Bears’ rookie Archer slams door on Sharks in OT win

Bears G Brooke Archer turns away Sharks F Lacey Schneider.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Brooke Archer wasn’t going to let an opportunity for redemption pass her by.

Last Sunday at the SaskTel Centre, 15-year-old rookie goalie for the Prince Albert Northern Bears made her first Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League regular season start. The Mossbank, Sask., product made 27 saves coming up on the wrong end of a 7-2 loss to the host Saskatoon Stars.

The Bears played their next game after that setback on Saturday inside the friendly confines of the Art Hauser Centre, and Archer found herself getting the start again in goal. She made 21 stops helping the Bears post a 2-1 overtime victory over the visiting Battlefords Sharks.

Brooke Archer directs a shot into the corner.

The two sides go at it again on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Battleford Arena in Battleford.

Archer was pleased Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby didn’t allow her to dwell too long on the lopsided loss to the Stars.

“I was actually really surprised, but I was happy,” said Archer. “I felt that hopefully I could redeem myself this game and come back out better.”

Actually, it might be accurate to say Archer played so well she stole Saturday’s game for the Bears. She turned away speedy Sharks 17-year-old forward Jordyn Blais on three different breakaway opportunities.

Brooke Archer made 21 saves on Saturday.

Blais had two breakaway chances while the Sharks were short-handed.

During the game’s first 40-minutes, the Sharks had a slim 20-19 edge in shots on goal, but the visitors also had numerous grade A scoring chances.

Archer made a larger number of tough saves to allow the Bears to exit the first 40 minutes locked in a 1-1 tie.

“I was a little scared going into this one after what happened in the last one,” said Archer. “Once I got in the home ice, I felt my confidence went up a lot more.”

When it came to facing Blais on those three breakaway, Archer had a strategy.

“I knew she was going to shoot each time just because we had a D-man pressuring her,” said Archer. “I was just ready for the shot.”

Brooke Archer gathers up a loose puck.

After the two sides played a tight checking scoreless third period, it didn’t take the Bears long to get the win in a four-on-four overtime session. Just 35 seconds into the extra frame, Bears winger Haley Kicia sprung captain Paris Oleksyn on a breakaway to the Sharks goal with a smart pass.

Oleksyn wired the winner to the top right corner of the Battlefords net over the shoulder of Sharks 16-year-old veteran goalie Yelena Zaleschuk. The veteran 17-year-old Prince Albert centre was pumped to net the overtime winner.

Yelena Zaleschuk made 24 saves for the Sharks.

“It was a heck of a feeling,” said Oleksyn. “There was a lot nerves at the beginning.

“It was the first overtime of the year, which was kind of scary. Me and Haley (Kicia), we’re super excited. We just need to focus on getting the puck deep, and then it is four-on-four.

“It shouldn’t be that hard to create some two-on-ones which we did. We retrieved the puck, and it was just the best feeling.”

Oleksyn said the Bears had to get the win too after Archer made all her key saves to keep the host side in the contest.

“She (Archer) was having an amazing game,” said Oleksyn. “It was hard for us that we couldn’t help her out, because she kept stopping like breakaway shots and everything.

Ava Cole scored to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead.

“There wasn’t a lot we could do to help her out until the end.”

After a scoreless opening frame, the Sharks got on the board first at the 3:38 mark of the second. Working on the power play, Sharks defender Ava Cole snuck down from the point and collected the loose puck at the left side of the Bears net.

Cole popped home an extra-strength marker from close in to the top corner of the Prince Albert goal to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.

The Bears responded 41 seconds later when centre Sophia Zuck roofed home a shot on an offensive zone rush to even the score at 1-1.

From that point, Archer ensured the door to the Prince Albert net stayed shut helping her team improve to 2-1.

Sophia Zuck scored the equalizer for the Bears.

Zaleschuk had a solid outing as well turning away 24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Sharks, who were making their regular season debut in the 2020-21 campaign.

Willoughby said the Bears coaching staff believed they needed to let Archer start another game as quickly as possible to help her get past the loss she took in her regular season debut.

