ESTEVAN - After five days of hockey action, the Estevan Strippers’ Spring Bust Tournament wrapped up Sunday evening.
The event was held from Wednesday to Sunday. Games were held at Affinity Place and the Power Dodge Arena Wednesday and Thursday, and at those two arenas plus the Bienfait Memorial Arena Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Forty teams converged on Estevan, making it the largest recreational hockey tournament in the province. They were divided into an over-30 division with 20 teams, an over-45 division with 12 squads and a women’s division with eight entries.
There were 10 pools of four teams during the weekend, and each team played three games in a round robin.
In the Certified Energy Division, which was one of the women’s divisions, the Melville Moneybags were first with a 3-0 record. The Moose Mountain Chill (2-1) were second, the Estevan Wildcats were third (1-2) and the Bienfait Bulldogs were fourth at 0-3.
In the other women’s pool, the Coldwell Banker Division, the Bienfait Bitches (3-0) took top spot. The Reston Westman Fusion (2-1) were second, the Weyburn Oil Queens (1-2) were third and the Oxbow Hot Dawgs (0-3) were fourth.
In the over-45 play, the Energy City Wings went 2-1 to take top spot in the Ray Frehlick Division. The Fort Qu’Appelle Combines were second at 1-1-1, while the Weyburn Ambassadors and the Regina Old Slow Shots were tied for third at 1-2, but the Ambassadors were listed in third because they gave up fewer goals. Weyburn allowed 12, while the Slow Shots surrendered 14.
The Woodley Whites went 3-0 to win the Bill Dutton Division. Second place went to the Estevan Capitals (2-1), while the Melville Millionaires and the Regina Hooters were 0-2-1, with Melville getting third because they allowed fewer goals (18-16).
The Murray GM Estevan Division went to the Estevan Viking 45s (3-0). The Estevan Tower Wolves 45s (2-1) were second, the Yorkton Old Relics (1-2) were third and the Brandon North 40 (0-3) came in fourth.
As for the over-30 pools, the Estevan Eclipse went 3-0 to win the Westmoreland Coal Division. The Avonlea Antiques (2-1) were second, the Estevan Red Army (1-2) finished third and the Regina Apex Hitmen (0-3) were fourth.
In the Einar/Rod Fagerheim Memorial Division, Prairie Rathole had a 3-0 mark to finish first. The Estevan Flyers (2-1) were second, the Reston Rockets (1-2) were third and the Regina Beach Burbot (0-3) were fourth.
In the Days Inn Division, the Estevan Tap House Rookies and the Souris Valley Sioux each finished 2-0-1, but the Rookies were first because they allowed fewer goals (14-8). The Alameda Red Army (1-2) were third and the Weyburn Thrashers (0-3) came in fourth.
The Taphouse Division went to the Estevan Tower Wolves at 3-0. The Torquay Hoppers (2-1) were second, the Sedley Mohawks (1-2) were third and the Carnduff Chiefs (0-3) came in fourth.
There was a three-way tie for first in the Preston Meyer Memorial Division. The Regina Blackouts, the Broken Arrow Bruins and the Regina Piranhas each went 1-0-2, but the Blackouts allowed the fewest goals (13) to finish first. The Bruins and the Piranhas each allowed 14, but the Broken Arrow Bruins were listed in second because of a goal ratio calculation. The Estevan Cougars (0-3) were fourth.
Several awards were handed out. Laurie McCaskill, 72, from the Brandon North 40 won the Oldest Player Award. A player can win the award once.
The Reston Westman Fusion won the Tap House Sportsmanship Award for having the fewest penalty minutes among teams in the women’s and over 45 divisions, while the Regina Apex Hitmen won the James Schroeder Memorial Award for the fewest penalty minutes among the over-30 teams. Both the Hitmen and the Fusion had zero penalties in three games.
The tournament is also a fundraiser. A beer garden was set up at the Power Dodge Curling Centre throughout the tournament, with a cabaret Friday and Saturday night that attracted large crowds.
DJ Dave Elliott supplied music for Friday, and Third Degree Birnz performed Saturday
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