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Can the Bobcats win the RBC Cup? Lots of movement has led to a brand new Bobcats roster. Now it is time to see if it works on the ice by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
Gord Thibodeau doesn’t know if the Lloydminster Bobcats are good enough right now to win the RBC Cup in May. And the good thing for the coach and general manager is, that on the eve of the regular season, he doesn’t have to answer that question. But it will be a frequently asked question throughout the year until the puck drops on the RBC Cup on May 14, 2016. And this year’s roster will be the most analyzed group of players in franchise history, both before and after the national junior A championship is awarded to either the Bobcats or one of the other four regional teams involved in the tournament. There is still so much more to accomplish and so many milestones this season that the RBC Cup, like selecting the team to start the season in Bonnyville, is part of a process. There is still a 60-game Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) season, the trade deadline on Jan. 10, the Gas Drive Playoffs starting in March and the Western Canada Cup the week prior to the national championship. Focusing on a week-long tournament in May is looking too far in the future, and for Thibodeau, negates what they are trying to accomplish. “It’s too far away to look at,” said Thibodeau about the RBC Cup. “What we have to look at is, where are these kids going to be in December, where are they going to be in January and February. I think there is a big up-curve. “Does that mean we are done? We are never done and you are always looking to improve your team and we think we have the makings of a
File Photo
Gord Thibodeau will field the question many times this season on whether or not the Lloydminster Bobcats can win the RBC Cup in May. But for the coach and general manager, there is so much more to the season than just a one-week tournament.
good base right now. But we got to build on that base over the season.” The current base is tougher than last season’s team and has unquestionable amounts of untapped potential. They may not fill the net with nine goals a night and will still need to grind out some victories over the stretch of the season, but with their heavy depth on defence and the recent acquisition of Alec Leclerc to bolster their crease, gaining a few extra points out of the AJHL has been made a little easier, and gives the Bobcats a foundation on which to build upon. Selections have not come easy for the Bobcats, as more players came prepared to compete for spots at this year’s camp, while also showcasing their talents during the preseason where Lloydminster went 5-2 in seven games, leaving Thibodeau and the front office with some tough decisions to make about who would be named to the 25-man roster for opening night. With a roster selected, now it’s about figuring out
the direction the team wants to take, one that ultimately ends up playing in a national championship tournament. “We love the skill we have, but we also know we are going to make our bread with hard work and grit,” said Thibodeau. “That factors in. It’s hard to release any player who plays that style of game.” There have been many casualties along the way. Mitchell Brennan, Brett Everson, Ryan Ternes and Patrick Geary all have new homes and that list will get longer as the seasons moves on. Until the trade deadline in January, no player is guaranteed to stick with the team. There is still six 20-year-olds, the limit allowed in the AJHL. So if another veteran becomes available, it means another has to leave. But every move, indirectly, is answering that most difficult and often asked question: can the Lloydminster Bobcats win the RBC Cup? The next nine months will answer that question.
Important Dates Sept. 11 Season Opener vs Bonnyville Sept. 12 Home Opener vs Bonnyville CJHL Trade Deadline January 10, 2016 2016 AJHL Gas Drive Playoffs March 10, 2016 2016 Western Canada Cup April 30 to May 8, 2016 (Estevan, Sask.) 2016 RBC Cup Mat 14 to 21 (Lloydminster, Alta.)
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, September 10, 2015
Pressure on captain to lead Historic year for Bobcats could lead Mulder to being first captain to lift championship Cup in franchise history by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
There are many timely traditions in hockey, some more sacred than others. But perhaps one of the most revered is the hoisting of the Cup by the team captain, the eventual skate around the ice, the first kiss planted on the polished metal and the pass off to the next teammate in line for the process to be repeated. Everyone gets a turn, but it is the captain who gets to accept the Cup for the organization that has battled through a regular season and playoffs to be named the best in hockey. And for the the Lloydminster Bobcats, that honour falls to Taylor Mulder, who could be the first player, let alone captain, to hoist any
Cup over his head at the Civic Centre in franchise history. “I’m the captain of a team that is hosting a national championship,” said Mulder. “There is a lot of pressure for the team to do well and for me to lead them well.” Mulder reign as captain began on Jan. 10, 2015 at the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s (AJHL) trade deadline last season, when the Bobcats sent then 20-year-old captain Linden Springer to the Brooks Bandits for Shane Switzer and future considerations. The former assistant captain was now the leader and would guide the Bobcats through the opening round of the playoffs until their elimination against Bonnyville in Round 2.
