- 8 broadcasts in 9 nights is over... and I'm ready for it to be! Went to bed at 4:30am after the Terrier game in Esetvan, up at 9:30, straight to work by 10:00 till 1:00... drove to Melville, off to Humboldt, to bed at 4:00am after finishing up at the station. I was originally supposed to be in OCN on Friday, but that broadcast was bumped due to a lotto remote on the air till midnight.
- What's better than a long weekend? A long weekend that you didn't know was coming! Monday's Family Day? Okay! Perfect timing... right after a busy stretch, right before playoffs. Our regular season schedule ends next week with Melville @ Estevan Tuesday, and Wayway @ Swan Valley on Wednesday.
- After following our two SJHL teams the last 4 nights... I'll be putting "Inside The MJHL" together on Thursday! A couple emails are put out, and provided I get replies, I should have it ready by the end of the day, if not, early Friday. The league just released the nominees for their major awards, so plenty of content is there this week.
- Kurtis Decker started something. Cory Sarich and Steve Staios scored back to back quick goals to lead the Calgary Flames over Dallas last night. What a week for stay-at-home defensemen!
- I love how Kurtis told me after the game, how his last goal (2 and a half seasons ago) was actually the Flin Flon Bombers scoring into their own net on a delayed penalty. His other goal, that same season, was a wrist shot from the point, that bounced off a Melville Millionaire and in. Probably the prettiest one of his career! Decker does his job as well as anyone, and has received some playful jabs since his overtime winner in Estevan on Tuesday. All in good fun!
Here's my voicer that ran during the 8:00AM sports on Wednesday...
- That goal wrapped up top spot for the Terriers. I don't know how nervous was about them getting 1st or not, or how big a deal it really is anyway. But I'll admit, I really thought if they didn't clinch Tuesday night, that Kindersley would end up on top spot. The Terriers would have been under all kinds of pressure to beat La Ronge... and I had a feeling Battleford would have 4th place locked up before the weekend (and they do), and might start resting players, as they play Kindersley in a home and home. The North Stars will play hard, and they seem to be peaking at the perfect time, but it's hard to bank on Kindersley losing the way they're going right now too.
- As much as the Terriers weren't picked to be anywhere near the top of the Sherwood before the season, I would think it still would have been somewhat devasting, or at least a little disheartening, if they watched Kindersley take top spot on the last day of the season, after they held it since October 1st. I said that to Coach Trent Cassan on the bus, and he said, "Maybe for a day or two, but it really doesn't matter where you finish once playoffs start." That guy's always on an even keel.
- Bear in mind that both pennant winners (Weyburn & Flin Flon) were ousted rather handily in round one last year. Regular season is regular season.
- The Terriers and La Ronge were 10th and 7th in the league respectively last season, and 5th and 4th in each conference. They went to the final, both lost a pile of guys... and are going into the playoffs as the top seed in each conference one year later. How is that even possible???
- It feels like playoffs already. The Terriers overtime win on Tuesday was the most fun I've had calling a regular season game... and then 24 hours later I was with the Melville Millionaires, and watched them score 4 goals in 3:07 to erase a 4-1 deficit and beat Humboldt 5-4. Just incredible back-to-back games!
- Driving to Dafoe for Roast Beef & Potatoes would have felt like a drag had the Mils lost... but that was a fun place to be at 11:00 at night! Jordan Paddock purchased the movie MacGruber for $10 in Dafoe... and he'll never hear the end of it now.
- Jamie Fiesels' Post-Game Audio is in the post below. "Don't count us out, we're young and dumb, and we'll fight till the end. A team's only as dumb as their coach, and we're a really dumb team!"
- The Mils are back in the drivers' seat for 5th place. That win, along with now knowing they have the tie-breaker with Notre Dame... means the Hounds need at least a win and an overtime loss (3 points) in their last 3 games, and that's if the Mils don't pick up another point. Notre Dame has a Thursday nighter in Estevan, while Melville's in Weyburn on Friday, home to La Ronge Saturday, and in Estevan Tuesday.
- I forgot to mention this on the blog, but did post it on Twitter Tuesday night. The Swan Valley Stampeders clinched a playoff spot without even hitting the ice on Tuesday. They have the Dauphin Kings to thank, who beat Neepawa 4-1. That doesn't eliminate the Natives, who can still catch Wayway. If the Wolverines don't win another game, Neepawa would have to go 5-1 in their last 6 to make the playoffs.
- Both of our local teams are in the Prairie Junior Hockey League playoffs. The schedule's just been released:
(2) Fort Knox vs (3) Pilot Butte Storm
Game 1: Fri/Feb/25 @ Fort Qu'Appelle 8:00
Game 2: Sun/Feb/27 @ Pilot Butte 7:00
Game 3: Tue/Mar/1 @ Fort Qu'Appelle 8:00
Game 4: Fri/Mar/4 @ Pilot Butte 7:45
Game 5: Sun/Mar/6 @ Fort Qu'Appelle 8:00 * if nec
Game 6: Tue/Mar/8 @ Pilot Butte 7:00 * if nec
Game 7: Wed/Mar/9 @ Fort Qu'Appelle * if nec
(4) Ochapowace Thunder vs (1) Regina Capitals
Game 1: Fri/Feb/25 @ Regina 7:30
Game 2: Sat/Feb/26 @ Lebret 7:30
Game 3: Tue/Mar/1 @ Regina 7:30
Game 4: Fri/Mar/4 @ Ochapowace 8:00
Game 5: Sun/Mar/6 @ Regina 2:15 * if nec
Game 6: Tue/Mar/8 @ Lebret 7:30 * if nec
Game 7: Wed/Mar/9 @ Regina 8:00 * if nec
- Ed Zawatsky and team Saskatchewan's U16 team lost 4-3 in their Quarter-Final game against Quebec at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax on Wednesday. Give Eddie some credit. He made moves at last year's deadline that were crucial in the Terriers getting as far as they did. Let's also not forget he traded a disgruntled Matt Chomyc, who had 4 goals, to the AJHL for the rights to Robbie Ciolfi. I don't believe Chomyc's playing Junior 'A' Hockey this season. Trent Cassan and Don Chesney have done great things since the torch was passed, but Eddie's fingerprints are still very much on the current Terrier roster.
- The Stall got hit # 300,000 today. Thanks!
- Enjoy your Thursday, a week from today is Playoffs Eve!
5 comments:
You should post the audio for the first 3:30 minutes of the third. It would be great to listen to again
I screwed up! I recorded Parker's intermission interview and saved it, which stops the recording. By time I noticed it wasn't rolling, it was 4-4. I did get McNulty's winner on tape.
FYI, Matt Chomyc IS playing Junior A in the AJHL for the Calgary Canucks. He has 18 POINTS and 77 PIM.
Don't give Ed too much credit, he had lots of talent last year before the trades he made. That talent came to life when the coaching change was made. From last playoff spot to the finals is not Zawatsky's glory!
Thanks. I know he was traded from Yorkton to Drayton Valley and saw he wasn't there. Hockeydb'd him and got nothin.
- wasn't saying it was ALL Eddie's trades that won them a sherwood banner last year. Just saying he deserves some credit. Trent will be a sho-in to be nominated for Coach of the year, and should win it if they get it right.
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