“We just felt that she needed to play,” said Willoughby. “Instead of sitting and thinking about the last game one more day, let’s just get her back in the action.

“There is no better way than to just get right back into it. I thought playing at the Art Hauser she would feel more comfortable. Obviously, it showed today.

Paris Oleksyn had the OT winner for the Bears.

“I thought she had great composure on some of the saves she had to make like three breakaways and some in tight rebounds. She had really good composure. We were glad with the decision that was made, and it paid off I think for all of us.”

Willoughby said he was happy for Archer, and believes his netminder got exactly what she needed. The veteran bench boss added the Bears skaters need to play better in front of their goaltenders but having Archer gain a boost of confidence was a big plus.

“Games can be swung either way just by how your goaltender is playing,” said Willoughby. “If we can continue to get that performance from Brooke and both our goalies, it just helps us out throughout the way here.”

The Bears celebrate their OT victory on Saturday.

On top of gaining a confidence boost, Archer will never forget getting her first win for the Bears.

“It was so exciting,” said Archer. “I just had so energy going over there, and it was just an awesome feeling.

“I hope we get lots more from there.”

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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Missing CFL a back and forth thing for me

The 2020 Grey Cup Festival T-shirt and baseball cap.

A pre-pandemic birthday gift is my reminder that this should have been Grey Cup week.

On my birthday back on March 4, I was given a T-shirt and a baseball cap to mark that the Grey Cup festival was going to be in Saskatchewan this year. Originally, this week was supposed to be Grey Cup week in Regina, and the championship game for the CFL was supposed to be played this coming Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gripped the world pretty tightly causing most of the sports world to shut down in North America on March 11 and 12.

After trying to figure out a scenario to take the field, the CFL officially cancelled its 2020 campaign on August 17.

Actually back on May 20, the CFL decided to move the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting rights for the Grey Cup from this year to 2022. Originally on that day, the CFL said the Grey Cup host for 2020 would be the team that had the best record going into the game.

The CFL then experimented with the notion of having Winnipeg host the circuit in a hub city format before ultimately cancelling the campaign.

Evan Johnson, left, in action for the Ottawa Redblacks in 2019.

Across Canada, diehard fans lamented the loss of the CFL season. In Saskatchewan, the pain hit a lot of fans as the Roughriders have a well documented passionate following.

It is likely true that there have been some people in Saskatchewan who have thought about the Roughriders for at least half the time they have been alive through the COVID-19 pandemic.

For myself, I have wavered back and forth over whether I miss the CFL or not. I know when and if I ever get back to Mosaic Stadium for a Roughriders home game the reality of missing the CFL will hit me in a bigger way.

In that situation, I suspect I will see a lot of friends that I haven’t seen in a while that I usually see at Roughriders games. Seeing familiar faces will reinforce I am missing something.

As strange as it sounds, I don’t really miss the CFL on most days. After being involved with the sports industry as a sports reporter for 24 years in some shape or form, I realize that sports are a business.

I also realized that no matter how much I love a team or a league that something can happen that will take that team or league out of my life. That team or league will leave my life due to business.

Brendon LaBatte (#57) in action for the Roughriders in 2017.

I’ve conditioned myself to know that happens, and when it does, I just move on with my life. I always cherish the memories I made, and I’ve made lots of outstanding memories in sports over the last 24 years.

When the time comes that life creates a situation I am no longer a good fit with a team or a league, I realize what happened and just move on. I don’t take things personally.

I chalk things that I can’t control up to being the way they go sometimes. It is on to the next thing.

I actually don’t dwell on what life will be like if the CFL does or does not continue to exist.

That does change on days I see people who are hooked in with the league. If I am at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex and I visit with a number of the CFL athletes that train there, then I really miss the CFL.

That is a point in time I wish the players could be playing and the fans could be in the stands.

Jordan Reaves in action for the Roughriders in 2018.

Some of the CFL athletes that train at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex include Jorgen Hus, Patrick Neufeld and Evan Johnson along with CFL Draft selections Mattland Riley and Colton Klassen.

