Honkings from the Wild Goose
By Phil Heilman
Before we look at the games from this past weekend (apologies for the lack of a preview column), a little history lesson on the new name of the column.
This year, we’ll be covering both the Sask. West Hockey League and the Crossroads Hockey League. To honour both leagues and the history of most of these teams, the decision was made to rename the column.
The Wild Goose Hockey League operated from 1959 to 2008, but its heyday was the 1980s, when teams from Wilkie, Unity, Macklin, Kerrobert, Rosetown, Kindersley and Biggar all competed. Former members included Eston, Battleford, Meadow Lake and Lloydminster. From the Cey brothers competing in both Wilkie and Unity, to the famous story of how Robin Bartel landed as an Outlaw — and who can forget Greg Paslawski playing for the Kindersley Klippers before rising through the ranks to become a serviceable NHL player? The league truly had it all.
Vlad McTavish and Carter Woodside of Asquith, along with Jonathon Redlick of Biggar, watch the puck shoot into the corner during their Nov. 1 game.
Sask. West
There was only one game on opening weekend, as the inaugural game for the Asquith Admirals came to fruition. This is the community’s first taste of senior hockey since the Canadians played a short stint in the Sask. Valley Hockey League in the early 2000s. The Canadians also played four seasons in the Saskatchewan Intermediate A Hockey League from 1979 to 1983.
The Admirals travelled to Biggar to visit the Nationals on Saturday night, with Biggar coming away with a 6-5 overtime victory.
Taylor Bucsis was the lone goal-scorer of the opening frame, giving Biggar a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. Just 30 seconds into the second period, the answer to a trivia question happened, with Linden McCorrister scoring the Admirals’ first-ever goal to tie the game 1-1. Brett Novak gave the hometown team a 2-1 lead just three minutes later. Caleb Grandfield tied the game at 2-2, but Nationals newcomer Brody Vogel restored the 3-2 lead, which held after two periods.
The floodgates opened in the third, with Thien Gamble (Admirals), Dylan Haynes (Nationals) and McCorrister all scoring within the first five minutes to make it 4-4. Bucsis gave Biggar a 5-4 lead, but it lasted just 20 seconds as McCorrister’s third of the night tied it again at 5-5. The game headed to overtime, where Vogel scored the winner to send the home fans away happy.
Carter Woodside stopped 34 of 40 shots in the overtime loss, while Mason Briske earned his first win as a National, stopping 37 of 42 shots.
Crossroads
On Halloween night, the Kerrobert Tigers hosted the Kindersley Kodiaks, with the visitors coming away with a 3-2 win.
Matt Roblin scored the only goal of the first period. That 1-0 lead held until the early stages of the third, when J.D. Knutson tied things up at 1-1. Drake McKinnon gave Kerrobert a 2-1 lead, but Dylan Francis tied it again at 2-2 on the power play, and Shane Anderson scored the game-winner with 3:53 left — also on the power play.
Kaden Elliott secured the win, stopping 25 of 27 shots, while Preston Plamondon took the loss, stopping 29 of 32.
Also on Friday, the two newest additions — and old Wild Goose rivals — the Rosetown Red Wings and the Unity Miners met at the Unity Community Centre. The visiting Red Wings came away with a 7-4 victory.
Jared Jagow opened the scoring with a shorthanded marker at the 12:59 mark of the first, but Devon Bertoia and Colby Ralston countered to give Unity a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. In the second, Kane Dube tied it 2-2, followed by Jordan Johnston’s first of the year on the power play to give Rosetown a 3-2 edge. Joel Timmermans tied it again at 3-3, but Johnston and Eric Robbie put Rosetown ahead 5-3 heading into the third.
In the final frame, Jagow added his second of the night, countered by Bertoia’s second. That was as close as Unity got, as Jagow completed his hat trick to seal the win.
Noah Martens stopped 39 of 43 shots in the win, while Ryan Rewerts stopped 30 of 37 in the loss.
On Saturday night, the homeless Dodsland Stars invaded the Kerrobert Memorial Hangar to host the Luseland Mallards — and left with a convincing 9-1 victory.
Troy Joyce opened the scoring four minutes in, and Brandon Kelly added to the lead just 12 seconds later. Late in the first, the Stars struck twice again as Kelly and Carson Dobson scored just 50 seconds apart to make it 4-0 after one. There was no scoring in the second period.
Tyler Birn broke up the shutout early in the third, but Dodsland poured it on from there. Kelly completed his hat trick, followed by goals from Jon McDonald, two more from Dobson and one from Jaxon Walz to round out the scoring.
Sam Walz took the loss, stopping 43 of 52 shots, while Connor Kidd stopped 16 of 17 for the win.
History Lesson
We already gave you plenty this week, but remember when you put classified ads in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix to find players, coaches and managers? It truly was a different time.
Upcoming Games
Sask. West
Saturday, Nov. 8: Kindersley at Biggar, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 9: Biggar at Edam (played in Turtleford), 5:30 p.m.; Asquith at Wilkie, 6:30 p.m.
Crossroads
Friday, Nov. 7: Rosetown at Luseland, 8 p.m.; Kindersley at Unity, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 8: Kerrobert at Luseland, 8 p.m.