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SAIT Trojans Playoff Update

Curtis Taylor

Polytechnic Press

The SAIT Trojans made quick work of the Grant MacEwan Griffins in the first round of the ACAC playoffs, but will now have their hands full with the explosive Augustana Vikings in the semi finals.

The Trojans split their four regular season matchups with the Vikings, with each team winning twice on home ice.

With MRU facing NAIT in the other semi final, hockey fans around Calgary are hoping for a rematch of last year’s final between SAIT and MRU.

But the Trojans know that they will have their hands full with Augustana, and are focused on the task at hand.

“We are going to have our hands full with them, they are a highly offensive team and they have home ice advantage,” said Trojans head coach Ken Babey.

The team played very well defensively in the MacEwan series, and took only three minor penalties in the two games.

They will need to maintain that type of discipline against Augustana, who had the league’s highest scoring offence in the regular season.

“We can’t be taking penalties against them, we need to play them hard between the whistles and stay out of the crap with them,” said Trojans defenseman Mitch McColm

In the final week of the regular season, Ken Babey named Andy Williams as his starter for the playoffs.

But in the first game of the Mount Royal series, Williams was injured when he was run over by Cougars forward Jeremy Roberts.  Roberts received a five-minute major and a game misconduct on the play, but there was no supplemental discipline from the league.

“Andy was in a vulnerable position, I thought it was a dirty hit,” said Babey.

Williams remains out indefinitely with nerve damage in his left leg.  He still has no feeling in the leg, which has left the Trojans medical staff searching for other options of treatment.

Adam Bartko has done a fine job filling in for Williams between the pipes, and will remain the team’s starter for the Augustana series.

“You always have to be ready, I go into every game with the mentality that anything can happen and I am mentally prepared to come off the bench,” said Bartko, who hails from North Battleford, Saskatchewan. 

Adam Bartko scrambles to make a great save on Vinny Muchalla. Curtis Taylor photo.

The Trojans have established an identity this season with their physical play, always sticking up for each other on the ice.

McColm responded to the Roberts hit in the dying minutes of the final game of the regular season, as he dropped the gloves with him and landed about 10 solid uppercuts before the officials broke it up.

“There has to be a price to pay for stuff like that, whether it was an accident or not I thought something should be done,” said McColm

In two seasons with the Tri City Americans of the WHL, McColm racked up 215 penalty minutes in 115 games played.

McColm enjoyed playing the role of enforcer in the WHL, but acknowledges that the ACAC is a different league and there is not as much place for fighting.

“I feel like some guys in this league try to hide behind that, but I like to keep guys honest, and I like teams to know that when I am on the ice they will be held accountable,” said McColm.

The series will get start Thursday March 1, at Augustana’s home rink in Camrose.  Game two will be played on Saturday at SAIT, with a 6 PM puck drop.

Come out and support your Trojans!

SAIT Trojans Playoff Preview

Curtis Taylor

Polytechnic Press

The ACAC playoffs are right around the corner, and the SAIT Trojans men’s hockey team is gearing up for what they hope will be a long and successful playoff run.

The Trojans have four games remaining on the schedule, all of which are against teams they are looking up at in the standings.

They will play a home and home series with Augustana this weekend, and wrap up the regular season next weekend against their cross-town rival the Mount Royal Cougars.

The Trojans currently sit third in the ACAC standings, one point behind second place Augustana and seven points behind first place Mount Royal.

The Mount Royal Cougars have only one regulation loss this season in 24 games played, a 7-1 loss at home to the Trojans. 

“It gets us into the playoff atmosphere right away here, these are two big tests and we know that down the road we are going to see at least one of them in the playoffs,” said assistant captain Travis Bradshaw.

Sam Mitchell and Vinny Muchalla battle for the face-off. Curtis Taylor photo

The Trojans have done well to keep pace in the standings, as they have battled injuries all season. 