If I talk to Roughriders left guard Brendon LaBatte on the phone, I miss the CFL.

If I interact with Roughriders players Jordan Reaves or Chad Geter online, I miss the CFL.

If I see social media posts of Rider Nation home game regulars like Michelle and Paige Hansen, Lisa Lukye or Connie Dobson, I miss the CFL.

I do hope the CFL survives the COVID-19 pandemic, and we can all go to CFL games again one day.

If it does or doesn’t come back, life goes on for me and I will focus on adjusting the best I can versus the things I can’t control.

Hockey Harvest Lottery up over $146,000

Jackpot update:

💲1️⃣4️⃣6️⃣,1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣

— Hockey Harvest Lottery (@HockeyHarvest) November 20, 2020

Tickets have been on sale since this past Monday, but the 50/50 jackpot for the Hockey Harvest Lottery has already ballooned to $146,120 by Friday.

The lottery will be used to raise money for the player scholarship funds of the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades and the Swift Current Broncos. The five Saskatchewan based WHL teams are running the lottery in partnership with the Great West Brewing Company.

The Great West Brewing Company assured that the 50/50 jackpot began at $75,000 before any tickets were purchased.

The progressive 50/50 will run through to December 20. December 21 will be the lottery’s grand prize draw date, and the draw will be conducted in Saskatoon.

Anyone over the age of 19 that is physically in the province of Saskatchewan at the time of purchase regardless of their home residence can purchase a ticket.

The grand prize winning ticket will receive a cash prize of 50 per cent of the final jackpot. The remaining funds will be split evenly between the five Saskatchewan WHL teams and be placed into their respective player scholarship funds.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHL teams haven’t been able to raise money for their player scholarship funds like they have anywhere near in the past. The WHL is targeting to start its regular season on January 8, 2021.

Tickets purchased prior to 11:59 CST on November 27 will also be entered into a draw to win a Saskatchewan WHL team jersey prize package featuring a jersey from all five Saskatchewan WHL teams. The early bird draw will be made on November 28 in Saskatoon.

Ticket prices are one for $20, five for $50, 20 for $100, 150 for $500 or 500 for $1,000. They can be purchased through the websites of any of the Saskatchewan based teams or by clicking right here.

WHL launches T’s For Toys Campaign, other notes

The WHL is proud to launch #WHLTsForToys in support of children across all 22 WHL markets this holiday season!

DETAILS 🎅 | https://t.co/sNRrvzwzQe pic.twitter.com/HlmAjxQCeT

— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 17, 2020

On Tuesday, the WHL launched a cute Christmas fundraiser involving the mascots of the circuit’s 22 teams.

The mascots are taking part in the WHL’s T’s For Toys Campaign. Fans will be able to purchase limited-edition WHL club T-shirts feature that features a team mascot.

That means, there are 22 different T-shirts WHL supporters will be able to collect.

T-shirts can be purchased online for $20 in Canadian funds and are available in adult and youth sizes. For each T-shirt that is sold, $7 in Canadian funds will go directly to a local charity in the home community of the mascot depicted on the T-shirt purchased.

The proceeds will be used by these charities to purchase toys for local children in need.

For the five Saskatchewan based teams, the Moose Jaw Warriors funds will go to the Salvation Army in Moose Jaw, the Prince Albert Raiders funds will go to the Prince Albert Optimist Club, the Regina Pats funds will go to the Eagle Heart Centre, the Saskatoon Blades funds will go to EGADZ and the Swift Current Broncos funds will go to the Southwest Newcomer Welcome Centre.

The mascot T-shirts can be purchased by clicking right here.

