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In This Issue Around NHL.......................46 Central................................17 Coaching with Gridley.........7 East Section.........................22 Herr and ADM...................13 Hockey Insight....................12 Men’s Club..........................45 Men’s College Central.............................18 East...................................25 North................................31 West..................................39 North Section......................30 On the Bench w/Sedia..........5 Photo Page.....................15-16 Ten Year Old Business.........8 Tournaments.......................48 West Section........................34 What’s for Girls?................10 Women’s College Central.............................20 East...................................27 North................................32 West..................................40
Dear Readers, With the October issue of NY Hockey OnLine Magazine you will notice a slight change in its look. Not only has our logo changed, so has the look of the cover of the magazine. Many thanks to the combined efforts of Janet and Rob in coming up with our new look. September saw Janet and I make our annual trips across New York State for the Fall meetings of the West, Central, East and North Sections of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association. Many thanks to the hospitality all the Sections showed to us. This month’s issue of the magazine contains stories on The Harvey School, host of the East Sectional Meeting. Matt Herr, a regional manager of USA Hockey’s ADM is also featured. A new columnist, Tom Barnett, will also be featured this month along with regular contributors Chuck and Rob. Another reminder to all hockey organizations across the State. Please put us on your mailing lists so we can get all your news. Time sometimes gets short for our staff and we are unable to get to your web sites to get your news. Also, please “Like” us on FACEBOOK, follow us on Twitter and put a link from your organization’s home page to our www.nyhockeyonline.com website. This way everyone in your organization has instant access to all the hockey news in NYS. Thanks again for your continued support and have a great and safe hockey season. Best Wishes, Randy Schultz Publisher
NY Hockey On-Line (E-Magazine) 3663 Irish Road Wilson, New York 14172 716-751-6524 nyhockeyonline@ nyhockeyonline.com Publisher &Managing Editor Randy Schultz Randy@nyhockeyonline.com Designer/Photographer Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
Columnists Warren Kozireski, Wkozires@brockport.edu Janet Schultz Randy Schultz Rob Sedia Chuck Gridley Tom Barnett NY Hockey OnLine is an equal opportunity employer. Contents 2012 NY Hockey Online All rights reserved NY Hockey OnLine is published monthly at no charge and can be accessed via the publication’s website www.nyhockeyonline.com
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Sedia / Page 5
From the Bench! by Rob Sedia / Professional Hockey Instructor
Practice Coach: Level 1 – 4, Which One Are You? Thank you very much for the emails and positive comments about past articles, your feedback has been fantastic and is very much appreciated! We have all heard the statement “practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect”. As coaches, we tend to put this on our players as a way to motivate them to “work harder” during practice but the million dollar question is; Are we as coaches practicing what we preach? Perfect practice starts with the coach and ends with the player. It is a two-way street, without both entities making a full commitment to their part, true development will not take place. An efficient practice environment is important but is diluted without a knowledgeable coach/staff and proper preparation. Technique and biomechanics of skill in such a complicated game as hockey, is very important as there is a right way and a wrong way to execute skill movements as well as train on tactical skills. These 4 practice levels help emphasize how coaches ultimately impact player and team development as well as enjoyment of the game.
or need drills demonstrated multiple times because they are not engaged. Worst of all, players are not being educated on proper technique during drills. These practices are not fun for the players or the parents and the win loss record is never appealing for level 1 practice coahes. In addition to the obvious negatives stated above, players and parents are not enjoying their youth hockey experience and consequently may not continue with the game. This ultimately hurts the organization. Level 1 practice coaches have a big impact on more than just the skill level of the players. Level 1 practice coaches are often new to the game and volunteer to “help”. In many cases, the organization simply doesn’t have a choice and appoints this volunteer as the head coach. If this is the case, the organization needs to help this volunteer. Assigning an experienced mentor, having regular meetings to help guide the new coach and/or having occasional on-ice support are reasonable options. LEVEL 2 Some planning takes place at this level but preparation is usually limited to hand written notes/drills right before practice with very little rhyme or reason. The success of these practices is a coin flip at best. Players get bored quickly due to the lack of diverse drills and not being challenged. As a result, player discipline is still an issue at this level. Level 2 practice coaches tend to shy away from technology, keep hand w r i t ten drill notes, rarely (if at all) utilize development resources, and never seek h e l p . Proper s k i l l technique is usually not being taught at this level either. Sadly, level 2 practice coaches tend to be experienced coaches that come from a different generation of coaching. They tend to be unapproachable and have tunnel vision when it comes to how they do things. Unlike a level 1 practice coach, assigning a mentor or providing support rarely helps due to their “I know what I am doing” mindset.
“If you demand the best from your players, they deserve your best in return. High standards rub off!”
LEVEL 1 Practices are not pre-planned, are unorganized and ice time is not managed efficiently. Players get very few repetitions during drills as a result of long lines, not running stations, poor drill selection, and long set up times. There is very little discipline, players play with pucks, goof off, and/
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Sedia / Page 6
LEVEL 3 stand that knowing both theoretical and practical aspects of hockey skills training is essential for successful hockey Practices are pre-planned, usually the result of experi- game performance. They emphasize building a deep skill ence, drill software, and utilization of hockey development and knowledge base to create exciting and dynamic hockey resources like books, videos, manuals and websites. Ice time players who can in turn optimize performance potential is efficiently used and discipline is part of the process. Play- and can apply learned skills in game situations. ers work harder at this level because systems are in place Level 4 practice coaches take game notes and/or watch and a stable/consistent pracgame film in an effort tice environment has been to find ways to improve established. Level 3 practice the team and prepare for teams usually have a good PRACTICE. Level 2 and 3 win loss record but ultimatepractice coaches do breakly measure their success by out drills (as an examplayer development. These ple) but a level 4 practice coaches usually look for some coach has identified which extra ice time to practice and part(s) of his team’s breakscrimmage. Skill technique out need attention and has and tactical skill developprepared drills designed to ment play a role at this level focus on those areas. Level as well as encouragement of 4 practice coaches provide 3rd party and home traincontinued development to ing. Regardless of this coach’s their players via manuals, experience and/or successes, videos, chalk talk sessions, they are open to learning as game film review sessions well as coach development and hockey homework etc. opportunities. Players and Coach Chris MacKenzie explains drills to girls attending Level 4 practice coaches parents are usually enjoying Nichols Hockey Camp in Buffalo. understand a youth hockey their hockey experience with player trains for the purlevel 3 practice coaches. pose to be great in games. He does not train for the sole purpose of training. Level LEVEL 4 4 practice coaches have the understanding that if you stop getting better you will soon stop being good (themselves ALL of the components found with level 3 practice and their players). They continue to educate themselves coaches are found with level 4 practice coaches but every- about the game and continually look for better ways to dething is tied together, everything means something, and the velop their players. Level 4 practice coaches are hungry for dial is turned up. A season development plan was put in information and usually have or seek out a mentor. They place before the players stepped foot on the ice. Core hock- ask a lot of questions and discuss hockey with other experiey skills are the foundation of a level 4 practice team early in enced coaches as often as they can. Most importantly, they the season and performance skating is part of almost every truly understand it’s not about what you did, it’s about what practice throughout the season. Drills are challenging and you are doing that’s important. purpose driven. They are high tempo and offer the players If you demand the best from your players, they deserve a high rep count. In addition to the high rep count, proper your best in return. High standards rub off! technique is a major focus. Players are not just taught how to do a drill the correctly, they are educated on why they are Rob Sedia is a Partner/Professional Instructor with the NewEdge doing the drill and how it relates to game situations. Players Hockey Training Company and will be writing a monthly column are pushed outside of their comfort zones and are expected for NY Hockey Magazine. If you would like to comment on this arto perform with maximum intensity. In addition to orga- ticle, ask questions, provide feedback, or share your thoughts, please nized off-ice training, level 4 practice coaches include mul- send an email to: rob@newedgehockey.com tiple team building events. Level 4 practice coaches under-
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Coaching With Gridley / Page 7
Center in Skaneateles, NY, from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The fee for the clinic is the same as all other USA Hockey clinics……$40.00. If you are in need of a Level 3 Refresher, this clinic can be used for that certification. Otherwise it would count as a Skill workshop by Chuck Gridley and would not count towards your certification status. The final agenda for the clinic is still being worked out, but the list ne of the toughest positions on the ice for most of Instructors will include; coaches to deal with is the goaltender. Most of us just don’t know enough about the posi- • Earl Utter – Head Coach, Cortland Woman’s team tion to feel comfortable coaching our goalies. I have & USA Hockey Player Development Goalie Coach. been coaching for 20 years, and I vividly remember • Dave Starman – Former professional goalie, Colmy struggles early on in my coaching career trying to lege & NHL scout & CBS Sports hockey analyst (for figure out what to do with my Squirt goalie. Back then, college hockey). I think the 10 year old child had a better handle on • Pat Ruggiero – West Section Goaltender Instrucwhat he should be doing in practice than I did………. tor. mainly because he had already attended 2 or 3 Goalie We are very excited about this clinic. It will be a
Coaching With Gridley!
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A USA Hockey CEP Clinic for Goalie Coaches Comes to NY District! Camps! Since that time I have researched the subject, and certainly have a better handle on it than I did back then. But it’s still something I’m still not completely comfortable with. I have always thought it would be great to devote an entire clinic to educating coaches on how to work with their goalies. USA Hockey does a pretty good job of addressing the subject. There are sections in every clinic devoted to goaltending. You can also find goaltending information on the USA Hockey website. Still, the idea of a clinic for goalie coaches is one that I have always wanted to try. Well, next month that idea will become a reality. On Oct. 12th, The New York District Coaching Education Program will be holding our first Goalie Coach Clinic. It will be held at the Skaneateles Recreation
good opportunity for coaches to hear a wide variety of ideas on goaltending, and to share ideas and experiences with other coaches. The link to the clinic registration page is www.usahockey.com/page/show/892976-coaching-clinics. The clinic is listed as a CEP Skill Workshop on Oct. 12th in Skaneateles………it does not specify “Goalie Coach Clinic”. After you log in to register, it will give you additional details. If you have any questions regarding the clinic you can contact me at chuckgridley@aol.com. See you on October 12th in Skaneateles. Submitted by Chuck Gridley USA Hockey Coach in Chief for the NY District
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Feature / Page 8
y e k c Ho & r e Play neur e r p e r t n 0 E 1 e g A t A z chult net S cRitchie a J y B ri M by Lo hotos
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n the ice Ryan McRitchie is a very loyal, determined, all-heart type of player, according to Coach George McNeil. Off the ice Ryan is all of those things along with creative and caring. Blending all of that together this 10-year old from the Lysander Lightning has become a business entrepreneur. Ryan thinks ahead.
You need money for college and a car, so out of his creativity and love of building things, Ryan’s Wrist Ropes was born. “I thought I could make a lot of money from them,” said Ryan. “I learned how to make them with my friend Nick Page by watching videos on YouTube.” Next step was selling them. Born into the electronic age he told NY Hockey Online Magazine that Facebook was the place “because people can find things there.”
Ryan also knows people like things their way and offers the bracelets in team, school, organization or your favorite colors. Currently offered are white, red, blue, yellow, black, goldenrod, pink, safety green and pink camo, woodland camo, bruiser (blue and black),orange and maroon. However, if you need a special color let him know. All the wrist ropes are made from paracord. The money he’s raising isn’t all going to college and a car, Ryan has several organizations that he is fundraising for. In September he raised money for Childhood Cancer Awareness through Alex’s Lemonade Stand and this month (October) it will be for Breast Cancer Awareness (order your pink wristropes). One dollar from each order goes to the
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organization. Those organizations were chosen for very special reasons. Ryan’s grandmother and great grandmother had breast cancer; a family friend had cancer as a child, another friend has an autistic child and his brother has Tourette Syndrome. Ten year old’s generally lead a busy life with school, hockey and other activities. So where does Ryan find the time? “I find small bits (of time) and use it wisely,” he said. “A bracelet takes about five minutes to make.” The wrist ropes can be ordered through Ryan’s Facebook page and he is currently having a website developed. They cost $4 to $6 each, In addition to the wrist ropes he makes lanyards, bow slings and keychains. Shipping takes 2 to 5 days. His hockey career began with MidState when he was four years old. Coach McNeil met him at the 2011 Erik Cole Tournament in Oswego as a member of NcNeil’s team chosen through a draft system. “I could tell from the first time I met him that he was very coachable and an eager player,” said McNeil. “I have had the pleasure watching Ryan not only grow as a player, but as a young man over the past two seasons,” said Coach McNeil. “No matter how bad a situation got in a game or practice I could always see that smile saying ‘it’s OK Coach we’re going to keep having fun’ sort of smile.” Ryan’s favorite team is the Anaheim Ducks and his favorite player is Cory Perry. He also plays soccer and will build anything, especially with Legos and Knex.
