The Prince Albert Raiders are bringing the raid to the WHL playoffs! The Raiders take on the Red Deer Rebels in the 1st round.

Last night the CFL announced the winner of the 2025 CFL Coach of the Year. That winner is Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach, Corey Mace. Naylor was on hand for the announcement.

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the bubble teams that are battling for a Wild Card spot to get into the NHL playoffs. Will they make it? And is the “Yzer-plan” working?4:05 – Britton Gray, Green Zone Rider Reporter

Britton Gray weighs in on Corey Mace being named the 2025 Coach of the Year. And Britton was on hand for the Moose Jaw/Regina AAA hockey game last night that went into overtime! Who will prevail in this series?4:35 – The IOC Sets Its Rules For Transgender Athletes

The International Olympic Committee had made its final ruling on whether transgender athletes can compete at the Olympics. Jamie & Locker have the details.

The restaurant opened early to host fans for the Olympic gold medal men’s hockey game between Canada and the U.S.

“(The early start) didn’t faze many people whatsoever. They enjoyed themselves, and we tried to make sure they were kept very well fed and refreshed, and they had a good time,” explained Kevin Smith, Pumpjack’s bar manager.

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• LISTEN: Hockey great Mike Modano looks back on Olympics, Prince Albert
• ‘O Canada’: Olympians land back at home after Milan Cortina Games
• Regina fans stunned as Canada settles for silver in men’s hockey

He said there were more than a few heartbroken fans and staff by the end of it, but they took the loss in stride.

There were 77 applications from restaurants and bars that were approved to open and serve early, according to the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) — and most of the applications came in after the men’s hockey team made it into the gold medal game on Friday afternoon.

Smith said he was happy the province allowed the expanded hours for the Milano Cortina Olympics in Italy, saying the bar can’t control time changes or where the Olympics are.

“It’s a good chance to get everyone out and involved and just have a good time and hang out with friends and family,” he said.

Murray Wood delivers sharp, insightful commentary with a blend of wit, skepticism and straight talk. Whether he’s exposing political maneuvering, celebrating cultural icons or unpacking life’s everyday quirks, he never holds back.

Read more: 

• Canada has to settle for silver in Olympic hockey loss to U.S.
• ‘So proud’: Regina family celebrates Ben Hebert’s Olympic gold
• ‘One of the worst moments of my life:’ Canadian fans mourn Olympic hockey loss

Listen to more commentary from Murray Wood:

Fri., Feb. 20: Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look at the week’s news and decides who’s hot… and who’s not. This week’s list includes some Olympic hockey highlights and parliamentary floor crossers.

Thurs., Feb. 19: The provincial government settled out of court with a Saskatchewan business for nearly $5 million, but won’t give any details. The government says the deal is in our best interest, but Murray’s unconvinced.

The Mills Minute is a daily commentary heard on 650 CKOM and 980 CJME, where Sarah Mills offers sharp insights, strong opinions, and a touch of wit on the stories that matter to people in Saskatchewan.

Read more:‘

• So proud’: Regina family celebrates Ben Hebert’s Olympic gold
  
• VIDEO: Sask. man shocked at increasing violence in Puerto Vallarta
• Canada has to settle for silver in Olympic hockey loss to U.S.

Listen to more commentary from Sarah Mills:

Fri., Feb. 20: Sarah Mills just received another email telling her she hasn’t been successful seeking World Cup tickets. The dream is diminishing, and Sarah says she’ll likely find herself watching from home.

Thurs., Feb. 19: She didn’t give her kids royal titles, never sold out her family secrets for money and has no ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Sarah Mills says Princess Anne deserves all the respect she gets later in life.

Canada’s Team Jacobs defeated Great Britain’s Team Mouat 9-6 in the men’s curling final at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, with Regina’s Ben Hebert playing lead on the championship rink.

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• VIDEO: Saskatchewan shines on Team Canada’s Olympic goalie masks
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“You can dream that you get to the Olympics, seeing him get gold, maybe his last Olympics is super special,” said his father Bruce Hebert in Regina.

