HABS’ TATAR SURPRISES KIDS
New equipment for Boys and Girls Club
What does an NHL player do when he has a free afternoon?
If you’re Tomas Tatar, you might drop in at the Dawson Boys and Girls Club in Verdun to spend time with the 20 youngsters involved in the recreation centre’s after-school ball hockey program.
Tatar dropped in Friday and it was apparent he has formed a bond with the boys and girls. He asked them about school, and when one youngster half-apologized for wearing a Canadiens T-shirt with Brendan Gallagher’s name on the back, Tatar said: “That’s okay, I’m sure Gally will feel good about it.”
After a few minutes of touching base, Tatar unveiled a surprise, taking the wraps off a pile of new equipment, courtesy of Tatar and the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation. There were new running shoes, sticks, shin pads, gloves and a full set of Canadiens sweaters with Tatar’s name and No. 90 on the back.
“When I started coming here in November, I noticed that the equipment they were using was old and I decided to do something about it,” Tatar said.
Tatar presided over the distribution of the new equipment and helped the centre’s animators as they tied shoe laces and showed the youngsters how to put on shin pads. Tatar personally measured the sticks so they could be cut down to the proper size.
When the youngsters were outfitted, they engaged in a spirited scrimmage with Tatar joining in the action, serving as a playmaker, coach and cheerleader.
“Tomas has been really great with the youngsters,” said Chad Polito, the club’s director. “It’s an introduction to hockey, but we’re also teaching the youngsters about leadership, teamwork and setting goals. Tomas is good because he doesn’t talk down to the kids. He takes an interest in them, sends them cards on their birthday.”
While most of the participants are boys, there are girls like Mia Lapierre. She’s played ice hockey against boys in the past and currently plays ringette. She said she has no problem competing against boys because “everyone knows girls are stronger than boys.”
A YLONEN SNEAK PREVIEW
The Lahti Pelicans are going nowhere in the Finnish Liiga and the team has decided to let Jesse Ylonen skip the final two weeks of the regular season so he can get a head start on his transition to North American hockey.
The 6-foot, 170-pound right winger will join the Laval Rocket on a trial basis next week. Ylonen, who was drafted in the second round (35th overall) in 2018, has been playing against men the past two seasons and he has 12 goals and 10 assists in 53 games this season. He has good wheels and helped Finland win the world junior championships last year, scoring three goals and adding three assists in seven games. There is one jarring stat on his resumé this season — he’s minus-20 playing
on a terrible team.
GIGUÈRE A KAZMAIER FINALIST
Elizabeth Giguère, a Clarkson University junior from Quebec City, is among the 10 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which goes to the top women’s player in U.S. college hockey.
Giguère, who leads the NCAA with 35 goals, is expected to be part of Canada’s Olympic team in 2022. She helped Clarkson win its second consecutive NCAA title two years ago and the team is currently ranked seventh in the U.S.
Giguère is the daughter of former NHL goaltender Jean-sébastian Giguère, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs, even though Giguère and the Mighty Ducks lost to New Jersey in a seven-game final. Giguère had a 15-6 record in the playoffs with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage.
Another Clarkson player, Gabrielle David of Drummondville, is among the finalists for NCAA rookie of the year. Giguère and David both played at Stanstead College before moving to CEGEP Limoilou.