THE WEDNESDAY THRILLER … WITH PHIL ANDREWS

With Phil Andrews

Happy Wednesday! Let’s get right to it:

Regina Pats star rookie forward Sam Steel is off to Sarnia Ontario today ahead of the 2014 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge which gets underway this coming weekend. Steel will represent Team Canada Black for the tournament as they open on Sunday against Team Russia at 2 o’clock. The Sherwood Park native has 3 goals and 9 assists in 15 games this season with the Pats and is tied for 2nd in team scoring with 12 points. Add to that the fact that he leads the team at plus 10, he has been even or on the plus side of the ledger in every game besides one where he went -1.

Steel says he he can’t wait for the opportunity. “I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I was named to the team. It just started to set in after that last game (on Sunday). That’s my main focus for the next 10 days or so and then once I get back then it’s all business again here (in Regina).”

Sam is not the only standout rookie from the WHL that will be playing with Team Black. Tyler Benson of the Vancouver Giants and Cale Klague of the Brandon Wheat Kings are on his team.  All three of them top 5 picks in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. Add to that list Calgary Hitmen defenceman Jake Bean, Vancouver d-man Ryely McKinstry and Seattle forward Nolan Volcan as the other WHLer’s. Won’t be the last time we see the likes of Steel dawn the Canadian colors.

Steel will miss three games for the Pats for the tournament, this weekend against Saskatoon and Swift Current and then next weekend versus the Calgary Hitmen.

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SLAPSHOTS

– Fans of the WHL are being treated to quite the crop of rookies breaking into the league this year. The 16 year old class is better than I have ever seen. I’m sure there are people who have been around a lot longer than I have but we will be seeing these 1998 born kids light up the league for the next 3-4 years. Sam Steel and Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings each have 12 points, Kamloops Jake Kryski has 11 along with Vancouver’s Tyler Benson. Star players with bright futures.

– The Pats finally got the puck to go in on Sunday against the Lethbridge Hurriances. I have never seen a team so snake bitten as the Pats were in the previous four games where they scored just once in each contest, all of them losses. From posts to bad bounces to missing wide open nets the team just could not score a second goal in their games but it all came together against the Canes on Sunday. Yes people will argue that it was just the Hurricanes but Lethbridge had won three in a row coming in, including against the defending memorial Cup Champion Edmonton Oil Kings.

– Seems like Morgan Klimchuk has come into full form 6 games in. The 19 year old Flames 1st rounder had his first multi-point night on Sunday with a goal and two assists. That’s a welcome sight for the Blue and White.

– The Leafs aren’t getting my hopes up this year, a 4-4-1-0 start is mediocre. No parades are being planned and I’m not going to get duped into thinking they are contenders this year. At least not at the moment. The Blue Jays did it to me this summer, quite possibly the most hope I’ve had for the team only to have those dashed. Don’t get me wrong I want them to win and do well however I’m not sure I can take another year of ups and downs.

– Talking with Luc Mullinder on the Sportscage on Monday we came to the conclusion that while the Riders may have up and down years, they always get it together at the end of the year it seems and validate the early season hopes of Rider Nation. Everyone seems pretty optimistic over the first three quarters of Friday’s game in Calgary. Kerry Joseph looked pretty darn good, yes the fourth quarter was one to forget but I for one feel a lot better about their chances with KJ at the helm.

– It’s almost a guarantee the Riders will head East for the playoffs. Yes I know it always seems tough to win out there but at the end of the day it won’t be as bad going to Hamilton, Toronto or Montreal as opposed to Edmonton and Calgary on the road to the Grey Cup game. I’m not sitting here thinking the Riders will be there at the end but they have a chance and in the playoffs that’s all that matters.

– Interesting comments from General Manager Brendan Taman on Monday’s Sportscage on the decision he and the coaching staff face when it comes to who should play in the final game of the regular season against the Eskimos. It’s a fine line between getting guys healthy for the playoffs and wanting to get a win and some momentum before the elimination games start. One thing for sure is that the Eskimos likely will rest some guys as they will be locked into second place in the West Division. Taman said it will likely be a lot like an exhibition game. Tough to say whether guys should sit or if they should play to get some good mojo going.

– Congrats to the Saskatoon Hilltops on yet another PFC Championship over the weekend in their win over the Calgary Colts.

– The Kansas City Royals didn’t look nervous in the least last night in game 6 of the World Series hammering the San Francisco Giants 10-0. Rookie pitcher Yordano Ventura was unfazed on the big stage in an elimination game going 7 scoreless innings. Giants veteran arm Jake Peavy on the other hand struggled and didn’t get out of the 2nd inning. The home team has won 9 straight game sevens in the World Series and I for one hope the Royals make that streak 10 games. They are the feel good story in baseball and I am on board.

– Pats in the pro’s update: Dyson Stevenson has played three games in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators and has 11 penalty minutes. Lane Scheidl has his East Coast season off to a good start in Kalamazoo with 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games. Colton Jobke has 2 assists in 6 ECHL games with the Alaska Aces. Chandler Stephenson with the Hershey Bears of the AHL has a goal in 6 games played.

– Lots of rumours floating around yesterday on Twitter that Jordan Weal might get a call up to play with the Los Angeles Kings. Anze Kopitar did not play last night because of an injury and people were speculating that Weal would get the call to play against the Philadelphia Flyers. That didn’t happen – some quoted cap issues as the reason why but he would make just 610 K in the NHL under his entry level deal so that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. At any rate it won’t be long before we see the Pats third all-time leading scorer on the big stage. He has a goal and 5 assists in 5 games so far with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL.

– Pats TV this week on Access 7 on Wednesday at 7 o’clock features defencemen Colby Williams and Carter Hansen as well as Athletic Therapist/Trainer Greg Mayer.

That’s it from me today, have a good week!

Phil
@PhilTheThrill18

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