Veterans end training camp in style

Joby Baumuller had two goals and an assist and Chase Surkan had a goal and three assists as Team Black beat Team Gold 4-2 in the annual Black and Gold game at J&G Homes Arena on Sunday evening.

In an intense and occasionally chippy contest, Max Kelly had the winner for Black, with Memphis Adeniken and Cameron Allard replying for Gold.

“It’s nice,” Baumuller said after the game. “It’s a lot of bragging rights.”

Gold led 1-0 after 20 minutes on Adeniken’s goal, but the teams were tied 2-2 after 40 minutes. The winner came 15 minutes 46 seconds into the final frame, with Baumuller providing an insurance maker two minutes later.

“It was a little bit of a slow start, simplifying our game,” Surkan said. “By the second we got our feet under us and started playing more O-zone and got a lot more chances, and buried when we got the chance.”

Jaxon Jacobson, who skated with Surkan and Baumuller, also had three assists as the line combined for 10 points. Surkan, the second-year player from Regina, said the trio really gelled.

“I played a little bit with both of them last year so that would have helped a bit,” Surkan said. “Obviously they’re two really talented players so it’s easy to play with guys like that.”

Allard, who is one of just two defencemen back from last year’s club, said the instructions from head coach and general manager Marty Murray and the rest of the staff was the veterans were expected to work hard on Sunday evening, a message that was also delivered prior to camp starting.

“It was super high intensity,” Allard said. “Marty came into the room before Whitey (assistant coach Ryan White), a super intense guy, and they were saying, we need everyone going here, we want this to be a pre-season game for some of those guys who maybe aren’t going to experience a pre-season Western League game. “You want to give them an experience that is similar to that, and I would say that was met tonight.”

Most years, the Black and Gold game features a smattering of 15-year-old prospects, but this year the younger prospects played in one game and the older Western Hockey League eligible players in the other.

“We looked at a few different things,” Murray said. “We all know the landscape has changed here a little bit so that brings in more Americans, it brings in more Junior A guys and they’ve showed well. At the same time too, we talked about our 2011 draft picks and allowing them to play against their peers this morning really showcased what they can do as well.”

In the prospects game earlier in the day at Assiniboine Credit Union Place, 2026 first-round pick Rylan Edwards had two goals and two assists as his Team Grey beat Team Green 8-4.

“It was really good,” Edwards said. “The boys were going. We had a little bit of a slow part in the third and took a timeout but were then right back at it. It was lots of fun.”

The 15-year-old Regina product, who had 17 goals and 26 assists in 28 games with the Northern Alberta Xtreme under-15 prep squad last winter, signed with the club on June 8. Even so, this was his first up-close look at the facilities and the first chance to meet the staff.

“It’s unreal,” Edwards said. “It’s first class here. They do everything properly. It looks amazing.”

His entire draft class impressed during the four-day event. Still, Edwards admitted it took time to find his way skating with some much older guys.

“It took some time to adjust,” Edwards said. “Obviously I played with some great players and I thought I did well. There are always areas to improve but I had lots of fun.”

The camp unveiled a unique new format this year, and it seemed to do what was intended. The more than 80 players were split into four teams for a round-robin, with the top two teams advancing to the final.

In the first-place game, Team Thompson edged Team Boschman in overtime on Saturday when veteran forward Prabh Bhathal beat Micky Gross with a quick shot on a breakaway for a 5-4 victory to claim the inaugural Mark Johnston Cup, named after the team’s late head scout. Edwards and Team Ferraro beat Team Pulock 5-1 in the third-place game.

Murray said there were a couple things to like about the new format.

“It allows some competitiveness to come out,” Murray said. “It’s always a competitive camp but when there is something on the line, it raises the intensity. Obviously in the same sense and more importantly, to honour Johnny was a nice touch.”

Baumuller agreed.

“It meant a lot more,” Baumuller said. “It gives a reason to compete harder each night, and with that happening, it made the games a lot more competitive and fun.”

Overall, despite all the changes in the game and at camp itself, everything seemed to work as intended. Murray was thrilled with what he saw.

“I thought it’s been a real competitive camp,” Murray said. “It’s the one thing we challenged the kids to do at the start, is to make our jobs difficult, and they’ve certainly done that. The veterans stepped up and did a great job of leading the way and the young kids learned on the fly that this is what it takes to be an every-day player. Overall, I’m real pleased with the camp and the kids. “It’s a lot of hockey in a short period of time and I thought they played their hearts out.”

ICINGS: Young American defenceman Ayven Hontvet was injured the week of camp and didn’t come up for his 16-year-old camp … The event included 2006-born players, who are in their overage seasons, 2007-born players (19-year-old seasons), 2008-born players (18-year-old seasons), 2009-born players (17-year-old seasons), 2010-born players (16-year-old seasons) and 2011-born prospects (15-year-old seasons) … Brandon opens its four-game pre-season against the Regina Pats on Friday, Sept. 4 at home. The season opener is on Sept. 18 when the Saskatoon Blades visit.

» For a look at where the team stands after camp, see Tuesday’s paper.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com