The first skating rink was reported to be south of the Eriksdale Creamery, another site was the old school grounds. Finally the Ice gardens were built. The rivalry between Eriksdale and Lundar goes back to the 40’s and 50’s, when Eriksdale played in the Interlake Senior Hockey League against Lundar as well as Oak Point. There weren’t very many home games so when one did happen it grew large town support. One article from the time reads “600 screaming fans” attended an Eriksdale game. Games were played out doors and usually in bad weather.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s there was a drop in players and the line up had to be filled with younger players, also sometimes local players played with Ashern or Lundar in the Senior league.
Then there was the Mustangs. They competed in the Western Interlake Hockey League from the late 1960’s to the early 1980’s. They won the Lawson Trophy eight out of twelve years in this period, the Karsin Trophy once, and finished first or second in standings ten times. During this time the fan support was huge and the games were always exciting. Then once again there was a shortage of players. Those who still wanted to play continued to do so with Lundars team and the mighty Mustangs became a recreational team, who still play from time to time (Although the games are growing few and very far between as the years go by).
Up until the early 1970’s the minor hockey was loosely organised. Teams were made of several ages to play Lundar and Ashern in exhibition games and occasionally play a tournament. EAGL friendship league was formed in around 1972, including teams from Ashern, Lundar, Eriksdale and sometimes St. Laurent. Players as young as 5 were registerd in the MAHA and the Eriksdale Minor Hockey League was formed. In 77-78 Ashern left the EAGL, leaving Eriksdale and Lundar with the option of joining the Southwest Interlake Minor Hockey League. However, in this league teams consisted of a single age group and since nether Eriksdale or Lundar had enough members of a single age they had to put past rivalry’s behind them and join to make a single team. They each retained there their individual clubs and representation from each was on the Lakeside Minor Hockey Association and they joined the south league.
Players used both rinks for practice and played out of each town and each town hosted minor hockey teams and their own tournaments. Today there is those who are not interested in playing organised hockey there is rec. hockey, as well as free skating many nights of the week. The Girls also have a rec. hockey night, Sunday night.
Hockey Jokes
Empty seat
It's Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and a man makes his way to his seat right at center ice. He sits down, noticing that the seat next to him is empty. He leans over and asks his neighbor if someone will be sitting there.
"No," says the neighbor. "The seat is empty." "This is incredible", said the man.
"Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs and not use it?"
The neighbor says "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Stanley Cup we haven't been to together since we got married in 1967."
"Oh ... I'm sorry to hear that. That's terrible. But couldn't you find someone else, a friend or relative, or even a neighbor to take the seat?"
The man shakes his head "No. They're all at the funeral."
Ice fishing
A drunk decides to go ice fishing, so he gathers his gear and goes walking around until he finds a big patch of ice. He heads into the center of the ice and begins to saw a hole. All of sudden, a loud booming voice comes out of the sky. "You will find no fish under that ice."
The drunk looks around, but sees no one. He starts sawing again. Once more, the voice speaks, "As I said before, there are no fish under the ice."
The drunk looks all around, high and low, but can't see a single soul. He picks up the saw and tries one more time to finish.
Before he can even start cutting, the huge voice interrupts. "I have warned you three times now. There are no fish!"
The drunk is now flustered and somewhat scared, so he asks the voice, "How do you know there are no fish? Are you God trying to warn me?"
"No", the voice replied. "I am the manager of this hockey rink."
St. Peter vs Satan
St. Peter and Satan were having an argument one day about hockey. Satan proposed a game to be played on neutral ice between a select team from the heavenly host and his own hand-picked boys.
"Very well," said the gatekeeper of Heaven. "But you realize, I hope, that we've got all the good players and the best coaches."
"I know, and that's all right," Satan answered unperturbed, "We've got all the referees."
