Monkey Number 1 Says

A High School pal passes...thought I'd post it here for the peeps to check in.

Kamloops – Ed Patterson remembers former teammate Dale Masson as a quiet guy with a terrific sense of humour.

Masson, a goaltender who played parts of four seasons with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, died Saturday near Calgary. He was 36.

Masson spent much of his time with the Blazers backing up Corey Hirsch, but, according to Patterson, he accepted his role and was a good teammate.

“He was a quiet guy, a nice guy and a big part for our team when we won,” said Patterson, who played two seasons with Masson. “He never caused too much trouble when he was the backup for Corey.”

Masson, a lawyer in Calgary, collapsed and died while running in the Kananaskis 100-mile race, a 10-person relay that starts in Longview, southwest of Calgary, and ends at Nakiska ski hill. He leaves a wife, Tanya, and two sons — Wyatt, 2, and Sam, two months.

Masson, an Edmonton native, joined the Blazers in 1989 and played in Kamloops until he was dealt to the Victoria Cougars for goaltender Steve Passmore during the 1992-93 season. In 1991-92, when the Blazers won their first Memorial Cup, Masson appeared in 29 games and had a 3.68 GAA.

Masson is the third former member of the Blazers to die in the last 13 months. Mike Mathers, who played in Kamloops from 1990-93, died in his sleep in St. Albert, Alta., on June 1, 2008. On Nov. 29, Michael Maniago, who was a Blazers goaltender from 2004-07, died in a car crash in Calgary.

Upon graduating from the WHL, Masson attended the U of Alberta and played five seasons with the Golden Bears, the last four as starter. In his final season (1998-99), he backstopped the Golden Bears to the CIAU national championship in Saskatoon.

Masson went on to play two seasons of pro hockey, spending time with the ECHL's Pensacola Ice Pilots and the Central league’s Wichita Thunder and San Antonio Iguanas, before returning to the U of Alberta to study law.

Masson got his law degree in 2004 and was working for Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer in Calgary. According to the firm’s website, Masson, who was called to the bar in 2005, specialized in securities and corporate law. His profile picture on the website bdplaw.com shows a smiling Masson wearing a blocker and leaning on a goalie’s mask.

Patterson, who guessed that he last spoke with Masson 15 years ago, was shocked at the news of his death.

“He had a good sense of humour,” Patterson said. “He was a quiet guy, but when he dropped a joke, it was always funny.”

The BDP website noted that Masson was a participant on Team Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer for the Kananaskis 100-Mile Relay from 2005-08, meaning this was his fifth appearance in the race.

Masson also ran in the Calgary Police half-marathon on April 26, finishing in two hours five minutes 45 seconds.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalized, but the tentative plan is for a service to be held Friday in Calgary.