The 2019-20 Tisdale Trojans were introduced ahead of their season opener at the Tisdale RECplex against the Swift Current Legionnaires (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Trojans Season Opener

Trojans open at home with win, new captain, and childhood dream

Sep 22, 2019 | 7:13 AM

Swift Current Legionnaires 2 – Tisdale Trojans 5

The new era of Tisdale Trojans hockey began on a winning note Saturday.

The game against the Swift Current Legionnaires at the Tisdale RECplex was the Trojans’ first regular season Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) game under new head coach Dennis Kubat and new general manager Cole Simpson.

The Trojans had a hot start with two quick goals on two shots. A forward duo from the Prairie Hockey Academy – Keagon Little and Noah Wills – connected on the first goal before rookie Mario Fortier tipped in veteran Kalen Ukrainetz’s shot from the point.

During pre-season exhibition play, the Trojans trailed 2-0 early in both of their games. and Kubat said he and his assistant coach Daven Smith were talking about how great it would be to score the first goal.

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“Going into the game, he and I were probably more nervous than the boys,” Kubat told northeastNOW. “We just want the boys to do well because we’re so happy with how hard they’re working for us. It was just nice for all of them to get rewarded.”

After a first period that saw the Trojans outshoot the Legionnaires 10-3, the second period was largely uneventful until late on when two quick goals seemed to put the Trojans in near total control.

Ukrainetz scored his first goal and third point of the evening by putting home defenceman Drayton Hvidston’s rebound, before Hvidston wristed in his own marker 24 seconds later.

The 4-0 lead seemed to have given the Trojans all the breathing room to secure their first win of the 2019-20 season, but penalty trouble nearly cost them.

The Legionnaires scored two power play goals – one late in the second and one midway through the third – following penalties to MacKenzie Carson, Rylan Donald, and Zac Robins.

Ukrainetz scored his second goal of the night later on a two-on-one with under five minutes remaining in the third period to secure the 5-2 win, but acknowledged that penalty problems can’t happen like they did.

“In a game like that tonight when we’re up, we can’t be taking penalties like that,” Ukrainetz said. “You can give away a game pretty quick with a couple of stupid penalties. That’s not what you want.”

Kubat said penalties are bound to happen in 4-0 games, and hopes it’ll serve as a lesson going forward.

“Those are the things that are going to come back and haunt us,” he said. “It was a couple of our vets who took those penalties as well. We put A’s on their jerseys for a reason. They need to lead and they’ve led awesome, but it’ll be good for them to see in video. I don’t mind the boys making those mistakes, it’s just we’ve got to learn from them and hopefully next time they’ll correct them.”

The Trojans’ 5-2 victory was 16-year-old rookie goaltender Hunter Lolacher’s first career midget AAA win. With former presumed starting goaltender Carter Serhyenko signing with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League, the Trojans’ starting gig is up for grabs.

Kubat said Lolacher played his part perfectly during his 20-save performance, but he and fellow goaltender Boston Gelowitz will each have to earn their ice time.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Trojans, Keagon Little (1) from Noah Wills (1) and Kalen Ukrainetz (1), 1:06

2-0, Trojans, Mario Fortier (1) from Kalen Ukrainetz (2), 3:41

Second Period

3-0, Trojans, Kalen Ukrainetz (1) from Drayton Hvidston (1) and Mario Fortier (1), 14:33

4-0, Trojans, Drayton Hvidston (1) from Trenton Curtis (1) and Kalen Ukrainetz (3), 15:07

4-1, Legionnaires, Spencer Bell (1) from Cash Arnsten (1) and Riley Dekowny (1) (power play), 17:19

Third Period

4-2, Legionnaires, Eric Robbie (1) from Logan Linklater (1) and Maguire Scheidt (1) (power play), 11:06

5-2, Trojans, Kalen Ukraintez 2 (2) from Mario Fortier 2 (2), 15:10

Captain Uke

Kalen Ukrainetz had a momentous evening.

It wasn’t just because of his five-point evening (two goals and three assists), Ukrainetz was officially unveiled as the Trojans’ captain for the 2019-20 SMAAAHL season.

With former captain Luke Arndt aging out of midget AAA hockey, a new player needed to wear the ‘C’ on their jersey.

Ukrainetz – who has spent two full seasons with the Trojans from 2017 to 2019 – called it an honour.

“You get to honour that ‘C’ on the jersey and lead by example for all the boys,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me to get the [rookies] into the league and show them how it’s done around here.”

Ukrainetz, the 17-year-old left-wing who returned for his final midget AAA season, has scored 32 goals and 31 assists in 79 regular season games with the Trojans.

Statistics aside, Kubat said it wasn’t a question that Ukrainetz was deserving of the captaincy.

“People in the community just don’t realize what kind of leadership role he has in the dressing room that we as coaches and players get to see,” he said. “[Ukrainetz] does everything in that dressing room that you want to see in a leader. He had a great opportunity last year to learn from a guy like Luke Arndt who was one of the best leaders that I’ve ever seen. He’s a special kid; a kid I love and who I’d go to bat for any day of the week.”

Drayton Hvidston – Childhood dream

Saturday evening wasn’t Drayton Hvidston’s first game wearing a Trojans uniform.

The 16-year-old defenceman from Tisdale appeared in nine regular season games, including three at the Telus Cup national midget ice hockey championship, from 2017-19.

However, Hvidston’s game on Saturday was different.

Not only did he record his first SMAAAHL point on Ukrainetz’s 3-0 goal, he scored his first career goal shortly after on an accurate wrist shot from the right circle.

Drayton Hvidston rushes to his Tisdale Trojans bench as happy as he could be after scoring his first career SMAAAHL goal (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

Hvidston’s goal wasn’t just another goal; it had further sentimental meaning with Tisdale being his home town.

“I grew up watching these guys and I always wanted to wear the Trojans jersey,” Hvidston said. “I loved coming to the rink to watch them play; they were my heroes growing up. To be one of the leaders in the community like this, it’s a great feeling to have.

“Just to get that first goal at the home opener was awesome. My family was watching.”

Next stop – Yorkton

The Trojans will soon board the bus to Yorkton for their first road game of the season against the Maulers.

Tensions could be high as familiar faces to the Trojans will be playing for the other side.

Blake Samida, a 17-year-old defenceman from Tisdale who spent the previous two seasons with the Trojans.

Connor Hvidston, a 15-year-old center and younger brother of Drayton, was released from the Trojans over the summer. He also plays for Yorkton.

Drayton expects a rivalry feel to the game on Wednesday, Sept. 25, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow