2006 Provincial Champions!

Miners take series 4 games to 3.
Congratulations to the players of both teams for a well played series.

Good Luck to the Miners at Minto.
For all your Minto information: CLICK HERE

Miners win series 3 games to 0.

The Edmonton Miners made the bus ride down the QEII for their last regular season game against the Calgary Raiders. The Raiders could tie up the series with a win as it was 2-1 in favor the Miners.

This was a tough game between two evenly matched teams with similar styles. The Raiders started with Angus Dineley in goal and the Miners went with Dave Maresse. Both proved that they were ready for the challenge with big early saves. The game started off with tight defense and while the Miners did get inside they could not beat Dineley while the Raiders took a number of outside shots that did not find their target until the 14:02 mark when Casey MacIntyre scored on the power play. Ben Johnson then fired a nice outside shot to beat Maresse to make it 2-0. That would be all the scoring in the period. The Raiders had the majority of the play causing the Miners to take some bad penalties and out shooting the Miners 17 to 9.

In the second period it was a different story as the Miners made a couple of adjustments and looked to have a little more energy. It paid off early with Chris Schmidt getting his first goal just after a power play to make it 2-1. The Raiders responded immediately with Jesse Fehr getting one on the fast break to help the Raiders regain a two goal lead, however Schmidt got that one back on the power play. The Miners continued to fight back to tie the game 3-3 and then Cole Howell got a nice goal as he dragged Dineley across the net before depositing the ball in the top corner. Miners take the 4-3 lead into the third.

In the beginning of the third the teams went back and forth without either being able to solve the others defense until Johnson took nice outside shot to tie the game. That would be the way it would remain for the next eight minutes until Neil Tichkowsky fired a high shot past the Calgary tender to take the lead. A minute later the Raiders had a bit of a mix up between the defender and the goalie causing the ball to roll into the net. That would be it for the scoring, 6-4 Miners.

The play slowly slipped in favor of the Miners but at no time did the game seem too far away for the Raiders. It was good game all around with the refs doing a good job keeping the game going. There was only one fight between the Raiders Adam LaBarbera and the Miners Dalen Crouse which had a lot of wild swings but no connections. The Raiders were 1-5 on the PP while the Miners were 2-5.

Miners’ next game is Saturday night in Calgary again but this time against the Jr. Mountaineers.

Shots
Raiders 18 11 11 = 40
Miners 9 17 12 = 38

Loose Balls
Raiders 17 14 12 = 43
Miners 15 23 22 = 60

Face Offs
Raiders 2 4 0 = 6
Miners 1 2 4 = 7

HOT TEMPERATURES PRODUCES HOT ARENAS AND HOT GAME

On Wednesday night the temperature outside was a scorching 33c causing it to be almost unbearable for the teams inside and no one would have blamed the teams if they came out with a lifeless performance however that was not the case as this game was one of the best of the year so far. At the end of the day both the Spruce Grove Slash and the Edmonton Miners had to be satisfied with their effort if not the result.

The game started with the teams moving quickly up and down the floor and that would set the tone for the rest of the game. Tom Watt opened the scoring for the Slash beating the Miners starting goalie, Dave Maresse. That goal was responded to by the Miners on the power play and then the teams exchanged goals again to make it 2-2. The Miners then fought their way to a 4-2 lead and it looked as if the Miners would have a lead going into the intermission however with just over 5 minutes left in the period the Slash turned on their offence and beat Maresse for 4 goals to make it 6-4. The Slash made the best of a number of fast breaks given up by the Miners and scored three of their goals on breakaways.

The second period had the Miners respond to their lapse in the last period with a quick goal by Mike Lutes who scored on the transition. The game settled down and while both teams worked hard neither were able to beat the tough defenses, solid goaltending and when they did they would hit the post. It was not until the 7:35 mark that the Miners scored on the beautiful back door between Cole Howell and Chris Schmidt with Howell getting the goal. That even the score but the Slash were able to get one of their own back doors to work and this time Colin Sherbanuk finished the play with his patented dip and dunk to allow the Slash to take a lead of 7-6 into the dressing room.