He laughs as he tells us that Lunch is his favorite subject in school. But the young entrepreneur has his eyes on a career in mechanical engineering, so Science is his favorite subject. Check out Ryan’s Facebook page at Ryan’s Wrist Ropes and watch for his website being launched shortly. The address will be www.ryanswristropes. com Your team or any organization can also fundraise through Ryan’s Wrist Ropes. Just send him a Facebook message or email him at ryanswristropes@gmail.com.
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Feature / Page 10
thaca native Lucy Schoedel was named Assistant Coach of the Buffalo State Bengals Women’s Ice Hockey Team late this summer. She’s a recognizable name in NY being a member of the Ithaca High School Boys and Girls Varsity teams at one point, playing with the Syracuse Nationals Girls and as a member of the Syracuse University women’s ice hockey team in their inaugural season. She also could be found at USA Development Camps throughout her career. Now you’ll find Schoedel coaching the goalies and defensive players on the ice and off-ice reltz Schu cruiting for t e n a by J the Bengals upcoming seasons. It all started at a very young age. When your Mom is a figure skater you find yourself on skates. Schoedel found hockey to be her sport for the same reason so many girls play. “My brother played, I watched him and I wanted to play too,” said Schoedel. “So I did.” At age 10 she was a goalie playing with the boys in Ithaca. Throughout her career she played both boys and girls hockey. She played for the Ithaca Shooting Stars 12U team and, as a seventh grader, was a member of the Ithaca School Girls Varsity Team, in the inaugural season of the firstever girl’s varsity ice hockey league in New York State. She played grade 10 through 12 on the Ithaca Boys Varsity team, and along with that played for the Syracuse Nationals Girls team. In her senior year she focused on just playing for the Ithaca Boys Varsity Team. “At that time the difference between boys and
girls was the level of play,” Schoedel explains. “My overall development and hopefulness to play college hockey found me wanting to challenge myself. Boy’s hockey did that for me, plus I was still playing in Syracuse with the girls.” “The choice of boys vs girls is an individual one,” she continues. “The level of play in girl’s varsity ice hockey is so much higher now. But the choice is still individual.”
ey k c o H e t el a d i e g o e l h ol Sc C h d c n a a o Girls als Asst. C g n e B with
“There is a lot of value in girl’s high school h o c k e y, ” she says. “The biggest chall e n g e going from high school to college hockey is patience! That’s the piece that is missing.” Schoedel made it to college hockey playing for New Hampshire for two years and then transferred her final two years to Syracuse Unversity, the inaugural season for the Orange. During her four years of college hockey she played in 75 games, had a 2.44 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. While at Syracuse she also logged 2 points on 2 assists. The psychology major found a way after college to remain in the game. Coaching! She took a job with Weslyan University in
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a tryout and they will find something for you to do,” she continues. “You can also volunteer at National Camp.” USA Hockey is looking for consistent evaluators and it’s a way to give back to the District or State. Locally interested persons can contact Joe Eppolito, NYS girl’s director for USA Hockey. “If you’re ambition is to play college hockey know your choices including DI, DIII and Club,” she advises. If a DI school isn’t recruiting you in your junior year, then you had better be thinking about DIII or Club. But she also said not to wait for the recruiter. If you want to be seen by Buffalo State or different college coaches, let them know through phone calls or emails. “Be proactive in the process, don’t wait for us,” she recommends. “It’s not enough to just want it,” she said. Connecticut for the 2010-11 season and then ac- “If you’re serious you must be willing to dedicepted an assistant coaching job with Brown Uni- cate yourself to it on and off the ice,” said Schoversity from 2011 through her appointment to edel. “You need to walk the walk.” Buffalo State this summer. Schoedel looks for the all-around player. A She has also worked for USA Hockey, serving player needs a balance of technical soundness, as an intern at the National Development Camp grittiness, good character and a team-first menand more recently working as an evaluator for tality. USA Hockey at their NYS, Atlantic, Minnesota Her goalies must compete on a consistent baand Southeast District camps. sis and have the technical base to work around. “There are a ton of opportunities in hockey af- “They need to make the save at the end of the ter college,” said Schoedel. “Youth programs are day,” said Schoedel. always looking for female coaches.” “Reach out and say you want to help out at
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Hockey Insight / Page 12
Hockey Insight by Tom Barnett
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s with all of us that follow sports, incidents occur which impact our enjoyment and sometimes, our perception of the games. For instance, during the most recent Australian Open tennis tournament, the top-seeded female tennis player, Victoria Azarenka, was granted a medical timeout during the championship match. After she went on to victory, fans and tennis pundits felt she had bent the rules about medical timeouts and simply needed to compose herself from a case of the nerves. The New York Times, which reported the incident, also referred a couple other instances of sports teams’ questionable tactics to gain an edge over the competition in the quest for a victory. As someone who’s been involved in hockey since my youth, I was intrigued about where that article about tennis was going: the “win at all costs” mentality. An expert quoted in the article speaks to a “disturbing trend extending to youth sports: emphasizing winning over sportsmanship and developing character.” I am not sure I’d call that a
“disturbing trend.” There has always been a faction of parents and coaches in the world of youth sports that have placed pride and victory above teaching kids how to deal with adversity and losing. In fact, just a couple weeks ago I was at a rink watching my youngest son’s hockey game. I had unfortunately chosen to sit next to an extremely excitable man whose grandson was playing for the other team. “Get his number!” he screamed after a hard check. “Knock him out of the game!” he demanded following a stare-down. “Kill him!” he yelled during a post-whistle scrum. A few minutes later, one of my son’s teammates chased the puck into the corner. Just before he made it, the opposing player creamed him, causing the kid to carom into the boards at an odd angle. He’ll be recovering from a broken pelvis for the next four months. Don’t get me wrong; I’d much rather be on the winning end of a game. But when a team ranks winning ahead of respect for competition, respect for the game, and sportsmanship, that’s a problem. Or when mom and dad think their kid is the next Great One, it’s time for some hard numbers: USA Hockey counts just over 350,000 kids playing organized ice hockey. The NHL has about 700 total players (and how many of them aren’t US-born?). With those statistics, chances are
most of the kids aren’t going to wear an NHL jersey as an adult unless they buy one. Youth hockey is fun to watch as It is infinitely rewarding to play a vital role. It’s also amazing to watch kids’ skating and team skills develop. At the beginning of the season, kids are afraid to move their feet in skates, fearful of falling down. By the end of the season, they’re making turns behind the nets with a smile from ear to ear and interacting with teammates with unfathomable efficiency unthinkable only days or weeks before. Unfortunately, at some point, we forget about the fun and worry more about making sure the other kid “pays” for being an opponent. In our organization, we remind our coaches, players, AND parents of our Codes of Respect and three basic tenets: Teamwork, Personal Responsibility and Sportsmanship and emphasizing the character building blocks that our players will take with them through life. On occasion, we have had to remind some people midseason that they signed our ‘Rocks Codes of Respect. We’re human and we get caught up in our kids’games. But, we firmly believe it takes all three components to have success on the ice, success in fostering the love of the game, and most importantly, success at helping develop kids into responsible, respectful adults. Tom Barnett, a native Western New Yorker, participated as a player from the youth through collegiate level, and has been involved in coaching hockey and program development for more than 30 years. As founder and president of The Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club, a USA Hockey program, Tom was recognized by the National Hockey League as the 2009 recipient of the inaugural Mark Messier Youth Leadership Award.
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Former NHLer Matt Herr Talks About --
Developing Hockey Players for the Future -What You Need to Know About ADM by Randy Schultz
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o say that Matt Herr loves the game of hockey would be a gross understatement. What would better describe Herr is that he has a passion for hockey. This became quite evident during two presentations he made in September. The first was at the West Section meeting of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association in Rochester. The other was at the North Section meeting in Lake Placid. Herr would also be the first to tell you that he has the most perfect job in the world. He talks about hockey. Herr is a regional manager of USA Hockey’s American Development Model. He works with the New York and Atlantic Districts. “My rule is to help New York State Hockey develop,” remarked Herr, a native of Hackensack, New Jersey who was raised in New Windsor, New York. “Obviously USA Hockey ADM has a plan on how that development should be administered. “My job is to help hockey programs in New York State administer the ADM program. But my job is to
also help out in any other way that I can. “That could be through education and making presentations to groups or by going on-ice and working with coaches and players. “I want to be a resource for coaches to help them run better practices and get the most out of their time on the ice with players. “I grew up in New York State. I played hockey for the Bear Mountain Bears organization. “I grew up playing on that little rink on top of the mountain. It is an outdoor rink that I have many fond memories of from my childhood days. “I even played on the old Smith Rink at West Point. That was the size of a football field and you could have three games going on there at one time. “I even played in the Empire State Games for the Hudson Valley Region. I remember those opening ceremonies in Albany. Great times.” Herr certainly comes with the credentials. He helped the University of Michigan men’s ice hockey team to four straight NCAA Frozen Four appearances, including two national titles in 1996 and 1998
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(he was captain of the ’98 squad). “I’ve always tried to go into things with an open An outstanding athlete, Herr played hockey, as mind,” said Herr, who played in parts of four seawell as baseball. He excelled in both sports and was sons in the NHL with the Caps, Florida Panthers and drafted by the NHL’s Washington Capitals and MaBoston Bruins. “We understand that we are going jor League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves in 1994. to be dealing with people who don’t like the ADM Herr represented the US twice during his playing model. career. He played for the US National Junior Team “All we want people to do is at least come and that competed in the 1996 International Ice Hockey listen to what we have to say. In the end if you don’t Federation World Junior Championships in Boston, agree with us, that’s OK.“ MA. ”Everyone has a right to their opinion. At least He was also named to the US Men’s National you listened to us and that’s what we want.” Team that played in the 1999 IIHF Men’s World Herr understands the urgency of the situation. Championship in Oslo, Norway. “We losing a lot of beginning hockey players by Herr admits that he never really thought about a the time they get to the peewee level,” stated the 37 pro hockey career until his junior year-old Kerr. “That shouldn’t be year at Michigan. happening in a great game like To say that he believes in USA hockey. Hockey and the ADM program is “Our goal in the end is to “We know there are a lot of an understatement. concerns like cost, ice time and create a better athlete first travel. But we think the ADM “In late summer we took an ADM road show across the State and you will have a better model addresses a lot of this. of New York from Long Island, hockey player in the end.” “People also forget that we up through the Adirondacks, to have ADM models for all levels Syracuse and finishing in Bufof hockey. The thing that many falo.” commented Herr, who people don’t realize is that even resides with his wife and two NHL teams practice using the children in the Saratoga Springs area. “We had dozADM model. ens of kids and coaches on the ice participating. “They play cross-ice hockey, half-ice hockey. It’s “We had 73 kids on the ice at the First Niagara amazing.” Center in Buffalo playing cross-ice hockey. SeventyHerr also believes that kids should not be playing three! hockey 12 months out of the year. They should take “There was no down time on the ice. These kids time off from hockey by playing other sports or getwere going all the time. ting involved in other activities. “They had their drills. They had their games. “I’ve seen too many high school kids who play “They got their touches with the puck. In the end hockey 12 months a year end up getting hip surthey were tired, but they were happy and still smilgery,” said Herr. “That comes from too much presing. sure on their hip area from skating to much. “They enjoyed it and that is what cross-ice “A lot of this falls back on the parents wanting to hockey is all about.” develop their kids into hockey players. They someHerr knew going into his new job with USA Hockey times feel that their child is falling behind if they are that he would have his detractors, people that were not playing hockey all the time. not in favor of the ADM program. But Herr drew “It’s actually more beneficial if the child plays from his days as a teacher on how to deal with these other sports or gets involved in other off-season acpeople. tivities. Herr taught at Kent (Conn) School from 2005-2013. “Our goal in the end is to create a better athlete Besides teaching history and psychology at Kent, the first and you will have a better hockey player in the former forward also served as the head coach of the end. boys’ varsity hockey team, where he helped take the “To me, that’s what it is all about. And If I can program from a sub-.500 team to a regular contender help kids out in any way, then I’m doing my job.” in New England prep school hockey.
