week four: Vibe extended lead atop standings - 25 october 2022

Story by Steve Erickson

Playing on the road for the first time this season, the Kamloops Vibe earned five of possible six points as in Week Four and extended their lead atop the SCWHL standings. 

Kamloops has a league-best 7-1-1 record (win-loss-tied), nine points up on the 3- 1-0 Meadow Ridge Moose. 

The Vibe began their three-game weekend with a 3-3 tie against the defending B.C. champion North Shore Rebels at the Langley Sportsplex. 

The Rebels outshot Kamloops 44-25 and had a 3-1 lead late in the game before Sarah Botter and Jamie Mackenzie scored for the Vibe in the final seven minutes. 

Jaedon Cook netted the first Vibe goal, with Jess Sibley, Bianca Cuevas and Karmen Mooney scoring for the Rebels. 

Saturday night at the Richmond Ice Centre, the Vibe doubled the Richmond Devils 4-2. 

The two teams combined for 13 power plays, with Kamloops going two-for-six with the extra skater and the Devils scoring twice on seven chances. Jenna Fletcher, Katy Thorne, Gaylene Scott and Aish Sander scored for Kamloops, with Richmond getting goals from Kelsey Wagner and Nicole Lim. 

The Devils are in third place at 3-2-0. 

The Vibe concluded their road trip with the 2-1 victory over the Fraser Valley Jets Sunday afternoon at Planet Ice – Delta. 

Jackie Lang netted the first goal of the game for the Jets, but Kathleen Cahoon of Kamloops tied the game before the second intermission and Jenna Ormondy tallied the winning goal in the first minute of the third period. 

South Coast Women’s Hockey League www.southcoastwomenshockey.ca Friday night at the Q Centre in Victoria, the Island Surge won their first game of the season, edging the Cowichan Titans 3-2 in the first all-Island match of the season. 

The Surge improved to 1-5-0 while the Titans fell to 0-3-0. 

Dayna Leonard, Mikayla Ogrodniczuk and Anikla Block were the Surge goal scorers. Emma Wright and Emily Vaughn replied for the Titans. 

The final game of Week Four saw the visiting Meadow Ridge Moose come from behind to edge the South Fraser TNT 2-1. 

A shorthanded tally from Taralynn Suzuki, her fifth goal in four games this season, allowed the TNT to take a 1-0 lead into the final 20 minutes. 

Meadow Ridge got goals from Madison Sands and Olivia Alexander to earn the victory. 

The loss was the first of the season for the TNT, which is now in fourth place at 2- 1-1, one point up on the Rebels at 1-2-2. 

The SCWHL, the only competitive women’s hockey league in British Columbia, is a member of – and sanctioned by – BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. 

The nine-team league is classified as Senior Female AA and has two teams on Vancouver Island, one in Kamloops and six in Metro Vancouver. 

Contact:  Rick Kupchuk 604-996-5023 rkupchuk61@gmail.com

Story by Steve Erickson

Putting it in basic terms, Hockey Canada is in the penalty box and are serving what many consider to be Gross Misconduct penalties for various reasons.

First for not being honest with anyone and skating on thin ice that has many Canadian former supporters looking for other sports for their kids to play.

Honesty pays off and given the recent and current scandal it was only a matter of time that the Board resign which should have been done a long time ago.

But no – they held onto their positions probably hoping that this would go away and they could return to their normal lifestyle with everyone thinking that they could be untouched.

Well, in today’s world it doesn’t happen that way and for those on the board who felt they were untouched this scandal goes beyond what they can bring to the rink.

They have gone far beyond being honest and for anyone to stand in front of Parliament and openly vent about no wrong doings the Hockey Canada brass must have thought that Canadian hockey fans are foolish.

Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge issued the statement on Sunday, a day after Andrea Skinner resigned as the interim chair of Hockey Canada’s board of directors. 

It’s reported that Hockey Canada had paid an undisclosed settlement to a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team.

The complainant had been seeking $3.55 million dollars in damages. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

St-Onge ordered a forensic audit of Hockey Canada to ensure no public funds were used as part of the settlement.

Skinner, who took on the role in August after Michael Brind’Amour resigned from the post, stepped down after she testified before Parliament’s standing committee on Canadian Heritage on Tuesday.

St-Onge said that Skinner and Brind’Amour’s resignations are “steps in the right direction.”

