WNY Hockey Report April 2015

April 2015 VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 3

T N E M A N R U O T T JEFFREY SCOT

INSIDE: 2015-2016 TRYOUT EDITION 2!

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Contents

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In This Issue: P.O.Box 302 East Aurora, NY 14052 716-830-0182 info@wnyhockeyreport.com Managing Partner Ian C. Woods icwoods@wnyhockeyreport.com Vice President, Business Development Ned McDonnell Commish@wnyhockeyreport.com Publisher & Managing Editor Randy Schultz Randy@wnyhockeyreport.com Designer & Photographer Janet Schultz Janet@wnyhockeyreport.com Senior Columnists Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com Contributing Editor Jeff Kolcon Jeff@maksymum.com Communications & Marketing Director Val Andrews Val@wnyhockeyreport.com Columnists Janet Schultz - janet@wnyhockeyreport.com Michael Mroziak - michael@wnyhockeyreport.com Tom Barnett - Tombarnett@earthlink.net Steve Thomson - steve@hphd.us Mark Metzger - m.metzger@precisionhockey.net Mike Smietana - info@topshelfhockey.us Skylar Vitko-Woods

College Hockey: Men............................................................................................ 4 Ian Usiak – The Goal!............................................................................................. 5 High School Hockey ............................................................................................ 6 Lockport Hockey.................................................................................................... 7 Women’s Hockey.................................................................................................... 8 Buffalo Stars Honor the Mullen Family........................................................... 9 Mark Zarbo Hockey.............................................................................................10 Rochester Americans..........................................................................................11 Super Sunday Boys..............................................................................................12 Jeffrey Scott Tourney...........................................................................................13 ECC Kats Wins National Jr College Championship...................................15 Tryout Edition April..............................................................................................16 Around the Associations....................................................................................30 Wine At Center Ice................................................................................................33 Top Shelf Training.................................................................................................34 Rochester Youth Hockey News........................................................................35 Duffett Award........................................................................................................36 College Club Hockey...........................................................................................37 North American Championships Tourney...................................................38 In The Crease..........................................................................................................39 Rochester Jr. Americans.....................................................................................40 Lockport Express..................................................................................................41 Senior Hockey........................................................................................................42

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Men’s Collegiate

4

Men’s College Hockey Report

by Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com

CANISIUS After earning a first round playoff bye, the Golden Griffins hosted a playoff quarterfinal series for the first time since 2005 on March 1315 versus Sacred Heart.

Defenseman Chris Rumble was named First Team All-Conference in Atlantic Hockey while Ralph Cuddemi and goaltender Keegan Asmundson were Second Team selections.

Rumble finished conference action with 18 points on six goals and 12 assists, which was second among defensemen in scoring. Ralph Cuddemi, who became the fifth Griff in the program’s Division I history to record 20 goals in a single season, added 14 helpers for 34 points good for fifth overall in the conference.

Asmundson finished the season with a 10-5-3 record, posting a league best 1.89 goals against average and a .931 saves percentage with one shutout.

Canisius entered the postseason allowing just 2.14 goals per game in conference action this season—the lowest total in Atlantic Hockey. Overall, the Griffs were allowing just 2.35 goals per game, which ranked 19th nationally and is slightly better than the school record of 2.42–set during the 2012-13 season.

RIT The Tigers got hot at the right time to earn points in four of their final five regular season games and launch themselves into a topfive position to earn a first round playoff bye. They hosted Air Force March 13-15 in the Atlantic Hockey Conference quarterfinals.

Matt Garbowsky was a unanimous selection as First Team All-Conference after finishing league play with 44 points on 23 goals and 21 assists, which led all skaters during conference play. Josh Mitchell was a Second Team selection—he finished second in conference scoring with 38 points, scored 11 goals and handed out 27 assists. Brad McGowan and defenseman Alexander Kuqali were Third Team picks. McGowan scored 33 points on 14 goals and 19 helpers in 26 games played this season while Kuqali scored 14 points this season on two goals and 12 assists.

Defenseman Brady Norrish was a unanimous pick for the All-Rookie team.

Defenseman Matt Abt scored his first collegiate goal in his 26th game on the final weekend of the regular season against Mercyhurst. Chase Norrish also netted the first of his collegiate career Feb. 20 versus Robert Morris.

The Tigers 8-0 win over Mercyhurst Feb. 27 was their largest margin of victory since a 10-0 win at Sacred Heart in Jan. 2012.

McGowan became the eighth player since RIT moved to DI to reach 100 points in his career. He was also AHA Player of the Week Feb. 24 following a three goals-two assists series against Robert Morris. The hat trick was

the first of his career.

Mike Rotolo (Greece) was named Atlantic Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week Feb. 3 after stopping 33 of 34 shots as RIT split a weekend series against Army.

NIAGARA Following their worst regular season in program history, the Purple Eagles rebounded with a first round playoff series win at Holy Cross to advance to the quarterfinals against top-seed Robert Morris. Included was a second game loss in triple overtime. The 111:40 played marked the longest game in both Niagara and AHA history and landed as the eighth longest game in NCAA Division I history.

Jackson Teichroeb won conference Goaltender of the Week honors after the Holy Cross series. He made 136 saves on 142 shots for a .958 save percentage and posting a 1.55 goals against average. Included was a career record 58 saves (28 in regulation with another 30 in overtime) in the three-overtime loss.

Defenseman Keegan Harper was named to the Atlantic Hockey Association All-Rookie Team.

BROCKPORT The Golden Eagles advanced to the SUNYAC semi-finals for the first time since the 2009-10 season after their 6-4 victory over rival Geneseo in the quarterfinals largely thanks to a 59-save effort from senior goaltender Aaron Green.

In the semi-final loss to eventual champion Plattsburgh, defenseman Bobby Chajka scored a hat trick in his final collegiate game in the 7-5 loss.

Junior forward Chase Nieuwendyk and junior defenseman Chris Luker (Jr. Sabres) were both been named to the First-Team All-SUNYAC. Nieuwendyk led the Golden Eagles in points this year, scoring 18 goals and assisting on 12 others. Nine of his goals came on the power play and he finished the year tied for eighth in conference points with 11 goals and eight assists.

Luker was second for Brockport in points on the season, totaling four goals and 19 assists. He tied for the SUNYAC lead in points amongst defensemen and led the SUNYAC defensemen in assists with 14 during conference play.

In addition to Green and Chayka, Troy Polino also completed his collegiate career with 59 points in 99 career games.

GENESEO The third-seeded Knights dropped a 6-4 decision to Brockport to end their season in the SUNYAC quarterfinals for the first time in three seasons.

Senior defenseman Jack Caradonna, senior goalie Nick Horrigan and senior forward Tyler Brickler were named to the SUNYAC AllConference Third Team.

Caradonna finished his career a three-time allconference pick and capped his final campaign finishing tied for fifth on the team with eight assists and tied for 10th with nine points. The 2014 Academic All-America finishes his career with 57 points (6 goals, 51 assists) in 100 games played.

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Horrigan finished his career as Geneseo’s all-time leader with a .930 save percentage, including a .936 average that ranks seventh in Division III this year. Also moving into first-place on Geneseo’s career-shutout list (5) during the season, his 1.92 goals against average was 13th-best in the country.

Brickler finished the season tied for 22nd nationally with 33 points, while his 20 assists were tied for the 27th-best total. He is slated to play next season for the South Korean National Team.

Bryan Haude (Hilton), Justin Scharfe (Webster), Zack Cavallini, Zack Martin and Ryan Stanimir also completed their college careers.

NAZARETH Year three as a program put the Golden Flyers on solid with their highest regular season finish (third place at 7-4-4 in conference) and first postseason victory (5-1 over Manhattanville).

Sophomore forward Ben Blasko was named firstteam all-star in the ECAC West Conference with junior goaltender Ed Zdolshek a second-team selection, sophomore forward Dominik Gabaj honorable mention and freshman forward Oliver Janzen chosen as a forward on the All-Rookie team.

Blasko led the team in overall scoring with 29 points on five goals and a league-high 24 assists.

Zdolshek played in 19 games for the Golden Flyers in 2014-15 and had a 2.77 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

Gabaj, of Bratislava, Slovakia, enjoyed a strong first season for the Golden Flyers after transferring from Monroe Community College. He played in 23 games and finished tied for second on the team in scoring with 21 points on nine goals and 12 assists.

Janzen led the Golden Flyers with 11 goals and finished in a tie for second in points with 21.

Tom Missert, Julius Tamsay and Tom Seravalli all finished their college careers.

BUFFALO STATE The Bengals overwhelmed host Potsdam in the first round of the SUNYAC playoffs, but fell to eventual runnerup and NCAA participant Oswego in the semi-finals.

Junior defenseman Ben Kramer was named third team All-SUNYAC for the second-consecutive season. He appeared in 20 games and recorded 10 assists for the Bengals. In 74 career games, he now has five goals and 25 assists for 30 points.

There were no seniors on the Bengals roster at the end of the season.

Former Bengal Dan Turgeon inked a contract with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL in late February. He started this, his first professional season, with the Danville Dashers of the Federal Hockey League. In 39 games he recorded 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) and a plus-18 rating. Prior to turning pro, the forward played one season at Buffalo State and led the team with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 25 games. Before attending Buffalo State, he played two seasons at Monroe Community College, recording 102 points (49 goals, 53 assists) in 51 games.

Men’s Collegiate

5

Ian Usiak – THE GOAL!

FREDONIA The Blue Devils were winless in conference games (0-133) for the first time since their inaugural season of 1986-87 when they were 0-14.

Senior Stephen Castriota registered a natural hat trick in his final collegiate game.

Fellow seniors Brian Doust, Cory Melkert and Jared Wynia as well as sophomore Darrin Trebes (Williamsville) also played in their final collegiate contest.

Throughout the history of hockey players of all ages have had dreams of scoring a goal in the most unimaginable way ever.

Back in 1996, during the NCAA Hockey Tournament, Mike Legg of the University of Michigan scored a goal lacrosse style (carrying the puck on the blade of the stick and then firing it in the net). It became known as “The Michigan.”

OTHER AREA NOTES: • Cornell senior forward Cole Bardreau (Fairport) signed a two-year entry-level contract with the National Hockey League’s Philadelphia Flyers beginning with the 201516 season.

Bardreau wrapped up a four-year career as the Big Red’s spark plug, scoring 18 goals and 35 assists for 53 points over 103 career games. He also emerged as Cornell’s leading scorer for the 2014-15 season, scoring five goals — four on the power play — to go with a teamhigh 17 assists for 22 points. He served as an alternate captain for both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

• Former Brockport Golden Eagles and current Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin, currently in his 27th season, will be inducted into the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday, June 23 at the Erie Shrine Club.

It was something that Usiak had given some thought to.

“I would think about it on the bench during games,” continued Usiak, who is in eighth grade and attends the Discovery School in Buffalo. “I had been working on it for a couple of years while playing pond hockey or just messing around on the ice.

Over the years several players have attempted the same move with success. Most recently, a local player, Ian Usiak, successfully scored a goal using the same method.

“I saw the goal by Mike Legg so I was thinking about it.”

Usiak plays for the Cazenovia Chiefs U-14 team.

They were playing in a Bantam AA Tournament at Harbor Center vs. the Hamburg Hawks.

After the game, Ian’s father, Chris, who coaches the team, gave some advice,

The Chiefs had a commanding lead near the end of the contest and Usiak had already scored two goals.

With time running down the unexpected happened.

“My friend Shawn passed me the puck while I was behind the net,” recalled the 14 year-old Usiak.

“I had a lot of room and nobody was attacking me.

“I just tied it and it worked out. I was actually surprised and shocked when it went in.”

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After scoring the goal the entire team and those in attendance went wild.

“I told the players that they had played a great game and had done a lot of things well,” explained Chris. “But then I looked at Ian and (trying not to smile too much) said very simply, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’

“But I have to admit that I’ve never seen anything like it locally during a game. It was amazing.”

To see the goal go to https://youtu.be/gIQthoyZIgA

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High School Hockey

6

Section V

by Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com

Class A The Knights captured the Class A Section V title with a 3-2 win over rival Fairport and advanced to the state final four after defeating Niagara-Wheatfield by the same score in the state regional—both games played at RIT’s Ritter Arena.

In the sectional final, Lucien Rosendale and Ryan Talty scored just 25 seconds apart midway through the second period to break up the scoreless tie.

Fairport’s Jason White pounded home a rebound from a Tyler Knicley shot at 12:17 of the second to pull the Red Raiders to within one.

McQuaid senior Christian Leonardi scored a power play goal at 5:31 of the third to make it 3-1 before Fairport again closed the gap with 2:13 remaining on a goal by Alex Schoepful, but they could get no closer.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to do this with any other guys—it’s the best feeling in the world,” Leonardi said.

“With 16 seniors on the team we all knew this could be our last year of hockey and we were going to make the most of this. We all came out, put in the work and it paid off.”

“As freshmen you could tell they were going to be good,” Knights head coach Al Vyverberg said on the ice. “I was hoping before the season started that we would compete for a state title. I thought at least that we might be there, but with hockey the puck bounces

all over. But I thought we had enough talent to at least win sectionals and go on to compete for a state title.”

Leonardi, Josh Tortora and Max Paroda scored the Knights goals in the state regional contest to send McQuaid into the Class A state semi-finals in Utica against Section I champion Scarsdale. The winner will face the victor from the other semi-final with Section II’s Saratoga Springs and Section III’s Baldwinsville.

McQuaid last was in the state final four in 2013 when they lost to Saratoga. The last Section V state champion was the Greece Thunder in 2009.

Class B

When the Brockport Blue Devils ice hockey team last won a Section V title in 2003, the current seniors were five years old. And the beginning of this season wasn’t going to plan with the team off to a 1-5-1 start.

But fast forward from two days before Christmas to early March and Brockport turned their season around in a big way and, as the third seed in Class B, never trailed in defeating Irondequoit 6-5 at RIT’s Ritter Arena to win the Section V title.

“This is something you play for your entire life,” senior forward Dylan Sharpe said. “All the blood, sweat and tears and travel hockey all comes to that moment right there. This is the best way to end our senior year and I wouldn’t want to do it with any other guys.”

Brockport jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a power play goal at 7:28 of the first period as defenseman Walden Grady blasted home a shot from the left point with assists from Ben Leach and Matt Roe. But the Blue Devils found themselves in first period penalty trouble, which allowed Irondequoit to tie the game and eventually take the lead with two goals just three minutes apart and ended the first period up 2-1. The Eagles earlier this season defeated Brockport twice—4-3 on Dec. 9 and 4-2 Jan. 20.