• The University of Regina Rams football team is running a traditional 50/50 lottery online. The funds will be used to run the Rams program. Tickets can only be sold to those in Regina and surrounding communities of a 30-kilometre radius. The draw date is this coming Monday. Anyone in those areas that want to purchase tickets can do so by clicking right here.
• On Monday, track and field star Savannah Sutherland from Borden, Sask., committed to joining the University of Michigan Wolverines women’s track and field team in the NCAA Division I ranks for the 2021-22 campaign. Sutherland specializes in hurdles events.
• On Wednesday, The junior A Manitoba Junior Hockey League and Hockey Manitoba levied a $5,000 fine against 50 Below Sports and Entertainment, who own the Winnipeg Blues and Winnipeg Freeze on that junior A circuit. The fine was given due to the fact the Blues and Freeze held a practice in Warren, Man., on Nov. 9 going against COVID-19 restrictions at the time that prevented Winnipeg based hockey teams from taking part in any sort of hockey activities. The Blue and Freeze also forfeited their respective first round selections in the 2021 MJHL Draft. Each team will be required to complete a community initiative as approved by the MJHL and Hockey Manitoba. The money from the fine will go towards buying COVID-19 personal protective equipment for frontline workers across Manitoba. Manitoba is now currently in a lockdown that prevents any sports from being played.
• On Friday, the Saskatoon Secondary Schools Athletic Directorate announced it will not be offering the winter sports of basketball, curling, dance and cheer and wrestling in the 2020-21 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SSSAD said in a release the decision was made after Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools jointly made a decision to extend the pause on extracurricular activities in schools. The SSSAD hasn’t run any sports so far in the 2020-21 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On Friday, Patrick Maze, who is the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president, asked for hockey and other recreational activities to cease operations to help keep COVID-19 cases out of schools across the province. Keenan Sorokan of 650 CKOM put together a story on Maze’s request, and it can be found right here.
• Gregg Drinnan put together another round up in his Taking Note blog on how the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the sports world on Thursday. That piece can be found right here.

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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Covering first hockey game in over eight months felt good

The Stars and Bears tangle at the SaskTel Centre on Sunday.

I admit I set my expectations very low for the 2020-21 hockey campaign due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For the longest time, I didn’t think I would cover a single game live during the current season. That changed on Sunday when I was able to make it to the SaskTel Centre to cover the Saskatoon Stars 7-2 SFU18AAAHL regular season home opening victory over their traditional rivals the Prince Albert Northern Bears.

I expected COVID-19 restrictions to be at the point that games during the 2020-21 hockey season would be played without fans and media would have to cover and even do play-by-play broadcasts of contests over a computer monitor as the game ran over a streaming service.

Jocelyn Fiala controls the puck for the Stars.

Of course with the COVID-19 restrictions in place in Saskatchewan at the moment, crowds for sporting events have to be capped at 150 persons. Still, games are being played, and some people are able to go to them.

Sunday marked the first hockey game I’ve covered live since March 12, when the Saskatoon Contacts fell 5-3 to the Moose Jaw Warriors in Game 3 of a best-of-five SMAAAHL semifinal series at Merlis Belsher Place. The Warriors swept that series 3-0.

Just about a couple of hours before that game was played, it was announced the rest of the minor hockey season for 2019-20 governed under the Hockey Canada umbrella would be cancelled the next day due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brooklin Fry controls the puck at the point for the Bears.

Back on March 15, I took one last walk through Merlis Belsher Place as it was hosting a University of Saskatchewan Campus Recreation hockey tournament. Merlis Belsher Place was slated to close the next day, and that tour felt like a naval captain making a final walk around his ship before entering a battle where you expected the ship to get sunk.

Of course, Merlis Belsher Place in now a COVID-19 field hospital in waiting, and no one knows when it will be used as a sports facility again.

When I went to cover the clash between the Stars and Bears on Sunday, I planned on making the exercise as straightforward as possible and allow me to get my feet wet with working a game again. I went to the rink with a camera to shoot pictures of the game and a notepad to track developments in the contest.

Makena Kushniruk (#20) and Sydney Mercier (#20) jet up ice.

Since it was the first game I would cover in a little over eight months, I planned on writing a column on the contest and decided to not do any interviews at this point in time.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I would usually be bringing a laptop too, and I would have a work station set up in the press box.

On this trip to the SaskTel Centre, I sat in an assigned seat in the stands, which was set up fairly well for shooting pictures of the game. I was in the top row of the lower bowl.

