Looking for what's happening within BC Hockey? Look no further as Off the Bench is your monthly clip of highlights and upcoming events!

Hockey in BC and the Yukon would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of thousands of volunteers.

Garen Arnet-Zargarian (Vancouver) is one (1) of three (3) BC Hockey Harassment Ombudsperson's, serving as the contact for all formal complaints of harassment and abuse.

He grew up playing hockey in Ottawa before graduating as valedictorian from the University of BC (UBC) with a law degree in 2016. 

BC Hockey: Why volunteer?

GAZ: I volunteer with BC Hockey to help create a positive atmosphere as much as possible for youth playing hockey. My personal moments in and around hockey were some of the most prized of my childhood and I want others to experience the same.

BC Hockey: What is something that we may not know about you?

GAZ: Before becoming a lawyer, I worked as a salmon fisherman and a pest control technician. I think the later helped prepare me for criminal defence work.

BC Hockey: What is your favourite trip?

GAZ: The best place I've traveled to is Haida Gwaii. The most fun trip I have done was a bicycle ride from Vancouver to Mexico along the pacific coast.

Thank you Garen for all you do for hockey!

Cecil Thompson, better known as "Tiny," was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959. At 5'10" and 170 pounds, he was not tiny as his nickname would have you believe. Tiny was born in Sandon, BC, now a ghost town, but was a bustling mining hub at the time.

Thompson joined the Boston Bruins for the 1928 - 1929 season and his heroics led the team to their first Stanley Cup. After 10 seasons in Boston, Tiny was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, where he completed his National Hockey League (NHL) career. 

He was the first player from BC to ever play in the NHL, but was not the first player to win the Stanley Cup. That honour goes to the Vancouver Millionaires who won the coveted trophy before it was exclusive to the NHL.

Tiny earned an unprecedented four (4) Vezina Trophies, four (4) NHL All-Star Team selections and recorded a staggering total of 81 shutouts in his 12 years in the NHL. He was the first goaltender in the NHL to record an assist by passing the puck with his stick to another player.

He will forever be remembered as the goalie in the 1933 marathon playoff game between Boston and Toronto. The game featured over 104 minutes of overtime in addition to the regulation 60 minutes before Toronto finally found the back of the net on Tiny in a 1-0 Stanley Cup playoff classic.

Thompson was a stand-up goaltender, rarely falling on both knees to stop a puck. He was one of the first NHL goaltenders to catch the puck with his hand to make a save, and helped popularize the technique. Using gloves that were smaller than those of other players, he was among the best puck-catchers of his era. He stood in the way of the puck with minimal padding, risking being struck when moving to catch it instead of simply deflecting it away from the net.

READ MORE OF BC HOCKEY'S HISTORY

After an amazing weekend of hockey at Haley Wickenheiser's Female World Hockey Festival in Calgary, Alberta, the Bantam Royals, based out of Victoria, went to the gold medal final after three (3) wins and a loss in round robin play.

The Royals met the only team that handed them a loss, the Turtleford North West Sharks. They were down 0-2 with 2:34 on the clock in the third when Makenna Percival blocked a slapshot from Turtleford's defenceman, bouncing the puck forward giving her an opportunity for a breakaway. She scored! With 1:33 left in the game, Emma Wright tied the game for the Royals off a beautiful pass from Ava Kennedy. Just 15 seconds later, Percival got possesion of the puck, rushed the net, backhanded the puck to Jada Leung who found the back of the net. Game winning goal! The Royals scored all three (3) of their goals within a minute and 15 seconds to bring home the gold medal!

It was a spectacular comeback, but overall, a fantastic tournament where the girls all got to meet Wickenheiser and hear some very inspirational and motivational discussions, hold and get pictures of her Olympic medals and participate in an event that has left them feeling exhilarated and excited to play hockey!

c/o Quesnel Observer

Who among us loyal ice hockey fans has never hurled unsavoury phrases at a referee? Let's be honest, we all have. That being said, the wearers of the black and white play a crucial role in keeping the flow of the game going and ensuring no one is beaten to a pulp by a storm of sticks or drop-kicked with a particularly sharp pair of skates. As a result, we owe them some gratitude and a touch of respect.