After missing two months with a shoulder injury, Garret Watson has suffered another setback with a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the season, joining forwards Robert Nocera and Craig Eisenhut on the long term injury list.

“Even with the injuries, we still have a great team.  A lot of teams are counting us out already and I think that is a mistake,” said first year forward and Wolseley, Saskatchewan native Nolan Souchotte.

The team has missed a total of 44 man games to injury so far, which is the most during Ken Babey’s 25 years at SAIT.

“We’ve been having to patch some holes, I’m not using it as an excuse but it’s a reality, and I think it has led to some of our inconsistent play,” said Babey.

The Trojans currently lead the league in penalty minutes with 881, and while Babey admits his team needs to be more disciplined, the physical edge they bring every night will be key to their success in the playoffs.

“We like to play a physical style, and we can do that without taking lazy stick penalties like hooking and tripping,” said Babey.

The Trojans did not look very sharp in their past two games, going winless against Concordia.  Babey thinks his team may have taken their previous opponent too lightly, but with the playoffs right around the corner the team should have no trouble getting motivated for their remaining games.

“We are kind of seen as an underdog now, which we are totally fine with,” said Bradshaw. “We feel confident playing against any team, and we are going to give it everything we have in the playoffs.”

Curtis Billsten Feature

Curtis Taylor

Polytechnic Press

SAIT Trojans fans will notice a few new faces on the team this semester.  Wearing number 15 for the team, Curtis Billsten, was sought after by Ken Babey in previous years and the Trojans coach is excited to throw him into the mix.

“He’s a proven player who’s experienced, and he gives us some much needed depth,” said head coach Ken Babey.

Billsten grew up in Saint Albert, just ten minutes northwest of the city of Edmonton. 

He was introduced to hockey at the young age of four, and has been hooked ever since.

In cold Saint Albert winters Billsten was out on the pond, playing hockey every day with his older brother.  When summer came along and the city thawed out, the hockey games shifted from the pond to the street.

“Like every other typical Canadian hockey players, me and my brother played basically every day,” said Billsten. “From that and through my parents I grew a love for the game.”

Fast forward to today, at 25 years old Billsten has already built up quite the resume.

After excelling in junior hockey, Billsten was drafted into the WHL by the Red Deer Rebels. 

Going into his first WHL training camp, Billsten surprised a lot of people including current Calgary Flames coach Brent Sutter, who was then the bench boss for the Rebels.

“He was a very physically demanding coach who throws a lot on your shoulders,” he said. “But it was definitely a huge learning step in my career.”

Billsten and the Trojans celebrate a late season victory over the Mount Royal Cougars.   Curtis Taylor Photo

Billsten made the team as a 16 year old, playing alongside current NHL stars Dion Phaneuf and goaltender Cam Ward.

The WHL took it’s toll on Billsten, and after playing half a season he decided to go play Junior A for the Calgary Royals to work on both the physical and mental aspects of his game.

“It’s a grind, you get into that pro hockey style of life and you realize that life changes pretty quick when it becomes a job and somewhat of a career at that age.”

The following summer Billsten got picked up in the expansion draft by the Everett Silvertips, where he would play for another former NHL coach in Kevin Constantine.

Though Billsten enjoyed playing for a class organization in Red Deer, he felt he had an overall better experience playing for the Silvertips.

“Playing for a first year team in a brand new building, the fans were absolutely nuts.  We sold out even the majority of our season games,” he said.

That year Everett made it to the WHL finals, a rare feat for an expansion team.  The people of Everett embraced Billsten and his teammates and they became instant stars in the town just 45 minutes north of Seattle.

“The way (the fans) treated us, hockey was so new and fresh to them they thought of us as their pro team, and the city really built up behind us.”

After his WHL career was over, Billsten attended training camp for the Ottawa Senators.  Though he felt he did well at camp, Billsten wanted more security in his career and decided to accept a hockey scholarship to the University of British Columbia.

