MOOSE JAW — Saskatchewan has thrown its support behind the Moose Jaw Warriors as the team heads to the Memorial Cup, while even Ottawa is waving the supportive flag thanks to a federal politician.
Senator Denise Batters stood in the Senate recently and congratulated the Western Hockey League (WHL) champions for a great season and “an incredible WHL playoff run,” noting they lost only one game in regulation during their 20 playoff appearances this year.
“The people of Moose Jaw are thrilled to cheer on their beloved Warriors’ best season ever. This is the Moose Jaw Warriors’ first WHL championship in their 40-year history,” she said.
Batters — wife of the late Dave Batters, a member of Parliament who represented Moose Jaw in the 2000s — discussed the team’s playoff journey and its wins over the Brandon Wheat Kings, Swift Current Broncos and Saskatoon Blades.
The series with the Blades saw six of seven games go into overtime, which is now a Canadian Hockey League (CHL) record, she pointed out.
Furthermore, the Warriors “shocked the U.S. crowd” during the WHL final against the Portland Winterhawks by winning the first two games in Portland before returning home to play in The Friendly City’s “gorgeous arena.”
“To kick off the week, legendary band Foreigner rocked the rink and showed Moose Jaw just how ‘urgent’ it was for the Warriors to be ‘hot blooded’ yet ‘as cold as ice’ the next two nights,” Batters said with a sly, humorous smile as she quoted several of the band’s biggest hits.
The Saskatchewan senator said she was delighted to attend game 3 in the jam-packed Events Centre, pointing out that her husband was the MP the last time the team went to the WHL final. She wore Dave’s 2006 Warriors’ jersey for luck — “and it worked!” as the team won game 3 in overtime.
“I thought the roof might blow right off the building that night when that crowd roared. And then Moose Jaw swept the WHL championship (and won the Ed Chynoweth Cup) by winning game 4 at home in front of their ecstatic fans,” she said.
The Warriors are a community-owned team, while it has been the community’s fantastic fans who have spurred on the players at home and on the road, Batters continued.
She thanked everyone who has loyally supported the team during the past 40 years, while she commended all those who had the vision, fortitude and stamina to build the Events Centre, the Warriors’ 4,500-seat home.
“I am also so proud of how hard my husband Dave worked as Moose Jaw’s MP to secure federal infrastructure investment (money) for that major successful project,” she stated.
The Warriors are now competing for Canadian junior hockey’s biggest prize, the Memorial Cup, in Saginaw, Michigan, with coach Mark O’Leary leading a deep and talented team, Batters continued.
The Saskatchewan senator singled out several players, including Jagger Firkus, the WHL scoring leader in the regular season and playoffs, Brayden Yager, Matt Savoie, and captain Denton Mateychuk.
“But the heart of this Moose Jaw team was best expressed (recently) … by hometown boy, Atley Calvert, who said, ‘We had a special group and we’re going to be brothers forever,’” Batters added.
“Go, Warriors, go. Bring home that Memorial Cup.”
The Warriors’ Memorial Cup journey kicks off on Friday, May 24, against the host Saginaw Spirit.
