The Kindersley Senior Klippers came out victorious in this year's Sask West Hockey League playoffs.
Winning the title on Tuesday night, the Klippers have been celebrating ever since. The community is celebrating their efforts too, as the team was invited to the Kindersley Jr. Klippers playoff game on Wednesday night for the pre-game ceremonial puck drop.
WestCentralOnline checked in with Senior Klippers player Byron Ismond the morning after the big win. Ismond has played senior hockey in Kindersley since 2009, when the team was still the Kindersley Red Lions.
"It's better than almost any other championship I've ever won." shared the freshly minted champion.
With the franchise's last league title coming as the Red Lions back in 2013, Ismond has been waiting a long time to get back on top of the SWHL mountain. Taking down a team like Wilkie, who has six titles to their name since 2015, made the win all-that-sweeter for Ismond.
"Been a long time coming. Since Wilkie got in the league, it's been something we have been chasing, since 2013. It's just incredible, and couldn't have done it with a better group of guys."
If the championship wasn't enough, the Klippers were the team to hand Wilkie their first loss of the season in Game 1 of the SWHL Finals. The win against one of the provinces top teams actually gave Ismond some deja-vu.
"When we were the Red Lions, in 2013 we were up against Lloydminster, and they were touted as the best team in the province. We proved everybody wrong and we beat them out," recalled Ismond. "And then 11 years later, to the day, we take out the next best team in the province. It's just incredible."
Wilkie swept Kindersley in three games the last time they met in the finals. Ismond is happy to avenge the result six years later.
"We've been chasing after these guys for ten straight years. It's incredible. So happy we got it done."
For the "Senior Klippers", this is their first championship since bringing home their second straight Wild Goose Hockey League title back in 1999. Whatever their name is now, it's been a long time coming for the team and fans in Kindersley.
Klippers leadership group accepting SWHL Champions Cup (Photos via @sportsheilman on X/formerly Twitter)
The Kindersley Senior Klippers are the Sask West Hockey League's 2023-2024 champions
Thu, Apr 25, 9:30 AM
