Eston Ramblers push for provincial crown

By Jordan Parker

Their SVHL playoffs may not have bore fruit, but the Eston Ramblers have hit the Hockey Sask Senior C Provincial finals against the Kenaston Blizzards.

The Kyle Elks eliminated Eston in three games – finishing them off on March 1, 2023 in Kyle to sweep the series.

“They’re a hard-nosed team. They play well and they’re good defensively. The forwards play well in the d-zone too. They don’t give up much and create good chances,” said player Cam Oliphant.

Eston Ramblers captain, Cam Oliphant. Photo by Helenka Bernard

“Things didn’t go how we wanted, and I give them credit. The core of their team has been together a long time, and they know how to win. They play their system and do it well.”

Kyle will now face the Kenaston Blizzards in the final, and it’s set to be an on-ice battle for the ages.

“They’re just a really good team. They finished first in the league during the regular season, so i don’t know how that series will go,” he said.

“Kenaston is also a high-talent group. I think it will go at least four games before we have our league champions.”

While things didn’t go their way in SVHL action, Oliphant was still happy with the way the team played overall.

“With what we had, it was tough playing in league and provincials. With all that hockey, I thought we played well and worked hard. We just couldn’t find our way,” he said.

He says Game Two was particularly frustrating as a group, and wishes that outcome had been different.

“We were up, and we took our foot off the pedal. They sensed it, they gained momentum, and they kept it rolling shift-after-shift,” he said. “It was a slippery slope for us. We let them off the hook at home. Then they got two games up and we went to Kyle for game three. It didn’t turn out.”

Eston expects a big series out of Kenaston. Their first game on Saturday ended in a score of 8-3 loss to the Blizzards. Game two is slated for March 25 in Kenaston.

“They’ve been playing good hockey. Their path to us meant they beat a lot of good teams. It’s going to be high offense and a lot of their upfront forwards and d-men contribute on the scoresheet. They’re a skilled group,” he said.

“We need to be stingy on D. They have a strong powerplay and staying out of the box is key. We need to limit their chances.”

For a team that finished middle-of-the-pack in the regular season, Eston has come a long way in provincials.

“All year, when we were playing good hockey, the biggest issue was we couldn’t put a full 60-minute effort together. There were always flashes of greatness,” he said.

With the addition of four more players for provincials, Oliphant attributes some success to the added depth.

“It certainly goes a long way. I’m not super surprised we’re in the finals. We have a good team, but there are challenges ahead. Hopefully we’re up to the task.”

The teams next play on Saturday, March 25th at 7:30 p.m. in Kenaston.