Kinistino’s Layne Cay had a decision to make this past summer.
Should the son of Randy and Susan Cay join his hometown Tigers senior hockey team or return to the Carrot River Outback Thunder? The 21-year-old decided to come back for his final Junior B season.
“I can play [senior] till I’m forty, so I decided to play my last year of junior hockey,” Cay said. “I like how you are on the ice lots and can get away from the everyday things in life and just go to the rink or jump on the charter bus and play some hockey.”
Cay and the Outback Thunder opened the Prairie Junior Hockey League season with a 3-2 overtime loss on the road to the Saskatoon Westleys. This weekend Carrot River plays the Saskatoon Westleys again on the road on Friday. The Outback Thunder’s first home game of the season is Oct. 20 when they host the Saskatoon Royals.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Cay started his Junior B career with Fort Knox in 2014-2015 but was acquired by the then named Tri-Town Thunder that season. He has been with the Thunder ever since and has greatly enjoyed his time. The best part?
“Meeting lots of lifelong friends and just being around the boys most of the winter,” Cay said.
The veteran is certainly an important member of the Outback Thunder this season.
“Layne has a strong work ethic and is a defence-first type D-man,” said Trevor Logan, Carrot River’s head coach. “He’s the type that goes to battle and takes control of our end and adding some points is a secondary addition to keeping pucks out of our net.”
Cay is counted on to be a leader. Logan said that Cay prepares himself and carries himself with composure.
Last season he was named to the PJHL North Division All-Star Team. He posted a career PJHL-best four goals and 17 points. At the Outback Thunder’s awards night after last season, Cay received the Top Defenceman award and shared the Coaches’ Award with Nick Peterson, who has also returned for his 21-year-old season. Last year Cay was called up to the Melfort Mustangs and recorded two assists in a neutral site game in his hometown.
For the second straight season, Cay will be teammates with his younger brother, Justin, a 19-year-old forward.
“We always tell each other what we see the other guy is doing to help him improve or let each other know if we have a good play or a big hit,” said Cay, who is working on the family farm during harvest and plans to work at Farm World later in the season as he pursues a career in mechanics. “I enjoy watching him do well. It makes me proud to be his big brother.”
Westleys 3, Outback Thunder 2 OT
On Sept. 30, the Outback Thunder led 2-1 after two periods, but the Westleys were able to tie things up in the third and slip away with the victory.
“We were very fortunate to get a point last night,” Logan said. “We didn’t play well enough to deserve one and if [veteran goalie Kolton Holmen] hadn’t show up to play we wouldn’t have even been in the game.”
Logan felt the Westleys were ready to play and stuck to their game plan better than the Thunder. He said the team, including himself, can hopefully use it as an early learning lesson.
Holmen stopped 37 of the 40 shots he faced. Justin Cay and Kyle Njaa scored for the Thunder. Morgan Venne scored all three of the Westley’s goals.