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Taylor Mulder took over as team captain last season after the trade deadline and will continue to wear the ‘C’ heading into the RBC Cup year for the Bobcats.
In his two years with the franchise he has played 114 games, the secondmost of any active player on the current roster, and has scored 26 goals and 55 points. He even transitioned from playing defence to playing
forward full time, a move that saw him become the big body player on the front line the Bobcats needed, putting his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame in front of opposing goalies. See “Mulder,” Page 22
LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, September 10, 2015
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From Quebec to Australia to Lloydminster, Leclerc prepared for national spot and Canada’s best hockey teams Junior Hockey League in his Bobcats debut, and perhaps his shutout was a little redemption for his time in Australia. “It was a great experience,” said Leclerc. “It was all about the small details. The speed wasn’t as fast as it is here and not as physical. It just gave me awesome knowledge and more tools in my toolbox to use here.” Leclerc takes over the role left by graduating goalie Devin Green,
giving the Bobcats a veteran netminder who has the potential to steal games on his own. Bobcats coach and general manager Gord Thibodeau had the Quebec goalie in his back pocket for a month before finally announcing he was coming to Lloydminster, and knew when they saw film on him that he could be the goalie that leads the Bobcats into the RBC Cup. See “Leclerc,” Page 22
Our Community’s Memory Located at the Andrew Brethauer Photo
20-year-old goalie Alex Leclerc will take over the starting role in net for the Lloydminster Bobcats, giving the team confidence in who is stopping pucks heading into the regular season.
World travelled netminder for a shutout.” Leclerc had been doing his thing for the past three seasons in the Quebec Junior Hockey League for the Sherbrooke Cougars, leading them to the league final last season with a 15-6-2 record and 2.39 goals against average in 24 starts. The year before, in 30 starts, he had an 18-9-1 record and the Cougars lost in the semi-final. But his story isn’t just about a player who travelled across the country from his home in Montreal, as it was a trip to Melbourne in the offseason that landed the 20-year-old netminder with the Melbourne Ice of the Australian Ice Hockey League, and a trip to another league final in the same season. The semi-professional league gave him a chance to play against men, and in nine starts he was a perfect 9-0 for the Ice, who went to the league final against the Newcastle North Stars and lost on a penalty shot in overtime. It seemed fitting he played against the North Stars of the Saskatchewan
by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
Alec Leclerc almost fell asleep during the Lloydminster Bobcats’ preseason game in Wainwright against the Battlefords North Stars. He had been back in Canada for just a couple of days since returning from Australia, and the flight and time change was definitely causing effects on his sleep habits. Twenty-four hours later he made his debut in a Bobcats’ jersey against the North Stars and made 21 saves in a shutout effort, helping to earn the Bobcats a 3-0 victory. But even though he was the goalie in net making the saves and he probably didn’t know half the names of the players in front of him on the ice, he was already giving credit to the players for their part in what will be his statistic. “That’s a team stat though,” corrected Leclerc. “Whenever everyone plays well and I do my thing, all the team gets the reward
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, September 10, 2015
LLOYDMINSTER FULL GOSPEL BUSINESS MEN’S FELLOWSHIP OF CANADA BANQUET All are welcome to come and hear Emmanuel Twagirimana share his amazing true story of spending 7 days in heaven, after being killed in the genocide in Rwanda, Africa. Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 6:30 pm Servus Hospitality Centre (Cafeteria Area) Lakeland College, 2602-59 Ave., Lloydminster Cost: $22 per person Purchase tickets at Verses Bookstore, #12, 1804-50 Ave., Lloydminster (purchase tickets early as seating is limited) Emmanuel was badly injured by the shrapnel of a bomb, and lacking proper medical care he died. Those who had wrapped his corpse confirmed the fact that he had been dead for seven days.
