Local teams plays Japanese team

Page 13

Friday the 13th, February 1987 proved to be an unlucky day for a touring Japanese National All-star team, who lost to the Bonnyville Pontiacs and Centennial League All-stars 13-2 at the Bonnyville R.J. Lalonde Arena where fans were treated to a fine display of international hockey.

I followed Roy John and his wife Brenda to the Black Gold restaurant in Bonnyville where we sat down for breakfast and a talk about the game.

John told the waitress eggs and bacon would be fine, I ordered mine sunny-sideup with some sausages, and Brenda asked for a sandwich.

John, who is the leading point getter on the Bonnyville Pontiacs and second over-all for Centennial League scorers, got two goals for the wining all-star team, which was made up of the best players in the Centennial League.

"The bulk of the scoring came from an all Native line from Goodfish. They got about six goals," remarked John. He says that one of the highlights of the international event happened when Benny Houle from Goodfish was presented with the game's Most Valuable Player Award.

We started into our meal and I asked John if this was the first international hockey game the home-town fans had ever seen.

"No," he replied, "we played the Japanese all-stars four years ago and beat them

5-0. But, the team we played last night had different players participating in the game that weren't here the last time."

The visiting all-star team will be going to Stony Plain next, Taber, Brooks and will end their tour in Grande Prairie. Somewhere along the tour they hope to catch a glimpse of Wayne Gretzsky and do some sightseeing at West Edmonton Mall.

After a hardy breakfast, John added that negotiations were already on the way for next year's international exhibition game against either a Czechoslovakian or Russian all-star team.

"We played a team from Czechoslovakia three years ago. So, naturally we'd pick the Russian team,"explained John, "because I don't think anyone in this area has ever played a Russian team before."