Members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s soccer team played key roles in the Kamloops Heat Premier women’s team winning the title at a Victoria Day long weekend tournament in Penticton.

The Heat won three straight games as they outscored their opponents 11-1 to win the title.

This included a 2-0 shutout victory over the Penticton Pinnacles of the Pacific Coast Soccer League women’s reserve division in the final.

Courtney Daly (Andrew Snucins photo)

Courtney Daly (1^st year, forward, Kamloops, BC) was the tournaments’ leading scorer with three goals for the Heat, who toil in the PCSL Premier division.

Marlie Rittinger in Heat uniform (photo by Kelly Shantz)

Other goal scorers during the weekend for the Heat who are WolfPack players were Marlie Rittinger (1^st year, midfielder, Ashcroft, BC),  Bronwyn Crawford (3^rd year, midfielder, Kamloops, BC),  Taylor Miller (2^nd year, forward, Kamloops, BC) and Kristi Seaby (red shirt, midfield, Kitimat, BC) .

Kristi Seaby (Andrew Snucins photo)

“This tournament is good for us early in the year,” said Heat head coach Kelly Shantz,  a former longtime assistant coach with TRU under Eric Schweizer and Tom McManus.  “ The competition could have been a little stronger, but we need the games to get the extra touches on the ball and work together after a winter apart. It was a great team builder too as Heat player and Penticton alumna Kaitlyn Bleasdale hosted the entire team at her parent’ home for the weekend. It was a great social mixer for the girls.”

Heat head coach Kelly Shantz (Andrew Snucins photo)

The Heat return to play in the Pacific Coast Soccer League with four straight home matches. This coming weekend, the Heat hosts reigning league champions: Fraser Valley Action on Saturday (May 25 th) at 2 pm at Hillside Stadium. On Sunday (May 26), it’s a rematch with the Victoria Highlanders.   Kick off is noon on Sunday.

The Kamloops Heat are making a nice adjustment to the upper echelon of the Pacific Coast Soccer League’s Men’s Division.  After finishing 2012 atop of the U-21 Reserve Division, the Heat graduated to the Premier League. 

Playing their second ever match, the Heat tied Estrella de Chile 2-2 at Burnaby Lake North Field on Saturday (May 18).

TRU and Heat co head coach Sean Wallace (Andrew Snucins photo)

“We are getting more used to playing as a unit,” said Heat co-head coach Sean Wallace, who is also the co-head coach of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s soccer team.   “We were happy with the result today.”

The Heat, which feature 14 current members of the PACWEST WolfPack along with a number of alumni led 1-0 after the first half.

Oriol Torrez with the Heat (Allen Douglas photo)

Oriol Torres  (Barcelona, Spain) got the  marker 34 minutes in.  Teammate Kyle Fertile (Kamloops,BC) slipped down the right side and slipped it over to Torres who beat the Estrella de Chilie keeper on the short side.

Kyle Fertile with TRU against Quest (Robert Clark photo)

“I thought we controlled the first half,” stated Wallace. “The other team was short handed but they didn’t give up. We had a little let down in the second half and maybe were hampered by a torrential downpour.  They tied it up with two quick goals as we had some break downs in the box.”

The Heat got the equalizer when another WolfPack player from 2012—Peter Loncar (Kamloops, BC) cahsed in on a low drive from about 25 yards out and his low drive went inside the post.   The goal came on the tail end of a play where Justin Wallace (Kamloops, BC), who played last season in the NCAA Division II for Simon Fraser, had a break away but was knocked off stride by a hard charging Estrella de Chilie defender.

Adam Dodgson with the Heat (Allen Douglas photo)

“We had a glorious chance to win it late,’ said Wallace. “Justin beat a guy and cut it back for Adam (Dodgson, Kamloops, BC) but it rolled off his foot.”

Alan Connor (Salmon Arm, BC) again played the entire game in the nets for Kamloops—who move to a tie and a loss . Estrella de Chilie falls to a win, a loss and a tie.

“We are gaining confidence every time out,”  added Coach Wallace. “ We will have a big test next weekend when Victoria United comes to visit.  I told the guys that we need to make Hillside Stadium a place where teams find it hard to get points. Victoria will come in wanting those three points.”

