face off nov 2012

Abbotsford News Thursday, November 8, 2012 B1

ROMAN’S EMPIRE Horak leads AHL in goal-scoring B3

FACEOFFNOV 2012

FACEOFF MAGAZINE is the of� cial fan guide for the Abbotsford Heat

FAN SALUTE Heat use ‘the Wesbo’ to bond with crowd | B6

RYAN WALTER Exciting fan experiences | B5

FACEOFFFACEOFFNOV 2012

31450 Peardonville Road604.557.7857 360fabrication.com MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:30AM-5:30PM SATURDAY 10AM-5PM

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. We make it better.

• Complete Collision Services• We Repair All Makes & Models

A-list Winner of Favourite Autobody Shop

A Division of 360 Fabrication Inc.

A B B O T S F O R D

• Certifi ed Technicians• Courtesy Cars

Carstar ManagerSteve Cochrane

Amy Williams Photography

B2 Abbotsford News Thursday, November 8, 2012

PAINT SALEPAINT SALE

5050%%OFF*OFF*

PARA ELITE, ULTRA & PREMIUM INTERIOR PAINTS

NOVEMBER 9-17 · DON’T MISS IT!PARA ELITE, ULTRA & PREMIUM INTERIOR PAINTS

NOVEMBER 9-17 · DON’T MISS IT!

AVAILABLE AT YOUR FULL SERVICE DESIGN CENTRE

CHILLIWACK

Phone: 604-795-5577101-8080 Evans Rd, Chilliwack BC

ABBOTSFORD

Phone: 604-854-189231760 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford BC

www.atmospherefloors.com | [email protected]

*Offer applies to PARA Elite, Ultra and Premium Ineriour paints only. 50% off manufacturer suggested retail price. Offer valid from November 9 – 17, 2012 at participating dealers.

Premium Interior Eggshell Reg. $46.95 NOW $23.48Ultra Pearl Reg $59.95 NOW $29.98Ultra Suede Reg $59.95 NOW $29.98

Ultra Kitchen & Bath Reg $62.95 NOW $31.48Elite Eggshell Reg $67.95 NOW $33.95

11/1

2os

AF8


Valid November 9 - 10, 2012 only. Limit one per person.

Valid only at Nooksack River Casino. Valid November 9 - 10, 2012 only. Limit one per person. Must be a Winners Club Member and 21 years of age to redeem. No

cash value. Not transferrable. Management reserves all rights to alter, amend or cancel offer at any time. Use of coupon implies

an understanding and acceptance of all rules. Duplications will not be accepted. Coupon

requires validation at Winners Club Booth to be redeemed. Not

valid if printed via in-ternet.

$30 Us Buy In For A $50 Slot Ticket!

$2000$2000P l a y f o r y o u r c h a n c e t o w i nP l a y f o r y o u r c h a n c e t o w i n

Valid only at Nooksack River Casino.

$30 Us Buy In For A $50 Slot Ticket!$30 Us Buy In For A $50 Slot Ticket!$30 Us Buy In For

877.935.9300 • 5048 MOUNT BAKER HWY, DEMING WAWWW.NOOKSACKCASINO.COM • FACEBOOK.COM/NOOKSACKRCASINO Start Shopping Season With Great Deals Friday, Nov. 23!

Black Friday BLOWOUT!

Ruminating on Roman Horak’s smoking-hot start to the season, Abbotsford Heat head coach Troy Ward describes the Czech

forward in terms which run entirely counter to his explosive performance on the ice.

“He’s kind of just a bland, vanilla guy,” Ward said of Horak, “and that’s the biggest strength he has as a player.

“He’s a European kid who has very good balance to his personality. If you interview him, you’d never know if he’s happy or sad.

“There will be days when I say, ‘You’re too bland, you need a little bit better heartbeat.’ But as long as he has the ice balance he has and he makes his plays, he’s in pretty good shape. One of his best attributes is, he’s pretty much the same every day.”

It’s as good an explanation as any for Horak’s goal-scoring outburst over the � rst nine games of the campaign, because the man himself can’t really put his � nger on it.

The sophomore pro � nds himself atop the AHL goal-scoring list with 10 goals – two more than his clos-est pursuer, Drayson Bowman of the Charlotte Checkers.

“It’s tough to say,” the 21-year-old mused. “Obviously I’ve been off to a pretty good start, but I’m just trying to do the same things I’ve always done. I don’t have any secrets. Maybe it’s just being a year older, I don’t know.”