The final came down to execution. Canada broke the game open with a three-point ninth end, swinging momentum for good in a match-up between two of the world’s top teams. Great Britain, skipped by Bruce Mouat, pushed Canada all the way to the 10th end before the Canadians closed it out.

Ben’s uncle Brad Hebert said the tension was real inside the rink where friends and family gathered to watch.

“So close, just a shot here or there,” Brad said. “It really came down to one or two shots that made the difference.”

Cheers and high-fives break out inside The Highland Curling Club as Ben Hebert’s family watches Canada capture Olympic gold in men’s curling on Saturday. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

The family couldn’t all make the trip overseas, but they made sure they were together in Regina. Some relatives were in Italy, while others stood shoulder to shoulder at their home curling club, reacting to every sweep and every stone.

“We were nervous,” Brad admitted. “But they’re such a strong team in terms of their ability to focus on what they wanted in the end. So I knew they could do it, and they did.”

The win marked Hebert’s third Olympics and possibly his last.

“No words, man. So proud,” Bruce said after the win.

The pride extended throughout the family. Brad described Ben as someone who has been at the top of the sport for years, winning world championships and Brier titles along the way.

“I couldn’t be prouder,” he said. “To win a gold medal in any sport is pretty exceptional.”

Canada’s victory marked its first Olympic men’s curling gold since 2014. For curling fans in Saskatchewan, it was more than just another medal; it was a hometown celebration.

And inside that Regina rink, the reaction was emotional: relief, pride and the kind of joy that only comes when a lifelong dream is realized.

For the Hebert family, the moment wasn’t just about a scoreboard in Italy. It was about watching years of dedication pay off with gold around Ben Hebert’s neck.

The club’s young members train at the Jack Staples Arena, preparing for their next competitions.

Read more:

• Sask. curlers say controversy at Winter Olympics bringing more attention to the sport
• Canadian women’s hockey team loses gold medal game in overtime to U.S.
• Former Huskies, Blades coach Bumstead relishing first PWHL season

Jedidiah Adediji, 15, has big dreams of one day representing Canada on the international stage as he watches Canadian skaters reach the podium in Italy.

“I love seeing Canada race,” he said.

“William Dandjinou, that’s who I’m cheering for. I love seeing him race. It just really inspires me to keep skating, keep doing this, because I know I (will) hopefully get there if I keep putting in effort.”

Listen to the story on Behind the Headlines:

Jedidiah Adediji (left) and Andrew Hubick, members of the Regina Speed Skating Club, are excited to watching Team Canada’s skaters win medals at the Olympics. . (Abby Zieverink/ 980 CJME)

Adediji has been on speed skates since he was 10 years old.

“It hurts your quads a lot, and you’ll feel dizzy at times, but like you’ll feel yourself getting better for sure,” he said.

The club holds seminars for beginners during its season. Adediji said it’s not the easiest sport to pick up, but encouraged those trying speed skating for the first time to stick with it.

“It’s gonna hurt, it’s gonna take time, but you’ll definitely get there,” he said.

“Even as a kid growing up, the Olympics was always something to strive for,” she said.

“Then seeing everyone from Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes, Susan Auch, Catriona Le May Doan, Will Dutton … those were always stars to strive for. I do the sport that these really cool Olympians do.”

Michelle Daeninck-Rempel is a long-track speed skater who trained in the Olympic Oval Program in Calgary. Now, she’s coach with the Regina Speed Skating Club. (Abby Zieverink/ 980 CJME)

In early February, the club hosted a learn-to-speed-skate program that attracted 26 young athletes. Daeninck-Rempel said it was a challenge for kids who have only ever worn hockey or figure skates to adjust to the much longer blades.

“The lower you are, the more stable you’ll feel, and the faster you’ll be able to get,” she said. “You want the biggest stride that your leg can offer for the most power around the ice.”

Coach Keegan Christ said an adjustment for many speed skaters is the difficulty with stopping.

“When I’m skating, I prefer not to,” he said. “You just glide around until you lose your speed. (You) don’t want to lose that edge.”

