Former UPEI Panthers hockey great Joel Ward, who fashioned a successful NHL career after four brilliant university years (2001-05) in Charlottetown, is back in the province for the big alumni weekend at UPEI.
Ward will have his UPEI No. 22 jersey, retired in 2016, re-raised to the rafters just before UPEI meets St. FX tonight, at 7 p.m., in the final game of the 2018-19 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s regular season.
A victory could result in a tie for third with X. We do know that the Panthers are in the playoffs likely against either Acadia or Moncton, but I guess it depends on the final outcome of the investigation of that wild game last week between Acadia and St. FX which resulted in a brawl.
Ward spent 10 years in the NHL with Washington, Nashville and San Jose and while playing on mostly a checking lines still posted two 20 goal seasons and a few more in the high teens. Ward excelled in the tough going, especially in the playoffs where he scored a surprising 22 goals in a little more than 80 games.
Seeing Ward's jersey hanging from the rafters brings back fond memories of a hard-working and talented forward who was a class guy both on and off the ice.
Panthers Alumni Hit The Ice
There will be four alumni teams in action this weekend bringing out such oldies as NHL standout and ex-Panther Al MacAdam, who scored 42 goals in the 1979-80 NHL season with the Minnesota North Stars back in his day.
One local P.E.I. fan tried to tell me this week that MacAdam scored against Jacques Plante to knock the Canadians out of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Al may have a little age on him and he did score a huge goal that knocked the Habs out of the playoffs one year, but it wasn't against Plante who retired in 1972-73 before MacAdam entered the NHL.
Panther hockey organizers are very generous with the handles on the various alumni teams this weekend.
MacAdam is captain of the Plus-45 Panther team (that's a stretch) with familiar faces like Dave Shellington, Rich Little and a certainly-more-than-45 Ron Carragher.
Wilf MacDonald, the best defenceman ever at UPEI, and a gifted played that logged 35 minutes per game with the Panthers is captain of the other 45-Plus team.
It’s comprised mostly of guys that played for coach Jack Hynes, including star defenceman Terry McKenna, goaltender Jamie Cudmore, Brian and Rick Cameron and two-way standout Bobby MacDonald - perhaps the uncrowned king of the Atlantic Intercollegiate Hockey League (now the AUS) enforcers.
Those guys are certainly a notch or two beyond 45!
Todd James is captain of one of the Under-45 clubs with players like Scotty Cameron, Mark and Mike White, Josh Patterson and others.
Ward is captain of one of the Under-45 clubs with former mates K J White, Darcy Harris, Kris MacPhee and goalie Jason Flick.
I wouldn't want the task of verifying all the puck stories swapped at the various Charlottetown watering holes today and tomorrow by the alumni groups, but heck it would be a lot of fun.
The Spud Trifecta
P.E.I. teams won three of the top four categories at last week's prestigious Spud minor hockey tournament, the most successful Spud ever for teams from this hockey mad province.
Coach Jeff Squires told me last summer at the ball park that his Central Attack AAA bantam team might well be the best in the Atlantic provinces.
He and assistant coach K J White had the boys playing great hockey in the playoff round last week with game changing goals by Cam Squires, Kal White, Bates Ling and Colby Huggan. Goaltender Jack Howattt was sensational throughout and earned championship game MVP, while Kal earned the Drew Power Memorial trophy.
The Central Attack captured the Monctonian earlier in the season and if they earn the right to represent P.E.I., their next goal is the Atlantics.
In addition to the Central Attack victory, Pownal won the atom AAA Spud tournament for head coach Gord Walsh and Scott Campbell.
Jackson Batchilder and Rowan Walsh, who had the double-overtime winner, were standouts with Walsh winning the Jeff Mobbs Memorial Trophy.
The Western Regals gave this little Island the Spud hat trick winning for coaches Jason Smallman and Joey Dumville.
A tip of the hat as well to Vernon Doyle, who picked up the Stu MacFadyen volunteer of the Spud award.
