2008 Year In Review

2008 was the first calendar year since 2005 that my radio career saw me stay in one place! I went to Dauphin late in '04, stayed there for all of '05, then '06 was split between Dauphin and Moose Jaw, '07 split between Moose Jaw and Yorkton, and now I've planted my feet here for all of 2008, and at the moment I see no reason why 2009 wouldn't be the same story... as long as my soon-to-be-teacher / soon-to-be-wife (that sounds weird already) can find a job in this neck of the woods this coming summer/fall. 2009 will be a lot busier and exciting away from work for those kinds of reasons... taking the plunge on July 25 in Saskatoon. Yikes.

Anyway. Sports Blog, right?

Straight off the top of my head, I'll attempt a little "Year in Review"... kinda like "The Score" runs on their "ticker" at the bottom of the screen this time of year. Only I'll localize it a little. Here goes.

January '08

- Swan Valley Stampeders made the steal of deadline week, acquiring 1989 G Chris Ward and 1990 F Kyle Stephansson from the Winnipeg South Blues for a list player and cash.

- Melville Millionaires acquire the speedy Chris Shudo from the BCHL's Westside Warriors at the January 10th trade deadline. Through 16 regular season games and the playoffs, Shudo would average nearly a point-per-game.

- Team Canada wins their 4th straight World Junior Gold Medal in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Matt Hallischuk of the Kitchener Rangers scored in overtime to help Canada beat Sweden 3-2 (OT).

February '08

- Lynden Sammartino made 61 saves (on Estevan's scoreboard anyway!) as the Yorkton Terriers smoked the Estevan Bruins 7-1 in Game One of the SJHL Sherwood Survivor Seriers. After being snake-bitten since joining the Terriers, newcomer Ken Petkau opened the scoring early in the first. The Terriers went on to upset the 4th place Bruins in 6 games.

- Wayway Wolverines finished their best regular season in franchise history, with a record of 37-23-1-1, 76 points, good for second spot in the MJHL Sherwood Division.

March '08

- In maybe the most exciting playoff series I've called in 4 years of doing this, the 4th place and severe underdog Swan Valley Stampeders pushed the eventual league champion Portage Terriers to 7 games in round one of the MJHL playoffs. The Stamps won Game One 4-3 in double overtime on the road when Stephan Vigier scored on a short-handed breakaway. They were on the penalty kill after goaltender Chris Ward shot the puck over the glass on a clearing attempt. The Stamps never led the series again, but forced Game 7 when Vigier was the OT hero again in Game 6. Looking back, the series loss was tough to take because Darcy Riddell had a VERY controversial goal called back, also in overtime in Game 5, which Portage went on to win in double OT on a Mike Audino goal. Had Riddell's goal counted, the Stampeders would have led the series 3-2 heading home. Devin Reinhardt opened the scoring for Swan in Game 7 in Portage, but they went on to lose 5-1.

- It was almost looking like an "All GX94" Sherwood Final in the MJHL, but it ended up a "No GX94" series. A night after Swan Valley lost out to Portage, the Wayway Wolverines were upset at home by the Dauphin Kings in Game 7. In a series that was decided by a goal, often in overtime, almost every game, the Kings would take Game 7 by a 6-3 count. Portage swept the Kings in the SWF. The game marked the end of some outstanding Junior 'A' careers for Wolverine players including Sean Collins (51-64-115 in 07-08) and Carter Davis (44-67-111).

- The Melville Millionaires won the Sherwood Selection series and picked the Yorkton Terriers, who they swept in 4 games. Mils' goalie Joe Rodwell had a shutout and kept the Terriers to just 5 goals in the series. The Millionaires were then bounced by the third place Kindersley Klippers in a hard-fought series lasting 6 games. The Mils dominated game one, then Brett Leedahl scored a miraculous goal with less than a second left in overtime in Game 2 to tie the series. The Klippers also took Game 3 on home ice, before the Mils squared the series with a convincing 4-1 win on the road the next night. Game 5 was the turning point in Melville, when the Mils were up 2-1 late in the third, before the Klippers popped 3 quick ones. Jeremy Beller scored on a long wrist shot to give the Klippers the lead before an empty netter made it a 4-2 final. Game 6 back in Kindersley saw Ryan Sawka score two beauties top-shelf to give Kindersley a 2-0 lead. Matt Kinnunen and Kale Dolinski scored late third period goals to force overtime. The Mils thought they won on a delayed offside when Jordan Reeve bounced a flip shot from outside the blueline past Ryan Neiszner, but it was waved off as the Mils had yet to clear the zone when the puck came back across the blueline. Kindersley's Kirk Pierce tipped in a Justin Perraux point shot in 2OT to send the Klippers to the final.

