Crossroads Staff
Senior hockey teams across west central Saskatchewan are playing exhibition games as they prepare for the start of their seasons set for next weekend.
The Sask. West Hockey League (SWHL) and Sask. Valley Hockey League (SVHL) will kick off the regular season next Friday with the first games for teams in both leagues scheduled to take place on Nov. 2, and exhibition games are now being played across both leagues.
In the SWHL, the Biggar Nationals will be on the road to play the Unity Miners as the only game on the opening day of the 2018-19 season. In the SVHL, the Delisle Bruins will host the Beechy Bombers and the Central Butte Flyers will host the Outlook Ice Hawks on the opening day of the campaign.
The SWHL will feature an 18-game regular season schedule with seven teams vying for league supremacy. With four consecutive league championships, the Wilkie Outlaws will be the team to beat once again. The league has experienced changes since last season.
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The Kindersley Red Lions have a new leadership team and coaching staff, and the team has changed its name to the Kindersley Sr. Klippers. The Klippers preceded the Red Lions years ago, but the name is making a return in 2018.
In other league news, the Eatonia Huskies have been forced to take a one-year hiatus due to a lack of player commitments to start the season. Spokesperson and head coach Sam Somerville says the team plans to return to the SWHL next season. The league’s other teams this season are the Kerrobert Tigers, Luseland Mallards and Macklin Mohawks.
The SVHL will also feature an 18-game regular season schedule with 10 teams to start the season. The Kyle Elks will look to defend their league title from a season ago, a title won by defeating the Eston Ramblers. The league has one new team this season.
Although they were once part of a team with players from Dinsmore, the Lucky Lake Lakers are making a return to the SVHL. The league’s other teams for this season are the Elrose Aces, Kenaston Blizzard and Loreburn 19ers.
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