Country North Show kicks off 2024 Winter Festival

Jason Kerr
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Country North Show kicks off 2024 Winter Festival

Some of Prince Albert’s top country music talent took the stage at the Prince Albert Exhibition Centre on Friday to kick off the Prince Albert Winter Festival.

Music fans packed the building for the opening night of the Country North Show. Country North producer Kim Villeneuve said she’s excited to have it back for another year.

“There’s nothing more exhilarating than getting up on stage and performing, feeling good about what you do, and having the crowd appreciative of you being up there,” said Villeneuve, who is in her fifth year producing the show. “It takes a lot to get up there. When you love doing something like that, it makes it easy and the crowd makes it even better.”

Nancy Hagen performs at the 2024 Country North Show. — Jason Kerr/Daily Herald

Villeneuve also performed as a back-up singer on opening night, in addition to her production duties. The list of performers included Kara Frey, Jaelyn Furber, Miranda Ironstand-Baxter, Aiden Edwards, Layton Ferster, Dave Arseneault, Cole Walker, Mercy Glover, Josh Stumpf, Morgan Desjardins, Emma Kawula, Taya Lebel, Melissa Cournoyer, and Maurice Villeneuve. The Prince Albert Winter Festival has partnered with Lake Country Co-op to host the event.

Villeneuve said the show has always been a staple of Prince Albert’s Winter Festival, and this year is no different.

 “I think it’s just because we always have a mix of old performers (and) new performers,” she said. “It’s showcasing Prince Albert talent at its finest and everyone loves to see that.”

The Country North Show’s second and third performances run on Saturday with the regular show at 7 p.m. and the Country North Cabaret at 10 p.m. Both events are at the Exhibition Centre.

City’s best young performers take the stage on Sunday at PA Winter Festival Youth Extravaganza

The musical events continue on Sunday with the Winter Festival’s Youth Extravaganza. First-year Extravaganza producer Mike Mogg said he’s excited to have so many talented young performers on stage at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.

“I think music and any other art form is hugely important to the development of children and teens and it’s a great way for kids to express themselves and have an outlet for things that they’re going through,” he said. “Learning an instrument is something that takes a lot of dedication and lots and lots of practice, and when they finally get to show off the skills they’ve been working on, they get a lot out of the performance. It’s a really rewarding thing for both them and for me to see them on stage.”

Mogg has spent the last seven years teaching music at PACI. He runs a “school of rock” type program where students learn to play drums, guitar, or bass instead of more traditional wind and string instruments.

After helping out with the 2023 Street Fair, Prince Albert Winter Festival organizing committee member Trina Joseph suggested he start producing the Youth Extravaganza.

Mogg said signing up was an easy decision.

“(I’m) A little nervous, but I think we’ve been working hard at planning it and I think everything is going to go pretty good,” he said. “I’m feeling good about it.”

The Youth Extravaganza begins at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11 at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.

CUPE members throw support behind CSC paratransit funding request

Jason Kerr
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CUPE members throw support behind CSC paratransit funding request

CUPE members have thrown their support behind a Prince Albert and District Community Service Centre (CSC) campaign for increased municipal funding.

Members of CUPE 2182 spoke out about the lack of funding on Thursday, calling on the City of Prince Albert to recognize how critical CSC paratransit services are, and provide the necessary funding to make sure it continues.

The CSC is seeking an additional $103,521 in funding. Without it, the organization says it will have to cut an estimated 4,137 evening and weekend paratransit rides.

“These cuts will impact the lives of those CSC serves,” CUPE 2182 president Mark Krayetski said. “Evening services and weekend transportation services play a crucial role in enabling seniors and individuals with disabilities to participate in various aspects of community life, such as sporting events, entertainment activities, social gatherings, and shopping.”

In 2023, the CSC provided 37,145 riders to paratransit users, an increase of 11,405 rides from the year before.

However, the organization faces rising costs for gas and fleet maintenance, which can’t be covered without an increase. The organization says it has not received a funding increase since 2021.

CUPE Saskatchewan president Judy Henley said cutting evening and weekend rides would undermine the City’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.