Storm-ing For A Win
The pro basketball Island Storm entertain the Halifax Hurricanes this evening, at 7 p.m., at Eastlink in another important National Basketball League of Canada contest.
The addition of sharp-shooting Malik Story, 28 points in his debut, and big man Terrell Carter made an enormous difference in the Storm's victory here last Sunday, and let's hope it continues.
This will be the third game in three days for the Storm who lost 115-113 in overtime Thursday night here against the St. John’s Edge.
In that one, guards Tyree White and Alex Campbell continued their great play with 21 and 20 points, respectively, while Sampson Carter hit for 23, his season average.
Guillaume Boucard bagged 20 and Robbie Robinson 15 in a losing another heart-breaker.
Last night, the Storm travelled to Saint John, N.B., in a key game against the Riptide, which they’re battling for that last playoff spot.
In facing Halifax tonight, ex-Storm assistant coach Mike Leslie, now Hurricanes head coach, works without difference maker Tyrone Watson, out for the past month or so, but still has standouts like Mike Poole, Terry Thomas, Rhamel Brown and Cliff Clinkscales.
A Sweetheart Of A Deal
The partner to the Spud tournament for boys, the Sweetheart tournament for girls goes this weekend in Charlottetown and surrounding rinks with 94 Atlantic Canada teams participating from novice to midget.
The tournament is a great boost for restaurants and hotels as teams have been searching for accommodations around Charlottetown and surroundings for weeks. The tournament will be played on city rinks plus Pownal, Cornwall, North Rustico, Bedeque and Borden-Carleton, so drop in and see the girls in action.
More on this tournament next week.
Making The Right Super Bowl Call
The Annual Super Bowl poll showed once again that the Sports Prophet and his regulars usually are correct on the Super Bowl call.
For the record, Jim Revell, Serge Savard, Sock MacDonald, Roger Outhouse, Gary Kennedy, Shane Dowling, Tom Mullally (the Souris High School hard nosed linebacker) and entertainer Richard Wood, who called the spread exactly at 10 points, will be back next year.
As for Dowling, did you know that in his first year at UPEI under coach Hilton, he was named rookie of the year, the second year named MVP, and in Year 3 he was drafted by the Charlottetown Police Services where he fought crime in the City for the next 30 years?
You're the best, Shane.
In other local football news, we regret to report the passing of Dermie Kinzella. He arrived here with the great Jim Foley back in 1966 and was an outstanding receiver, running back, linebacker, and who, like many Saint Dunstan’s University players of that era, played offence and defence.
Harness Racing
No live harness racing in Charlottetown or anywhere in the Maritimes this time of year, but there's plenty of simulcast racing available.
The Andrew Moore trained Springbrookvision (Shadow Play) captured last weekend's $36,000 Blizzard Final at Mohawk in 1:56:2 coming off the pace for driver James MacDonald and extending her win streak to four in 2019. The mare is co-owned by Andrew and Allan Moore,Tom Godfrey of Charlottetown and Charles Farrell.
Also at Mohawk, Woodmere Ceilidh was a solid third in 1:54 (purse $18,000) and in the same race Woodmere Finesse fifth. Royaltywestho was sixth in 1:53, beaten by two lengths (purse $14,000).
Reg MacPherson's Sock It Away was fourth, beaten seven lengths charted in 1:57:1in last Friday's qualifier at Yonkers. I expect a much better effort effort tonight when he tackles a soft class, Race 2, purse $17,500. I doubt he'll go away, even money.
A number of Maritime-bred horses are in to go today at Flamboro, including Daisy River, Oceanview Deb, West River Cindy and Howmac Fiesty.
The local race game lost another great fan with the passing last week of Gerry Lidstone, wife of Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park regular Ron Lidstone.
It would be difficult to find a more enjoyable individual than Gerry (or Ron). Our condolences to all connected to this great lady.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at fiddlersfacts@hotmail.com.
