麻豆社区

Yukon Inn looked like a team gunning for a third straight oldtimer hockey title last night at Takhini Arena, stifling Air North en route to a 2-0 win.

Andrew Smith and Matt Power provided the offence, while Matt King recorded the shutout in net for the two-time defending champs.

Last season, Yukon Inn beat the Firth Rangers to win the Whitehorse Oldtimer Hockey League title.

But as always, a new season brings a fresh start where anything can happen. On Sunday, the nine-team league kicked off a brand-new season, which will finish with a playoff showdown in April.

League registrar Doug Janzen told the Star the league for players age 35-plus did incur a few changes prior to this season.

One sees EDI Environmental Dynamics Inc. enter the league as a new team sponsor.

"Our league is about playing hockey,鈥� Janzen said, who plays for Kilrich. "Our goal really is to have nine even teams.

The league is more about the camaraderie than winning.

"Winning is important, obviously, but it's about getting on the ice, getting some exercise. While maybe two or three guys in the league will dispute this, our stands don't have any NHL scouts any longer. For the most part, it's well run and we don't have many problems.鈥�

As usual, the popular league has a waiting list this season. Each of the nine teams drafts 15 players and one goalie in early September.

League rules give first priority to returning players, followed by those who have played in the league before, and finally newcomers.

"This year, we had a lot of returning players, so we were only able to bring in two new players,鈥� Janzen said. "But our wait list has gone down this year. Last year, we had a wait list of about 18 players. We were contemplating adding another team, but ice time becomes a challenge. This year our wait list is nine players.鈥�

In March, the league hosts an oldtimer hockey tournament that features teams from out-of-town.

Besides Yukon Inn's shutout win, other early-season game results are as follows:

Medicine Chest 6, EDI 4

In the second matchup at Takhini last night, Gary McKellar and Blaine Monahan each scored twice, and Bill Bohmer and Johnny Sembsmoen had singles to lead Medicine Chest to their first win of the season.

Adam Green, Pat Tobler, Guy Morgan and Pat Campbell provided the goals for a very balanced EDI offence in the loss.

EDI 6, Klondyke Dental Molars 3

On Sunday night, Adam Green scored a hat trick to help EDI start its oldtimer hockey tenure with a win.

Green scored on the powerplay, at even strength and into an empty net to complete the trick.

Pat Campbell, Ron Daub and Guy Morgan also scored in the win.

Tim Turner Davis, Darius Elias and Mike Gau responded for Klondyke Dental in the loss.

Firth Rangers 8, Medicine Chest 2

Tom Ullyett scored twice and Glen Heinbigner sniped a pair as the Firth Rangers got off to a solid start in the league's season opener at the Canada Games Centre Sunday night.

Rick Moses, Charles Brodhagen, Derek Torgerson and Joel Witten had the other markers for the Rangers.

Sean Kinsella and Dennis Zimmerman lit the lamp for Medicine Chest in the loss.

For more information on the oldtimer league, including a game schedule, visit http://www.whitehorseohl.ca.