Celebrating In Wilcox and Humboldt

(picture courtesy Hockey Canada)






Congrats to the Notre Dame Hounds. They are returning to Wilcox with the Telus Cup. The Hounds taking the Canadian midget hockey championship with a 4-0 win over the Calgary Buffaloes in the final game. Its the first time in 23 years that the Hounds have won the national midget title. The only team to have won more...........the Regina Pat Canadians. They have won it four times. (I did not know that until it was mentioned on the TSN broadcast). Christopher Gibson was the star for the Hounds. The tender stopping 43 shots to record the goose-egg.

Meanwhile, the Humboldt Broncos have won the Anavet Cup. The SJHL champs looked like they were dinner as they trailed the Portage Terriers 4-1 in Game 7 after 40 minutes. A 5 minute major on the Terriers in the 3rd resulted in two power play goals and then Scott Schroeder scored with just 47 seconds to go to send the game into overtime. Nick Kalnicki was the hero as he turned on the red light about 6 minutes into the extra frame meaning its off to Victoria and the RBC Cup.
Congrats to the Broncos who trailed this series 3-1 and had to win Games 6 and 7 in overtime to move on. A Saskatchewan based WHL team may not get far but the SJHL and our midget teams always seem to do well so maybe everything evens out. In the last 10 years, a Saskatchewan team has won the midget title 5 times (Pat Canadians 1999, Tisdale 2002, Saskatoon Contacts 2005, P-A Mintos 2006, 2007). In addition to that, a Saskatchewan team has taken 3 RBC Cups in the past decade.(Humboldt in 2003 and 2008 and Weyburn with their miraculous last second win on home ice in 2005.) I remember going to the first few games of that event and then I caught a wicked flu bug. I wanted to go to the semi-final but I just didn't have the energy. I listened to Cam Birnie do the play by play of that game which went into overtime and then I watched the final on TSN instead of going to Weyburn for the final even though I was feeling better. That's one I blew as I wished I would have seen it live. Oh well, you don't win em all.
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John Tortorella wasn't behind the Rangers bench Sunday and the Rangers weren't there either. Washington dominated the Blueshirts as they force a Game 7 with a 5-3 win. A lot of debate on the one game suspension issued to Tortorella and whether or not the discipline was right. Some feel that Tortorella should not have been suspended but fined heavily instead because it hurts the integrity of the game not having the coach. Sorry but if Torts does something that is suspension worthy than he should be suspended. If that is what happens to a player, then why not a coach. The league did allow Tortorella to be in MSG Sunday afternoon, he was just not allowed to have contact with the team. The question I have is do the NHL security cops watch this. In this day and age, what was to stop Tortorella from texting Jim Schoenfeld or an assistant during the game or in the intermissions. He could have relayed a message to someone to take it downstairs. If the NHL is going to suspend him then he shouldn't be allowed into the rink. Yeah he can still find a way to communicate if he wants, but its a little tougher isn't it??

Game 7 will also be needed to determine the Carolina-Devils winner. The Hurricanes force a winner take all game with a 4-0 lead. With two Game 7's to be played in the East, the West will need wins by Calgary and San Jose tonight to force Game 7's there.
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Canada beat Hungary at the World Hockey Championships (well DUHHH!!!). The final was predictably one sided as it finished 9-0. Marty St. Louis had a hat-trick. By the way, why is the WHL the best developmental league in the world. 25 players at the Worlds have played in the Dub. Thanks to former Leader-Post sports editor Gregg Drinnan for that little tidbit of info. Is there anyone more tuned into the WHL than Drinnan. If there is, I'd like to meet him.
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The swine flu is in Canada is it??? Does it have anything to do with this cough I have had all day??!! Uh-Oh!!
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I had my daughter at swimming lessons on Sunday. I ask this question. While she looked alright, why do some women feel the need to take their kid to the pool wearing a bikini?? Is she looking for a daddy???? Is this a sign I'm getting old??? As I said, she looked alright but I think its a little wrong to be wearing that little when you are attending swim lessons---at an indoor pool!!
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Randy Orton, Edge and Christian all win the belts at the WWE pay per view known as Backlash. Shouldn't this have been done at Wrestlemania???? For those who watch wrestling and have watched it for years, I am thinking we can soon get ready for an Edge-Christian rivalry. With Orton winning, does this mean we are going to have see the Orton-Triple H feud continue. New storylines are needed.
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Now that the NFL draft is over, we can start paying attention to next week's CFL draft. Where's all the CFL mock drafts???? Will the Riders do something this week to get another pick or two. We will see??? By the way, Missouri quarterback and Rider neg list player Chase Daniel has according to the Washington Post signed a free agent contract with the Redskins. No word if Texas Tech signalcaller Graham Harrell has signed one but its said Dallas is interested. There had been a report Sunday night he had signed with Carolina but that report was erroneous. The decision for no team to draft either Daniel or Harrell has left one person wondering what the hell???
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/158676-graham-harrell-chase-daniel-the-most-underrated-players-in-the-draft
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That is all. Have a good one even though it is Monday!