Alex Leclerc made a 21 save shutout in his first preseason game with the Bobcats.
Andrew Brethauer Photo
Leclerc
Continued from Page 21
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“We knew he was a quality goalie, we watched film and did our homework, but until you actually get him here and see the whites of his eyes, you are always worried,” said Thibodeau. “We’re glad he is here. I was telling Garry (VanHereweghe) that if the team doesn’t get confidence having him in net then there is something wrong because he certainly looks like he is going to be a force this season.” Thibodeau wanted to start from the net out when building for the RBC Cup, and while Leclerc
was the last player to make an appearance for the Bobcats before the regular season, the wait was definitely worth every minute. There is a lot riding on his shoulders this season, as he aims for a scholarship to a university so he can continue to play hockey. And with the RBC Cup coming this season, Leclerc said it puts quite a bit of pressure on him, but that is why he plays the game. “We are living for these moments,” said Leclerc. “It’s a bit of pressure on you. But it is a great opportunity and I look forward to it.”
Mulder
Continued from Page 20
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But it can’t be all brute force and gritty goals for the Lacombe, Alta. native. He is now the leader of the franchise on the ice in a special season not just for him, but for any player who puts on a jersey in the AJHL and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. “Every junior play aspires to be in the national championship and for us, we are hosting so it is a pretty cool opportunity.” With more than 300 penalty minutes in his AJHL career, Mulder may be more of a poster child for the style of the Lloydminster Bobcats this season. Often coaches speak of hard work and grit and want players to win the battles on the ice. So it only seems fitting that the man with the ‘C’ on his chest is the one leading that very charge, but also has the poise to do the things the captain has to do. He is the voice of the team, even though when he speaks to the media he is very short with his answers. He doesn’t say any more than he has to, and if there is any hockey cliche to sum up who he is as a player, it’s the one where he leaves it all out on the ice and lets his play do the talking. No player will have more responsibility on their shoulders than Mulder will this season as team captain. But he could also have the biggest responsibility in the franchise’s 34 year history as the first player to lift a Cup for the team. The Gas Drive Cup, Western Canada Cup and finally the RBC Cup, he could be an expert at lifting by the time this season comes to an end. “It’s pretty early to think that but it has obviously gone through everyone’s head,” said Mulder of having the opportunity to lift the RBC Cup. “(But) that would be quite the feeling.”
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, September 10, 2015
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Bobcats boast a dynamic defensive core
Austin Yaremchuk
File Photo
Alex Pernitsky is one of three returning defencemen to the Lloydminster Bobcats blue line, a group that is deep from top to bottom and will be amongst the best in the AJHL. by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
There is an old saying in sports that defence wins championships. The Lloydminster Bobcats seem to subscribe to that logic, as through trades and signings in the offseason, they have produced what may be the most dynamic group of defencmen that at least coach and general manager Gord Thibodeau has ever had. It’s a group many teams would be envious of, as the fast, puck-moving blue liners have shown early on just how great the core has been on the power play and in their own zone. But they also come with the hockey intelligence to make plays in their own end, get creative and take risks, knowing that if they do make a mistake, there is still someone behind them ready to pick up the pieces. “When you got guys who can move the puck and skate the puck out as well, it is a great attribute to have,” said Thibodeau. “Once we get all six in and they get use to their partners, I think it’s a dynamic group but it is also a group that defends well. They are not giving up a bunch of
scoring chances and that makes the game easier for the goaltender and the rest of the team.” Anchoring the blue line is 20-year-old and Lloydminster veteran Austin Yaremchuk, who has played 156 games over the last three years in Lloydminster, the most of any player on the current roster. While he has only eight goals, his 43 assists and 51 points and ability to move the puck has seen his power play time increase, while his role as assistant captain last season has shown his leadership qualities. Also returning for the Bobcats from last season are Alex Pernitsky and Cole Josefchak, both of which made commitments to Colorado College (NCAA Div. 1) last season. Then there are the players the Bobcats acquired over the summer, which includes Christian Lloyd, a 5-foot-11 defenceman from Oakville, Ont. who was acquired via trade when the Bobcats acquired Adam Clements from the Prince George Spruce Kings of the British Columbia League, then traded him for Lloyd. He made a commitment to Sacred Heart University (NCAA Div. 1) and will join another defenceman from Eastern Canada in Nick
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Quillan, who is also committed to a NCAA Div. 1 school and will play at Colgate University in two seasons. The Bobcats also added Graydon Smith, who joined the team as a future consideration in the Lukas Biensch trade last season. He played 50 games last year with the Gas Drive Cup champion Spruce Grove Saints, and adds further depth into an already deep depth chart of blue liners. And rookie Brendan Kallis will fight for a spot in the top six. “We’re going to have a solid back end,” said Pernitsky. “Anyone can take any role. We still need to battle for our spots for what we are doing, but we are going to be such a solid defensive core.” The focus now turns to scoring goals, as the Bobcats are still without a prolific goal scorer, and will need their blue line to chip in as much as they can to create offence. “We play strong defensively, but if we can start scoring goals we can really get teams down,” said Josefchak. “It really puts confidence on the forwards because they know if they make a mistake, we got the defence back there to back them up.”