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Photo Page / Page 15 Alex Buerger with the Stanley Cup the day Scotty Bowman brought it to Buffalo!
Central NY NYSAHA Meeting
Medaille opened at home against Brockport with a 8-0 Brockport win! Western NY NYSAHA Meeting Medaille’s Koester in net at Home Opener
USA Hockey Rep talks to West Section
The University of Buffalo Men’s Ice Hockey Team takes on St. John Fisher at Northtowns.
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he Niagara Junior Purple Eagles Mites played during intermission at the Buffalo Sabres/ Columbus Blue Jackets game. elow, the RIT women practice with Coaches McDonald, Woodard and Siegl.
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Central Hockey / Page 18
Central New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski
COLGATE
A promising start faded at the end as the Raiders managed just one victory over their final 12 contests including a first round ECAC playoff sweep to St Law-
rence. The good news moving forward is that three of the top four scoring spots last season were held by freshmen and eight of the team’s 14 wins were earned by a freshman goaltender. Tylor Spink and Kyle Baun were both named to the ECAC All-Rookie team after their 31 and 24 point seasons respectively where Spink led the squad with 18 assists and Baun with 14 goals. An argument could have been made for Tyson Spink to also be given postseason honors as he finished tied for second on the team with 27 points. Juniors Joe Wilson and Joe Lidgett with sophomores Mike Borkowski and Darcy Murphy will also compete for top two line playing time after all scored in double figures last season. The defense will be remade after three starting seniors left with junior Spiro Goulakas back after missing ten games last season with health issues. Sophomores Ryan Johnston and Kevin Lough will log plenty of minutes. In goal, sophomore Spencer Finney and Eric Mihalik split time last season and both will be tested in back of the youthful d-corp. The Raiders welcome its largest class in recent memory with 10 skaters including Buffalo native Andrew Black, who played with the New Jersey Hitmen in the EJHL last two seasons. Black, the 2012-13 EJHL Player of the Year, had 108 points in 89 games with the Hitmen on 50 goals and 58 assists.
The other recruits are Emilio Audi from the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canadian Hockey League, Vernon Vipers Top Defenseman Brett Corkey, Julian Fialkow via the Valley Jr. Warriors of the EJHL, goaltender Charlie Finn, who was a two-time OJHL Goaltender of the Year in three years with the Kingston Voyageurs and Derek Freeman from the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of the EJHL. Sixth round Calgary Flames draft pick Tim Harrison also joins after skating for two years with the Dexter School in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council. The Raiders open with Ferris State October 5-6 at home. ECAC play begins also at home November 1st against Frozen Four participant Quinnipiac and the squad will participate in the Mariucci Classic January 3-4 in Minnesota.
CORNELL The Big Red was the team no one else wanted to face in the postseason and they proved it taking Frozen Four participant Quinnipiac to double-overtime in game three of the ECAC quarterfinals. Gone is top-scorer Greg Miller and two senior defensemen, but the team will try to extend their late-season momentum into this year. Senior goaltender Andy Iles (Ithaca) is back for one final year as he tries to move up on the school’s all-time goaltending charts with some impressive careers of their own such as Ken Dryden, Ben Scrivens, David McKee and David LeNeveu among others. He begins this season 30 games behind Scrivens for the career record for games played (117) and 661 saves shy of tying Scrivens for the career mark of 2,873. Offensively it will be time for the junior class to step up with Brian Ferlin, Joel Lowry, John McCarron and Cole Bardreau (Fairport) along with senior Dustin Mowry. Bardreau missed all but 13 games last season with a broken bone in his neck. Junior defenseman Joakim Ryan doubled his assist total (10) from his freshman season and will quarterback the power play. Senior Kirill Gotovets, junior Jacob MacDonald and sophomore Reece Willcox will anchor a young blueline. The Big Red welcome ten newcomers for the 2013-14 campaign in defenseman Holden Anderson (Hawkesbury-
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CCHL), forward and Florida Panthers 2013 fourth round selection Matt Buckles (St. Michael’s-OJHL), goaltender Ryan Coon (Taft School), forward Eric Freschi (Dubuque-USHL), goaltender Mitch Gillam (Chilliwack-BCHL), forward Jeff Kubiak (MuskegonUSHL), defensemen Clint Lewis (USNTDP), Patrick McCarron (St. Michael’s-OJHL), Eric Sade (New JerseyEJHL) and forward Jake Weidner (Elmira-GOJHL). The Big Red and the rest of the Ivy League open late with the season opener at Nebraska-Omaha October 25-26 and the home and conference lid-lifter against Princeton November 2nd. The now-annual Madison Square Garden game will be November 30th versus Boston University and the team will again head to Florida with Princeton, New Hampshire and Maine in January for the Florida College Classic.
CORTLAND
Head coach Joe Baldarotta announced his retirement in mid-August due to health concerns with Tom Cranfield named announced as the replacement for this season. Baldarotta spent six seasons in Cortland after 16 seasons with Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His 310 career wins puts him 72nd all-time at all levels of college hockey.
Central Notes... ...The Skaneateles YMCA will be holding a Hockey Camp for high school boys in Grades 9 - 12. The camps will be held beginning Monday, October 28 and the second session will begin Monday, November 4. Skaneateles Varsity Hockey Caoches Mitch Major and Jeff Bobbett will offer a high tempo pratice which will sharpen players’ skills for hte new season. They will feature small ice competitive games. For more information call the Skaneateles YMCA or stop in at the smember services desk at 97 State Street. ...CNY is offering a Men’s Over 30 Hockey League that will play on Sunday’s 8:30 p;.m. or Tuesdays, 9:30 p.m. at the Skaneatteles Rink. The league will run from Otober 20 through March 18. ... Ice Hawks window decals are available contact Tracey Walsh - tspwalsh@tds.net ... Center State Youth Hockey is hosting a TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE event on Saturday, November 2 from 10 am to 11 am at the SUNY Morrisville Iceplex. This is a great opportunity for kids of all ages to come out and experience the fastest game on foot. For more information, e-mail Rod Ives at centerstate.ip@gmail.com. ...Valley Hockey 40th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, Oct. 19 for adults only. Contact Rob at vyha.president@ gmail.com
Your Central Section President Gary Lebrun is now a representative for USA Hockey to the NYS Sections. Here he is at the East meeting with East Section President Ralph Scannapieco!
NYHOL’s Janet (center) and Randy Schultz met with “Puck Hog” Author Christie Casciano-Burns (left) in Syracuse. Make sure to check out the Puck Hog books for your children. (Photo by waitress at Toby Keith’s in Destiny USA Mall)
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Central Women’s College Ice Hockey Report by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
Syracuse
The SU hockey team has been picked to finish second in conference play by the coaches of College Hockey America. The Orange garnered 19 votes in the preseason poll, just one vote ahead of Robert Morris and six behind Mercyhurst, the 2013-14 favorite. Syracuse finished second in the 2012-13 regular season CHA standings and lost in the conference finals to Mercyhurst, the number one ranked team in the conference and The Orange had a program-high 13-6-1 conference record last season, just the second time the team has recorded a winning CHA season since the program’s inception in 2008. The 2012-13 season was also the first time the Orange were above .500 both in conference and overall. The 2013-14 season opened Friday, Sept. 27 against the University of Guelph in a pre-season exhibition. The regular season opens at Northeastern on Friday, October 4 in Matthews Arena. New Yorker’s on the roster for the Orange are Julie Bengis (Stormville/Kent School), Brittney Krebs (Marathon/ National Sports Academy), Kaillie Goodnough (Mannsville/ National Sports Academy), Erin Brand (Long Beach/Northwood) and Eleanor Haines (Huntington/National Sports Academy).
Colgate
When Colgate women’s hockey hosts its annual Autism game, the Raiders focus on one thing – creating awareness for a good cause. They did it in 2013, with head coach Greg Fargo an-
Colgate Assistant Coach Karell Emard and Head Coach Greg Fargo discuss strategy at the Nichols Camp in Buffalo this summer. nouncing that the team raised $7,234 in donations for Autism Speaks. After combining online donations and the amount raised on campus, the squad is proud to say they surpassed their intended goal. Over the last couple years the Raisers have supported the Autism awareness project, Autism Speaks. And since 2011, the team with support from Colgate and local communities has raised more than $38,000 for Autism Awareness and Research. “The quality of our student-athletes never surprises me,” head coach Greg Fargo said. “They not only take their studies and their sport very seriously, but they know a great cause when they work with one and continually strive to make a difference outside their comfort zone.” The Raiders’ Autism Awareness game will take place on Jan. 31 when Colgate hosts Brown at 7 p.m. in Starr Rink.
Colgate Standout Named to CWHL Former Colgate women’s hockey standout Kiira Dosdall will be bringing her skills back to the states this coming season, as she was taken 40th overall during the annual Canadian Women’s Hockey League draft. The CWHL held its annual draft on August 26 via a conference call in Mississauga, Ont. Of the 66 players taken, more than 50 played U.S. college hockey at the Division I and Division III levels. In her final season for Colgate, Dosdall was selected as one of three senior captains. She played in all 36 games, scored five goals and handed out 19 assists for 24 total points. Dosdall was also nominated to participate in NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge. Along with that, she was selected to All-ECAC Hockey Second Team for the 2008-
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09 season. Throughout her four years at Colgate, Dosdall played in 134 games notching 11 goals and 52 assists, which ranks her 17th all-time in school history. Dosdall’s 52 assists places her eighth in Colgate history. She ended her career with 63 points, making her Colgate’s second all-time leading scorer as a defenseman.
Colgate Ranking for PreSeason
The Colgate women’s hockey team is projected to finish ninth in the ECAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll for the 2013-14 season. After giving then No. 2-ranked Cornell a run for its money in last year’s ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals, Colgate head coach Greg Fargo and his women’s hockey team are preparing themselves for what they hope will be the best season in program history. The Raiders open their 2013-14 season Friday, Oct. 4, when they welcome two-time defending national champion Minnesota for a two-game set. The Raiders are lead by seniors Jocelyn Simpson, who tallied seven goals and nine assists last season, and Megan Wickens, who anchors a veteran Colgate defensive line. Melissa Kueber and Miriam Drubel will also be key targets for the Raiders as they look to make an impact in the league. If you’re looking for New York players on the Raiders Squad watch for Susan Allen (Rochester/Spencerport High School), Susan is a junior goaltender who played in eight games; finished last season with a 4.41 goals against average with a total of 167 saves and a .865 save percentage and allowed only one goal against RIT on Nov. 9. She had a career-high 33 saves against Northeastern on Oct. 5 and finished the season with 353:46 minutes played.
CORNELL The ECAC women’s hockey coaches have slated the defending league champion Big Red to finish second in the annual preseason poll, while also naming Cornell junior forward Jillian Saulnier to the preseason all-conference team. Led by reigning ECAC Coach of the Year, Doug Derraugh, Cornell received 111 points and five first place votes to place second behind Clarkson University in the preseason rankings. The Big Red has won the regular season title each of the last four seasons, and the ECAC Tournament Championship in three of the last four years. Cornell finished the 2012-2013 season with a record of 18-3-1 in league play (27-6-1 overall). Saulnier, a first-line forward for Coach Derraugh, was a consistent contributor to the Big Red’s success in 20122013, earning ECAC Hockey Second Team honors. She dished out a career high 33 assists and scored 10 goals
for Cornell, including four gamewinners, all in league contests. She finished the season with a plus 23 rating, and was fifth in the nation in assists per game and 14th in points per game. The Big Red women’s hockey team garnered a No. 6 national ranking in the first edition of the 2013-2014 USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women’s College Hockey Poll with 96 points. Cornell is one of three ECAC Hockey schools included in the initial poll, as Clarkson (No. 3) and Harvard (No. 9) both made it within the top 10. Three other ECAC schools received votes. The poll is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association and includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the four NCAA Division I ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey. The Big Red will begin the 2013-2014 season with a home series against Northeastern on Oct. 19 and 20. Both games are scheduled for 2 p.m. Anna Zorn (Churchville/Rochester EDGE) returns for her second season. As a freshman Zorn saw plenty of playing time on the Big Red’s third line racking up four goals and four assists for eight points. She scored a goal in her first career game at Boston University on Oct. 20, and she had a career-high two points in two separate games. Despite missing a chunk of the season after winter break due to injury, Zorn came back with a bang, scoring a goal on her first shift in two months just seconds after a faceoff against Union.
