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Coventry extend losing streak to 6 but add Gerome Giudice

By Ed Kimberley
Conventry, England

It has not been a happy 3 weeks for the Blaze. Following a big 6-2 win against the then league leading Dundee Stars, things looked good for Matty Soderstroms boys ahead of a tough schedule. The Blaze have since been hit by injuries to key members of their blueline which has tired out their defence and caused some critical mistakes leading to other teams scoring. Unfortunately, they have been their own worst enemy and it has been soft goals conceded that have led them to lose games.

For instance in Nottingham, (after the Blaze lost 6-1 the week before), they took a 5-3 loss to the defending champions in their own barn. The result could have been a tied game. A give away by Mike Zacharias led to a Panthers goal and with the first shot of the game a soft shot slipped under his pad. Zacharias stood on his head, and was ultimately MVP for the Blaze on that night including a great pass that led to the Blaze first goal, but had it not been for those two goals, the Blaze could have been level and sent the game into overtime.

The other similar result was against Cardiff on Saturday. The Devils struck twice shorthanded through Ben Davies following a give away by Zacharias almost identical to the giveaway he gave versus the Panthers the week before. Mike Devin was beat on his own blueline by Matt Myers who converted the play. Every goal scored was a special teams goal. A Ryan Ginand hattrick left the game tied had it not been for the Blaze giving up two shorthanded goals. Continue reading “Coventry extend losing streak to 6 but add Gerome Giudice”

Devils look to regroup as Sheffield and Braehead add firepower

By Ed Kimberley
Coventry, England

The Cardiff Devils stalwart player/coach and long term servant of the British league, Gerad Adams, has had a turbulent couple of weeks having been issued an ultimatum by owner Paul Ragan. He then decided to release long term Devil and local boy Phil Hill. It was a move that confused many onlookers and the decision created a lot of backlash from Devils alumni. It has now become clear that the Devils are gearing up to add to their roster and with Adams retiring from a playing role and not having to pay Hill’s wages, they have room to add some talent. As Adams is an import the Devils could look to North America to add a player coming off a pro tryout that has been affected by the veteran system. Also, Hill is going to be earning a lot as a top end British talent and as there is a degree of inflation on the good Brit’s wages, the Devils are legitimately in a position to add a top end import.

Top end imports have been added by one of Cardiff’s conference rivals in the Sheffield Steelers. In one of my pieces last week I examined Nate DiCasmirro who signed for the Steelers. In 4 games with the club so far he has added 1 goal and 3 assists and is being joined by his team mate from last year Rob Sirianni. This is quite the coup for the Steelers and it seems that they are determined to throw financial weight behind the campaign to try and unseat their rivals the Nottingham Panthers, who are sitting comfortably in Challenge Cup Group B having won 100% of their games and are 3rd in the league with only 1 loss in 6 games. Sirianni made an immediate impact for the Steelers. In his debut he bagged a hat trick in a 6-3 win against the Cardiff Devils. Both Sirianni and DiCasmirro were linemates last year in Valpellice and were the two leading points scorers and complement each other as players, DiCasmirro the playmaker and Sirianni the scorer. They combined for 114 points last year. Continue reading “Devils look to regroup as Sheffield and Braehead add firepower”

7 Colts make Team Canada East Camp Roster

(Photo: Robert Lefevbre/IceLevel Photography)

The World Junior A Challenge is set to take action this November and team training camp rosters have been announced. Countries invited to the tournament include Russia, Czech Republic, Switzerland and of course, the United States.

Canada has two entries into the tournament: Team Canada East and Team Canada West. Out of the 65 invitees from each eastern Junior A league, 20 are from the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) and 7 of those are from the Cornwall Colts.

Of course, you can say it’s a bit biased to do Cornwall’s Head Coach Ian MacInnis was selected to man the bench for Team Canada East for the tournament. However, each one of the 7 Colts invited have rightfully earned their spot with their hard work through out the first part of the CCHL season.

Red hot goaltender Jordan Piccolino has played 12 games with Cornwall so far and boasts a 1.96 goals against average. That’s good enough to throw him in second in the league, just behind Carleton Place’s Cory Simic who was not even offered an invite to the team. The Pierrefonds, Quebec native is in his second year with the Colts and already lead them to a championship in his first year. Not a bad selection to have between the pipes for Team Canada East.

On defence, Callum Hofford and Matthew Cruickshank were selected as invitees. The possibly college bound Cruickshank has played in 16 games for Cornwall this season and is deadly on the point. He won’t be taken lightly either as he’s wracked up 15 penalty minutes.

