Ramblers Beat Nipawin Knights 4 - 2

FTLComm - Tisdale - November 26, 2000

Saturday night and the home town team is in a scoreless tie with Nipawin. For two periods it has been a defensive struggle with the Ramblers short about six players from their regular line up and Nipawin putting up a solid and determined defense. Then in a few minutes Tisdale gets three quick goals and Nipawin answers with two. Senior hockey is always exciting, unlike minor hockey and midget hockey the players on the ice have experience and prefer to think their way through the game. The play is tough but the officials in Tisdale are equal to the task and hand out penalties to keep the game safe and in check but every second is filled with outstanding hockey and the fans get way more than their money's worth. Veterans like Neil Elmslie seen in this picture, player coach Brad Kirkland and the most effective defenseman in the league, Pete McAvoy, make the game a true contest every night out. This is pretty much the same story for almost all the other teams in the league a core of seasoned veterans who know and play the game the way it should be played and this year each team has a squad of younger experienced players with excellent ability.

In the picture at the top of the page you will see that the Ramblers have three skaters on the ice with two in the box with penalties. Nipawin put everything they had into evening up the 3 - 2 score but the extra effort and rugged well conditioned defense put the puck in Nipawin's end thwarting the power play with two men short.

There was a small crowd on hand for Saturday night's game but these are seasoned and dedicated fans who know good hockey when they see it and every Rambler game is a good game. With so many outstanding young players on the Rambler team this year the play is very fast and we expect the team to improve dramatically during December. The league leading scorer for last year, Scott Homstol is playing well this year as are Jordan Spagrud and Jeremy Markwart. Joining the team this year is Leigh Spencer and Jim McAvoy.

In net for Saturday night's contest is the colourful Devon Spencer who kept minor hockey fans from Tisdale standing through season after season as a bantam and midget. Devon plays the game, gives each play all he's got and makes each of those plays interesting.

To sew up the victory Saturday night Jordan Spagrud (below right) put the move on the Knights and the game ended with a two point lead. Next Friday night the Ramblers are in Kinistino where Swenson who played with the Ramblers two seasons ago is making a name for himself then next Sunday the Ramblers will host Swenson and the Kinistino Tigers at the RecPlex at 7:30.