Women’s Club Oswego State
Oswego State College will be putting a club hockey team on the ice again this season. However, they have a new coach. Ryan Kesterke, Fulton, has been appointed. Kesterke played his youth hockey in Fulton and then went on to Onondaga Community College, which did not have a hockey program at that time. He and several other men founded OCC’s program and he played for his two years serving as Captain and Team Treasurer. He has transferred to Oswego to continue his studies and has taken on the challenging coaching position. The team opens play at home on October 5 against Niagara University.
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East Hockey
The Harvey School Ice Rink-Site of the NYSAHA East Section Fall Meeting.
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Harvey School Offers Unique Situation for Academics and Athletics by Randy Schultz
K
atonah, NY is a hamlet located in the town of Bedford and Westchester County. Within its boundaries lies the homestead of John Jay, American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States and the first Chief Justice of the US. Nestled in the rolling hills of Katonah one will also find The Harvey School. Founded in 1916, The Harvey School is a coeducational college-preparatory school serving approximately 340 students in grades 6 through 12. Back in mid-September it hosted the Fall meeting of the East Section of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association. Which would then suggest the question, what does hockey have to do with The Harvey School? Situated on more than 100 acres of woods, lawns and fields, the campus features a wide array of indoor facilities in addition to six athletic fields, an outdoor basketball court and the Evarts Ice Rink. Dedicated in 1987, the Maxwell Evarts Memorial Rink is home to several ice hockey teams, as well as figuring skating organizations. Once inside the arena, one would think at first glance that the legendary Hobey Baker should be skating on the ice.
The interior was designed using dark wood with a rounded structure appearance which gives it such a charming appeal. The Harvey School has a varsity boy’s ice hockey team, as well as a middle school boys team that play in the winter. A junior varsity team also plays in the spring. They play in the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) as well as the Division I Prep League. As Tim Halewicz, varsity boys ice hockey coach, pointed out everything begins with the Evarts Ice Rink. “In the community, anyone who has played here at the Evarts Rink, it holds a special place for them in their hearts,” explained Halewicz. “People who have played there come back as coaches. “There are other hockey organizations that share the rink with us. The Putnam Panthers and Bedford Bears are here. “The John Jay High School teams use it, as does Yorktown High School.” Halewicz also pointed out where a lot of the Harvey Alumni are going on to play for. “Since I began here back in 2000, I’ve seen a lot of our players graduate and go on to Division III
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colleges,” commented Halewicz. “The studentathlete who plays hockey here is at Harvey for a variety of reasons. “First, there are the small classes. Another is the attention that the faculty gives them. “Most of our students come from Westchester County. A few come from Fairfield County in Conn. “A few come from Rockland County and of course Putnam County.” Harvey is a five-day boarding school. “We’re looking at getting more students from the New York City area. We’re only a two-hour drive from there. “So kids could live here for five days and go home without much problem on the weekends.” Halewicz enjoys the surroundings at Harvey. “We’re in a great location here,” concluded Halewicz. “It’s a beautiful area. “It’s a great community as well. It all adds up to a great academic and athletic package for the students.”
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Photos top left to bottom right: The ice arena at Harvey School; fitness center, press box in arena, newly rennovated home locker room and Tim Halewicz talks about Harvey Hockey with NYHOL.
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Eastern New York Men’s College Hockey Report
MANHATTANVILLE
Forward Brendan Turner ‘13 has signed with the Quad City Mallards of the Central Hockey League (CHL) for the 2013-14 season.
by Warren Kozireski
R.P.I.
ARMY With 13 freshmen and 17 underclassmen, the Black Knights last season struggled but still almost doubled their win total from the previous season. They didn’t win a single game after January, but with a year under the respective belts of each of the above, expectations will be raised. Leading scorer Andy Starczewski (Whitesboro) has graduated as has three defensemen and one of their two starting goaltenders, so there are plenty of roles looking for bodies to fill them as camp opened. Sophomores Thane Heller and Joe Kozlak with junior Zak Zaremba were next on the goal scoring chart last season with junior Josh Richards finishing third on the team in assists as likely candidates to see power play time. Junior defenseman Max Lalor netted four of his six goals with the man advantage and is joined on the blueline by classmate Maurice Alvarez and a trio of sophomores in Jonathan Gehrt, Christian Pomarico and Luke Jenkins. Junior Rob Tadazak is the sole veteran in net after he finished in the middle of the conference in goals against and save percentage. Williamsville North / Buffalo Jr. Sabres product Parker Gahagen is one of two goaltenders in the recruiting class with Tanner Creel via the New Jersey Hitmen. Ryan Nick, Connor Costello and Garret Peterson join the defense this season with freshmen forwards C.J. Reuschlein, Clint Carlisle, Joe Bruckler and Kyle Plageman. The Black Knights kick off the season as the opponent for the opener of the Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State October 11th. Other non-conference opponents are Merrimack, Providence and Boston College with the annual Royal Military contest January 25th. The home opener is November 2nd versus Bentley.
A late rush that saw the Engineers earn 12 of their 18 wins after January 17th ended with disappointment in the ECAC quarterfinals, but with just four seniors departed, there is depth to build that momentum into this season. Leading scorer Nick Bailen’s spot quarterbacking the power play needs to be replaced with junior defenseman Curtis Leonard likely getting first crack. Seniors Guy LeBoeuf, Bo Dolan, junior Luke Curadi and sophomore Chris Bradley (Williamsville) provide defensive stability in front of sophomore goaltender Jason Kasdorf, who had a 1.62 goals against average and .935 save percentage with 14 wins as a Second Team All-League and All-Rookie Team selection. The Engineers are several lines deep in offensive ability with junior forwards Matt Neal, Jacob Laliberte, Ryan Haggerty and Mark McGowan, sophomores Mike Zalewski (New Hartford), Milos Bubela and Mark Miller plus senior Brock Higgs among others. Rochester native Riley Bourbonnais (5-10, 190) arrives via the Lincoln Stars of the USHL where he played in 63 regular season games scoring 25 goals and 24 assists with 46 penalty minutes during the regular season and added three assists over three playoff contests. Forwards and fellow Lincoln teammates Jake Wood and Jimmy DeVito also arrive. On defense, the team welcomes Parker Reno from state champion Edina High School in Minnesota where he had 22 helpers with two goals over 31 games. Goaltender Jake Soffer from Potomac, MD & the Boston Bandits of the EJHL completes the 2017 class after compiling a 2.64 GAA and a .909 save percentage over 29 regular season games. The team opens at Sacred Heart, at Boston College and at Boston University for an early test before
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returning home October 19th with Sacred Heart. They will join state partner Colgate at the Mariucci Classic in Minnesota the first weekend in January.
UNION The trouble with success in college hockey is that it sometimes draws the attention of professional scouts, which sometimes results in the early loss of key components. Aside from leading scorers Wayne Simpson and Kyle Bodie and top-six defenseman Greg Coburn, Shawn Stuart and Ryan Forgaard departing as seniors, the Dutchmen also saw three-year starting goaltender Troy Grosenick, forward Josh Jooris and defenseman and Ottawa draft pick Tim Boyle leave early. That leaves multitudes of questions as Union attempts to advance to the NCAA playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. But the cupboard is far from bare. Senior forward Daniel Carr had 32 points last season while senior Kevin Sullivan, junior Daniel Ciampini and sophomore Matt Wilkins all equaled or exceeded 15 points. Junior defenseman Shayne Gotisbehere is coming off a career-high eight goal-18 assist campaign and senior blueliner Mat Bodie dished out 18 assists last year. Sophomore
East Report... ...Our sympathy to East Section President Ralph Scannapieco and his family on the passing of his mother, Stella. Services were held in Kings Park, NY. ...Congratulations to Mark DeSimone on winning an Emmy for his work in music. Watch for a feature story in the November issue of NYHOL Magazine. Mark is the East Section Women’s/Girl’s Coordinator. ... Greater NYC Ice Hockey League 4 week Free Learn to Play Ice Hockey Next Session October 26, 2013 Birth dates 2006 thru 2009 Only. This is for the first time skater between the ages of 4 and 7 years old. Contact Linda Davi at progresso3@aol.com for information. ... Try Hockey For Free at the Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink, Saturday November 2, 5:15-7:15 pm. To sign up go to www.tryhockeyforfree.com.
Sebastian Gingras and junior Charlie Vasaturo will be asked for more minutes on defense. Junior Colin Stevens is the heir apparent in goal after registering a 1.62 goals against average and .931 save percentage in 12 games last season. The Dutchmen have added Michael Pontarelli to the 2013-14 recruiting class that includes Alex Gonye, Noah Henry, defenseman Matt Krug (South Buffalo), Eli Lichtenwald, Griffyn Martin, goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos, defenseman Jeff Taylor (Clifton Park) and Mike Vecchione. Krug was one of the top defenseman on the Indiana Ice of the USHL over the past two seasons, recording 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 108 games. Taylor comes back home after spending the 2012-13 season on the blueline with Dubuque after playing prep hockey at Albany Academy. Taylor helped Dubuque win a Clark Cup Championship, recording 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 57 games played. The Dutchmen open with four consecutive home games against Bowling Green (October 11-12) and Lake Superior State (October 18-19). They also have non-conference road trips to UConn, Penn State, St. Cloud State and New Hampshire. ... The Icecat Amateur Hockey Club is looking for additional players for Midget 16 U Tier II Team (1997 & 1998) and Bantam Tier III Team (1999 & 2000). Players interested in trying out should contact us at info@ icecathockey.com ... The Mariners have a full Ice Schedule for 20132014. They will be skating out of Dorothy Hamill Rink in Greenwich, Ct. and The Ice Hutch in Mt. Vernon, NY. They thank both facilities for being so welcoming and accommodating. The Mariners lost their rink to Hurricane Sandy. The Mite team will skate at least once during the week and twice on the weekends and the Squirt, PeeWee and Bantam teams will have two weekday practice sessions and two home game slots on the weekends. Sessions will include USA ADM clinics, power skating, goal tender clinics in addition to team practices. All Mariners teams will play in the Hudson Valley League. ...Lady Islanders are holding their Pink the Rink October 5 and 6. Photos and story in November NYHOL.
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winter break leading up to the New Year. Union opens up 2014 with a home series against RIT on Jan. 3-4, marking the first time by Janet Schultz the Dutchwomen and Janet@nyhockeyonline.com Tigers meet as Division I opponents. Union and RIT last played as Division III rivals in ECAC East, with the Dutchwomen sweeping a two-game series at Messa Rink Head Coach Claudia Barcomb released the 2013-14 on Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2003. schedule for the Union College women’s ice hockey team “We play RIT for the first time since I’ve been here and which includes 34 contests against eight non-league opthey’re a competitive team in their second year at the Diponents and the other 11 members of ECAC Hockey. vision I level,” Barcomb said. “Scott (McDonald) has put to Union will opened up the 2013-14 season with five gether a pretty good team and it will be a good matchup straight Hockey East opponents, beginning with a road for us.” contest at Connecticut on Sept. 28. The Dutchwomen Union concludes the season with 14 straight ECAC earned a 3-2 win against the Huskies in their 2012-13 seaHockey contests, including seven in the month of Januson opener. ary. The Dutchwomen host Princeton and Quinnipiac at “We beat them last year but it was a close, hard-fought home on Jan. 10-11 before their annual home-and-home game,” Barcomb said. “I think it will be another close game series against RPI the following weekend. Union will travthis year. It will be nice to get our kids on the road early on el to Houston Field House on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. before rein the season to get an idea of what we’re all about.” turning to Messa Rink for a 4 p.m. contest on Jan. 18. Union will return home to take on Providence at The Dutchwomen will play at Harvard and Dartmouth Messa Rink on Oct. 4-5 before games against Northeaston Jan. 24-25 before returning home to face Clarkson and ern and NCAA Championship finalist Boston University St. Lawrence on Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Union takes on Yale and on Oct. 11-12, also at home. The Terriers are defending Brown on the road on Feb. 7-8 before wrapping up the Hockey East regular season and tournament champions. home slate the following weekend with Cornell on Feb. “BU was in the finals of the national championship 14, followed by Senior Night against Colgate on Feb. 15 game last year, and they’ll be really good again this year,” at 4 p.m. Barcomb said. The regular season concludes with a trip to the North The Dutchwomen will continue non-conference play Country to face St. Lawrence and Clarkson on Feb. 21-22. with a road series at Penn State on Oct. 18-19 before an “I like the way our schedule is, it’s pretty balanced the other game against a CHA opponent on Oct. 26 at Syrawhole way through,” Barcomb said. “Our focus has to be cuse. to not have any let ups. We’ve told our players to be con Union opens ECAC Hockey play at home against sistent in their workouts this spring, and hopefully that Dartmouth and Harvard on Nov. 1-2, beginning a run of will continue into the fall.” eight straight games in league play. They claimed a 6-0 victory in an exhibition matchup “I think we’ll play a good variety of teams before we against the Ottawa Jr. Senators. Four Dutchwomen scored start league play,” Barcomb said. “With eight games in a in the first period to give Union a commanding lead. row to start league play, it will be a very important stretch for us in the overall picture of our league.” Union will face Colgate and defending ECAC Hockey champion Cornell on the road on Nov. 8-9 before return- ing home to take on Brown and Yale on Nov. 15-16. The The Manhattanville men’s and women’s hockey teams early season stretch of league contests concludes at both helped out in the Westchester County community Quinnipiac and Princeton on Dec. 6-7. last month. Maine returns to Union for a non-conference series The men’s hockey team took part in the 2013 Hudat Messa Rink on Dec. 13-14 before the team’s traditional son River Swim for Life, which is sponsored annually by
East Women’s College Report
UNION COLLEGE
MANHATTANVILLE COLLEGE
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the Westchester/Hudson Valley chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Valiants helped participants load and unload their kayaks on the way across the Hudson and also were there to cheer on the participants throughout the journey. The event raises awareness of the Hudson River, promoting swimming as a lifelong form of fitness, and to raise funds for the ongoing efforts of charities in the community. The women’s hockey team helped out at the Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester at the 9/11 Remembrance Blood Drive, which was held as part of the National Day of Remembrance to mark the 12th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The day also included a number of activities that benefited more than 20 local agencies, with the blood drive benefiting the White Plains Hospital. The women pitched in with all aspects of the blood drive, including setup, registration, and sitting with the donors before and after their donations. Manhattanville returns to Terry Connors Rink for this season, after Hurricane Sandy destroyed Playland Rink.