“The first period was a little tough because we had so many penalties,” Sharpe said. “When we’re five-on-five we were dominating the game, but five-on-four they were taking it to us.

When we settle down and didn’t take penalties and actually played five-onfive and our style of hockey, that’s how we’ve been playing our best all year.”

Even with top-four defenseman Ben Leach forced to leave the game with an injury and role player Jack Moore thrust into his role and playing key minutes, the Blue Devils received offense from their defense to tie the game 2-2 at 7:58 of the second period as Josh Hettinger put his shot over the goaltender’s shoulder after passes

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from Carlton Ekiyor and Cameron Dony.

Brockport retook the lead at 11:08 of the second as Roe skated out from the behind the net to score. But the Eagles tied it 3-3 just 34 seconds later.

Dylan Sharpe started a three-goal third period onslaught for the Blue Devils as he pounded in the rebound from a Mitchell Henshaw shot at 1:02. 44 seconds later it was Ekiyor scoring on a goalmouth scramble with an assist from Andrew Harley.

Henshaw then scored what would prove to be the game-winner at 8:44 of the third as he deked around a defenseman and put a wrister past the goaltender to give Brockport a 6-3 advantage. Patrick Viscardi was credited with the only assist.

But Irondequoit was not done. A shot from the slot found the back of the net with 5:46 remaining to make it 6-4 Blue Devils and, with a late power play and the goaltender again pulled for a 6-on-4 advantage, scored again with 31 seconds left to make it a one-goal game.

In the closing seconds, again with the extra-attacker, the Eagles threatened again, but Brockport goaltender Riley Emmerson got his blocker pad on a shot for his 28th save to secure the title.

“We’re a tight-knit group and we know how to react in these situations because we have all year,” Blue Devils goaltender Emmerson said. “It’s huge for our school and we’re just trying to keep it rolling; we’re not done.”

“It feels great to finally come together and win a championship,” senior forward Roe, who scored his 100th career point in the game and was named tournament MVP, said. “I think we always believed, we stuck together and look at us now; we’re the champions.”

Class BB

Victor scored twice in the third period to defeat the Greece Thunder 2-1 to win the second Section V hockey championship in school history (2005).

Thunder forward Dylan O’Hare staked his team to a 1-0 lead just 55 seconds into the game, but that was the only puck they would get past freshman goaltender Chayse Ierlan, who finished with 36 saves.

Sophomore David Farrance changed momentum in the third period with a speed rush down the right wing.

After drawing two defenders to him, the hopeful U.S. National Development team member slid a pass across the slot to a wide open Kevin O’Brien for the tying goal at 6:11.

Patrick Manning then scored the game-winning goal with assists from Jon Spencer and Max Lambert at 9:47.

The Thunder pulled their goaltender and had sustained offensive zone pressure, but a last second bid for the tying goal was sent by the blocker pad of Ierlan into the corner and the celebration began.

“That was an awesome experience,” Ierlan, who became the starter early in the year due to an injury, said. “It was really good for the seniors because they lost last year so I really just wanted to get it for them.”

“We knew we had some offensive power and we just kept telling our players to stay calm and stay composed and we’ll get one,” Victor head coach Michael Ferreri said. “Our kids have dealt with a lot of adversity this year in our community and right there down a goal with eight minutes left and still come at it and win was huge.”

The Blue Devils defeated Brockport in the Class B state qualifier as Farrance and Kyle Pooler each scored two goals while Lambert and Spencer each netted three assists.

Their season ended one step away from the state final four with a quarterfinal loss to Christian Brothers Academy/Jamestown-Dewitt of Syracuse.

High School Hockey

Section VI: Falcons soar to championship... again

by Michael Mroziak Michael@wnyhockeyreport.com

Last month in Western New York Hockey Report, we spotlighted a high school hockey program on the rise in Niagara County, the Niagara Falls Wolverines, who won the WNY Hockey Federation Division 3 regular season title before falling to traditional powerhouse Williamsville North in the playoffs.

This month, we’ll stay in Niagara County where another local high school team has already been at the top for quite some time and arguably deserves to be known as a local hockey dynasty.

Niagara-Wheatfield varsity hockey won its fourth consecutive Section VI Large School championship on March 2, defeating Williamsville North High School by a 6-4 score. Leading the Falcons to their latest championship on Super Monday was Garrett Downie, who recorded five points for the game, four of them goals.

“It feels amazing,” Downie told the Niagara Gazette after the game. “It’s just unheard of. There’s no words for it actually. It feels amazing.”

And yet, outside of Niagara County the Falcons remain little-known as a hockey power to many. Does that bother those within Niagara-Wheatfield hockey?

Not necessarily. They like to keep coming back and proving it on the scoreboard.

“No, we don’t get the respect that we deserve but I don’t mind that,” said the Falcons’ James Stenzel to the Niagara Gazette following his team’s semifinal win over Clarence on February 24. “I like to come out and show people what we do deserve. I think that’s what we’re known for, but we’re definitely underestimated. That’s OK with us.”

The team proved its worthiness for yet another title, securing its place at Super Monday with a 6-2 Large Schools semifinal win over Clarence on February 24 at the Northtown Center at Amherst. Stenzel scored twice in the game. It was the team’s first game in more than a week, having wrapped up the regular season with a 3-0 win over Bishop Timon-St. Jude on February 15.

“In a sense you want to play, but it got us some extra practices to prepare,” said Niagara-Wheatfield head coach Rick Wrazin about the long layoff. “Looking at the way they started, it helped.”

Then came the championship game against Williamsville North – a rematch of last year’s final – at First Niagara Center in Buffalo. After Downie scored his first two goals, North’s Adam Batz put the Spartans on the scoreboard. Matt Terrance added two goals for the Spartans but North was never able to catch the Falcons, who switched starting goalie Casey Wall for sophomore Domenic Tallarico.

“Just looking for a little push and a little momentum,” said Wrazin to reporters following the game.

“Williamsville North seemed to be to be starting to take

the game over at that point… it gave our guys a little time to regroup.”

Tallerico stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced, including 10 shots in the third period.

The Falcons’ season didn’t go much farther beyond the Section VI championship. At the regionals, they lost to Rochester’s McQuaid Jesuit High School in a tight 3-2 battle.

The question facing Niagara-Wheatfield hockey this summer will be whether they can remain deep enough to go on a another long run in 2015-16. The Falcons will lose nine players to graduation: goalies Wall and Tyler Jamieson; forwards Dakota Becker, Chris Churakos, James Heinike, Andrew Logar and Domenic Senese; and defensemen Stenzel and Cal Moretti.

The team will have some of the building blocks from their championship run still in place, though. Downie, the hero on Super Monday, will enter his senior year as will Alex Bauer, Matthew Canada and Kasey Haseley.

Tallerico, who will inherit the starting goalie’s job by virtue of graduations, will enter his junior year.

Given the way they’ve been able to soar while still flying under the radar to many, Niagara-Wheatfield hockey may once again be the team that quietly battles for the top one more time.

They’ve been quite used to that. With great results.

*** While Niagara-Wheatfield’s season ended in the regionals, the Section VI Small Schools champion got as far as the state finals, where their run unfortunately ended in heartbreak.

After taking a 2-0 lead, Williamsville East fell 5-2 to Skaneateles in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division II championship at Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Williamsville East, whose 2-0 win over Kenmore East on Super Monday gave them their second consecutive championship, defeated Lake Placid 3-2 in the semifinals.

The Flames’ win on Super Monday gave Williamsville East the distinction of becoming the first team in Section VI to win back-to-back Small School titles. *** In other results from Super Monday, Canisius High School skated to a 2-1 win over longtime rival St. Joseph Collegiate Institute. The win gave Canisius its first Catholic Schools title since the 2009-10 season. Jake Nichols stopped 27 of 28 shots for the Crusaders while head coach Sam Belsito got the win after returning to the team after three years away.

Note: Quotes within this article were first published in the Niagara Gazette, where WNY Hockey Report contributing writer Michael Mroziak served as sports editor for two years. Writers Dave Ricci and Mike Meiler, along with Mroziak, covered the Falcons’ recent postseason run for the Gazette.

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7

The Growth of Lockport Hockey The Lockport Youth Hockey Association (LYHA) will be a fully functioning hockey organization heading into the 2015-16 season.

LYHA will offer hockey programs for players ages 3-18 with a focus on development but also keeping the cost of playing in mind as well, our hockey programs are among the least expensive in WNY. We will offer a Beginner Crossrink Program for younger players, 6 and under, as well as an 8 and under Crossrink Development Program.

Each of these programs are cross ice programs meaning they will play games across the ice rather than the full length of the rink.. The goal at this age group is to allow the players to develop skating and puck skills, at their own pace, in a fun positive setting while teaching competition, fairness and sportsmanship. Players will skate twice a week with an option for a third ice time devoted to improving individual skating and skill development.

We will have a House Program at the Squirt and PeeWee level and they will have two ice times per week, usually one practice and one game slot, with an opportunity to skate a third time.

There will also be opportunities to play other house level teams from different organizations throughout the year.

The Bantam and Midget aged players will be offered an opportunity to play in the WNY MOHL League. MOHL stands for Multiple Organization House League and was founded many years ago when area organizations didn’t have the numbers to run their own house program at the older age groups but still had players who had a desire for the game and wanted to continue playing.

Players on our MOHL teams would play roughly a 24 game schedule with other MOHL teams around WNY. The MOHL season usually starts a bit later than other leagues so our players would have the opportunity to get a lot of practice ice in the beginning of the season, September and October, as well as work in the occasional exhibition game. Once the season gets started, our teams will practice once a week, have 1 or 2 games a week and have a clinic ice every week that focuses on skating and skill development.

The MOHL Program is a great way for modified, JV and Varsity players to enhance and further their hockey development. They will be playing competitive games, learning game and team concepts and working on improving their individual skill level.

As the Lockport Youth Hockey Association continues to grow, there will be more programs and options offered to the players and community.

It’s a very exciting time at Cornerstone CFCU Ice Arena and a great opportunity to be a part of something very special. If anyone has any questions, please contact Tom Dockery at tdockery@cornerstoneicearena.com.

Women’s Hockey

8

Women’s Hockey and Catie Martinez (West Seneca). Goalies: Mikaela Ditonto (Frontier/Orchard Park), Brianna Gawronski (MM), Madison Aston (Amherst/SweetHome) and Abbie Mutton (West Seneca/Hamburg).

Frontier/Orchard Park Head Coach Jim McCarthy was the recipient of the Coach of the Year.

by Janet Schultz Janet@wnyhockeyreport.com

Championships—it’s a great time of the year for the girls in WNY! A lot of hardware is coming to the area.

The Monsignor Martin Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Team took the WNYGVIH Federation Championship. This is their third title in five years, the first under Head Coach Linda Groff-Mroz.

The game was also a historical moment as it was the first shut-out in a Championship game in for WNYGVIH. You can add a few more interesting tidbits to that game. It was played 13 days after the semi-finals due to weather.

Monsignor Martin beat Section VI Champion Kenmore 1-0. The goal came at 8:35 of the third period with Goalie Brianna Gawronski getting the shut out.

Monsignor Martin WNYGVIH Champions.

Named to the 2015 All Federation First Team were: Forwards Oliva Smith (Kenmore), Sarah Scolnick (Williamsville) and Kaitlyn Drew-Mead (Monsignor Martin). Defense: Ana Orzechowski (Kenmore) and Megan Ruekauf (Lancaster). In goal Lauren Pray (Kenmore).

Second Team: Forwards: McKenna Rushford (Amherst/Sweethome), Jordan Roetzer (Williamsville) and Tatum Walber (Orchard Park/Frontier). Defense: Grace Simmons (Kenmore) and Brianna Colucci (Lancaster/Iroquois). Goalie: Maddy Norton (Lancaster/ Iroquois).

Receiving Honorable Mention were Forwards Julia Mings (Amherst/SweetHome), Rnee Doherty (Lancaster/ Iroquois), Emily King (Kenmore) and Brianna Keppner (Lancaster/Iroquois). Defense: Amelia Gajewski (MM), Jessica Urbank (Frontier/Orchard Park), Olivia Jacobs (Frontier/Orchard Park), Casey Adimey (Amherst/ SweetHome), Nicole Harris (West Seneca/Hamburg)

on a very cold weekend; but with a lot of enthusiasm and layers of clothing it turned out to be a great venue for hockey.

Taking home first place trophies were in the Red Division the Finger Lakes Freeze; White: Niagara County Coyotes and Blue: Hamburg Hawks.

The League also honored two people very well-known to the ice hockey community in Buffalo, Norm and Rose Robinson. They were awarded the first Founders Award for their dedication to the sport. The Robinsons founded the Buffalo Hornets organization, now the Buffalo Stars, and continue to work with the organizations in the area. They have also been very active at the State level.

WNY Hockey Report congratulations them!

Ann Marie Gajewski - Winner of the 2014-2015 Rusin Award.

The Dr. James Rusin Award for service and commitment to the WNYGVIH league went to Ann Marie Gajewski. She has been with the league since the concept took hold 8 years ago and has served as manager to the Monsignor Martin team since it joined the league as an inaugural team five years ago.

“Whenever we needed something, she was there,” said Rick Hopkins.

RIT is headed to the NCAA championship series after taking the CHA title. The Tigers beat Syracuse and now face the University of Minnesota in the quarterfinals.

The game is being played at Ritter arena in Rochester on Saturday, March 14.

RIT took the CHA Championship on March 7 after Carly Payerl scored 3:5 into double overtime to beat #2 seeded Syracuse 1-0. This is the first time RIT received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and their first appearance in their third season as a DI program.

WNY is boasting several New York State Chamipions who will be headed to the USA Nationals.

Congratulations to: the Tier I 14U Jr. Sabres; Tier II 14U Niagara Junior Purple Eagles; Tier II 16U Cheektowaga Warriors; Tier I 18U Junior Sabres; Tier I 14U Girls Perinton; Tier II 14U Girls Amherst Knights; Tier II 16U Girls West Seneca Wings, Tier I 19U Girls Niagara Junior Purple Eagles and the Tier II 19U Girls Cazenovia Chiefs.

GLGHL Participants

GLGHL Tournament The GLGHL took to the ice at the newly constructed Riverworks in Buffalo. They held the 2015 Gallagher Cup

WNYHockeyReport.com

Norm and Rose Robinson were awarded the Great Lakes Girls Hockey League Founders Award (first one ever and now will be given annually)

Nichols Girls Take NAPHA The Nichols High School Prep A girls have won their fourth consecutive NAPHA title, as well as the regular season championship. They finished the season 25-45 overall and are ranked #4 Independent Prep School Team in the United States.