“It must now be followed by a process of meaningful change in Hockey Canada’s values and culture,” said St-Onge in a statement provided to Sportsnet. “We hope that the remaining members work actively toward the transition to a new leadership and governance team, one that can put in place the training and support that players require, and create an environment free of sexual violence, maltreatment and discrimination.”

More provincial hockey associations began withholding player fees from Hockey Canada.

Hockey N.L. and Hockey New Brunswick both withdrew their $3-per-player fees Friday following Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Their resignation should have happened once this was made public as it wasn’t going away and it’s sad when their foolishness has put Hockey Canada in the “sin-bin” to the rest of the world.

It took major sponsors to pull out and only then they felt that they were doing the right thing, with many asking and wondering why it took so long.

Hockey Canada’s leadership has shifted to that of being respected by the world to that of a comedy act by Rodney Dangerfield – NO RESPECT.

With the board stepping down one has to ask where they will find qualified, but mostly honest individuals to be the leadership taking over as they attempt to move forward?

Looking back the decision to step down comes following widespread criticism over it’s handling of an alleged group of sexual assualt which involved members fo the 2018 World Junior Hockey Team.

Laura Misener, Director of the School of Kinesiology at Western University and a researcher in sport and social impact, mentioned that some of its new leaders should come from outside the world of hockey

She mentioned “It’s difficult to change a culture when you’ve become acculturated; you’ve grown up within the culture because that’s really what you know, you love it, you’re passionate about it.”

Misener said “Hockey Canada could use a voice from another sport that’s been through a similar reckoning — or someone from the business sector who understands change management and “can really manage the change as we move forward.”

She continued “It doesn’t mean we’re not going to bring the hockey people back into the mix and into the fold and have that representation and have that voice but I think we need to hear a different voice at the table to really achieve that culture shift.”

Bauer Hockey’s Vice President of Marketing; Mary-Kay Messier said Hockey Canada’s leadership has lost faith and trust of the Canadian people and in order for progress to be made, “the first step had to be for the leadership to step down.”

She continued, “For that reason, if you’re not serving the people, you’re really serving yourself and it’s an unfortunate development that needs to happen.”

Bauer will be pausing its support for Hockey Canada’s men’s teams but will continue supplying equipment to the women’s programs.

Bauer said in a statement that “Hockey Canada can still buy products for the men’s programs, but they will redistribute the profits to “increase accessibility and equity in girl’s, women’s, para hockey and other underrepresented communities.”

By redeploying those funds and exposure to the women’s game, Messier said “It helps elevate and advance the women’s game … not only in equipment, but also through programs at the grassroots level and I think it’s that type of support that’s needed to continue to elevate the underrepresented communities in hockey.”

Major sponsors such as Telus, Nike, Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire, Chevrolet Canada, Skip The Dishes, Sobeys and Scotiabank have put all sponsorship for Hockey Canada in the penalty box.

While this controversy surrounds the 2018 team, it’s sad to see that a governing body of one of the most respected sports in the world thriving on Gold has been tarnished to a replica of ancient Silver or Platinum.

Story by Steve Erickson

Given the recent questionable situation with Hockey Canada various groups, organizations and sponsorship partners are questioning the ability of those governing Hockey Canada.

Not only are there questions that still remain unanswered it seems apparent that no one wants to be direct and upfront with the situation that has put Hockey Canada in the ‘SIN BIN’.

Honesty pays dividends as well as embraces the trust of hockey parents from coast to coast, where we are now seeing that trust being divided.

Hockey Quebec has withdrawn its trust in Hockey Canada and the Ontario federation has asked the national organization not to recover the three dollars of registration fees from its members for the 2022-2023 season.

This is the first provincial federation to take this position against the National organization and the question remains – will others follow?

Hockey Quebec mentioned “We do not have confidence in the capacity of the federation [canadienne] to act effectively to change the culture of hockey with the structure in place.”

Canada’s Federal Minister of Sports, Pascale St-Onge mentioned “They go on to mention I think the movement to reform Hockey Canada is underway with Hockey Quebec’s decision this morning. The message that is sent to Hockey Canada executives, who cling to their position, is that Hockey Canada does not belong to them. It also belongs to its members. And everyone agrees right now that it takes a change in the culture on the hockey side, particularly with regard to sexual violence.”

Locally, I have received the following statement from the South Coast Women’s Hockey League which directly sends the point home.

The South Coast Women’s Hockey League is calling for the resignation of Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors and its CEO/President. 

The SCWHL is concerned by allegations of sexual assault against members of the 2018 national male U20 team and the lack of a proper investigation by Hockey Canada, as well as a lack of transparency regarding a National Equity Fund used by Hockey Canada to settle sexual misconduct claims from the 2018 incident as well as other cases. 

“The leadership of Hockey Canada has done nothing to instill confidence among its members that real change will take place,” said SCWHL president Rick Kupchuk. 

“How can the players, coaches, administrators and volunteers have any confidence in the board to address the issues the organization is facing, when the board chair refuses to acknowledge there are any issues to be dealt with?” 

The SCWHL is also concerned by reports that a percentage of player registration fees, including those paid by the roughly 150 women playing in the SCWHL, were allocated to the National Equity Fund, which was used by Hockey Canada to settle sexual misconduct claims. 

The SCWHL, the only competitive women’s hockey league in British Columbia, is a member of – and sanctioned by – BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. 

The nine-team league is classified as Senior Female AA and has two teams on Vancouver Island, one in Kamloops and six in Metro Vancouver. 

Contact: Rick Kupchuk 

604-996-5023 

rkupchuk61@gmail.com 

Story by Steve Erickson

Six games featuring eight of its nine teams are on the schedule in Week One of the South Coast
Women’s Hockey League regular season, which begins Saturday, Oct. 1 in three cities.

The defending regular season champion Meadow Ridge Moose travel to Kamloops for two
games against the Kamloops Vibe at Mcarthur Island Sport and Event Centre. 

The two rivals face-off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night and again at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The two teams clashed on the final day of the Ekanite Consulting/SCWHL Provincial
Championship Tournament in Hope, B.C. last spring, with the Moose topping the Vibe 3-1 to
claim third-place in the six-team tournament.

Meadow Ridge will be led by last season’s SCWHL goaltender Megan Buchanan, a former
member of the Chatham University Cougars (2011-14) in Pittsburgh, PA. From Stittsville, ON,

Buchanan played in 14 regular season games with the Moose last season and posted a 1.79
goals against average and a .938 save percentage.

The Vibe also feature a Most Outstanding Goaltender award winner. Ashley Fischer won the
trophy in the 2017-18 season.

The first game Week One will take place at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Planet Ice – Coquitlam, where
the defending B.C. Hockey Senior AA female champion North Shore Rebels will visit the South
Fraser TNT. 

North Shore won its first-ever provincial championship in Hope last spring, edging
the Richmond Devils 3-2 in the final.

Cassidy Bell of the Rebels won the SCWHL Most Outstanding Player Award for 2021-22, her first
season in the SCWHL. 

Bell was third in the SCWHL scoring race in both goals (12) and points (21). 

A native of Baldonnel, BC (just outside of Fort St. John), Bell joined the Rebels after five
years (2016-21) with U Sport’s McGill Marlets.

The Devils will begin their 2022-23 season in the Greater Victoria area, playing two games
against the Island Surge. 

Games times are 9 p.m. Saturday at the Panorama Rec Centre, and 11:20 a.m. Sunday at the Esquimalt Arena.

The games will be the first for the Surge since Mar. 1, 2020. That game, an 8-1 loss to the Fraser
Valley Jets, completed the 2019-20 regular season. 

The SCWHL canceled the 2020-21 season due to the global pandemic, and the Island squad suspended operations for the 2021-22 campaign.

The final game of Week One takes place at 6 p.m. Sunday evening, when the expansion
Burnaby Mountain Capitals play their first-ever SCWHL game on home ice, hosting the Fraser
Valley Jets.

The Jets – two-time B.C. champions prior to North Shore’s title last spring – boast a pair of
SCWHL award winners from last season.

Melanie Jue was the league’s Top Scorer, netting 36 points (14 goals) in 22 games played. 

Jue, from Richmond, B.C., was in her first season in the SCWHL after playing four seasons in the
NCAA with the Cornell University Big Red (2006-2010) and four years in China with the KRS
Vanke Rays (2017-21).

Natasha Steblin earned the Most Outstanding Defender award. 

The former University of Alberta Panda (2013-16) was second in league scoring with 10 goals and 27 points in 22 games played.

The South Coast Women’s Hockey League is comprised of nine Senior AA female teams, and is a member of BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. 

More information is available online at southcoastwomenshockey.ca
Media Contact:
Rick Kupchuk
604-996-5023
rkupchuk61@gmail.com