Inaugural Oskana Cup tournament a success

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It had been awhile since an Aboriginal hockey tournament had been staged in the Queen City but organizers are rather pleased with how things transpired at the inaugural Oskana Cup, held March 3 to 5 in Regina.

A total of 17 clubs, competing in three different divisions, took part in the event.

"We're very pleased with it, being our first time with this event," said tournament chairman Milt Tootoosis.

The Oskana Cup is believed to be the first Aboriginal tournament held in Regina in five years. The city had previously played host to the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College Cup during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Other Native tournaments were also held in Regina after that but they never continued on. Tootoosis is hoping the Oskana Cup will become a regular fixture on the city's sporting calendar.

"Hopefully, it will be a little bit bigger next year," he added.

Tootoosis had originally hoped to attract between 24 and 30 squads to this year's event. With an increased awareness about the tournament, he's now hoping those numbers will be reached at the 2007 event.

Former National Hockey League (NHL) star Reggie Leach was the biggest attraction at this year's tourney.

Leach, who played 13 seasons in the NHL, suited up for the First Nations University of Canada Alumni, a Regina-based team in the masters (35 and over) division.

Leach's squad defeated another Saskatchewan-based side dubbed Kahkewistahaw Home Hardware 6-4 in the masters championship final. There were seven participating clubs in the masters division.

To make things a bit more interesting, Tootoosis said Leach was allowed to be a rover during the tournament. Besides playing for the First Nations University of Canada Alumni squad, organizers also gave him the green light to suit up for three other masters teams for portions of their matches.

"We did that to spread him around, to allow other players to meet him and to play with or against him," Tootoosis said.

Leach, who is now 55, played in 1,028 NHL games and accumulated 735 points (428 goals, 307 assists) from 1970 to 1983.

During his NHL career, he had stints with the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. Born in Riverton, Man., Leach now lives in Newark, Delaware.

As for the senior men's recreational category, the Oskana Cup featured eight competing teams.

A southern Saskatchewan-based team dubbed Carry the Kettle Ochapowace defeated another Saskatchewan club representing Cote First Nation 6-2 in the championship final.

Meanwhile, there were just two entrants in the women's division.

The First Nations University of Canada Alumni-the female version-defeated another Saskatchewan squad named the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council Blazers in a two-game, total goal series.

This year's Oskana Cup included just one out-of-province team. That was a side from Sioux Valley, Man., that competed in the masters division, although several other players from Alberta and Manitoba suited up for Saskatchewan-based entries.