Seeded #1 they traveled to Vermont for the NAPHA League Championship playoff tournament. They faced Rice Academy of Vermont first. Tied 1-1 going into the third, Ciara Barone scored giving Nichols a 2-1 victory.

They lost to Trinity College 2-0 in the second game and in the semi-finals beat RNS 2-1. With that win they moved to face and beat Stanstead (Quebec) taking the Championship.

The five Nichols Seniors have won the NAPHA Championship all four seasons of their high school playing career, making school history.

Bison Come Back After a year as a showcase team, the Buffalo Bisons will be returning to the ranks of the tournament bound 19U programs for 2015-16, according to Scott Then, head coach.

The girls will be offered a unique opportunity as a tournament bound, Tier 2 team, while offering the girls a Tier I experience.

Plans are in the works for this team to participate in showcase tournaments such as the Beantown, Stoney Creek and others. These tournaments are ideal spots to be noticed by college recruiters.

The schedule will be set to accommodate those players who are playing on their high school teams.

The team will have a primarily female coaching staff.

In addition to Then former Olympian Shelley Looney

Women’s Hockey

will serve as an assistant, as well as Amanda Todd, former Bison, Nichols and Utica College defenseman.

The girls will also be able to talk to former college players who came up through the Bison system, giving them the opportunity to learn what it takes to play at the collegiate level and have role models.

Tryouts are being held March 31 at 5:30 p.m. and April 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the North Buffalo Ice Arena.

For information go to www.bisonhockey.net

Collegiate Honors Ashley Ryan, Elmira College and a native of Rochester was named ECAC West Player of the Year.

Bridget Smith of Oswego was named to the ECAC West First Team as a goaltender.

Buffalo State’s Kara Goodwin was also named to the ECAC West Second Team.

Defenseman Rachel Grampp of Buffalo and a player for the Elmira Soaring Eagles was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team.

Also named to the All-Rookie Team was Buffalo State’s Justine Silva. She also received an Honorable Mention.

Rochester’s Jordan Ott, Potsdam, was given an Honorable Mention in the ECAC honor roll.

Overcoming an Obstacle for Hockey There aren’t many girl hockey players in this area that haven’t met Katie Fish. However there are many who may not know what this young lady has gone through to play ice hockey, and also function day-to-day.

Katie has hearing loss. She manages her life through the use of hearing aids. And most recently she has received state-of-the-art hearing aids from Hearing Evaluation Services. HES held a contest and Katie’s sister nominated her, the nomination went “viral” and the votes poured in for this hockey gal.

Diagnosed with hearing loss at age 4, she has never let it stop her. She had to sit in the front row of every class in every grade her entire academic life; she had an FM system that was used by teachers and she reads lips.

Not wanting to be left out, she followed her brothers to the ice skating rink in her backyard and picked up a hockey stick.

At age 11 she headed over to play hockey when invited by a fellow softball player. Too old for House she ended up on a 19U team.

She played for the North Buffalo Thunder Cats, the Amherst Knights and the Niagara County Coyotes. She now plays for the Buffalo Regals Senior B Women’s team and has been behind the bench with the Monsignor Martin team and the Buffalo Regals.

She managed all this by overcoming obstacles such as getting the right fitting helmet, one that can accommodate her hearing aids. Then there’s the sweat that can get into the hearing aid and dead batteries.

“There are times I forget to change the battery and I remember being in the middle of a play and the hearing aid was gone,” she explained. “At that point, I get up and go off the ice to change the battery.”

A game that requires a lot of focus, attention,

Buffalo Stars Honor the Mullen Family.

communication and the ability to react quickly is a challenge.

She makes sure she keeps her eye on the puck, head up and always on the swivel and she’s still in the front row—this time while the coach gives instruction.

Behind the bench, she has a great group of players that help her out if she’s working with a player while the coach is giving instructions. They keep her in check and she is most grateful.

Now, those officials!

“I used to not hear what they called me for and when I asked my voice was amplified due to the hearing loss and they thought I was arguing,” she smiles. “I also would not understand when the referee said to “square up” at faceoff because it would come out jumbled up to me. I wouldn’t be in the ready position and would loose faceoffs. Now I just square up and ignore the referee at faceoff.

However she did spend time in the penalty box for “arguing.”

Katie’s sister summed it up best when she explained “Katie just wears hearing aids. Period. She’s no different than you or me and there’s nothing wrong with her, she just has extra accessories to put on in the morning.

For the complete story, please go to www. nyhockeyonline.com and click on the icon of the March issue. The story is in the West Section of the magazine.

NY Hockey E-Magazine is an on-line publication only.

Forward/Defense Summer Camps For Travel (AAA/AA) players.

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Age Groups: MITE 2007 And Younger Birth Years SQUIRT 2005-2006 Birth Years PEWEE 2004-2005 Birth Years BANTAM 2001-2002 Birth Years

A Buffalo Hornets jersey was retired with the number 61 and Mullen name on it. The Mullen family was honored at the Annual Buffalo Stars year-end banquet.

The Mullen’s have been a part of the organization for 22 years.

Visit our website for more details and information on all summer camps!

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WNYHockeyReport.com

9

Mark Zarbo Hockey

10

Coaches: Creating an Environment for Success

by Mark Zarbo MarkZarbo@yahoo.com The biggest mistake I see made by coaches is they set limitations on their players. Most of the time coaches do not even realize they are setting limitations on their players. From a coaches point of view they are trying to manage a lot of different skill levels and personalities.

They attempt to find an easily understood team mentality that all players have the ability to perform to gain consistency of play. The two most common adages that fall into this category are a dump and chase mentality offensively and the high and hard just get it out of your zone mentality defensively. Instead being patterned to maintain puck possession and make plays, players are being patterned to punt the puck away.

The reality is that both the team concepts above pattern players to play with limited vision and at a lesser skill level. Many coaches believe this is an

effective game plan because they will limit turnovers that will directly lead to fewer goals against. The flaw with that coaching style is it limits players from using skill/creativity to maintain puck possession while at the same time creating an acceptable environment for turning the puck over. Coaches should not be creating limits to gain team consistency but encourage creativity through unpredictability to create consistency of play.

Now this does not mean players should be able to do whatever they want because you are trying to be unpredictable. It starts with educating players, no matter the level of play, on the basics of puck protection and puck support. These basics apply to all situations and in every zone and will become a base of creating consistency of team play. Help players connect those basic skills to all situations with the goal of maintaining puck possession at all times (no punts allowed). This type of coaching requires a lot of patience. Players will make mistakes but need to learn from these mistakes in a positive way. As players learn from every situation and mistakes there will come a time when these skills start to snowball and players start to anticipate versus react to plays. Once players are able to anticipate plays their ability to maintain puck possession and create opportunities will reach an even higher level.

Once this base of team play is achieved, the next step is to individually teach players how to maximize their

WNYHockeyReport.com

best assets to create further success. Every player has assets/skills that they are good at. The coach’s job is to manage all players and their individual assets helping players achieve individual success from a team base of play. That is done on an individual and situational basis depending on that player’s strengths. By helping players maximize their individual skills the team you are creating team unpredictability of play. The idea is that by highlighting every players best skills you are creating a mix of potential opportunities for success.

You are creating a team with different strengths by highlighting each individual player’s best skills and giving them high percent to succeed.

It is this mix of skills blended together using the team goal of puck possession as its base that will lead to opportunities for success in multiple ways. The idea of coaching should not be to win but to give players the highest percentage to succeed. It is creating this environment of success for the individual players and no limitations that will lead to team winning. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments regarding this article.

Mark Zarbo / (716) 208-3724 www.MarkZarboHockey.com

Rochester Americans

11

Rochester Americans Report

by Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com Trailing the eighth and final playoff spot by ten points with 16 games remaining and giving up two games-in-hand to that same team isn’t a good recipe for selling playoff tickets.

With most of the team’s firepower recalled to Buffalo after the trade deadline, it’s time to look ahead to who might make up the prospect core for Rochester in 2015-16.

Assuming none of the players mentioned below make the Buffalo Sabres roster out of training camp, are traded or waived, there aren’t a lot of players signed, sealed and delivered in six months, which will make Sabres General Manager Tim Murray’s summer even busier.

There are only eight players who have suited up for in Rochester since January who are contractually committed for 2015-16.

Forwards Dan Catenacci, Kevin Sundher and goaltender Andrey Makarov will be entering the third and final year of their three-year entry level contracts.

Forwards William Carrier and Justin Kea plus defensemen Brady Austin and Jake McCabe will be entering their second year on their entry level contracts.

And defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has one year remaining on the two-year deal he signed last July.

There will likely be others back in the fold due to

their upcoming status as restricted free agents, but that assumes the Buffalo brass wants them back.

Forwards Phil Varone, Tim Schaller, Jerry D’Amigo, Zac Dalpe with defenseman Matt McKenzie and goaltender Matt Hackett are all players who would very much provide depth for Buffalo and experience for the Amerks should it be determined they should be re-signed.

Or will steady AHL contributors such as Brayden Irwin, Evan Rankin, Jordan Samuels-Thomas or Allan McPherson be re-inked?

New prospects expected to be seeing regular icetime in Rochester next fall include former Kitchener Ranger-now Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound forward Justin Bailey and Erie Otters forward Nicholas Baptiste.

Drafted prospects who are playing in college such as Notre Dame freshmen Connor Hurley and Cal Petersen, Michigan sophomore J.T. Compher, Harvard’s Sean Malone and RPI junior goaltender Jason Kasdorf could sign pro contracts at any time, though most need some more seasoning. Or could either recently drafted Swedish goaltender—2012 draft pick Linus Ullmark or 2014 third round pick Jonas Johansson—be ready to sign his first pro contract?

No matter which direction the Sabres front office decides to go for the 2015-16 season and beyond, Amerks fans will need a scorecard for at least the first few home games.

NEWS & NOTES: The AHL Board of Governors approved of the transfer of ownership of the Hamilton Bulldogs franchise to Club de Hockey Canadien Inc., owners of the National

Register NOW @

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Hockey League’s M o n t r e a l Canadiens and announced the relocation of that franchise from Hamilton, Ont., to St. John’s, Newfoundland beginning with the 2015-16 season.

They also approved the relocation of the AHL franchise owned by True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd., owners of the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets, from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Winnipeg, Manitoba, also beginning next season.

Earlier the league announced the creation of a Pacific Division beginning this fall. That change will involve 1) the Anaheim Ducks will purchase the Norfolk Admirals AHL franchise and will relocate it from Norfolk, Va., to San Diego. 2) The AHL franchise owned by the Calgary Flames will relocate from Glens Falls, N.Y., to Stockton, CA. 3) The AHL franchise owned by the Edmonton Oilers will relocate from Oklahoma City, OK, to Bakersfield, CA. 4) The AHL franchise owned by the Los Angeles Kings will relocate from Manchester, N.H., to Ontario, CA and 5) The AHL franchise owned by the San Jose Sharks will relocate from Worcester, Mass., to San Jose, CA. Full division alignments and schedule formats for the 2015-16 season will be determined by the Board of Governors at a later date.

Boys Super Sunday

Super Sunday

by Randy Schultz Randy@wnyhockeyreport.com

THE FED For a quarter of a century the Western New York Varsity Ice Hockey Federation, better known as “The Fed,” arrived on the scene in Buffalo. That’s why this year’s Section VI Sectional “Super Sunday” Championship would have made the founding fathers of “The Fed” proud.

The trio of games played provided the fans with the drama and excitement that Section VI boys high school hockey has become known for.

The first game featured long-time rivals Canisius and St. Joe’s. George Munschauer and Grigorios Koutsomitis scored for Canisius and Jake Nichols came up with 27 saves, leading the Crusaders to a 2-1 victory over Marauders. The win ended St. Joe’s two-year reign as champions.

In game two, Niagara Wheatfield battled rival Williamsville North. In a high scoring affair, the Falcons were led by Garrett Downie’s four-goal, five point night to defeat North, 6-4.

Niagara Wheatfield has won five Section VI Championships in their seven seasons as a varsity program.

In the final game of the night Williamsville East defeated rival Kenmore East, 2-0, led by the shutout goaltending Max Battistoni. Matt Streffan and Alex Finley scored all the goals the Flames needed for their victory.

All three victorious teams move on to the regional round of the New York State playoffs.

Joe’s Michael Greco with just 50 second gone in the second OT. The 3-2 St. Joe’s victory game them their second Large School Championship in a row. Greco was the MVP of the game for St. Joe’s, while Sgroi was MVP for Canisius.

In the final game contest Starpoint defeated Iroquois, 4-2. Andrew Parrish scored two goals for the winners. Jake Graczyk and Pat Miklinski added single goals for Starpoint.

Alex Held and Jonathan Lavis scored for Iroquois. Goaltender Maverick Blachowicz was MVP for Chiefs, while Parrish won it for Starpoint.

CLUB Orchard Park/Cheektowaga, St. Joe’s and Starpoint won their respective games in the 2015 Super Sunday High School Club Hockey Championships. All three contests were held at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

In the opening game of the triple-header Orchard Park/Cheektowaga rolled over Jamestown, 8-2 to win the Mixed School Championship. OPC led after one period, 3-1 on goals by Joe Bienias, Michael Swacha and Anthony Cybulski. Anthony Tomassi scored the loan goal for Jamestown.

OPC added three more goals in the second on tallies

by Cybulski, Marshall Cappelli and Steve Gosciak. In the third stanza Swacha would score again while Tyler Kuzdzal scored the final OPC goal. Dylan Gergman tallied Jamestown’s second goal.

Cybulski won MVP honors for the game for OPC Tomassi won it for Jamestown.

The second contest was a thriller from the beginning to its second OT ending. It was a rival game between Canisius and St. Joe’s Erich Thur and Maxwell McArthur gave the Marauders a 2-0 lead. But the Crusaders came back with two goals

by Tim Sgroi. That set up the four-on-four goal by St.

WNYHockeyReport.com

12

Cover Feature

Jeffrey B. Scott Memorial Hockey Tournament

by Randy Schultz Randy@wnyhockeyreport.com “You are only truly gone if you are forgotten. We will never forget…”

That is an inscription found at the top of the third page of the program that was sold this year at the “14th Annual Jeffrey B. Scott Memorial Peewee Hockey Tournament.” The event was held March 5-8 at the Cheektowaga Recreation Center.Jeffrey B. Scott died on March 27, 1982 at the age of 11. He died while playing street hockey.

He died from a “sudden cardiac death due to a lethal rhythm disturbance related to a congenital heart valve defect.”

Christopher J. Scott, Jeffrey’s brother and coorganizer of the event, explained the reason for the tournament.

“I didn’t want my brother to be gone or his memory forgotten,” said Christopher. “So the tournament was created and it was to be for 11 and 12 year olds.

