It was a special weekend for many former players who represented the Battlefords in the SJHL.
It was the North Stars Alumni weekend, celebrating the former players who represented the North Stars organization through the past 40 seasons, including the early years when the club was known as the Battlefords Barons.
Some 23 former players suited up for a special Alumni Game on Civic Centre ice Saturday afternoon.
The alumni who hit the ice for that affair included recent alumni such as Braeden Johnson, who played for the North Stars last year, all the way back to several former members of the original Battlefords Barons squad from 1973.
The alumni game between the Black team and the White team was divided into two "halves" of 25 minutes each. On the roster for the White team were netminder Jordan Solomko, Jason Rose, Ernie Andreas, Charlie Linnell, David George, Vic Stynsky, Greg Schmidt, Jesse Gulbraa, Braeden Johnson, Ryleigh Campbell, Troy Watt, Derek Keller, Lorne Nielson and Bryce Bohun.
On ice for the Black team were netminder Steven Nelson, Mark Szyda, Will Rathje, Barry Redlick, Blaine Depper, Derek Sieben, Greg Shury, Mark Carlson, Ryan Schaefer, Darren Delainey, Fraser Donahue, Darren Hango and Barrett Penner.
The white team was coached by Dale Jackson, well known within the North Stars organization as an equipment manager and trainer until 2012.
The black team was coached by Billie Choque, another long-time member of the organization whose involvement spans all four decades of the franchise.
Also on the bench for the White team were Hugh MacDonald and Ernie Andreas.
While a number of them were perhaps not as fast as they were in their junior hockey days, they showed they had the skills and made the most of their time back on Civic Centre ice.
Many are in fact still active in the game - something North Stars marketing manager Trent Cey noticed in organizing the event.
"Many of them are still involved in coaching that used to be North Stars, or scouting, or even playing for that matter," said Cey. About half of them were on rosters of various seniors' teams that were due to be in action later that same evening.
Perhaps the most noticeable player on the ice that afternoon was George, a former Barons player who is now a Battleford town councillor and active hockey referee. His on-ice presence was noteworthy as he played the Alumni game the way it used to be done in the Seventies - without a helmet.
The referee joined in the fun, as the back of his uniform spelled out the name "Blindman" - a reference to the insults and abuse referees take from angry fans during games whenever they fail to call a penalty.
Not surprisingly, the alumni game proved a high-scoring affair, as hitting and defence went out the window.
The first half ended with the teams knotted up at 4-4, and the game remained tight throughout the second half before the White team was able to pull ahead for good. The White team won the game 9-7.
That game was followed by a special five-on-five shootout session. The Whites won that shootout 3-2 on a goal by Charlie Linnell, who played for the original 1973 Barons team.
Afterwards, both teams posed for an on-ice photograph underneath the championship banners the organization has earned during its 40 years of existence.
Cey said the reunion was well received by the former players. It was the first time in several years that there had been an alumni reunion.
"It was something maybe long overdue and everyone really enjoyed it," said Cey.
"For some of them it's been a really long time. For others that were local it was just kind of nice to get some people together and bring back some memories."
In addition to the game was a beef on a bun event in the evening followed by a social post-game gathering in the lounge area after the North Stars game against the Yorkton Terriers.
There was also a silent auction featuring various items, including a signed North Stars jersey and an old Barons jacket.
Many of the alumni were part of a season-high crowd of 1,027 who saw the current Battlefords North Stars defeat the Yorkton Terriers 3-1.
Head coach and general manager Kevin Hasselberg noted the pride the alumni still feel as part of the North Stars heritage.
"When you look around the Civic Centre and you see the pictures on the wall you see the pride coming out in those players, and certainly when you look around the room right now there's a lot of former players that are loving the fact they are back in their old surroundings," said Hasselberg.
"Certainly they're the legacy that keeps this program going."