Normally on trips to the SaskTel Centre, I would work games from the press box in the catwalk and cycle down to ice level to take pictures from the two shooting ports. Actually, I have usually shot pictures from all sorts of different points from the SaskTel Centre.

Paris Oleksyn works in the offensive zone for the Bears.

In these COVID-19 times, that would mean staff would have to sanitize everywhere I went. As a result, I was fine with picture taking being limited to one spot.

Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a few staffers at the SaskTel Centre, and I know they have to deal with a tonne of things they don’t normally deal with due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, the obvious reminder that it was a different time on Sunday was the fact that everyone in the building wore facemasks as one of the COVID-19 public health protocols.

When the contest itself started and got going, my mind got back into the regular routine of covering a hockey game. I felt locked in to the ebbs and flows of the clash.

Kalli Hiebert starts a rush up ice for the Stars.

I covered a number of encounters between the Stars and Bears since moving to Saskatoon in the summer of 2014, so good memories of the past also went through my head as the game went on.

I thought Stars captain Makena Kushniruk and 17-year-old veteran forward Sydney Mercier had great games.

A lot of the players on the Stars had really good games, and I believed that 15-year-old rookie defender Jocelyn Fiala was really solid on the back end.

As strange as this sound, the Bears played a lot better than the 7-2 final score in the Stars favour would indicate. I thought their veterans like captain Paris Oleksyn and 16-year-old defender Paige Dawson were solid.

Paige Dawson controls the puck at the point for the Bears.

Brooklin Fry, who is a rookie 15-year-old defender, showed real well. Outside of hockey, Fry is the defending Saskatchewan junior women’s and amateur women’s golf champion.

Bears 15-year-old rookie goalie Brooke Archer was making her first career regular season start, and I think jitters and nerves might have affected her game. As she goes forward in her career, I think she will be a lot better and Sunday’s game will be something Archer can laugh about at some point in time.

While it was good to be at a live hockey game again, it was also fun to mingle with some of the people in the stands. Everyone was spaced out with the assigned seating and there was no hanging around on the concourse.

Stars F Kieanna Higgs, left, tries to get by Bears F Jasmine Kohl.

Mingling was restricted to who you could talk to from your seat. 

For me, that included talking to Steve Kook, who is the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team, and Dave Westbury, who is the equipment manager of the Huskies women’s hockey team.

I got to visit with Julie Fiala and Evan Fiala as well. Julie, is Jocelyn’s mom and Evan is Jocelyn’s older brother. 

The Stars enjoyed the bulk of the goal celebrations on Sunday.

Evan used to be the captain of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and now plays defence for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team.

My social bubble was pretty much limited to that foursome, but it was great to see them. I hadn’t seen any of them since March 12.

Since my last tour of Merlis Belsher Place, I had only been inside a hockey rink twice before going to the SaskTel Centre for Sunday’s game.

I had actually only seen a handful of people live in person from the hockey community before making Sunday’s game between the Stars and Bears.

In these COVID-19 times, there are no guarantees that upcoming games on any hockey schedule will be played. That thought crossed my mind on Sunday.

All set from my SaskTel Centre perch for Sunday’s game. 

Still, it was great to enjoy being at the rink and figures are crossed that won’t be the only venture to the rink this hockey season.

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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Stars flashback to the past, roll over Northern Bears 7-2

The Stars celebrate Makena Kushniruk’s first period goal.

Someone should have checked the lineup card, because you would have thought Mackenna Parker, Grace Shirley, Anna Leschyshyn, Joelle Fiala, Kaitlin Jockims, Ashley Messier and Chace Sperling were dressed for the Saskatoon Stars on Sunday afternoon.

The Stars scored early - with captain Mackena Kushniruk tallying just 14 seconds into the first period - and often rolling over their traditional rivals the Prince Albert Northern Bears 7-2 at the SaskTel Centre.

The result was a stark contrast to the previous day, when the two sides met in Prince Albert at the Art Hauser Centre. In that encounter, the host Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead ultimately posting a 3-1 victory holding a 35-26 edge in shots on goal.

Sydney Mercier had two goals and two assists for the Stars.

