FRIDAY COMMENTARY – IT’S SHOWTIME!
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)
WE DEVOTE TODAY’S COMMENTARY TO MY GUILTY PLEASURE:
JUNIOR HOCKEY.
THE CURTAIN RISES ON A BRAND NEW WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE SEASON FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE REGINA PATS KICKOFF THEIR SEASON AT HOME TO THE MOOSE JAW WARRIORS.
IT’S ONE OF SEVEN GAMES ON THE SLATE, AND THE FIRST OF A HOME-AND-HOME SERIES BETWEEN THE TWO FIERCEST RIVALS IN ALL OF JUNIOR HOCKEY.
FOR MANY YEARS, THE WHL WOULD FACEOFF ITS SEASON WITH A MARQUEE GAME ON THE THURSDAY NIGHT. A STAND-ALONE, FEATURED GAME IF YOU WILL.
THE PATS-WARRIORS CLASH UNDER THE ORANGE TOP CERTAINLY WOULD’VE FIT THAT BILL, BUT APPARENTLY THE DUB DOESN’T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE.
MAYBE THEY FORGOT, OR MAYBE IT’S DUE TO THE LACK OF A REGIONAL TV DEAL ACROSS WESTERN CANADA.
NO MATTER. IN THE ABSENCE OF NHL GAMES, ALL THE EYES OF THE HOCKEY WORLD WILL BE ON REGINA, WATCHING THE EXPLOITS OF THE YOUNGEST CAPTAIN IN PATS HISTORY, CONNOR BEDARD.
THE QUESTION LOOMS OVER WHETHER BEDARD WILL FINISH HIS CAREER AS A PAT, BUT THAT TALK WILL BE SHELVED AT LEAST FOR FRIDAY NIGHT.
FEW THINGS IN MY WORLD MATCH OPENING NIGHT IN THE WHL, WHEN EVERYONE’S TIED FOR FIRST PLACE AND OPTIMISM MATCHES THE SHINE OF A FRESHLY-FLOODED SHEET OF ICE.
WE’VE GOT OUR EYE ON THE SJHL TOO, WHERE YORKTON AND THE BATTLEFORDS ARE OFF TO UNDEFEATED STARTS AND THERE ARE SOME GREAT RIVALRY GAMES ON FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE TOO.
AND I COULDN’T BE MORE THRILLED AT THURSDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ASSINIBOIA’S BRAND NEW SOUTHLAND CO-OP CENTRE WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN ON OCTOBER 15 WITH A GAME FEATURING THE ASSINIBOIA SOUTHERN REBELS JUNIOR TEAM.
I’LL BE ON HAND CALLING THE PLAY-BY-PLAY ON CAT COUNTRY 98 ON A GROUND-BREAKING NIGHT.
WHO EVER SAID YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN?
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA, and on WQEE 99.1 FM. Call your cable provider to subscribe. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)
I was fortunate enough to grow up in Assiniboia