“A hundred thousand dollars is a drop in the bucket for a City Council that approved an extra $700,000 for the architectural design of a new arena,” Henley said in a press release. “Budgets are about choices, and the City of Prince Albert is choosing to make the city less accessible for seniors and people with disabilities.”

In December, the CSC announced it would cut services on April 1 if it did not receive additional funding.

Mayor Greg Dionne said the CSC already has enough funding to cover the costs. Dionne said budget documentation provided to the City on Jan. 25 shows a 2023 reserve of more than $35,000, which shows Access Transit operated $37,000 under budget for fuel.

“The decision to reduce evening and weekend hours is not the City’s,” Dionne said. “The CSC is choosing to reduce hours. We don’t believe that these services cuts are necessary, and it’s concerning to me that they are choosing to go this route.”

According to the City, Access Transit and seniors transportation received $1.06 million in municipal funds in 2023. That total includes $180,400 to purchase a new paratransit bus.

The potential for service cuts has many riders distressed about possibly losing touch with the community. Terry Fjeld, a Prince Albert private care home operator who houses four residents, says it’s not feasible for her to drive all four around town. They all rely on paratransit services to get out on evenings and weekend.

“They’re all on very low fixed incomes,” Fjeld explained. “It would be very limiting to their ability to get out into the community and do some of those activities. It’s a social thing, and it is lots of fun.

“People say, ‘well, why don’t you give them a ride? I try, but there are other individuals and I can’t be in four places at one time,” she added. “It makes it very limited and if someone refuses to leave the house, I have to respect their wishes and I can’t take them so this service has just been so welcome. (It’s) allowed … my guys to go out into the community more than if the service wasn’t here.”

Drought among many concerns as producers gather for Sask Wheat Coffee Shop Talk in Prince Albert

Jason Kerr
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Drought among many concerns as producers gather for Sask Wheat Coffee Shop Talk in Prince Albert

Soil nutrient management, weed control, and marketing were among the topics up for discussion at the Sask Wheat Development Commission (SWDC) Coffee Shop Talk held at the Prince Albert Wildlife Federation building on Feb. 1, but drought was the biggest concern.

SWDC elected director Glenn Tait said wheat producers have a variety of concerns heading into another growing year, but droughts in 2023 and a lack of snowfall over the winter show the urgency in developing new types of drought-resistant wheat.

“We always want to grow more wheat on less moisture,” Tait said in an interview the day after the talk. “It’s been a concern for years, but as climate change becomes more and more at the top of the news, more people are worried about it, and it’s certainly adding to the urgency of the new varieties being developed to handle that kind of drought stress.

“We’re always talking about it, especially now with no snow and the warm summers we’ve had, the recent drought, yeah, it’s a really important topic.”

Tait farms northwest of North Battleford, but was in Prince Albert on Feb. 1 for the Coffee Shop Talk. He said farmers are looking at lower wheat yields this upcoming summer if conditions don’t improve.

“Weather always concerns farmers, and of course it concerns the wheat commission too,” he said. “It’s supposed to snow here on Sunday (Feb. 4), so we’re hoping for a little bit of moisture, but I just drove across most of the province the day before yesterday (Jan. 31), and it is dry, certainly, out there. We’re all worried about it.”

2023 was a difficult year for producers, regardless of what crop they grew. The provincial government saw a surge in crop insurance claims due to drought, with Finance Minister Donna Harpauer forecasting a $853 million increase in agriculture expenses primarily due to those claims. 

In November, the Water Security Agency (WSA) reported that Saskatchewan would see reduced runoff in the spring due to moderate to extreme drought conditions in the fall of 2023. The WSA also reported in November that Saskatchewan needed significant snowfall to prevent extremely dry conditions, especially in the southwest.

Tait said breeding new varieties of drought-tolerant wheat has always been a priority for the SWDC, but drought conditions have intensified those concerns. However, he’s also encouraged by the progress researchers have made in helping farmers grow more wheat with less moisture.

“Over time we have been really increasing the yield of wheat,” he said. “It’s phenomenal to think about even 30 years ago, what the yields are that we’re getting now compared to what we had then, it’s fantastic.”

The Prince Albert Coffee Shop Talk was the second SWDC talk of 2024. The first was held in Wilkie in January. A third talk scheduled for St. Brieux was cancelled.

The Prince Albert talk was the first one Tait could attend in person. He said the SWDC is happy with the results so far.

“We’ve got good feedback on most of our coffee shop talks. People really enjoyed them and really like the one-on-one conversations with the technical experts in the field of agriculture,” he explained.

“A coffee shop talk like this, it’s not your usual ‘stand at the front of the room and talk to a bunch of farmers’ format. It’s very personal. You’re talking to three or four people at a time and you switch from table to table—the experts do anyway—and you get to talk to several different people about exactly what you want to talk about, and the interaction is great. It’s wonderful. There’s a lot of data shared and a lot of personal experience.”

25th Street Theatre heads back in time with newest travelling performance

Jason Kerr
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25th Street Theatre heads back in time with newest travelling performance

The 25th Street Theatre company plans to kick off its 50th season by going back in time.

The Saskatoon-based troupe is travelling to schools in northern and central Saskatchewan during the first two weeks of February performing Luna, an original play created by Saskatchewan playwright Danielle Roy.

“It’s definitely going to be a wonderful experience,” Roy said. “I know as far as the rehearsal process has gone, it’s been really rewarding seeing it fully fleshed out, all of the sets now assembled, and all of the actors bringing out all of the stops. It’s very exciting and I definitely feel very proud and also honoured that this is work that gets to be shared.”

Luna follows the adventures of a young girl who builds a time machine in her dad’s garage to go back in time and unfreeze her mother. The story follows Luna on a journey through memory as she visits dinosaurs, robots, and moments in her childhood.

For inspiration, Roy drew on her love for and connection with her own parents, who inspired her to face her fears during some difficult times.

Although the play was written with young viewers in mind, Roy said it deals with some heavy topics. She urged teachers and parents to be mindful of the content, and be prepared to have conversations about it.

“It deals with loss and grief and depression and the courage it takes to keep moving forward, and this story kind of provides, I think, some tactics and tools for how to navigate that,” Roy said. “(It’s) a contrast between how we deal with loss as an adult versus how we deal with it as a child.”

Roy began writing Luna in 2020 when Persephone Theatre asked her to create a Zoom play for their Theatre for Young Audiences playwright unit. Initially, Roy struggled to find a topic, so she dug deep into her own life and relationships for a story.

“I actually had a hard time trying to decide what to make the play about for kids, because I’m not a kid anymore,” Roy explained. “I had to really find things that matter to me and be authentic to myself. Whoever resonates with it, resonates with it.”

The company started their tour on Feb. 5 with a performance in Kyle, and will end it with a public performance at the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon on Feb. 18. Between those two dates, they’ll stop in nine other Saskatchewan communities, including Prince Albert, La Ronge, and Meath Park.

In addition to performing the play, 25th Street Theatre actors and crew will also hold workshops at the schools where they perform. Roy said it’s a great way to get students interested in a medium they may not have experience with, since not all schools have drama programs.

“Theatre is such an important part of life,” she said. “it’s something that I feel everybody could benefit from, whether or not you decide to do theatre as a career, but I do think that it’s important that they have the opportunity

“I know a lot of friends of mine who have come from smaller communities and have talked about the theatre programs that have come to their schools that have taught them those things and then they realized, ‘oh, that’s what I’m into.’”

Cast members like Ed Mendez, who plays Luna’s father and a robot in the show, are also eager to perform in Saskatchewan’s smaller rural areas.

“I’ve missed going to small towns to perform,” Mendez said in a press release. “Now, seeing local theatre companies reaching out to communities outside the major centres, it’s really great.”

Luna stars Johanna Arnott, Paige Francoeur, Ed Mendez, and Katie Moore. Performances are scheduled for Feb. 13 in Prince Albert, Feb. 14 in La Ronge, and Feb. 15 in Meath Park. Visit www.25thstreettheatre.org for more information about the tour.