The 2013-14 captains of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s ice hockey team are senior Jordan Smelker, who will wear the “C” with Toni Sanders and Kathryn Schilter serving as assistant captains for the team. Smelker (Anchorage, AK / Team Alaska 19U), a forward, played all 36 games for the Engineers last season. She had nine goals with with 12 assists for 21 points, ranking second on the team in both assists and points. She also had two power play goals and a game-winner, along with 20 penalties for 51 minutes. Smelker had a point in 17 different games, including four multiple-point efforts. The former Team Alaska 19U standout played in all 34 games in 2011-12, leading the team in points with 26 and assists with 16. She added 10 goals, which was good for second on the Engineers. Two of her markers came on the power play and one was shorthanded.
As a freshman, Smelker appeared in all 35 games for the Engineers, leading all rookies and finishing second overall in scoring with 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists. She also led the team in power play goals (4) and added a game-tying and a game-winning marker. Representing the United States on the ice has become commonplace for Smelker, who has been invited to numerous national camps. Most recently she participated in the U.S. Women’s National Team Selection Camp over the summer. Sanders (York, PA / Susquehanna Rapids U-19) played 32 games last season. The senior forward had 10 points on six goals and four assists with two of her markers power play goals and one a game-winner. She had seven points (6 goals, 1 assist) in 24 games as a sophomore and eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in her first year. A junior defenseman, Schilter (Aurora, ONT / Toronto Jr. Aeros) has played 66 games in her career. She has nine assists, including six during her sophomore season, with 24 penalty minutes. The Engineers who return 18 student-athletes from last season’s team, open their season October 4-5 at Robert Morris.
New Assistant Coach Named
The Engineers will have a new assistant coach behind the bench with the hiring of Derek Alfama (pictured) as an assistant coach. “Derek is a tireless worker and will bring great deal of experience and energy to our program,” said Burke, who is in his 10th season as head coach of the Engineers. “He has been both successful on the ice and as a recruiter. We are very fortunate to have Derek be part of the RPI family.” Alfama was most recently an assistant at The College of the Holy Cross, where he mentored the Crusaders for the last two seasons. In 2012-13, Holy Cross finished the season with an overall record of 16-6-5 and 9-4-5 in ECAC East action. He helped the team to a 19-4-3 record in his first season with the program, as the Crusaders advanced to the ECAC Open Championship.
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Alfama joined Holy Cross after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at Norwich University. During the 2010-2011 campaign, Alfama helped lead the Cadets to an overall record of 25-4-1, with the team winning the NCAA Division III Championship. Norwich finished as the NCAA runner-up in 2009-2010, and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2008-2009. The Cadets had a 20-6-5 record in 2009-2010 and a 19-9-1 mark in 2008-2009, good for an overall record of 64-197 during Alfama’s three years on the staff. Norwich also received the American College Hockey Association Division III Women’s Staff of the Year Award in two of Alfama’s three seasons. Alfama’s playing experience includes spending four years at St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Mass., and one season at Trinity Pawling School in Pawling, N.Y. He has also been involved with the USA Hockey Satellite program for the past four seasons. A 1996 graduate of Norwich with a bachelor’s degree
in criminal justice, Alfama was a four-year member of the Cadets’ men’s ice hockey team. He served as team captain during his senior season, and received the programs Robert Priestly Award.
RPI Notes
In exhibition play Junior Ali Svoboda scored two goals as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s hockey team defeated the Ottawa Junior Senators, 5-0. New York is represented with Jenn Godin (Clarence Center/Tabor Academy). Jenn is a sophomore defenseman who played in 35 games in her freshman year, had three goals and 12 assists an was the team’s top-scoring defenseman. She was named ECAC Rookie of the Week on January 29.
2013-2014 HELMET RULE The HECC sticker showing the expiration date of the helmet must be visible. Do not take it off or paint/write over it. Also, note that helmets do expire. The USA rule indicates that an invalid helmet date should render the player ineligible for the game (Rule 304 states: (Note) HECC certification includes an expiration date on the sticker and a helmet that has an expiration date that has expired is no longer considered certified. The player may not wear a helmet that does not have a valid and current certification sticker). www.nyhockeyonline.com
North Hockey For the third straight year, the SUNY Potsdam men’s basketball and women’s hockey team participated in “Walkin’ for Willz” 5k run/walk. The event, which was organized to raise funds for to help cure juvenile diabetes, took place Saturday, September 15. The Bears, other organizations and hundreds of other participants followed the route from Ives Park, through Clarkson University’s campus and back to Ives. All funds raised by the walkers went to support the Juveniles Diabetes The Walkin’ for Wilz event is named in honor of Billy “Wilz” Howlett, who in 2008 lost his battle against diabetes at the age of 20. In it’s five years, the run/walk has raised nearly $120,000 for the Central New York chapter of the JDRF.Research Fund (JDRF).
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Northern New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski
CLARKSON Following a disappointing season with fewer than ten wins for the second time in four seasons and with just four victories after January, the Golden Knights move forward after losing just three regular seniors, albeit two on defense. Top three scorers Allan McPherson, Jarrett Burton and Ben Sexton are back for their senior seasons along with junior Joe Zarbo, who led last year’s squad with a career-high 13 goals. Sophomores Pat Megannety, Simon Bessette and defenseman Paul Geiger will be asked to contribute more offense following their college inauguration. Juniors James Howden, Sam Labrecque and senior Alex Boak (Norwood) join Geiger on the blueline in front of sophomore goaltender Greg Lewis, who played in all but two games last season while posting a 3.02 goals against average and earning all nine of the team’s wins. The freshman class contains four forwards, two defensemen and two goaltenders in Jordan Boucher (Pembroke Lumber Kings-CJHL), Perry D’Arrisso (Corpus ChristiNAHL), A.J. Fossen (Dubuque-USHL) and Troy Josephs (St. Michael’s-OJHL) at forward; Detroit draft pick James De Haas (Penticton-BCHL) and junior teammate Bryan Sinz on defense and Steven Perry (Fairbanks-NAHL) with late add Ville Runola (Finland Jr. A SM-liiga) in goal. After opening with two road games against Niagara and two at the Icebreaker Tournament in Minnesota, the Golden Knights open at home October 18-19 versus RIT. Conference play begins with four road games in a row in November starting at Brown. The team also will participate in the Catamount Cup in Vermont between Christmas and New Year’s and travel to UMass Lowell in January.
POTSDAM Former Bears Sy Nutkevitch and Kevin McFarland, both Class of 2012, have signed contracts with Central Hockey League teams for the upcoming 2013-14 season. Nutkevitch, who was All-SUNYAC and led the SUNYAC conference in scoring in 2011-12, has joined the Tulsa Oilers. McFarland, a goaltender, will join the St. Charles Chill.
ST. LAWRENCE A January-February run that earned points on nine of 11 games faded with wins in just two of their final seven contests and the Saints look to regroup after losing some senior firepower in forward Kyle Flanagan and defenseman George Hughes. Hobey Baker finalist Greg Carey is back for one more go-around after leading the nation in goals and power play goals. Senior Jeremy Wick with juniors Gunnar Hughes, Chris Martin, Patrick Doherty and Tommy Thompson with senior Kyle Essery all are back after netting ten or more points last season. Seniors Justin Baker, Pat Riley, Riley Austin and junior Nelson Armstrong anchor the defense in front of senior goaltender Matt Weninger, who already holds team records in holding program records for appearances, minutes played and saves. Eleven newcomers will compete for spots and includes two New Yorkers. Defensemen Gavin Bayreuther, Mike Graham, Ben Massella and Eric Sweetman arrive along with forwards Alexander Dahl, Trevor Hills (Honeoye Falls—son of RIT associate head coach Brian Hills), Woody Hudson (Greece), Drew Smolcynski and Brian Ward and goaltender Tyler Parks. Add in forward Matt Carey, who sat out last season, but has four years of eligibility beginning this year and almost half the Saint roster is made up of new faces. The Saints open at home against Maine October 11-12 and start ECAC play in November at Yale. Trips to Ferris State, RIT, North Dakota and Vermont dot the non-conference schedule.
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North Women’s College Report by Janet Schultz
CANTON The SUNY Canton women’s hockey team is ready to make great strides in the 2013-14 season as it begins its second year in program history under Head Coach Melissa Lomanto. The team will make the transition from a club team to an NCAA-provisional member. The squad comes off a remarkable season where it went 8-14-1 in its first year of existence. The Roos will play 25 contests this season with nearly all contests coming against NCAA opponents. SUNY Canton will host 10 games in the friendly confines of the Roos House. The team opens the season with a pair of games on the road at Stevenson University on November 2nd and 3rd. The home-opener for the 2013-14 season will take place November 8 at 7 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. contest the following day, both against SUNY Cortland. The Roos will also host two-game series with Chatham University and Division I Sacred Heart University as well as single contests against Utica College and SUNY Potsdam. SUNY Canton returns six players from its inaugural season a year ago paced by leading scorer Karley Cree’s 26 points on 16 goals and 10 assists. The Roos bring 19 freshman recruits to campus this fall and will have one of the younger teams during the 2013-14 season. Coach Lomanto will look to develop a number of talented individuals throughout the season. New players come in from dominant programs such as Ontario Hockey Academy, Northwood Prep and Pittsburgh Elite. With a fresh group of faces combined with returning talent the 2013-14 SUNY Canton women’s hockey team will look to continue its development as it transitions to the NCAA Division III level of play.
POTSDAM
The SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team has hired Bryanna Farris a an assistant coach for the 2013-14 season. Farris replaces the vacated spot left by two-year assistant Courtney Laughlin, who has departed the team to pursue a graduate degree. Farris joins a Bears’ coaching staff that led Potsdam to a 10-142 record and has qualified for the playoffs in three of the past four seasons. Prior to Potsdam, Farris served for six years as a hockey coach instructing players ranging from age three to 25 with the Peak Centre for Human Performance in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. Farris also taught physical education at Newmarket Junior/Senior High School in Newmarket, New Hampshire, and Moharimet Elementary School in Madbury, New Hampshire. As a member of the University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, Farris was selected to the Hockey East All-Academic Team from 2010-2011 and was also named to the Dean’s list. She lettered in women’s hockey for four years with the Wildcats. “I am very excited to have Bryanna join us this season,” said seventh-year women’s head ice hockey coach Jay Green. “We met for the first time in the recruiting process several years ago when she was a member of the Ottawa Senators Women’s Intermediate program. She just completed her academic/athletic career at UNH as a four-year letterman with the Wildcats. Bryanna will bring playing experiences and an exposure to Division I hockey, which will be a benefit to all of us here at Potsdam. At UNH, she played both at the defense and forward positions. As a result, she will have a broad base of knowledge to share with myself and will also surely benefit our players in the months ahead.” Farris received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology: physical education pedagogy from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2013. In high school, Farris also lettered in soccer, volleyball, basketball, track and field and badminton. During the 2008-09 season, she earned a gold medal with Team Ontario Red in the Under-18 Canadian National Championship. A member of the Ottawa Senators Women’s Hockey Club, she lifted
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the 2009 team by notching a goal and two assists in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League gold medal game. She was also on the PWHL silver medalist team in 2008. She is a native of Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada. The Bears open the season by playing in the newly renovated Maxcy Ice Arena on Nov. 2 against Saint Michael’s College at 2:30 p.m.
Arena Has a New Look
Potsdam will formally open the newly rennovated Maxcy Rink on Saturday, October 19. The Potsdam Bear will make a special appearance along with the men and women’ s players hosting an autograph session beginning at 9:30 a.m. From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. there will be a figure and hockey rotation sessions on the ice and at 1 p.m. the Bears will host an open skate with the community. The women’s team will play an exhibition game at 2 p.m. and the men will hold a hockey exhibition at 3 p.m. On Friday, November 1 there will be a welcoming reception for men’s and women’s hockey alumni at 6 p.m. followed by a live streaming of the men playing at Plattsburg at 7 p.m. On Saturday, November 2 rink tours will be held for returning coaches and layers followed by the 1995-96 Men’s Hockey Team Hall of Fame Brunch. The women drop the ceremonial puck at 2:30 p.m. when they take on St. Michaels and the men will drop the ceremonial puck at 7 p.m. prior to their game against the University of New England. Sunday, November 3 is Alumni Day with an Alumni Family Skate at 9 a.m. and the men’s alumni game at 10 a.m. and the women’s alumni game at 11 a.m.
Clarkson With the talent, experience and depth at every position Co-Head Coaches Matt and Shannon Desrosiers have high hopes for the 2013-14 season, according to a preview issued by Clarkson on their webite. All but two veterans are returning from last season where the Golden Knights ended the season with a 28-10 overall record, culminating in the Knights’ second NCAA play-off appearance in the past four years. They finished in a tie for second in the ECAC Hockey standings with an 18-4 record. Clarkson faces a challenging
schedule including eight games against teams that skated in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. They opened their 34game season against the Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday, September 28 in Cheel Arena. The Knights then face arch-rival St. Lawrence University in back-to-back non-conference games. On October 4 they face Potsdam and on October 5, Canton. Highlighting the season will be a game against RIT in an outdoor game scheduled for December 14 at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY. In goal this season will be two-time ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year Erica Howe (Ottawa, Ont). Junior Jenna Boss (Little Canada, Mn.) and Freshman McKenzie Johnson (Eden Prairie, Mn) will also be seeking playing time. Junior Emily Horn (Hamilton, Ont) will be redshirted this season. Five skilled defensemen return along with a promising freshman. Senior Vanessa Plante (Riviere-du-Loup, Que.) and Juniors Jennifer Shields (Ingersoll, Ont) and Daniella Matteucci (Fruitvale, BC) are an intimidating force in front of the net. Sophomore Erin Ambrose (Keswick, Ont) played a lot of minutes in her freshman year and is emerging as one of the Knights’ most reliable blueliners. Add to that Rookie Corie Jacobson (Warren, Ont) who helped Team Canada to a Gold Medal in last season’s U18 Championship and the Knights’ are a force to be reckoned with. The Knights’ also have the scoring power with Seniors Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont) and Carly Mercer (Exeter, Ont). Rattray averaged 1.44 points per game on 22 goals, 30 assists in 36 games. Mercer posted 41 points last season including six game-winners. Also putting pucks in the net were Britney Styner (Calgary, AB), Vanessa Gagnon (St. Constant, Que) and Shelby Nisbet (Wiseton, Sk). Juniors Christine Lambert (Thetford Mines, Que), Shannon MacAulay (Mt. Herbert, PEI) and Olivia Howe (Moose Jaw, Sask) saw significant time last year and should enjoy breakout campaigns this season, according to the preview. Cayley Mercer (Exeter, Ont), sister to Carley, missed all of last season due to injury and is expected to be in top form for this year. Coming on board are Freshmen Genevieve Gannon (Candiac, Que) and Jessica Gillharm (Ubridge, Ont), adding to the depth up front.
News from the North... ....Congratulations to Lilly Holmes from Clifton Park’s 14U team. Lilly took part in the USA Development Camp.
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West Hockey
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Webster Cyclone Challenge The Webster Cyclone Challenge was held the weekend of September 13 at the Arena in Webster. The event included Pee Wee Minor, Pee Wee Major, Bantam Minor, Midget 16U and a Girls 14U Division with teams from Webstr, Syracuse, Rochester, Cazenovia, Cheektowaga, Southtowns, Troy-Albany and Monroe County. The Webster Cyclones took first place in the Pee Wee Minor, Pee Wee Major and Girls 14U divisions. It was the Monroe County Eagles at the Bantam Minor Division and the Syracuse Blazers at the Midget 16U Division. Second place went to the Cazenovia Chiefs in the Pee Wee Minor; Cheektowaga Warriors at Pee Wee Major; Webster Cyclones, Bantam Minor; Websster Cyclones, Midget 16U and Syracuse Blazers at the Girls’ 14U. (NY Hockey OnLine stopped by for one
game. It was Syracuse vs the Rochester Amerks. Photos are from that game).
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Around the West... ...Rochester hosts the Fire On Ice Tournament on October 18 through 20 at the Bill Gray IcePlex. Kicking off the event will be the DI RIT women against Colgate University on Friday, October 18 at 7 p.m. Teams from across the country will be participating including the Anaheim Lady Ducks, Milwaukee Jr. Admirals, New Jersey Colonials, Ontario Hockey Academy and Alaska Icebreakers as well as Rochester, Buffalo Regals, Cazenovia Lady Chiefs, Lady Islanders and many, many more. ...NYHOL expresses its sympathy to the family of former Sabre Larry Playfair on the passing of his mother-in-law Mary I. Deeves VanderVOORT. ...The West Section Midget Tier I Sectionals begin November 9 at the Northtown Center in Amherst. Playing at the 16U are the Buffalo Regals, Wheatfield Blades, Perinton Blades, Rochester Americans, Buffalo Saints, Amherst Knights, St. Francis, West Seneca Wings and Hamburg Hawks. At the 18U level are the Rochester Americans, Perinton Blades, Wheatfield Blades, Amherst Knights, Hamburg Hawks, West Seneca Wings, Buffalo Regals and Buffalo Saints. (These are listed in the order of the draw). ... Congrats to the Monroe County Midget Major TB team on winning the championship in the Pittsburgh Pre-Season Challenge. They went 5-0 and beat the Perinton Midget AAA team in the finals to take home the championship.
Buffalo Regals Update
The Regals have been hard at work all summer preparing for this season, according to Head Coach Tom Ruggiero. The Tier I 16U team played Team Alaska in an exhibition game and tied them 3-3. The Regals will be playing at the 17U AAA level at the Rochester Ignite the Ice Tournament on October 18-20; Detroit World Hockey Invitatational November 1-3; Connecticut Polar Bear Tournament, December 26-30 and the Brantford Gretzky Tournament in February. The 16U team will be playing in the 17U AAA Lower Lakes
Canadian League. At the 14U Tier I level the girls will be coached by Frank Attea and look forward to a very competitive season. At the 12U level it will be a building year and the Buffalo Regals are putting a 10U team on the ice for the first time this season.
Buffalo Super Series Report
The Buffalo Regals Bantam Major Team won the Buffalo 99 Super Series Bantam Major Tournament in their home rink, Holiday Twin Rinks. Taking part in the tournament were the Colorado Thunderbirds, Mid-Fairfield Yankees, New Jersey Junior Devels, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, Oakland Grizzlies, Pittsburgh Penquin Elites and Team Comcast. Moving into the playoffs it was PIttsburgh over Mid-Fairfield 4-2; Buffalo over Oakland, 6-1; Colorado over Team Comcast 6-3 and Carolina over New Jersey 5-1. In the final three games of the series it was Buffalo over Pittsburgh 8-5; Oakland over Mid-Fairfield, 3-0 and Colorado over Carolina 2-1 in a shootout.
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Buffalo Stars 19U Celebrate with First Place Trophy (Photo submitted by Buffalo Stars)
Buffalo Stars Bring Home First Place The Buffalo Stars Girls U19 team returned from an exciting weekend in Cleveland, Ohio at the Ohio Flames Ignite the Ice Tournament. This tournament was the first time this season that the team of 20 players traveled out of the WNY area to take on some tough competition. Tough competition? They found it, finishing with a 3-2 record and winning the Tier II B Division Championship. By virtue of their win, the girls left Cleveland being the highest ranked American team in the tournament. The two losses they did have were to the top two Canadian teams in the tournament during what proved to be probably the most difficult draw of the round robin. Individual honors aside, the team played together and grew together, as this group included
girls who played for seven different associations last year. They showed how fast a team can grow together when they trust each other. With 13 different players registering points and everyone helping out in some tough penalty situations, it took a total team effort to make their mark in Ohio this weekend. In addition to a successful tournament, Goaltender Margaret Janiga took the opportunity to share a very special moment in her life with her team mates and twin sister Marissa, who is the Captain of the team, by signing her national letter of intent to play Div II Lacrosse at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio next year. The steps this team has taken since the beginning of the season are remarkable and opportunities for this team to grow even more are coming as they begin their college club team series this month, playing against Niagara University and SUNY Buffalo, and ending that series in February with a trip to Cornell University to play against the Big Red’s women’s club team.
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(Submitted by the Buffalo Stars)
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E
He previously played for Cazenovia. The Springville resident is in 7th grade and considers Wayne Gretzky his role model because he always worked hard and never gave up. His personal hero is his father because “he makes everything fun!” In addition to hockey, Jake enjoys golf and soccer. The Buffalo Stars Player of the Week for the week ending September 15 is Andrew Husted of the U16 Full Season Team. Andrew registered a 4 goal, 2 assist performance during his teams 6-3 victory over the Cheektowaga Warriors this past Saturday during the Buffalo Stars Annual Home Opening Weekend. Andrew recorded the first 4 goals of the game giving him a natural hat trick plus one. Andrew is 16 years old and a resident of Lockport. This is his first season wearing the red, white and blue of the Buffalo Stars. Alex Kuczmierz is the final September honoree. Alex is a member of the Midget 18U team. The 5”11” hockey player will play any position except goaltender. He is a resident of Lancaster and is a senior in high school. His favorite NHL player is Pavel Datsuk and his hero his his father because “he is an all around good person and example.”
ach week the Buffalo Stars recognize a player for outstanding play and outstanding academics. The following players received recognition in September. Christopher Botzenhart led his team to the Championship of the Buffalo Stars Labor Day Tournament as he exploded for 5 goals in a 6-3 Championship Game victory over the Bud Bakewell Bruins. Christopher continued his scoring touch as he registered the games only goal in his teams Regular Season opening victory over the Southtowns Stars on September 7. Christopher is a 15 year old sophomore at Cheektowaga Central High School. The 5’11” cen- (Pictured are top left Chris Botzenhart, bottom left Andrew ter has played his entire career with the Buffalo Stars Husted; top right, Jake Gavin, bottom right, Alex Kuczmierz. Photos courtesy Buffalo Stars) (Buffalo Hornets) organization. Jake Galvin won his teams 10,000 Puck ChalBuffalo Stars News Continued on Page 42 lenge. Over the summer the Buffalo Stars PeeWee Major tam paticipated in hockeyshare.com’s 10,000 Puck Challenge, keeping players shooting over the summer with an ultimate goal of 10,000 pucks. Jake’s team shot 47,000 pucks with Jake placing 11,327 of those shots. This is Jake’s first season playing for the Stars.
