Ramblinglily seeks revenge
Mare looking to start new win streak tonight in Charlottetown Former Charlottetown Islanders centre Filip Rydstrom joining UPEI Panthers
Old Home Week racing saw the end of Ramblinglily’s eightrace win streak, but the veteran pacing mare will try to turn the table on her last two foes in tonight’s open pacing mares race at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6 p.m. for the 11-dash card with Walter Cheverie attempting to reestablish Ramblinglily’s win streak from the outside post in the Race 10 $2,250 open mares pace with a compact field of five.
Prettyndangerous has been razor sharp in her last two outings, landing on the line first in both events for driver Adam Merner, trainer and co-owner Bo Ford and co-owner Arnold Myers, all of Charlottetown. The Post 3 starter also has Shadow’s Mystery to her outside from Post 4 after the mare was responsible for knocking off Ramblinglily on Aug. 12 for driver Kenny Arsenault and trainer Jackie Matheson.
“Ramblinglily has gone two straight without a win which is an eternity for her,” said analyst Les MacIsaac. “We know now that she can be beaten but the question is, will it happen three times in a row? I can’t see it.”
Summerside
Sunday afternoon will see a two-year-old stakes invasion at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway as the Prince County Oval plays host to the Joe O’Brien Memorial and Lady Slipper stakes.
First race post time is 1 p.m. for the 10-dash card with more than $71,000 in purse money on the lines. Royaltywestho is favoured in one of the richest tests of the day but has to overcome the outside post-position for a $10,750 pot in a Lady Slipper gold division for two-yearold pacing fillies.
The other $10,750 two-yearold pacing filly Lady Slipper division is in Race 7 with Woodmere Ceilidh drawing Post 5 in a field of six for trainer-driver Clare MacDonald and owner Chris Neville of Sydney, N.S. The daughter of Articulator had a maiden breaking victory in her last start with a 1:59.2 victory in Charlottetown.
The card has a trio of twoyear-old pacing fillies Lady Slipper Grassroots divisions for $5,500 purses in Races 1, 4 and 8.
The Joe O’Brien Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts hit the track in gold division action in Races 5 and 9 for $9,400 purses in each.
Filip Rydstrom is bringing his physical brand of hockey back to Prince Edward Island.
The former Charlottetown Islanders centre will suit up for the UPEI Panthers this season after playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) a year ago.
“I love Charlottetown, that’s why I’m going back there,” he said Friday from Sweden.
Rydstrom talked with Panthers bench boss Forbes MacPherson two years ago during his second season with the Islanders. Charlottetown decided not to bring him back a year ago, not because of his play, but because he would have counted as one of the team’s three overage players and two European imports.
MacPherson reached out again this year and it didn’t take long for Rydstrom to jump on board.
“Back home, there’s nothing like playing university hockey on that level,” Rydstrom said. “When he called me at the beginning of this summer, I just knew right away that this was what I wanted to do.”
It shows the importance of building and maintaining relationships, even when players don’t commit right away to a university program.
The Panthers have had a few
similar
“You can’t close a book on anyone, and that’s sort of our strategy and philosophy here,” MacPherson said. “You realize quickly, when it comes to university, everyone is on a different timeline. . .
“We’ve been fortunate, at times, where kind of the wagon has circled back and they end up at UPEI.”
MacPherson said the first thing that attracted him to Rydstrom was his size.
“He’s a big body that plays centre ice. Those are not easy to find, especially at the U Sports level,” he said, and “he has a very high level of compete.”
One of Rydstrom’s former coaches described the pivot
stories
in
recent
seasons.
as a survivor to the UPEI head coach.
“He has fought for everything he’s received,” said MacPherson, noting Rydstrom left home at an early age and has continued to improve while handling a new language and culture.
Troy and Joanna MacKenzie were his billet family for his two years in Charlottetown and became a second family for Rydstrom.
“The way they treated me is something I will always be grateful for and I’m really excited to see them again,” Rydstrom said.
Rydstrom said he became stronger and faster during the past year, but fans can expect the same kind of player they remember from his days in the
black and
Islanders.
“I’m still the two-way centre I’ve always been and that’s the way I want to play hockey because I think that’s the right way,” he said.
Rydstrom became a physical force in his rookie season when teamed with linemates Ross Johnston and Oliver Cooper.
So what happens when the Panthers play the UNB Varsity Reds and Cooper has the puck in the corner?
“He’s probably one of the best (people) I’ve played with,” Rydstrom said. “It will be fun. I’m excited to play against him. I think we’ll probably have a couple of heated moments, but, at the end of the day, it’s just hockey.”
gold
jersey
Defencemen
Alex McQuaid, Summerside Capitals (MHL), Meadowbank, 21. Tanner McCabe, Summerside Capitals (MHL), Cornwall, 20. Olivier Arsenau, Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL), Tracadie-Sheila, N.B., 21.
Forwards
Nathan Yetman, Summerside Capitals (MHL), Mount Pearl, N.L., 21. Filip Rydstrom, Omaha (USHL), Vallentuna, Sweden, 21.
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