THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN’S MAIN CAMPUS IS SITUATED ON TREATY 6 TERRITORY AND THE HOMELAND OF THE MÉTIS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN’S MAIN CAMPUS IS SITUATED ON TREATY 6 TERRITORY AND THE HOMELAND OF THE MÉTIS.
TONY VON RICHTER
CUP Sports Bureau Chief
THUNDER BAY, Ont. (CUP) ”“ It took 364 days, 69 minutes and 13 seconds, but the Saint Mary’s Huskies finally have their redemption.
Brad Smith, a first-year forward from Summerside, P.E.I., scored just before the halfway mark of overtime to give the Huskies their first national championship, defeating the University of Alberta 3-2.
“This is by far the biggest goal of my career,” said Smith.
“To be honest, it’s probably the biggest goal I’ll ever score.”
Head coach of Saint Mary’s, Trevor Stienburg was at a loss for words following his team’s victory.
“I never would have dreamed in my life that I would win anything as big as this, so it’s pretty awesome,” said Stienburg.
Perhaps no one appreciated the win more than former NHL player Mike Danton. Danton joined the Huskies in January after being released from a five-year stint in prison in September.
“First NHL game, goal, all that stuff, OHL championship — that was great, pre-incarceration. Everything that’s happened post-incarceration means a lot more to me because I’m a different person,” said Danton.
“I wasn’t a very good person back then, and now it’s the start of a journey that’s not over, which makes it that much more special.”
The Huskies took the lead early in the third period when tournament MVP and co-leading scorer Andrew Hotham converted a pass from Mike Danton to put Saint Mary’s in front. Alberta set the stage for overtime when Derek Ryan redirected a point shot with less than five minutes remaining.
Hotham credited the team’s veterans with calming the team down and helping them refocus after Alberta tied the game.
“The leadership in our dressing room, with Marc Rancourt and the addition of Mike Danton, they really settled the guys down. They did wonders. Guys came out with a focus in (overtime),” said Hotham.
Both teams traded chances in the overtime period, including a couple of breakaway opportunities for Danton before Smith was able to end the game nine minutes and 13 seconds into the extra frame.
The loss was tough for the Golden Bears, who are a perennial top contenders and are virtually expected to win a national championship each season.
“We come here to win,” said Alberta head coach Eric Thurston. “We don’t come here to go home early or lose in the gold medal game. Right from the start of every year, Sept. 1, we talk every year about going to nationals and winning. It’s a mindset and it’s what we want our players to believe in. When you don’t reach your goal, it’s going to sting.”
Following two years at Lakehead University, the University Cup will shift to Fredericton, N.B., for 2011 and 2012 and will be hosted by the UNB Varsity Reds.
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