The Stampeders’ 11-3 loss to the Quesnel Kangaroos last Saturday on home ice is a game the team will want to put behind them, assistant coach and trainer Art Rauschenberger said after the game.
“Tonight we fell into a hole early and we just couldn’t claw our way out,” Rauschenberger told the Tribune. “It was probably one of our, obviously, worst games. Certainly in many many years we haven’t played this poorly.”
The team was missing some players, however, that is often the case, he added.
“One of our top four defence-man is off in law school as is one of our top forwards in law school.”
After a swift hit to the boards during Saturday’s game, forward Matt Lees was taken to Cariboo Memorial Hospital to be checked over.
“We had to send him in for percautionary X-rays,” Rauschenberger said. “They turned out well and he’ll be back.”
In the first period, Quesnel scored three goals before the Stamps’ Tim Martens scored the first goal for the team with 3:08 left on the clock.
Between the first and second period, some players from Williams Lake Minor Hockey got out on the ice for a 10-minute scrimmage.
While at one end the dark blue team’s goalie was in the net, at the other end Stamps goalie Willie Sellars stood guard.
During the second period, Quesnel scored five goals before Jassi Sangha, assisted by Nathan Zurak, netted a second goal for the Stamps.
The ever-popular puck toss took place before the third period, with Hilly Johnson’s toss being the winning one.
Within the first minute of the third period, Zurak scored the Stamps’ third goal of the night, with an assist from defence player Andrew Fisher.
Quesnel only managed to get two goals in the final period.
There were a few fights and “the usual” rough moments in the game, but in Rauschenberger’s estimation “nothing was too drastic.”
Dozens of fans contributed to the evening’s food bank donation, bringing non-perishable items for the Women’s Contact Society.
Manning the donation table was Anita Diepdael, who works with childcare resource referral for the society.
“The Stampeders chose us and that’s great,” Diepdael said of the food bank donation. “We have a shelf with food items for women in need to come in and take items.”
On the weekend of Nov. 25, the Stamps will travel to Quesnel to play the Kangaroos.
“We will be looking for some payback,” Rauschenberger said.
During the game, announcer Dale Taylor paid tribute to former Stampeders player, Carl Buchholtz, who passed away suddenly on Oct. 23 at the age of 87, just before his birthday.
According to Buchholtz’s daughter, Gaylene Desautels, her dad was known for sporting a trademark black eye.
He joined the team in 1949 and wore the green and white jersey until 1969.
He was considered the “ironman” of the Stampeders and at a team reunion in 1994 was declared to be “Mr. Stampeder.”
