Scout
10-19-2007, 04:53 PM
Blades Arrive in Spokane
Posted by Les Lazaruk on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 03:50:00 PM.
I write this from my broadcast location, high above the ice surface at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena...my pick for my favourite arena in the WHL. The sightlines are perfect and the atmosphere is great as the Chiefs tend to draw a younger crowd that is ready to cheer and not be critics! (That's not a shot just at Blades' fans, but at fans in Canada in general. The majority can't go to a game, relax and have a good time. Entertainment is spelled W-I-N and anything less spoils the experience and makes folks feel as though they've wasted their time and money. That isn't always true of losses...but I digress!)
The Blades finally got the "Prince Albert Northern" bus packed and the group was on the road by 6:20 p.m. Wednesday. Don't ask me much about the ride...I was struggling with a headache (still am, actually!)...as I started dozing off at Rosetown, I remember seeing Saskatchewan Landing and then nothing until Taber, Alberta when we changed drivers, bringing Peter Smith behind the wheel. Then, I was woken by our stop at the International Border. The crossing is at Kingshead, B.C./Eastport, Idaho and it came for us at about 4:30 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time (5:30 back home). After a brief delay, because our party wasn't aware that U.S. customs wanted group manifest documents sent to them ahead of time, we were back on our way and arrived in Spokane at 8:30, local time.
The travelling party consists of 22 players (including defenceman Teigan Zahn who is wearing a yellow practice jersey right now, indicating he won't be in the line-up against Spokane because of the concussion sustained from the J.D. Watt "hit" last weekend!). There's also G.M. and head coach Lorne Molleken, assistant coach Dave Struch, athletic trainer Steve "Hilty" Hildebrand, equipment manager Graham "Spike" Watt, owners Jack and Bob Brodsky, assistant G.M. Jarrod Brodsky, bus driver Peter Smith, Star-Phoenix writer Corey Wolfe and yours truly.
After a breakfast, and some tryng times getting wireless internet service in my hotel room at the Red Lion Inn on the River (rooming with assistant coach Dave Struch), I now find myself at the Arena watching practice. I've spoken with the Chiefs' coaches, their G.M. Tim Speltz...plus conducted an interview with former Blades' goaltender Kevin Armstrong for use on Friday's "Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show." I also chatted with Saskatoon defenceman Sam Klassen..."clips" of which will be used on sportscasts Friday morning on HOT-93 and CJWW-AM.
Tomorrow's (Friday's) game against the Chiefs starts at 8 p.m., Saskatoon time. "The Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show" begins at 7:30.
Posted by Les Lazaruk on Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 03:50:00 PM.
I write this from my broadcast location, high above the ice surface at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena...my pick for my favourite arena in the WHL. The sightlines are perfect and the atmosphere is great as the Chiefs tend to draw a younger crowd that is ready to cheer and not be critics! (That's not a shot just at Blades' fans, but at fans in Canada in general. The majority can't go to a game, relax and have a good time. Entertainment is spelled W-I-N and anything less spoils the experience and makes folks feel as though they've wasted their time and money. That isn't always true of losses...but I digress!)
The Blades finally got the "Prince Albert Northern" bus packed and the group was on the road by 6:20 p.m. Wednesday. Don't ask me much about the ride...I was struggling with a headache (still am, actually!)...as I started dozing off at Rosetown, I remember seeing Saskatchewan Landing and then nothing until Taber, Alberta when we changed drivers, bringing Peter Smith behind the wheel. Then, I was woken by our stop at the International Border. The crossing is at Kingshead, B.C./Eastport, Idaho and it came for us at about 4:30 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time (5:30 back home). After a brief delay, because our party wasn't aware that U.S. customs wanted group manifest documents sent to them ahead of time, we were back on our way and arrived in Spokane at 8:30, local time.
The travelling party consists of 22 players (including defenceman Teigan Zahn who is wearing a yellow practice jersey right now, indicating he won't be in the line-up against Spokane because of the concussion sustained from the J.D. Watt "hit" last weekend!). There's also G.M. and head coach Lorne Molleken, assistant coach Dave Struch, athletic trainer Steve "Hilty" Hildebrand, equipment manager Graham "Spike" Watt, owners Jack and Bob Brodsky, assistant G.M. Jarrod Brodsky, bus driver Peter Smith, Star-Phoenix writer Corey Wolfe and yours truly.
After a breakfast, and some tryng times getting wireless internet service in my hotel room at the Red Lion Inn on the River (rooming with assistant coach Dave Struch), I now find myself at the Arena watching practice. I've spoken with the Chiefs' coaches, their G.M. Tim Speltz...plus conducted an interview with former Blades' goaltender Kevin Armstrong for use on Friday's "Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show." I also chatted with Saskatoon defenceman Sam Klassen..."clips" of which will be used on sportscasts Friday morning on HOT-93 and CJWW-AM.
Tomorrow's (Friday's) game against the Chiefs starts at 8 p.m., Saskatoon time. "The Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show" begins at 7:30.