Wayway Wolverine leading scorer commits to the Minot State Beavers for 2016/17

 

The Minot State University Beavers are proud to announce the commitment of graduating Wayway Wolverine forward Johl Swedlo to their roster for the 2016/17 season.

In his 20 year old and final season in the MJHL, the Portage La Prairie product led the Wolverines in scoring with 23 goals, 27 assists for 50 points in 60 games.

Swedlo joins former Wolverines Dylan Gedjos and Craig Fournier on the Beavers.

Swedlo talks about the commitment below:

Yorkton Cardinals Sign Head Coach for 2016 WMBL Summer Collegiate Season

The Yorkton Cardinals are very pleased to announce the signing of Omaha native and current  Zone Training Instructor at the PMPM (Perfect mind Perfect motion) baseball academy, Bryn Biancalana, as the Head Coach for the team, summer 2016.

Bryn brings to Yorkton an excellent pedigree,  as he is the son of former Major League infielder Buddy Biancalana who won the 1985 World Series with the Kansas City Royals, first beating the Toronto Blue Jays in 7 games and then the ST. Louis Cardinals also in 7.

Bryn brings a wealth of baseball knowledge because he has been around the game all of his life. Not only did he accompany his father to many major league clubhouses, he took a very keen fascination to the game as he progressed through his teens and early twenties. He feels he certainly has matured in the process of teaching and dealing with the game over the last five years. The PMPM philosophy of slowing the game down and adopting the concept of motion factor is groundbreaking, which draws on neuroscience.

Bryn has a unique ability to connect with young baseball players striving to achieve Professional status. Since Collegiate baseball involves players under the age of 25, this becomes a perfect storm for him to charge his players with philosophies that are new to them.

Bryn has coached in Edmonton (WMBL) and Saskatoon (WMBL)  in 2011 and 2012 and very pleased to be in Yorkton (WMBL) for 2016.

The Cardinals begin their 2016 season in Melville on Sat May 28 and return to Yorkton for a 7PM game vs  Melville on the 29^th.

Former Millionaire Palmer commits to Mercyhurst (NCAA Div. 1)

Fresh off winning his 2nd straight SJHL's Canalta Cup title with the Melfort Mustangs, former Melville Millionaire goaltender Richard Palmer has committed to NCAA Division 1 hockey next season.

The 20 year old Calgary, Alberta product has announced he will suit up with the Mercyhurst Lakers in Erie, Pennsylvania starting this fall.

Palmer has played in 99 career SJHL regular season games and has compiled a recorded of 64-20-2-6 and he had a 1.25GAA in recently wrapped up Canalta Cup Finals.

Newly Formed Men’s Fastball League looking for a Sponsor

The Milligan Creek Mens Fastball League had it first meeting on Monday night and they are currently looking for a presenting or title sponsor of the league.

This is the first mens league in the area since 1990.

We have 6 teams eager to offer recreation for young adults in the area.  The league not only offers a opportunity for area men to play but also offers high school aged kids an opportunity to play with a lack of minor softball leagues in the area.  The Wadena Wildcats and Fishing Lake Mariners are completely made up of 19 and under boys, in addition to some younger players on Wynyard and Foam Lake.  This league offers those boys a league to play in with a lack of minor softball in the area.  The only other option for those boys is to play against Bantam and Midget aged teams with the closest being PA, Saskatoon and Regina.

Our league is consists of the Foam Lake Merchants, Fishing Lake Mariners, Fishing Lake Cubs, Wadena Wildcats, Rosebud Royals (Wadena), and Wynyard Blues.

Any interested in sponsoring the newly formed fastball league can contact Scott at 1-306-338-9632.

Mustangs capture 2nd straight Canalta Cup

The Melfort Mustangs have gone back to back, winning a second straight SJHL Canalta Cup Championship after a 2-1 win in Game 6 in Flin Flon Sunday night.

After a scoreless first period, the Mustangs were forced to play from behind in a raucous environment, as the Bombers opened the scoring, sending a packed Whitney Forum into a frenzy.  Their leading scorer Alex Smith found the net first at 7:05 of the second period.  Smith finished the playoffs with seven goals and 21 points in 16 games.

Travis Mayan tied it up for Melfort seven minutes later, and it was 1-1 after forty minutes.  It stayed that way until the Mustangs got a late powerplay and Wyatt Hinson buried the winner with just 3:35 left.  Hinson had four goals and 10 points in the regular season, and followed that up with six goals and nine points in the post-season.

In goal, Richard Palmer won his third game in as many consecutive starts, making 46/47 saves, going 3-0, 1.25 GAA, .968% in the finals.  At the other end Zac Robidoux was also stellar, making 31/33 saves.

Mayan was named the SJHL playoff MVP, finishing with 12-goals and 23-points in 17-games.  In his post-season career Mayan had 51-points (25g-26a) in 37 games.  In total, 203 games (regular season + playoffs), Mayan racked up 130-goals and 270-points.

A year ago, the Mustangs moved on to the Western Canada Cup in Fort McMurray and the RBC Cup in Portage.  This year, the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup takes place in Estevan, with the Mustangs opening up Saturday afternoon against the defending RBC Cup Champion Portage Terriers.

The field for the Western Canada Cup is:

SJHL: Melfort Mustangs
Host: Estevan Bruins
MJHL: Portage Terriers
AJHL: Brooks Bandits
BCHL: West-Kelowna Warriors

The full schedule can be found here:
http://www.westerncanadacup.com/view/westerncanadacup/bracket

Two teams from the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup will advance to the RBC Cup in Lloydminster.

(SJHL Press Release)

__________________________________________________________________________

There are 7 former Melville Millionaires/local products on the Mustangs roster:

 

(Top: Left to right- Brett Kitt, Richard Palmer, Dakota Boutin, and Kirk Bear,
Bottom: Left to right- Carter Hansen, Mark Zvonkovic and Ashton Clark) 

                             ==========================================================================


A member of the Mustangs is former Melville Millionaire and Ochapowace product Kirk Bear who talks about the championship below:

Western Hockey League Conference Finals Preview with Jayce Hawryluk and Turner Ottenbreit

The Western Hockey League Conference Finals kick off tonight (Fri) in Brandon, Manitoba & Kelowna, BC respectively.

Roblin Manitoba's Jayce Hawryluk (Brandon Wheat Kings) previews Eastern Conference Final vs. the Red Deer Rebels.




Yorkton's Turner Ottenbreit (Seattle Thunderbird) talks about Western Conference Final against the Kelowna Rockets

Norrish Twins named as RIT Tigers captains for 2016/17

(RIT Tigers Press Release)

ROCHESTER, NY – RIT head coach Wayne Wilson announced the men's hockey captains for the 2016-17 season on Wednesday, April 20. Juniors Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers), Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers), and Myles Powell (Courtenay, British Columbia/Cowichan Valley Capitals) will serve as captains for the two-time defending Atlantic Hockey Conference Champions. Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers) was a 2015-16 assistant captain.

"I think all three student-athletes are going to be outstanding captains," said RIT head coach Wayne Wilson, who completed his 17th season behind the bench for the Tigers in 2015-16. "They all represent what we want as students, players and people. All three men will represent our team and RIT well in addition to being great leaders as we attempt to defend our title and three-peat to again be the Atlantic Hockey Conference representative in the NCAA Tournament."

Brady Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers), an All-Atlantic Hockey third team selection in 2015-16, enjoyed another excellent year for the Tigers, with 16 points on six goals and 10 assists while playing in all 39 games. He was the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 2. In two seasons, he has 38 points on 10 goals and 28 assists. Brady was named the team's Rookie of the Year and Cordick Award winner in 2014-15.

Chase Norrish (Strongfield, Saskatchewan/Yorkton Terriers), who was named the Atlantic Hockey Best Defenseman of the Year and earned All-Atlantic Hockey first team honors in 2015-16, enjoyed a tremendous year, leading all RIT defensemen in scoring with 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists, while playing in 34 games. He was the Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 5. In two seasons, Norrish has 33 points on nine goals and 24 assists in 70 games.

Powell emerged as a valuable offensive threat in 2015-16, leading the team with 15 goals, while adding 17 assists for 32 points, second most on the squad. He also led the Tigers with eight power-play goals, four game-winning tallies, and a plus-12 rating, while taking just two penalties. Powell was named the Atlantic Hockey Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player after scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the semifinal against Air Force, while tallying four points on two goals and two assists in the championship game against Robert Morris. He has 42 points on 19 goals and 23 assists in 75 career games.

For the second consecutive season, and third time in the Division I era, the RIT men's hockey team advanced to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, winning the Atlantic Hockey Conference Championship. On the strength of a strong second half performance, the Tigers made a memorable postseason run, winning the league title before giving the No. 1 team in the country, Quinnipiac, all it could handle in the NCAA East Regional Semifinal. RIT ended the season ranked No. 20 in the final USCHO.com national poll with an 18-15-6 record.