Nick Quillan
Cole Josefchak
Christian Lloyd
Lloydminster Adult Soccer Association 2015/16 Indoor Soccer Team Registration Night & Player Card Renewal Night Sunday, September 13, 2015 7pm – 9pm Servus Sports Centre, OTS Room
New or experienced dancers (age 4 -18 ) welcome Minimal fundraising and meetings For more information, or to register contact Deanne at (780) 871-1263
Men’s League – Monday Evenings Ladies League – Sunday Evenings Coed League – Wednesdays & Thursday Evenings More info & Registration Forms: www.lloydsoccer.com
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, October 2, 2014
SPORTS
first of many by Andrew Brethauer
A
ndrew Koep couldn’t have dreamed up a better start to his Western Hockey League career. It’s one thing to score a goal in your first game, but Koep took his debut with the Edmonton Oil Kings to the next level. In a 2-2 hockey game against the Kootenay Ice with under four minutes remaining, Koep buried his second of the night past Wyatt Hoflin, in what eventually would be the game winner. It earned the Lloydminster native first-star honours and got his major junior hockey career off to a fast start on a night when the Oil Kings were celebrating their past season success, as the team brought in the Ed Chynoweth Cup for winning the WHL playoffs, as well as the Memorial Cup that the team won last May. But while the team celebrated the past to start the game, by the end, they were celebrating with the future of the team. See “Koep,” Page 30
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ANNIVERSARY
We would like to send out an extra special
THANK YOU
to the following who have supported Delaney’s recovery and continued rehabilitation after her accident, March 17, 2014 in Warsaw, Poland while on her 1 year Rotary Youth Exchange. Lori Craven Memorial Ball Tournament & Committee Border City Rotary Club E&I Group at Husky Upgrader Denise & Bob Friday Connie & Dave Anderson Doreen & Glenn MacCaw Father Gorman School Staff Boechler Families
And to the many family & friends who visited or sent cards & prayers of encouragement to the hospital while in Poland & in Canada. We are forever grateful and proud to be part of such a wonderful caring community. (our apologies to anyone we have missed) 5 Registered Therapeutic Massage Therapists Day, evening & weekend appointments available (780) 875-1803 | puremassage1@live.ca
Thank You Delaney Bruneau Alison & Dale Fulkerth
Fulkerth Families Donna & Marcel Bruneau Dianne Franson Ellie Sims Kerryn Ackerman & Physio Team Dr. Kenyon Lloydminster Hospital - 3rd floor staff Tiffany Robertson Saskatoon City Hospital
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, October 2, 2014
Photos by Andy Devlin / Edmonton Oil Kings
Lloydminster native Andrew Koep is the next wave of talent in Edmonton as part of the Oil Kings, scoring twice in his first game in the WHL.
