Monday Notes..

Heading into the final week of the regular season, here is what the standings in the Bauer Conference tell us:


Bauer Conference Team GP W L OTL SOL PTS GF GA

(X) Flin Flon Bombers 55 36 15 1 3 76 205 147

Battlefords North Stars 54 32 18 1 3 68 212 186

Melfort Mustangs 54 28 19 2 5 63 184 175

La Ronge Ice Wolves 56 27 21 3 5 62 200 190

Humboldt Broncos 55 23 24 1 7 54 150 169

(dnq) Nipawin Hawks 55 19 29 6 1 45 162 223

LEGEND:

(X) - Clinched First Place in the Bauer Conference.
(dnq) - Did Not Qualify for Playoffs.


What else do these standings tell us?

Melfort would have to win their next three games, and hope for three North Star losses in order to leap-frog the Stars in the standings. Again, two wins from the Stars in their next four games, and they'll wrap up second place in the Bauer Conference. It's no gimme for the Stars, given the fact that they host Melville (Nine straight wins), then play in Kindersley (always tough), then host Kindersley (yup) before ending their season at home to Humboldt (Always a barn-burner).

The Melfort Mustangs have a home game Wednesday against the struggling Notre Dame Hounds. Then they face Nipawin twice, and then will end their season against Flin Flon. Statistically their schedule is easier, but Notre Dame will be playing desperate hockey, and you know that Nipawin would love to spoil the fruits for the Melfort Mustangs.

All the Stars need to do is win twice and they'll have that 'coveted' home-ice spot in round one.

In the words of AC/DC, "It's a long way to the top." The Stars just need to help themselves.

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Tonight's edition of the Co-Op Leisure Time Sports Fix was a great success. My first guest was long-time Battlefords North Stars board member Darren Huxley. Huxley is coordinating the 14 Annual Jackfish Lake Ice Fishing Derby on Saturday afternoon on Jackfish Lake.

This event is ALWAYS fun. This coming from a guy who has fished twice in his life. You can get more information through the
Battlefords North Star website. Click the Fishing Derby icon on the left-list and you'll be set.

My next guest was Wilkie Outlaws coach/defenceman Bruce Yockey. Yockey's club is currently up 1-0 on the defending NSRHL Champion Edam 3 Stars in the first round of the NSRHL Playoffs. Wilkie's got a great team, and they boast a couple of recent ex-North Stars in Rick Cey, Will Rathje, Ryan Schaefer and Barrett Penner.

My final guest was Craig Stein, the voice of the Yorkton Terriers, and Melville Millionaires for GX 94 Radio in Yorkton. Steiner's got a great blog which you can find linked to the right of my blog. We talked about Melville's recent nine-game winning streak, and we also talked about Luke Boechler, the Yorkton goalie who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. If you haven't seen the story yet, go
here to check it out.

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Being a Vancouver boy, I find myself particularly enthralled with the 2010 Olympics. Up until Friday, I couldn't really have cared less that the games were taking place in my home city, but now I confess that I'm incredibly envious of many of my friends and family members back home that get to take in the experience.

I watched the Men's Free-Style Moguls yesterday in their entirety, and I think it's fantastic that Alexandre Bilodeau captured gold. I think that all of Canada should feel enormous pride that we are hosting the Olympics, and the fun will really get going tomorrow when Canada takes the ice against Norway.

Tonight I watched a fantastic feature on SportsNet about Canada's Men's Hockey Team. It was a one-hour documentary about Steve Yzerman's construction of the club. It got me totally pumped, and even though we are facing Norway tomorrow, I'm expecting a great battle, and I'm expecting Canada to make an early statement. That, and my favourite NHLer Roberto Luongo is getting the start for Canada!

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Is it Wednesday yet? I'm stoked for the upcoming broadcast! Hope to see you all at the rink. I may post my Melville-Battlefords preview tomorrow if I can find the time. That's how stoked I am for that game!