Horak’s gaudy numbers aren’t simply the product of a couple explosive outings, either – he’s mustered at least a point in all but one of the Heat’s games.

That he’s maintained such consistent production while serving the role of Swiss army knife in the Abbotsford lineup casts it in an even more � attering light.

Horak has played on all four lines at various points in the season, and he’s played all three forward spots – left wing, centre and right wing.

“It’s been kind of crazy,” he said with a wry grin. “But I don’t mind it at all. Obviously you’d love to have a (con-

sistent) spot in the lineup, but the players here are very good. I’m just listening to what Troy says, and wherever he puts me, I’m just going to play the position.”

Ward has moved Horak around partly out of necessity, as he’s had to shuf� e six veterans into the � ve-veteran lineup limit. There’s also been a teaching motive.

“I look at that as a really important piece for his de-velopment,” Ward said. “It sends a message to anybody looking at him, whether it’s Calgary or any team in the league, that this is a skilled guy who can play any role. That’s pretty handy to have.”

The beauty of Horak’s game is, he doesn’t necessarily have to score to be effective.

In 2011-12, he was the surprise of Calgary Flames training camp, cracking the NHL club’s roster and suiting up for 61 games, mustering three goals and eight assists while being used primarily in a defensive-minded role.

He’s a conscientious two-way player and is capable of killing penalties, though the Heat haven’t chosen to use him in that capacity to this point in the season.

“He does not have to score – he’s still going to make an impact and put himself in a position to play in the NHL,” Ward said. “It’s because he’s got good hockey sense and a very good stick.

“He’s a pretty heady guy.”Ward also believes familiarity is breeding success for

Horak. The Fraser Valley has become a second home to him, after spending two seasons (2009-11) with the WHL’s Chilliwack Bruins. He’s also more comfortable in Ward’s system, after suiting up for 22 games (14 regular season, eight playoffs) with the Heat at the tail end of the 2011-12 campaign.

Horak lighting it up

DanKINVIGABBOTSFORD NEWS

Sophomore pro Roman Horak leads the AHL in goals with 10.

Versatile forward building his case for NHL employment

Clint Trahan photo

Continued on B4


wordsfew

prez

Name:

Age:

Phone:

TICKETS AVAILABLE

FOREVERY

HOME GAME!

Rick Barkwell, FMAFinancial Advisor, Insurance AgentRaymond James Ltd. Member IIROC/CIPFRaymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC

Proud Community Business Partner of your Abbotsford Heat

Raymond James Ltd.201 - 2190 West Railway StreetAbbotsford BC V2S 2E2T: 604-851-4292 F: 604-850-8656Toll Free: [email protected]\rickbarkwell


TICKETS COURTESY OF

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

2 TICKETS to the ABBOTSFORD HEAT!

ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE ABBOTSFORD HEAT(Courtesy of: Rick Barkwell, FMA of Raymond James & the Abbotsford Heat)

Name:

Age:

Phone:

TICKETS AVAILABLE

FOREVERY

HOME GAME!




Raymond James Ltd., 201 - 2190 West Railway St, AbbotsfordT: 604-851-4292 F: 604-850-8656 Toll Free: [email protected] • www.raymondjames.ca/rickbarkwell

Rick Barkwell, FMAFinancial Advisor, Insurance Agent

TICKETS COURTESY OF

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

2 TICKETS to the ABBOTSFORD HEAT!

ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE ABBOTSFORD HEAT(Courtesy of: Rick Barkwell, FMA of Raymond James & the Abbotsford Heat)

Name:

Age:

Phone:

TICKETS AVAILABLE

FOREVERY

HOME GAME!




Simply email your name & phone number to...

[email protected]

TICKETS COURTESY OF

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN2 TICKETS to the ABBOTSFORD HEAT!

ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE ABBOTSFORD HEAT(Courtesy of: Rick Barkwell, FMA of Raymond James & the Abbotsford Heat) Name:

Age: Phone:

TICKETS AVAILABLE

FOREVERY

HOME GAME!

Rick Barkwell, FMAFinancial Advisor, Insurance AgentRaymond James Ltd. Member IIROC/CIPFRaymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC Proud Community Business Partner of your Abbotsford Heat


Raymond James Ltd. Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund

ENTER FOR YOUR

CHANCE TO WIN2 TICKETS to the

ABBOTSFORD HEAT!

Name:Age:

Phone:

TICKETS AVAILABLE

FOREVERY

HOME GAME!