“It’s something a lot of people dream about and to be there and live it was pretty awesome,” said Koep. “It’s just something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.” His first goal came in the second period, giving the Oil Kings a 2-1 lead. But it was the second goal on a pass from Tyler Robertson that not only gave the rookie the biggest goal of his young career, but up to this point, most likely the loudest as well. Over 11,000 fans attended the home opener to watch the banner raising ceremony for the Oil Kings championships, the largest crowd for an Oil Kings home opener in team history. Prior to his time in the WHL, Koep was used
to a bit of a smaller crowd in Lloydminster as a member of the AAA Bobcats and Heat, so opening night was something special for the forward in front of the largest crowd he has played in front of. “Coming out for warm-up there was quite a few people there and that was pretty shocking,” said Koep. “That fans were really into the game which helps. You get used to it as it goes on. It is something you have to enjoy because it doesn’t happen all the time.” While the game unfolded in front of him, Koep said he had to take a few moments to take it all in at Rexall Place. He also had a front row seat for the
arrival of the Memorial Cup. It’s the goal of every major junior hockey player in Canada to hoist that trophy. It’s an award that takes more than a season to earn, as a team has to not only win their league championship, but also play against the best from the Ontario and Quebec leagues in order to earn it. Edmonton was the best of the best last year, so Koep knows they are capable of winning it again this season. While scoring the game winner and being named the first star in your first game might seem like an accomplishment, it can’t rival the feeling of lifting the hardest trophy to earn in Canadian hockey. “It’s pretty cool to play on the same night as the banner is raised,” said Koep. “Lots of guys were pretty emotional. It’s not something many can say they have done in their life. With hard work and dedication, it shows it is something that can be not that far away.” Koep was a second round pick of the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft after scoring 41 goals and 61 points in 31 goals with the Lloydminster Heat. He played two seasons with the AAA Bobcats before getting the call up to the Oil Kings. Now he is playing against bigger, faster and stronger players in bigger arenas every night, which after only a handful of games into the regular season, has already improved his development as a player. “Everybody just makes tape to tape passes, it’s a lot smoother, a lot more systematic and structure to the game,” said Koep. “It gives guys more opportunity and (they) try not to make mistakes because they are going to jump on those and try and create opportunities.” With the first goal, first game winner and first start out of the way in his first game, Koep can put it behind him and move forward with his major junior career. He got to see on opening night what everyone in the WHL plays for, as well as what every team across Canada plays for at that level. Now it is just about proving himself each night on the ice, and improving his game to continue his hockey journey. Scoring on opening night may be a dream come true, but it isn’t the last dream Koep has in hockey.
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Thursday, May 14, 2015
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Photos courtesy of Brandon Wheat Kings, Christopher Mast (Everett Silvertips) and Medicine Hat Tigers
Kale Clague, Jantzen Leslie and Mason Shaw are just three of the 22 players that have been selected over the past four seasons from Lloydminster in the WHL Bantam Draft.
The draft boom
Lloydminster a hotbed for new Western Hockey League talent by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
Lloydminster is a boom town. Its commodity: young talented hockey players who could be the future of the game on a national level. At the 2015 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft, four local players were selected. Lloydminster natives Ty Smith and Chase Wouters went in the first round, while Keegan Rowland went in the eighth. Marwayne, Alta. native Orrin Centazzo went in the fifth round. It was actually a small slide from the year prior when eight players were selected from the Lloydminster Heat bantam hockey team and six were picked in 2013. But overall, in the last four years, 22 local hockey players have had their name called at the WHL Bantam Draft, which has caught the eye of many WHL scouts. “Definitely in Lloydminster it has been a bit of a hot spot,” said Bill La Forge, director of player personnel
for the Everett Silvertips. “The last three or four years now, the players coming out of there have been really well-developed and really mature in their game. It makes them easy picks for sure.” With the selection of Centazzo this year, the Silvertips have selected four Lloydminster hockey players in the last four seasons, the most of any team in the WHL. They selected Jantzen Leslie and Bryce Kindopp in the first and thrid rounds last year and selected Quinn Sobus in the 2012 draft. The Edmonton Oil Kings, Kamloops Blazers and Medicine Hat Tigers have each selected two Lloydminster players in the last four years. While players getting drafted into the WHL isn’t new in the Border City, the volume of players over the last four years is a drastic increase to the five years prior when only seven players were selected between 2007 and 2011. The elite hockey program in Lloydminster was established
eight years ago, bringing high-level coaches and training, which have contributed to the success local hockey players are having on draft day. But for La Forge, it could be as simple as the style in which Lloydminster athletes play and the characteristics they bring to the ice. “Generally, they seem to be a very competitive group, and for our team, that is a big selling point,” said La Forge. “They just play a competitive, mature game. They seem to have a level of hockey sense and the competitive nature that really translates well into our league.” With nearly 30 names on draft boards over the last nine years, the Lloydminster Minor Hockey Association (LMHA) is patting itself on the back for its elite player development. While LMHA general manager Darrell Wagner gives all credit to the players for getting themselves drafted through their play on the
ice, the recent boom of WHL-drafted players simply tells him and his association that what they are doing is working. “It means we are doing a good job of getting proper coaching and proper development put in place,” said Wagner. “We are having to draw kids in from a draw zone to get kids to come play here and by having this success, it means they are going to come here and that we are going to be able to continue to develop a strong program.” Both La Forge and Wagner agree that Lloydminster is full of skilled hockey players, but it is the intangible assets that have ignited the recent explosion of WHL draftees. For La Forge, it is the competitive nature, but for Wagner, that just comes from mature players who, along with their parents, are committed to the process and desire to be an elite hockey player.