STF suspends plans to withdraw noon hour supervision services as union and province set date for new bargaining meeting

Jason Kerr
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STF suspends plans to withdraw noon hour supervision services as union and province set date for new bargaining meeting

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) has suspended plans to withdraw noon hour supervision services after being invited back to the bargaining table.

The STF announced Wednesday evening that they would meet with the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee (GTBC) on Monday, Feb. 12 in Saskatoon. STF President Samantha Becotte said they were pleased to hear the GTBC received a new mandate from the provincial government.

“We’re encouraged by this change of course,” Becotte said in a press release. “The solidarity of teachers and the outpouring of support from parents, students, businesses, churches, and religious groups, and the general public across the province have played a crucial role in helping bring government back to the table.

“These past weeks have made it clear that teachers are united and committed to students and public education. Should these negotiations fail, job action will resume.”

The news came after the STF held their second day of rotating strikes. Teachers in nine northern communities, including La Ronge, plus others in Warman and Saskatoon were on the picket line between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The job action involved roughly 4,300 teachers and impacted around 65,300 students.

Teachers in Prince Albert took part in the first rotating strike on Feb. 1. Becotte said there are no plans for further job action as a show of commitment to good-faith bargaining.

“We welcome the opportunity to return to the bargaining table to discuss teachers’ proposals and the important issues facing education in Saskatchewan,” Becotte said. “We are hopeful that the GTBC’s new mandate will allow for productive negotiations that will address the needs of students and teachers.”

The provincial government released a video statement by Education Minster Jeremy Cockrill hours before the STF suspended plans to withdraw supervision services. In it, Cockrill said the bargaining committee has been instructed to negotiate a deal that would see teachers receive annual salary increases calculated with the same formula to determine MLA salary raises.

The salary adjustments are based on the cost of living, Cockrill said, with a three per cent ceiling, and a zero per cent floor, depending on the Consumer Price Index for the previous year.

“The teachers’ union clearly stated that they would need to see a renewed mandate from the government in order to return to the bargaining table, and now that a renewed mandate has been provided, it’s time for the teachers’ union to be true to their word,” Cockrill said in the video. “Let’s get back to the bargaining table where the best agreements are negotiated for our students, our teachers, and all Saskatchewan families.”

Cockrill also defended the government’s investments in education in the video. He said the government has provided $53.1 million for new plans like specialized support classrooms, plus more than $300 million in funding during the most recent provincial budget.

Cockrill promised more education spending in the upcoming provincial budget, but said local school boards would decide how best to spend it.

Former Prince Albert resident focuses on community and canoeing with first book

Jason Kerr
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Former Prince Albert resident focuses on community and canoeing with first book

Daryl Sexsmith never envisioned himself as a writer while growing up in Prince Albert, but as an adult it’s turned into a pleasant activity.

As a student at Carlton Comprehensive High School, Sexsmith had no desire to be an author, but that changed when he started writing weekly sermons as a United Church minister. His love for writing led to his first book, Always Another River. Sexsmith will be back in Prince Albert on Thursday to read excerpts from it at the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library.

“It’s great to have it out there,” Sexsmith said during a phone interview from Saskatoon, where he now lives. “It feels like writing the book was the best canoe trip of all of them because I got to relive all the memories in terms of the process of writing it. To have it out there, I’m getting good feedback on it, not just from people who are paddlers, but other people who just like to read and say that it’s a good read and they enjoy it. That’s very affirming.”

Sexsmith was six years old when he first became interested in canoeing. He remembers canoe teams paddling across Canada to celebrate the Centennial in 1967, and has fond memories of accompanying his father, a Prince Albert teacher, on trips to drop off or pick up student canoers.

That blossomed into a lifelong love of paddling, canoeing, and the people he met along the way.

“Every trip that I’ve paddled has a story to it,” Sexsmith explained. “One trip, the story might be about the good food or it might be about the new friends or it might be about the new skills or seeing something unique. In each of the chapters I don’t write everything about what happened on every given trip, but I try to find what was unique about the trip.”

Sexsmith began writing the book after COVID-19 hit. He needed a project to fill the months of isolation, and settled on a book about his experience canoeing.

Many of the stories include anecdotes about people from the Prince Albert paddling community. He only referred to his canoeing companions by their first names, but said some will be recognizable to local residents.

“Many of the characters in the book are from Prince Albert, and that’s where I grew up, so there’s certainly many people who know me there,” Sexsmith said.

“I just wanted to share the joy of the journey, but also the friendships because I think what I’ve discovered in my life is that canoe trips, there’s a lot of synchronicity involved. I mean, the right paddling partners and the right friends just sort of come along and the canoe trip is a gift for me.”

Now retired, Sexsmith stays active in the canoeing and cross-country skiing communities. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild.

Sexsmith will read from Always Another River at the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

The art of storytelling: local artist aims to help residents tell their tale with Aboriginal Storytelling Month workshop

Jason Kerr
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The art of storytelling: local artist aims to help residents tell their tale with Aboriginal Storytelling Month workshop

Storytelling runs in Harmony Johnson-Harder’s family, and with Aboriginal Storytelling Month kicking off on Feb. 1, she’s hoping it will soon run in other families too.

Johnson-Harder plans to host three Mini Art and Storytelling Workshops at the Prince Albert Public Library’s John M. Cuelenaere Branch on Tuesday. Registered school students were invited to daytime sessions at the library, and an evening session is available for the public at 7 p.m.

“It’ll be a good evening, and I hope that people are open to being interactive,” Johnson-Harder said. “It’s going to be relaxed…. Just come out and have fun and share a story and visit. Visiting is probably the most important part of storytelling.”

Johnson-Harder has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, although those stories didn’t always include words. She started sewing and beading with her grandmother, and remembers sitting on her father’s lap watching him draw.

At age 10, her mother bought her a water colour paint set, exposing her to another medium. As an adult, she prefers to tell stories with oil and acrylic paint, but has expanded into using fabric, mixed media, film, and writing.

Johnson-Harder said stories help people relate to others and feel like they belong. She hopes attendees will learn to appreciate those stories, regardless of whether they’re fictional tales or old family memories.

“I want people to feel empowered that they too are storytellers, and that they can be as creative as they want,” she explained. “Being artistic and creative is important and we can all do that. It’s a power that we all have that no one can take away.”

Artist Harmony Johnson-Harder poses for a photo with her father, writer Harold Johnson, and the painting she created as part of a collaboration between the two. — Photo courtesy of Harmony Johnson-Harder.

Helping others learn to appreciate storytelling isn’t the only reason Johnson-Harder is hosting these workshops. She’s also doing it as a tribute to her late father, Harold Johnson, a former writer and crown prosecutor who won the Governor General’s Award for non-fiction in 2016, but passed away in February 2022 at the age of 64.

The duo began working on a collaborative writing and painting project where Harold wrote a story about his mother and great-grandmother called Kookum Magic, and Harmony painted her interpretation of it.

“We’ll be coming on two years of my dad’s passing and I just thought that this would be a nice way to remember him, and to carry on the legacy of storytelling in my family,” Johnson-Harder explained. “My great-great grandmother was a storyteller. My grandmother was a storyteller. My father, a storyteller, and I myself like stories … so for me it’s important to be able to pass this story on as it’s outlined in the story my dad wrote.”

The storytelling workshop is one of several Aboriginal Storytelling events available in Prince Albert during February.

Prince Albert Public Library program services coordinator Sharon Nelson said it’s a great opportunity for people to learn about Indigenous culture, and the library was happy to take part.

“It’s what we’ve been doing every year,” she said. “I think it’s a really important thing to participate in and just have the general public get to experience a different culture and have a better understanding with each other.”

The storytelling sessions for registered students will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The session for the general public starts at 7 p.m. the same day.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly used an image of a different painting which was not part of the collaboration between Harmony Johnson-Harder and her father. The article also incorrectly listed Harold Johnson’s age as 68 at the time of his death. He was 64. The article has been updated with the correct information. The Daily Herald apologizes for the mistakes.

STF announces 1-day withdrawal of noon-hour supervision services, plus 2nd round of rotating strikes

Jason Kerr
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STF announces 1-day withdrawal of noon-hour supervision services, plus 2nd round of rotating strikes

Saskatchewan teachers will not provide noon-hour supervision as part of a province-wide withdrawal of services scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation made the announcement Monday morning. STF president Samantha Becotte said teachers understand the one-day withdrawal will be inconvenient for parents. She added that anyone who is concerned about the impact should contact their MLAs and school board trustees.

“A decade of government funding cuts has meant parents in several school divisions are forced to pay out-of-pocket fees of $100 or more for their kids to stay at school over the noon hour,” Becotte said in a press release. “School boards face the impossible task of balancing government funding shortfalls and the rising costs of services that students need.

“Students and families are caught in the middle, and I encourage every parent and caregiver in the province to let our government officials know how they feel about that.”

Becotte said teachers often provide lunch break supervision, but it’s done on a voluntary basis. On Thursday, teachers will leave the building during the designated lunch break. School divisions will instead be responsible for student safety over the noon hour.

The Saskatchewan Rivers School Division responded to the announcement by urging students to go home for lunch if possible. In a letter sent out Monday afternoon, Education Director Neil Finch wrote that they will have a plan for students who cannot go home for lunch, although that plan will look different for each school.

However, Finch also acknowledge there may be some cases where parents would have to pick up their children for lunch.

“If there are no staff with the skills and ability to supervise students with specific safety needs, the family will be communicated with by the school team,” Finch wrote. “In those situations, parents/caregivers will need to make alternate arrangements for their child to be picked up over the lunch break.

“We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship that this may continue to cause for students and families.”

Elementary school students will be allowed to stay at school for lunch, Prince Albert Catholic School Division Executive Director Lorel Trumier wrote in an open letter posted on the division’s website, however high school students must leave the school from 12:14 to 1:14 p.m.

Trumier wrote that support staff and non-STF staff would provide supervision during the Thursday noon hour. She added that the withdrawal of services would not impact recess supervision, or before and after school supervision.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill spoke to the media on Monday following the STF announcement. Cockrill told reporters the Government-Trustee Bargaining Committee is reviewing its first offer, but their relationship with the STF is becoming strained.

The STF also announced a second round of rotating teacher strikes scheduled for Wednesday. The strike action includes teachers in the Creighton School Division, Northern Lights School Division, Prairie Spirit School Division, and Greater Saskatoon Catholic and Saskatoon Public Schools.

“(The) government thinks they can wait us out, but they have failed to account for the most important factors,” Becotte said following the rotating strike announcement on Sunday. “Teachers are fed up and are united. There is strong and growing support for the action we’re taking because students, parents, businesses, and communities know we all deserve better.”

The Wednesday job action will affect roughly 4,300 teachers and around 65,300 students.

Victoria Hospital unveils new food delivery upgrades thanks to $44,000 donation from Malcolm Jenkins

Jason Kerr
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Victoria Hospital unveils new food delivery upgrades thanks to $44,000 donation from Malcolm Jenkins

The Victoria Hospital announced the purchase of two new multigen food service delivery systems thanks to a $44,000 donation from local philanthropist Malcolm Jenkins.

The donation was part of a record $481,742.44 accumulated by the Boreal Healthcare Foundation on Give a Little Life Day. Jenkins said making the donation was an easy decision.

“I’m old, and you can’t take it with you,” Jenkins joked when asked why he made the donation. “That pretty much boils it down, and Prince Albert deserves it. This is a great hospital.”

Jenkins’ wife was in palliative care at Victoria Hospital before passing away in 2010. He said that was a big reason for the donation, but he was also inspired by Give and Little Life Day ads highlighting the hospital’s food service department.

“It’s my small way of paying back a little bit for how they helped her,” Jenkins explained.

“(The hospital) is state of the art, and we’ve got to keep up…. We’ve got to continually upgrade.”