Rick Barkwell, FMAFinancial Advisor, Insurance AgentRaymond James Ltd. Member IIROC/CIPFRaymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC Proud Community Business Partner of your Abbotsford Heat

Raymond James Ltd.201 - 2190 West Railway StreetAbbotsford BC V2S 2E2

T: 604-851-4292 F: 604-850-8656Toll Free: [email protected]\rickbarkwell

$100 Visa Gift CardDrop into either of our Abbotsford Locations to enter a

chance to win a$100 gift card from Johnston Meier.

HOME / ICBC / BUSINESS / BOAT / TRAVEL

Mon to Fri: 8 am - 8 pm Sat: 9 am - 5 pm Sun: 11 am - 4 pm

Mon to Fri: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat: 9 am - 5 pm

GLADWIN LOCATION101-2975 Gladwin Ave 604.853.7111

SUMAS MOUNTAIN VILLAGE130-2362 Whatcom Road 604.859.7104

JOHNSTON MEIERINSURANCE AGENCIES GROUP

WIN

Amy Williams Photography

“Something people forget a little bit, I think, is that he grew up in Chilliwack,” Ward said. “His billet family is down the road, his girlfriend’s from Chilliwack . . . It’s kind of all come back together again, and I think that’s been part of his success.

“Horak’s also in his second year with us,” Ward noted. “He understands the logic and how we think. I think that’s part of it, too.

“My system takes a lot of time to �gure out – all the verbiage and language and how we play certain situations, it does take time. I think our best players on a game-to-game ba-sis are our players from last year. McCarthy’s OK, Callahan’s OK, McKelvie’s OK, Lamb’s OK. But Piskula and Brodie? They’re pretty good.”

“(Rookie Sven) Baertschi’s a good player, but he hasn’t been that dynamic. He’s still learning. He hasn’t dominated scoring chanc-es, not like Horak has.”

Horak, a native of Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic, said he’s coming off a solid summer of workouts.

“We have a training group there with my trainer which includes (former Flames and Heat forward) Ales Kotalik, and sometimes Mi-lan Michalek (Ottawa Senators), Martin Hanzal (Phoenix Coyotes) and those guys,” he said. “It’s great to work out with guys like that.”

From B3

Finding comfort

zone


RyanWALTER

wordsa

few

prezfrom the

Focused on guest experienceYes, your Abbotsford Heat is

an amazing hockey team!Yes, they have only one reg-

ulation loss in their �rst seven games this season and are tied for second overall in the entire American Hockey League (as of Monday).

And yes, Roman Horak has scored 10 goals in the �rst nine games played…

None of these facts, however, are what I would like to highlight this week. Instead, I would like to focus on a special event that happened at one of our games last week.

One of our young Heat em-ployees, noticing that a gentle-man and his young family were really enjoying the game, asked if one of this fan’s children would like a ride on the Zam-boni between periods.

Of course the youngster said yes. He loved his experience. He waved at everyone. The Zamboni ride made his night! His Dad told us later that he and his wife could hardly settle their young son down that night as he was still vibrating about his fun experience at the Heat game.

We have one of the hottest teams in the AHL this season.

We have NHL players com-peting in every game at the

Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre because of the lockout. But do you know what else we have? Amazing Guest Experiences!

Some of our guests like to ride Zambonis, others love to tour the Heat dressing room, and 500 enjoyed the Lead-ership Summit we hosted in September. Our guests also love to stop and talk hockey or

view my Stanley Cup ring in the concourse during games.

This is what we focus on during every Heat game: creating INCREDIBLE GUEST EXPERIENCES for you!

P.S. – Have you looked at the roster of the Oklahoma City Barons (Edmonton Oilers AHL af�liate) coming to town Nov. 9-10? NHL players Jorden Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

(who played minor hockey in Burnaby), Taylor Hall, and amazing prospect Justin Schul-tz … you will see them all in Abbotsford for as low as $15.

Go to abbotsfordheat.com to buy your tickets and then print them out to avoid the lines at the box of�ce.

Abbotsford Heat president Ryan Walter writes a monthly column for Faceoff magazine

John Morrow �le photo

South Faser WayBou

rqui

n C

r.

War

e R

d.

In-stock only

x

ABBY SPORTS ZONE33147 South Faser WayAbbotsford 604.852.1640sportszonesports.com

$100 Visa Gift CardDrop into either of our Abbotsford Locations to enter a

chance to win a$100 gift card from Johnston Meier.

HOME / ICBC / BUSINESS / BOAT / TRAVEL

Mon to Fri: 8 am - 8 pm Sat: 9 am - 5 pm Sun: 11 am - 4 pm

Mon to Fri: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat: 9 am - 5 pm

GLADWIN LOCATION101-2975 Gladwin Ave 604.853.7111

SUMAS MOUNTAIN VILLAGE130-2362 Whatcom Road 604.859.7104

JOHNSTON MEIERINSURANCE AGENCIES GROUP

WIN

B6 Abbotsford News Thursday, November 8, 2012 Abbotsford News Thursday, November 8, 2012 B7

FANSALUTE

As with most protocols instituted by Troy Ward, the details-oriented head coach of the Abbotsford Heat, the team’s new post-game salute to their home fans comes complete with its own verbiage, backstory and proper technique.

It begins with the Heat players lining up around the centre-ice circle after victories at the Abbotsford Enter-tainment and Sports Centre, sticks on the ice, facing each other. One player, singled out by his peers for an out-standing performance, stands in the middle.

Then, in unison, they clap their sticks on the ice twice before turning and raising their twigs in recognition of their supporters in the stands.

In Heat jargon, it’s known as the Wesbo.“We started doing (the double clap) after every practice

last season, and it’s kind of our team thing,” defenceman Joe Piskula explained. “You practice hard and battle, and at the end you come and unite, and give each other a round of applause for the eff ort.

“We just wanted to include the fans in that. They’re a part of us, they’re a part of our team, and we need them.”

Saluting the fans isn’t unprecedented in the hockey world – the New York Rangers, for instance, gather at cen-tre ice to hoist their sticks in appreciation of the Madison Square Garden faithful.

During last year’s playoff s, members of the Heat’s front offi ce approached Ward about the possibility of doing something similar. Ward liked the idea in general, but thought it odd to manufacture a ritual on short notice.

“That’s not my style,” he noted. “But I said if I’m back, we’ll start next year.

“As I thought it through in my head, I thought, ‘What makes us who we are and what we do?’ We do the double clap. We do the Wesbo every day to end practice.”

The Wesbo has been an end-of-practice tradition for the past 15 years at Hockey and Sons, the father-son camp that Ward runs each summer in St. Peter, Minn.

The ritual is named for its creator, longtime Hockey and Sons staff er Wes Bolin. He was a former teammate of Ward’s at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and currently coaches hockey and teaches social studies at Woodbury (Minn.) High School.

“He’s a character,” Ward said with a chuck-le. “He always gave himself these hockey nicknames. He’d score a few goals in a day, and he’d be Wespo, for (Phil) Es-posito. Or he’d be Wesarelli, for Dino Ciccarelli.”

Bolin’s Woodbury teams also do the double clap. The tradition is so in-grained in the school’s culture, Bolin once led an entire grad class in the Wesbo – clapping hands, not hockey sticks – during his commencement speech.

“Wes always says, ‘You’ve got to get a good piece of ice,’” Ward said with a chuckle, holding an imagi-nary stick in his hands and miming the motion of scraping away the snow. “His nickname is Wesbo, so we give him credit.”

Team bonding rituals tend to walk a fi ne line between being meaningful or cheesy, but Piskula believes that the Wesbo promotes unity.

“When we fi rst started it (after prac-tice), I think some guys snickered a bit, like ‘Yeah, this is corny,’” Piskula said. “But after a little while, it becomes special in a way, because it’s unique.

“In pro hockey, it’s a long year, and teams throughout the league start to go through the motions. Guys do the same thing on every team – there’s not a lot of variance. It’s cool to have some-thing special, even if it’s out of the ordinary. It creates a bond.”

As the Wesbo takes root as a post-victory celebration at the AESC, Ward envisions the fans getting involved in the process more directly, clapping along with the players.

“It gives a little connection between the players and the fans,” Piskula said. “So far, I feel like it’s been an exciting thing. The fans were still there, and they cheered. It’s a good connection.”

Heat use ‘the Wesbo’ to bond with their home crowd

YOU HAVE IT? WE HAUL IT!Yard Waste | Vehicles | Lumber | Roofing Material | Equipment

Scrap Metal | Farm Material | Flatbed Service | Silage Hauling

TowingLess than mostcompanies!

SUMAS PRAIRIE BIN & DECKJEFF VANDERVEEN 604.557.6203

Cheering on our teamwe're right behind you!

