Redden on the Raiders: Montreal Lake Marine spreading hockey in the south, Hayes sets the tone

Through 20 years in the Marines, Beatty said he served in conflicts all over the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times. However, the part he enjoyed most was the lower profile humanitarian work, helping communities in places like Haiti and Djibouti, Ethiopia.

“We did so much to restore communities out there, their schools, their churches, things like that. Providing things they’ve never had before like running water and electricity, things like that just build your heart,” Beatty said.

Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Beatty was on the first ship that landed ashore to help provide relief to the nation.

Beatty brought this message of teamwork and sacrifice to the Raiders on Friday as he unfortunately had to return to Saskatchewan to attend his mother’s funeral. He was brought to the Art Hauser Centre by childhood friend Jared Nelson, who has worked closely with the Raiders for years, helping provide players from all over the world with outdoor opportunities like ice fishing, canoeing, and camping in the Lakeland region.

Two years post-retirement, Beatty has kept himself busy by pursuing his passion for service in his new home of North Carolina. He is the founder of a non-profit organization called the Triad Veterans Hockey Association, providing an opportunity for military members and first responders to play hockey together in the Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem region, known as the Triad.

“We put them on the ice, we buy their equipment for them, and we provide them an outlet for comradery, brotherhood, the kinds of things they lost after getting out,” Beatty said before acknowledging the reality that faces many former service people.

“The thing with the military, once a lot of guys get out, suicide is a big thing…we’ve helped a few guys now from actually committing acts like that, and that’s the whole intent of that organization. It’s just a good thing,” Beatty explained.

The Saskatchewan transplant has been the leading charge behind creating the organization and finding support from the corporate community in the region. He has found enough funding to pay for ice time, equipment for those who want to take to the ice, and even to help individuals out with personal expenses if they are facing a difficult situation.

Beatty credits his mother, who passed away earlier this month, as the backbone of everything he has accomplished. He said that she provided him with discipline right from the start, keeping him on track as he worked his way through high school and into the Marine Corps, where discipline continued to be the core value for his entire career.

On the ice Friday night, it was a gutsy effort from the Raiders as they battled their way to a 3-2 victory over the league-leading Oil Kings.

Early in the contest, captain Zack Hayes took a puck to the face in a scary incident, but only missed one shift before returning to the ice with a cage attached to his helmet.

Looking down from Section nine, Beatty was smiling as he recognized the sacrifice it took to accomplish a team goal.

Hayes sets the tone

It’s no surprise at this point Zack Hayes would bounce back after taking a puck off the face to return to action as quick as he can.

He’s been a difference-maker against the Oil Kings this season, setting the tone physically and making Edmonton uncomfortable when he’s on the ice. His play was a big factor in the win on Friday, and on Saturday you could see a similar response from Kaiden Guhle.

Early in Saturday’s game against Medicine Hat, Guhle took a high-stick that drew blood and swelled his upper lip up to a point that talking was difficult. That didn’t take him out of the game, nor did an ugly knee-on-knee hit early in the third period. Just minutes after escaping injury from the collision, Guhle lit the lamp to tie the game, forcing extra time against the Tigers.

Medicine Hat took the game in a shootout, but the Raiders were able to pick up a point and carried that momentum into a 3-0 victory Wednesday night. In that contest, Guhle’s late second-period goal to get the Raiders on the board stood up as the game winner.

Dubbed the “nailgun” by his coaching staff, Guhle has shown a willingness to persevere through pain to play, following the lead of his captain. He brings plenty of grit with his game and his offensive game continues to blossom as he sits tied for 16^th among WHL in points and tied for 10^th in goals.

Odnokon a Raider through and through

Skills coach Mark Odnokon joined me this week on the CKBI Overtime podcast, sharing stories from his career that began as a stick boy with the Raiders in the mid-1970s. Since then, he’s worn the jersey as a player and served as a coach in multiple capacities with the team.

His career has taken him many places at the junior, collegiate, and professional level, but now back here to Prince Albert where he works with the team and at Carlton Comprehensive High School.

Homestand comes to an end

Friday’s showdown with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, boasting a trio of World Junior talent with Dylan Cozens and Calen Addison [Canada] along with Oliver Okuliar [Slovakia], will wrap up a four-game homestand for Prince Albert.

So far, they’ve taken five of a possible six points on home ice and will look to make it seven against the Hurricanes.

On Saturday, the Raiders start a run of four in a round away from home against Central Division teams. First, it’s a trip to Swift Current, followed by a three-game swing to face Medicine Hat, Calgary, and Lethbridge.

There will be plenty of scoreboard watching along the way to see how the other East Division teams are making out, as the Raiders enter this weekend tied for first with Winnipeg, five points up on third-place Brandon, and seven points up on fourth-place Saskatoon.

Once Prince Albert returns from the Alberta swing, there will be 15 games remaining on the schedule, and 13 will be against East Division opponents.

The race is on.

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Trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden

by Trevor Redden

Redden on the Raiders: Montreal Lake Marine spreading hockey in the south, Hayes sets the tone

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