Victoria Hospital nutrition and food services manager Matt Sawatzky said the donation is “massive” for staff and patients. Food service staff provide more than 2,000 meals a day, and Sawatzky said the new multigens will help improve quality and efficiency.

“(We’re) super grateful, obviously,” Sawatzky said. “We know that Mr. Jenkins does a lot of philanthropy in the area and Prince Albert especially, so we’re definitely grateful he heard our little radio ad and decided to contribute, for sure.”

Jenkins’ donation was the largest on Give a Little Life Day. Boreal Healthcare Foundation CEO Cody Barnett said it would go a long way to improving patient care.

“Everyone needs a good meal,” Barnett said. “There’s an old adage about how healthy food and good food helps you heal. That’s what motivated him: helping as many people as possible, and it’s a fantastic donation.”

Give a Little Life Day was held on Dec. 1. The goal was to raise $300,000 to address urgent hospital needs. Barnett said they were excited to exceed that goal, and grateful to Malcolm for providing such a great example.

“It’s just incredible, everything Malcolm does for the community,” Barnett added. “We’re so lucky to have people like him here.”

Third period scoring outburst sinks Raiders in Moose Jaw

Jason Kerr
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Third period scoring outburst sinks Raiders in Moose Jaw

For 59 minutes, the Prince Albert Raiders held the high scoring Moose Jaw Warriors to just one goal, but it was the 60th minute that caused problems.

The Raiders gave up two goals in 24 seconds near the midway point of the third period, and fell 3-1 to the Warriors at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

“I thought we were good for 50 minutes of this game,” Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt said. “Then the last 10 minutes I thought that it kind of slipped away with a turnover that resulted in a goal, a questionable offside call—but I’d have to review the video—and then just a defensive breakdown. We left the slot wide open against that team. They can score quick and they did. I didn’t mind our game for 50 minutes, but it wasn’t enough.”

With less than 10 minutes left in the game and the two teams tied at one, the Raiders failed to clear and forward Atley Calvert beat Raiders goaltender Nathan Preston glove side for the eventual game-winner. Not long after, Moose Jaw winger Lynden Lakovic found himself all alone in front of the Raider net and converted a pass from Rilen Kovacevic to make it 3-1.

Those goals were all the Warriors needed to prevent the Raiders from recording back-to-back wins for the first time since Dec. 8.

“Clear pucks and relieve some pressure—you’ve got to get those plays done,” Truitt said when asked about the third period. “We had a turnover and it comes back down and they’ve got a lot of skill to put it in the back of the net. Then, just an unaware play (with) a guy behind us sitting in the slot. (It’s) fundamental stuff where defencemen just can’t go looking at a puck. He’s got to find a guy in the slot, and they capitalize on those chances.”

Preston’s play in goal was a big reason the Raiders entered the third period tied at one. The Penticton, B.C. product turned away 31 of 34 shots he faced in just his third WHL game, including 14 in a busy first period.

“I thought he was outstanding,” Truitt said. “Early on the power play they had a point-blank shot that he just grabbed like he’d been a first baseman all his life. That was a big save for us against a really good shooter. I thought that he made some timely saves when we needed it and controlled things. He certainly didn’t look like a guy who was in his third game. He looked very poised in there.”

The loss drops the Raiders out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot after the Calgary Hitmen beat the Edmonton Oil Kings in Edmonton. The Hitmen have three games in hand on the Raiders, who have a rematch with Moose Jaw on Saturday.

Jagger Firkus opened the scoring for Moose Jaw two minutes into the second following a scoreless first period. Firkus snapped a one-timer past Preston off a cross-ice feed from Brayden Yager on the power play, making it 1-0.

The Raiders tied things up roughly eight minutes later when Harrison Lodewyk stole the puck from Jackson Unger after the Warriors netminder skated behind the net to retrieve a dump-in. Lodewyk evaded a diving Unger and slid the puck into an empty net to make it 1-1.

The game remained tied until just past the midway point of the third period. When Calvert and Lakovic scored 24 seconds apart to give Moose Jaw the win.

The two teams are back in action Saturday night at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

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