Forwards is where you need your strength and Team Canada East has invited Lawson MacDonald, Chase Pearson, Marley Quince and Tanner Spink. Quince and Spink need no introduction to Cornwall fans as they both lead the team in points with 18 and 13 respectively. Not to be outdone, Pearson is right up there with 10 from his side of the ice. Quince and Spink could be deadly when stuck between the right wingers, Pearson included. Hopefully we’ll see what the rest of leagues offer up for Team Canada East.

The tournament gets underway November 4th when Team Canada East takes on Team Russia.

Brampton Beast set for opening night

For the first time in the league’s history, the Central Hockey League are welcoming in a team from north of the border. The Brampton Beast will finally get their inaugural season underway this Friday when the Arizona Sundogs invade the Powerade Centre.

Brampton has picked up quite a core for forwards including former Belfast Giant, Andrew Fournier and Cardiff Devils/Sheffield Steelers alumni Tylor Michel. Both players must be thrilled to be back in front of a home country crowd. Veteran Rob Collins who spent a few years in the New York Islanders system will definitely bring the knowledge and leadership needed into the locker room for this new-found team. Collins has spent the past 8 season in the German Elite League. Matt Caruana who spent some time with the Toronto Marlies is another welcoming addition.

On defence, Brampton brings the power with CHL veterans, Jamie VanderVeeken, Michael Couch and Erik Spady. Rounding out the defence is Andrew Darrigo, Mike MacIntyre and former Alaska Ace Steve Ward.

Back between the pipes is Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan native Kristofer Westblom. Westblom had a great WHL career Kelowna Rockets before shipping off to Acadia University out east. He played 37 games last season with the Forth Worth Brahmas with a goals against average of 2.07 and save percentage of 0.907.

Brampton is also affiliated with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. They will be a helpful addition to the Tampa Bay system in molding the right kind of players. The Beast are set to round-up their training camp and get ready for Friday night’s opening game. All fans will receive thundersticks to cheer on the Beast! Puck drops at 7:30pm.

LNAH Kicks Off 18th Season; Cornwall wins in shootout, Mirasty fights in Sorel

The Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey kicked off its 18th season last night and it started off with a bang. Jonquiere toppled Trois Rivieres 6-5 and Riviere-Du-Loup knocked off Thetford Mines with a 7-4 win but the big stories for the start of the season were shown in the other two games being played on Friday night.

The fans of Sorel-Tracy were in for a huge treat as legendary enforcer Jon Mirasty signed on for the opening game against the newest LNAH addition, the Valleyfield Braves. With just 18 seconds into the first period, Mirasty dropped the mitts with former Cornwall River King, Mario Joly.

Not one of his better fights but Mirasty gave the much larger Joly a run for his money. However, even with all the fisticuffs Sorel was no match for the upstart Braves. Karl Fournier had an impressive 3 points in the first period en route to a 6-5 victory for Valleyfield.

Of course most people were looking to the Cornwall River Kings and their first regular season game. Amidst all the drama that unfolded the River Kings brass have managed to select a tough yet play making team. Yesterday’s lineup was as follows:

Forward
Bourret – Kavanagh – Chiasson
Corbeil – Filion – Faubert
Lessard – Pittarelli – Mazerolle

Defence
Cloutier – Caron
Andress – Reid
Sigouin – Barker
Jasper – Sullivan

Goal
Lacasse – Murphy

Clearly we have seen much better improvement and play since the preseason match-ups now that Cornwall has solidified a core. The River Kings and St. Georges played tight and evenly into the shootout where Cornwall’s Alex Bourret came out on top with the game winner. Chris Clouthier dropped the gloves a few times to keep the crowd on its feet.

Looks like it’ll be a tight race between all 8 teams this year for the LNAH. Which is great for us hockey fans; nothing like the good ol’ hockey game in the dead of winter.

Derek Campbell And His 47 Game Suspension

By Ed Kimberley
Coventry, England

On Tuesday the Hull Stingrays announced in a short press release that journeyman forward Derek Campbell would be released with immediate effect following receiving a 47 game ban for the following incident:

Now the camera angle isn’t very damning but the suspension is broken down as such:

Fighting off the ice = 15 games
Attempted eye gouge = 12 games
Knee to the head = 10 games
Excessive force to the head resulting in an impact to the ice = 10 games

I criticised Moray Hanson’s decision making as inconsistent but this, he has handled perfectly. It sends a clear message that this behaviour is totally unacceptable; ice hockey after all is portrayed as a family sport in the UK. Hopefully it will calm down the likes of Andrew Conboy in Cardiff who is currently still the league leading penalty minute taker and has been suspended for half the season so far.

