Running Around
with Allan Beaver
Allan Beaver is a member of the Bigstone Cree Nation in Desmarais, AB. A former athlete, Allan has competed in volleyball, basketball, fastball, and long-distance running before starting his writing career fifteen years ago.
SADDLE LAKE WARRIORS DEFEAT THE WHEAT KINGS IN THE
CHAMPIONSHIP
Killam, AB – The Warriors came out in full force for the North East Alberta Junior B Hockey League (NEAJBHL) championship against the Killam Wheat Kings. The Saddle Lake Warriors defeated the Wheat Kings on home ice by a score of 7-4 to take the championship series 4 games to 1 on Wednesday, March 28th
In the regular season standings, the Wheat Kings placed third over-all with 43 points while Saddle Lake placed fifth with 41 points behind the league leading Lloydminster Bandits who tallied 52 points. The heavily favored Bandits were defeated in the first round by the Cold Lake Ice in four straight games.
Coach Joe Young described the feeling of winning the championship as unbelievable. “A lot of the credit has to go to the team members and it’s a great feeling for the Saddle Lake Warriors organization.”
“I had expectations coming into the season because of winning the championship the previous season. The team worked really hard and we got the results that we wanted. We got better as the season went on and we came together during the play-offs,” add Young.
The Saddle Lake Warriors have now won three league championships and this season may have been tougher than the other years.
AL HACKNER BACK ON WORLD STAGE OF CURLING
Edmonton, AB – At press time, the 2007 Men’s and Women’s Senior World Curling Championships are being hosted by the Thistle Curling Club in Edmonton, AB from March 22 – 30.
The championships are being conducted through an agreement with the Canadian Curling Association and the Alberta Curling Federation and will conclude at the start of the 2007 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship, slated for Rexall Place from March 31st to April 8th.
Twenty-two years removed from his last world championship, Aboriginal role model Al Hackner finds himself on curling’s world stage once again. This time around, he is representing Canada at the 2007 World Senior Curling Championship being held March 25-31 at the Thistle Curling Club in Edmonton.
“Well we’re obviously excited about it,” said Hackner before his rink of Rick Lang, Al Laine, and Brian Adams Sr. were honoured at a send-off party at the Fort William Curling Club. “Little bit different this time. We had two weeks to prepare in 1985 and now we’ve had a whole year. We’ve had a whole year to get our act together and get our nerves settled down.”
PREDATORS – THE TEAM TO BEAT
Nashville, TN - The Nashville Predators are proving to everyone that they are serious contenders for the Lord’s Stanley Cup. Presently, they are leading the standings in the Western Conference and might be coming to Alberta to play the Flames, if the current standings don’t change.
Much of the team’s success has to given to the management for given the young players a chance to prove what they provide for the team, and players like Vern Fiddler and Jordin Tootoo have responded very well.
Jordin Tootoo, is already one of the league's best agitators and he has fine tuned his game to benefit his team. He gets players off their game when he’s on the ice.
In a recent game against the Dallas Stars, Tootoo lays a clean check on Mike Modano and gets a two-handed slash on his back. Tootoo took the slash like a real man should and kept on going after the puck. Robidas tries to come to the rescue of Modano and charges toward Tootoo. The instant reaction of any player when they see some player charging like that is to protect themselves. That was what Tootoo was doing, he was trying to protect himself but putting his hand out and in the process Robidas gets knocked out.
An innocent play as Robidas doesn’t get back up and lays on the ice. Colin Campbell suspends Jordin Tootoo for five games for protecting himself. Unbelievable, when you know that Robidas had strong intentions of injuring Tootoo.
Predators’ General Manager David Poile said the team disagreed with the suspension, he did not plan to appeal.
ONION LAKE YOUNGSTER ENCOURAGED AFTER MEETING HIS HOCKEY HERO
Onion Lake, SK – He is only 10 years old and has been on skates for approximately seven years already. Quinlin Littlewolfe is in the Tier 1 Atom Division as a forward for the Lloydminster Midwest Communications Blazers. This is Quinlins’ rookie season away from the Onion Lake Minor Hockey Association and the experience he has gained will no doubt motivate him to achieve his goal of someday playing in the NHL.
“My dream is to play in the NHL like my hero, Jonathon Cheechoo,” says the shy Quinlin when interviewed after the San Jose Sharks practice in Edmonton. When asked which team he wants to play for, he stated “I don’t know right now…any team in the NHL.”
“Quinlan has swept himself out from underneath the radar and quickly become a positive attribute to the Lloydminster Midwest Tier 1 hockey team,” says coach Grant Cochrane.
“He (Quinlan) possesses many strengths and learned how to play systems and is an easily coached kid. Quinlan’s best aspect is his attitude. He always has a smile on his face.