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By Jeff D'Andrea

P.A.’s Ozar impresses at SaskFirst’s, makes fall roster

Aug 12, 2015 | 4:05 PM

He may have gone undrafted in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, and he may only be listed at five-foot-two, 100 pounds, but whatever Prince Albert’s Owen Ozar lacks in pedigree or size, he makes up for in heart.

The coaches at the SaskFirst think so as they’ve invited Ozar to their Top 26 fall camp roster after an impressive showing at their summer camp July 27-31 at Notre Dame in Wilcox.

“I think SaskFirst really likes that I’m a hard worker,” said Ozar. “I’m quick, I like to move the puck lots and I’m a player that needs the puck on his stick to succeed.”

The experience itself not only was a fruitful one for Ozar, but one he enjoyed going through. Staying in the Notre Dame dorms and working with the coaching staff featuring Brad Herauf. Herauf is in his first year as Team Saskatchewan’s head coach, after winning a SMAAAHL title with the Regina Pat Canadians last season and was recently hired as an assistant in the WHL with the Regina Pats.

“Staying in Notre Dame in the dorms, it’s really fun. You’re pretty much treated like a pro,” said Ozar. “Especially on ice, the coaches at SaskFirst are the best there is.”

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Not only that, but he’s skating around with some high-end players from the province, as well. Two of them are Prince Albert Raiders first round picks in Cole Fonstad (fifth overall) and Carson Miller (21th overall), as well as Carson Focht who was picked seventh overall by the Tri-City Americans.

“Hopefully one day, I can tell my kids that I played against these guys,” said Ozar.

Ozar piled on 32 points in 31 games with the Prince Albert Venice House Raiders in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League, the team’s second leading scorer behind Ethan Regnier. The VH Raiders finished the regular season 17-10-4 and got to the North Division final before getting swept by a strong Sask. Valley Vipers squad.

“It was a really fun season, we had a really good team,” said Ozar. “I was hoping we’d win the North final there but we couldn’t get’er. I thought I had a really good year and I thought I definitely played good enough to at least be in the conversation in the draft.

“I wasn’t too worried about it when I didn’t get drafted.”

Ozar said the only Midget AAA team he’s trying out for this offseason are his hometown Prince Albert Mintos Midget AAA team and would love to play his 15-year-old season with them.

Fonstad and Miller made the Top 26 fall roster, as did Prince Albert Mintos committed players in defenceman Layne Matechuk (Medicine Hat, second round, 40th overall) and goaltender Jake Davidson (Calgary Hitmen, fourth round, 77th overall).

The Fall Camp will take place late in September and from there, the final U-16 Team Saskatchewan squad will be assembled for the Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup set for October 27 – November 1, 2015 in Calgary.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea 

by Jeff D'Andrea

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