It's my Parting Shot for some Tuesday Tidbits.....

       It's been such a bizarre Stanley Cup final that it's only fitting it goes to a Game 7 tomorrow night. The question becomes, which factor has more "bite" in a winner-take-all contest...home ice for the Canucks or superior goaltending from the Bruins' Tim Thomas?

       Not surprisingly, Rider Pride was out Saturday at Griffiths Stadium as the Green and White made their annual one-day jaunt north with training camp. Once again, the talk is about holding the entire camp here. Selfishly speaking, Riders' training camp is just fine being held in Regina. I need to have a break from going hard everyday from August to April with the Hilltops and Blades!

       Depending on the down and distance to go, the sixth so-called "skill" player on the field for the Saskatchewan offence will be one of Jason Clermont, Neal Hughes or Graeme Bell...either as a fullback, tight end or slotback...and their main job will be blocking! Getting their hands on the football will be a secondary option on almost every play the Riders run this season!

       Thank you to Dakota Dunes' general manager McLaren Taylor for arranging for my foursome to get out Sunday. Three weeks away from the annual Dakota Dunes Casino Open stop on the Canadian Tour, the track is in "juicy" shape. Of course it helped that, while playing from the "gold" tees, I had my best round of the year...despite a "snowman" on the Par-3 11th hole!

       From to "Do as I say, not do as I do" department comes new Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean. "Big Mac" was one of my favourite Winnipeg Jets' players from the 80s. He was Dale Hawerchuk's right winger with one of the best wrist shots in the N-H-L at the time and near-impossible to stop for a goaltender from 20 feet and closer to the net. However, back-checking wasn't his forte...yet I'm sure he'll be preaching that, along with defensive responsibility, to Senators' forwards, having worked under Mike Babcock in Anaheim and Detroit for the last several years!

       That's my Parting Shot, I'm Les Lazaruk.