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CANISIUS
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NIAGARA
It’s amazing how a six month period (Feb- There are quite a few questions to be ruary-July) can turn the fortunes of a program answered as Niagara begins their preparound. aration for the upcoming season having lost two of their After finishing a game under .500 during top three scorers, three senior defensemen and their starting the regular season, the Golden Griffins rattled off eight goaltender, who finished among the top ten nationally in straight victories to win the Atlantic Hockey Association goals against and save percentage. championship and earn their Goodbye Giancarlo Iuorio, first NCAA tournament bid. Marc Zanette and Jeff HanThey followed that with the nan up front, Dan Weiss, CJ summer announcement of Chartrain and Jason Beattie teaming up with the Buffalo on the blueline and Carson Sabres in the HarborCenter, Chubak in net. which will become Canisius’ The Purple Eagles seem new home rink beginning to always find someone to next fall. step into offensive roles yearby Warren Kozireski But of immediate conafter-year and will need that cern is defending their title. again behind Ryan Murphy, The team returns ten of who led last year’s squad in its top-12 scorers from last scoring. season, but they were signifiSeniors Patrick Divjak and cant losses in Preston Shupe, who was second on the team Ryan Rashid, junior Chris Lochner with sophomores Dan in goals and points, and Torrey Lindsay, who anchored the Kolenda (who impressed in the Florida Panthers summer nation’s second ranked penalty kill. camp) and Hugo Turcotte will get first crack at top line min Kyle Gibbons doubled his two-year goal total last utes with Murphy after combining for 38 goals and 50 asseason and will again be asked to score goals with Cody sists one year ago. Freeman. Patrick Sullivan (Derby), Mitch McCrank, Tyler Buffalo’s Sam Alfieri, Rochester’s Mike Conderman Wiseman, Doug Beck, Stephen Miller, Matthew Grazen (transfer from UMass-Lowell) and Rocky Gruttadauria, (East Amherst) and senior captain Ryan Bohrer will all dot Mike Benedict, Isaac Kohls and Matt Chartrain will fight the top three lines. for top-three line playing time as well. The defense returns largely intact with all but one an Eden native Kevin Ryan had more assists from the upperclassman. Seniors Ben Danford and Duncan McKel- blueline last season (23) than in his first two years comlar with juniors Doug Jessey, Logan Roe and Stephen Far- bined and will quarterback the power play for his final rell will provide a solid front with senior netminder Tony campaign. Senior Matt Williams and junior Kevin Albers Capobianco behind them. are the other returning starters on defense with sophomore Geoff Fortman and Austin Kosack enter the battle for play- Matt Chiarantano, Michigan Tech transfer Nick Cecere, ing time on the blueline as freshman and are joined in the Matt Dineen and Nick Gawron ready to fill roles. recruiting class by forwards Shane Conacher, Jack Hidi, The biggest question heading to the opener October 5th Jeff Murray and Orchard Park native/Buffalo Jr. Sabres against visiting Clarkson is who will earn the starting goalproduct Josh Kielich. tender nod. The season kicks off with the opener at Niagara Octo- Freshman Jackson Teichroeb arrives from the Lincoln ber 12th as the first of six consecutive road contests. The Stars of the USHL where he was 15-10-2 with a 2.79 GAA final Buffalo State Ice Arena home opener is November 9th and .902 save percentage. Classmate Adrian Ignagni played versus Mercyhurst. The team plays at home just twice be- last season for St. Michael’s in the OJHL where he helped fore New Year’s. the Buzzers to the league championship with a 2.54 GAA and .927 save percentage—both numbers he bettered over their 24 game playoff run. (Continued on Page 43)
Western New York Men’s College Hockey Report
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He helped lead the Valiants, a Division III perennial power, to a 33-18-5 record and backto-back appearances in the ECAC East Championship game. At Manhattanville, Woodard coordinated the Valiants recruiting efforts, both naby Janet Schultz tionally, and internationally, Janet@nyhockeyonline.com conducted video analysis JDSchultz3663@gmail.com and film breakdown, monitored academic progress of his players, and managed and organized marketing and fundraising initiatives. In addi The Bengals are taking a new direction with new tion, he was in charge of defensive zone coverage and Head Coach Candice Moxley and Assistant Coach Lucy penalty-killing units. Schoedel (See feature on page 9). They have several new “I am extremely honored to receive this opportunity recruits with a solid base in their returning players includto join the Tigers, and work with Scott and Shivaun,” said ing NY’ers Nikki Kirchberger, Melissa Ash, Jeyna Minnick, Woodard. “The great reputation and prestigious tradition Alison Mish and Christina Zandri. Only three players gradof the RIT Athletic Department, and its women’s hockey uated from last year’s program. program, is well known in the hockey world. I’m eager to The Bengals open their season with an exhibition start working with the players, for I have heard nothing game on November 3 against Brock University and then but great things about the team chemistry and the pasface ECAC rival Chatham at home on November 8 and 9. sion to succeed.” Woodard played four seasons of Division I collegiate hockey for RIT men’s rival American International College on defense, recording 29 points on six goals and 23 assists in 133 games played. His 133 games played are RIT Head Coach Scott McDonald announced that tied for fourth most in program history and are the most Matt Woodard will join the women’s hockey program as among all Yellow Jackets defensemen. In the classroom, Woodard excelled, earning a double an assistant coach for the 2013-14 season. Woodard will assist McDonald and fellow assistant major in criminal justice and psychology. He was a fourtime member of the Atlantic Hockey Association All-Acacoach Shivaun Siegl in all aspects of the program. “We are excited to have Matt Woodard join the RIT women’s hockey program,” said McDonald, who enters his eighth season behind the bench at RIT. “This is a huge step in the right direction for our program. During his collegiate, pro and coaching career, Matt has been able to work with great coaches, be exposed to a number of different styles and gain valuable knowledge in regards to all positions. Plus, over the past two seasons he has also had a chance to recruit at the NCAA level and develop a great network of contacts throughout North America.” Woodard spent the last two seasons at Manhattanville College, serving as the assistant women’s hockey coach and recruiting coordinator.
Western New York Women’s College Hockey Report
Buffalo State College
RIT
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demic Team and was the recipient of the ECAC Award of Merit for excellence on the field of competition and in the classroom. At Manhattanville, Woodard earned a master’s degree in sports business management. “After Shivaun and I met with Matt, we knew that his enthusiastic personality and attention to detail was going to be a great fit to our staff and program,” said McDonald. “We’re excited to have Matt begin working with our student-athletes right away.”
Players Excited About Season
tinued. The RIT DI team is not eligible for the Frozen Four until 2014-15, waiting out the two-year probationary period required by the NCAA. Bromley sees the youth of this year’s team as an advantage. The 14 coming back have a lot of chemistry and the freshman are picking it up very quickly. “We’ll surprise teams,” she said. “This is amazing,” said Grigg, who won the national championship in her freshman year. “My second year we play Division I and in my senior year I’ll play in the new arena, all four years are amazing,” said Grigg. “Each year has its own excitement with this year playing at Frontier Field in an outdoor game,” She has played pick up hockey outdoors but an actual game with fans watching and cheerig. “It will be unforgettable,” said Grigg who added- “This year will be awesome.”
Last Minute News...
Meet RIT’s Captains for 2013-14: Melissa Bromley (C); Lindsay Grigg (C); Celeste Brown (AC) and Morgan Scoyne (AC).
RIT
’s women’s ice hockey team has had nothing but exciting times for the past four seasons. For Senior Melissa Bromley she opened her career with a winning season, closes it by closing Ritter Arena. For Junior Lindsay Grigg, she also starts with a winner and will close out her Senior year in 2014-15 by opening the new Gene Polisseni Center. “It’s like the best of both worlds starting at DIII in my freshman year and going to a national championship which we lost,” said Bromley. “You gain a ton of experience.” “The next year we actually won the national championship and it’s unbelievable. “You’ll never forget it, it’s by far my best college memory and I don’t think that will change,” said Captain Bromley. “Transitioning to DI we have an amazing fan base here so we’ve always had great support.” ‘While we can’t go as far as we want championship wise, the girls will get that experience next year,” she con-
...RIT lost their regular season opener to #3 Clarkson 121. Erin Zach scored RIT’s lone goal at 3:50 into the second period. Ali Binnington lasted just 5:58 in her opening start of the season, allowing three goals on nine shots. Brooke Stoddart stopped 17 of 25 shots in 34 minutes of play while Jetta Rackleff played the third period, stopping nine shots. This was the collegiate debut for both Stoddart and Rackleff.
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Women’s Club Hockey in WNY Niagara University A change in coaching with the Purple Eagles Women’s Club Ice Hockey Team puts NU DI alum Rachel Hauser in charge this season. Coach Jason Elliott has accepted another position. Hauser began her hockey career on roller blades in Willlow Street, Pennsylvania. She played boys ice hockey with a Lancaster (PA) team and eventually for the Philadelphia Little Flyers Girls Ice Hockey. She was also a member of the Hershey Jr. Bears girls’ team and then found a spot on the Delco Phantoms AAA travel team, one of the strongest teams at that time for girls’ hockey. She aimed high and following graduation from Lamepeter-Strasburg High School, and not being picked for a DI school, she went to the Toronto Rattlers, a junior women’s team that develops players for college programs. After a season with the Rattlers she found her way to the then Division I Niagara University Women’s Ice Hockey program. Coach Hauser made it through her four years before the announcement came that NU was eliminating their program. “I chose NU before it was a small school and had DI hockey,” said Hauser. During her four years Hauser played in 97 games. Throughout that time she helped with camps including USA Developmental Camps in Rochester at the 14U and 15U levels. When she entered graduate school at NU she wanted to continue in hockey and became a member of the NU club team, eventually serving as an assistant coach. “When Jason asked me last year to serve as an assistant, it was the first time I ever coached,” said Hauser. So when Elliott took another job this season, she was the natural to fill the Head Coaches position.
“It will be a rebuilding year for us,” said Hauser. “We lost eight players to graduation and only have four returning. Everyone will be new when we take the ice,” she remarked. NU currently plays as an independent but they look to a day when they can join a league. On their schedule are games against the club teams from Oswego, University of Buffalo, University of Rochester, Syracuse University, Geneseo State and St. Lawrence University. “Club hockey is a lot different. It’s not as much of a commitment as DI or DIII but gives players a chance to continue playing after high school and youth hockey,” remarks Hauser. NU will open against Oswego State on October 5 at Oswego and then Oswego will come to Dwyer on October 25 at 8:30 p.m.
University of Buffalo
The Lady Bulldogs will also have a new face behind the bench. First, Head Coach Jody Rosen stepped down, putting Assistant Coach Ron Adimey in charge. Just a few weeks before this season began Adimey finds he had to step aside for employment reasons and Melissa Jockovich, the assistant coach, was named. Jeckovich is recognizable to many from her youth and college playing days. Jeckovich played with the Niagara County Coyotes and then Buffalo State College. As a forward she had 18 goals and 13 assists during her four-year career as a Bengal. Another new face to the Bulldogs but recognizable to those who followed the WNY Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey League is Kaitlyn Simmons. Simmons played for the Kenmore Varsity Girls Hockey team. Others new to the UB Ice but from NY are Gabrielle Caruso, Liverpool; Courtney Miller, Albany; Jessie Schreiber, Stormville; Rachel Scott, Batavia and Courtney Thornton, Lancaster. The Lady Bulldogs have begun practicing and their first game will be against Rhode Island in a doubleheader on October 5 at 6 p.m. and October 7 at Noon at the Northtowns Ice Arena, Amherst.
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(Men’s West College Hockey Continued from Page 37)
Lockport native Chris Paulin joined the team in January, but did not see any playing time. Other recruits donning the purple and white this season include Niagara Falls native Vinny Muto, Kevin Patterson and Tyler Akeson on defense with Niagara Falls product Pat Conte, Brock Edwards, Phillip Nasca, Stephen Pietrobon and T.J. Sarcona up front. The Purple Eagles open at home October 5-6 versus Clarkson with rival Canisius at Dwyer on the 12th. Nonconference games at Denver, Michigan, Ohio State and Cornell dot the schedule.
R.I.T.
