The regular season will begin Sept. 24 at the Mel Hegland Uniplex against the Nipawin Hawks. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Junior Hockey

Ice Wolves optimistic as regular season nears

Sep 14, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The La Ronge Ice Wolves have two exhibition games before the start of the regular season, including one this evening at the Mel Hegland Uniplex.

So far, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) team won three out of four pre-season games, which started with a 2-0 win Sept. 5 in Flin Flon. The team went on to win 6-2 against the Melfort Mustangs on Sept. 7, before losing 10-4 to the Battlefords North Stars on Sept. 11.

On Sept. 12, the Ice Wolves played at their first home game at the Mel Hegland Uniplex and won against the Battlefords North Stars in a 6-5 shoot out.

“I think we have a pretty good line up,” head coach Kevin Kaminski said about tonight’s 7:30 p.m. home game against Melfort. “We don’t have all of our team in there, we still got to look at some guys and see what they can contribute here tonight. We still have quite a few cuts to make, so this is where the guys got to rise to the top and show that they want to be here.”

Kaminski explained it’s been a good feeling to be back in La Ronge and on the ice again. The final pre-season game is scheduled for Sept. 17 at the Mel Hegland Uniplex and the Ice Wolves begin the season at home Sept. 24 against the Nipawin Hawks.

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Fans are welcome to attend home games but must wear a mask, according to a policy enacted by town council. The SJHL has announced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for the 2021-22 season, which applies to all coaches, players, scouts, athletic therapists and trainers, equipment managers, on-ice and off-ice officials (penalty box attendants; timekeepers, and scorekeepers) and any other individuals who interact directly and on a regular basis with players.

Although active COVID-19 cases are steadily rising in Saskatchewan, Kaminski doesn’t believe the provincial government will step into to pause the league like what occurred last fall.

“I can’t see them shutting us down just with the fact that we’re vaccinated, we need to play,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with if you have to be double vaccinated or not to come and watch, I would assume it will get there at some point. Vaccinations are supposed to work, so if we’re vaccinated, the other team is vaccinated and fans are double vaccinated, then we should be able to play.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno