THURSDAY COMMENTARY – THE ROAD TO ESTEVAN
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)
IT’S THE BUZZ OF THE LAND. OR AT LEAST, IN THE CIRCLES I’M TRAVELLING.
IN SOME REGIONS ACROSS CANADA, THE ROAD TO THE CENTENNIAL CUP IN ESTEVAN IN MAY HAS BEGUN.
HERE IN ALBERTA, THE AJHL PLAYOFFS ARE HALFWAY THROUGH ROUND ONE AND I’VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO TAKE IN PLAYOFF GAMES IN OKOTOKS AND CANMORE.
MY DAD ONCE PROUDLY SAID THAT HE COULD WALK INTO ANY ARENA ACROSS SASKATCHEWAN AND KNOW SOMEONE, AND BE ABLE TO CALL THEM A FRIEND. I’M FINDING THE SAME THING HAPPENING ACROSS THE PRAIRIES, AND IT’S BEEN AWESOME, TO SAY THE LEAST.
THE SJHL PLAYOFFS ARE ON THE VERGE OF OPENING AND THE HOST BRUINS ARE POSITIONED WELL, CLINCHING TOP SPOT IN THE LOOP.
HEAD COACH AND GM JASON TATARNIC CAME INTO THE ENERGY CITY WITH MUCH BALLY-HOO AND SO FAR, HE’S DELIVERED.
THERE’S GOING TO BE A FORMAT CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR’S CENTENNIAL CUP, AND I’M TOLD THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS IMMINENT. IN TRUTH, I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN DECLARED ALREADY ALTHOUGH PERHAPS I JUST SAW IT COME ACROSS AN EMAIL SOMEWHERE.
I DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISE BUT IT’S GENERALLY KNOWN THAT THE TOP 10 TEAMS FROM ACROSS CANADIAN JUNIOR A HOCKEY WILL BE IN ESTEVAN, ALONG WITH THE TOP TWO TEAMS IN THE S-J (WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE HOST BRUINS).
THE TOURNEY FACES OFF ON MAY 20 AT AFFINITY PLACE, AND THE DISCUSSION’S ALREADY COME UP THAT ESTEVAN’S ARENA IS AMONG THE ELITE IN THE COUNTRY.
THE HOCKEY PEOPLE ARE ASKING, “IS IT REALLY THAT GOOD?” TO WHICH I ALWAYS REPLY THAT I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY BETTER.
THE LUXURY SUITES ARE WHAT SET AFFINITY PLACE APART, AND IT’LL BE SHOWCASED WITH THE NATIONAL FINAL BEING SHOWN ON TSN.
OUR OLD FRIEND CRAIG BUTTON WILL BE IN ESTEVAN TO BROADCAST THE FINAL AND HE’LL BE FEATURED IN A HOT STOVE PANEL ON CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND. I CAN’T WAIT TO JOIN HIM, AND WE’LL BE THERE ALL WEEK WITH THE ROD PEDERSEN SHOW.
IT DOES TRULY FEEL LIKE COVID IS BEHIND US AND NOW THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR IS AT HAND.
THIS IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)