“We would raise money for charities. But most importantly I wanted to help make a difference in at least one child’s life.”

Since the tournament’s inception a total of $181,000 has been raised and donated to charity. Again this year the money raised was given to the Madison McCarthy Cardiac Care Coalition for Children.

The Coalition is devoted to purchasing and placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at facilities throughout the Western New York area.

This year’s recipients included Aspire of WNY, Aurora Waldorf School, Blackrock Riverside Little league and Cheerleaders, Clinton Arena, Grand Island Middle School, Mathewson McCarthy Baseball and Miracle League of WNY. “Since 2006 our annual tournament has helped over 50 schools and organizations receive free AEDs,” added Christopher.

One of the co-organizers for the event this year is Eric Godzich, an employee for the Town of Cheektowaga, who, in part, runs the Cheektowaga Warriors hockey program.

“Over the past 15years the Hockey Tournament has taken on a life of its own,” said Godzich. “This year we added a major sponsor with ‘Intense Milk.’

“In addition to that we expanded the usual number of travel teams that participate in the tournament from eight to 12. I wasn’t sure we would make that happen but we did.

“We had 17 teams apply to play and unfortunately had to turn five away. We even had a team from Clinton, NY participate for the first time.

“Plus we had our alumni game between the Cheektowaga Warriors (with teammates of Jeffrey on the team) and Buffalo Sabres Alumni.”

The 12 teams that played this year included the Buffalo Bisons (D) Genco, Buffalo Bisons – Bradshaw, Cazenovia Chiefs, Cheektowaga Warriors (1) Red, Cheektowaga Warriors Pee Wee MOHL Black, Clinton Comets, Depew Saints (1), Depew Saints (2), Hamburg Hawks (Flyers), West Seneca Blackhawks, West Seneca Sharks and Wheatfield Blades.

The championship game of this year’s tournament was played between the Cheektowaga Warriors 2 and Clinton Comets.

The Warriors won, 5-0.

“There are never any losers in this tournament,” concluded Godzich. “Everyone is a winner.

“We are just looking forward to next year to see how we can grow this tournament even more.

“We will continue to make a difference in at least one child’s life.”

WNYHockeyReport.com

13

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14

ECC Kats – National Champs

15

ECC Kats are National Champions

by Randy Schultz Randy@wnyhockeyreport.com The Erie Community College men’s hockey team went into their National Championship contest against Williston State College with only one goal in mind: Win the National Junior College Athletic Association

Championship.

On a Sunday afternoon in late February in the Broome Ice Center in Binghamton, the Kats accomplished their goal. defeating two-time defending national champion, Williston State College, 2-1. But as every player and coach on the team will tell you it didn’t come easy.

“Like all teams, it was a long hall for us from the time we opened training camp in October until we beat Williston,” commented ECC head coach, Gary Rost. “But I knew we had the team that could do it.

Williston, which had not been scored on in its last three NJCAA Tournament games dating back to last season, got on the board first with 8:09 remaining in the first period. Chris West found himself all alone in front of the goal and put the puck past the goaltenders glove hand and into the corner of the net.

The Kats used a two-man advantage to finally get on the board with 4:23 remaining in the second period.

Aaron Wanat beat his defender at the blue line and took a shot the goaltender could not handle. On the ensuing scramble, Tyler Riter scored his 25th goal of the season when he pushed the rebound into the net. Brad Jones also assisted on the goal.

Tournament Most Valuable Player, Trevor Evans scored the game-winner with 15:40 left in the contest. Riter and Richard Procknal assisted on the goal as the Kats executed the 3-on-2 breakaway to perfection.

“Trevor was incredible for us,” commented Rost. “He came to us from Wilson High School and scored the biggest goal of the season for us.”

Each team was called for 12 penalties in the game, but it was Erie’s penalty kill team that made the difference. The Kats did not allow a power play goal on eight Williston opportunities.

This included a 30-second two-man advantage for the Tetons early in the second period. The Kats also successfully killed off a major penalty over the final 3:30 of the contest.

“The key of the game were those eight power play attempts by Williston,” said Rost.

“We killed them all.

“Our goaltender (William Korzcynski) was a big difference for us as well. He made a lot of key saves for us when they were needed.”

Korczynski stopped 36 shots and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Tanner Swift was almost as impressive for Williston with 28 saves.

ECC finished the season with a 24-3 record, the second best record in the program’s history. The Kats were 16-0 against NJCAA competition on the year – it’s first undefeated season against two-year colleges in the 39year history of the program.

WNYHockeyReport.com

This is the second NJCAA Championship for Erie, with its first coming in 2011.

Riter, Evans, Jones and Jacob Macchioni all finished in the top five in the country in scoring in 2014-15.

Rost was named NJCAA Coach of the Year. Riter and Zach Morlock were named to the All-Tournament team for ECC.

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

Niagara JuniorPurple PurpleEagles Eagles Niagara Junior

Come join one the of premiere Travel Organizations in WNY. All tryouts held at Arena on the Niagara Arena University Come joinofone the premiere Travel Organizations in WNY. AllDwyer tryouts held at Dwyer onCampus. $20 tryout fee per session, with the third session free when paying for two. $300 non-refundable deposit due at signing.

the Niagara University Campus. $20 tryout fee per session, with the third session free when

MONDAY MARCH 16 & TUESDAY MARCH 17: TUESDAY MARCH 31 & WEDNESDAY APRIL 1: THURSDAY APRIL 2: paying forMajor two. $300 non-refundable deposit 6:00-7:00 Bantamdue Majorat signing.

6:00-7:00 Midget 15/16 5:30-6:30 Squirt 6:40-7:40 Squirt Minor 7:10-8:10 Bantam Minor 7:10-8:10 Midget 18U NTB TUESDAY MARCH 31 THURSDAY APRIL 2: 6:00-7:00 Pee Wee Major 8:20-9:20 Midget 16U TB 7:40-8:40 Bantam III Midget 15/16 7:10-8:10 Pee Wee Minor TB & WEDNESDAY APRIL 1: 9:30-10:30 Midget 18U 6:00-7:00 6:40-7:40 Girls 14U 7:10-8:10 Midget 18U NTB 6:00-7:00 Bantam Major WEDNESDAY MARCH 18: 7:50-8:50 Midget 15U 7:10-8:10 Bantam Minor 5:30-6:30 Squirt III 9:00-9:50 Girls 19U 7:40-8:40 Bantam III 6:40-7:40 Pee Wee IIIMidget 16U TB 8:20-9:20 6:40-7:40 Girls U12

9:30-10:30 Midget 18U TB For more information 6:40-7:40 Girls 14Ucontact Kelly Rizzo, NJPE Travel President 7:50-8:50 Midget 15U 9:00-9:50 Girls 19U

Cell 716-534-4075 – Email njpe.rizzo@gmail.com

Niagara Junior Purple Eagles Hockey is pleased to announce the following Coach selections for the 2015-2016 Season: TEAM

HEAD COACH

PHONE

EMAIL

Bantam Minor

Joe Montaldi

946-5142

montjd4186@gmail.com

Bantam Major

Mark Mendel

523-6936

mmendel@mtb.com

Bantam III

Chris Mackenzie

417-3450

dmackenzie4@roadrunner.com

Midget 15U NTB

Gary Krull

432-1616

coachk98@msn.com

Midget 16U TB

Gene Naab

867-4363

laceemup3@aol.com

Midget 15/16 NTB

Coaching Interviews Scheduled

Midget 18 NTB

Kevin Szanyi

866-6602

kszanyi@websterszanyi.com

Midget 18 TB

Anthony Santarosa

583-6491

a.santarosa@icloud.com

Girls 14U

Pat Becker

545-2630

pmbecker2@verizon.net

Girls 19U

Scott Welch

870-4442

sdwelch4@aol.com

For more information contact Kelly Rizzo, NJPE Travel President - Cell 716-534-4075 – Email njpe.rizzo@gmail.com

16

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

wnyhockeyreport.com

17

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

18

Bison Hockey Travel Team Tryouts for the 2015 - 2016 Season

BOYS Teams

Level

Bantam Major TB (BBA)

AA

Bantam Minor (BBB)

Bantam Minor (BBC)

Midget 15U (MBC)

Midget 16U TB (MBB)

Midget 18U TB (MBA)

AA

AA

AA

AA

AA

Coaches

Bob Maulucci

Rob Kneer

Sean Corrigan

Kevin Orzechowski

Tom DiGiacomo

Bill Waszkielewicz

Birth Years

Dates

Time

Rink

2001

Tue Mar 31, 2015

6:30-7:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

6:30-7:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

7:30-8:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

7:30-8:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

8:30-9:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

8:30-9:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

5:00-6:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Wed Apr 1, 2015

5:00-6:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Tue Mar 31, 2015

6:00-7:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Wed Apr 1, 2015

6:00-7:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Tue Mar 31, 2015

7:00-8:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Wed Apr 1, 2015

7:00-8:00 pm

Buffalo State Arena

Birth Years

First Day

Time

Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

4:30-5:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

4:30-5:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

5:30-6:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

5:30-6:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Tue Mar 31, 2015

5:30-6:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

Wed Apr 1, 2015

5:30-6:30 pm

North Buffalo Rink

2002

2002

2000

1999

1997-1998

GIRLS Teams

Level

Coaches

14 & Under TB

Tier I

Rich Gicewicz / Shelley Looney

2001-2002

John Cleary / Shelley Looney

1999-2000

Scott Then / Shelley Looney

1996-1998

16 & Under TB

19 & Under TB

Tier I

Tier II

There is a one time tryout fee of $20.00 for every player.

All new players must present a signed NYSAHA Player/Financial Release Form from their host association before they can attend Bison Hockey Tryouts.

If you have any questions please call Bison Hockey Director Shelley Looney at 617-834-1885.

Bison Hockey is planning to have MOHL teams in WNYAHL at the Squirt, Peewee, Bantam and Midget age levels, subject to enrollments.

NBH038-AD WNY Hockey REPORT-rev.indd 1

2/15/15 4:40 PM

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TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

Girls & Tier 1 AAA 2015-2016 Tryouts Girls 19U March 31st & April 1st: 6:00-6:50 pm Dave Dee: DDee@roadrunner.com

Bantam Minor (2002) AAA March 31st & April 1st: 7:00-7:50 pm Michael Suda: Michael.Suda@usfoods.com

16U AAA TB March 31st & April 1st: 8:00-8:50 pm Shawn Odonoghue: sodonoghue@nicholsschool.org

18U AAA TB March 31st & April 1st: 9:00-9:50 pm Jamie Printz: Jprintz@nicholsschool.org

$10 per tryout All tryouts are at the Depew Ice Pavillion Please contact Dave Borkowski (238-0102) or Mike Suda (440-3778) for any additional information.

www.saintshockey.com

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TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

20

2015-2016 Bantam & Midget Tryouts Tuesday, March 31st Bantam Minor AAA Bantam Major AAA Bantam Mixed AA Midget 18U AAA Midget 16U AAA Midget 15U AAA Coaches

Bantam Minor AAA Bantam Major AAA Bantam Mixed AA Bantam Minor AA Midget 15U AAA Midget 16U AAA Midget 18U AAA

Ed Schamatz Jim McCarthy Dick ‘Rogie’ Marini Tim Weixlmann Bill Gehen Pat Corbett Jim Rindfleisch

4:30 pm 5:30 pm 6:30 pm 7:30 pm 8:30 pm 9:30 pm 570-0945 870-9696 352-0448 997-9666 861-0841 998-7836 316-3121

Wednesday, April 1st Bantam Minor AAA Bantam Mixed AA Bantam Minor AA Midget 15U AAA Midget 16U AAA Midget 18U AAA

5:00 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm 8:00 pm 9:00 pm 10:00 pm

Thursday, April 2nd Bantam Mixed AA Bantam Minor AA

5:30pm 6:30pm

All Tryouts are being held at the West Seneca Town Rink.

All Tryouts are $15 per session All House and Travel players (other than current West Seneca players) must have a release from their current Hockey Association. A deposit is required at signing.

www.westsenecayouthhockey.com

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

2015-16 Tryouts TEAM

COACH

TRYOUT

TRYOUT DATE

RINK TIME

BANTAM MINOR SCTA

TONY RICOTTA

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

5:00 PM 4:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

BANTAM MAJOR SCTA

BRIAN COX

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

8:30 PM 5:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

BANTAM MINOR AA WNY

BILL GEE

WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015 THURSDAY 4/2/2015

6:45 PM 7:00 PM

LEISURE HOLIDAY

BANTAM MAJOR AAA WNY

JAMIE DEWALD

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

6:00 PM 6:30 PM

HOLIDAY LEISURE

MIDGET 15U SCTA

JOHN BRAUN

TUESDAY 3/31/2015

7:00 PM

HOLIDAY

MIDGET MAJOR 18U AAA

MATT BARNABY

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

3:30-4:50 PM 3:30-4:50 PM

BUFF STATE BUFF STATE

MIDGET MINOR 16U AAA

KYLE QUICK

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

7:15-8:30 PM 6:30-7:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

MIDGET MAJOR AAA WNY

DARRYL McLAUGHLIN WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015 THURSDAY 4/2/2015

9:30 PM 8:15 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

MIDGET MINOR AAA WNT

TOM BROMWELL

WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015 THURSDAY 4/2/2015

5:45 PM 8:30 PM

LEISURE HOLIDAY

GIRLS 10U

MIKE HARRINGTON

MONDAY 3/16/2015 THURSDAY 3/19/2015

7:15 PM 6:00 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

GIRLS 12U

CHRIS UTZ

MONDAY 3/16/2015 THURSDAY 3/19/2015

7:15 PM 6:00 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

GIRLS 14U TIER 1

TOM RUGGIERO

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

4:00 PM 8:00 PM 7:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

GIRLS 16U TIER 1

DARREN KING

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

8:00 PM 7:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

GIRLS 19U TIER 1

ANTON WOPPERER

TUESDAY 3/31/2015 WEDNESDAY 4/1/2015

9:00 PM 8:30 PM

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY

The Buffalo Regals are a “AAA” hockey association. For information please visit our website. House & Travel players (other than current players) MUST have a release from their current Hockey Association. All tryouts locations are listed above.