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Bryce Kindopp, with the Everett Silvertips, was drafted in the third round in 2014.
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“It starts back down at our AA levels,” said Wagner. “The desire and the commitment to win. There are lots of skilled kids, absolutely, but it takes desire and drive and commitment to go to that elite level because you are sacrificing a whole bunch to play there. It’s dedication, and La Forge is
right, we instill that in them that if they want to play at that level of hockey, this is what it is going to take. We’ll provide you the tools to succeed if you put in the effort.” The WHL is benefitting from that commitment, as La Forge says it is making the transition from bantam hockey to WHL hockey a lot smoother due to the nature in which these players play the game. “It’s called the competitive nature,” said La Forge. “It looks nature for them to play hard. They seem to have a natural ability to engage in puck battles and want to win races and win the battles a long the walls. It just seems the kids in Lloydminster really enjoy that part of the game and excel at it. It’s fun to watch a Lloydminster game. (These) teams just play hard and they are going to translate well to our league because they already know how hard it is to play this game and the effort and determination it takes to play. The Lloydminster kids seem to have to it a greater degree.” While the number of players has drastically increased over the past few seasons, so too has the number of firstround selections. Prior to 2013, Lloydminster did not have a player go in the opening round since Scott Hartnell did in 1997. Since then, starting with defenceman Kale Clague in 2013, selected sixth overall by Brandon, Lloydminster has produced five firstround draftees and one first overall selection in Ty Smith, though he did play his major bantam year at the Delta Hockey Academy. “We really think these guys are going to play sooner rather than later because of the way they play the game and the hockey sense and competitive nature these kids have,” said La Forge. “It isn’t something you can really teach, it is just something that is there. Something is working well in Lloydminster right now and I’m sure if a lot of other places could figure it out they would bottle it and bring it into their program as well.”
LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Tuesday, September 8, 2015
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Twitter: @LloydSource, @andrewbrethauer
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Chasetan Braid of the Saskatoon Blades and Brandon Baddock of the Edmonton Oil Kings were just two of the five former local hockey players to take part in Sunday’s Border Battle Western Hockey League preseason game.
Oil Kings win Border Battle
by Andrew Brethauer andrew@lloydminstersource.com
The Edmonton Oil Kings can lay claim to the Border Battle, despite not leading for a single second in Sunday night’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Sunday night at the Centennial Civic Centre. Trailing by two after the first period, Edmonton added two of their own to tie the game heading into the third period. It looked as if Lloydminster product Chasetan Braid would get the game winner for the Blades on his former rink, however Luke Bertolucci would spoil the homecoming with a late goal in the third, sending the game into an extra five minutes of overtime. And just 41 seconds in, Dario Meyer would be left alone all in front and beat Blades goalie Matt Kustra to give the Oil Kings the victory and the bragging rights in Canada’s border city.
