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Rock rolled out of league

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By Treena Mielke

The Rimbey Rock junior B hockey team, already skating on thin ice with the Heritage Junior Hockey League, has been ousted from the organization.

Team manager, Rick Pankiw said representatives from the Rimbey Rock submitted an application to the league at its annual general meeting in May, but were turned down.

Pankiw said the team had been suspended from the league last season after forfeiting a game against the Blackfalds Wranglers because they didn’t have enough players.

“We wanted to right the ship and do what we could to get the team going again,” said Pankiw.

The Rimbey Rock was formed in 2003 and made the playoffs for several years, he said.

“It was a strong competitive team.”

He said it was disappointing to be turned down by the league.

“At the end of the day we wanted to see hockey in Rimbey, but it is what it is. We did what we could.”

Jerry Arnish, president of the Heritage Junior Hockey League was not available for comment by press time.

During the 2010-2011 HJHL finals, Okotoks won the best of three series against Blackfalds Wranglers (formerly Lacombe) 2-1, winning their eighth league title. Both teams advanced to the junior B provincials in Leduc.

Blackfalds won the final 2-1 over the Beaumont Chiefs to advance to the 2011 Keystone Cup in Sherwood Park.

Blackfalds defeated Sherwood Park 2-1 to win the Western Canadian crown.