That match is Saturday May 25 th.  Kick off is 3 pm at Hillside Stadium.

The Heat got an emotional lift after the match.  They were visited by teammate Sebastian Gardner (Vernon, BC).   Gardner-who played for the Heat last season as he recovered from lymphoma—recently got out of Vancouver hospital after undergoing radiation treatments for a second bout of cancer. 

Gardner watched the match.

“He was in good spirits and the guys were glad to see him,” stated Wallace.  Gardner is also a player for Thompson Rivers University.  The Heat are wearing arm bands this season with the name “Seb” on it in tribute to their teammate, who is hoping to make a second comeback in the future.

There were a lot of smiling moms around the world on this day, but none happier than the mothers of players on the Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs.  The Dawgs gave their mothers the best gift of all on ‘Mothers Day’.  That was seeing their sons celebrate a third straight Canadian College Baseball Conference championship.

CCBC Champion Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs–Players who were part of all three championships (Andrew Snucins photo)

The Dawgs, who won the CCBC regular season title, needed to pull out a dramatic, bottom of the ninth ending  as they came from behind to beat the upstart University of Calgary Dinos  5-4 at Norbrock Stadium in Kamloops.

Pre game rose ceremony for PBA moms (Andrew Snucins photo)

The Dinos themselves, gave their mom’s a great gift as they came out of no where to make it into the championship final. They had first won a tie breaker for third place with the host Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.  They then  beat the Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners 4-3 in the semi final earlier on Sunday.   Calgary had finished dead last in the CCBC regular season.

PBA starter Myles Vincent (Andrew Snucins photo)

In the final, Calgary looked like their ‘cinderella’ status would continue as they scored five runs in the top of the second inning.  Four  came on a grand slam courtesy of CCBC all-star third baseman  Matt Phllips (Bridgewater, NS). He hammered the ball off PBA starter Myles Vincent (LHP, Cornerbrook, NFLD).  He went four innings, surrendering three hits, five runs, striking out three and walking two.

The Dawgs clawed their way back, scoring a run in their half of the inning, adding two more in the sixth, one in the eighth and the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

PBA got to Dinos reliever Mark Baigent (RHP, Halifax, NS) from the start. CCBC all-stars Ryan Pidhaichuk (third base,Richmond, BC)  and Mitch Dornblot (first base,Surrey,BC) hit a blooper over second bae and a line drive down the left field line respectively.

After catcher Travis Steinke (Red Deer,AB) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, things began to unravel for the Dinos.

Pidhaichuk scored on a fielders choice to tie things up.  Then with the bases loaded and two outs, Taylor Wolstenholme drilled the first pitch he saw into right field to score Steinke for the  winning run.

beating the throw to first (Andrew Snucins photo)

Another Atlantic Canadian player—Sean Harvie of Kennetcook, Nova Scotia—was the winning pitcher in relief.  He pitched two innings , walking one and striking out three.

Brady Porter of PBA (Andrew Snucins photo)

Offensively for PBA:  designated hitter Travis Wallace (Calgary, AB) was 0 for 2 with four runs batted in.   Centerfielder Tyson Zarowny  (Strathmore, AB) was named the player of the game as he went three for four with three runs batted in.

Calgary’s  Phillips was one for five with the four runs batted in.Brandon Ethier was the starter for the Dinos and went five and a third innings giving up three hits, thee runs and three walks.

2013 CCBC Champion PBA Dawgs (Andrew Snucins photo)

EXTRA INNINGS:  This was the fourth and final year that Thompson Rivers University and the WolfPack hosted this event. It will move to Lethbridge, Alberta to be hosted by PBA the next two years before returning to BC.  It is rumored that Okanagan College will bid for the 2016 tournament.

Hosting the Canadian College Baseball Conference championship tournament has not been a  very successful experience for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.  The WolfPack have hosted the tourney the last four years.   And in each of those four years, TRU has failed to win the title.

Such is the case again in 2013.

The WolfPack won their final round robin game but failed to make it into Sunday’s semi final.   Thompson Rivers knocked off two time defending champion and previously undefeated Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs of Lethbridge, Alberta 5-3.   But that left the  ‘Pack tied with the University of Calgary Dinos at 2 and 2 in the round robin.  Both teams were deadlocked for third place.

But, based on the tie breaking system, the Dinos got the berth in Sunday’s (May 12) 10 am semi final thanks to a 7-2 win over TRU in round robin on Friday (May 10).

Final game for (l-r) James Martensen, Brent Carmichael, Aaron Lystang, Danny Moore, Kyle Sandulescu and David Hole (Allen Douglas photo)

The Dawgs wound up first in the round robin at 3 and 1 along with the Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners of Naniamo, BC.   VIBI finished second because they had lost to PBA 10-5 in the round robin.

Cam Strachan celebrates after homer (Allen Douglas photo)

In the PBA/TRU matchup, Cam Strachan  (Designated hitter, Trail, BC) was three for three with a two home runs (both two run shots).

Ray Chadwick speaks with Jake Hein (Andrew Snucins photo)

Jake Hein (LHP, Langley, BC) was the winning pitcher for Thompson Rivers. He went six and a third innings giving up three runs, four hits, walking seven and striking out three.

Justin Pilgrim (RHP, Pitt Meadows, BC) was the loser. He tossed four innings of seven hit baseball. He gave up three runs and struck out one.

Landon Briscoe (Andrew Snucins photo)

For the WolfPack, Landon Briscoe (3^rd base, Vancouver, BC) was one for two with a run scored.

David Hole (Allen Douglas photo)

David Hole (1^st base, Vancouver, BC) was one for three with a run scored as well for TRU.

PBA was led by right fielder Cody Wood (Calgary, AB) who was one for one with a run batted in. First baseman Mitch Hornblut (1^st base, Surrey, BC) was 0 for 2 with a run batted in.  Catcher Travis Steinke (Red Deer, AB) was 0 for 3 with a run batted in.

David Hole’s last at bat as a member of the WolfPack (Allen Douglas photo)

In other round robin games on the final day:  The University of Calgary Dinos took care of the Okanagan College Coyotes 6-5.  The Coyotes finished dead last in the round robin, winless in four starts. The Dinos scored two runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh. They had 13 hits in the ball game.

David McIntyre (RHP, Bedford, NS) was the winning pitcher in relief. He went three innings and surrendered four hits, three runs, walked three and struck out two.   Marcus Drewry  (RHP, Parksville, BC) was the loser. He gave up nine hits while striking out one and walking one and giving up four runs.

Colin Rintoul (2^nd base, Kamloops, BC) was two for three for the Dinos with two runs batted in.  VIBI’s top batsmen were Designated hitter Ryo Shishido and centerfielder Dallis Senger.   Shishido was two for three with a run batted in.  Senger was 0 for 2 with two runs batted in.

The other round robin game saw VIBI outslug Calgary 16-9.  The Dinos scored five runs in the top of the first and were leading 7-0 before the Mariners scoredfour runs in the bottom of the second.   VIBI added six runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth. They had 13 hits and two errors in the ball gmae.

Right handed pitcher Cory Curtis (Sherwood Park,A B) was the winner in relief. He went four innings, giving up a hit, a run and a walk.

Thomas Scarr (LHP, Gibsons, BC) went only two thirds of an inning and got the loss.  He had four walks, giving up two runs and three hits.

Offensively, VIBI was led by pinch hitter Tyson Dyck (Wymark, SK) who was one for two and three runs batted in.   Connor Merilees was three for five with two runs scored and three runs batted in.

Aaron Lystang is emotional during his final post game speech by coach Chadwick (Allen Douglas photo)

On the final day of play in the 2013 CCBC championships: VIBI will meet Calgary at 10 am with the winner facing PBA for the title at 1 pm.  All action is at Norbrock Stadium.

Follow the action:  http://www.livestream.com/wolfpack_sports

Here are visuals from the WolfPacks 2-1 win over Okanagan College Coyotes on Friday May 10 th. It was the ‘Pack’s third game at the 2013 Canadian College Baseball Conference championship tournament. The photos were taken by the Official Wolfpack photographer: Andrew Snucins.