This is the second longest ban in recent British hockey memory after Eric Cairns, formerly of the London Racers, received a 2 year ban for attacking a referee in the 04-05 playoffs. In a statement from head of discipline, Moray Hanson condemns Campbells conduct. “This is a very nasty incident and there is no place for any of these actions in our sport.” Campbell has since apologized for his conduct however I would be very surprised if this wasn’t the end of his illustrious EIHL career which has seen him lift back to back championships with the Coventry Blaze and the Sheffield Steelers in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

The Stingrays will no doubt be hurt losing a player of Campbells calibre as they try to improve their league record from its lowly 1-5 with the aim to no doubt make the playoffs. Campbell has his critics and some question his ability as well as his temper. However you cannot deny facts, he has been brought in by 5 different franchises in the EIHL and has been lured to the EPIHL (UK 2nd tier) by the Sheffield Steeldogs (as well as playing for the Manchester Phoenix again who dropped a league). He has iced in 346 EIHL games and has a .97 PPG average. Having seen him play and develop over the years, he is a ferocious player along the boards and one of the best to play EIHL hockey in this respect; his numbers don’t lie. For a tough guy expected to rack up a lot of PIMS he can play the game. I wrote an article for MarchHockey about tough guys in the EIHL and concluded they need to have more tools in the box than just being able to fight and before this incident Campbell was the poster boy for my opinion and even though his actions were deplorable, his legend will live on.

One on One with Quebec Remparts Assistant Captain, Kurt Etchegary

Kurt Etchegary is a fiesty centre from St. John’s, Newfoundland who is currently in his third Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season with the Quebec Remparts. His 25 points in 31 games of last year’s campaign earned him the Assistant Captaincy. We chatted about coming off an injury laden season, playing under the greatness of Patrick Roy and attending an NHL training camp.

March Hockey: How was it to come back on the ice after undergoing surgery on your hip joints?

Kurt Etchegary: After my hip surgeries, I felt like a new man! I had my problems fixed and I was had more energy on the ice and in the gym. It allowed me to last longer in games and contribute more without feeling any pain. The surgery was to make the capsules in both the left and right hip circular, instead of a previously oval-like shape. This stopped rubbing of joints and made it easier for me to be more flexible.

MH: What was it like to play under a hockey icon as big as Patrick Roy?

Etchegary with Roy. (Photo: lapresse.ca)

KE: Playing for Patrick was such an honor. He is a legend in every aspect, both on and off the ice. The feeling that you have around him whether its when you first meet him or after knowing him for two years… it never changes. He is respected by everyone that he meets and you can see the passion in him just by talking to him. He is a winner and hates to lose and really helped me develop my game and bring it to the next level.

MH: Although you went undrafted this year, what was your experience like in attending the Detroit Red Wings training camp?

KE: It was an unbelievable experience in Detroit, I met amazing people like Ken Holland, Mike Babcock, Chris Chelios and the list goes on… it was great to see how professional the organization was and to get a bit of an idea on what it takes to make it to that level. It is something I will never forget and I really hope to return for another camp next year.

MH: Growing up, what player did you look up to the most to help your style of play?

KE: My favourite player is Mike Richards because of his grit, determination and leadership. He inspires me when I watch him and I try to play like him. I love his play; he finishes his hits, isn’t afraid of anyone and always battles 60 minutes. He is a true captain and a real role model for a player with my style.

MH: What are you expectations with yourself and the Quebec Remparts in general coming into this season?

KE: Our team this year is VERY VERY good. One of the best teams on paper, however we have had a horrible start so far. Once we start to click, our skill and work ethic will carry us a long way and hopefully to the Memorial Cup. We have some of the best skill in the CHL along with the London Knights and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and I think it can be anyones championship depending on who will work the most.

Kingston Frontenacs remain only undefeated OHL team

After last night’s battle between the Soo Greyhounds and Kingston Frontenacs, only one team left with the title of being the Ontario Hockey League’s only undefeated squad.

Over 3000 fans took in the big K’s game at the K-Rock Centre and it proved to be an outstanding matchup. The opportunity of being able to watch not only the power-packed Frontenacs but the finesse of Carolina Hurricanes’ Greyhounds prospect Sergei Tolchinsky and Edmonton Oilers prospect Darnell Nurse was a treat in itself.

