Beuker misses MVP prize, wins sportsmanship award

By Darren Zary of The StarPhoenix
EDMONTON — If there was disappointment for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ Dean Beuker here when Kevin Baker of the Acadia Axeman was chosen as Canadian Interuniversity Sport MVP on Wednesday, the fourth-year Huskie disguised it well.
Instead of starting this weekend’s Telus University Cup national championship with MVP hardware, he and his teammates will now have to settle for the best award of all, a University Cup. That quest begins today with the Huskies facing Baker and his Axemen in the tournament’s opening game.
Beuker didn’t go home empty-handed as he won the the R.W. Pugh Award for sportsmanship and ability.
Beuker, who had 22 goals and 25 assists, had the same number of points as Baker (24-23—47), who previously played two years in the American Hockey League. McGill’s goaltender Mathieu Poitras had also been nominated for CIS MVP.
“We’re here for this,” Beuker said, pointing to the University Cup, “not this kind of stuff. We’re all here for the same reason.
“It’s a courtesy second-place or consolation prize for the other one (MVP), but, really, it’s not why we’re here. The reason we’re here is to win a Cup.”
Beuker, who won the CIS rookie of the year in 2003, has been a model of consistency over his four years with the Hockey Dogs.
He is the fair-weather man of CIS men’s hockey. That is to say, there has been little, or no, variance to his game in four years. It’s a sunny, temperate climate for this quiet, team-oriented person.
Beuker has won the Canada West scoring title three of his four years and the CIS scoring title twice. During that four-year span, his scoring totals have ranged from 42 points to a career-high 47 this season.
“How consistent is that?” U of S coach Dave Adolph asked rhetorically. “How more consistent can a player be, in terms of his stats, not only his contribution to our program but the U of S and Huskie Athletics? He’s done everything a guy has been asked to do and more, from running hockey schools, to helping generate funds, to promoting Huskie Athletics. He made an impact from the first day he arrived on campus.
“He’s a guy who hasn’t really had a blip on his four-year progression. He’s certainly very deserving (yet) he very much cares about team success and is very gracious about his individual attention. Dean has without a doubt been the most consistent, dominant player Canada West has seen in a long time.”
Beuker, a 6-foot-1 forward from Watson who played midget AAA for the Saskatoon Contacts, was named to the CIS All-Canadian first team Wednesday. Linemate Brent Twordik was named to the second team.
“Dean has contributed to the Huskies in every facet of the game,” noted Adolph. “He’s a fierce competitor, a fantastic person.”
dzary@sp.canwest.com