Aaron Lystang at catcher

Kevin Cramer and Frank Fisico on the bench in the dugout

Landon Briscoe at third base

David Hole and Aaron Lystang slide to catch the ball

Brent Carmichael at the plate

Danny Moore got the start

Players sitting outside the dugout

David Hole makes the catch at first

“Herby”—Erik Herbranson

Landon Briscoe slides into first

Cant beat the throw to first

The Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs have moved closer to a third straight Canadian College Baseball Conference title. The Dawgs are unbeaten after two days of play at the 2013 CCBC Championships at Norbrock Stadium.

After winning their first two games on Thursday (May 9), the Dawgs doubled up the Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners 10-5.

PBA is 3 and 0.  VIBI falls to  2 and 1.  In this game,  PBA scored once in the first inning but  broke it open with four runs in the second inning. VIBI scoed four times in the fifth inning and one more in the seventh.

Brody McDonald (LHP, Cornwall, PEI) was the winner. He went three innings giving up four hits, two walks and two strike outs.   Reiley Grose (RHP, Wymark, SK) was the losing pitcher going two innings  surrendering six hitts, having two walks and a strike out

PBA’s Mitch Horblut (Surrey, BC) was two for five with four runs batted in and a run scored.  Third baseman Ryan Pidhaichuk (Richmond, BC) was two for four with three runs batted in.   Center fielder Tyler  Zarowny  (centerfield, Strathmore, AB) was three for four  wih three runs scored.

VIBI’s other game on Saturday (May 10) saw the MarinersI drop Okanagan College Coyotes 8-1. VIBI is standing with a record of 2 and 1.   Cody Chartrand (RHP, Nanaimo, BC) notched the win. 

Corey Andreychuk (RF, Nanaimo, BC) was two for four with three runs batted in.

Earlier in the day, VIBI doubled up Okanagan College Coyotes 8-1.  The Coyotes are winless in three games after losing the featured game of the night to Thompson Rivers 2-1.

Danny Moore delivers vs OCc (Andrew Snucins photo)

That second game saw TRU score once in the fourth and once in the fifth.  They had six hits.  Danny Moore (RHP, Victoria, BC) had three strike outs and gave up three hits and one run.  Tanner Collins (RHP, Penticton, BC) took the loss going six innings, givingup six hits, striking out eight and had four walks.

Aaron Lystang (Andrew Snucins photo)

Aaron Lystang (catcher, Edmonton, AB) was one for two with a run batted in for TRU while Brandon Graham was one for two with a run batted in.

The WolfPack are 1 and 2.  Earlier on Friday, Thompson Rivers lost 7-2 to the University of Calgary Dinos.  Alex Reid (RHP, New Wesminster, BC) was the losing pitcher going six and two thirds innings giving up seven runs, seven hits, walking  two and striking out four.

Erik Herbranson (Andrew Snucins photo)

Calgary scored five runs with two outs in the seventh inning.

The standings after two days have PBA at 3 and 0.   VIBI is 2 and 1.Calgary is 1 and 1,  TRU 1-2 and Okanagan College is winless in three starts.

Games Saturday (May 11) have Okanagan College taking on Calgary at 1 pm. Calgary plays VIBI at 3:30 pm and the final round robin game at 6 pm has TRU meeting PBA.

Should a playoff game be need to determine the third round robin spot, it would be held at 8:30 pm.

The Championship semi final is set for 10 am on Sunday (May 12).  The final goes at 1 pm.

It wasn’t the start that the host Thompson Rivers University WolfPack would have wanted as the 2013 Canadian College Baseball Conference championships got underway Thursday (May9) at Norbrock Stadium.

WolfPack, ranked second going into this event,  fell 4-2 to the fourth place Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners of Nanaimo, BC.

Wataru Asaoki got the start for TRU (Andrew Snucins photo)

Losing pitcher Wataru Asaoka (RHP, Hokkaido, Japan), a first team CCBC all-star was rocked for four runs  on six hits to open up the game. 

Connor Russell (RHP, Victoria, BC), himself a first team CCBC all-star was the winner going the distance walking one on a four hitter with six strike outs.  Asaoka wound up pitching a 13 hitter with six strikeouts and a walk.

Offensively for VIBI: centerfielder and CCBC first team all-star Darren Kolk (Duncan, BC) was one for four with a run scored and a run batted in.  CCBC second team all-star Corey Andreychuk (Nanaimo, BC) was three for four with a run scored and a run batted in.   First baseman Jackson McCuaig (Victoria, BC) was two for four with a run scored and a run batted in.

David Hole slides into second vs VIBI (Andrew Snucins photo)

TRU was led by first team CCBC all-star catcher David Hole (Vancouver, BC) who was one for three with a run batted in. 

Luc Simpson (Andrew Snucins photo)

Second team CCBC all-star right fielder Luc Simpson (Aldergrove, BC) was one for three while infielder Landon Briscoe (Vancouver, BC) was one for three with a run scored.

In other games, the two time defending champion Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs of Lethbridge, Alberta are off and running .  The Dawgs won both of their games on the opening day of the championships, being held at Norbrock Stadium.

PBA is the number one seed.

The Dawgs opened up with a 4-0 win over the fifth place University of Calgary Dinos.  CCBC first team all-star Ryan Pidhairchuk  (Richmond, BC)  cranked a two run homer over the right center field wall in the first inning to provide all the offense PBA would need.

Mackenzie Major, a second team CCBC all-star was the winning pitcher for PBA.  He went six and two third innings.    Brandon Ethier tookthe loss for Calgary.

In the second game, the Dawgs dumped third place Okanagan College Coyotes 4-1 scoring all of their runs in the third inning.  They had eight hits.

Pidhairchuk was one for three with a run scored and a run batted in.  Catcher Travis Steinke (Red Deer, AB), a second team CCBC all-star was one for two with a run batted in while another CCBC all-star: Cory Wood (Fredricton, NB) was one for three with a run batted in.

Okanagan College scored their only run in the sixth.  

Andrew Case (RHP, St. John, NB) was the winning pitcher .  He went six innings giving up five hits while striking out seven and walking one.  Mark Kosteniuk (RHP, Saskatoon, SK) got the save. He tossed one inning of one hit ball.   

Gage McLaren (RHP, Chilliwack, BC) was the losing pitcher. He tossed an eight hiter over four innings giving up a walk and two strikeouts.  Designated hitter Braden Heyland was two for two with a run batted in for the Coyotes.

Play continues on Friday (May 10) at 9 am with Okanagan College playing VIBI.  At 11:30 am TRU will take on Calgary.    The 2 pm matchup has PBA battling VIBI.

There will be a home run derby at 4:30 pm before TRU will meet up with Okanagan College in the feature game of the night at 7 pm.

You can watch the games by going to: http://www.livestream.com/wolfpack_sports

A good crowd was on hand at Norbrock Stadium on Thursday (May 9) for the WolfPack’s opening game at the Canadian College Baseball Conference Championships. Here are pictures of the opening ceremonies.

coach Ray Chadwick speaks to special olympians (Andrew Snucins photo)

Danny Moore chats with Special Olympian (Andrew Snucins photo)

WolfPack players talk to Special Olympians (Andrew Snucins photo)

Robin Bartlett of KGMH International speaks (Andrew Snucins photo)

Ted Hotzak: President of Canadian College Baseball Conference (Andrew Snucins photo)

Dr. Alan Shaver-President of TRU tosses out ceremonial first ball (Andrew Snucins photo)

The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack have had eight of their players chosen as Canadian College Baseball Conference all-stars for 2013.

The eight were honored along with the other all-stars and major award winners at the CCBC Championship banquet held at the McArthur Island Curling Club on Thursday morning (May 9).

David Hole (catcher, Vancouver, BC), Brent Carmichael (outfielder, Victoria, BC),  Brendan Reid  (utility, Calgary, AB),Cam Strachan (designated hitter, Trail, BC)  and Wataru Asaoka (RHP, Hokkaido,Japan)  were all chosen as first team all-stars.

Kyle Sandulescu (second base, Victoria, BC),  Luc Simpson (right field, Aldergrove, BC), Erik Herbranson (utility, Maple Ridge, BC) and Alex Reid (RHP, New Westminster, BC) were selected to the second all-star team.

David Hole

Hole and Carmichael are both fourth year players.  Hole hit .385 and led the CCBC in batting average until the second last week of the regular season.  He had five home runs,  one triple, 30 runs batted in and three stolen bases. 

Brent Carmichael

Carmichael hit .341 with two triples and two doubles and 18 runs batted in. He also had one of the highest on base percentages in the CCBC.

