Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter
The Ice Wolves found success during the first half of the SJHL season. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)
Junior Hockey

Ice Wolves second in SJHL as teams pause for Christmas break

Dec 19, 2022 | 4:21 PM

The La Ronge Ice Wolves sit in second place in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League as teams take a break until the New Year.

Out of 34 games, the Ice Wolves have won 21 and lost 13, including two overtime losses and a shootout defeat Saturday night against the Flin Flon Bombers. They currently have 45 points.

The Ice Wolves are trailing the Battlefords North Stars, who have 59 points with 28 wins and three losses. The Ice Wolves are currently in first place in the Sherwood Division.

“It’s probably been a few years that at Christmastime they were in first place [in the division] and second overall,” head coach Kevin Kaminski said.

“I think that deserves a lot of credit to the boys buying in, playing with passion, heart, character, and sacrifice. They are a fun group to watch. They play with grease and grit. We have good speed, we got very good depth, excellent goaltending, and our defense has been really good here as of late.”

The Ice Wolves played their final two games of the year back-to-back against the Bombers on Friday and Saturday night. The Bombers won both games with a score of 5-1 in the firs game and 3-2 in the second.

“The Bombers always have a great team and I think it is a great rivalry. The game up there we played a really good first period,” Kaminski said.

“The second period, we got into a little penalty trouble and they got a couple of goals and then we had a couple of breakdowns. They got four in the second and, in the third period, we responded and played very well, we just couldn’t put the puck in the net. It was one bad period out of six that weekend. It costs us the two points, but the guys really responded Saturday night back home and they competed and battled for 60 minutes, it’s just unfortunate to lose in a 10-round shootout.”

Players are now headed home to spend Christmas with their families, but they are due back on Dec. 28 with training starting up again the following day.

The first game of 2023 will be a home game against the Bombers on Jan. 3 at the Mel Hegland Uniplex. There’s less time on the road in January as the Ice Wolves have a string of six homes games between Jan. 11 and Jan. 22. Kaminski noted it will be important for the team to have the fans’ support as they try to stay near the top of the standings.

“I want to wish all of the great sponsors and fans we have in La Ronge a very merry Christmas,” he said.
“We look forward to getting back and showing the fans and sponsorships that we appreciate it and to play some more great hockey in the second half.”

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno