There's really nothing like playoff hockey. It's an adrenaline rush just to be in the crowd. If you've got some time and energy, may I suggest a trip to Tampa on the east coast to see the Lightning and the Islanders play in this next round.  If you fly to Tampa (TPA) you'll enjoy a whole entertainment district in the Amalie arena area. Make sure to allow a couple hours to enjoy the pregame festivities. Tampa definitely knows how to host a hockey party.  I was last there in 2011 when the Lightning played the Bruins in the eastern final. We enjoyed pre-game concerts and games, plus were just dazzled in general by the major sports network tv sets ups.  Hockey is not just a Canadian game. They not only embrace it, but celebrate it in Tampa (and Anaheim too).  Tickets to the game can be easily picked up on Stubhub.com. Tickets are delivered to you electronically and are guaranteed by Stubhub to be valid. In the two dozen or times I've used them I've never had a problem with their services.  Make sure you get to the arena a few hours early. Especially for game 5 on Saturday, it will be an all-day event you'll never forget.  Currently airline prices are about $600 (tax included). The best flights I found are with United and connecting through Chicago. Leaving May 2nd and returning on May 5th. That just takes in game 5. If you'd like to stay a few days see the beach or Busch Gardens, and hang around incase it goes to game 7, you'll need to stay until Mother's Day, May 8th.  Delta also flies pretty conveniently on this route. To find the best flight times and prices, I suggest using an APP like 'On The Fly." 

Brandon product and former Wheat King left-winger Brett Kitt, and his Melfort Mustangs teammates won the SJHL championship tonight defeating the Flin Flon Bombers 2-1 in game 6 of the championship final.    The Mustangs take home their second consecutive Canalta Cup Championship with the victory. They now move onto the Western Canada Cup being held this year in Estevan. Other teams in the tournament include: SJHL: Melfort Mustangs Host: Estevan Bruins MJHL: Portage Terriers AJHL: Brooks Bandits BCHL: West-Kelowna Warriors Two teams from the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup will advance to the RBC Cup in Lloydminster. Kitt for his part chipped in with 6 points in 11 games during the playoffs while registering 19 penalty minutes.  He spent parts of two seasons with the Wheat Kings playing in 41 games.   Dakota Boutin, a onetime draft selection of the Brandon Wheat King and Boissevan product Sam Houston are also part of the Mustangs roster.

Week one of the Source for Sports AAA Summer Hockey Challenge is in the books with thirteen teams participating in three different age groups. The tournament got underway Friday with the finals being played on Sunday.  All games were played inside the rinks at the Keystone Centre. The  MB Steel went undefeated over the weekend capturing the 2007 division by beating the Southwest Jets by a score of 5-2.  Colten Worthington lead the offense with 2 goals while Jaxon Jacobson, Cole Temple and Junior Martine each tallied once.  The Jets Tyson Draper scored both his teams goals in the loss.  Former Wheat King captain Brad Twordik was behind the bench for the Southwest Jets. The Southwest Jets captured the 2006 division as they toppled the SK Crusaders 7-2 in the finals. Kolby Diehl scored 3 goals and added an assist in the contest.  Other markers came off the sticks of Regan Anderson, Carter Bartley, Jackson Kohut, and Kylan Anderson.  The Jets were dominate throughout the tournament outscoring their opposition 55-4 in their five games.  Crusaders goals came off the sticks of  Blaze Gutzke and Noah Osiowy. The 2004 division was a nail bitter right down to the final horn.  The Snipers narrowly escaped with a 6-5 victory over the Man-Sask Wolfpack.  Will Wiseman and and Cole Topham lead the charge offensively with 2 goals each.  Brodie Stovan, and Carter Johannson each chipped in with singles. The Wolfpack, who at one time found themselves down 6-3 in the third, received 3 goals from Tyler Thompson.  Colby Cuddington dented the twine twice in the loss.  The Wolfpacks Trinity Bear lead all scorers in the final contest registering 5 assists. Tournament Notes:  Spotted among the crowd on Saturday was current Winnipeg Blue Bomber GM Wade Miller.  Other local celebrities spotted at the rink taking in the action over the weekend include former Edmonton Oiler Alex Plante, current Wheat King John Quenneville, and the voice of the Wheat Kings Bruce Luebke.  Derek Sobkow, timekeeping for a 10th consecutive tournament, was named the tournament’s top off ice official.  The AAA Hockey Challenge takes a one week break and then returns May 6-8th with the girls taking center stage.

