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Northstars hope history lesson includes repeat of ’87

John Down, Calgary Herald December 28, 2011

The year was 1987. A very good year . . . for the Calgary Northstars. It was the one and only time they won the Mac’s Tournament.

“I would have just graduated,” smiles bench boss Keith Fagnan, whose team is off to a 2-0 start in the 34th edition of the battle among 25 of the country’s and two international major midget AAA teams.

So does the Max Bell Centre based-club, which also serves as tournament headquarters, use history and that long drought to inspire their young guns?

“History is big with us,” admitted Fagnan. “Not just ’87, but all our teams and we make sure the guys understand what the makeup and character of those teams were and let them know they have that opportunity every time they step on the ice.”

The Northstars are tied for fourth in the Dodge Division of the Alberta Major Midget Hockey League but have picked up the pace considerably in recent games and are now strutting a more complete team game.

They opened the Mac’s on Monday with a 3-1 win over the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and followed it up Tuesday with a 6-0 romp over the Tisdale Trojans in Pool 4.

Sam Plaquin popped two goals and an assist and Riley Whittingham a goal and two assists to support the 21-save shutout of goaltender Davin Green over the 1995 finalist from Saskatchewan.

“We were a little inconsistent at the beginning (of the season) and then about eight games before the Mac’s, the guys started to play with consistency, eliminate the peaks and valleys,” said Fagnan. “That’s when we got on a consistent roll so things have been good.”

Needless to say, these young men draw an added adrenalin when they lace up for Mac’s games but Fagnan doesn’t see it as a prime driving force.

“We want to continue to progress going forward and right into the playoffs at the end of the year so we sort of structure everything to climb that mountain one step at a time,” he said. “This tournament is just one of those steps . . . our goal is to get better every game, every month.”

The Northstars, like several teams, also have a highly-touted rookie prospect in 15-year-old defenceman Ben Thomas.

A six-foot-two, 170-pounder, the Calgarian was drafted in the third round of last summer’s Western Hockey League bantam draft by the Calgary Hitmen.

“Talented players like Ben have a tendency to continue to get better and rise to the challenge,” said Fagnan. “He’s been pushed this year probably like he’s never been pushed in the past. “It’s only going to make him better and has made him better.”

Thomas, unlike many others, has been able to take the big step from Bantam AAA to Midget AAA.

“It’s a pretty big adjustment,” said the team’s only 15-year-old, “but I’m doing OK so far. It’s harder to handle some of the players because they’re bigger than they were in bantam and the speed’s a lot faster, too, but other than that, it’s gone OK.”

That’s not to say there weren’t trials and lessons to be learned as he pushes hard to take yet another step next season and play in the WHL.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes throughout the season, but I just learn from them and keep going,” he said. “At first I was a little bit shaky but I’ve settled in and feel like I belong in this league. I hope to play for the Hitmen next year, and if I keep working hard, maybe I’ll make it.”

THIS AND THAT: The Calgary Bruins marched out pink jerseys for their Pool 7 girls game last night against the Saskatoon Stars in support of the fight against breast cancer . . . Not too many sons of NHLers spotted but Taylor Joseph, a rangy forward with the York Simcoe Express, can lay claim to that honour. He’s a son of former NHL goalie Curtis Joseph, who had a nine-game pit stop with the Flames during 2007-08.

Dean
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