'Soaps' Cleaning up for the U of S Huskies

By Darren Zary / Star Phoenix

The University of Saskatchewan Hockey Dogs have their own version of the "Saskatoon Soaps", but Garett Soparlo is no comedy of errors when he hits the ice in full stride.

Timely slapstick has been replaced by a timely slapshot as Soparlo was promoted to the team's top line this week.

Soparlo-nicknamed "Soaps" - may finally be getting his shot with the U of S Huskies, who continue to be Ranked No. 1 in Canadian University Sport men's hockey despite a lackluster performance and a 5-1 loss last Saturday to the University of Regina Cougars.

Previously relegated to the Huskies checking line, Soparlo has been bumped up to the team's top line this week on an experimental basis - even if it, as U of S coach Dave Adolph admits, "lasts only 5 seconds."

Still, Soparlo is being rewarded.

Just rewarded, as far as Adolph is concerned.

"Soaps is the hardest working player in Huskie Hockey." Adolph proclaimed Thursday as the Dogs (12-3-3) were preparing to play host to the University of Calgary Dinos for the two-game Canada West series Friday and Saturday (7pm) at Rutherford Rink.

"He'd deserves and opportunity. He's a great competitor. He's going to be a great teacher. He's a great people person. He just wants the opportunity and he deserves one."

Soparlo, a Saskatoon native who played for the Saskatoon Midget AAA Blazers before moving on to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with the Notre Dame Hounds and LaRonge Ice Wolves, had been toiling on the so-called "Piss" line with the Huskies.

On Thursday, he was skating on the same line as captain Brent Twordik and Canada West Leading scorer Dean Beuker.

"It's exciting," Soparlo said after practice Thursday. "It really came out of the blue here...I've just been working hard at practice and I think Dave saw that."

Jeff Schmidt is now with Mason Wallin and Matt Girling. Keegan McAvoy has taken over from his little brother, Alekcei on the line with Curtis Austring and Trent Adamus. Alekcei hooks up with Evan Folden and Shawn Langen.

Soparlo has three goals and three assists for six points through 18 Canada West games. Overall, he has 4 goals and six assists for 10 points in 26 games.

"For him to be successful," Adolph said "he has to be the hardest working player on the ice for us and, right now he is."

They loved Soparlo when he played midget AAA for the Blazers.

"He's got lots of guts and determination," Ralph Klassen, then head coach of the Blazers, said at the time. "He comes to the rink to play. That's his style."

"I liked him the first day I saw him play in LaRonge and I liked him the first day he started skating with us," Adolph said. "He's just got an energy around him that you can't get enough of."

Soparlo, a 6-foot-1, 190 pound winger is into his second season with the Dogs after red-shirting on year. The 23 year old student spent his minor hockey days in the Flyer Zone.

"Last year was quite a long year," said Soparlo, who had limited ice time with the Dog's last season. "After Christmas no guys went down with injuries. I was really hoping for a opportunity, but we hung in there. I worked really hard in the summer. I came back stronger and in better shape.

I'm kind of an energy guy. I like to bang. I like to go out, work hard and back check. I'm not fancy."