DanKINVIGABBOTSFORD NEWS


BENCHBEHIND

www.saveonfoods.com

2140 Sumas Way, Abbotsford Village Shopping Centre Mon-Sat 8am-10pm • Sunday 10am-6pm2388 Whatcom Road, Sumas Mountain Village Mon-Fri 9am-9pm • Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

pharmacy hours:

milkvember

PHARMACY DRIVE THRU AT WHATCOM

ROAD LOCATIONSince 1915

milkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembera Prince Charles Elementary School and Mouat Secondary Initiative

During the month of November$0.10 from every 250 ml of

milk sold at both Abbotsford Save-On-Foods locations will be

donated to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

Our goal is to raise $1000visit www.milkvember.com


A B B O T S F O R DDOWNTOWN

• B

US I N E S S A S S O C I A T I O

N •

H I S T O R I C

•

OU

R

VI B R A N T C I T Y C

EN

TE

R •

• S

HO

P • D I N E • E X P L OR

E

•

A B B O T S F O R DDOWNTOWN

H I S T O R I C

More spectacular surprises added to the lights again this year!

downtownabbotsford.com

Enter toWIN A TRIP Courtesy of Investors Group

Santa & Mrs. Claus ARRIVE AT 3PM

November

251pm-5pm

23rd annual CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

PRESENTED BY THE ABBOTSFORD DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

PREMIER SPONSOR: Investors Group

EVENT SPONSORS: Country 107.1 · Star 98.3 · Prospera · Sonic · RDM · RBCSave-On-Foods Whatcom · Salvation Army · The News · A&D Music · CostcoFirst Class Waste · City of Abbotsford · Landmark Realty · Champagne & Lace

educationcareerfairs.com

sponsored by

Wednesday, December 5, 2012Event hours: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

TroyWARD

the

BENCHBEHIND Cohesion the key for HeatIn each edition of the Abbotsford

News’s FACEOFF magazine, beat report-er Dan Kinvig chats with head coach Troy Ward about the state of the team.

For future editions of FACEOFF, fans are invited to pose their own questions for Ward. Submit your questions for con-sideration via email to [email protected], or via Twitter to @dankinvigsports.

We spoke with Ward this week as the Heat prepared to host the Oklahoma City Barons.

Q To what extent do you follow NHL lockout coverage, and what do you make of the whole debacle?

A “I don’t follow it much at all. Watching TSN, you obviously get tidbits all the time from (Darren) Dreger and com-pany about what’s going on. So I fi nd I’m very fortunate to be living where I am during the lockout, because I fi nd I’m more informed as to what’s happening compared to if I was living in the States, because it’s not their bread and butter down there.

“But I don’t really put a lot of stock into it, and I don’t get into it a lot. We’re prepared to say that at any point in time, we’re going to potential-ly lose some guys to a training camp, and some will probably never come back. We’re prepared for that, and we

know where our next group of players is going to come from.

“But I just don’t put a lot of time into it, because I can’t control it. I just know it’s a very unfortunate situation for a lot of people, both in and out of the game.”

Q You were in the running for the Calgary Flames head coaching job last summer, and I know it’s your dream to get to the NHL one day. Are you glad in some respects you’re not in the NHL right now at this point, simply in the fact you get to be working right now?

A “Yeah. I’m real fortunate that I’ve got a job where I can coach and do what I love to do every day. I’ve coached at so many levels, I just look at coaching as coaching. It doesn’t matter to me, the level I’m at, I just get to do what I love to do and make people better.

“I feel real fortunate to be where I’m at, as opposed to being locked out or being a head coach in the NHL. My heart goes out to those guys, because when you’re used to being behind the bench at this time of year, wearing suits, plugging all your time into video to fi gure out ways to win, that’s a huge void. I’m glad I don’t have to go through that. At the same

time, I feel bad for people in my busi-ness who are sitting and waiting.”

Q Your team has had such a nice start to the season (6-1-2). What’s been the most special thing for you during this time?

A “It’s been kind of nice to watch the cohesion we have, both from staff and players from last year. We’re a cohe-sive unit. We fi nished on a strong note last year, regardless of the Toronto series and how it ended. I thought we carried the play in that series, we just didn’t win hockey games.

“I felt good about that, and we’ve had some continuity and consistency to our staff and players returning. We’ve been blessed by management to have a new group joining us who fi t the criteria we have here, which is hockey sense and guys who can think.

