Local hockey teams have begun the pursuit of the sport’s Holy Grail, hoping to capture one of those elusive provincial titles.
Four Shaunavon teams - three minor hockey squads and the Senior Badgers - have entered this year’s provincial tournament, with varying levels of excitement and optimism among the different age groups.
But winning an SHA championship isn’t easy. That’s what makes them so treasured.
In fact, heading into this season only one Shaunavon hockey team had ever won a provincial title. That championship came in the Pee Wee “C” division in 2009.
Perhaps the biggest hope for a Saskatchewan title rests this year with the Senior Badgers.

After three straight appearances in the provincial Senior “B” final, where they lost each time to different opponents, the Badgers are hoping to reverse that trend this year.
“Certainly with the team we’ve assembled this year, and the fact we’ve been to the provincial finals the last three seasons, expectations are going to be understandably pretty high,” said Badger coach Jason Girodat. “But we’re facing a very tough opponent from Assiniboia in the first round and anything can happen.”
Girodat could point to the team’s last three provincial runs as an example of that “anything can happen” adage. While the Badgers ultimately advanced to the provincial final in 2009, 2010 and 2011, they certainly benefitted from good fortune along the way.
In the first round of the 2010 SHA playoffs, for instance, the Badgers had to score three times in the final 11 minutes of the game to tie the Rouleau Ramblers 7-7 before eventually winning the series in overtime.
Last year, the team dropped a two-goal decision to Montmartre in the first game of the total-point showdown before rebounding for a 7-2 victory in the second contest to capture the opening round series.
“It can be a crapshoot,” admitted Girodat. “Especially in a short, two-game total-point series. If you have a bad period it could be enough to get you knocked out.”
“It’s the luck of the draw sometimes,” he added. “You could theoretically have the best two teams in the province facing off against each other in the first round. And my guess is that Shaunavon and Assiniboia are going to be two of the better teams from the South.”
Shaunavon is in first place in the Whitemud Hockey League while Assiniboia currently sits on top of the Notekeu Hockey League standings.
The squad includes the usual cast of local stalwarts, including the Hunter brothers, led by team captain J.J. Hunter.  J.J. played several years in the American Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers farm system, while both Luke and Dusty played junior hockey but had professional careers cut short by injuries.
Other contributions will come from players like Trevor Aadland (6th) and Tanner Tetrault (18th), who are among the top 20 scorers in the Whitemud Hockey League this year.
Key additions to the Badgers this season include Rej Stringer (a former European and AHL veteran) of Gravelbourg who played on the Shaunavon provincial team last year but has joined the regular season lineup this season.
The same goes for Todd Hornung, one of the top Whitemud Hockey League players, who joined the Badgers for the 2011/2012 campaign after the Eastend Jets took a leave of absence from the WMHL. Hornung, who was drafted in the third round by the Washington Capitals in 1998, has played for Badger provincial teams the past three years.
Another elite WMHL player, winger Geoff Fisher of the Consul Rockets, has also agreed to join the Badger’s provincial effort for the fourth straight year. Fisher has been the Whitemud League MVP and leading scorer the past two seasons and is once again near the top of the leaderboard this year.
Along with those familiar faces, the Badgers have also welcomed several impressive newcomers to the roster including former Swift Current Bronco (and current assistant coach) Andy Schneider. Schneider played several years of professional hockey in Europe and North America and even spent a 10-game stint with the Ottawa Senators.
Kirk and Milt Mastad, brothers who play out of Glentworth, are two more players picked up to bolster the Shaunavon roster. Milt, who was selected in the 6th round of the 1993 NHL draft by the Boston Bruins, spent almost a decade playing professional hockey in the AHL, IHL and ECHL, playing for teams like the Providence Bruins, Charlotte Checkers, Hampton Road Admirals, Michigan K-Wings, Louisiana Ice Gators. Kirk, meanwhile, spent a pair of seasons with the Melville Millionaires of the SJHL
Evan Schafer, who was a fourth round draft pick of the Florida Panthers in 2004, has also been playing this season with the Badgers. Schafer’s playing career included four years in the WHL and another four years at the U of S.
Another key addition will be Justin Menke who is playing this season with the Hodgeville Huskies. Menke spent three years with the Yorkton Terriers and four years at Ferris State University in the U.S.
The Badgers should also be strong in net again led by former University of Saskatchewan netminder Russ Monette along with Jamie Poppy, who has shouldered the bulk of the goaltending load for the Badgers this season.
The defensive corps also includes veteran Badgers such as Blair Simpson, Clay Weppler and Quintin Cairns, who all played at least some level of junior hockey. Of that group, Simpson has the most accomplished resume, having played for the Medicine Hat Tigers and Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL as well as the University of Regina.
Rod Thienes, Ty Hunter and Evan Horn round out the formidable defensive unit.
Up front the roster will be bolstered by the presence of players such as young guns Tanner Tetrault, Donavon Henrion and Cory Verpy.  Conrad Pearce and assistant captain Ryan Wallis, who is the longest serving member of the team, add depth and experience to a powerhouse lineup.
While it might be a bit premature to rank Shaunavon as the favourite to win the provincial title - especially with so many other good teams in the mix - the Badgers have nevertheless, assembled an extraordinarily strong group of talented athletes.
In all, the team has more than a dozen players that competed at the junior, professional or collegiate level.
“We’ve been working on this almost from the moment we lost out to Rosetown last year,” said Girodat. “It’s not something that just happens, it takes a lot of work.”
“On paper I would say this is the strongest team we've ever had,” he stated. “But you never know how everyone is going to gel.”
“That hasn’t been a problem in the past - players who have competed at such a high level don’t usually have a problem making adjustments - but until you actually play the games you never know what kind of team you are going to have.”