In the third the heat started to take its toll on the both teams but especially the Slash and the play got a little sloppy. The Miners transition player Nate Schmidt scored a nice goal to tie it up. Sherbanuk got his third of the night to give the Slash the lead for the last time. The Miners responded with two of their own with Neil Tichkowsky getting the winner at the 2:59 mark on the power play. The Miners got a penalty with 39 seconds left giving the Slash one more chance but they were not able to get a good chance.

Great game by both the goalies especially after the first period as Matt Somes for the Slash and Maresse made important stops throughout the game. Sherbanuk who had not played much lately did not look at all rusty and finished with a hat trick. Brad Scott was most effective passing the ball with 4 assists for the Slash. Again the Miners scoring came from a number of players with only Chris Schmidt hitting the twine more then once (2). There were 7 other scorers with a number of players getting assists as well. The rest of the stats were close as well with the Slash having an edge in shots 57-50 and winning the face off battle 12-8. The Slash were 1for 4 on the PP while the Miners were slightly better going 2 for 6.

The Miners next game is against the Raiders in Calgary at Southland Arena at 1:30 pm on Sunday and the Slash go against the Sherwood Park Outlaws in SP Arena on Saturday night at 8:30.

Shots
Slash 26 20 11 = 57
Miners 19 18 13 = 50

Loose Balls
Slash 23 20 22 = 65
Miners 22 17 26 = 65

Face offs
Slash 7 3 2 = 12
Miners 4 1 3 = 8

In one week the Miners and the Raiders met twice in Jr. A action but this time it was the Raiders that took the long bus ride north. The game looked a lot like the first game in that it was fast paced and hard hitting. In the end it was another defensive battle.

The Miners started Dave Maresse in goal and the Raiders went with Billy Mooney and both goalies played very well. The Miners were the only ones to score in the first period getting one five on five goal and one on the PP. In the second the Raiders came back with a pair from Ben Johnson who would end up with a hat trick. The game remained tied until Matt Weibe got inside beat Mooney to give the Miners a one goal edge. Dalen Crouse then got one more to allow the Miners to regain the two goal lead and that was the way the second period ended. 4-2.

In the third the Miners made it 5-2 before the Raiders responded and then made things interesting with Johnson getting his third. The one goal difference didn’t last long as Alex Jones outran everyone then switch hands to beat Mooney for the eventual winner. With less then a minute the Raiders fired one past Maresse to get back to the one goal spread. The scoring looked to be over with 3 seconds left when the Raiders took a time out and the ball deep in their end. On the whistle the pass was intercepted and Jones found the net with less then a second left. Final score was 7-5.

There is not much to choose between these two teams. They are both fast and have tough defenses with strong goal tending. In this game both teams’ defenses were stingy limiting the opposition to a few chances. The difference today was that the Miners were able to penetrate a couple of more times then the Raiders. The specialty teams were not much of a factor with the Miners going 1-3 and the Raiders were 0-3. Once again there was really no one for the Raiders to key on as the Miners scoring was spread over 6 different players. The Raiders had the hat trick from Johnson.

Stats

Shots
Raiders 21 20 14 = 60
Miners 15 12 19 = 51

Loose Balls
Raiders 17 11 11 = 39
Miners 10 10 21 = 41

Face offs
Raiders 3 1 3 = 7
Miners 1 4 3 = 8

The Mounties made their way to Bill Hunter Arena to take on the Miners for the second time this season. A previous 9-2 loss gave them something to work on and the Miners might be in prime position for a loss having played just the night before. The Mounties would go into this one with out their star goalie Rainsford who was serving the first of his three game suspension.

The first minute look promising for Calgary as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead and for the next five minutes they continued to hold onto the lead however it seemed like it was just a matter of time before roof would cave and with just over 6 minutes gone the Miners came on strong firing 5 goals before the Mounties could stop the bleeding with a goal of their own but it was only temporary as the Miners fired 2 more to take a 7-2 lead into the intermission.

