Local Sports
Local Sports Recap December 17th – 18th
By Sheldon Spackman
Lots of Central Alberta hockey teams in action on Saturday night, including the Olds Grizzlys who lost 5-4 to the Saints up in Spruce Grove. Ryley Smith scored twice for the Grizzlys, with Jared Bowman scoring once on the power play and Landon Gross the other on the power play as well.
The loss drops the Grizzlys record to 11-17-5 with 27 points and seventh place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Viterra South Division.Spruce Grove improves to 24-10-2 with 50 points and third place in the AJHL’s Viterra North Division.
The Grizzlys next game is Sunday, December 18th against the 24-9-4 Bonnyville Pontiacs who have 52 points and are second place in the North Division. The Pontiacs are coming off a loss in their last game as well. It’s a 2:00 pm face-off at the Olds Sportsplex.
In the Chinook Hockey League, the Lacombe Generals doubled the Stony Plain Eagles 8-4 in Lacomeb Saturday night. Myles Bell scored four of the Generals goals, with the others coming from Ian Barteaux, Adam Huxley, Ryan Kinasewich on the power play and Riley Sheen.
The win is Lacombe’s sixth in a row and improves the Generals record to 12-1-0-0 with 24 points and still first place in the CHL. Stony Plain has now lost three in a row but remains in second place in the CHL with a 6-4-0-2 record and 14 points. Lacombe’s next game is Saturday, January 7th when they host the 3-4-0-1 Rosetown Red Wings who currently have 7 points and are fifth place in the CHL.
Elsewhere in the CHL on Sunday, December 18th, the Innisfail Eagles visit the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs. The Eagles are 3-4-0-4 with 10 points and in third place, while the Chiefs are 4-8-0-0 with 8 points and in fourth place. It’s a 4:45 pm face-off.
In the Heritage Junior Hockey League on Saturday night, the Red Deer Vipers hammered the Blackfalds Wranglers 7-1 at the Collicutt Centre. Vipers goals came from Declan Johnston who scored twice, including one on the power play, Mack Differenz who scored twice, including one on the power play, Lane Sim, Brett Hoppus and Kale Lapointe.
The win is the second in a row for Red Deer and improves the Vipers record to 19-8-1- with 39 points and third place in the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s North Division. Blackfalds drops to 16-9-0 with 32 points and fourth place in the HJHL. Red Deer’s next game is Wednesday, January 4th when they visit the Mountainview Colts. Blackfalds plays next on Sunday, December 18th when they host the Airdrie Thunder. It’s a 3:30 pm face-off.
Elsewhere in the HJHL on Saturday night, Stettler beat Three Hills 9-5. Other games on December 18th include Mountainview in Banff.
Local Sports
End of an era for Red Deer Minor baseball Braves
From Red Deer Minor Baseball Board of Directors
Following many discussions within the Red Deer community, the baseball community, our association members, as well as our board of directors we have made the decision to move forward with rebranding our teams, currently known as the Braves. For our association the Braves name symbolized warrior strength, bravery and resilience, all qualities we were proud to align with; and although the initial moniker of our teams was never intended to carry a derogatory or disrespectful connotation, for some, it has. The topic of our rebrand has been polarizing and arguments both for and against have been passionately presented. We have made the decision to move forward in the direction we feel is best for our association.
In alignment with the membership majority vote, the Red Deer Minor Baseball Board of Directors is excited to announce that we will now be known as the Red Deer Rangers.
The Red Deer Rangers will retain our current navy and crimson colors and will not adopt the colors or logo of the MLB, NHL, or any other Rangers franchise. We are looking forward to forging our own identity and embracing our own look.
As you can appreciate this is a complex initiative that will take time. We will remain the Braves for the 2024 season and aim to have our rebrand complete for the 2025 season.
All participants that submitted the Rangers name during our rebranding poll, will be entered into a draw to receive the first Red Deer Rangers jersey.
We hope you will join us in celebrating this positive endeavor as we create a new inclusive legacy for our association that all can be proud of.
RDMBA Board of Directors
Local Sports
Red Deer Minor Hockey is proud to announce our new General Manager Lane Moore
From Red Deer Minor Hockey
The Red Deer Minor Hockey Board of Directors is pleased & honored to announce, after an extensive search, that Lane Moore has accepted the position of General Manager of Red Deer Minor Hockey. Lane will start his new role early in the new year & is very excited about leading our organization into the future as we aim to provide a positive learning and maturing experience for all of our young athletes & coaches in a minor hockey setting.
Lane comes into the role of General Manager with an extensive resume, in both hockey and administration. Lane has led the Bentley school as principal for the last 17 years & was an educator prior to that. On the hockey side, Lane’s passion for coaching & engaging with young athletes, dates back to 2002. His most recent involvement as a coach with Red Deer Minor Hockey saw Lane lead the U17AAA North Star Chiefs for 2 seasons (21-22, 22-23). Prior to his work with Red Deer Minor Hockey Lane served as President of Rimbey Minor Hockey for several seasons.
One of Lane’s biggest strengths is his ability to create highly effective teams by building a common mission & vision & then executing on those through visionary leadership. These attributes shone through during this General Manager search and we are thrilled for Lane to lead this organization now & into the future as we aim to be one of the premier Minor Hockey Associations in the province.
Lane, his wife Kathleen & their three children Easton, Cooper & Lexi call Red Deer home. His son Cooper is the captain of Red Deer U18AAA Optimist Chiefs & his older son Easton is pursuing his hockey career and post-secondary studies in Massachusetts. Please join us in congratulating Lane Moore as the new General Manager of the Red Deer Minor Hockey Commission, welcome Lane!
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