The "Larionov Sisters" Christmas Video...

SVCU win a close one...

SVCU's net minder Mike "Smitty" Smith played an outstanding game, stopping 48 of 50 shots, en route to a 3-2 win over the Valley Outlaws. Warren Gray opened the scoring for SVCU with a rocket wrist shot that beat Valley puck stopper "Butch"  Hodgson short side. Chris "Concuss" Zamzow extended the lead to 2 , with a seeing eye dog  shot off the iron .The Outlaws rallied to tie the game at 2 early in the second. Barry "Shooter" Eggie put CU ahead when he cashed in on a goal mouth scramble.  Questionable officiating and some spirited play had SVCU 2 man short for the final 5 minutes. Smith, equal to the task, closed the door on yet another victory for SVCU. Country crooner and rookie sensation Ryan "Cowboy" Keowan left the game early in the second period after having an errant puck ride up his stick and clip him in the face. The injury comes at a most inopportune time , as he is currently in the middle of an album cover shoot. Concerned teammates have offered possible alternatives for the up and coming album cover......

 

SVCU win one in the Polar Dome....

After suffering a 10-8 loss to the Kenville Flyer AA Midget team, SVCU skated to a 11-4 victory over the Loggers on the Frozen Tundra known as the Minitonas arena. CU alumnus Warren Clark on loan from the Swan River Raiders, filled in admirable for Mike "Smitty" Smith. Clark , a former puck stopper for the Dauphin Kings, spent the majority of the evening trying to stay warm in the comfy confines of the War Memorial Arena. Ryan "Cowboy" Keown led all SVCU scorers with 4 goals. Some long-standing rumors about Randy Mateika "going both ways" were proven accurate as he was forced to drop back to blue line for the last period. Veteran forward and team elder statesman Barry "Shooter" Eggie saw his first game action of the season and his mastery of the boards and snapshot were still evident. Darren "Pancake" Knight saw his first game action since "the hit" heard round the Valley!  With his teenage son cheering him on "Pancake" was stoned during a first period penalty shot by Logger net minder Jason Jersak. Other CU goal scorers were Jeff Knight, Chris Zamzow, Brian Minish, Blaine Campbell, Derek Holtom,and Craig Zamzow. Management has some tough decisions to make regarding the future of diminutive forward Rob " Slug" McDonald. After being "unclaimed" on the waiver wire, and the unsuccessful attempt to trade him to Swan River Action for an undisclosed amount of tape, the situation has left management shaking their heads. Director of Player Personnel and former CU standout David Bettesworth issued this statement "We have had talks with both McDonald and his agent and have tried to make it crystal clear to them the direction the club is taking and how we see him fitting into our long term plan.  Then we asked how his bottle washing and stick carrying abilities rated." SVCU's next action is Wednesday night when they entertain the Swan Valley Outlaws. 
"Happier  Days"  circa 2007 Championship Run.                                                                                                                                                                            

C.U. Blueliner Does Magazine Cover Shoot ....

It seems strapping C.U. Blue liner Blaine "Soup Dog" Campbell is seriously thinking of a career change. The transformation began two summers ago, when then a heavier, heartier ,Campbell had a chance meeting with fashion Macho man and provocateur Sean Avery -- by some accounts the most hated player in the National Hockey League. "He is ridiculously obsessed with fashion and fitness," Avery commented. "He loves it more than anything in the world. It's something he has always wanted to do." Following a strict diet and nutrional regieme, the one time "Wing and Whiskey King", recently made the top ten list of Canada's "Fittest and Sexiest Old Time Hockey Players". Campbell , a recent no-show the last few games, and has some teammates wondering if there is any truth to the "Play Girl" cover shoot rumors running over the wire. His publicist has advised that he will be unavailble to comment until early in the new year.

C.U. goes 4-0-1 in last 5...

After settling for a tie in Minitonas against the Valley Outlaws in a game dubiously dubbed "The Hit that was felt throughout the Valley", C.U. strung together a rather nice run of four wins.The latest game saw the third match up of the season with cross town rivals Swan River Raiders.  C.U. wasted no time jumping out to an early 3-0 lead and held on to win 6-5. Puck stopper Mike "Smitty" Smith was outstanding, quelling any Raider Nation comeback. Potting two goals apiece, the brother's Gray put on a performance that has been equaled only  by the Sedin twins of the Vancouver Canucks. C.U. rounds out the week with a Wednesday night tilt with the Kenville Flyer's, followed by a Friday "Wing and Beer fest" in Minitonas against the Logger's.

That's number 5... Oh Yeah Riders on to the Grey Cup...

