Ahtahkakoop’s Fred Sasakamoose, (with the traditional head dress) the first First Nations player with treaty status to play in the NHL, and Bridget Lacquette (with the red hat) the first Indigenous player on Canada’s Olympic women’s team, were honoured at the ceremonial face-off at the NHL Tim Hortons Heritage Classic Saturday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. (Indigenous Hockey/Facebook)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Heritage Classic

Heritage Classic the most Saskatchewan experience ever

Oct 27, 2019 | 4:00 PM

There might not have been a Saskatchewan-born player participating at the NHL Tim Hortons Heritage Classic in Regina’s Mosaic Stadium on Saturday, but it might have been the most Saskatchewan experience of all time.

As the sold-out crowd of 33,518 fans crowded around the palace where the beloved Riders play, they got that cold cutting Sask wind in excess of 60 km/h to keep them company as they waited to get in.

Once they entered, the concession stands were ready to serve piping hot perogies with sour cream.

The Sheepdogs from Saskatoon and Jess Moskaluke from Langenburg were the musical acts between the intermissions. There was a sing-a-long to the ‘Last Saskatchewan Pirate.’ They even played the now infamous ‘Experience Regina’ between a stoppage of play in the third period.

Ahtahkakoop’s Fred Sasakamoose, the first First Nations player with treaty status to play in the NHL, and Bridget Lacquette the first Indigenous player on Canada’s Olympic women’s team with strong Saskatchewan ties, were both honoured as part of the pre-game ceremony.

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Even Don Cherry was wearing a special Riders-themed suit. It couldn’t have made it more of a Sask experience if they tried.

Saskatchewan may not have an NHL team, but if Saturday’s game was any indication, they love the game of hockey just as much as any other Canadian market.

Anybody at the game that tried to go to the washroom, or to a merch stand knows just how insanely packed it was—despite having the game held in by far the biggest sporting venue in the province. All of downtown Regina was flooded with Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine jerseys.

Watching the game itself, it felt so right. The Mosaic Stadium lights were sure to make every snowflake visible as they slowly descended onto the ice surface. Watching a hockey game being played outside in the snow, it brought me back to my eight-year-old self. I could hear mom yelling at my brother Bryan and I to come in because it was too dark, or supper was ready. We always stole another ten minutes.

I’ve watched Josh Morrissey play a lot of games back when he was with the Prince Albert Raiders, but it was something else to watch him at this once-in-a-lifetime experience. He was even involved in one of the biggest plays of the game, an absolute laser beam of a slap shot to tie the game with 4:11 left in the third period. The Jets eventually won the game against the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime, when Brian Little ended it 3:04 into overtime.

The Heritage Classic was a welcome celebration of hockey, and I was so glad to be a part of it.

Editor’s note: this article was amended Oct.28 to make clear Jess Moskaluke is from Langenburg.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW