Ex-NHLers to play fundraising game for Metro peewee squad

B1

by dwayne tingey
times & transcript staff

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Speak Up

Most of Yves Sarault's memories of growing up in Valleyfield, Que., about 40 kilometres west of Montreal, revolve around the Canadiens.

Sarault, who has played pro hockey for the last 17 years, including parts of two seasons with the Canadiens in the mid-1990s, can still recall the details of playing in the street or hearing his father scream at the television when his favourite team lost.

In 1991, Sarault, a 36-year-old Moncton resident, was selected in the third round of the NHL entry draft by the Canadiens and he wound up skating on the same Forum ice as the heroes of his youth.

"I was always outside playing hockey and we pretended to be the big scorers on the Canadiens like (Guy) Lafleur and (Steve) Shutt," Sarault said yesterday.

Sarault also played in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators. He played in the American Hockey League with four teams, including the Fredericton Canadiens and Saint John Flames.

The speedy six-foot-one, 200-pound left winger has played the last eight years in Europe, including last season in Germany. He hopes to catch on with another European team within a month, but he's coming off a year that saw him sustain hand and rib injuries.

Sarault will once again get to skate alongside some NHL legends, including Lafleur, Thursday night when several former Canadiens face a team of doctors and dentists from southeastern New Brunswick in a fundraiser for the Moncton Cora's peewee AAA Hawks at the Red Ball Internet Centre.

Proceeds from the game will go to the Hawks, who compete in the New Brunswick Peewee AAA Hockey League, and other minor hockey teams in Dieppe/ Memramcook, Moncton and Cap-Pelé.

Some funds will also be given to Right to Play, an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.

Among the former Canadiens joining Lafleur in the fundraiser will be: Patrice Brisebois, Karl Dykhuis, Alain Côté, Yves Racine, Gilbert Delorme, Richard Sévigny, Gilbert Dionne, Mario Roberge, Sergio Momesso and Gilles Thibaudeau.

Sarault played on teams with Brisebois, Côté, Racine and Roberge. In fact, Sarault and Roberge, one of the toughest players to ever pull on an NHL jersey, were called up from Montreal's AHL affiliate in Fredericton at the same time.

"Mario was a great guy and you knew that if you ever ran into trouble on the ice, he'd be there to help you out," said Sarault, whose 12-year-old son Chris is a centre for the peewee Hawks.

"All of these guys have great reputations for helping communities out," Sarault said. "We're fortunate to have them come here for this special game."

Sarault isn't sure if he'll play for the ex-Habs or the medical professionals on Thursday night.

"I'll have my equipment with me and I'll be ready to go wherever they tell me to go."