In that contest that was the regular season opener for both sides, Kiara Stewart, captain Paris Oleksyn and Haley Kicia staked the Bears out to their 3-0 lead. Left-winger Sydney Mercier replied for the Stars on the power play with 76 seconds remaining in the third.

Janae Neufeld made 25 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Bears. Kaitlyn Cadrain turned away 32 shots to take the setback in goal for the Stars.

In the return match on Sunday at the SaskTel Centre, the Stars hit the ice with some serious jump in their stride.

Makena Kushniruk had a goal and two assists for the Stars.

Their top line of Kushniruk, Mercier and Emma Gaudet combined for four goals and five assists. The hosts led 2-0 after the first, 4-1 after the second before rounding out the 7-2 final.

It seemed like the spirit of the Stars old long time home in the Agriplace Arena made the walking distance trip over to the neighbouring SaskTel Centre.

In those old days at Agriplace Arena, the Stars now graduated greats used to fill opposing net on a nightly basis causing the flashing green lights on the rink’s stanchions to stay seeming permanently on as “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis echoed through the building’s rafters.

That generation of the Stars won league titles 2015, 2016 and 2018 at the Agriplace Arena before moving to Merlis Belsher Place and capturing another league championship in 2019.

The Stars celebrate Kaylee Baun’s first period goal.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Stars aren’t able to use Merlis Belsher Place as a home arena this season as it has been converted into a field hospital in waiting. As a result, they have been forced to move out to the SaskTel Centre along with the Saskatoon Contacts of the SMAAAHL and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams from U Sports.

With most of the players from their SFU18AAAHL championship teams having moved on due to graduation, the Stars went through a reloading campaign last season posting a sound 12-14-4 record.

Kushniruk is the only holdover from the last Stars team that called Agriplace home. She was a sophomore on the Stars last team to win the Fedoruk Cup as league champions in 2019, while the other holdovers in Cadrain, Haylee Kos, Alison Olorenshaw, Bridget Rezansoff, Halle Helperl and Kaylee Baun were all rookies.

Kaitlyn Cadrain made 29 saves for the Stars on Sunday.

The Fedoruk Cup wasn’t award last season due to the under-18 female AAA playoffs being cancelled nationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just to be clear, the current Stars do not have the special talent level their league championship teams had that resulted in dominant lopsided wins game in and game out. The current Stars have talent, but they have to rely on their work ethic being strong to win on a nightly basis making them create their own current identity along the way.

Still, it had to feel good that for one night they could emulate their special squads from the past against an opponent who has been their biggest rival.

After Kushniruk put the Stars up 1-0, they went up 2-0, when Baum potted home a loose puck beside the Prince Albert net for a power-play goal.

Emma Gaudet nets her first career Stars regular season goal.

In between those tallies, Cadrain turned away Oleksyn, who tried to score on a backhanded attempt on a penalty shot.

While the Stars held a 2-0 edge after 20 minutes, the Bears didn’t go away. Kicia blasted home a goal at the 10:52 mark of the second to cut the Stars lead to 2-1.

Before the second frame ended, the Stars responded with two goals 61 seconds apart to surge ahead 4-1.

Working on the power play, Kushniruk found Mercier with a pass open at the ride side of the Bears net, and Mercier popped home her first tally of the contest to give the Stars a 3-1 edge.

The Saskatoon lead expanded to 4-1 when 15-year-old rookie center Keyra Buziak found a loose puck at the left side of Bears net and fired the puck into an open cage to record her first career SFU18AAAHL goal.

Keyra Buziak scored her first career Stars regular season goal.

At the 8:20 mark of the third, Sophia Zuck scored for the Bears to cut the Stars lead to 4-2.

Saskatoon proceeded to close out the contest with a three goal surge with tallies coming off the sticks of Helperl, Gaudet and Mercier, who collected her second marker on the afternoon. Gaudet’s tally was her first career SFU18AAAHL career goal skating in her second season with the Stars.

Cadrain made 29 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Stars. Brooke Archer, who is a 15-year-old rookie making her first career SFU18AAAHL regular season start, turned away 27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Bears.