In the second the Miners continued the onslaught with two more before a response from the Mounties. By now both teams had realized the game was out of hand so it was time to work on things. By the end of the period the score was 11-4. Not much to say about the third as the Miners continued to dominate outscoring the opposition 5-1 for a final score of 16-5.

A balanced attack is the key to the Miners offense with 11 different scorers this game. Cole Howell had a hat trick and Chris Schmidt, Justin Sockowski and Dalen Crouse got doubles. The whole Miners team had a solid outing playing perhaps their most disciplined game of the year. Sean Pesowoki had a pair for the Mounties. Credit to the Mounties as it would have been easy for them to lose focus and discipline however they worked hard throughout the game. Miners goalie, Trevor Van Bavel was solid but not called on a lot. The Mounties Kane Swartout made some big saves was left by himself too often.

Stats

Shots
Mounties 16 18 17 = 51
Miners 23 21 16 = 64

Loose Balls
Mounties 15 10 16 = 41
Miners 23 20 21 = 64

Face offs
Mounties 1 3 6 = 10
Miners 9 4 1 = 14

After last nights game it is clear that both the Edmonton Miners and the Edmonton Eclipse are beginning to recognize that the more they play each other the more they are going to build either a respect or animosity. Yesterday both teams tried the animosity strategy. In the end it did not change the outcome of who won but it did serve notice that neither team would not be pushed around.

The first period was pretty tight and the Eclipse took control of the ball possession for the first part of the period but were forced to shoot from the outside. The Miners held them off and were rewarded with the first two goals as they were able to penetrate the Eclipse defense. The Eclipse got on the score board with a long outside shot but by the end of the period the Miners had established a 4-2 lead.

In the second it was much more wide open as the Eclipse continued to fire from the outside and had success and the Miners worked the inside game. The power play began to play a part in the game with each team scoring twice in the PP. The Eclipse started the scoring but it was immediately responded to by the Miners. The same thing happened again to make the score 6-4. The Eclipse then got goals from Derek Draper and Richard Barnes to make things very interesting however a power play goal by the Miners returned the two goal lead to make it 8-6 going into the second intermission.

In the third the Miners took control much like the last time these two teams met. The experience once again took over and the Miners potted 4 goals to take this one 12-7. The third period was very chippy with both teams taking liberties. This lead to a number of altercations including three fights. Two of them did not prove much however the match up between Matt Diltz and Owen Chatwin was very one sided with Chatwin landing a one punch which staggered Diltz however credit to Diltz he got up and continued the fight. It continued to be beating and Diltz was staggered once more but continued. Chatwin looks to be the best fighter in the league, at least the Jr. A division however maybe in the Sr. as well.

Tonight the Miners got a little more concentrated scoring with Jordan Houstra getting a hat trick to go along with his assist. Dalen Crouse, Chris Schmidt and Lucas Huyser-Weiringa all got two. Andy Kent had 3 assists. For the Eclipse they were lead but their young sensation Simon Giourmetakis who had five points (3,2). Draper also had a good game with a goal and two assists. The Miners were 4 for 6 on the PP while the Eclipse were 3 for 7. The Eclipse relieved the starter Matt Howard with a little more then five minutes remaining the second period, sending in Mitch Anders. The Miners went with Trevor Van Bavel who was steady and seem to know exactly how much room he was giving as the Eclipse must have hit a dozen goal posts.

Shots on goal.

Eclipse – 25, 21, 20 = 66
Miners – 22, 18, 19 = 59

Loose Balls
Eclipse – 17, 19, 11 = 47
Miners – 19, 24, 16 = 59

Miners next game is Saturday night against the Raiders as 7:30 against the Raiders and then again on Sunday at 2:30 against the Jr. Mountaineers. Both games are at Bill Hunter Arena.

Within two weeks the Red Deer Rage played two games in Edmonton’s Bill Hunter Arena and in as many visits they took on a Jr. A team, however this time they were unable to come up with a full lineup fielding only 11 players. As a result their expectations of repeating last week’s results were less likely. The game turned out to be a slow affair as the two week lay off for the Miners made them sluggish.