Keegan Christ is a short-track speed skater who skated on Canada’s national team, and is now a coach at the Regina Speed Skating Club (Abby Zieverink/ 980 CJME)

Christ said there’s a spot for everyone in the club, whether they want to compete or just learn to skate.

“It’s really just great to get out and get some exercise, get your kids involved in something,” he said.

Meanwhile, Adediji said he’s going to keep chasing after his personal best time.

“It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s chaotic at times,” he said. “It’s just fun to race other people.” ]]> https://www.cjme.com/2026/02/20/watch-winter-olympics-brings-inspiration-to-young-saskatchewan-speed-skaters/feed/ 0 https://www.cjme.com/2026/02/19/fans-head-out-to-watch-gold-medal-clash-between-canada-and-usa/ https://www.cjme.com/2026/02/19/fans-head-out-to-watch-gold-medal-clash-between-canada-and-usa/#respond Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:57:01 +0000 Britton Gray 2026-02-20T01:04:56+00:00 https://d559.cms.socastsrm.com/?p=955392 Leon Friesen and his wide Edie don Team Canada jerseys to watch the gold medal showdown between Canada and the USA. (Britton Gray/980 CJME) As another chapter in one of the greatest rivalries in sports was written, fans made it out to watch it unfold in Regina.

A dedicated group of hockey fans showed up to watch the Canadian Women’s hockey team battle its rivals – the Americans  – for an Olympic gold medal at Boston Pizza Acre 21 on Thursday afternoon.

“Nothing better,” Dion Moldovan said. “They are a lot more aggressive in this game than they were the first game. It’s a better game but this is what it’s all about. Tight games means good competition, which means great players.”

Read more:

• Team Canada fans brave the snow to watch quarter-final win over Czechia
• Former Huskies, Blades coach Bumstead relishing first PWHL season
• Saskatchewan Winter Games delays travel due to weather conditions

“It’s a really great rivalry,” Matthew Langille-King said. “It’s the two best hockey countries in the world going at it. It always seems to be Canada and the USA the last whatever amount of years it’s been – same with the men’s there.”

Leon Friesen has a unique connection to the rivalry as his daughter, Jackie Crum, is a coach with the University of Wisconsin Badgers. Crum has coached a number of the players who were participating in Thursday’s gold medal game, including Canadians Sarah Nurse, Emily Clark, Blayre Turnbull, Daryl Watts and Ann-Renée Desbiens.

“It’s fantastic,” Friesen said. “We love hockey and love watching the rivalry. We have watched so many of these players through the college hockey years so we recognize a lot of them.

“We know a good half of the players who are on the ice for both teams and have watched them for their whole career. You recognize them by not just the number but how they are skating and you know who that player is. It’s a lot of fun for us.”

Friesen said Crum is “very much involved” in recruiting and developing these players through the college program.

U18 AAA Regina Rebels assistant coach Shaelyn Myers (centre left) and captain Anna Benoit (centre left) joined The Green Zone to discuss women’s hockey and the gold medal game (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

Also watching the game intently were members of the U18 AAA Regina Rebels hockey team. Captain Anna Benoit admitted while watching those games, she thinks about what it would be like to play in one.

“I could just feel myself in a high-intensity game and just getting nervous for them in their shoes,” Benoit said.

Read more:

• Sask. curlers say controversy at Winter Olympics bringing more attention to the sport
• Former Huskies, Blades coach Bumstead relishing first PWHL season
• Team Canada fans brave the snow to watch quarter-final win over Czechia

Regina Rebels assistant coach, Shaelyn Myers, said its been amazing to see the growth of women’s hockey and all the new opportunities that are out there.

“It’s been amazing to be a part of. I’m at the right age where I got to be in the first year of the U22 league and now, the first year of this senior league,” Myers said. “Just to have the opportunity to continue playing the sport that shapes and moulds young girls all the way until you’re an old lady is very important and something I’ve always looked forward to.”

For Canadians fans watching the game, it ended in heartbreaking loss.

After scoring the opening goal of the game in the second period, the Canadians were just two minutes away from victory when American captain Hilary Knight scored the equalizer. The U.S. scored again in overtime to claim the Olympic gold medal.