Another busy summer of sport programming is right around the corner for youth interested in basketball, soccer and volleyball. The annual Bobcats Summer Sports Camps will be held at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre and the HLC Field and promise to provide a great way for kids to keep busy and develop their skills over the summer break. The goal of all Bobcats Summer Sport Camps is to provide youth with the opportunity to advance in their sport of choice in a fun environment. BOYS BASKETBALL CAMP The boys' basketball camp focuses on skill development and game play in sessions led by the coaches and athletes on the Bobcat men's basketball team. How to run an offensive system, how to run a defence, and advanced individual skills will be covered, while promoting the basics of the game of basketball - dribbling, shooting, and passing. The camp runs July 25-29 from 9 am to 4 pm with an hour lunch break at noon. The cost to register is $200. All participants will receive a Bobcat basketball t-shirt. GIRLS BASKETBALL CAMP The girls' basketball camp is for students in grades 5-12 and includes a full day of skills, drills and games. The participants will take part in various activities aimed at improving their abilities and each day features game situations to put new those new skills to good use. The lessons and drills will be tailored to each student's level of skill and ability, so that each participant gets dynamic instruction and demonstration on how to properly execute basketball skills. The girls basketball camp is scheduled from August 8-12 and runs 9 am to 4 pm with an hour break for lunch at 12 pm. The cost to register is $200 for the week and includes a Bobcat basketball t-shirt. GENERAL VOLLEYBALL CAMP A full-day of skills, drills and games will be offered with the participants taking part in various activities aimed at improving their overall abilities. Game situations will be offered each day, allowing the participants to put the new techniques that they have learned to good use. The camp is for all ages and levels of experience and is aimed at improving participant's ability in volleyball while learning more advanced parts of the game. The camp is open to students in grades 5-8 and runs August 2-5 with no session on August 1 with the Healthy Living Centre closed for the civic holiday. The camp starts at 9 am and wraps up at 4 pm with an hour lunch break at noon. The registration fee is $160 and all participants receive a camp t-shirt. VOLLEYBALL SKILLS SESSIONS The skills sessions' cover all the bases with students getting instruction and demonstration on how to execute a skill and then put it into practice. Position players can focus on improving a specific area of the game in a focused, dynamic setting, or take part in all of the sessions to develop their overall abilities. The skills schedule is Monday - Attacking; Tuesday - Defence; Wednesday - Blocking; Thursday - Serve Reception; Friday - Serving. Individual sessions are $25 each, or participants can sign up for the whole week at $100. The sessions run August 15-19 in the HLC from 9 am to 11:30 am. JUNIOR VARSITY ELITE VOLLEYBALL CAMP This camp is geared towards students in grades 8-10 and offers students the chance to hone their skills as they enter the school season. Participants will get the chance to train with and compete against the best in the region while receiving instruction from Bobcat athletes and coaches. The junior varsity elite camps run August 15-19 from 1 pm-3:30 pm and registration cost is $115. SENIOR VARSITY ELITE VOLLEYBALL CAMP This camp offers specialized training for club, senior varsity and provincial team members in grades 11 and 12. Participants will gear up for the upcoming high school season by training with and competing against the best in our region, while getting advise from Bobcat student-athletes and coaches. The camp runs August 15-19 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm and cost is $115 per participant. SOCCER CAMPS Bobcat soccer camps run August 22-26 (ages 4-13) and August 29-September 2 (ages 14 and up) with participants developing foot skills, tactical approaches to defence and offence, and 1-on-1 skills. Each day will offer game situations to put those new techniques to use. The camp is co-ed and arranged into three age groups: 4-6 year olds 7-13 year olds 14 years old and up Coaches will adapt sessions to the players' skill levels so that they are challenging yet fun.  