The best in the business start young. Developing proficiency at calling one of the fastest sports in the world takes hundreds hours on the ice. Jackson Heinzelman, 12, decided to take up the practice this year. "it's just another thing to do instead of just staying home," he says. "I really like hockey and it's fun getting the extra ice time."

The young linesman says the job has helped improve his skating quite a bit and as a rookie, he is learning a lot every time he goes out to the rink. "I'm working on seeing more of the ice," he says. "I'm trying to envision the whole play, because sometimes I miss players going offside."

Heinzelman's partner during a recent Pee Wee tournament was Justin Salmons, a 16-year-old with a little more experience. Having been a linesman/referee for a little over two (2) years, he has seen many sticky situations. "Coaches getting mad, players getting mad, fans getting mad," he says when asked who he has dealt with over his career so far.

One situation comes to mind where he had to draw the line. "When I was reffing a Pee Wee rep game, I gave a penalty with eight (8) seconds left that helped Quesnel win, which the other coach through was pretty unfair. But it was a clear penalty. I was getting yelled at, so I had to tell the coach to settle down.

Like any role where a responsibility for fairness exists, some oversight must be present. Rachel Robilliard works with BC Hockey as minor mentor for new referees. She sees them having to deal with situations many of their peers wouldn't. "Some of these kids are 13-years-old and having an adult yell at them," she says. "I've had to step in a few times in Prince George and talk to parents, but for the most part, I like to try to get the young kids to deal with it properly.

They are encouraged to go through all the processes they are taught.

1. Ask the belligerent party to politely stop;
2. Warn them that their behaviour will no longer be tolerated, and when that fails,
3. Ask them to leave.

c/o Coast Reporter

The Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Association (SCMHA) hosted several teams from Qiqihar, China back in February. Players participated in a hockey tournament at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre that was built around providing a truly Canadian cultural experience.

The tournament was such a great success that the organizers from the group who helped bring the Chinese players to Canada have now arranged for 17 hockey players to travel from the Sunshine Coast to Beijing, China. Players depart on December 13 and arrive back in Canada on December 19. A travelling team of 11 and 12-year-old hockey players have been selected to represent Canada in this once in a lifetime opportunity on the international stage.

Vernon Hu, Vice President Corporate Development, Group 2022, is spearheading the process in coordination with the Board of Directors at the SCMHA. Hu says that leading up to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government has been encouraging participation in many winter sports, including hockey, as they build awareness around the upcoming winter games.

The Sunshine Coast players, their families and team managers Lisa Stiver and Stu Frizzell are now in the process of applying for travel visas, making sure passports are up-to-date and finalizing travel arrangements.

The team will be on a very tight schedule during their six (6) day trip to Beijing. All games will be held on an outdoor rink, which is being constructed right downtown between two (2) large Olympic venues. The four (4) coaches selected to travel with the team are: Aaron Hamilton, Declan McKevitt, Mark Toynbee and Jim Dorey. They will be responsible for teaching the players any slight nuances of the Chinese game, which is played under the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules.

GOOD LUCK GIRLS!

c/o The Link

Described as inspirational and never let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams, the women's ice hockey team from Ladakh, India made an appearance in Surrey on November 13, 2018 before traveling to their first appearance at Canadian ice hockey great Hayley Wickenheiser's annual tournament.

"If you have ever heard of an ice hockey team from India, let alone a female one, you are not alone. Even I thought I was coming to a press conference for a field hockey team from India! But these young women from the far corners of India (from Ladakh in J&K state) are a unique and inspiring bunch. They inspired Canadian hockey great Hayley Wickenheiser to invite the team to get Canadian Tire to back WickFest," wrote LINK editor R. Paul Dhillon on his Facebook page.

Local Indo-Canadians, including Julie Sanghera and Meera Schippe, also helped raise funds for the team to travel from India to Canada. The team's story is a great story of persistence, passion and desire to play the sport no matter the odds. A great example and role model for young women and men everywhere.

After years of hard work on and off the ice, and thanks to special invitation from six (6) time Olympian, the team, who overcame strong societal and familial pressures in an effort to grow the game in India, competed at the ninth annual Canadian Tire WickFest.

With Christmas right around the corner, the BC Hockey Locker Room offers you a convenient way to pick out gifts & shop for yourself. Gear up with BC Hockey!

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