A deposit is required at signing. Tryouts: $15 per session.

www.buffaloregals.org

21

22

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

Rochester Yo

TRYO

Boys AAA

Facebook.com/ JuniorAmericans

Team

Date Time

Bantam Minor AAA

4/6/2015 4/7/2015

5:40 - 7:10 PM 5:45 - 7:15 PM

Bantam Major AAA 14u 4/6/2015 Tier 1 T/B 4/7/2015

6:10 - 7:40 PM 7:15 - 8:45 PM

U15 AAA (Split Season)

4/6/2015 4/7/2015

8:40 -10:10 PM 7:40 - 9:10 PM

U16 AAA (USPHL & Split Season)

4/6/2015 4/7/2015

7:10 - 8:40 PM 6:10 - 7:40 PM

U18 AAA (USPHL & Split Season)

4/6/2015 4/7/2015

7:40 - 9:10 PM 8:45 -10:15 PM

@JuniorAmericans

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS OFF-SEAS TO IMPACT YOUR GAME?

#IMPACT

YOUR SKIL YOUR AGIL YOUR OFF-

wnyhockeyreport.com

23

outh Hockey

OUTS Boys AA Team

Date Time

Bantam Minor AA

4/8/2015 4/9/2015

6:10 - 7:10 PM 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Bantam Major AA

4/8/2015 4/9/2015

7:00 - 8:00 PM 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Midget Minor U15 AA (Split Season)

4/8/2015 4/9/2015

8:10 - 9:10 PM 6:10 - 7:10 PM

Midget Minor U16 AA (Split Season)

4/8/2015 4/9/2015

7:10 - 8:10 PM 7:10 - 8:10 PM

Midget Minor U18 AA (Split Season)

4/8/2015 4/9/2015

8:00 - 9:00 PM 8:10 - 9:10 PM

Check our website for updates & time changes

www.ryhockey.com

SON

LLS LITY -SEASON

www.ifloorball.us

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

WHEATFIELD BLADES Wheatfield Blades 2015 - 2016 2015-2016 Travel Team Tryout Schedule

TRAVEL TEAM SCHEDULE Tryouts:TRYOUT $15 per session DIVISION

BIRTH YEAR

DATE

TIME

COACH

LOCATION

Bantam Minor AAA

2002

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

5:40 PM 5:40 PM

Matt Spameni

Cornerstone Arena

Bantam Minor II AA

2002

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

7:40 PM 7:40 PM

Rob Kalota

Cornerstone Arena

2001

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

6:40 PM 6:40 PM

Sean Fitzgerald

Cornerstone Arena

Bantam Major II AA

2001

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

8:40 PM 8:40 PM

Ken Dewey

Cornerstone Arena

Midget 15U AAA

2000

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

6:30 PM 6:30 PM

Lotempio / Kostiw

Hockey Outlet

Midget 15U II AA

2000

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

8:30 PM 8:30 PM

Dave Cannon

Hockey Outlet

Midget 15U II AA

2000

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

8:30 PM 8:30 PM

Jim Michalowski

Hockey Outlet

Split Season “Tournament Bound”

1999

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

5:30 PM 5:30 PM

Tom Beamish

Hockey Outlet

Midget 16U II AA

1999

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

9:30 PM 9:30 PM

Dan Stinis

Hockey Outlet

Split Season “Tournament Bound”

1997 / 1998

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

7:30 PM 7:30 PM

Bob Hermann

Hockey Outlet

Midget 18U II AA

1997 / 1998

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

10:30 PM 10:30 PM

Dan McMahon

Hockey Outlet

Girls 12U II AA

2003 / 2004

March 16, 2015 March 17, 2015

8:30 PM 8:30 PM

Patrick Bonner

Hockey Outlet

Girls 16U II AA

1999 / 2000

March 31, 2015 April 1, 2015

9:40 PM 9:40 PM

Patrick Bonner

Cornerstone Arena

Bantam Major AAA “Tournament Bound”

Midget 16U AAA

Midget 18U AAA

The Wheatfield Blades are a “AAA” hockey association. For information please visit our website.

The Wheatfield Blades are a “AAA” hockey association. For information please visit our website at

House & Travel players (other than current WB players) MUST have a release from their current Hockey Association. www.wheatfieldblades.com. per session All tryouts locations areTryouts: listed $15 above.

A deposit is required at signing.

House & Travel players (other than current WB players) MUST have a release from their current Hockey Association.

All tryouts locations are listed above. A deposit is required at signing.

www.wheatfieldblades.com

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wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

Cazenovia Park HoCkey assoCiation 2015-2016 tryouts

tryout fee is $10 for eaCH tryout (day).

Team Date Girls 14U TB 716.997.3130 Tuesday Chris Malicki / cm1232@aol.com Thursday

3/31/15 4/2/15

Time 5:00-5:50 pm 6:00-6:50 pm 6:00-6:50 pm 5:00-5:50 pm

Girls 16U TB

716.984.3474 Jim Bautz / jbtz7@yahoo.com

Tuesday Wednesday

3/31/15 4/1/15

Girls 19U TB

Tuesday Thursday

3/31/15 10:00-10:50 pm 4/2/15 7:00-7:50 pm

Jeff Baker / bubmist@gmail.com

All Tryouts will be held at the Timothy Burvid (Caz) Ice Rink, 25 Cazenovia Street Buffalo, 14220.

Players should attend all tryouts.

Team Bantam Minor

Date Tuesday Ken Swain Wednesday kswain3@roadrunner.com Friday Bantam Major Tuesday Aaron Wallace 716.465.5910 Wednesday waldo420247@hotmaill.com Friday Midget 15U Mark Poloncarz Wednesday mpoloncarz@yahoo.com Thursday Midget 16U NTB 716.997.2568 Wednesday Nelson Sheehan / nels10jr@aol.com Thursday Midget 18U TB Tuesday Jim Banko / caz18utb@yahoo.com Wednesday

3/31/15 4/1/15 4/3/15 3/31/15 4/1/15 4/3/15 4/1/15 4/2/15 4/1/15 4/2/15 3/31/15 4/1/15

Time 7:00-7:50 pm 6:00-6:50 pm 7:00-7:50 pm 8:00-8:50 pm 7:00-7:50 pm 8:00-8:50 pm 9:00-9:50 pm 9:00-9:50 pm 8:00-8:50 pm 8:00-8:50 pm 9:00-9:50 pm 10:00-10:50 pm

A copy of player’s Birth Certificate and a RELEASE from your previous Organization is MANDATORY. Pease visit our website www.cazhockey.com afor updates as well as for on-line registration information for our Mite and MOHL programs. for more information contact us at cazhockey@live.com

www.CazHoCkey.Com

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wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

26

Southtowns Stars Amateur Hockey Association

2015 –16 Travel Tryouts At Leisure Rinks

Southtowns is a USA Hockey organization that plays Tier II travel in the Western New York Amateur Hockey League. All Major as well as the Midget TB teams are State Tournament eligible.

TEAM

Bantam Minor Bantam Major TB 16U 18U Bantam Minor Bantam Major NTB Bantam Mixed Bantam Major TB 16U 18U

COACH

Clouden Cione TBA Zurowski Clouden Licursi LoVullo Cione TBA Zurowski

DATE

3/31 3/31 3/31 3/31 4/2 4/2 4/2 4/2 4/2 4/2

TIME

6:30-8:00 PM 8:00-9:30 PM 7:45-9:00 PM 9:00-10:15 PM 6:00-7:15 PM 7:15-8:30 PM 8:30-9:45 PM 5:45-7:00 PM 7:00-8:15 PM 8:15-9:30 PM

All tryouts $20.

All players form organizations other than Southtowns must have a 2015-2016 release from that organization, and a copy of their birth certificate.

A $250 deposit (check or money order) is due at signing.

Please check our website for: • Red, White & Blue through Midget House signups will begin in April • Beginner program – we offer an established Red, White & Blue cross ice beginner program • Coaching applications – we are currently accepting for the 2015-16 house teams For more information about Southtowns, please download our parent manual from our website.

www.southtownsstars.com

Aurora Ice Association, home of the Winter Classic Rink in idyllic East Aurora, is having tryouts for their travel hockey team.

AA Pee Wee Travel Try-Out Thursday, April 9th

5:30pm @ Leisure Rinks Copy of Association financial release and a $20 tryout fee is required. Be the first players and spectators to use and enjoy our new lodge opening Fall of this year!

REQUIRED

Email JCEMSRD@GMAIL to confirm attendance.

Niagara County Coyotes

2015 –2016 Tryouts Bantam Mixed TB Wed 4/1 & Thurs 4/2 @ 7:00pm Coach Anthony Leone Phone: 560-1985 Email: 8Leones@gmail.com 15U Midget AA Tues 3/31 @ 6:00pm Coach Tom Giordano Phone: 866-5285 Email: tgiordano153@yahoo.com

16U Midget Tournament Bound Tues 3/31 @ 7:00pm and Wed 4/1 @ 6:00pm Coach Kevin Smith Phone: 907-9424 Email- the4smittys@yahoo.com 18U Midget Tournament Bound Wed 4/1 @ 8:00pm Coach Guy Fratello Email-norp76@aol.com

All tryouts are at the Hyde Park Ice Arena All tryouts are $15 per tryout • Please bring a copy of birth certificate • All players must have signed release if from a different organization Visit our wesite for more information

www.niagaracountycoyotes.com

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

TONAWANDA LIGHTNING 2015 -16 TRYOUT SCHEDULE

TEAM

BIRTH YEARS

HEAD COACH

DATES/TIMES

LOCATION

2001-02

CHRIS MARZEC

MAR 31 / 8:00 PM APR 1 / 5:00 PM

HYDE PARK

BANTAM MINOR

2002

BRYAN JUNTUNEN

MAR 31 – APR 1 / 6:00 PM

HYDE PARK

BANTAM MAJOR (SB)

2001

TIM JONES

MAR 31 – APR 1 / 7:00 PM

HYDE PARK

MIDGET 15U

2000

SAM DEFRANKS

MAR 31 – APR 1 / 8:00 PM

HYDE PARK

MIDGET 16U (SB)

1999-00

DON PRAY

MAR 31 – APR 1 / 5:00 PM

HYDE PARK

MIDGET 18U (SB)

1997-98

MIKE ATTEA

MAR 31 – APR 1 / 9:00 PM

HYDE PARK

GIRLS 14U

(SB) TEAM IS STATE BOUND ELIGIBLE • No residency requirement – Non-residents welcome!

• Release & copy of birth certificate required for new players • One time $20 tryout fee covers all sessions • $300 non-refundable deposit due at player signing

• Questions? Contact Tom Diehl 860-2332 or Sam DeFranks 462-3277 • Visit our website for updates

www.tonawandalightning.org

w e N

Wheatfield

Blades

GIRLS HOCKEY PROGRAM Teams being formed at the 12U and 16U levels For details contact Head Coach Pat Bonner 984-9088 patbonner11@yahoo.com

27

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

wnyhockeyreport.com

Squirt Minor AAA

Squirt Major AAA

Coach: Mike Norton

Coach: Chris Palmer

Pee Wee Minor AAA

Pee Wee Major AAA

Coach: Scott Nichol

Coach: Scott Nichol

Bantam Minor AAA

Bantam Major AAA

Coach: Rory Fitzpatrick

Coach: Rory Fitzpatrick & Dave Leaderer

U15 AAA / American

U16AAA / National

Coach: Greg Schwinn & Al Barton

Coach: Ryan Gage

U 18 AAA

U16 Girls Tier 1

Coach: James “Jim” Gullen

Coach: Gary Moss

28

*Please conrm rink locaƟon and Ɵmes at www.perintonyouthhockey.org periodically for any locaƟon and Ɵme changes

Attention Ladies

Niagara County Lady Coyotes Now forming 19U, 16U (Tournament Bound II), 14U, and 12U teams 2015 –2016 Travel Team Tryouts Mar 31st 5:00 - 6:00 pm Apr 2nd 6:00 - 7:00 pm Apr 10th 6:00 - 7:00 pm • All tryouts are at the Hyde Park Ice Arena • All tryouts are $10 per tryout • Please bring a copy of birth certificate • All players must have signed release if from a different organization Any questions, please contact: Coach Bill (Fanton) Email – coachbill013@hotmail.com Cell – (716) 378-6226

http://www.niagaracountyladycoyotes.com

Lockport Express accepted into the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL)

2015-16 AAA Tryouts 16UAAA & 18UAAA Tue., March 31st & Wed., April 1st Cornerstone Ice Arena 16UAAA @ 9:30 pm 18UAAA @ 10:30 pm 16UAAA Coach: Lyle Rocker: lylerocker33@gmail.com 18UAAA Coach: Alex Wyse: awyse@roadrunner.com http://lockportexpress.pointstreaksites.com/view/lockportexpress

wnyhockeyreport.com

TRYOUT EDITION 2015-2016

29

Try-out Schedule

Bantam – Midget – Girls 14 – Girls 16

2015-2016 Season ALL TRY-OUTS @ HAMBURG RINK Now competing as a Tier II Association.

Tryout fee is $15 per session. Any player that did not play in the Hamburg Hawks organization, house or travel, for the 2014-2015 season must provide a NYSAHA player release from your previous organization.

All coaches to be posted online at:

www.HamburgHawks.org

Team Bantam Minor

Birth Year 2002

Bantam Major TB

2001

Midget 15U

2000

Midget 16U TB

2000/1999

Midget 18U TB

1998/97

Midget Tier II

Date Tuesday 3/31/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Tuesday 3/31/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Wednesday 4/01/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Tuesday 3/31/15 Wednesday 4/01/15 Tuesday 3/31/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Saturday 4/04/15

Time 5pm 5pm 6pm 6pm 9pm 8pm 8pm 9pm 9pm 9pm 3pm

(Depending on players that show up) Midget 15U and Midget Tier II coaches will be all Midget tryouts

Girls 14/under 2001/under Tournament Bound Girls 16/under 1999/under Tournament Bound Girls 14/under 2001/under Non Tournament bound

Tuesday 3/31/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Tuesday 3/31/15 Thursday 4/02/15 Saturday 4/04/15

7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 4pm

BUFFALO STARS

2015-2016 TRAveL TRyOUTS Tuesday, March 31st at Holiday Midget U18 (TB) AA & Split AA ............................4:15 pm Midget U15 AA .......................................................5:15 pm Bantam Minor AA ..................................................6:15 pm Bantam Major (TB) AA ..........................................6:15 pm Midget U16 (TB) AA & Split AA ............................9:30 pm

Wednesday, April 1st at Holiday

For general information contact Pete Preteroti at 685-1122 or contact us at: SportsNiag@aol.com All Participants must present a release from their current organization in order to participate in the tryout. Release required even from House League.

Tryout fee is $15 per session.

Go to our Admin & Budget Section on our Website for full details.

