Two local players whose first ice skating steps were taken in the Estevan area are now pursuing their careers in Red Deer, Alta.
Estevan hockey fans still remember 2016-17 Power Dodge Estevan Bruins captain Lynnden Pastachak. For the second year now he is playing for the Red Deer College Kings.
“We had a good first half (of the year) for sure. We finished off the first half in first place. Things are going well,” Pastachak said.
A year after Pastachak moved to Alberta, another Estevan hockey player – Kyle Salaway – joined the Red Deer College Kings.
Salaway played minor hockey in the Energy City until his last year in midget, which he spent with the Battlefords Stars. Then, for three seasons he played junior hockey as a part of the Virden Oil Capitals team of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. In his last year of junior hockey, the Oil Capitals went to the league final losing to the Steinbach Pistons.
Salaway recalls his youth hockey experience and especially his years in Estevan with gratitude.
“I played hockey and that’s where I started to love the game, that’s how I got here,” Salaway said.
Pastachak, in his turn, spent most of his hockey time playing in Estevan. After two years with the Yorkton Harvest that he spent playing in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, in 2013, Pastachak joined Estevan Bruins. He spent four seasons playing in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League scoring 75 goals. His coach and his team are those who Pastachak remembers.
“I’m thankful a lot. I spent my four years there, and Chris (Lewgood, Estevan Bruins head coach/GM) was good to me. I had a lot of friendships that I made playing with Estevan Bruins,” Pastachak said.
Now both Salaway and Pastachak are pushing on to the next level. The game requires more and more from them.
“It’s definitely a step up from the Bruins. It’s a lot more skill, a lot faster, everything happens a lot quicker. It’s definitely a more high-paced type of game,” Pastachak said.
“It’s a lot different obviously, it’s a whole new experience,” Salaway added. “You are playing into a lot bigger, stronger, older guy. Everyone is so mature; it’s a step up for sure.”
Pastachak, as he admitted, always dreamed about NHL. He noted that constant growth is one of the main goals for him.
“There is always room for improvement and we always keep trying to raise the bar. That’s the main goal to keep improving and moving forward and try to win every game, just one game at a time,” he said.
While everything is still quite new for Salaway, who is going through his first year in college, Pastachak already got his better grasp of the level of the Red Deer College Kings.
“This is my second year. The first year it took a couple games to get up the speed. But practicing with the guys, they have a lot of skills and stuff like that, it makes it a lot easier,” Pastachak said.
Both men are far from being done with their schooling and consequently with their hockey involvement with the college team, but they both look forward towards new achievements and strides. Salaway plans one step at a time.
“We have a good team this year, so I’d like to win the championship with the team. This would be pretty cool,” Salaway said.
While Pastachak tries to visualize his further career.
“My dad played overseas (in Germany) for seven years, so I’ve always had that in the back of my mind that I wanted to go over there and play. And hope there is an opportunity for that in the future,” Pastachak said.
So far in the 2018-19 season, Pastachak played 18 games scoring four and assisting on 17 goals. Salaway, who is now a forward, spent 17 games on the ice scoring two times and assisting on three goals.