The play in the first 10 minutes would pretty much sum up the whole game. The Miners would use their young legs to run the floor and the Rage would rely on their determination to try and remain in the game however it was clearly the Miners for the whole game. The Miners started out with a 3-1 lead in the first period and then went into cruise control. By the end of the second they were in complete control with 3 more goals to take a 6-1 lead into the second intermission. The Rage would get one in the third after a shot off the goal post which went down the floor to a tired Andrew Kirkaldy who took the ball to the net and fired a nice shot past Miners starter Trevor Van Bavel. That would be their last goal and the Miners would add 2 more to make the final 8-2.

The story of the game was the goal tending by Red Deer’s Alex Coutts. Without his heroics the score would have been well into the mid teens. The Miners had numerous opportunities inside however Coutts covered the net extremely well and frustrated the Miner shooters. At the other end of the floor Van Bavel was steady but not spectacular as he was not called upon very often. The Miners defense was very solid and rarely if ever let the Rage inside.

As usual the Miners spread out their scoring with 7 different scorers hitting the score sheet. Only Jake Ferguson scored twice. Other scorers were Jordan Houstra, Lucas Huyser-Wiserinka, Justin Sockowski, Matt Weibe, Alex Jones and Cole Howell. Kirkaldy got both of the Rage’s goals.

The Miners next game is against the Raiders in Calgary on Sunday, June 18th at 1:00 pm.

Although on the schedule it showed that this was the second time the Miners played the Raiders it would be only be the first time that they actually faced each other, as the first game was declared a default in favor of the Miners so it was a match up that everyone was waiting for since last years Minto Cup. The Raiders appeared to have all players back as did the Miners.

The game started out on a bad note for the Raiders as they took a two minute penalty for delay of game when as they did not have a time or score keeper in the box to begin the game. Once that was settled it did not take them long to add to penalty sheet with three more penalties. The Miners immediately took advantage of that and scored 3 power play goals. The Miners then built up a 4-0 lead before the Raiders got one back to make it 4-1 after one. The second period was played more closely and the play started to slide in favor of the Raiders. They made the score 4-2 before the Miners responded twice to take what looked like a commanding lead however that would be their last goals of the game. The Raiders then fought back with two of their own to make is 6-4 after two periods. In the third it was all Calgary as the Miners looked tired and their play began to deteriorate. The Raiders took advantage of it and slowly cut the lead before Keegan Davidson scored the winner. Calgary added an empty netter to make the final 8-6.

Leading the way for the Raiders was Davidson with two goals and Ben Johnson with 4 points (2,2). For the Miners they had two goals each from Chris Schmidt and Dalen Crouse and three assists from Andy Kent. Both goalies played very well. Angus Dineley, for Calgary, started off a little slow but once he got into the grove he played very well. The Miners started with Dave Maresse who was solid throughout but looked most in impressive in the third as the Miners were pressing but it was the Raiders that were getting the fast breaks. Maresse made some great saves on breakaways.

In the end it appeared that the Raiders wanted this game more then the Miners. If the Miners want to compete they are going to have to play with more emotion.

The game was a physical affair but the referees let the boys play. There were 10 penalties called with the Raiders picking up 6 minors and the Miners getting 4.

The Miners return home on Wednesday to play the improving Eclipse, 8:30 at Bill Hunter.

On this night we remembered Jeremy Richardson with a very nice presentation by the Edmonton Miners executive in which the Miners retired the number 23. It was the first jersey to be retired by the organization which is in the 21st year of its existence.

After the 15 minute ceremony the two teams took to the floor knowing that it was a big game for both teams. The Miners were trying to keep their undefeated season alive and the Outlaws were looking to get a share of first place. In goal for the Miners was Trevor Van Bavel and John Jenkins for the Outlaws.