“It was a little rough around the edges which is a part of exhibition season,” said Oil Kings head coach Steve Hamilton. “They were a pretty young team today and play an aggressive game. They accomplished what they wanted to do which was create a lot of havoc out there and they play hard. Our guys were at times, maybe not as sharp as we would have liked to have seen, but we are rounding ourselves into form.” While the night was a chance to bring Western Hockey League (WHL) action to Lloydminster, it was also a chance for five players to skate at the Civic Centre one last time before returning to Rexall Place in Edmonton or the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. In a special moment, former Lloydminster Bobcat Brandon Baddock was honoured with a Bobcats’ jersey prior to the game, as he played with the junior A club as a 16-year-old before making the jump to the WHL. He then lined up with
GAME DAYS AT THE CIVIC CENTRE AT 7:30PM
fellow Lloydminster players Andrew Koep and Kobe Mohr for the opening face off, and continued to play most of the game alongside fellow players who shared the same ice together at one point in their hockey careers. “It was pretty special coming back home,” said Baddock. “It was really special that the (Bobcats) took the time out. They are a classy organization to do something special like that for me.” The Oil Kings Lloydminster line didn’t fare well on the scoresheet, going a combined minus-6 in their return to the Civic Centre. But for the Blades, Braid got to hear the sound of the train horn one more time after redirecting a shot in the third period. “It seems like they come a lot easier in this rink,” said Braid. “It means a lot to get that goal early in the year. I didn’t have a lot of luck with Saskatoon last year with points, so hopefully I turn it around this year.” Braid was the only former player
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to score on Sunday night, while his teammate Chase Wouters had a respectable showing as a 15-year-old, throwing his weight around in his first career WHL game. “There is no better feeling than that,” said Wouters. “It was a dream come true. Butterflies everywhere in my stomach. I couldn’t even imagine. The first couple of shifts they settled down, but then they kind of built back up between periods again.” The Border Battle sparked some healthy rivalries between the two WHL teams who are equal distance away from Lloydminster. And while the five local players each wanted to help their team bring the victory to their respective province, they also had to take some time to embrace where they were, as the ice at the Civic Centre was a special place for them just a short time ago and was the place where their WHL dreams began. See “Border Battle,” Page 20
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LLOYDMINSTER SOURCE I WWW.LLOYDMINSTERSOURCE.COM I Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Border Battle
Andrew Koep (left) of the Edmonton Oil Kings played on a line with fellow Lloydminster native Kobe Mohr (bottom left) during Sunday’s Border Battle. They played against another local player in Chase Wouters (bottom right) who suited up for the Saskatoon Blades in his first WHL game.
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“There was a lot of hype talking about who was going to win,” said Andrew Koep. “It’s always good to bring it to Alberta. It was a cool experience and probably something I won’t get to do again here in Lloydminster. You just have to embrace and take it all in.” While the game did mean a great deal to the five local players, it was still preseason, which means they are all still fighting for spots on their respective rosters. Wouters will return to Lloydminster for his midget season, while Koep and Braid will enter their second seasons in the WHL. And Baddock, who already has a Memorial Cup with the Oil Kings, still has one final season to go with the Oil Kings, depending on his NHL situation with the New Jersey Devils. For Kobe Mohr, Sunday night was another chance for him to showcase his talents and hopefully, as a 16-year-old, stick with the Oil Kings heading into the regular season, rather than being sent back to Lloydminster for another season of midget. “It’s a stepping stone, that’s for sure,” said Mohr. “I just got to keep building game after game and hopefully crack the roster. The more you play the more you get use to it and start to fit in. The game starts to slow down for you. The more you play, the more it feels right out there for you.”
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Lloydminster Catholic School Division Requires Afterschool Program Leader at Mother Teresa Early Childhood Center
The Westridge POWER TEAM is looking for an enthusiastic and passionate individual to join the team. The auto industry is dynamic and fast paced. Are you a “go-getter”? Do you enjoy challenges, working with the public, and building strong relations with co-workers?
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This position requires 3 hours per day, 2:30 - 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday on regular school days. Hourly Salary ranging from $13.98 - $19.92, depending on education and related experience. Our programs create a safe educational environment for children where their developmental needs are met on a daily basis through activity choices with the help of qualified caring staff, and a supportive school division.
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