Frontenacs goaltender Matt Mahalak kept the black and gold in tight the whole game. He earned himself the first star and notched an impressive win under his belt. The story of the evening was not even about the Kingston Trio of Sam Bennett, Roland McKeown and Spencer Watson, but that of Finnish sensation Henri Ikonen.

Ikonen returned to the lineup last week after being away at the Tampa Bay Lightning training camp. He proved that the teachings under Yzerman and company paid off as he scored his second and third goals of the year in the win. New Jersey Devils prospect Ryan Kujawinski added assists on both of Ikonen’s goals which prove the depth caliber on this red hot Kingston roster.

The question turns now to how long will the Frontenacs be able to keep up this undefeated streak. This upcoming weekend is another home stand when the 3rd place Central Division Sudbury Wolves invade the K-Rock and then two nights later, the 3rd place Mid-West Division and stacked Guelph Storm come to town. It won’t be an easy 4 points that’s for sure but with the talent and depth on this squad, it can be done.

Early Runners: An EIHL summary

By Ed Kimberley
Coventry, England

But first, a small digression.

Most people in the world of hockey are hotly anticipating the beginning of a new NHL season and so they should; it’s looking to be an exciting year. Stories already are circulating around the newly announced hybrid icing to try and minimize injuries on icing plays, the helmet removal rule pre fight and the restructuring of the divisions.

Talent-wise, we saw an interesting offseason and it will be interesting to see which of the many rookies will be named the Calder Trophy winner. My 10 cents are that it is likely to go to, Russian forward Valeri Nichushkin. Nobody pre-draft was denying Nichushkin’s talent; comparisons were being made to Malkin and Ovechkin, BIG comparisons. Seeing him skate in pre-season, his composure on the puck is sublime. or a big guy (6ft3 – 200lbs) the comparison to Ovechkin and they way they both use speed to drive the net is proving accurate. I might be wrong, but a top 5 talent fell to 10 when the Stars picked him up because teams seemed un-easy to take a gamble on if he would (or even could) leave a KHL contract.

The deal that was struck with Jim Nill was that if Nichushkin was to not make the Stars roster/or besent down; he would be loaned back to Russia. This is another reason I think Nichushkin will step take the Calder accolade. He has everything to lose. He has made it quite clear the NHL is where he wants to be, and he’s got to prove it. The lure of the KHL has been tempting for many a Russian never to return and for the likes of MacKinnon, Jones and even Finnish centre Barkov who can mature their game close to home in the junior leagues, they can afford to play the NHL waiting game.

Back to the EIHL … Continue reading “Early Runners: An EIHL summary”

The decades old debate: Hockey and Fighting

Well since everyone has jumped on the bandwagon, I figured I might as well hop aboard and give my two cents.

Hockey and fighting.

This debate has been going on for decades. While I could get into a whole spiel on the cons of fighting and why in this day and age it should possibly be taken out, I would not agree with what I what I had wrote. Fighting belongs in hockey.

It’s not just about beating somebody’s face in. It’s much more than that. It’s about taking punches to the face to ignite your team to rally from a deficit. It’s about sparking the home town crowd to build an erupting atmosphere in the arena. There’s a lot more to it and has to stay. It’s there for a reason.

Chin meet ice. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

Yes, what happened to George Parros on Tuesday night during the Canadiens home opener was frightening and of course nobody likes to see someone get hurt but that was not the result of a fight. It was not a punch that got him concussed; it was his chin hitting the ice on an awkward fall. That could have happened at any point in the game to any player regardless of a fight. The guy is not stupid, he went to Princeton for christ sakes, he knows what he was doing.

However with that being said, fighting has changed. Gone are the days of the tough men like Bob Probert, Stu “The Grim Reaper” Grimson, and Jon Kordic, Wade Belak (shoutout Coventry fans),among others. The way hockey is being played now is completely different. It’s a mesh of both North American and European styles. More rules are being implemented whether it helps the game flourish or not.

This whole helmet debacle thing is a joke. I realize they are trying to protect the players and do what’s right but it’s down right silly. Hockey is a dangerous game; it’s meant to be. It’s the fast strides by the players; the verbal and physical altercations that keep fans coming back for more.

Fighting will never be banned. You may see limits on how many fights per year but it will never be taken out of the game entirely and rightfully so.

We wish the best for George Parros and hope he gets back in the lineup soon. I’m just disappointed I won’t be seeing him fight in person Saturday night.