Right from the beginning of the game it was clear that both teams were ready for a fast paced game. The teams moved up and down to both ends of the floor and the Outlaws looked like a Jr. team as they had a lot of speed. Peter Gut was very good at getting up the floor and the Miners offence had to keep on their toes to stop the Outlaws getting breakaways, which they did for the most part. The Miners for their part moved the ball well and as a result it provided for a very entertaining period. The Outlaws started the scoring with Dave McCrimmon firing from the outside at the 16:30 mark. Three minutes later the Miners tied it up with their answer of an out side shot by Dalen Crouse. The Miners then scored 3 goals as they out hustled the Outlaws and moved very well to the inside. Neil Tichkowsky scored two of his four on the night and Chris Schmidt added another before Stu Sterparn responded for the Outlaws to make it 4-2. Ryan Davis then fired a nice outside shot to the top corner to make the score 4-3. With less then 2 minutes later both teams popped another one to make the score 5-4 going into the second period.

In the second the teams did not slow down but the scoring did as both teams tighten their defenses. The Outlaws tied the score at 17:58 with a fast break goal by the speedy Peter Gut. The Miners came back with one of their own fast break goals when Miners captain, Ryan Polny took a nice pass from rookie Mike Lutes and fired it to the top corner to give them a one goal lead again. The teams then exchanged goal with Riley Snider of Sherwood Park and Tichkowsky picking corners. The score at the end of two was 7-6 Miners.

The third turned out to be the Outlaws best and although the play was even it was the Outlaws who made the most of their opportunities. They would get a goal from Sterparn early with his sidearm from the outside and then they would score 3 in a span of minute and a half, starting at the 9:22 mark with goals from Danny Bostrom, McCrimmon and Sterparn and that broke the Miners back as they took a 10-7 lead. The Miners tried to get back into it but could only muster a goal from Schmidt.

It was a highly entertaining game and if you turned away from the game you missed something. The referees did a good job keeping the game going. There were only 6 penalties and one misconduct called all game, all against the Outlaws. The game was very clean. With the speed of the game no one had time to take the cheap shot. The goal tending was good however there were a few goals that both goalies would like to have back. The defenses were both very strong especially when it came down to a settled 5 on 5 game. There was only one power play goal and that was the first one by Tichkowsky which came on a very nice 4 way passing play.

Points
Miners – Tichkowsky (4,1), Schmidt (2,0), Jake Ferguson (0,4), Dalen Crouse (1,2), Polny (1,1), Tony Reid (0,1), Nate Schmidt (0,1), Lutes (0,1), Mark Malayko (0,2), Van Bavel (0,1), Cole Howell (0,1).

Outlaws – Sterparn (3,4), McCrimmon (2,2), Bostrom (1,3), Denny Poulin (1,2), Davis (1,0), Snider (1,0), Gut (1,0), Rai (0,1), Andrew Dixon (0,1), Kevin Gilpen (0,1), Remi Hebert (0,1)

The teams face each other again this Saturday at 8:30 pm but this time in the Outlaws home arena in Sherwood Park.

On Saturday night the two Jr. A teams from the Edmonton took to the floor in front of 225 fans for the first time. For many it was a special day to watch the two teams and to realize that as a result of the growth and development of lacrosse in Edmonton there are enough quality players to field to Jr. A teams. The Edmonton Eclipse’s president, Willie Grieves and the president from the Miners, Mark Malayko both took a moment to mark the occasion and after the national anthem it was game time.

The game started quickly with Chris Schmidt starting the game with a dash into the middle and a blast to the far side of Eclipse’s starting goalie, Matt Howard. Five minutes later the Miners looked to run away with the game with two more quick goals by, Matt Weibe and Jordan Houstra to make it 3-0. The Eclipse then settle down and Miner’s call up goalie Tyson Cornfield had to make a couple of nice saves to keep the shut out going however that ended with 5:53 remaining when Adam Fragomeni got his first of three on the night on the power play. 15 seconds later Sean Reid popped in one to make the game interesting. Score after one, 3-2 Miners.

