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Sports Year in Review – April 2017

Dec 24, 2017 | 8:00 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Playoffs continued for local teams, an AJHL player began attracting draft attention, and the end of an era for Medicine Hat was in sight during the month of April.

Here are several sports stories which caught the attention of readers this April.

April 4 – Isak Helland-Hansen named ACAC Male Athlete of the Year. 

The Norwegian outside hitter capped a strong season with this award. He finished the season with 37 service aces, 202 kills and 125 digs, and was named both the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

April 9 – Broncs and Honky Tonks Rodeo 

The annual indoor rodeo thrilled audiences at the Cypress Centre with three days of rodeo action and thrills.

April 10 – Willie Desjardins fired by Vancouver Canucks 

The former Medicine Hat Tigers head coach was let go by the Canucks following his third season with the team.

April 10 – Nate Coehoorn retires 

Coehoorn, who is originally from Redcliff, retired from the CFL after spending six seasons as a wide receiver with the Edmonton Eskimos, citing his health.

April 11 – Hockey Alberta merges Lethbridge, Medicine Hat elite hockey zones

Following discussion, Lethbridge Minor Hockey and the Southeast Athletic Club were merged into a new zone to draw elite talent from.

April 16 – All eyes on Cale Makar 

At this time of the year, the Brooks Bandits player was the number one ranked defenceman in North American heading into the NHL Entry Draft

April 18– Tigers eliminated by Lethbridge Hurricanes in WHL playoffs 

Tyler Wong’s overtime goal ended the Tigers’ playoff hopes at the Canalta Centre, in a series that went the distance.

April 19 – Bandits win AJHL championship 

For the second year in a row, the Brooks Bandits hoisted the AJHL championship, sweeping the Whitecourt Wolverines

April 24 – Ice removed from Arena 

One year ago, city council voted to close the Medicine Hat Arena, which served at the home of the Medicine Hat Tigers for more than 40 years. The Arena was used for ball hockey in the summer before finally closing for good in July.