The Tigers failed to advance to the Atlantic Hockey Association final four for the first time in their Division I history, but with just three seniors having departed they are optimistic they can make a return visit to Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena in March as part of the final four. Matt Garbowsky, Mike Colavecchia, Ben Lynch, Adam Mitchell, Adam Hartley and Brad McGowan all return at forward after leading the Tigers to the second ranked power play in the nation last season. Also back up front is Webster native Dan Shuler, who had 16 points as a freshman, Brad Reid, Minnesota draft selection Anthony Hamburg, Bryan Potts and Andy Miller. Chris Saracino will be missed on the blueline, but Greg Noyes, Alexander Kuquali, Brad Shumway, Nolan Descoteaux and Eliot Raibl all played 35 or more games last season with Shumway and Kuquali back for just their second collegiate campaigns. Junior Jordan Ruby is the undisputed number one goaltender after starting all 14 games after February 1 winning seven. New to the team this season are Churchville-Chili product Garrett McMullen at forward and Greece native Mike Rotolo in goal. McMullen arrives from the Trail Smoke Eaters in the BCHL where he served as captain last season recording 44 points on 21 goals and 23 assists in 53 games, while leading the way with five game-winning tallies. Former Greece Thunder state champion netminder Rotolo joins after two seasons in the USHL with Green Bay and Cedar Rapids. Last season, Rotolo was among the league leaders with a 19-14-4 record, two shutouts, a 2.78 goals against average and .902 save percentage in 41 games.
Other forwards are Danny Smith (Edmonton, Alberta/ Sherwood Park Crusaders), Todd Skirving (Thunder Bay, Ontario/Sioux Falls Stampede), and MJHL and OJHL Most Valuable Player Caleb Cameron (Sunridge, Ontario/Listowel Cyclones). On defense, Dustin Fostvelt (Edmonton, Alberta/ Spruce Grove Saints), Michael Holland (Cambridge, MA/ Chicago Steel), and Alex Perron-Fontaine (St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec/Chilliwack Chiefs) will join the experienced unit. After the home opener October 10th against Colgate, the University of Michigan arrives for the annual Brick City Homecoming game at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena October 12th. A key part of the schedule is mid-January to mid-February when the Tigers play nine-of-ten games on home ice.
First Time Event:
J
Jr. Amerks vs Jr.Sabres
unior Hockey history was made in early September. For the first time in their histories, the Rochester Junior Americans travelled to Buffalo to play the Buffalo Junior Sabres. The Junior Sabres play in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. The Junior Amerks United States Premiere Hockey League “It was a great tune-up game for both teams,” said Jeff Kolcon. “Although it might have been an exhibition game, it had the feel of a regular season game.” The teams played to a 5-5 tie at the end of regulation. “Jeremy Marginsky scored the winner in overtime to secure the victory for Rochester,” continued Kolcon. “Will Massey played the entire game (63 minutes) in goal for the Junior Amerks. “It was an exciting game, one for the ages. “Hopefully it will lead to more games in the future.”
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M
edia Day at RIT with Coaches Scott McDonald (women’s) and Wayne Wilson (men’s). Also on hand were Rochester natives Mike Rotolo and Dan Schuler and the entire women’s team.
Below Frank Ritter Arena and the construction of the Gene Polisseni Center. (Photos by Janet Schultz)
(Photos by Janet Schultz)
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Mens Club Hockey Correction: NYHOL would like to make a correction to a story in last month’s issue. Canisius College’s Men’s Club team will not be part of the newly formed CIHA.
Medaille The Mavericks opened play on Friday, Sept. 27 against Brockport at the Northtown Center in Amherst. Brockport beat the Mavericks 8-0. Medaille lost five seniors and have picked up five freshman with the goal for the year tomake the nations in the newly formed CIHA league. The Nationals will be held in Fort Wayne, Ind. “I’m very pleased with the way this team has come together,” said Head Coach Ed Kirchberger. “They back each othr up and most of all they are having FUN.”
(Buffalo Stars Continued from Page 36)
Stars Support Wounded Warriors
The Buffalo Stars opened their 2013-14 season with a weekend-long series of games and events that benefitted the Wounded Warriors Project. Their opening day featured each of their teams facing off against teams from Tonawanda, Webster, Amherst, Southtowns and Cheektowaga.
Buffalo Stars Visit NU The Buffalo Stars Squirt Mixed team will begin league play on Saturday, October 12 against the Niagara Junior Purple Eagles. This afternoon game should prove to be an exciting start to the season for a team anxious to get into action, and as an added bonus the players and their families have been offered the chance to tour the facilities after the game. Officials working for the Niagara University (NU) Men’s Hockey program extended an offer to Stars Coach Justin Mullen, which he gladly accepted. The team will be given a tour of some parts of the facility not normally seen by visiting youth teams. The boys will also get a chance to meet some of the coaches and staff for the varsity hockey team. After the visit, the players and families will stay to watch NU host Canisius College in an exciting Division 1 hockey matchup. The squirt game is scheduled for 4:45pm, and the NU-Canisius game starts at 7:00pm
Other Stars News... ... The Buffalo Stars will conduct Super Mite Ice Hockey Program for boys and girls aged 5-8. The program will start on Wednesday, October 16t at the Holiday Rinks in Cheektowaga. This program will run through February 2014 and is a great “next step” for the beginning hockey player. For more information about the Buffalo Stars contact Dave Lynch: 253-3157 or Chuck Giambra: 316-8072 or visit us on line at: www.buffalostars.com or contact us at 685-1122
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Around the NHL / Page 46
Around the NHL Buffalo Sabres Community Assist Program Launched The Buffalo Sabres announced a new community program this season that will involve Sabres players, coaches, team officials, alumni and fans supporting a variety of different non-profit agencies and individuals in Buffalo, Western New York and Southern Ontario. Sabres Community Assist will be a six-day endeavor, taking place from Oct. 18-23, that will include player visits to area non-profit organizations, a fundraising walk to benefit the I AM effort and will shine a light on individuals whose lives have inspired and impacted others. “We are very excited to introduce the Sabres Community Assist program, which is intended to help and recognize different agencies and individuals that make this area such a special place to live,” said Sabres Chief Development Officer Cliff Benson. “This organization-wide effort is one way for us to give back to a community that has given us so much over the years.” The schedule of events for Sabres Community Assist is as follows: Friday, Oct. 18: Heritage Centers On Oct. 18, Sabres players and personnel will make a special visit to the Heritage Centers Maryvale School to take part in their Annual Fall Carnival. Saturday, Oct. 19: Vive, Inc. Vive, Inc. is a non-profit, humanitarian organization that assists refugees seeking protection in the United States and Canada. The Sabres are honored to welcome the families as special guests at the team’s home game against Colorado on Oct. 19.
Sunday, Oct. 20: I AM Tribute Walk Since September 11, 2001, more than 60 individuals from Western New York (8 Western Counties) have lost their lives fighting for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. The objective of the I AM effort is to build a memorial in honor of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, which will be located in the Buffalo & Erie County Military Naval Park. The Buffalo Sabres are proud to join the fundraising effort by hosting the “Gold & Blue Star Military Family Tribute Walk” on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. at First Niagara Center. Anyone interested in signing up for the walk can do so by visiting Sabres. com/IAM.
Night Football.
Monday, Oct. 21: Renaissance House The Kids Escaping Drugs Renaissance Campus houses up to 62 chemically dependent youth ages 12-20. The players will take part in pingpong, volleyball and other recreational activities while capping of the night with pizza, wings and Monday
Tuesday, Oct. 22: Buffalo City Mission Since 1917, the Buffalo City Mission has been a lifeline for area homeless who have nowhere to turn. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Sabres players and staff will lend a hand by remodeling the veterans’ dormitory at the Buffalo City Mission. Wednesday, Oct. 23: Rowan Langille The Sabres Community Assist program will conclude with a special tribute to a very special boy named Rowan Langille. Langille, a 4-year-old boy from St. Catharines, lost his three-year battle with brain cancer this past summer. His spirit, however, lives on in the individuals and community who will be forever changed by his short life. Twenty of Rowan’s family, friends and classmates will be invited as special guests to the Sabres-Bruins game at First Niagara Center on Oct. 23 to celebrate Rowan’s life and memory.
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(Women’s continued from Page42)
Heading to College A group of girl hockey players from WNY have found their way to the collegiate rinks. From the Buffalo Bisons Maddie Elia is attending Boston University; Kelly Seward, Penn State University and Ashley Lyman and Kendall Applebaum are at Oswego State. Watch for these Rochester Edge alumni. Jenny Ryan, Wisconsin; Mikaela Thompson, St. Lawrence; Ashley Ryan, Elmira; Anna Zorn, Cornell; Emily Janiga and Kathy Donohue, Mercyhurst; Cassandra Opela, Connecticut; Abbey Cook, Maine and Susan Allen, Colgate. From the Syracuse Stars: Lauren Kirwin and Shelby Moteyunas, Minnesota State; Annabelle Jones, Middlebury. If you know of a player that is playing DI, DIII or Club at a college or university and was born in New York please let us know. NY Hockey OnLine will be trying to follow these girls through their collegiate career.
WNY Girls Varsity Enters Fourth Season
The WNY Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey League begins it’s fourth season with a new team and two new schools. Iroquois Central High School girls have joined with Lancaster to create a two-school team. Lancaster has struggled and fought hard since the inaugural season. In addition, Nichols School will field a team in the league. Nichols has a strong tradition of ice hockey for girls with their teams playing in the Conference of Independent Schools of the Ontario Athletic Association and the North American Prep Hockey Association. Their Prep B team will be joining the WNYGVIHL. The League opens play on Tuesday, November 19 with Amherst/Sweethome playing Nichols at Nichols at 5 p.m. and Orchard Park/Frontier at Kenmore at 8:15 p.m. This year’s Section VI Championship will be held Wednesday, Feb. 5 at Northtown Ice Arena, Amherst with the New York State Tournament on Friday, Feb. 7 in Clayton, NY. Last season Kenmore was the first WNY team to take part in the NYS Championship. They lost in an exciting
Jill Battista faces off against Beekmantown’s Peterson at the NYS 2013 Championships.
game to Beekmantown. WNYGVIH playoffs begin Monday, Feb. 10 with the championship game at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at Northtown. The full schedule, when finalized, will be placed on the NY Hockey Online website, www.nyhockeyonline. com.
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USA Hockey Continued / Page 48
2013-14 Tournaments* Fire On Ice Rochester, NY October 18- 20 (Full)
X-CheckingColon Cancer October 25 - 27 Saratoga Springs Bobby Page Tournament October 26-27
Rochester Fall Classic October 4 - 6 Bill Gray’s IcePlex, Rochester America Cup I October 10-13 Lake Placid
2014 National Championships October 26 - 27 JFK Civic Arena, Rome John Corr House October 26, 27 Rome Can Am Challenge Cup October 31 - November 3 Lake Placid
Buffalo Border Battle October 11-13 Northtown, Amherst Niagara Falls Columbus Day October 12-14 Hyde Park Arena, Niagara Falls
*Details on the tournaments listed above can be found by going to the NYSAHA website and clicking “Invitational Tourney”
Saratoga Youth Hockey
Syracuse Blazers Shootout October 12-14 Cicero Rinks, Syracuse Can Am Challenge October 17-20 Lake Placid Ingle Cup October 25-27 Canadaigua Civic Center Saints Halloween October 25 - 27 Depew Ice Arena Empire Showdown October 25 - 27 Bill Gray’s IcePlex, Rochester
Saratoga Youth Hockey will be hosting three tournaments this season including: Bantam Tourney, December 13-15 Mark Woodcock PeeWee Tournament, January 10-12, 2014 Connor La France Squirt/ Midget 18U Tournament, January 17-19, 2014 Their tournaments include a four-game minimum, round-robin tourmanet in a dual rink hockey facility. There are consolation and championship games and the scoring updats will be placed on their
website. Saratoga’s rink is minutes from hotels, restaurants, shopping, museums, moviet theatres and other amenities. No gate fee is required, however each team is asked to donate a $100 gift basket for their raffle. Go to http://www.syhi. org for full details and registration information.
Malone Announces Tournament Schedule The Malone Minor Hockey Association will host their Fifth Annual Jacob Dievendorf Memorial Hockey Tournament for Pee Wee/Bantam teams on December 6 through 8 and for Mite/Squirt teams on February 8 and 9, 2014 Pee Wee/Bantams will play stop time periods in round robin format. Three game minimum. Tournament fee is $375 and must be paid by November 22. Teams will be admitted on a first come, first serve basis. Rosters also must be submitted by November 22. Mite/Squirt Teams will play also play stop time periods in round robin format. Registration fee is also $735 and due by January 24, 2014, as is the roster. Interested teams are urged to reserve a spot as soon as possible by contacting Nancy Legacy, northice816@yahoo.com
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World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend October 12/13 The World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend is a global opportunity for girls to tryout hockey. It is sponsored by tghe IIHF. If your organizationn is taking part send us the photos and stories for our November issue of NYHOL. Niagara University’s women’s club team is hosting an event at Dwyer Arena.
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