In the second period the game began to loosen up with both teams going end to end. Howard was replaced with Mitch Anders because of illness. Schmidt gave the Miners a two goal lead before Simon Giourmetakis closed the gap once again. The teams again exchanged goals after which the Eclipse took a high sticking penalty which cost them as the Miners scored and power play goal by Houstra to give the Miners a 7-4 lead going into the second intermission. This period was filled with penalties as both teams took some undisciplined penalties and there were a couple of cheap shots. John Giourmetakis’s 4 minute penalty would prove costly in the next period.

The third opened up with the Miners on the PP. It took them just over two minutes before they capitalized with Mark Malayko popping a quick stick in to make it 8-4. The Eclipse quickly got that one back with Chris Screttlinger getting his first of three this period. Once again the teams exchanged quick goals at the 13 minute mark with Screttlinger getting his second at 13:10 however right off the face off Justin Sockowski won the face off and popped the ball to Dalen Crouse to score 7 seconds later. The score at that point was 10-6 Miners who seemed to have the game in hand. That proved not to be the case as the resilient Eclipse came back with three goals including one by Giourmetakis for his third of the night. That put the fear into the Miners who finally responded with a fast break goal by Weibe and with one of his patented dip and dunk moves with 48 seconds left made it 11-9. The Eclipse closed the game with a goal to make it 11-10. The period was a much cleaner one with each team only getting one penalty.

The referees called it very close until the third period not allowing the players to get away with much. Good atmosphere in the arena and it looks like these two teams will develop a healthy rivalry. The goal tending was solid but perhaps not spectacular.

Simon Giourmetakis was very impressive for first year as he lead all scorers with 5 points (3,2), the other rookie, Chris Screttlinger also had a very good night with 4 points (3,1). Fragomeni had 4 points as well (3,1).

The Miners points were much more spread out with 13 different players hitting the score sheet which is consistent to the Miners style of play of getting a lot of transition goals and scoring by committee. Chris Schmidt lead the way with 3 points (2,1) and Weibe and Houstra were the only other players who had more then one goal with two each.

These teams meet again on Wednesday night at 8:30 at Bill Hunter for a return engagement with the Eclipse as the home team.

The two undefeated Jr. A teams squared off on Friday night at Stu Peppard Arena in front of a light crowd. The game featured the Calgary Jr. Mountaineers (2-0) against the Miners (1-0). The game was the usual early season affair of sloppy lacrosse but did feature a couple of nice plays to keep the fans interested. The game was slowed down because of a very slippery floor causing players to lose their footing and not allowing them to cut, however it was the same for both teams.

The first period was very slow as both teams tried to get their footing and feel each other out. Call up Tyson Cornfield got his first taste of Jr. A ball and was strong through out the game. He was called on early to keep the Miners in the game. He make several key saves, however Lee Miller got the pass from Tyler Pridham and found the top corner to make it 1-0. For the next 10 minutes no one was able to solve the goaltending until Chris Schmidt beat his man and went in on Mounties tender, Geoff Rainsford beating him low. Colin Risi then beat the Miners D to the outside to allow the Mounties to take its second lead. They looked to take the lead into the first intermission but with 14 seconds left Matt Weibe tied it up. Off the face off the Miners called a time out and pulled the goalie to get the extra man. Off the whistle the Miners moved the ball well to get Jake Ferguson free in front of the net. Three fakes later the Miners took a 3-2 lead into the dressing room.

In the second period the Miners took a 4-2 lead when Cornfield threw a beautiful pass to Neil Tichkowsky who was coming out of the box and he went in on Rainsford by him self and fired low. Another fast break by the Miners, this time by Mike Lutes who looked like he would be tied up by the Mountie defender but he found the top corner to allow the Miners to take 5-2 lead into the third.

