of fun, and I am excited to see what my future holds.”

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

Anderson posts biggest stock car victory of his career

Veteran racer claims Pro Truck Tint Centre 75 and $1,000 prize

Aaron Anderson takes a victory lap at the Wyant Group Raceway.

    Aaron Anderson never had a better day at the Wyant Group Raceway.

    The veteran driver went into the opening day of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series stop in Saskatoon on Tuesday having won his last four pro truck feature races. With the local classes of the Saskatoon Stock Car Racing Association taking centre stage on the first day of the annual two-day event, Anderson was aiming to claim the Pro Truck Tint Centre 75 feature race and a $1,000 first place prize.

    The Martensville product jumped into second place during the early portion of the race. After a restart following a caution flag with 21 laps to go, Anderson bolted past leader Alex Leschenko for top spot and held on for victory. The two-day NASCAR Pinty’s Series stop is the local track’s premier show.

Aaron Anderson won a heat race and Tuesday’s pro truck feature run.

    “This is the Super Bowl for us,” said Anderson. “This is the biggest race of the year for us.

    “I’ve been racing 20 years, and this is the biggest win of my career. I’ve never won a race as big and important as this one. I’ve never won $1,000 in one shot.

    “This is my biggest win I have ever had, so I am over the moon.”

    Driving a Toyota Tundra, Anderson trailed Leschenko, who was driving a Ford F-150, by a half straightaway length in the early portion of the race but slowly gained ground on the Saskatoon product. When a caution came out with 21 laps remaining, Anderson was in striking distance of the lead.

    About a couple of laps after the restart, Anderson got ahead of Leschenko and never looked back to win a fifth straight pro truck feature race. Leschenko finished second and Shantel Kalika of Prince Albert came in third.

Aaron Anderson (#19) holds the edge on two pursuers.

    Anderson said his pit crew headed by crew chief Cory Ernst and head mechanic Kelly Voss played a key part setting up the truck for Tuesday’s feature run.

    “We had a big long discussion me and the guys, and it was decided that we were going to tighten it up a little bit more than we would normally have it tight,” said Anderson, who also won a heat race on Tuesday. “We gave it a little bit more wedge than we normally would.

    “As the fuel load burns off, it loosens it up a touch, and it makes it better for the long run. With 21 laps to go on that restart, I managed to have enough tire leftover.”

Aaron Anderson speeds to the checkered flag.

    Upon arriving back in the pits, Anderson was greeted by a huge contingent of family.

    “It makes me feel good I get all this support here,” said Anderson. “My dad, my mom, my uncle, my three daughters, my step son and my step daughter and everybody else, it is just phenomenal to have everybody out here supporting me.

    “I just want to give them a big shout out and a big thanks and tell them I love them all.”

    The Pro Truck Tint Centre 75 wasn’t the lone big local race on Tuesday. Neil Schneider took top spot in the 75-lap sportsman class feature in his 2016 Chevrolet Camero.

    Starting from the third position on the grid, he passed Nicole Sheetka for the lead about 15 laps into the race and remained in front the rest of the way. Matt Neufeld finished second, and Damen Meier came in third. Sheetka ended up finishing sixth.

Neil Schneider (#93) pulls away from the sportsman field.

    Schneider had a small moment of worry after a caution flag with four laps to go wiped out a comfortable lead he had on the field. After getting a quick jump on the restart, he held on for victory. Schneider was pleased a handful of cautions weren’t able to slow his momentum down in his feature race win.

    “We were able to get good restarts,” said Schneider. “The car was really good mid corner, so we were able to turn it.

    “We were able to get a good lead and then coast a bit and save the equipment.”

Schneider was pumped to get his feature victory.

    “Every chance you win you cherish every one, because you never know if it might be your last one,” said Schneider. “(To win) in front of the NASCAR crowd, it is a little extra more special.”

Neil Schneider does a victory lap after winning the sportsman class feature.

    The local super late model class also held a couple of heat races on Tuesday. Matthew Shirley won the first heat race, while Kevin Dyck took the second heat race.

    The NASCAR Pinty’s Series stop concludes with a race program set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Wyant Group Raceway. Wednesday’s races include a 100-lap feature for the local super late model class and two NASCAR Pinty’s Series feature races each lasting 100-laps in duration.

    The Pinty’s Series is a minor-league circuit that prepares drivers to compete one day on NASCAR’s top level – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

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