Assuming all goes in a positive direction on the COVID-19 pandemic front, the Bears will return to action this coming Saturday when they host the Battlefords Sharks at 4:30 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. The Stars are off until Saturday, Nov. 28 when they are slated to host the Sharks at 2 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

The Stars begin to celebrate their victory on Sunday.

The result of Sunday’s game between the Stars and Bears will likely not foreshadow how the rest of the season will go.

For one game, the Stars got to revel in the spoils of a great outing.

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

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Fun with photos with the ancient Rutherford Rink

Logan McVeigh celebrates scoring in the 2016 Canada West final.

The Rutherford Rink was the place its inhabitants loved to hate and also hated to love.

The old home of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams was a vastly out of date facility that needed to be replaced for at least the final 30 years of the close to 89 years it was in operation.

It made the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, which was also known as “the Crushed Can,” look like the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.

The ancient Rutherford Rink invented the terms “rust break” and “rust delay.”

Those delays happened when a puck was fired into the rook of the facility causing rust to rain down from the corroded support beams on to the ice surface. The Huskies trainers would leap on to the ice to clean up the mess in record time to allow games to proceed.

The building had a seemingly endless list of surprises. In September of 2014, water shot out from a goalpost hole where the net sat on the south end of the rink.

The Huskies had to adjust training until that little surprise was fixed.

Still, the ancient and cramped facility produced lots of memories. Being contained in such close quarters, everyone inside the rink from players, coaches, staffers and maintenance personnel got to know each other real well.

The Huskies also had lots of memorable moment on the Ruthy’s sheet of ice. One of those is the lead picture of centre Logan McVeigh celebrating his goal in Game 2 of the 2016 Canada West Championship series against the Huskies “Forever Rivals” the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

McVeigh’s third period goal gave the Huskies a 2-1 edge in the game, which they would win 3-2 to sweep the best-of-three series 2-0. The Huskies were playing that season to honour the memory of the team’s gritty, glue-guy forward in Cody Smuk, who passed away from cancer in June of 2015 at age 26.

Having moved to Saskatoon in the summer of 2014, I only got to see a small portion of the Rutherford’s history. It opened in late 1929, and the official grand opening was held on January 23, 1930 with a men’s hockey game between the Huskies and the University of Manitoba Bisons.

The 2017-18 campaign was its last full season. The Huskies men’s team closed it out with one last U Sports exhibition game on September 23, 2018, when they downed the York University Lions 5-2.

The Huskies proceeded to move to Merlis Belsher Place for two seasons, before Merlis was converted into a field hospital in waiting to help with the battled against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

The Ruthy sits empty with a significant amount of decommission work carried out on the inside of the building.

The Rutherford Rink was a dump, but for those who got to inhabit it, it was affectionately our dump.

Without further ado, here are some photos I shot at the Rutherford Rink from 2014 to 2018.

Smuk’s night in January of 2015

On January 30, 2015, the 85^th birthday of the Rutherford Rink was held but the star of the night was Huskies men’s hockey team gritty, glue-guy forward Cody Smuk.

Smuk, who was fully engaged with a battle with cancer that would take his life in late June of 2015, was honoured before the Huskies men’s hockey game against their “Forever Rivals” the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

Smuk dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff and all the member of both the Golden Bears and Huskies came over to shake his hand before the game.

“Willo” drives home her hatty

Huskies women’s hockey team star winger/centre Kaitlin Willoughby drives home her hat trick goal on February 17, 2017 to power her side past the University of Regina Cougars 4-3 in Game 1 of a Canada West quarter-final series.

I could have made an album of just Willoughby’s moments alone at the Rutherford Rink.

#24 shines brightly on the Huskies

Huskies men’s hockey team forward Carson Stadnyk celebrates scoring with 24 seconds remaining in the third period of a series deciding Game 3 of a Canada West semifinal series on February 24, 2018 against the University of Calgary Dinos.

The goal gave the Huskies a 2-1 lead. They added an empty-net goal in the 3-1 win. Of course, #24 was the number worn by late Huskies men’s hockey team gritty glue-guy forward Cody Smuk.