In the third the Miners took full control starting with another fast break. This time it was Nick Petz getting another nice pass from Cornfield and then finishing nicely. Next fast break was awarded to Alex Jones who also finished nicely. The Mounties could not penetrate the Miners defense and when they did Cornfield was there to make the nice save. With two minutes left Matt Weibe scored perhaps the nicest goal of the night on the man short and time winding down on the 30 second clock with a dip and dunk over Rainsford shoulder. That would have been the end had it not been for a bad break for the Mounties causing a loose ball to bounce back to Ferguson, who was all alone in front of the Mountie goal. Five fakes later the teams returned to face off. That would end the scoring with the Miners winning 9-2.

The game was a clean affair with the referees calling it very close. The Mounties got beaten on the fast break but when they were back 5 on 5 they played solid defense. The Miners kept the Mounties outside all night and they had trouble getting shots on net. They did show some good stick skills and with some more game time this team will improve. Rainsford was good when he had help but struggled when players had time in front of the net which would be expected. Cornfield was solid all night and gained confidence as the game went on.

Next game for the Miners is tomorrow against the other expansion team the Edmonton Eclipse.

Points -
Miners:
Weibe (2,2), Ferguson (2,2), Cornfield (0,3), Dalen Crouse (0,2), Chris Schmidt (1,0), Tichkowsky (1,1), Mike Lutes (1,.0), Nick Petz (1,0), Nate Schmidt (0,1), Alex Jones (1,0),

Mountaineers:
Miller (1,0), Risi (1,0), Pridham (0,1), Jason Crook (0,1), Dan Farmer (0,1)

When: Saturday, May 6- start 8:30 p.m.
Where: Bill Hunter Arena, 9200- 163 Street, Edmonton
Who: Edmonton Junior “A” Miners vs Calgary Junior “A” Raiders

This game brings together the best Junior ‘A” players in the province in their season opener.

No doubt Calgary will be seeking to redeem themselves following their defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Miners last season at the prestigious Minto Cup the National Junior A Championship hosted by the Edmonton Miners.

A number of Edmonton Miners players have graduated to senior levels including the drafting of Jon Marrese and Greg Whitenect to the Edmonton Rush at the end of last season.

Thanks to a wealth of lacrosse skilled athletes in the Edmonton area the Edmonton Miners were able to draft speed, skill and size that promises to make for a very high level of game.

The Edmonton Miners also welcome the Edmonton Eclipse and the Calgary Junior A Mountaineers to our league, four Junior A teams in Alberta promises to raise the bar to BC and Ontario lacrosse levels.

Join us on the road to Minto Cup in Ontario August 2006.

We are coming off a historic 2005 season that included the hosting of the prestigious Minto Cup. In addition to the Edmonton Miners making the record books in Minto Cup history, as the first Alberta Club to win a game since the inception of the Cup as a Junior "A" National Championship award in 1937, we came close to victory against the national champion Burnaby Lakers in the semi-final. There is no doubt now that we have arrived on the national lacrosse scene from a hosting and skill perspective.

We are pleased that Jeremy Richardson was with us to share in this small piece of Alberta lacrosse history. Join us this season on June 4, when we retire Jeremy's jersey #23 and celebrate his outstanding achievements as a player, coach, friend, and lacrosse ambassador.

We are extremely pleased to welcome the Edmonton Eclipse and the Calgary Junior A Mountaineers to the Junior ‘A’ division for 2006. We look forward to a very exciting and competitive season.

We shall be reintroducing our original Miners logo on new jerseys this season thanks to the valuable assistance of our major sponsor, AMYOTTE'S, who will also be offering a wide variety of clothing merchandise that is available to our fans at very reasonable cost during the season.
Special thanks to our sponsors for their continued support. We would urge that you reciprocate by "shopping with our sponsors".

To our volunteers, thank you for continuing to provide us with your valuable gift of time and expertise, you are responsible for our growing fan base that continues to come back for showcase Junior A Lacrosse.

To our fans, thank you for your continuing support and do not hesitate to contact a member of the executive if we can be of further assistance to your enjoyment of the game. Check out our website: edmontonminers.com for more contact information.

All the best to our graduating juniors and welcome to the rookie players on the 2006 Edmonton Miners team.

Dennis Malayko
President