“It’s disappointing,” Myers said. “Your heart is racing the whole time and you’re just cheering so much for them but the U.S. has a dynamic team so not something we can take to heart.”

Langille-King called it a “disappointing finish.

“They played really hard,” she said. “Nothing to hold our head down in shame (about).”

“It was an exciting game. Two fantastic teams playing and one has to win and I think we can still hold our heads up high. It’s a great day for hockey and we enjoyed it today,” Friesen added.

Marc Kennedy, the third on Brad Jacobs’ Team Canada rink, which also features Regina’s Ben Hebert, was accused of hog line violations for touching the granite of the rock in the team’s round-robin showdown against Sweden. Since then, the sport has been thrust into the spotlight, with World Curling providing an updated stone monitoring protocol.

Read more:

• Kelly Chase among first named to Saskatoon Blades Hall of Fame
• U of R curlers aiming for U Sports titles as national tournament gets underway
• Red-hot Saskatchewan Rush to host Vancouver amid seven-game win streak

Kirk Muyres has represented Saskatchewan at the Brier seven times, including games against Kennedy. The St. Gregor curler said he doesn’t believe the Canadian team is guilty of cheating.

“One of the best analogies I’ve heard so far is that it’s like a penalty in hockey. Maybe you broke a rule and should be penalized by taking the rock off when it happened, but to call the Canadians cheaters is not right. I think I can speak for all the curlers out there who have competed against Marc for years. No one would say he’s a cheater,” Muyres said.

“But at the same time, those are the little rules that need to be addressed by the officials and the powers that be, I think.”

Kennedy had a few choice words, including some profanity, in response to the accusation, which Muyres said wasn’t all that surprising.

“I’ve played against Marc for 15 years, and from the outside looking in you don’t see it about Marc, but he is an animal on the ice,” Muyres said.

“You don’t go to three or four Olympics now without being an absolute animal on the ice. He wants to win and he goes there to win. When you have the pressure of the Olympic Games, when you go into that event, tensions might be high. If someone comes at you in an event like that, you might lash out a little bit. I’m sure he wishes he chose his words a little differently, but it was a crazy, entertaining thing to watch.”

While accusations of cheating could rock the confidence of a team, that doesn’t seem to have been the case for the Jacobs rink. The team is sitting at 7-1 and has already locked in a spot in the semifinal.

“It’s not making them crumble; it’s making them play better. I think it solidified the group a little bit, and they are playing with a chip on their shoulder,” Muyres said.

“You notice it out of guys like Jacobs and Benny over the years. They like playing with that chip on their shoulder. I don’t want to say they like being the bad guys, but they obviously don’t hate it. I think the team has rallied around it a little bit and said ‘Hey, maybe this is who we are, and we are going to prove to everyone we are still the best.'”

Despite the controversy, Muyres said it’s a fun time for the sport of curling.

“I don’t go on social media much, but I was on there the other day and every video I see is someone making fun of this, and I think that’s just funny,” Muyres said.

“Other sports and pop culture and these things in our society get these huge, viral moments, and I don’t think curling’s ever really had one like this. This has just gone crazy.”

Skylar Ackerman, who recently announced a return to competitive curling in the province, agreed that the controversy seems to have brought more eyes to the sport.

“I think it has increased some viewership. I’ve had friends who definitely haven’t really watched curling before reach out to me and say they have been watching, which I think is a good thing,” Ackerman said.

“Good to see players are having some intensity and stuff out there,” she added.

“I don’t really have much of an opinion of what’s right or wrong. I think it’s good that it’s bringing some light to sport and (getting) more people interested in the sport.”

At Boston Pizza on Star Lite Street in Regina, tables were booked ahead of a 9:40 a.m. puck drop on Feb. 12. Caesars and coffees filled tables and those sitting at them sported jerseys instead of office wear.

For bartender Addison White, it marked the earliest opening she’d seen in more than a year working at the restaurant – which usually doesn’t open its doors before 11 a.m.