Credit Union OldTymer's recorded their fifth win of the season with a 10 - 3 victory over the Swan River Friendship Center. The story of the night had to be the play of the  line of McDonald , Keowan and Mordan aka the M-k-M line , accounting for eight of the ten tallies. Leading the charges , both Ryan "Cowboy" Keowan and A.P. standout Riley "Ripper" Morden notched three apiece. Morden, the more mobile and heir apparent " goal scorer" of the Morden family, had numerous scoring chances.  Had he the misfortune of being blessed with the hands of his father, finding the back of the net may have been a real challenge for the youngster. Logging 60 minutes each, defensive partners Craig "Away on Business" Zamzow and Warren "Wheels" Gray made goal keeper Mike  "Smitty" Smith' s night relatively quiet. The defensive duo executed the  transition game seamlessly, finishing the game with an impressive plus 7 rating. C.U. finishes the "Six in Seven" tour with games against the Valley Outlaws and the Minitonas Loggers.

This ones for us Hands !!!

Reich earns Second Win....

The Swan Valley Credit Union Oldtymers erased a two-goal deficit after 30 minutes for a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Silver Seven in Minitonas Thursday night. A back-and-forth second period saw the two teams tied 8-8 with approximately two minutes to play when Jake "The Snake" Gray slipped an off-speed snipe past Justin "Big K" Poole. Despite leaking more oil than a 1976 Dodge Aspen, Rick "Red Light" Reich closed the door for the remainder of the period, and when the discussion of an additional 10 minutes was mentioned by the host team, Reich was already in the dressing room, helping to secure another victory. An "Icon" to the throwback era of the "Stand Up" goaltender, Reich reportedly has not had his pads kiss the ice surface since 1979.

Other goal scorers included Blaine "Soupy" Campbell, Craig "Back from Brandon" Zamzow, and Jeff "No Miss" Knight. A punishing hit by Darren "Diesel" Knight left bewildered rookie Derek "Good Night" Holtom dazed and confused. Unconfirmed reports have Kevin " Special K" Kopecky putting in extra practice time working on his penalty shot move...

The Oldtymers are back in action Sunday when they take on the Friendship Centre. They'll go for four wins in seven days without the services of the slightly concussed Holtom, who will either be celebrating a trip to the Grey Cup for his beloved Riders, or trying to fix a hole in his basement wall while choking back tears.

Two in a Row....

Monday night saw C.U. deliver a 9-4 beating at the hands of Swan River Action. Former C.U. masked man Ricky "Red Light" Reich shook off two years of rust, going 3 for 3 in saves in the shootout, recording his first W in years. . Brian "Big Crunch" Gilroy continued his scoring prowess, potting four, and yes, registering his first helper of the season. Scoring streaks also continued for  rookies Darren "Lungs" Knight and Derek    "Hands" Holtom.

Wednesday night had C.U. hosting the Swan River Raiders in the much anticipated rematch. The Raiders handed C.U. their only loss of the season, a 10-5 drubbing in the club's season opener. Picking up where they left off, the Raiders wasted no time peppering C.U. goaltender Mike "Smitty" Smith . The savy veteran net minder continued his outstanding play, holding the Raiders scoreless. Playing the old "Rope a Dope", for the first period, Brian "Golden Boy" Gilroy got the party started for C.U. early in the second with his first of three on the night. Gliroy was overheard offering words of encouragement to struggling rookie/crooner Ryan "Cowboy" Keowan. "Pen this for your next big hit  Cowboy -Take this puck and shove it, it ain't going in for me know more ! Rounding out the scoring for C.U. were Jeff "Nifty" Knight and Jeremy "Jake " Gray with a pair each, singles going to Keowan, Holtom , and Darrren "Lungs" Knight securing a 10-2 victory. C.U. continues it's "six games in seven nights" tour Thursday with a tilt in Minitonas against the Phoenix clad Silver Seven.

C.U. Clip Flyer's Wings...

A more than impressive season debut  by shifty left winger Brian "Big Crunch" Gilroy, helped C.U. secure their second win of the season. Any questions or concerns about Gilroy's commitment to an off season training regime, or to the up and coming season, were quickly put to rest as the flashy forward accounted for seven goals in the 14-4 victory. Not since the days of  skating with the Dauphin Kings Triple A Midget team has Gilroy posted game day numbers like this. When asked about his" buying" into the two way defensive system, and the strict weight management program layed out by the organization, Gilroy was quoted " McDonald. look at my hands man ! Do they look forty  f#ckin  pounds over weight  to you ?? I'ts all in the hands baby, it's all in the hands ! "  Although falling well  short of the "10 goals in one game" record held by former C.U. Old Timer  Marvin "Sniper" Clarkson, one can only speculate if the record book may have been re-written had a sleeker , well conditioned Gilroy made this season debut. Skating for the first time with the organization, power forward Darren "Knock Down" Knight made his presence felt early. It is a well known fact that in  the past 10 - 15 years the only ice action the burly forward has seen  has  been stirring  the cubes in his favorite cocktail. Knight, disorientated, out of breath, and running on pure instincts, found himself parked in front of the opposing net all night long. Brother of veteran C.U. goal scorer Jeff "No Miss" Knight, his  physical presence will be a welcoming edtion to C.U.'s flashy front end. Splitting this season between C.U.'s minor league affiliate Easterville Eagles and the parent club, Dana "Hand Cuffs" Harris also made his season debut.  Harris and rookie Ryan "Cowboy" Keowan were relentless in their fore check, and evened out many Flyer odd man rushes. Continuing his unselfish play, defense men Warren "Wheels " Gray completed many tape to tape passes finishing the evening with 10 helpers and a whopping plus 12. C.U.s next action is Nov. 16 , the first of  a  "4 games in 6 nights"  stretch.

C.U. lives by the "Code"...

C.U. back in the win column... Rookies Shine !

The rookie line of  Kevin "Special K " Kopecky, Ryan "Cowboy" Keown, and Derek "Hands" Holtom combined for 6 goals, as C U. earned their first "W" of the season, downing Swan River Action 12-3. The win was particularly sweet for "Hands", as this was the first time facing his former team. Holtom, an off-season acquisition, walked away from a 5 year deal that would have seen the fleet footed forward finish his career with the "Green Machine". Signing an unconditional, one year-one way contract with C.U., Holtom seems to have found his stride early, and has shown a youthful exuberance that has been sadly missed in the C.U. locker room the past few seasons. Not to be shown up, the tenacious two way play of Ryan "Cowboy" Keown, has opened more than a few eyes in upper management. Rounding out the Trio, Kevin "Special K" Kopecky adds the savy and play making of a well seasoned veteran. Picked up in the L.P. dispersal draft, "Special K" could be the missing link needed to help bring back another championship. Making season debuts, veteran defense men Blaine "Soup Dog" Campbell, and flashy forward Jeff " No Miss" Knight , had solid one way games. Looking for any possible edge, the quest for the perfect skate continues for diminutive forward Rob "Give it  Away" McDonald. One veteran blue liner was quoted " Instead of McDonald spending money on another pair of skates, perhaps the little fucker should be on the look for a set of hands". Next Wednesday has the Kenville Flyers coming into the friendly confines of the corral for a 10:15 tilt.

Roger Millions sums up C.U. season opener.......

In the immortal words of CTV hockey analyst Roger Millions, Swan Valley C.U.'s season opener was a "COCK SUCKER". Icing a very "SHORT BENCH", C.U. was no match for the 15 plus skaters of the Raider Nation, and found themselves behind 6-1 after the first period. Puck stopper Mike "Smitty" Smith, under a heavy barrage early, made some huge saves, keeping the game respectable and within reach. Salvaging what little pride they had left, C.U. overcame fatigue and played a much stronger second period notching three goals to make the final score 10-5. Management has voiced some concerns over the lack of committement on the part of some of the veteran players. "This sort of bad mouthing and trash talking of fellow teammmates usually takes at least until November to creep into the ranks". All can be forgotten as C.U. can redeem themselves at this Wednesday night's home opener against Swan River Action. One can only speculate a better turn out for this tilt.

TrainingCamp 2009 ???

It may not of had all the glam, glitz, and raunchiness of a Lightning shoot out, but after a grueling 60 minute workout, C.U.'s version brought to close another year's training camp. Picking up where he left off, veteran puck stopper Mike "Smitty" Smith kept all shooters at bay. "There would have been one hell of a pile of equipment in the corner, and an awful lot of skin coming down the ice had we done the lighting shoot out " .

Numbers were down at this years camp, an indication that many veterans have been following a very strict off ice training and nutrition program, and felt no need to attend. However, a strong showing by a group of eager rookies, may have left some very tough decisions for management to make. This Sunday night's home opener against The Swan River Raiders should be a good one.

Thrashers moving to Winnipeg ??

Gotta Love These .... (Smitty our Friend ! )

Dauphin, Winnipegosis, and Valley Outlaws, win the Hardware...

Game Shots...

Tourney Video Clips...

It's Tourney Time...

A Tribute to " The Golden Vet "...