April '08

- Kindersley stormed out to take 2-0 and 3-1 series leads over the heavily favoured Humboldt Broncos in the Credential Cup final, but you could never count out that Humboldt team, who would win the next 3 games, including the 7th and deciding by an 8-2 margin.

- The Portage Terriers beat the Winnipeg Saints in 5 games to win the Turnbull Cup in the MJHL.

- Humboldt swept Portage to take the Anavet Cup. Wasn't even close. Portage did not score a goal in their own rink in both Games 3 & 4.

May '08

- After losing to the Camrose Kodiaks in the round robin, the Humboldt Broncos did the SJHL proud, knocking off the #1 ranked Kodiaks 1-0 in the RBC Final in Cornwall, ON. Eddie Gale scored the only goal of the game, while goaltender Taylor Nelson made a point-blank glove save on Joe Colborne with a second left in the third. Colborne would later be drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the '08 NHL Entry Draft. You still see that save on TSN from time to time.

June '08

- Sean Collins became the first player in the history of the Waywayseecappo Wolverines to be drafted by an NHL team. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Collins in the 7th round. Collins is now with the Cornell Big Red in the NCAA. He scored 51 goals and 115 points in 2007-08.

July '08

- Swan Valley Stampeders' forward Stephan Vigier committed to the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. Vigier had 37-goals and 86-points as a 17-year-old in 2007-08, winning MJHL Rookie of the Year honours.

August '08

- The WMBL's Yorkton Cardinals and Melville Millionaires were both knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Yorkton lost 3-straight to the Swift Current Indians, while the Regina Red Sox knocked off the Mils in 4 games. The Okotoks Dawgs went on to beat Swift Current in the final 3-games-to-1.

- The Yorkton Alexander's Men's Wear Cardinals Junior Baseball Team took part in Junior Nationals in Charlottetown, PEI. Yorkton also played host to Junior Western Canadians.

- Training Camps kick off for our local Junior 'A' Hockey teams.

September '08

- A new season of Junior 'A' Hockey. The Yorkton Terriers lost one of their most highly-touted rookies, when David Skagen separated his shoulder on an Eric Calibaba hit from behind in his first game of Junior 'A' hockey. The 19 year old had already scored a goal in his first game. The Melville Millionaires started the season 18-2-2.

- The Swan Valley Stampeders traded forward Kyle Severson and defenseman Ethan Gardner to the Estevan Bruins.

October '08

- The YRHS Raider Gridders went 3-and-4 in the RIFL 12-Man Football League, before falling to the Notre Dame Hounds 40-20 in the playoffs.

- The Preeceville Panthers won their first Provincial 6-man game in their history, blowing out the P.A. Collegiate Golden Bears 44-0.

November '09

- The Preeceville Panthers won thier SECOND ever Provincial game, coming from behind to defeat the Biggar Blazers 38-33 to advance to the Provincial 2A final, where they lost 89-33 to Clavet.

- The Foam Lake Panthers beat the Melville Cobras in 9-Man Provincial Football action. Foam Lake wound up losing to Humboldt 42-7 in the Provincial Final.

December '09

- The Yorkton Harvest made their first appearance at the prestigious Mac's "AAA" Midget Hockey Tournament in Calgary in quite some time, and were very competitive, tying their first game, and losing their next 3 games by 1 goal, 2 goals, and 4 goals, finishing with an 0-3-1 record.

- The Melville Millionaires head into 2009 with a 4-point lead atop the Sherwood Conference. Yorkton's riding a 5 game winning streak and are now into 3rd.

- In the MJHL, the Wayway Wolverines are hanging on to 4th spot, while the Swan Valley Stampeders sit 6th.