Midget U18 (TB) AA & Split AA ............................4:00 pm Midget U16 (TB) AA & Split AA ............................5:00 pm Midget U15 AA .......................................................6:00 pm Bantam Minor AA ..................................................7:00 pm Bantam Major (TB) AA ..........................................8:00 pm Girls U19 (TB) r 2....................................................9:00 pm

Thursday, April 2nd at Holiday Girls U19 (TB) Tier 2 ...............................................7:30 pm

www.buffalostars.com

Around The Associations

30

Around The Associations Submitted by local hockey associations, Edited by Michael Mroziak

Around the Associations: Tournament Edition Pt. 1

As we head into April, many local associations were capping off successful seasons with championship victories in their leagues or at the state level.

As you’ll read below, some were already packing their bags for earned trips to the USA Hockey Youth Nationals, including the Amherst, Cazenovia and Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles programs, whose girls’ teams all qualified for their respective age-based tournaments at the end of March.

Because of our press deadline, we’ll have those results – as well as some state playoffs involving local teams that were still in progress – in the next edition.

Until then, good luck to all still skating!

Amherst Youth Hockey

Congratulations are in order for the Amherst Girls 14U team, who were heading to the USA Hockey Tier II U14 national tournament in East Lansing, Michigan. The Amherst girls punched their ticket with a successful run through the New York State Amateur Hockey Association Tier II championship.

The Tier II national tournament was scheduled to begin March 26 and conclude March 30. We’ll let you know how Amherst fared next month.

Batavia Ramparts

Three teams from the family of Ramparts youth hockey teams participated in the state tournament: PeeWee III, Bantam III and Midget 16U. The Bantams advanced to the semifinals before falling to eventual champions Tri-Town, 5-4.

The 16U team also advanced to the semifinals in its bracket and also lost to the eventual state champs, in this case Louisville, 7-3.

Buffalo Bisons

Three teams under the Buffalo Bisons umbrella won their division championships within the Western New York Amateur Hockey League.

The Squirt Minor squad won the Blue/ Red division Playoffs with a 2-0 victory over Southtowns.

The team earned a berth in the Cross Division Final after beating Monroe County, 3-2, in the Blue Division Playoff. Bisons Squirt Minor also finished atop the Blue Division with a 13-3-1 record in league play.

The Peewee Minor team beat Clarence, 4-2, in the championship game and finished 3-0 in the playoffs, defeating previously undefeated Rochester (Smith) 2-1 in the semifinals. The Bisons finished the regular season second in the division with a 15-3-1 record.

The Peewee Mixed ‘A’ team beat the Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles 7-0 to claim their championship, scoring three goals in the first period to cruise to the win. They finished the regular season in first place with 14-1-1 record.

One WNYAHL team finished as runner-up in their division, the Bantam Minor team, who lost a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to the league’s leading team, the Southtowns Stars. The team finished with a 13-3-2 record.

Buffalo Junior Sabres

The Buffalo Jr. Sabres organization is sending a team to USA Nationals, as its Tier I 14U boys team won the state championship, defeating Midstate 4-2 in

the championship game.

Appearing in the same state tournament with the Jr. Sabres were teams from the Buffalo Regals and Amherst. Amherst advanced to the semifinals but fell to Midstate, 6-1.

Buffalo Regals

Congratulations to Mike Scibor’s Mite Major 2006 Team for winning the 2015 Pepsi Hockey Invitational Tournament

Buffalo Shamrocks

The Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club is preparing for 2015-16, seeking players for its girls’ 12U “team of excellence” from birth years 2003 through 2006.

The Shamrocks are also expanding its 8U (birth years 2007-2008, girls and boys) curriculum and ADM model and are offering additional roster spots. Registration is now open at www.gorocks.org. You can also call 716-523-ROCK (7625) for more information.

The Shamrocks’ squirt, peewee and bantam Varsity AAAA Travel Teams recently traveled to Montreal to compete in the International Minor Hockey Championships, taking on teams from Newfoundland, Manitoba, Quebec and Vermont. For more information, including results, visit www.gorocks.org. The team also has an official Twitter account, @GoRocksHockey.

Buffalo Stars

Buffalo Stars U18 AA defenseman Christian Buczek will represent Team USA at the 18th Winter Deaflympics, being held March 28-April 5 in KhantyMansiysk, Russia. Christian is one of only two players from New York to be selected for Team USA. Christian was selected to play for Team USA by the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association at a tryout last summer. The team has a geographically diverse roster with players representing 12 different states.

Team USA won the Gold in 2007 at the Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, but was denied a chance to defend the gold when the 2011 games were canceled.

The team operates under the governance of the USA Deaf Sports Federation. To qualify for the games, an athlete must have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in the “better ear”. Assistive devices, including hearing aids and cochlear implants are not allowed in competition, in order to assure that athletes are on an even playing field.

“We are very proud of Christian,” said Stars President/ GM Pete Preteroti. “He is a hard working player and a true team leader on our U18 squad.”

“Everyone on the team looks up to him,” added U18 Head Coach Jerry Wheeler.

Participant countries will include: USA, Canada, Finland, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.

Christian is 18 years old and resides in Hamburg.

Information about the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association can be found at: www.ahiha. org. Information about the Deaflympics can be found at: www.2015deaflympics.org. Information about the Stars program is available at www.buffalostars.com.

The Buffalo Stars Midget MOHL U16R squad won the Rock and Roll Cup in Cleveland in late February. They swept the tournament, winning all three preliminary games heading into the championship game, erasing a two-goal deficit in the third period of the title game and then winning in a shootout.

Goalie Cale Klembczyk was named the tournament MVP.

WNYHockeyReport.com

Cazenovia

The Cazenovia Chiefs 19U girls, coached by Chris Malicki, were preparing for play in the USA Hockey national championship after winning a state title.

The team’s run was featured nationally by the official USA Hockey website, which for copyright reasons we cannot print here. To find that article, log on to nationals.usahockey.com.

Cazenovia’s 18U boys tournament-bound team is also capping off a season and already planning for 2015-16 after reviving the team following a hiatus. Here was a portion of their “success story” submitted to WNYHR as written by coach Jim Banko: “Success can be achieved many ways. If the ‘Miracle on Ice’ proved anything it’s that a newly formed team with kids from various backgrounds could be successful against a more seasoned team which had been together for years. While having the same the teammates and linemates may be beneficial at the highest levels, playing neighborhood AA hockey on a new team offers many positive attributes. The chance to make new friends and learn from different coaches is not something young players should shy away from.

“The Cazenovia Park Chiefs 18U hockey team had success in the 2014-2015 season with a melting pot formula. Coached by young, non-parent, and experienced quintet of coaches, the Caz 18U Chiefs were able to reestablish themselves near the top of the Western New York Amateur Hockey League Tournament Bound 18U division. After taking a hiatus in the prior year, the Caz 18U Chiefs rebuilt under the concept of finding players from various backgrounds who were looking for a fresh start. With only five players moving up from the Caz 16U team, the coaching staff was able to leverage their high school coaching reputation to attract players from Williamsville to Fredonia and everywhere in between.

“While some parents and players may not like the idea of playing for a new team, the players on the 14-15 Chiefs may argue otherwise. Captain TJ Maloney is one believer. ‘I loved playing on this team,’ Maloney said. ‘So much fun with so many new friends that I’ll have for life.

I’m looking forward to playing for this team next year.’

TJ was not alone in his enthusiasm. Jimmy Szefler came to the Cazenovia 18U tryout from another organization and didn’t know what to expect. His apprehension quickly subsided once he became familiar with the coaching staff and his teammates. ‘I was nervous at first and unsure of what to expect,’ Szefler said. ‘It turned out it was one of the best hockey experiences I’ve ever had.’

“Caz 18U parents also had many positive things to say about the team. Ken Myers, father of forward Nick Myers, said ‘The Caz 18u team was tremendous. Besides being competitive in every game, playing on the team was affordable and truly prepared each player for their high school season.’

“The coaches played a big part in the Caz 18U success.

This young staff of nonparent coaches all under the age of 35 came up with a solid game plan that utilized each player’s skills to their fullest potential. Out of a roster of 20 players 18 played high school hockey: eight Varsity Federation players and 10 Varsity Club players including two state champions. These are numbers the coaching staff is most proud of. Moving on to the next level is what coaching at the youth level so rewarding.”

Cheektowaga

Congratulations to the Cheektowaga Warriors’ Tier II 16U team, which won the state championship with a 3-0 win over Center State. The Warriors won a

Around The Associations

tournament made up mostly of teams located in the eastern part of the state, with the Rochester Grizzlies representing the nearest (and only other WNY) rival.

Clarence Mustangs

Clarence Hockey is marking its 15th season by expanding. Now a Tier II travel hockey program, the organization is looking to put 15 teams on the ice next season.

Early into its venture Clarence started a “Learn to Skte and Play” program for the five- to eight-year-olds but did not immediately get to form a house program due to the lack of available ice. With the recent opening of Cornerstone Ice Rink in Lockport, the Mustangs will now be able to offer Learn-to-Skate, Cross Ice Mite (5-8 Yr olds) Development, House League and Travel Hockey Programs. The Mustangs will be partnering with Tom Dockery, a long time clinician and hockey coach, and the Cornerstone Rink to provide quality skating clinics, introductory hockey and house league hockey programs at the Cornerstone Ice Rink.

Introductory programs (including the beginner and Cross-Ice Mites) and all house league players will be priced between $350- 450. Select or MOHL House Hockey teams will be chosen to represent each age group for those players wanting more ice time and will add a modest fee. They will also be offering weekly skills and skating clinics for all age groups to help players work on improving their individual skills. These will be operated on a pay as you go format.

For more information, visit www.clarencemustangs.com.

Hamburg Hawks

The Hamburg NTB 16U team defeated the Finger Lakes Freeze by a score of 4-1 to win the Blue Division GLGHL Championship Game. The girls finished first in the league standings with only one loss all season.

Monroe County

The MCYH Squirt A team based at Lakeshore finished the season going 15-0-1 in league play and winning the regular season title. They later went 3-0 in the playoffs and won the league championship, finishing the season at 18-0-1 outscoring their opponents 141-17.

The team, coached by Bob Marsala along with assistants brad Fish, Paul Fiorica and Mike Schallenberger, played in two tournaments during the season, finishing as runners up in the Niagara Falls Blizzard Select/Travel Tournament, then winning the championship in the March Madness House Tournament.

Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles Two teams from the NJPE program are heading to USA Hockey nationals after locking up state championships.

The boys’ 14U team won the NYSAHA Tier II championship in Rochester, while the girls’ 19U team earned their Tier I title with a pair of wins over the Buffalo Regals, 5-1 and 5-0.

The boys’ elimination-round wins both came beyond regulation time. After beating new York Aviators in triple overtime, 4-3, the team edged the Brewster Bulldogs in the title game in the first overtime.

Perinton Youth The Monarchs 14U girls team won the Tier 1 State Championship with a 1-0 overtime victory over Syracuse at the Bill Grays Ice Complex on the campus of Monroe Community College. The girls opened the tournament with a 1-0 loss to Syracuse then rebounded with a 7-0 win over Clifton Park. The team then notched two more wins on the second day of the tournament, 7-1 over Long Island Gulls and 5-0 over the Buffalo Regals. The girls defeated the Buffalo Bisons in the semis, 6-2, before heading to their exciting overtime finish in the title game.

Members of the team are: Isabel “Izzy” Allen, Ciara Barone, Jada Brenon, Morgan “Sloth” Bronstein, Rene Gangarosa, Alyssa “Ally” Gibson, Chloe Harvey, Maeghan “Kenny” Kennard, Maureen “Molly” McCabe, Madison “Maddie” McIntee, Meghan “Mac” McLachlan, Meghan “Cal-Mum” Mietlicki, Torrey Schmidt, Ashley Schoepfel, Maggie Seidenberg. The coaching staff is: Gary Moss, Kristina Moss, Jen Gorczynski, Tosh Farrell and Don Vaccarelli.

The Perinton Blades also claimed a pair of championships in Empire Amateur Hockey. The House Bantam 1 team completed an undefeated season at 190-0 with the A Division Bantam title, while the Pee Wee 3 team won the EAHC B Division championship.

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1-0, winning the semifinal match against MCYH-North.

The staff for this year’s bantam team was: Coach Jean-Francois D’Arcy, manager John LaBombard, assistant coach Stephen Blowers and assistant coach Christopher Gangai.

West Seneca The West Seneca Wings Squirt Minor AAA team won both tournaments they entered in January and February of this year.

At the Patriots Day tournament in Niagara Falls, they defeated the Monroe County Eagles in the first game, 5-0,, thn lost to the Buffalo Bisons 2-0 in the second game. The Wings rebounded with a 5-1 win over the Niagara Junior Purple Eagles.

In the championship game, Joey Shea scored two goals while Joe Marynowski and Colin Garvey scored one goal each as the Wings skated to a 4-3 win.

During the Empire State Cup MYHockey tournament held Martin Luther King weekend in Rochester, they tied the Buffalo Bisons 1-1 and defeated the Cazenovia Chiefs 9-1 and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Wolves 5-1.

Goalie Chris Flanagan shut out the Wolves during the championship game while Gavin McCarthy scored both goals.

Rochester Youth Hockey Rochester Youth Hockey’s Bantams won the EAHC B Bracket championship in late February, defeating the Webster Cyclones by a 4-3 score. To advance in the tournament, RYH needed to play against a different Webster Cyclones squad, which they defeated 15-2.

They then defeated MCYH North, 4-1, in the semifinals.

During the playoffs, RYH got offensive production from 14 different players; Brett Abamonte had 2 points (2G), Matt Bonham with 6 pts (3G,3A), Julia Clark with one pt (1A), Damien D’Arcy with one pt (1A), Justin Embrey with 5 pts (4G, 1A), Eli Fleming with one pt (1A), Jordan Fogel with 2 pts (2A), Conor Hoskins with 12 pts (4G, 8A), Nick Kilmer with 7 pts (4G, 3A), Chance Kromer with one pt (1A), Alex LaBombard with one pt (1G), Hannah Peppard with one pt (1A), Ben Ralph with 3 pts (3G) and Orion St Martin with 2 pts (2A).

Nick Blowers chipped in with strong defensive play throughout the run.

Both goalies had wins in the playoffs, with Owen Ross going 2-0 (including the championship game) and Aiden Gangai going

EAHC

Paul Grundtisch Hockey Schools Choose from our Fast-Paced “Specialty Clinics” and improve your game!

Defensemen Camp

July 20-23 10am – 12:15pm

Shooting & Stickhandling School July 13-16 10am – 12noon

Power Skating & Skills Camps July 6-10; August 3 – 7 or August 10-14 For ages 6 thru 13

To Register: Call 685-3660 or visit holidayrinks.com We’ll see you at the rinks!

Visit us @ Holidayrinks.com on our Hockey Camps pages for more info on all of our Summer Camps and Clinics. More than 12 to choose from.