The loss of a True Friend.....

It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that I write this posting. Normally, I can't wait to recount the previous evenings adventures on ice, but the news this morning changed everything. When the phone rang and a friend and fellow teammate informed me that Rex had passed away , a sudden wave of disbelief and shock overcame me. I was speechless, my mind was just not accepting the words that were trying to register . Not Rex, we just had a beer with him after last weeks game for Christ sakes ! He gave me some sort of painkiller pills and a knee brace and said, " Here Rob, take these, keep the brace and use it until I get back in a couple of weeks. Don't lose the damn thing, I will probably need it for the tourney." And with that , Rex said a few quick good byes on his way out of the dressing room. You see Rex only stayed for one post game whiskey that night, as he informed us that he was told by Bev , that perhaps he should maybe consider to start packing for their 2 week Mexican family vacation, which he was leaving for at 6:00 am the next morning. But that was Rex, never taking things to serious. Just when you thought he wasn't gonna make the game, who wheels in, 1973 Molson Canadian hockey bag in hand, but the Golden Vet. Never one to let his teammates down, Rex always had a cure for what ailed ya. Whether it was a pill or a whiskey from his mobile vet kit, or maybe a smile and a story, the Golden Vet always knew what to prescribe . Rex was and will forever be a "Swan Valley Credit Union Oldtymer" . You will be missed dearly my friend.

Zamzow or Ovechkin ???

With less than a minute left in the extra frame, SVCU defense men Craig "Zammer" Zamzow completed a dramatic comeback with a goal ala Alexander Ovechkin. The winning goal was Zamzow's second of the evening. With SVCU's front end struggling to mount any offense, the highly mobile back end proved to be to much for the Swan River Raider's. Blaine "Soup" Campbell notched three, while his free wheeling defensive partner Warren Gray added two more. The game was all but over mid way through the second period, with the Raider's holding a commanding 7-3 lead. Expressing his frustration Wheels was qouted " somebody start moving their fucking feet" , providing his teammates with some constructive feedback. Knowing this may back fire, Gray's view of the game seemed to get the SVCU train back on the rails. Fighting the puck for most of the evening, SVCU net minder Mike "Smitty" Smith came up with some huge saves down the stretch to keep the come back alive. Final score SVCU 8 Swan River Raider's 7.

Mateika considering working for H.N.I.C ??

Once again , SVCU Oldtymers put on an impressive offensive showing, chalking up a 10-4 win over Swan River Action . Mike "Thrilla" Miller lead all scorers, finishing the contest with four. Rick "Whiskey" Liske Jr. continued his scoring streak by adding a goal and two assists. Warren "Wheels " Gray provided the offensive punch from the back end with two goals and six assists. In the post game celebration, Randy "Howie" Mateika held court with any teammates who would listen, as he re accounted one of his two high light reel goals. Pulling out the now defunct telestrator, Mateika "X" ed and "O" ed the play to Howie Meeker perfection. Mateika was quoted as saying "if any one missed my goal I have attached a telestrator account of I seen it go in as I was falling down."

Flyer's go Down in Flames... 14-6.

After a last minute come back in last weeks' tilt, the much anticipated rematch with the Kenville Flyers turned out to be a one sided affair. Scoring early and often, SVCU jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Flyers knew what hit them. Dana "Handcuffs" Harris doing what he does best, skated, fore checked, and lead all scorers with four. Rob "Thirsty" McDonald somehow managed to score a hat trick, but should be overlooked by the countless give aways and errant passes performed at his expense. Line mate, power forward Rick "Whiskey" Liske Jr. had an outstanding game. Tape to tape passes, relentless corner cycling, and hard nose net crashing , rewarded Jr. with a 2 goal 3 assist evening. Jeremy "Giving" Gray although held scoreless, set the table more often than a waitress at the Credit Union Annual supper and general meeting. Showing that it isn't all about scoring, the flashy right winger finished the game a impressive plus 12 !! The SVCU blue line was not to be denied, as all three D men went end to end finishing off we high light reel goals. Goaltender Mike "Smitty" Smith had a steady game, despite one or two that he would of liked to have back. Facing shot after shot around the chin strap , Smith was more than willing to give his trapper a work out. SVCU has yet another 3 games in three nights, starting next Wednesday against Action Oldtimers.

Three in a Row...

