To the roaring chants of his countrymen, Ukranian U25 National Team player Mykhailo Simchuck made a daring shot on the Dinos’ net that would score the team the first point of the Hockey Can’t Stop Tour.
And although the U25 players wouldn’t find a win during their second series stop, the crowd’s chants of Sokil Kyiv—Kyiv’s professional hockey team—called on their men to fight to the very last seconds of the game.
Speaking after the game, Simchuck called the battle against the Dino’s a hard one, especially for many of his fellow teammates who have recently arrived in Canada. But the highlight was being able to play in front of a home crowd of Ukrainians, even while abroad.
“Today was a good crowd. We really, really appreciate it,” he said.
Dino’s Men’s hockey team assistant captain Bradley Schoonbaert said that the atmosphere in the at-capacity Father David Bauer Arena was something they weren’t used to.
“I mean, what they’ve been through here the past year is unfathomable, really. So if we can be a little part of trying to make their experience better, that’s a good opportunity for us,” Schoonbaert said.
He called the Ukrainians a tough test to the start of 2023. High praise from the current second-highest-rated university hockey team in the nation, and first in the West.
“It was a really good test. They were really tough to play against, they could skate, and they made it tough on us,” he said.
Schoonbaert scored the second goal of the night for the Dinos, and put the team in position for the night’s victory despite an empty net goal after an all-out attempt by the Ukrainians to tie up the game in the third.
As for the goal, Schoonbaert, who has Ukrainian family on his mother’s side and had a number of his cousins attend the game, laughed when asked if his family was cheering for or against him.
“I’m not too sure, I’ll have to ask them,” he said.
The Ukrainian U25 Team is set to take on the Golden Bears at the University of Alberta in Edmonton on Tuesday night, followed by the University of Manitoba Bisons next Monday at the home of the Winnipeg Jets.
An opportunity to play hockey, safe from the war
The tour is both a fundraiser and an opportunity for the players.
In one part it’s raising money to support Ukraine, which has been under constant threat of attacks by the Russian Federation since February of 2023. These attacks include the destruction of a number of the nation’s hockey arenas.
Proceeds from the game are going to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, with the majority of those funds going toward the Save Ukrainian Hockey Dream program.
And in another, it is a chance for the players to focus on their sport safe from having to hide in bomb shelters.
In a statement provided at the beginning of the tour, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine said that they wanted to send a message that the nation is strong, and surviving the brutal war.
Mykhailo Simchuck’s father, Kostiantyn Simchuck who is also a coach for the team, said that being able to play against the best Canadian university hockey teams was important to them.
Kostiantyn was himself a professional hockey player and was named the best goaltender during the 1994 Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
“It’s very important for us. For the last two years, we’ve rebuilt the whole Hockey Federation of Ukraine,” he said.
“We try to play a level higher than we have right now, because like we used to play… in a high level, we played eight seasons Group A World championship, we played Olympic Games, and we want to show our guys—young guys—that we have traditions, and we can get back on this level and play well for Ukraine.”
Emotional game for billet families
Mykhailo Simchuck is one of the few evacuees from the war that has been able to find a place to play in Canada at a high level. He, along with Danylo Korzhyletskyi, were signed to the Brooks Bandits in September of last year.
Bill and Sherry Anstey are currently billeting both players. Attending Monday’s game, Sherry was brought near to tears with what it meant to her to see Mykhailo score the first point of the series for the U25 team.
“I don’t know how to put it in words,” she said.
“I’m so overwhelmed to see so many people from Ukraine support these boys.”
Bill said that despite being up for work at 5 a.m. and having to travel the two hours to Calgary, he wouldn’t have missed the game for anything.
“He’s a he’s an awesome kid, and this is fantastic. See the crowd here: It’s been just beautiful.”
Sherry said that part of their wish for billeting the players is to help them build a better life, free from the war.
“He spent four hours in a bomb shelter the last time he was trying to get out of Ukraine, and here he is now today. Here.”
“We’ve been practicing an English word every day, and every day we’re learning a new word. And to see him go over and speak to some guys that speak English, It was like, ‘oh, it’s working.'”
Something that Bill said was already building relationships and opportunities.
“Building those friendships, and building a relationship here so hopefully he can get a scholarship, whether it’s at a Canadian university, or a U.S. university, you know, so he can stay here,” he said.
Photos from the UCalgary Dino’s versus the Ukrainian U25 National Team