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Wine at Center Ice 2015

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Wine at Center Ice 2015 Holy Childhood and Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex Community Partners on the Ice Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex in Henrietta, New York partnered with Holy Childhood for a second year, this past February to present “Wine at Center Ice”, an evening of delicious food, wine and beer tastings, live music, silent auction and fun and games… all taking place on center ice at the Iceplex. This unique evening on the ice benefits Holy Childhood, a non-profit, nondenominational agency that prepares children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for maximum independence and integration in the community.

“Holy Childhood is an amazing organization that does so much good for our community”, said Chris Woodworth, General Manager at Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex. “It is an honor for us to be their partner on a unique event such as this. We are thankful for all that they do for our local residents and look forward to working with them for years to come.”

Guests attending the event were treated to delicious food from Creative Caterers, wine and beer tastings from a variety of vendors including, Billsboro Winery, Heron Hill Winery, Becker Farms, Victorianbourg Wine Estate, Apple Country Spirits, LOVE Wines, Casa Larga Vineyard, Three Brothers Winery, Midnight Run Wine Cellars, Three Heads Brewing and Black Button Distilling.

“This event has become an incredible one for Holy Childhood, said Donna Dedee, President and CEO of Holy Childhood. The fact that the hockey community

has rallied around our cause is amazing. What we learn at every turn is how caring people are, and that makes for a great partnership.”

Imagine walking around center ice on soft indoor/outdoor carpeting, eating delicious food, sampling great local craft beers and wine, while listening to live music from the Everheart Band, playing games, and bidding on auction items, all to benefit Holy Childhood, an agency located in Henrietta, that provides innovative and individualized programs and services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“It’s a win-win any way you look at it, says Public Relations Manager, Laurie Otto. And none of it would be possible without the help of our project partner, Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex, our event co-chairs, Jean and Stuart MacKenzie, our hard-working volunteers, the generous supporters in attendance, and the vendors who participate in this event each year.”

Popular auction items, donated by the community, were up for bid in the silent auction and guests enthusiastically participated in hockeyrelated games on the ice; Chuck-A-Puck and event favorite, Score-O. Winners of Score-O received gift certificates for Holy Childhood’s famous Special Touch Bakery pie, and the Chuck-A-Puck winner won the evening’s 50/50 raffle.

“We had tremendous community support for Holy Childhood, especially from the RYH hockey family and the Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex Management team, commented Stuart MacKenzie, co-chair of the event. We couldn’t do this without their support.”

More than 200 guests attended this year’s event. Plans are already underway for Wine at Center Ice 2016. For more information about Holy Childhood and other events that benefit the agency, visit www.holychildhood.org.

The 24th Annual

High School Stars Spring-Summer Hockey League for players ages 14-18 and is an AAU sanctioned league • 12 games • 2 practices • FREE Playoffs • FREE Bauer 800 Series Jersey Register as a team or individual.

We will offer (2) Varsity Divisions and a JV division

The 24th Annual “High School Stars” summer hockey league is now accepting applications for the 2015 season.

This competitive league provides a great opportunity to stay sharp this Summer and compete vs. other high quality teams.

The league will feature 16-20 teams in competitive divisions and will begin play the weekend of April 24th.

Call 716-685-3660 or register on-line @ holidayrinks.com

Cost per individual is $300.

Pay in FULL in a SINGLE INSTALLMENT and Save $30.00 or $ 100.00 is due with application.

WNY’S HOCKEY HEADQUARTERS • SINCE 1972 WNYHockeyReport.com

Top Shelf Training

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Knowing Your Skates Part 2

By Mike Smietana info@topshelfhockey.us

As I mentioned in the last column that I would talk about a term called “rockering.” Let me first say that players, coaches and parents alike should remember that it’s a pretty valuable area of your game that I wanted to touch on again. Let me first begin by defining each term so that you are not confused about which item I am speaking about.

Blade Radius: The contour of the blade. An easy way to remember this is the flatter the blade, the more blade you will have on the ice = more glide. The smaller the blade radius the rounder the contour or the less blade on the ice = less glide.

Radius of hollow: The depth of hollow between the blades two edges. The larger the ROH the shallower the hallow and the more glide you will have = less bite. The smaller the ROH the deeper the hollow = more bite.

(Large = 1 inch, small = 3/8 inch). See the great pic (at right) from cagone online that I found.

For many years it was thought that the shape or blade radius should be different for each player’s positions. At one point defensemen were told to use a larger blade radius or flatter contour of the blade, with a pitch that put them back on their heels which also gave them

more stability. Forwards were told to use a smaller radius or a rounder contour, with a forward pitch to be on the balls of their feet to enable better footwork. As the science behind skating has progressed so has the thought process behind the blade radius, as well as the pitch. In modern times, educated skating coaches or skate technicians are telling players to “maximize their glide” without losing agility. This as I mentioned in the last column will also help to maximize a players energy levels. Therefore, remember by having skates that have a deep bite, or a smaller radius of hollow such as 3/8 inch and a rounder contour of the blade, will cause this to happen. One term that will determine how round your blade contour is commonly referred to as being “rockered.” Which I should mention, skates

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are not “rockered” directly from the manufacturing company. Skate sharpening’s eventually put some type of contour on the blade, however it’s not a systematic process. Whatever the contour you chose, making sure that the blade is centered is a pretty valuable tip. I suggest to ask the skate supplier or sharpener to check and be sure that your skate blade is centered.

Therefore, the old terminology of just pushing your legs for technique and power has begun taking a back seat to other technical forms of skating instruction. It is becoming more present day knowledge that power as well as “glide” are important aspects of skating performance. Making sure that your skate blade has been sharpened, to have both edges all the way down the blade is very important. Players need to be aware that things can effect their blades like choppy ponds, skating treadmills and synthetic ice. I understand that getting the right information can definitely become a problem for people and at times can become a big cost for parents and players over the long haul. Again this is an area of a player’s game that should not be overlooked. It can dramatically improve a player’s game if honed in on correctly. If you need any help getting the right information about your skates, please email me at info@topshelfhockey.us and place in the subject line: blades of steel. Which I am sure some of you old timers remember was a great game.

Mike Smietana is the Owner, Head Instructor of Top Shelf Hockey and Executive Director/President, National Collegiate Hockey Association. He can be reached at info@topshelfhockey.us.

Rochester Youth Hockey News

Rochester Youth Honors Volunteers Rochester Youth Hockey honored Robert Bulger, Ernie Montabella, Linda Goodwin, and Sam Toth with a Life Time Volunteer Award at the Rochester American’s game on February 27th. All four honorees played a significant role in creating Rochester Youth Hockey back in 1982.

The organization began when the Greater Rochester Youth Hockey Club and Rochester Lions Youth Hockey Club met with a purpose to forge a new path to improve youth hockey in Rochester. The focus was to consolidating Irondequoit, Henrietta, and Red Armstrong leagues into a single organization. Bob Nuccitelli and Bob Bulger coordinated the meetings and a new organization was born, Rochester Youth Hockey.

Bob Bulger was the organization’s first president.

Linda Goodwin was the first treasurer.

Ernie Montatabella was a long time coach, board member and volunteer. Sam Toth played a significant role in growing amateur hockey at all levels in Rochester and was instrumental in bringing the Rochester Americans franchise to town for its inaugural American Hockey League season.

Since Rochester Youth players have experienced decades of success both on and off the ice thanks to the unselfish acts of the dedicated volunteers over 32 years ago. Rochester Youth’s alumni consist of several NHL’ers including Ryan Callahan (Tampa Bay Lighting) and Brian Gionta (Buffalo Sabres) along with Olympians Kim Insalaco and Lyndsay Wall.

Left to Right: Ernie Montabella, Linda Goodwin, Sam Toth, and Robert Bulger.

www.ryhockeytournaments.com WNYHockeyReport.com

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Duffett Award

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Matt English – Duffett Award Winner Each year the Buffalo Sabres present an award to an outstanding youth hockey coach. This year’s recipient, Matt English, received this very prestigious honor prior to the NY Ranger game on February 20th. Matt is a long time West Seneca Wing coach and former coach of the Niagara Scenics, the predecessor to the Junior Sabres.

In 1984 the Buffalo Sabres established the award in memory of Mike Duffett.

Mike was a student of the game and at the time of his premature death was working for the Sabres in their hockey department.

The award is given each year to an individual whose contributions to amateur hockey in Western New York best exemplifies the knowledge, teaching, love of the game and gentle humanity of Mike.

Mike was a standout player at both Nichols and Clarkson College.

Congratulations to Matt!

Right: Matt receives the award from the Duffett Family

Left: Matt Received the honor when the Sabres hosted the New York Rangers and two of his former players with Scenics, Brian Gionta and Lee Stempniak, faced off against each other.

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Men’s Club Hockey Report

37

College Club: St. John Fisher lifts Founders Cup

by Michael Mroziak Michael@wnyhockeyreport.com

It’s a funny thing about playoff hockey at any level.

Sometimes, a team that comes into the postseason or finishes the preliminaries far from the top ends up lifting the trophy when it’s all over.

That’s exactly what happened in Newark, Ohio in early March, when Rochester-based St. John Fisher College capped off the National Collegiate Hockey Association’s national tournament by winning the Founders Cup, defeating last year’s champion The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in the title game, 8-5.

The Cardinals slipped into the elimination round of the NCHA’s tournament after going 1-2 in the preliminaries. St. John Fisher opened the tourney with a 3-2 win over LeMoyne on the morning of March 4, but then lost that evening to the University at Buffalo by a 3-2 final. They also lost the following day by an 8-5 score to UPG. In spite of those losses, the Cardinals qualified for the elimination round as the fourth seed and again defeated LeMoyne in the semifinal, this time by a 5-2 score. Then in the championship, on Saturday, March 7, they avenged their loss to UPG with a win, beating the Bobcats by the same score by which they lost earlier in

the tournament, 8-5.

Nick Papayankos led the Cardinals in scoring with seven points (five goals and two assists) in seven games.

He was fourth overall in the tournament. Ironically, it was the team toppled in the final – UPG – whose players represented the top three scorers throughout the tournament.

Another Western New York team in the hunt for a NCHA national championship was the University at Buffalo. The Bulls went 2-1 in the preliminary round, defeating not only the eventual champion Cardinals but also UPG by an 8-4 score. UB’s only loss in the round robin came to LeMoyne, who eeked out a 1-0 win.

UPG then eliminated the Bulls in the semifinals, 5-4. ***

ACHA PLAYOFFS: Niagara, UB qualify for nationals The UB Bulls’ entry in the American Collegiate Hockey Association also qualified for that league’s postseason tournament, but that postseason appearance ended with just one game. The Bulls, seeded 17th in the tournament, fell to the 16th seed Colorado Buffaloes in the first round of the tournament, 4-3.

Niagara University, meanwhile, also qualified for the tournament and enjoyed a longer stay than their

regional arch rival. Seeded 15th heading into the tournament, the Purple Eagles opened with a 7-2 win over Robert Morris of Pennsylvania (alas, their Atlantic Hockey counterparts would not be as fortunate), but were then eliminated in the second round of play by Central Oklahoma, 4-1.

Central Oklahoma would go on to win the championship, topping Stony Brook 4-0 in the final. *** We received an email recently from a reader who had suggested we were mistaken in the previous month’s edition about how we reported the Northeast Collegiate Hockey League standings. As per the message, we had ‘mistakenly’ reported UB ahead of Niagara in the standings.

However, the latest standings posted on both the NECHL’s website, as well as that of the ACHA, under which the NECHL is covered, still had UB ahead of Niagara.

We compile our information based on what is made available to us by the respective leagues. If there are discrepancies, we strongly encourage coaches or commissioners to contact us at info@wnyhockeyreport. com.

Proud Supporters of West Seneca Wings Hockey

Classes fill up quickly... call today!

Town of West Seneca Supervisor Sheila M. Meegan

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The Cup

38

North American Championships Tourney Already Looking to 2016 Dynamo, 1-0, in the semifinals of that division’s playoffs.

by Michael Mroziak Michael@wnyhockeyreport.com

For many in the Western New York hockey community, the season is winding down and (perhaps especially given the very cold and snowy winter we had this time) folks are eager to see it end and get into a spring state of mind.

For the folks planning the third annual running of “The Cup - North American Championships,” sights are already set to January 2016, when the tournament will expand to five age groups, ranging from 2002 birth year to 2006.

“After the inaugural Cup tournament in 2014, we had an immediate response from the participating teams and a great number of inquiries for the 2015 Cup and now, subsequently, we are receiving reservations for the 2016 Cup as well,” said organizer Richard Zacher.

The Cup tournament was formed in 2013 by Zacher and a colleague from across the border who had organized AAA youth hockey tournaments in the Toronto area for a number of years. That colleague, Zacher explained, had been interested in forming a tournament putting some of the best US-based programs against some of Canada’s best. Zacher helped secure the Hockey outlet in Wheatfield and the facilities on the Nichols School campus as the venues for the inaugural tournament in early 2014.

Little Caesars 2002 then fell to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the championship game. All of the champions, it would turn out, were out of town teams.

The Don Mills Flyers won the 2003 championship with a win over the Toronto Marlies. Chicago Young Americans edged Mid Fairfield in the 2004 title game and the PAL Jr. Islanders topped Vaughn (Ont.) in the 2005 final.

Zacher pointed out that because a vast majority of participating teams were from out of town, it created a significant economic impact on the region, from hotel rooms booked to dining and even some entertainment between games.

The return of harsh winter conditions following a mild holiday season didn’t necessarily hinder the opportunities for the Buffalo area to sell itself to the visitors.

It was also a victory, Zacher suggested, for the can-do spirit of the local hockey community.

“One of the attributes we as Western New Yorkers all love about our community is that we come together to help each other out,” he said. “This event spawned from a small idea into one that has the potential to put and keep Buffalo on the international amateur hockey map for many years to come and to create a huge positive and lasting financial impact on the local economy annually.

“Once I was able to confirm the ice, he proceeded to line up the teams and became the tournament consultant who helped me to organize the event,” he said. “The reason it was created was to allow the top ranked teams to meet and play for a true championship to establish which team is ‘best’ between Canada and the USA in a winter location that was wellpositioned and convenient like Buffalo, New York, because the vast majority of teams would be coming from outside of WNY.” The second annual Cup tournament was held in Western New York in January of this year. Local participating associations included the Buffalo Junior Sabres, Buffalo Saints, Buffalo Regals and Wheatfield Blades. Visiting teams hailed from southern and eastern Ontario, Michigan, the east coast.