Billsten surprised himself with his dominant play in the CIS, and his dream of playing professional hockey had not yet faded.

“I couldn’t see myself getting an arts degree at UBC and throwing my hockey career away at such a young age.”

Billsten left UBC and bounced around playing for professional teams in Victoria, B.C,, Laredo, Texas, and even Germany before deciding to attend SAIT to enroll in the carpentry program and play for the Trojans.

Billsten has made an instant impact for the Trojans with two goals and an assist in his first two games, and his hockey experience provides instant leadership off the ice with this young Trojans squad.

“When a guy like that comes in, if he has something to say you listen to him,” said first year Trojan and Wolseley, Saskatchewan native Nolan Souchotte

“He’s great in the dressing room, and he’s a hard worker.  He brings a lot of experience to the lineup.”

Heading into the second half of the season, the Trojans are looking up at NAIT and Mount Royal in the standings. 

With Garret Watson back from injury, he and Billsten will bring a physical presence to a team in search of their fifth ACAC championship in six seasons.

Shot Blocking

A recent tragedy in Edmonton has brought local attention to the most dangerous play in hockey; shot blocking.

16-year-old Kyle Fundytus, who played for the Don Wheaton Midget AA team in Edmonton, tragically lost his life on November 13 after being struck in the neck by a shot.  He went into cardiac arrest, and died later in the hospital.

It was a tragedy that shook the hockey world, and showed how much damage a puck can really do to someone.

Tributes for Fundytus poured in through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  This facebook tribute was reposted by many in the hockey world.

Deeply saddened to hear the news of 16 year old, Kyle Fundytus, who played for the Don Wheaton Midget AA team...He passed away last week after taking a blocked shot to the neck, sending him into cardiac arrest...
Only a true hockey player can understand the meaning of "sacrificing the body". It takes a very special type of individual to make this sacrifice. For those of us who understand, we know that Kyle risked his life for the betterment of his team-his brothers in uniform. 
I am calling on those who have ever laced up a pair of skates and laid themselves on the line to honor Kyle's memory by re-posting this on their wall...
RIP Kyle you were a true hockey player

Here is a link from the The Province newspaper in Vancouver of the reaction to this tragedy on Twitter

The incident has raised the issue of whether shot blocking should be coached at the youth and amateur levels.  Trojans head coach Ken Babey doesn’t seem to think it is necessary.

“I don’t see the need.  Once you start making a decision around 16 and 17 that you are going to play serious hockey, then it becomes a bigger aspect of the game,” said Babey.

With the introduction of composite sticks to the NHL and other levels of hockey, players are shooting the puck harder than ever before.  And while no NHL players have died as a result of blocking a shot, there have been a few close calls.  

I apologize for the video quality, but this was perhaps the closest there has been to a player dying in the NHL from blocking a shot.  Trent McCleary suffered a fractured larynx on the play, and was never able to play hockey again after the incident.

What saved his life was the ambulance and medical crew which are on hand for every NHL game, a luxury that was unfortunately not available for Kyle Fundytus.

Shot blocking takes a lot of courage, but it is very important that it is done properly.  There is not much room for error.  Here are some tips for proper shot blocking techniques that coaches should be teaching players from the youth level and upwards.

North American players are known for their gritty style of play, and shot blocking is encouraged at the youth level.  The majority of players in the NHL are from Canada and the United States.  This means that players coming over from European leagues have to adapt to the North American style of play, and shot blocking is expected of them.

Canadian	54%
American	23%
Czech	4%
Swedish	6%
Finnish	2.50%
Russian	3%
Other	7.50%

        Stats are from NHL.com  

In terms of shot blocking, no one does it better on the SAIT Trojans than forward Garrett Watson.  Watson, who is currently injured, relishes his role for the Trojans and gives his team energy with his shot blocking.

“It’s not like scoring a goal, but when you get down and feel that puck hit you, you hear the bench behind you 100 percent, its just as good of a satisfaction,” said Watson.

Watson sees the incident in Edmonton as a tragic accident, but knows that young hockey players will do whatever it takes to win the game.

“It’s tough to tell a guy to avoid that, because at the end of the day you are just trying to do what you can to get two points for your team,” he said.

Shot blocking earns a player respect from his teammates and coaches, as it is a way to sacrifice your body for the team.

“It’s becoming a big aspect of the game and it shows the courage you have to put your body in the line of that puck.  It doesn’t feel good when you block that puck but it gives your team a boost,” said Trojans forward Matt Stefanishion.

There is much more to the game of hockey than scoring goals.  Each team needs a player like Garrett Watson, someone who will go to the tough areas, win faceoffs, and block shots. 

And while most of these stats don’t show up on the score sheet, Watson’s role on the Trojans is just as important as any of the leading scorers.

Always sacrificing his body for the team, Watson has earned a wealth of respect amongst his teammates and coaches.

“I miss Watty every day,” said Babey.

“His leadership on the ice, his commitment to the program, shotblocking, faceoffs, he reminds me of Joel Otto, a big guy who wins faceoffs and blocks shots.”

Brendan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan is entering his first full season as the NHL's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian.  And while his job is one of power within the league, it is perhaps the most unenviable job the NHL has to offer these days.

The league is in the middle of a massive crackdown on headshots, and Shanahan is the one who has to enforce the new rules.

He has to walk the fine line of keeping the physical aspect of the game intact, but at the same time protect the players from concussions.

Shanahan has implemented a video system where he gives an explanation for his suspensions.  Here is an example.

And while Shanahan has taken a lot of heat since taking his new job, I think the league is going in the right direction with these explanation videos.

As a longtime fan of the game, my biggest concern was seeing a legal body check warrant a suspension based on how hard of a hit it was.  But after watching the Leafs and Senators battle it out on CBC the other night, I realized that Shanny and I are on the same page.

Ottawa Senators rookie Stephane De Costa cut across the blue line with his head down, and Dion Phaneuf drilled him with one of his signature hits that has made a name for himself in this league.  Here is the hit.

There is no question that Phaneuf caught a piece of his head, as the helmet went flying off right after the hit.  But the initial point of contact was at the chest level, and I commend Shanahan for not suspending Dion in this situation.

As for De Costa, he is a rookie who learned a valuable lesson, and he will think twice about doing that again especially with Phaneuf on the ice.

Sidney Crosby cleared for contact

The world's best hockey player is one step closer to returning to game action.

On Thursday, TSN reported that Sidney Crosby had finally been cleared for contact for the first time since his concussion suffered on Jan. 6.

Crosby's concussion has without a doubt been the most highly publicized injury in the NHL's recent memory.  But for some, it got too much attention.  On Tuesday night, the always outspoken Jeremy Roenick sounded off on the NHL network about the constant updates about basically nothing.

There is still no timetable for his return, but this is positive news for all fans of the sport.  Before Crosby got injured, he was playing at a level much higher than any other player in the league.

Despite being out since early January, Crosby was still ranked at the top of the list in TSN's top 50 players in the NHL.

If there's any silver lining in all of this, Crosby's injury raised awareness to an issue that has dominated sports headlines recently.  The awareness he raised led to action, and the NHL has implemented a serious crackdown on headshots since.  In early September, Crosby spoke out against headshots in the league, and said he wanted them completely taken out.  Clearly the league listened to what he had to say.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are still a very good team without Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (who is currently injured), but when these two are in the lineup they are the NHL's best team.  The HockeyNews posted their preseason predictions, and had Pittsburgh right at the top.

The hockey community has long awaited the return of Sidney Crosby.  And while there is no timetable, fans have to be patient.  For someone who has already won a World Junior Championship, Olympic Gold Medal, and a Stanley Cup, the most important thing for Sid now is to stay healthy.