The 4-6 year olds camp will be morning sessions from 9 am to 12 pm. Focus will be on playful learning with a lot of time with a ball at their feet. Emphasis will be on individual skill development and enjoyment. The 7-13 year old sessions will feature three options - mornings (9 am to 12 pm), afternoons (1 pm to 4 pm) or full day (9 am - 4 pm with an hour lunch break). Focus is on skill development, confidence with the ball in all aspects of the game, and beginning to apply tactical thinking to the fluid conditions of game play. The session for camper's 14-years-old and up is scheduled to run August 29 to September 2 from 6 pm - 8 pm. Focus is on ball confidence, foot skill mastery, tactical development both individually and in groups, and on 1-on-1 situations. The cost to register for a half-day camp is $100 or $200 for a full day with the camps taking place outdoors at the HLC Field. REGISTRATION INFORMATION  All participants are asked to pre-register at the Customer Service Desk of the Healthy Living Centre or online. If you are registering online and you are a new customer to the Healthy Living Centre, you will need to create a new account. All major forms of payment (cash, cheque, credit, debit) can be processed at the facility. All participants are asked to bring proper attire and footwear for each day of the camp, as well as a re-fillable water bottle. *Refunds are available up to seven days prior to the start of camp, minus a $15 administration fee. http://www.gobobcats.ca/news/2016/4/18/general-bobcat-summer-camps-coming-up.aspx   Brandon University Athletics 270 18th Street Brandon, MB    R7A 6A9 P: (204) 727-7375 F: (204) 727-6906 Web: www.gobobcats.ca

There's a high probability that Tanner Kaspick will hear his name called when the 2016 NHL Draft takes place in Buffalo on June 24-25. The Brandon product was #79 among North American skaters in the final rankings by the NHL Central Scouting Service, which would probably make him a 6th or 7th round possibility. Like most players his age in the Western Hockey League, Kaspick dreams of a professional career. But he also knows the importance of having a backup plan, which is why he takes is schooling so seriously. Earlier this month, Kaspick was named the Eastern Conference nominee for the Western Hockey League's Scholastic Player of the Year Award.  "I think it's always been something that I've had a high priority for.  Growing up, I've always done well in school so I've always taken a lot of pride in my work," said Kaspick recently, "Playing with the Wheat Kings, I really didn't change that focus.  I just thought that when I have time to do the work, I just wanted to do my best and, fortunately, I've got good results throughout high school." Kaspick completed his first semester of Grade 12 this year with a remarkable 96% average, and has since upped his average to 98% in the second semester including a 100% grade in Chemistry 12. He's completed three advanced placement courses and is described by his teachers as a focused student. Unlike his high school-aged teammates on the Wheat Kings, who attend Crocus Plains high school, Kaspick has remained at Vincent Massey high school since joining the Wheat Kings.  Kaspick attends two classes every morning right now, but that is when he's actually in Brandon.  When on the road with the Wheat Kings, the challenge is a little different.  "I've been fortunate enough to have great teachers and everyone who's helped me out and understanding of our schedule and they're accommodating to my needs," said Kaspick, "They make it easy for me to stay caught up and they're very lenient on due dates and writing tests on different days so I'm very fortunate to have such good teachers." Kaspick says pre-Calculus was his favourite class to this point, and joked that with analytics making their way into the game of hockey that maybe it'll all merge together at some point and be something fairly useful in the future. The Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy for WHL Scholarship Player of the Year will be presented at the 2016 WHL Awards on May 4th in Calgary.  Since the trophy was introduced in 1984, five Wheat Kings have won the League Scholastic honours, including current Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who was chosen the 1988 recipient. Other Wheat Kings to capture the Award are Byron Penstock (1994), Sfefan Cherneski (1997), Brett Dickie (2003) and Keith Aulie (2007). Penstock went on to attend Harvard Business School while Dickie earned an engineering degree at the University of Saskatchewan.  "It's always good to check the boxes and have a Plan B," said Kaspick, "Right now, I'm focused on winning here and being a professional hockey player but if I have to fall back on school, I know I have the right courses and I know I'd be fine on that route as well."