October 28, 2016
Of the four post secondary institutions to represent British Columbia at the CCAA Hockey National Championships, only one made it to the finals.
The 1975-76 Selkirk College Saints of Castlegar built upon the success of their predecessors and captured a second straight Totem Conference championship.
At the 1975 4-West Hockey Championships in nearby Trail, the Saints coached by CCAA Hall of Famer Mal Stelck made it to the final only to drop an 8-0 decision to the inaugural CCAA hockey national champions -- the Camrose Lutheran College Vikings.
At the 1976 4-West Hockey Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Steve Paulone scored three goals for the Saints in a 12-3 win over the host Red River Rebels. In the championship final, Glen Grigg chipped in a pair for Selkirk as they edged the Kelsey Amaruks of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 5-4.
The Saints then travelled to Camrose, Alberta for the 1976 CCAA Hockey National Championships. In semi final action, Selkirk shaded Lévis-Lauzon Faucons of Lévis, Quebec 7-6 in overtime. In the gold medal game, Selkirk dressed 14 players against the unbeaten and untied St. Clair Saints of Windsor, Ontario. St. Clair peppered Selkirk netminder David Bisaro with 49 shots including 20 in the first period en route to an 11-2 win. Dave Baines and Dale Costanzo bent the twine for Selkirk.
Behind the bench for Selkirk's only appearance at nationals was the man who established the first post secondary scholarships for hockey in Canada when he was athletic director at Notre Dame University -- Ernie Gare Sr. Gare was posthumously elected to the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.