Coach Wayne Strachan’s first Sabres road trip was a little different than one might think.
Strachan took a crowd of some of the best schoolboy hockey players as the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres 98s—so named because almost all the players were born in 1998—competed in the Easton Showcase Tournament outside of Minneapolis in New Hope, Mn.
“I thought it went pretty well. It was a lot different calibre of play than I guess I’m used to,” Strachan chuckled.
The 98s took fifth overall in the tournament after a relatively rough start. The team settled for a 4-4 tie in the first round before losing 8-2 and 6-5 in their other two round robin games.
Their third game saw them leading with a minute left in play before the opposition notched two power play goals.
“We had a good talk with the kids before the third one and we played an unbelievable game. It’s just unfortunate that we took a couple of penalties at the end of the game that cost us winning the game,” Strachan said.
“All the boys were pretty upset but as coaches we told them that’s they way it goes in hockey,” he added. “Hold your heads high.”
That seeded them to play for fifth place and they got their first win when it counted, taking the match 6-4.
“(Before) the third period, we talked to them about being a team and to work together as one and for the common goal of winning, or at least working hard to try to win—and in the third period they came together exceptionally well,” he said.
Some of the forwards who Strachan said impressed in point totals were Jordan Tilander, Wyatt Boyum and Tyler VanUden, but he was quick to note that Cam Turriff and Brett Hahkala—one of the few players on the team born in 1999—put forth strong efforts but “just couldn’t buy a goal.”
He also named Graham Kitt on defense and Dylan Ossachuk in net as standouts but was impressed with the team’s effort. “For the most part when we were on, everyone was playing well,” he said.
VanUden’s father, Lenny, went with the team and said the tournament “was a blast. They did a way better than we thought they were going to . . . here we threw a rag-tag team together and the only reason I let my kid play was ’cause of Strachan,” he said.
He said the opportunity to play under a coach of such credentials was “a treat” for his son Tyler and the rest of the boys.
“He’s only nine. He’ll take that experience with him through the rest of his hockey career,” said VanUden.
He was also grateful to fellow coaches John Cooper and Brad Gushulak, who came on board without any personal ties to the players.