“It’s like putting a band together – somebody’s got to be the writ-er, somebody’s got to be the bass player, and you’ve got to make good music. We’ve been able to make good music, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact we were on the same page coming back. We’ve got the same teachers in the same areas, so we’ve been pretty tight.”

www.saveonfoods.com

2140 Sumas Way, Abbotsford Village Shopping Centre Mon-Sat 8am-10pm • Sunday 10am-6pm2388 Whatcom Road, Sumas Mountain Village Mon-Fri 9am-9pm • Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

pharmacy hours:

milkvember

PHARMACY DRIVE THRU AT WHATCOM

ROAD LOCATIONSince 1915

milkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembermilkvembera Prince Charles Elementary School and Mouat Secondary Initiative

During the month of November$0.10 from every 250 ml of

milk sold at both Abbotsford Save-On-Foods locations will be

donated to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

Our goal is to raise $1000visit www.milkvember.com


pi otOrder your FRESH

T-bone Steaks, Sirloin Steaks or a variety from our on-site Sausage Kitchen.

HOCKEYIS NOT THE ONLY THING “ON ICE”

STOCK UP FOR UNEXPECTED GUESTS

THIS SEASON!

2844 Mt. Lehman RdTuesday–Saturday

8.30am–5.30pm

DALE & DIANEHERBERT 604.850.1249

H O R M O N E F R E E B E E F • C H E M I C A L F R E E C H I C K E N • FA M I LY R U N O V E R 4 0 Y E A R S

ORDER ONLINE! WWW.DAVISMEATS.CA

40%OFF

33886 Essendene Ave Abbotsford I 604.855.1888www.paliottis.ca

On the corner of Essendene & Gladys Ave. Open 7 days a week.

Buy one entree & two beverages at regular price& get a second entree of lesser value at 40% off!

Present this ad before ordering. Offer valid Sunday-Thursday for lunch & dinner until November 29th, 2012. Cannot be combined with any other

offers or specials. Dine-in only. Not valid on holidays. Maximum 2 per table.

Join us for dinner before the game! Bring on

THE HEAT!

Drop off your entry at Abby Sports Zoneor The Abbotsford News(Abby Sports Zone - 33147 South Faser Way, Abbotsford)(The Abbotsford News - 34375 Gladys Avenue, Abbotsford)

WIN $1000WIN WIN 10001000IN NEW HOCKEY EQUIPMENT

PLUS! Monthly give-aways for

Abbotsford Heat T-shirts & tickets

and Abbotsford Pilot tickets!

OPEN TO: ALL MINOR & JUNIOR HOCKEY PLAYERS!

Contest closes April 15, 2013

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Age: Division:

Winour People’s

Choice award by raising the most Money for the

cause.

NOV. 24TH AT 12PMat Garden Park TowerGirls and boys of all ages are welcome to participate!

All Donations Raised will be given to Lilee’s Family during this tough time.

Lilee is 22 months old and has undergone 12 rounds of chemo, and is waiting until she is old enough (3) to start her radiation treatment. She was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer when she was 10 months old.

Entry fee for the Pageant is $35, and all Funds raised will go directly to Lilee-Jean. Belle from Beauty and the Beast will be visiting that day, and will be crowning all the boys and girls!

CHARITY PAGEANTLove for Lilee

Divas and Diamonds Presents

For more info call 604-825-0905 or visit divasanddiamondspageant.com

OKLAHOMA CITY BARONSAf� liate: Edmonton OilersDATES: NOV. 9-10

The Barons are the most star-studded AHL team during the NHL lockout. Up-and-coming forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall are plying their trade in OKC, along with stud blueliner Justin Schultz.

LAKE ERIE MONSTERSAf� liate: Colorado AvalancheDATES: NOV. 13-14

Abbotsford native David Van der Gulik, a former member of the Heat, returns home with the Monsters. Other top prospects on the Avalanche af� liate include blueliner Tyson Barrie (10 points in 11 games), and goalie Calvin Pickard.

HAMILTON BULLDOGSAf� liate: Montreal CanadiensDATES: NOV. 30, DEC. 1

The Heat and Bulldogs boast a bit of a rivalry, dating back to a second-round play-off series in 2009-10. Hamilton still has a couple of key players who suited up in that series, including forward Aaron Palushaj and blueliner Frederic St-Denis, and they're joined by young prospects Blake Geoffrion and Brendan Gallagher.

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGEAf� liate: Florida PanthersDATES: DEC. 4-5

Former Heat forward Jon Rheault makes his return to the Abbotsford Entertain-ment and Sports Centre. He's off to a solid start with the Rampage, sitting second in team scoring (two goals, three assists in nine games). San Antonio also boasts a solid goalie tandem in Jacob Markstrom and Dov Grumet-Morris.

Coming attractions

Taking a look at the Heat's home-ice opponents


pi otp ay

Abbotsford Pilots coach Jim Cowden can’t help but marvel at how Aaron

Oakley, his No. 1 goalie, contin-ues to improve year after year.

“He’s focused, he wants to win, and he always strives to get better,” Cowden enthused. “Even this season over last season, his puckhandling ability has im-proved tremendously.

“He’s the backbone of our team.”

Talk to Oakley about what fuels his continual quest for self-bet-terment, and he discloses a lofty ambition.

“The big-picture goal is to make the NHL,” the Richmond native said. “So the next step would be to get a (NCAA) schol-arship out of junior B, or go pro, whichever is the better route.

“Every chance I go out on the ice is a chance for me to improve. I make sure I work hard, and I try to do it with a smile, too.”

Frankly, it’s unusual to hear a 20-year-old junior B player speak-ing in such optimistic tones about the NHL, but it’s refreshing.

Oakley notes that goalies tend to take longer to mature than for-wards or defencemen. The 5’10” netminder draws inspiration from Tim Thomas, a smaller keeper himself at 5’11” who didn’t make

his NHL debut until the age of 28 and didn’t establish himself as a starter with the Boston Bruins until age 32.

Oakley had hoped to make the jump to junior A this season, but he didn’t make the cut in tryouts with the Whitecourt (Alta.) Wolver-ines and the Weyburn (Sask.) Red Wings. The Wolverines, he said, didn’t want to take on a 20-year-old goalie, while the Red Wings weren’t sure about his height.

But that feedback hardly de-terred him, and he came back to Abbotsford on a mission.

Oakley’s 1.79 goals against

average is tops in the Paci�c Junior Hockey League, edging out Payton Lee of the Richmond Sockeyes (1.81), a top prospect of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. The Abby goalie’s save percent-age of .932 also leads the league, and he boasts a 9-4-0 record with one shutout.

Cowden said Oakley is also a positive locker-room presence with the Pilots, and he believes that contributes to the goalie’s success.

“He’s loved by his teammates, and they work pretty hard for him,” Cowden said. “Some-

times kids don’t work for certain goalies. If they don’t have the character, it’s not a good mix. But they love him, and he’s a huge part of our team.”

Oakley helped the Pilots win the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial title and the Keystone Cup West-ern Canadian championship in 2011-12, and he’s determined to make another deep post-season run this season.

“I really believe we can do it again,” he said. “Our whole lineup is strong, and we’ve got great character in the room. Everybody wants it.”

Oakley a pillar for PilotsDanKINVIGABBOTSFORD NEWS

John Morrow photo

Pilots goalie Aaron Oakley has been the PJHL’s top goalie this season.

ENTER AT THE HEAT GAMESATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10 TH

One lucky fan at Saturday’s game will have a chance to WIN a New Honda Fit!!

BCHD_Feb2012_2011-CR-V_4CPD_PAGEDOM_8x11.786

@BCHonda

MODEL RE3H3BEY

THE 2011 CR-V'S ARE PRICED TO MOVE

2011 CR-V LX 2WD

= $23,880

CASH PURCHASE INCENTIVE#

$27,880 – $4,000MSRP** INCLUDES FREIGHT AND PDI.

**M

SRP

is $2

7,880

incl

udin

g fr

eigh

t and

PD

I of $

1,590

. For

all

offe

rs li

cens

e, in

sura

nce,

app

licab

le ta

xes a

nd re

gist

ratio

n ar

e ex

tra.

Deal

er m

ay se

ll fo

r les

s. D

eale

r tra

de m

ay b

e re

quire

d. #

$3,5

00 H

onda

cas

h pu

rcha

se in

cent

ive

is av

aila

ble

on a

ll 20

11 CR

-V m

odel

s. H

onda

cas

h pu

rcha

se in

cent

ive

will

be

dedu

cted

from

the

nego

tiate

d pr

ice

befo

re ta

xes a

nd

cann

ot b

e co

mbi

ned

with

spec

ial l

ease

or fi

nanc

e of

fers

. Dea

ler m

ay se

ll fo

r les

s. D

eale

r tra

de m

ay b

e re

quire

d. **

/# O

ffer

s val

id fr

om Fe

brua

ry 1s

t, 20

12 th

roug

h Fe

brua

ry 2

9th,

201

2 at

par

ticip

atin

g Hon

da re

taile

rs. O

ffer

s val

id o

nly

for B

ritish

Col

umbi

a res

iden

ts a

t BC

Hon

da D

eale

rs lo

catio

ns. O

ffer

s sub

ject

to c

hang

e or

can

cella

tion

with

out n

otic

e. T

erm

s an

d co

nditi

ons a

pply

. Visi

t ww

w.b

chon

da.co

m o

r see

you

r Hon

da re

taile

r for

full

deta

ils.

604.857.1430 www.hondaway.com30150 Automall Drive

Fraser Valley Auto MallAbbotsford

Go to Section 101 (concourse)before the first intermission to enter!

Hockey Fans here’s your chance to

WIN a Brand New Honda Fit!


GIFT CARDS / LOYALTY CLUB CARDS Ask our Clerks

GIFT BAGS AVAILABLE

MT. LEHMANLIQUOR STORE

30495 Cardinal Ave Abbotsford 604.857.5630(Just east of the Mt. Lehman Auto mall entrance)

COMBINING SERVICE & VALUE WITH RESPONSIBILITY. ALL SPECIALS IN EFFECT

NOVEMBER 6 TO NOVEMBER 11, 2012. PRICES DON’T INCLUDE DEPOSIT. MAY CHANGE W/OUT NOTICE

SAVE $3.00$5699

+ deposit

SAVE $3.00$2399

+ deposit

SAVE $2.00$2399

+ depositSAVE $2.00$999+ deposit+ deposit+ deposit

BONUSTSHIRT WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST.

CAPTAINMORGAN’SSPICED RUM750ml

SAVE $2.00$2799

+ deposit

BACARDI RUM750ml

BUD / BUD LIGHT8pk cans

BONUSGLASS WITHPURCHASE. WHILEQUANTITIES LAST.

BONUSIPHONE CASE WITHPURCHASE. WHILEQUANTITIES LAST.

SAVE $2.00$949+ deposit

CARIBOO LAGER12pk cans


SAVE $2.00$1499

+ deposit

FLIP FLOPCabernet / Pinot Grigio

CUPCAKERed Velvet, Sauv Blanc

PALM BAYMandarin Orange

TUESDAY NOV 6 TOSUNDAY NOV 11

MT. LEHMANLIQUOR STORE

THAN GOVERNMENT LIQUOR STORESEVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!

LOWER PRICES6 DAY SALE

SAVE $3.00$1999

+ deposit

MOOSEHEAD12pk bottles

NEW

SAVE

$24PER CASE

BONUSGLASS WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST

SAVE $6.00$3899

+ deposit

WISER’S DELUXE1.75L

SAVE $3.00$2699

+ depositBONUSGLASS WITHPURCHASE. WHILEQUANTITIES LAST.

TANQUERAY GIN750ml

GREATVALUE

SAVE $2.00$1299

+ deposit


GREAT

PREMIUM

PRODUCTS

BONUSHAT

WITH PURCHASE

WHILE QUANTITIES

LAST

CANADIAN24pk cans

BONUSLAYNARD WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST

SAVE $2.00$1499

+ depositGREATVALUE


NAKED GRAPEMALBEC / MOSCATO750 ml

SAVE

$24PER CASE

SAVE $2.00$1899

+ deposit

HELL’SGATE15pk cans

BONUSTOQUE WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST

BONUSGLASS WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST

GRAYFOXShiraz/Chardonnay

SAWMILLCREEKDry White, 750 ml

SAVE

$24PER CASE

BONUSORANGE JUICE 1L WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST.

SAVE $3.00$2499

+ deposit

PINNACLE VODKAPremium 750ml

WINE / BEER OF THE WEEK

LOTTO MOSCATO750ml

BONUSGLASS WITH

PURCHASE. WHILE

QUANTITIES LAST

GRANVILLE MINGLER12pk bottles

WISER’S DELUXEPINNACLE VODKAPINNACLE VODKA

SAVE $2.00$1599

+ deposit

OPENDAILY

9am-11pmIncluding

Remembrance Day

NEW

KAHLUA PEPPERMINTMOCHA375ml

SAVE $3.00$3999

+ deposit

CROWN ROYAL, SMIRNOFF, BAILEYS1.14L

face off nov 2012

Documents

y f o r y o u r c h

ultra suede reg

para elite

elite eggshell reg

n c e t o w i np

n c e t o w i nvalid

premium interior eggshell

hes kind