Cam Strachan

Strachan moved to a field position in 2013 and played first along with being the team’s regular designated hitter. He hit .393 with 18 runs batted in, two homers, two triples and seven doubles.

Brendan Reid

Brendan Reid appeared in 26 games and had 68 at bats. He had an average of .309 with six doubles, a triple, five stolen bases and 11 runs batted in.

Wataru Asaoka

Asaoka is a rookie with TRU. He went 5 and 0 and had 51.1 innings pitched. He struck out 32, walked 16 and had an earned run average of 2.27.

Kyle Sandulescu

Sandulescu is one of six players on the ‘Pack roster to be playing his final season. He had a .296 batting average with six doubles, 21 hits and 13 stolen bases.

Luc Simpson

Simpson had a brilliant rookie campaign with Thompson rivers. He hit .307 with 20 runs batted in, five doubles and three triples.

Erik Herbranson

Herbranson appeared in 26 games as a position player and had 78 at bats, 23 hits, four doubles, 15 runs batted in and a batting average of .295. He also was a relief pitcher who had a record of a win and a loss, with four strike outs and four walks while giving up 11 hits.

Alex Reid

Like Simpson, Alex  Reid played in U.S. College in 2012 before coming to Thompson Rivers.  He was 3 and 2 on the season with an earned run average of 3.42.  He pitched 42 innings giving up 45 hits, 10 walks and 29 strike outs.

The WolfPack open the CCBC championship tournament playing in the feature game on Thursday (May 9). They take on the Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners at 7:15 pm at Norbrock Stadium.  That game is immediately following the tournaments opening ceremonies.

The Kamloops Heat will hope they will be as hot as their name as they kick off their 2013 Pacific Coast Soccer League Premiere Division season this weekend.
The Heat will open things up Saturday (May 11) at Hillside Stadium as they entertain Bellingham United. Kick off is 3 pm.

Kamloops is moving up a division after capturing the Reserve title in 2002 (8-1-3 record). Bellingham was 9-5-2 in the Premier League last season.

Sean Wallace will co coach the Heat (Andrew Snucins photo)

Sean Wallace and John Antulov will again be co-coaching the Heat. It is their second year at the helm. The two are best known for being the co-head coaches of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s soccer team.

The Heat has nine players back from last year’s team.

“Offensively, we should be fast on the flanks and skilled in the middle,” says Wallace, who has been handling all the practices while Antulov recovers from hip surgery. “ We will be solid on the back line and in goal. Our forwards will be aggressive around the net.”

John Antulov and Wallace along with Justin Smeaton (Andrew Snucins photo)

Most of the Heat will be familiar with the way Wallace and Antulov do business. 14 of them play in the PACWEST for the WolfPack. “All players signed so far are either TRU or alumni which is great as all the players know what we expect,” Wallace smiles.

Kyle Fertile (Robert Clark photo)

The coach is expecting big PCSL campaigns from Justin Wallace (ex WolfPack now SFU Clan, NCAA Division II), Kyle Fertile, Joseph Rose, Oriol Farras Torres, Nolan Wallace and Braeden Burrows. The other players are current TRU players. Nolan Wallace was the PACWEST Rookie of the Year in 2012.

Joe Rose (Andrew Snucins photo)

Wallace says working with the Heat is a good way to keep track of his TRU players’ development. “ It’s fiving our program a chance to keep a good number of players that we want back in the fall playing together during the summer against some quality teams. This can only help the TRU WolfPack program during the 2013 PACWEST season.”

The Heat operation has truly become a “Wallace Family Affair” this season with Sean coaching son’s Nolan and Justin. “It is fun coaching but when you can mix family in with life it gets a whole lot better. This year, my wife Lynne is helping out behind the scenes with some manager duties. She has been a big help early so far in organizing things.”

Seb Gardner (Robert Clark photo)

CORNER KICKS: Not only is playing in the Premier Division new for the Heat in 2013, but they also have some added incentive. “ The boys are showing their support for teammate Seb Gardner,” says Wallace. “He is going through cancer treatment in Vancouver. They will be wearing arm bands this season with the simple message “Seb”. We know he will be back soon but we want to keep him inour thoughts during our games and show our support of him.”