Read more:

• Canadian hockey fans taking in Olympic double bill as women rally, men debut
• ‘Always fun’: Boston Pizza in east Regina opens early to show Olympics
• Sask. bars, restaurants can apply to open early to accommodate Olympics viewers

“It’s the first day we’ve been open this early,” White said. “I like it. It’s a really nice opportunity for people to come in.”

White started as a host at 17, then became a server and, at 19, a bartender. She said the atmosphere on Thursday felt different from a typical shift.

“The energy is definitely here,” she said. “I can feel it for sure. I think everyone’s feeling the energy of the game.”

The early opening was made possible after the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority allowed bars and restaurants to apply for extended morning hours during the Olympics to accommodate live broadcasts, given the time difference.

Fans said it was an easy decision to show up early.

One Regina fan described gathering with family to watch on the big screen as the “Canadian dream,” saying there’s nothing better than cheering on Team Canada together. Another said the atmosphere reminded him of 2002, when Olympic hockey packed local bars shoulder-to-shoulder. He added that Canada appeared to improve each period and looked poised to contend with top rivals like Sweden and the United States.

Whether it was beer, coffee coloured with Baileys Irish Cream or just water, fans said they were there for one reason – hockey.

White said opening early wasn’t just about business.

“I think what we’re hoping for is to provide a comfortable experience for everyone to be able to watch the game and enjoy some good food,” she said. “We’re here for the game, and we’re here for the love of the game.”

Sask. Polytechnic campuses join in on Olympic spirit

The Olympic buzz wasn’t limited to bars.

Across Saskatchewan, student lounges at all four Saskatchewan Polytechnic campuses – in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw – have been transformed into Olympic viewing hubs.

Instead of laptops being the main focus of students, big screens are broadcasting the Winter Games events live. The lounges also host competitions where students can win gift cards.

“We thought, this is a really good opportunity to kind of celebrate or be involved in the spirit of Olympics,” said Rosby James, president of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Students’ Association.

She said Canada’s men’s hockey games were especially popular among students balancing classes and coursework.

James added that students appreciated having the broadcasts available during their study days, giving them a chance to share in the Olympic moment without missing out due to their studies.

With Canada’s first game now in the books, fans and students across the province are already looking ahead to the next puck drop.

Last week, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority announced that it will consider requests from existing alcohol permit holders to allow the sale of booze as early as 5 a.m. in order to accommodate viewing of Olympic events.

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The opportunity was too good for general manager Tyler Birkland to pass up.

“I mean, it’s Canada in the Olympics, and this is the first time we’ve gotten to see best-on-best (hockey) in the Olympics for quite some time,” Birkland said, referring to the inclusion of NHL players in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

Birkland said his Boston Pizza location on Star Lite Street will open at 9 a.m. to let people watch the games. Canada’s men’s hockey team is scheduled to play its first game on Thursday at 9:40 a.m.

“The time frame doesn’t exactly help us, the way the games are slotted in Italy, but still, we want to be able to showcase the games when they start at 9:30 a.m. That’s what we have to do,” he said.

“We’re going to open the doors at nine o’clock so people can come in, get settled, and we can show the game and have some fun.”

Birkland said he doesn’t know how many people will show up, but he’s been working on getting the word out.

The general manager said he wants people to have a memorable experience while rooting for Canada.

“I go back to the Sydney Crosby goal – you remember where you were when that happened,” he said.

“We got a little preview of it with the 4 Nations tournament, with Canada vs. the U.S. when they were dropping the gloves in the first period. I remember who I was watching that game with right when it happened.”

He said he’s hoping Canada can make a good run, especially if it means a rematch against the United States.

Birkland said it will be nice to get some extra business, but his enthusiasm goes far beyond that.

“I get more excited providing that atmosphere for people that want to be there for that moment, and I think just having the game’s (volume) cranked, everyone high-fiving, everyone wearing Canada gear, it’s always a fun environment to be in,” he said.

He said everyone cheering for the same team makes for a unique atmosphere during the Olympics.

“Every other sporting event where we’re from, you always have two sides of teams cheering for each other, right? Even with Seattle versus New England, you get a split in the lounge, whereas there aren’t too many Americans that are sitting in our lounge for this, or people in the other team’s jersey,” he said.