Klippers lose Dommett indefinitely in loss to La Ronge

JOSH LEWIS
of The Clarion

The season-opening road trip started so well for the Kindersley Klippers. It only took a split-second for it to turn into a nightmare.

With the Klippers leading the La Ronge Ice Wolves 2-0 late in the first period Sunday night, captain Andrew Dommett took a sickening hit to the head in front of the La Ronge net that will have major repercussions for himself and his team.

Dommett broke his jaw on both sides and lost several teeth from the attack by Ice Wolves forward Justin Ducharme, who received five and a game and will surely face a suspension. -written before the suspensions were announced

Linemate Johnny Calkins responded by going after Ducharme and a donnybrook ensued in the corner. When the dust settled, the blindside hit gave La Ronge a seven-minute power play, most of it on a 5-on-3.

The home side scored four goals over that span and never looked back en route to a 9-6 victory.

Literally adding insult to injury was the fact that former Klipper Travis Eggum scored a hat trick.

Dommett had scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 7-6 victory over the Battlefords North Stars the previous night. He also had a goal Sunday before getting clocked.

“From what I saw, it was a late, blindside, chicken (expletive) hit,” Calkins said on Monday. “It was one of those hits you don’t want to see happen to anyone, let alone a guy on your team. You don’t want to see that in hockey whatsoever. It was ugly.

“He’s not the type of kid to lay there when he’s not hurt, so I knew something major was wrong,” Calkins added. “He’s more than a teammate to me, he’s my best friend and I’d do anything for him. I lost my cool, and it became personal.

“When a 19-year-old kid who has not very much experience in our league does something like that to the leading goal scorer in the league, something’s not right there and something needs to be done.”

Calkins was escorted to the penalty box after the fracas, but said he lost his mind when he saw the La Ronge bench laughing at his fallen linemate. At that point, he was kicked out of the game and headed straight to the hospital.

“That’s no class, no respect. That whole organization should be embarrassed,” he fumed.

Klippers head coach Larry Wintoneak was more reserved in his comments in order to avoid league fines, but he, too, was livid about the incident.


“It bothers me the way it happened. I could see if it was a real good hit, but it was a dirty hit. To me, it was a blatant blow to the head. To me that’s a match penalty, but that’s where I, as a GM, have to make some calls and get him on tape and let the league take care of it.

“The bottom line is the league has to address hits to the head.”

Calkins said Dommett was in good spirits at the hospital, which was more than Calkins himself could muster.

“I had a tough enough time with it,” said the centre. “I just don’t understand how he’s so positive about it.
“I hope (Ducharme) woke up this morning and felt terrible for what he did.”

As of Monday, Dommett’s jaw had not yet been wired and he was slated to see several specialists to determine whether plates need to be inserted. Until that is decided, it’s not known how much time he will miss.

By the time the lengthy La Ronge power play ended, they were leading 4-2. The Klippers did make a game of it, but losing two-thirds of their top line took its toll.

“You lose a few guys in a hurry like that, it had an effect on us mentally more than anything,” said Wintoneak. “I think the wheels fell off and we allowed them to get themselves back in the game.”

Ducharme may be public enemy number one, but referee Kyle Paulsen isn’t far behind for the Klippers. He also worked Saturday’s game in North Battleford and the penalties were lopsided in the opponents’ favour on both nights.

The general sentiment around the team Sunday was that La Ronge had been rewarded for the illegal hit and won the game by spending nearly six minutes with a two-man advantage.

“That was the difference in the hockey game because 5-on-5 we can play with this team and there’s no doubt in my mind,” said Wintoneak.

“I don’t think it was fair, but that’s as far as I can comment.”

Aside from Dommett, the Klippers’ other goals Sunday came from Jesse Mysiorek, Braeden Adamyk, Taylor Duzan, Beau Taylor and Tanner Exner.


Along with Eggum’s hat trick - all on the seven-minute power play - La Ronge got markers from Justin Remillard, Marc-Andre Carre, Doug Lindensmith, Richard Cameron, Nolan Souchotte, and Aaron Enns with an empty-netter.

Wintoneak said his focus early this week would be making a case to the league for disciplinary action, then looking at what changes to make with Dommett out of the line-up.

Adamyk and Sanfred King were put together after the hit and showed some chemistry.

Left winger Justin Gerwing and defenceman David Haaf each played their first SJHL game Sunday. Haaf fought Lindensmith during the first period donnybrook and was ejected.

Saturday in North Battleford

Dommett wasn’t the first casualty of the weekend. Defenceman Riley Down injured his shoulder after falling awkwardly in the first period of Saturday’s 7-6 win over Battlefords. He returned to Kindersley for X-rays.

After a sluggish start, the Klippers spotted the Stars a one-goal lead before Kurt Leedahl found the back of the net twice in the final two minutes of the first period.

Dommett scored a power play goal midway through the second, but the North Stars potted three in the period to take a 4-3 lead.

Six goals were scored in a wild third period, four of them for Kindersley. King and Adamyk traded goals with the home side and Brett Penner scored his first SJHL goal in front of his family, from nearby Medstead, on a wrister just under the bar.

With the game tied 6-6 in the final minute, a lucky bounce saw the puck on Dommett’s stick with half the net to shoot at, securing the two points with 27.4 seconds left.

“The defenceman had it in the corner and me and (Adamyk) knew he was going to try to shoot it out, so we kind of started backing out,” said Dommett in what would be his last interview for quite some time.

“He shot it and Adsy baseball swung it and the puck hit his stick and went right to me. I gloved it and set it down. I knew the rookie goalie wouldn’t be too ready, so I tried to go top shelf on him and fortunately I did.”

The Battlefords goal scorers were Colin Phaneuf, Cade Kimery, Shayne Morrissey, Brett Miller, Shay Neufeld and Tim Rollins.

“You look ahead to February and we’re not going to remember how ugly this one was. It’s a win,” said Wintoneak.

King was outstanding on Saturday, scoring a crucial goal in the third period and adding two assists. His broken femur has fully healed and it showed.

“It’s a pretty traumatic thing to happen to you and it’s nice to be playing hockey again,” he said. “I have more confidence now and knowing my leg’s 100 per cent gives me that extra little boost.

Forwards Penner and Pearce Gourley, along with defender Jeff Bartel, were the rookies in the line-up.

With 16 forwards on the trip, Ryan Benn, Kiley Long and Tanner Kissick did not dress for either game.

The Klippers are back on the road this week for games tonight in Melville and Thursday in Yorkton.