Oh, and one team from Russia. The Moscow Dynamo 2002 team was given the all-clear by USA Hockey to play in the tournament and they arrived in Western New York bringing with them a lengthy unbeaten streak.

“The 2002 Moscow Dynamo team, which is the Russian hockey club that has produced many an NHLer, had not lost a game in three years and was looking to test themselves against the top US and Canadian competition,” said Zacher. “They were referred to our tournament as that destination.”

After remaining undefeated in the preliminaries, including a 9-2 win over the Buffalo Saints, their winning streak when Little Caesars of Michigan defeated the

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“The tournament could not have begun without the great hockey people at the Nichols School and at the Wheatfield Blades Hockey Club in 2014. The 2015 Cup this year was an even bigger success because of Nichols and Wheatfield along with extra effort and support by Kevyn Adams at the Hockey Academy downtown, Mark and Paul Gruntisch, Sean Green at Buffalo River Works, Tate Pitrello and Frank Vecchio at the Lockport Ice Arena and the Buffalo Saints Hockey Club.”

Plans are already underway to book teams for the 2016 tournament. And yes, according to organizers the Moscow Dynamo are interested in coming back, perhaps with the hope of continuing a new winning streak.

In The Crease

39

Net Play Evolution

by Bob Janosz

end up using all 3 methods throughout the course of a game. Flexibility and size usually determine the best method to seal the post for each individual goaltender.

The game situation may also determine what method to use.

Below is a “paddle down” post lean used on wraparounds and when there is a backdoor option. The paddle provides a good seal and can also take away the

Last month we inadvertently ran only part of this article. Here it is again in its completion.

There have been recent advances in save techniques goalies use on plays around the net. I consider net plays as any shot or risk of a shot from the bottom of the circles to behind the net. See diagram below. The new save technique is called a “Post Lean” or “Reverse VH”.

When used properly and in the right situation it can be a very effective save that provides a tighter post seal and better rebound control. Post leans have several parts and variations but I will try to keep the purpose and teaching points as simple as possible. It is important to note that the age, size, and flexibility of each goaltender will dictate how often and when to use this save skill.

Purpose. The purpose of this save is to seal the short side post from a down position while maintaining strength, balance, and mobility to be able to move laterally and vertically. The photo below shows a post lean on the blocker side. This is actually considered a “high” post lean because the goalie’s upper body is more upright. It should be used on plays further away to cover the top of the net better.

As you can see the goaltender has the short side sealed with the post leg down. The goaltender should also keep their inside leg up. This is to help provide strength on the post by the skate pushing the upper body into the post. Having the inside leg up also helps to transfer weight when moving laterally. The post side skate can seal the post 3 different ways. 1. Toe gap to post (the area of the pad between the toe of the skate and the bottom of the pad.) 2. Skate blade to post; 3.

Shin of pad inside post. There are pros and cons with each method and ultimately the goaltender could

or “complaint” by young goaltenders is they don’t feel like they can move laterally. This is either because they don’t have the strength yet or they do not know how to transfer their weight. Trial and error in practice is the best way to learn this technique. Be patient and only use it only when it’s the right situation. passing lane.

Top of next column is an example of a goaltender using a post lean to the glove side. Remember that this technique is only used when the puck is in the “net play” zone and there is a risk of wrap, jam, or pass out in tight. To the glove side the goaltender should have their backhand turned out to help block passes.

Benefits: 1. Stronger on post; better seal on post.

2. Stick can be more active breaking up jams, pass outs, and lateral feeds.

3. Less holes and better rebound control.

Common problems: 1. The goaltender uses the “post lean” on plays above the bottom of the circles.

2. The goaltender drops into the “post lean” too early and lose mobility.

3. The goaltender does not have the strength or technique to move laterally.

Since this save is relatively new there are many youth goalies that are not sure how or when to use it.

A common problem is that the goalie is not patient when using it and they drop into it when there is no risk of a low attack, which puts them into a vulnerable position. Or they drop into when the puck is too far away from the net and they open up the top of the net. Another problem

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Bob Janosz is the goaltender coach for the AHL Rochester Americans and coaches and scouts for USA Hockey. He is also the owner of Janosz School of Goaltending. For more information on Janosz School of Goaltending Camps, Clinics, and Team Lessons go to www.bobjanosz.com or call 716-308-9224.

Rochester Jr Americans

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Junior Americans add USPHL Elite Team for 2015-2016 Season The Rochester Junior Americans are proud to announce the formation of a United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) Elite Junior Hockey team for the 2015-2016 season.

College for the 2015-2016 season.

Wojciechowski, a native of Lapeer, MI and a member of the Junior Americans USPHL Premier Division team, has four goals and ten assists this season. Wojciechowski has been a consistent player on the blue line for the Americans, appearing in 47 games this season.

“JR is one of our most mature players, both on and off the ice,” said head coach Craig Macdonald. “There is no doubt he is ready to take the next step in his career and will find success with the Nazareth program.”

Patry Named USPHL Player of the Week

Adding a USPHL Elite Division junior program helps to connect the Junior Americans Premier team with the Junior Americans full-season 18U and 16U AAA teams, and allows a clear path of development for local players to advance to the junior levels in their hometown, while still seeking the best and brightest players from around North America and the world.

The Rochester Junior Americans currently place 12-14 student-athletes to the NCAA level annually, a number expected to increase with the addition of the Elite program.

“Adding this USPHL Elite program means more quality players will have the opportunity to further develop their game as members of the Junior Americans,” said General Manager Jeff Kolcon.

Rochester will no longer be fielding a team at the USPHL Empire level but will soon announce an Empire affiliate.

The Junior Americans fielded a team in the USPHL Elite Division in 2013-2014 before that team was elevated to the Premier Division. The Junior Americans Elite team finished 36-4-1-1, a franchise record for the program and a 12 win improvement over the previous season’s team.

With a long track record of success on the ice as well as a history of placing players at the collegiate and professional levels, the Junior Americans have become a top destination for youth and junior hockey players in the Western New York region and the nation. The Junior Americans 16U and 18U teams are partnered with Rochester Youth Hockey. In its 2013-2014 inaugural season, the USPHL had well in excess of 150 participants that went on to play collegiate hockey, making it the clear leader in the East to help aspiring players reach their collegiate goals.

Wojciechowski Commits to Nazareth College

Shaun Patry was named the USPHL Premier Division Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending February 16th.

Patry had a huge weekend in helping the Junior Americans to a 3-0 mark at the USPHL Showcase, exploding for three goals and six assists on the weekend.

Patry started the weekend by scoring just 29 seconds into Sunday’s game against the Boston Junior Bruins.

Wojciechowski off to Nazareth He added three assists in a 6-3 Rochester victory.

Nazareth plays at the Bill Gray’s Iceplex, the same home arena of the Junior Americans. Wojciechowski will be the second Junior Americans player to suit up for Nazareth in the last two years. Oliver Janzen joined the Golden Flyers after spending the 2013-2014 season with the Junior Americans Elite team. Janzen was named to the ECAC West All-Rookie team this season.

The Rochester Junior Americans are members of the United States Premier Hockey League, with teams in the USPHL 16U & 18U midget divisions, and in the USPHL Empire and Premier junior divisions. The Junior Americans 16U and 18U teams are partnered with Rochester Youth Hockey. In its 2013-2014 inaugural season, the USPHL had well in excess of 150 participants that went on to play collegiate hockey, making it the clear leader in the East to help aspiring players reach their collegiate goals.

Janzen Named to ECAC West All-Rookie Team Junior Americans alumnus and Nazareth College freshman Oliver Janzen was chosen to the ECAC West conference’s All-Rookie team.

Janzen played in all 25 games for the Golden Flyers, leading the team with 11 goals on the season. The Denver, Colorado native finished the season with 21 points and helped lead Nazareth to a third place finish in the ECAC West.

Janzen scored 15 goals and notched 26 assists last season for the Junior Americans Elite team

The Rochester Junior Americans are proud to announce that defenseman JR Wojciechowski has committed to play collegiate hockey for Nazareth

WNYHockeyReport.com

Shaun Patry named USPHL Premier Division Offensive Player of the week.

Monday saw Patry score twice in a dominating 10-1 win over the Springfield Pics, which he followed up by dishing out three assists in a 7-5 victory over the South Shore Kings. The weekend sweep clinched a playoff spot for the Junior Americans.

Patry finishes the season with 18 goals and 2 7assists in 47 games this season for the Premier team. The Oakville, Ontario native is in his fifth season in the Rochester Junior Americans program.

Feature

41

Lockport Express

by Randy Schultz Randy@wnyhockeyreport.com “When we were granted a franchise in the Northern States Junior Hockey League for the 2014-15 season, we were very excited to be joining such a good hockey league. The league provides a high quality of Junior A hockey and is extremely well run.

“Our challenge this year was to build a quality hockey program in Lockport, with a good, competitive team.

We expect to be an asset to the NAHL as well as the city of Lockport.”

That is how Frank Vecchio, head coach and general manager of the Lockport Express, described how Express management felt when they were awarded a hockey team that plays in the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League (NA3EHL).

“Our goal was to give local players in the area a chance to play Junior hockey,” continued Vecchio. “And we wanted to give the hockey fans in the Lockport area a chance to see junior hockey again after nearly a 30 year absence.”

The NA3EHL is a Tier III Junior Hockey League, managed

by the NAHL. The primary mission of the Express and the other nine teams that make up the NA3EHL is to provide a structured developmental environment for studentathletes who have the ability and the aspirations to play at the collegiate level.

The common goal is to produce athletes who are committed to excellence in academics as well as athletics.

The Express, along with two other teams in the State including the Roc City Royals (Rochester) and Syracuse Stallions, joined the NA3EHL for the 2014-15 campaign.

The Express had a successful first season, making the playoffs before losing in the first round of them.

“We feel that there are a lot of kids in this area that are very talented hockey players and deserve a chance to show what they can do,” stated Vecchio. “Our goal this year was to get as many local kids as possible to try out for the team.

“Of the 23 players we kept on the Express for this season, only three were not from Western New York.

Two of our goalies are from Ontario and Ohio and a defenseman is from the Jamestown area.

“The other 20 are locals who are all within easy driving distance from Lockport. The players are all between the ages of 16 and 20.”

Vecchio admits that the season has been very successful so far. The Express finished second in the Western Division and qualified for the playoffs.

“We just want to give local kids a chance to play good, solid hockey without having to go away from home to do it,” remarked Vecchio. “We had checked out a

couple of other leagues, one being in Minnesota, but it just wasn’t what we were looking for.”

“Our owner and president, Steve Bueme, has invested a lot in this team. And interestingly enough, Steve has no vested interest in the team other than owning it.

“He doesn’t have a kid involved in the team. He just wanted to give back to the community.

“The fact that Cornerstone Arena was being built was just a situation of being in the right place at the right time. It’s new and is a beautiful place to play in.

“We lead the lead in attendance, averaging almost 300 per game. We’re in a great town and there is a great atmosphere in the arena for our games.

“I think there is a great future for the Express in Lockport.”

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Senior Hockey

42

Senior Hockey: A festive farewell to another season

by Michael Mroziak Michael@wnyhockeyreport.com

If not for the hockey rink located immediately next to the tents, trailers and grill, you’d think folks were getting ready for a Buffalo Bills game. This tailgate party, however, was part of the festivities in the final weekend of the season for the Healthy Zone rink in East Aurora.

It was the Molson/Certo Brothers Icedome 4-on-4 tournament, an annual cross-ice competition hosted by the operators of Old Tyme Hockey League of east Aurora (OTHLEA) and Western New York Hockey Report.

This year’s tournament brought a mix of teams, including OTHLEA clubs who may or may not have brought in some ringers – which is perfectly OK for the tournament. It’s independent of the regular season that ended the previous weekend.

Some non-OTHLEA teams also joined in including the Buffalo Sabres Warriors, a team created back in 2012 by the NHL team, Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association, National Fuel and Veterans’ Affairs office to help veterans use hockey as a means to help them recover physically or emotionally after returning home from active service.

The Warriors could play. I experienced it firsthand when my participating club, the American Grille North Stars, skated against them in both teams’ first of three scheduled round robin games for the day. Dressed in sharp Sabres “desert camouflage” jerseys, the team played hard but clean and won the opener.

It was explained by one of the players during the continuing tailgate party after the tournament’s end that those uniforms were originally meant to be worn by the Sabres for pregame warm-ups, but that season’s lockout put that on ice and so, the uniforms were donated to the Warriors.

The small tent city had its practical purpose besides being a place to gather and party: with so many teams taking part in continuously running games, it helped ease overcrowding in the rink’s four existing changing rooms. Some teams also took over the big dome at the opposite end of the rink.

Helping players pass the average two-hour wait between games – in addition to the adult beverages provided – was a full spread of complimentary grilled foods: hot dogs, hamburgers, Italian sausages, even fried bologna with onions and peppers.

When it was all over, the Pasquale’s Penguins were crowned this year’s champions. Congratulations to the winning team! *** The Icedome tournament was one of three events hosted by OTHLEA heading into the final weekend at the Healthy Zone. On the previous Thursday and Friday nights, the league held it’s A-line and C-line All-Star Games. The A-liners, of course, represented the higher talents in the league while the C-line All-Stars were, well, a step or two behind but certainly just as entertaining.

The previous weekend, the league hosted its championship game between the top two teams in the

regular season: Craft Tap House Canadiens and Transitowne Red Wings. The Canadiens took the early lead but let it slip away late, as the Red Wings crept back into the game and ultimately won the Lord Manly Cup for the first time.

The Red Wings became the league’s sixth team to lift the Cup since the league’s inaugural season in 2009-10. The Rangers remain the only team to win it more than once, though not back-to-back. The succession of champions is, in order: Flyers, Nordiques, Rangers, Canucks, Rangers again, North Stars and now the Red Wings. *** Most other leagues around the region were still wrapping up WNYHockeyReport_Testimonial4.pdf 1 9/22/14 9:32 AM regular seasons. We’ll have some of the results from their postseasons next month.

In Skate Great Get the edge with Skate Great! the meantime, we encourage league or rink managers Largest program in WNY to forward their results to us at info@ #5 in entire U.S. wnyhockeyreport.com.

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Editor’s Note: The writer is an active Customer Testimonial - “Skate Great provided a tremendous opportunity for my children member of an Old (ages 6 and 3) to learn how to skate. Neither of my children had ever stepped onto the ice Tyme Hockey League before their first lesson with skate great. In just five months, our son went from his initial of East Aurora team lesson to playing hockey. I am amazed with the results. The coaches are tremendous, and and participated in the worked very well with both our children. My kids will continue to be a part of the skate events covered here for great program for many years to come.” - Jason Luna the purpose of creating a firsthand observation.

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