UNews - Dylan Tait

Horns men's hockey team opens new season, new era

trevor.kenney — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 16:50:26 +0000

Coming off a second consecutive season where the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s hockey team missed the post-season, the page has been turned and a new era of Pronghorn hockey is set to begin under first-year head coach Spiros Anastas.

The ‘Horns open the 2014-15 Canada West season Sept. 25, hosting the front half of a home-and-home series with the Mount Royal Cougars. Game two of the home-and-home series will go Saturday night in Calgary.

Anastas was hired this past April and joins the Horns after spending the past two seasons as a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization, being an assistant coach with the Red Wings AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

The ‘Horns return 19 players from last season’s team and Anastas has added a good mix of youth and experience with eight new recruits.

Among Anastas’s first recruiting class are two NCAA transfers, two CIS transfers and four true freshmen. Forwards Brandon Clowes and Manny Gialedakis took advantage of the CIS eligibility repatriation rule and set right into the Horns' line-up.

Goaltender Warren Shymko transfers from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ottawa and will push returning goaltenders Damien Ketlo and Dylan Tait for time in the crease. Shymko had a solid freshman season with the Gee Gees, putting up a 2.76 goals-against-average and a 0.900 save percentage.

An area of strength for the Pronghorns this season should be their blue line, as the Horns return their entire top six defensemen from last season. Tim Campbell, David McMullen, Corbin Karl, Cason Machacek, Hayden Rintoul and Brent Henke will be the keys to Horns success this season.

“Our success relies on our six returning defensemen being able to play a solid all-around game, while making defence a priority,” says Anastas.

After scoring a league low 52 goals last season, the Horns forwards will need to up their production if the team is to have a resurgence this year. Following solid freshmen seasons, there are big expectations for Ryon Moser, Mitch Maxwell and Brock Hirsche.

Hirsche finished tied with Cass Mappin for the team lead in goals with seven, while Moser recorded six goals and 10 assists in 26 games last season.

Newcomers Clowes, Sam Wilbur and Artsiom Kalashnikov have shown some offensive flare during the Horns non-conference schedule and will be counted on to produce during their first season with the program.

Wilbur finished second in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) scoring last season with 36 goals and 50 assists, while Kalashnikov picked up 52 points in 55 games last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL).

Operation Red Nose on the roads for its 19th season

trevor.kenney — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 21:06:38 +0000

For the past 18 years, volunteers from Pronghorn Athletics and the southern Alberta community have been helping to keep our roads free of impaired drivers. As the 19th season of Operation Red Nose hits the streets this holiday season, the impact of the annual program is felt throughout southern Alberta.

“It’s a wonderful asset to the community that people can access Operation Red Nose,” says Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman. “You can go somewhere, have a good time, and if you plan ahead, you know your car will be back home with you in the morning.”

Operation Red Nose is a unique holiday program that allows individuals who have been drinking, or who do not feel fit to drive their own vehicle home, to summon a team of Red Nose volunteers who will pick them up and drive their vehicles to their homes. A no-fee service, Operation Red Nose accepts donations in support of Pronghorn Athletics.

“It’s really a win-win-win situation,” adds Spearman. “You have volunteers coming out and helping people get home safely, the proceeds go to support athletic programs at the U of L and think about it, how many lives have been saved as a result over the years?”

The nationwide Operation Red Nose campaign is now in its 30th year and over that time, nearly one million volunteers have assisted the program. Client donations are given to youth or amateur sport organizations and last year alone, close to $1.5 million was raised across the country. Locally, more than $500,000 has been raised in support of Pronghorn Athletics over the past 18 years.

The majority of the program’s volunteers are Pronghorn athletes. Each athlete is required to work at least one shift (the program will operate for 12 evenings this season) but many work more.

“I think it’s great showing how involved we are within the community,” says Dylan Tait, a third-year goaltender with the Horns men’s hockey program. “It’s kind of neat when you’re driving somebody home and they ask why you’re doing it and you tell them you’re on the basketball or the hockey team. You see their eyes light up and they realize that we really are a part of this, in between practice and studying, and that we are taking the time to do it.”

Glenda Edie, a fifth-year player on the women’s hockey team, enjoys her nights on the road with her fellow volunteers.

“You get to meet people within the community and also build relationships with other Pronghorn athletes,” she says.

“I’m from Winnipeg and when I moved to Lethbridge to play with the Horns, it was the first I’d ever heard of such a program. It really is a great program, and something I’d like to see in a lot more places.”

Aside from the program’s volunteer support, a variety of local businesses offer financial assistance and products and services that keep Operation Red Nose on the roads each holiday season. Along with cash donations, all food and refreshments for volunteers, along with gas, phone service and insurance coverage is donated to the program. This season, Alpine Insurance and Intact Insurance have taken on the role of co-sponsors for the program’s insurance coverage.

The dates of service for the 2013 Operation Red Nose campaign are November 29-30, December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 and New Year’s Eve.

Call 403-320-4155 to access the service, or contact Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681 to volunteer.

Hockey Horns battle Dinos on two fronts

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 17:57:14 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's and women's hockey programs will ge toe-to-toe with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos this weekend, each team playing home-and-home series that sees them alternate games at Nicholas Sheran Arena.

Men's Hockey

It’s been a long six weeks, but the Pronghorns men’s hockey team (0-2-0) will finally skate on home ice, making a brief one game appearance in Lethbridge before embarking on another five game road swing. The ‘Horns host the CIS fourth ranked Calgary Dinos (4-0-0) Friday night in the front half of a home-and-home series. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at Nicholas Sheran Arena, with free tickets available to students at the U of L's Customer Service Desk in the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

After a bye left them idle on the opening weekend of the conference schedule, the Horns opened their Canada West season with a disappointing road trip to Regina, losing 6-0 and 5-1 to the Cougars.

