Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
The Prince Albert Junior Predators’ home schedule was over before they could even take to the floor on Saturday as the Weyburn Razorbacks forfeited a pair of Prairie Gold Lacrosse League contests that were to have been played at the Kinsmen Arena.
“They called late on Friday and said they were unable to get enough players together to make the trip,” said a clearly frustrated Lucas Wells, the coach and general manager of the Predators, on Sunday. “It really does suck for a multitude of reasons.”
Wells acknowledged the loss of gate revenue the games would have generated is one point of his frustration, but he also noted that one of his players, Matthew Cudmore, is on pace to break the all-time goals-scored record and with the two games not being rescheduled his chances of eclipsing the standard become tougher.
“He already has the all-time points mark that he set in our last game against Moose Jaw and he set the all-time assists record last year,” explained Wells. “He’s chasing the all-time goals mark and needs 21 or something like that.”
Kenny Stewart set the standard for career goals when he netted 150 for the Moose Jaw Mustangs from 2002-05 and with Cudmore already having notched seven this year that gives him 129 since joining the Predators in 2022. With Weyburn clearly struggling this year, as they have yet to win a game while sporting an astounding goal differential of -118 in those games, it is safe to say Cudmore would likely have closed the gap considerably if the games would have been played.
“It is what it is, but it is really, really frustrating,” says Wells. “The players are frustrated, the fans are frustrated, but what do you do? You can’t play a game with just six players.”
The four points the Predators will be awarded for the forfeitures will push them into second place in the league standings and as they continue to chase a fourth straight league crown they will begin a month of road games when they travel to Swift Current next weekend. Wells admits the change of scenery will be welcomed by the team.
“I’m looking forward to going on the road,” he says. “I won’t be dealing with the behind-the-scenes stuff. We were pretty banged up and the guys are getting healthy so it will be good.”
Outlaws hammer Moose Jaw for first win of the season
While the Predators were relegated to the sidelines on the weekend, the Outlaws had a full slate of games with a trio of junior-aged Predators playing prominent roles as affiliate call-ups for the senior squad.
Talon Sandry with four goals and four assists, Sawyer Elphinstone with three goals and three helpers and Chase Lehner with two goals and five assists helped the Outlaws reach the win column for the first time this season when they beat the Moose Jaw Mafia 17-1 on Friday.
Cole Ross also had a strong game scoring three more for the Outlaws while Kaiden Fletcher added a pair. Arliss McCloy, Kurtis Peifer and Brody Holizki rounded out the scoring with one goal each.
Less than 24 hours later the Outlaws gave up a nine-spot in the second period to fall 18-14 to the Regina Heat. Peifer, Ross, Lehner, Holizki and Fletcher had two goals each in that contest with singles coming from Elphinstone, McCloy, Sandry and Jarod Reid.
The Outlaws, who are 1-3 in league play, were also in Fort Qu’Appelle on Sunday for a game against the Standing Buffalo Fighting Sioux, but results were late in getting posted. The Outlaws will be in Moose Jaw and Regina next weekend with their next home game not until June 19 when they will host the Saskatoon Swat at 7:30 p.m. at the Kinsmen Arena.
A pair of youth clubs also had busy weekend schedules in Saskatchewan Lacrosse Box League action as the U13 North Saskatchewan Predators beat the Swat in Saskatoon 9-5 on Friday before falling 6-4 and 12-5 to the Heat in Regina on Saturday while the U15 North Saskatchewan Predators battled the Barracudas to 10-10 and 5-5 draws in Regina on Saturday.
Silas Bear paced the U13 Predators in the win against Saskatoon scoring three times and adding one assist while Henry Borysiuk and Ryan Bexson with two each and singles from Sawyer Wasyluk and Jaxson Stene rounded out the scoring.
Bexson, Elim Henry, Charlie Morgan and Jordy Bechtel tallied for the Predators in the opening loss to Regina with Bexson notching two more and Thaddeus Beaven, Karson Ledoux and Morgan chipping in one each in the nightcap against the Barracudas.
The weekend results leave the Predators in third place with a 3-5-1 record and they will look to improve on that when the host the Swat on June 12 at 6 p.m. at the Kinsmen Arena.
For the U15 Predators it looked like they might win the first game against the Barracuda, but two goals by Regina in the final seven minutes forced the 10-10 deadlock. Bryn Beaulac led the way for the Preds in that game scoring three times and setting up two others while Evan Morrison, Jaite Bexson and Emmet Bear each tallied twice. Dallyn Amyotte completed the scoring with a single marker.
In the second draw against Regina it was Morrison, Bexson, Bear, Carson Krasilowez and Brodie Pilkington doing the scoring for the Predators, who remain in third place in the league standings with a 2-3-3 ledger.
The Predators were also in Fort Qu’Appelle on Sunday for a doubleheader against the league-leading Standing Buffalo Fighting Sioux, but results have yet to be posted.
Next home game for the U15 Predators is June 12 when they will welcome the Saskatoon Swat to the Kinsmen Arena. Game time for that match is 7:45 p.m.
The U17 North Saskatchewan Predators were idle this week, but they will be looking to get their first win of the season when they host the Regina Barracuda in a doubleheader on Sunday at the Kinsmen Arena. Game time for those contests will be noon and 4 p.m.