After back to back wins against the Silver Seven, SVCU continued their winning ways with a 11-3 win over the Minitonas Loggers. Icing eight skater's, SVCU was held scoreless until the mid way point of the first period. Four quick goals put SVCU ahead and they never looked back. With the Logger's pressing early in the second, the game took a huge momentum shift when SVCU power forward Rick "Whiskey " Liske Jr. administered some "Old School" stick work to an over zealous Logger forward. Leading all SVCU scorers was Warren "Wheels" Gray potting a hat trick on his 20 plus shots on goal performance. Warren "Clarkie" Clark, Rob "On the Wagon" McDonald, Randy "Knees" Matekia, and Whiskey Jr. added a pair each. Mike "Smitty" Smith's penalty shot woes continue, however upon further video review, it appears that the net minder may have actually gotten a piece of his glove on it before watching it glide into the net.

One for "The Ages" ... ??

The second game of the dreaded "Three in a Row" tour, proved to be a character builder for the SVCU OldTymer's. Leaving the friendly confines of the Swan River Coral, 8 dedicated members headed south down Highway 83 for a rematch with the Kenville Flyer's. Late scouting reports had the Flyer's running at full swagger after knocking off the Outlaws earlier in the week. A disappointing loss to Kenville last week was all the motivation needed for this tilt. The McDonald-Gray-Gray trio , reunited for the first time in three years, blew out of the blocks, giving SVCU an early 2-0 lead. Moved up to the front end, Warren "Wheels" Gray did not disappoint. Registering an unofficial 14 shots on net, Gray led all scorers with 2. Fatigue became a factor, as the Flyer's youth and speed quickly shifted the momentum of the game.Trailing 3-2 with a 1:32 remaining , Rick "Whiskey " Liske Jr. picked up a loose puck in the Flyer 's end, and blindly fired it on net. Chris "Lanks" Zamzow, trolling in front , willed the rebound past the sprawling Kenville net minder. On the ensuing play, Jeremy "OT Kid", relived the magic one more time. With less than 30secs remaining, the calm , cool ,flashy right winger, showing the patience of a Saint, picked up a loose puck, deftly walked around two Kenville defence men and a confused /interfered with, goaltender, and deposited the puck into a wide open net. Mike "Smitty" Smith once again showed why he is considered the premier goaltender of the league by keeping the game within reach . Craig "Zammer" Zamow and Blaine "Soup Dog" Campbell, the twin towers, had little to complain about ice time. Playing for the full sixty minutes, the dynamic duo had a combined weight loss in water of about 90 lbs. by games end. This fits nicely into the big strapping D-Man's new training regime. Always one to offer struggling teammates words of encouragement, Campbell has volunteered to loan his personal shooter tudor and training DVD's to a certain forward who needs to work on his shooting skills. SVCU rounds out their "Three games in Three Nights" tour with a trip north to Bowsmen to take on the Silver Seven.

12-5, SVCU bounce back..

Coming off perhaps their worst defensive effort this season, SVCU having something to prove, came out of the gates flying. Mike "Thrilla" Miller and Dana "Handcuffs" Harris, the dynamic duo, posted hatricks and provided a tenacious fore check . The line of Rick "Whiskey Jr." Liske, Jeremy "Jake" Gray, and Pat "Crash " Morden , rumoured to be plus 10 on the evening, contributed offensively with Gray bagging 2, and Morden adding one. Held scoreless , Jr. was relugated the dubious task of "Stats Man", providing updates of the line's current plus/minus after every shift. Warren "Clarkie" Clark and Rex "Golden Vet" Leach rounded out the scoring for the SVCU front end. Leach , skating like a 55 year old, was all over the LP net minder, and was rewarded for his efforts by buring a loose puck for his 5th goal of the season. Turning point of the game came when Warren "Wheels" Gray went end to end a rang a rocket off the post beating the Lp netminder. Tender Mike "Smitty" Smith held the LP shooters at bay ,once again coming up with the big save when called upon.

S.V.C.U. Open New Year with a 4-2-1 record...

Last Wednesday saw SVCU take on a rather youthful group of Kenville Flyer's. With a combined age less than Rex "Golden Vet" Leach and Dennis "Surgeon" Bowles, the Flyer's skated to a 7-6 victory. Up by 2 with less than 8 minutes left in the game, SVCU's strong defensive play collapsed. Hemmed in their own end for minutes at a time, the Flyer's sustained pressure finally paid off with two quick goals to tie the game. Despite numerous words of encouragement from the SVCU back end, the once well disciplined forwards, found themselves floundering around their own end aimlessly. Quick to pick up on this mass confusion, the Flyer's tallied once more to secure a 7-6 lead. Pulling tender Mike "Smitty" Smith in the dying seconds proved exciting, but SVCU was unable to find the back of the net. This week has the OldTymer's playing 3 in a row starting with L.P. on Wednesday night.