Sophomore defender Tim Campbell scored the lone goal for the Horns, while goaltender Dylan Tait suffered the loss in both games.

For the fourth-ranked Dinos, the 2013 season has started perfectly, sweeping both of their series to date. After sweeping the Regina Cougars in Regina two weeks ago, the Dinos beat the UBC Thunderbirds last weekend. Through four games, the Dinos have scored 21 goals while surrendering just nine.

Pronghorn Athletics is partnering with Kid’s Sport this men’s hockey season in a campaign to raise money to support sending kids to sport camps. Kid’s Sport is the official charity of Canada West and Pronghorn Athletics will be supporting the great work Kid’s Sport does in the community by supporting a “Score for Camps” campaign this year. Building on the idea of third-year forward Cass Mappin, a donation, valueing the average cost of sending a child to camp, will be made to Kid’s Sport for every home goal scored by the Pronghorns men’s hockey team during the 2013-2014 season.

Women's Hockey

Coming off a tough home weekend last time out, the Pronghorns women’s hockey team (1-1-2) looks to rebound in their home-and-home series with the Dinos (1-2-1).

The weekend set begins Friday night in Calgary at Father David Bauer Arena with the second game going in Lethbridge Saturday night at Nicholas Sheran Arena. Puck drop for both nights is set for 7 p.m.

Last weekend, the Horns earned just a single point in their series with the CIS fifth ranked Regina Cougars, losing 5-1 and then 2-1 in a shootout. The Horns will need to shore up their defensive game if they are going to be successful this season. Through four games, the ‘Horns have allowed a league leading 14 goals against.

At the other end of the ice, the Horns have scored nine goals in four games and former Canada West rookie of the year Sadie Lensta looks to have returned to her freshman form, leading the club with two goals and an assist.

For the Dinos, they have a distinctly different look this season. Gone are head coach Danielle Goyette and Hailey Wickenheiser, both centralized with the Canadian National Team in preparation for the Sochi Winter Olympics.

In their last action, the Dinos earned a weekend split with the UBC Thunderbirds, losing 4-0 before rebounding for their first win of the season, 4-3 in a shootout.

Horns Soccer

The Pronghorns women’s soccer team (0-9-2) will conclude the 2013 season this weekend with one game on the road, traveling to Calgary to face the Dinos.

It has been a rough 2013 campaign for the Horns with only two points to show for their effort. They rank second last in goal scoring with five and third last in goal against, allowing 31.

Meanwhile, with four games remaining in the Canada West soccer schedule, the Pronghorns men’s soccer team (2-8-1) was officially eliminated from post-season contention last Sunday when the Calgary Dinos defeated the UNBC Timberwolves.

In the second to last weekend of the regular season, the Horns head out on the road to face the Fraser Valley Cascades and Victoria Vikes.

For the ‘Horns, the inability to find the back of the net will haunt this season’s squad. Of the team’s eight losses, five were by one goal, including six games where the Horns where shut out.

Reid, Tait added to Horns' roster

trevor.kenney — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:54:39 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team bolstered its present with an eye on the future Thursday, introducing two new goaltenders to the mix.

With incumbent and 2009-10 Canada West All-Star Scott Bowles entering his final year of eligibility, Horns head coach Greg Gatto announced the signing of a pair of Western Hockey League graduates, former Spokane Chief James Reid and Lethbridge Hurricane Dylan Tait.

"Bowles has been the backbone for us his entire career but we felt it was important to bring in quality competition and set ourselves up heading into his graduation after this season," says Gatto. "The last thing we want to do is go into a season with nothing but true freshmen as starting goalies."

Reid, a six-foot Calgary native, is coming off an outstanding final season of junior hockey where he was named the Western Conference nominee for the WHL goalie of the year. During his final year of junior hockey, Reid led the Chiefs to the Western Conference final. In 50 regular season appearances, his 2.52 goals against average was fourth best in the WHL and he recorded 35 wins, sixth in the league despite missing significant time due to injury.

"Reid has been one of the top goaltenders in the WHL the last few seasons and we are really excited to have him join the Horns," says Gatto.

Tait, a Lethbridge Athletic Association product, joins the Horns after his lone full season in the WHL with the hometown Lethbridge Hurricanes. Last year, Tait made 27 appearances for the Hurricanes and finished 6-10-1 with a 4.13 goals against average and 0.883 save percentage. Just 19, he gives up his final year of eligibility in the WHL to begin his post-secondary career.

"The last couple of years, seeing what kind of program was taking shape here and knowing some of the guys who have played here and really enjoyed it, I was really looking for an opportunity to come here," says Tait.

Prior to suiting up with the Hurricanes, Tait played with the Drumheller Dragons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

He's excited about the opportunity to work under Bowles, learning not only the goaltending position at the Canada West level but also how to balance an academic career. He plans on studying biological sciences.

"A big thing for me is the school aspect. I've heard he's a great student so hopefully he can show me how to create a good balance between hockey and school because he does such a great job with both," says Tait.

The Lethbridge native developed in the LAA and was part of the goaltending tandem with the Y's Men Titans that led the Alberta Midget Hockey League South Division with a 25-4-7 record and surrendered a league low 84 goals. Tait finished with a 11-2-3 record and a 2.91 goals against average.

"It is important for our program to have quality local guys return or stay in Lethbridge," says Gatto. "Dylan will battle and give us great depth at the goaltending position."

Tait joins a growing list of southern Alberta products to join the Horns in recent years with the likes of Taylor Gal, Mason Conway, Winston Day Chief and Cam Creighton.

UNews - Dylan Tait

Horns men's hockey team opens new season, new era

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