TISDALE — A trio of Tisdale Trojans helped Team Saskatchewan brought home silver medals from the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship.
Andrew Hawes, Tanner Martin, and Roddy Ross – who all played for the Trojans last season – competed at the prestigious event in Membertou, Nova Scotia, May 6-12. Team Sask. fell in the championship game to British Columbia, 6-5, in overtime.
“I had mixed emotions,” Ross said. “At first, I was devastated we lost, I think, mainly because we lost in OT and we gave up a 3-0 lead. Then reality caught up and I realized I should be proud and happy. We dedicated the week to the Humboldt Broncos and I bet all the parents of the people that were involved would have given anything to have their family member back to lose in a gold medal game. So, with that said, it feels great to bring home a silver.”
Team Saskatchewan honoured the Broncos, who were in a bus crash near Tisdale that took 16 people’s lives, in a few different ways during the event. This included wrapping themselves in the team’s flag for prayers before each game.
As well, the players wore “CB” stickers in honour of Red Pheasant First Nation member Colten Boushie. He was fatally shot in 2016 when he and four others in an SUV drove onto a Biggar area farm. This past March, a verdict acquitting Gerald Stanley in Boushie’s death prompted protests across Canada.
At the championships, Saskatchewan went 4-0 in the preliminary round. This included 13-0 and 7-0 dominations of New Brunswick and Alberta, respectively. Team Sask. beat Ontario South, 4-3, in the semifinals.
“We had a very strong team this year,” assistant coach Korey Diehl said. “In the three years I have coached this program, this was by far the strongest team we put together leading up to the tournament. The compete level on this team was really strong and we had lots of scoring up front and very strong goaltending. These young guys were very easy to coach. It was very hard not to bring home gold with the talent we had this year, but I truly hope all these young men take this experience and let it guide them to next season and what it takes to win.”
Martin and Ross defended the nets for Team Sask. Diehl praised the duo for how they shared the goaltending duties and supported each other.
In preliminary play, Martin was 3-0 with two shutouts and just one goal against. Martin will be back with the Trojans next season.
“Tanner has great vision seeing the puck and plays the puck very well,” Diehl said. “With Tisdale hosting the Telus Cup [regional] next year, getting the championship game start will only help him for that tournament next season. We are really looking forward to getting him back for next year’s tournament in Whitehorse.”
Martin, a St. Brieux product, believes the experience will help him.
“It was not only beneficial to play and get ice time, but the caliber of hockey was unreal – very talented athletes,” he said.
In preliminary play, Ross was 1-0 with three goals against. He made 36 saves to backstop his team to a semifinals victory. The goalie from Meadow Lake has signed, along with Trojan Colton Schell, to play Junior A for the Camrose Kodiaks in the fall.
Diehl described Ross as a “big goalie with all the upside you want in a goalie. He moves really well in the net, cuts off his angles very well.
“Great kid on and off the ice. He really wants to win even when he is sharing the net. He will have a great hockey career if he keeps up the hard work.”
Kindersley’s Hawes battled back from an injury that curtailed part of his midget AAA season to make Team Sask. The forward had one assist in three preliminary games. His Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League rights are owned by his hometown Klippers but out-of-province teams have also expressed interest in him.
Diehl said that Hawes is a “very hard worker and a great leader in the dressing room. He is always asking questions to be better the next shift. He will play any role you ask of him.”
This was the third time at nationals for Ross. It was the second for Hawes and first for Martin. Saskatchewan had lost in the quarterfinals the past two years, Ross said.
“So this is the first year getting a medal with Sask., so that in itself is a great accomplishment and great way to end my minor hockey,” he said.
The tournament was a great experience, the players said. Martin was pleased to be teammates with Hawes and Ross again.
“The tournament was amazing from top to bottom,” he said. “I can’t thank our staff enough for how much they put into getting everything from plane rides to meals organized. I can’t say I had a favourite moment because every second was amazing for me.
“It is definitely something I would encourage native and Métis players to work towards.”
Ross said that was the furthest east he has travelled for hockey. He emphasized the team’s primary goal was to represent its province and to win a medal, but:
“We did have one day off, so we did get to tour a bit. We went out to the lighthouse and got pics and such along the ocean. It was a great experience.”
