Friday Randoms

It's kind of interesting that with all the junior hockey playoffs going on tonight, none of our three remaining teams are in action on this Friday. HALLELUJAH!

Since the playoffs started last Friday (7 days ago), I've called 6 games, 5 of them have gone to overtime, throw in one double and one triple OT, and those 5 overtime games have had 8 periods of OT!

And, if they were all in Yorkton or Melville, that's one thing, but nope! Three of the OT games (including triple) were in Estevan, and the double was in Portage, MB.

After Game 1 in Portage on Wednesday, which went to 2OT, it was about 11:00 by time I got out of the rink, it was snowing, and after I grabbed a bite with the team and gassed up it was 11:30. Would have been a 3:00am arrival, with at least an hour of stuff to do at the station, and an Estevan trip ahead. So, I crashed in Portage... set a "just-in-case" alarm for 9:30, but was hoping to be up earlier and on the road... yeah I woke up at 9:30. Checked out, grabbed breakfast, on the road by just after 10:00... home by 1:45, shower, shave, change, straight to Melville to leave for Estevan at 3:15.

If it wasn't so dang enjoyable I would have hung up the headset for good by now, but I get such a rush out of calling hockey games, especially this time of year. Still can't get over that Mils/Bruins series. I feel terrible for the Millionaires, who were THAT close... but in the end, the team that was "supposed to win," did.

I THINK that was the first time I've ever been on a team's bus after being eliminated from the playoffs. I've either driven myself, or it's happened at home on all other occassions. Post Game Meal was almost eerily quiet, until Andre Parker was the season's final "shoe-check" victim, and gave us a rendition of "Hello Operator..."

The bus ride was sombre for the most part, to be expected. Guys didn't sulk to themselves though. Lights were on near the back of the bus, and they tried to enjoy the final bus trip of the season, and the last Junior 'A' Hockey trip for Karius, Rogy, Hollinger and Bonish.

Up front, myself, Clark, Feez and Neil talked a lot of "what if?" and also a lot of "next year." Get excited Mils' fans! 18 eligible returnees, and in all likelihood, some of those will be sent home from fall camp, simply because you can't bring back that many guys, and you need SOME rookies. Parker, Sagen, Paddock and Rakochy are all '93s who'll be 18 next year, but I'm sure they'll add some more from that age group, maybe even a 94 or 2. The return on Metz and Hanson can't be announced for another 2 months once the RBC Cup is over... but you're gonna to like it if you cheer for the blue and white.

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I know the SJHL has a great partership with Access Cable, so I don't want to talk out of turn, but I do have SaskTel Max, and that's an outstanding place to follow the SJHL Playoffs.

All (or most) Saskatchewan Radio stations are on Max. Melfort wasn't until recently, and I was pumped to stumble across CK 750 and CJVR FM on my guide one night.

Here's where you'll find SJHL Hockey on SaskTel Max:

821- MBC Radio (La Ronge Ice Wolves)
837- GX94 (Yorkton Terriers / Melville Millionaires)
841- 1050 CJNB (Battlefords North Stars)
845- CJ 1280 (Estevan Bruins)
849- AM 1190 (Weyburn Red Wings)
858- CK 750 (Melfort / Humboldt / Nipawin)

- OK, I guess Kindersley's not on there. And with Flin Flon being in Manitoba, they're also not on Max.

All 5 Saskatchewan WHL teams have all 72 games there as well:

804- 620 CKRM (Regina Pats)
816- 92.9 The Bull (Saskatoon Blades)
824- 900 CKBI (P.A. Raiders)
830- Country 100.7 (Moose Jaw Warriors)
834- Eagle 94.1 (Swift Current Broncos)

I did this more in my single life, but I'd often flip back and forth between as many games as possible on a free night. I just love hearing other radio guys... what they say, what they run during intermissions, Pre Game, etc.