Pat Payton
Sports Editor
Last season’s “Highway 7 Challenge” created a lot of interest and excitement when Stratford Cullitons and St. Marys Lincolns played a GOJHL inter-locking game just after Christmas at the Pyramid Recreation Centre in St. Marys.
It was dubbed “The Showdown in the Stonetown.”
Not only did the game count in the Midwestern and Western Conference standings, but it stirred up memories of a long and fierce rivalry that existed for many years between the two Perth County hockey centres.
This Saturday, Jan. 30, these two proud teams will step on to an even bigger stage. Two points are again at stake, but Cullitons and Lincolns will get a little national recognition as they play in one of Tim Horton’s Hockey Day in Canada feature games.
It starts at 7:10 p.m. at Stratford’s historic Allman Arena.
Coaches, players getting excited
The players and coaches from both sides are obviously looking forward to it.
“It’s starting to creep into everybody’s mind that it’s just around the corner,” Lincs coach Merlin Malinowski said last week. “The players are starting to talk about it, and the excitement is just going to continue to grow. It will be a big day and a big game in front of a big crowd.”
Malinowski said he won’t prepare a special game plan for the Cullitons.
“We’ll just play our game as we always do,” he said. “It seems to fit the character of our team.
“We’ll do what we do, and play the way we play. Right now, I don’t see us making any special adjustments because we’re playing on the smaller ice in Stratford.”
Saturday’s game will be Lincolns’ 11th in a hectic stretch of 22 days. With the busy month, captain Anthony Soboczynski says Lincs have tried not to look too far ahead, but he knows the team will come ready to play Saturday.
“The guys are pretty excited about it and looking forward to playing in front of the big crowd over there,” he said last week. “But it’s been such a crazy month for us that we’re just taking it one game at a time. We’ve just been trying to focus on the task at hand and get the two points every night.
“But I know from talking to the boys that we’ll be ready to go that night in Stratford for sure.”
Cullitons captain Bucky Nelson says it will likely be one of the biggest crowds that players from both teams will ever play in front of.
“It’s a big week in Stratford, in general; it should be something special,” said Nelson, who has also played for St. Marys in his Junior career.
“It’s going to be like any other game; there’s two points on the line and two points are always big at this time of the year.”
The Tribe’s coach Phil Westman says it’s been a long time since there’s been a Jr. B game at the Allman with this much significance.
“The game has been sold out for two months, even standing room, and there’s two points on the line for both teams, so it will be an exciting night,” Westman said.
Jason Lott, Cullitons’ director of hockey operations, says the Stratford players are going to be involved in minor hockey clinics as well this week.
“There’s going to be a lot of things happening, and I want our guys to enjoy the day of the game and spend some time around the rink, and then get prepared to play the game,” he said.
“I know the guys are getting excited about playing in front of over 2,000 people on a Saturday night in Stratford. It’s going to be a great feeling for the players on both teams.
“They’ll also know that they’re on in the background for a few million people watching Hockey Day in Canada on CBC,” Lott added.
Note: Like a year ago, Dunny’s Source for Sports stores in St. Marys and Stratford will donate hats to the winning team, as well as jackets to the MVPs on each team.