Stadnyk’s goal was the last playoff series winner scored at the Rutherford Rink.

Cable slides home Canada West title winner

Huskies men’s hockey team right-winger Levi Cable slides home what would be the winning goal of the 2016 Canada West Championship series in the third period on March 5, 2016.

The Huskies swept the best-of-three series against their “Forever Rivals” the University of Alberta Golden Bears 2-0 with a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the set where Cable scored his series winner.

“Rust break” for referees

The officials clear up “rust break” or “rust delay” during a Huskies women’s hockey game in the 2015-16 season.

I could do a whole picture post on “rust breaks” from the Rutherford Rink.

Regular “rust break” clean up

In this photo, the trainers for the Huskies men’s hockey team show off a regular clean up for a “rust break” or “rust delay” during the 2016-17 campaign.

Spafford’s goal celebration with Alm

Huskies men’s hockey team forward Matthew Spafford celebrates scoring a goal with Huskies ardent supporter Rod Alm celebrating on the other side of the glass in a game on January 15, 2016.

In the picture, it appears the two are about to high-five each other.

Stars’ Parker fired up over post-season goal

Saskatoon Stars captain Mackenna Parker (#11) is all fired after scoring for the Saskatoon Stars in Game 1 of the Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League championship series on March 23, 2018.

The Stars, who played a handful of games at the Rutherford Rink in their history, downed the Prince Albert Northern Bears 5-3 on this night.

Huskies women’s team takes 2014 Canada West title

The Huskies women’s hockey team celebrates winning their first Canada West Championship with a team photo here on March 2, 2014.

Cook drives to the goal

Huskies women’s hockey team “Mighty Mouse” centre Kandace Cook, who stands 5-foot-2, wouldn’t be denied driving to the goal for a scoring chance against an army of University of Regina Cougars players.

Faithful cheer on the Huskies

A sellout crowd cheers a goal by the Huskies men’s hockey team in Game 2 of the Canada West Championship series on March 5, 2016.

Roommate joy

Huskies women’s hockey team “Mighty Mouse” centre Kandace Cook celebrates a goal with netminder Cassidy Hendricks on January 17, 2015.

The two were roommates during the 2014-15 campaign.

Herner goes super fan

Huskies women’s hockey team forward Kori Herner goes super fan cheering on the Huskies men’s team in Game 2 of the Canada West Championship series on March 5, 2016.

Wrap up of another game day

Rutherford Rink maintenance staffer Calvin Rempel floods the ice at the end of the night after a playoff win by the Huskies men’s hockey team on February 25, 2017.

Smith celebrates Canada West semi series winner

Huskies women’s hockey team centre Chloe Smith, centre, celebrates scoring what would be the winning goal of the Canada West semifinal series on February 24, 2018.

Smith’s tally allowed the Huskies to pick up a 2-1 victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in Game 2 of the series and sweep the best-of-three set 2-0. Her goal was that last women’s playoff series winner at Rutherford.

Broken glass delay

Another Rutherford Rink surprise saw a pane of glass break during a Huskies men’s playoff game on February 23, 2018.

All hands were on deck to fix the glass. Huskies women’s hockey team equipment manager Dave Westbury and long time Huskies men’s hockey team equipment manager Peter Herd are in the middle of the action fixing the glass.

On a side note, the replacement pane of glass had a sticker on it that said the glass pane was made in 1989.

The sweetest of title sweeps

The Huskies men’s hockey team celebrates winning the Canada West Championship with a team photo on March 5, 2016.

The Huskies were playing to honour the memory of gritty, glue-guy forward Cody Smuk, who passed away from cancer at age 26 in June of 2015. Members of Smuk’s family were part of the team picture including his father, Marty, mother, Darla, and fiancée Stephanie Vause.

Yours truly with McVeigh

To close the photo fun from the Rutherford Rink, a picture of myself with Huskies men’s hockey team centre Logan McVeigh during the celebrations of winning the Canada West Championship on March 5, 2016.

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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