Thursday Thoughts

- Big props to Swan Valley's Ryan Marshall!! The Stampeder forward was among 5 MJHLers to take part in Team West World Jr 'A' Challenge tryouts in Penticton Monday and Tuesday. His flight left B.C. yesterday afternoon, and he arrived in Winnipeg at around 6:00pm. From there, he hopped aboard Perimeter Airlines, and landed in Dauphin at 6:40pm. His dad met him at the Dauphin airport, he got to the rink at 6:45, and he was on the ice for the 7:00 puck drop! All that, and having skipped warmup... he was probably the best forward on the ice on either team, helping the Stamps beat Dauphin 2-1.

- Not sure when Yorkton's Clarke Breitkreuz got back from WJAC tryouts, but he was with the Terriers in Humboldt, a 3-2 OT loss. And, oh yeah, he scored both Terrier goals and now leads the SJHL in scoring with 4g-6a-10p.

- Marshall and Breitkreuz were both on Team West last year, and while you might think that makes them slam-dunks for this year's club, it's actually tougher to for them to make it this year. They're both 19, and it's largely an Under-19 event, with each team only carrying a maximum of five 19-year-olds. 17-year-old Melville defenseman Jordan Paddock was also in Penticton.

- Can more teams PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE follow Dauphin's lead and move their games to 7:00 starts??? It's just me being selfish, but I freakin' love it! I was back in Yorkton by 10:30 SK time last night. Dauphin's weeknight games are now at 7:00. All OCN home games are at 7:00, mainly because they're such a long drive for everyone. Kindersley went to 7:00 starts last year, but are back to 7:30 this season. Hey, if it's better for the fans, and refs, keep it 7:30... but it's nice when games are over at 9:00ish.

- It's the last day of September! First calendar month of the new season is out of the way, which for me, was 5 broadcasts. October/November always seem to drag along, both being full months... I call it the "doldroms" part of the season. You're over the September excitement of a new season, and it starts to feel like an upward climb... November especially. It also gets colder, the roads get worse, gets darker earlier, etc, etc. Then December's basically half a month, you look forward to Christmas, World Juniors, having some time off. Then you come back and it's almost trade deadline time, the playoff races are heating up. February's another short month, and then BANG, you're into playoffs.

- My trade senses are tingling. One, maybe two of our local teams just might be involved in something by the end of the day.

- Austin Bourhis dropped the gloves AGAIN for the P.A. Raiders last night. That's twice in as many games. The Raiders lost 3-1 to Edmonton. John Niebrandt was a +1 for Kootenay last night. They lost 4-2 in Red Deer. Swan Valley draft pick, and the brother of current Stampeder Jeff... Landon Peel was a +2 for the Regina Pats as they got their first win, a 4-3 decision over Swift Current. The Portland Winterhawks dressed 7 defensemen in a 4-3 win in Vancouver... and Stephane Robidoux wasn't one of them. Is he on his way back to Wayway??? Melville's Damon Severson played in his 2nd straight game with Kelowna, a 4-3 loss to Tri-City.

- Today being Thursday means we're a week away from 2 exciting things beginning. October 7th is opening night in the NHL, kicked off by a double header on CBC with the Habs & Leafs, and Flames & Oilers. It's also our first "Robin's Roundtable" Show with Don Chesney and Jamie Fiesel at Robin's Donuts 2 For 1 Pizza. In Estevan on Tuesday, Feez says to me 'ooooooooh that's on Thursday? That's Eberle's first game with Edmonton.' I assured him he'd be home in Melville by time the puck drops at 8:00. Eberle's younger brother Dustin plays for Melville and will make the trip for Jordan's first NHL game on Thursday.

- Get well Dan O'Connor! The Voice of the Battlefords North Stars had his appendix out after experiencing stomach pains lately. Dan-O's a guy I only see 3 or 4 times a year, but we started in the SJ the same year, and have become great pals these past four years. One of the good guys, and one heck of a play-by-play guy and talk show host. He wore a suit to a Pre-Season game in Yorkton this year and I sat with him in a hat and jeans. Oops! Dan-O's a pro... from Pre-Season to Playoffs.

- Big High School Football game today in Melville. The Cobras host the defending champs and 3-and-0 Lumsden Devils at 4:00. Lumsden has destroyed everything in its path so far, including a 90-0 win over Swan Valley last week. And Swan's not a bad team by any stretch. Roby Sharpe will join me at 9:40 this morning for the Yorkton Regional Raiders Coach's Show. The Raiders are coming off their first win of the season Saturday, an 8-0 win over Notre Dame. I'll post the show right here later on.

- Sounds like Dalton Bell will start at QB for the Toronto Argonauts against the Riders on Saturday. He can't beat us, can he? That's a huge one for the Riders... a win puts them 9-4, and then they're home to the Argos next week. Calgary, who's one game up on the Green & White, have a home-and-home with Montreal. Could the Riders have sole possession of top spot, or at least a share of it, in two weeks time? Oh by the way, the Riders host Calgary once they're done with the Argos. Oh boy!

- I get to spend tonight at home, and then get a Friday night home game tomorrow when Yorkton welcomes Estevan with first place on the line. I'll talk to Cody Zubko about his upcoming ECHL tryout. The former Terrier Captain hopes to make the Wheeling Nailers this season. I caught up with him yesterday and will probably post the chat today or tomorrow.

- I'm not bad luck afterall. Swan beating Dauphin last night was my first broadcast that a team I covered won, after an 0-and-4 start for GX94. NOW I can bring that up!