WNY Hockey Report October 2012

OCTOBER 2012 VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 2 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

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Editorial / 3

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 Columnists Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com Janet Schultz Mike Mroziak Kyle Gunn-Taylor Kyle@wnyhockeyreport.com

WESTERN NEW YORK HOCKEY REPORT No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy and facsimile, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Contents 2012 Western New York Hockey Report.

All rights reserved.

Buffalo--Try Out for a Spot in the 2013 Red Bull Crashed Ice

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he Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2013 Buffalo Qualifer will be held Tuesday, October 16 at 6 p.m. at the Aurora Ice Classic Tribute Rink, 41 Riley St., East Aurora.

This is the only chance 200 men and 20 women will have to qualify for the December 1 kick-off challenge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which is the qualifier for the 2013 Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championships in March.

The athletes will face two identical obstacle courses where skaters tackle the course two at a time. The top overall scores based on speed, skill, strength and agility will determine the best of the best, 5 men and 1 woman from the Buffalo qualifier, advancing to the season opener in Niagara Falls.

Red Bull Crashed Ice will also allow 50 walk-up spots per qualifying city (as time permits and registration allows). Those walk-ups will join the 200 men and 20 women selected via lottery to take part in the qualifers as they all vie to skate into Niagara Falls.

After the race in Niagara Falls on December 1, the top 64 Canadian men and 16 women will earn their spot for the final race in Quebec City on March 16.

Other qualifiers are being held in St. Paul, Minn., Russia and Switzerland.

Red Bull Crashed Ice is a combi-

WESTERN NEW YORK HOCKEY REPORT is published monthly, for $15 one year or $25 two years, by Western New York Hockey Report, P.O. Box 302, East Aurora, N.Y. 14052 Pending Periodical Postage Paid at Orchard Park and Additional Offices.

Postmaster: send address changes to Western New York Hockey Report P.O. Box 302, East Aurora, N.Y. 14052

Rochester’s Maksymum Junior Team (Photo by Janet Schultz)

nation of hockey, boardercross and Catherine Pouliot, 416-849-3387 or downhill skiiing. Red Bull Crashed 514-816-4812 or email Melissa.LeIce sets a thrilling stage for intrepid gaspi@edelman.com or Catherine male and female amateur and Pouliot@edelman.com. pro hockey players from around the globe. No flat surfaces here--instead daring racers hurtle down an ice track showcasing their WNY Association News...... 11 strength, speed and technique while battling masAurora Ice............................. 6 sive jumps, gaping drops, Barnaby Hockey................ 20 hairpin runs and each other HPHD Video Training......... 26 to the icy, epic finish.

Men’s College..................... 15 To register for the Buffalo qualifier go to www.

PUCCS.................................. 4 redbullcrashedice.com/bufRochester Hockey.............. 13 falo.

Women’s Hockey................ 18 For more about the world championship go to www.redbullcrashedice.

Check us out on Facebook! com.

For more information contact Melissa Legaspi or

In This Issue...

Do you know all the tax rules?

(We do!)

Tax Advantage of WNY LLC I n d i v i d u a l i z e d Ta x S e r v i c e s Anthony Mrozik Jr. – 949.4854 Grace Huff – 523.1414

PUCCS / 4

I

magine not being able to concentrate on the simplest daily task. Then mix in what it would feel like to constantly battle splitting headaches.

Combine those agonizing mental debilities with the inability to express to anyone, even your closest family and friends exactly how you feel and you’ll get a glimpse of what life was like for Philip Kane after sustaining his sixth documented concussion.

“I know I’ve had 6 documented,” Kane said, “Possibly as many as 9.”

Growing up in South Buffalo, Kane participated in a trio of physically demanding sports; football, hockey and lacrosse.

Last year, as a senior at Canisius High School, his dream was to eventually earn a college scholarship from his athletic prowess. After being knocked unconscious from a body check in a hockey game, his status to even graduate high school became cloudy.

He couldn’t concentrate on his school work forcing him to take incompletes. Those closest to him noticed a negative change in his daily demeanor and the headaches he was suffering from developed into migraines.

According to University at Buffalo neurosurgeon Dr. Elad Levy, the prolonged symptoms Kane withstood are typical of post-concussion syndrome.

The difference between post-concussion syndrome and an actual concussion are surprisingly differentiated, especially for someone who

has endured more than one traumatic blow. The immediate warning signs of a concussion include; nausea, memory loss, dizziness, confusion, ear ringing, slurred speech and headache.

PUCCS: It Only Takes One

By Kyle Gunn-Taylor Kyle@wnyhockeyreport.com

Post-concussion symptoms are more cognitive, involving; personality changes, impaired senses, sleep disturbance, depression, concentration issues and sensitivity to light that can last weeks, or even months after the initial brain jarring contact.

After seeing a discouraging spike in the number of children in and out of UB Neurosurgery, Dr. Levy founded the Program for Understanding Childhood Concussion and Stroke as an avenue to raise awareness.

“We need to make parents, coaches and players aware,” said Levy, “It only takes one concussion

to change a life.”

In diagnosing a concussion in youth athletics communication between the three responsible parties – coaches, players and parents - is essential.

Beginning with the coach, who should be in tune with the game enough to realize one of the players has collided fiercely enough to have possibly caused a concussion. Sitting the player down, whether it’s the teams star or a fourth line role player is the proper precaution to take. Even if just for a shift or two until that player has clearly responded to simple questions and demonstrates the clarity to continue competing.

“I’ve definitely played through a bunch of concussions,” said, Kane “It screws your game up because your head is killing you and you play timid. When you play timid, you put yourself in more vulnerable positions.”

The player must be honest with how they feel after taking such a blow and keep in mind that the macho bravado that ‘I just got my bell rung’ is no longer an acceptable excuse to jeopardize long term health.

Any person who has competed physically at any level understands the pressures of playing through an injury, whether its minor or major, but it has become evident with the recent advancements in brain evaluation, that if a concussion is aggravated there can be lasting and life changing effects on the bodies most important organ.

If a concussion is suspected by the coach,

PUCCS / 5 the player’s parents should be notified, so they can have their child evaluated professionally and informed of the procedure for observing postconcussion symptoms.

As PUCCS focuses its aim to raise money for the research and development of a more standardized understanding of how to diagnose and treat concussions, there has been an unbelievable amount of outreach by the local business community.

“We’ve raised over $100,000 for research on concussion,” said, Levy “We’re getting better imaging and a better understanding of concussions.”

Beginning Friday, November 23 and running through Sunday, November 25, Holiday Twin Rinks will host the Second Annual PUCCS Charity Hockey Event.

Over the course of the weekend the event will feature a 36-team WNY Youth League tournament, a 16-team Adult Round Robin tournament and a Buffalo Sabres Alumni game.

The entry fee for the adult tournament is $1,000 per team and participants are encouraged to raise money to support the event. The team that raises the most money is rewarded with an opportunity to showdown against the Sabres Alumni.

“Our vision is to use the imaging resources available in medicine to develop the most accurate tools to assist clinicians and coaches to

more accurately assess and identify the severity of injury and eventually determine when a player can safely return to the game.” -- PUCCS website.

For more information on the tournament and how to become a sponsor for PUCCS visit their website www.PUCCS.org.

For Philip Kane, the post-concussion symptoms have drastically changed the way he lives his life. He is currently a freshman at Loyola University in New Orleans, and is allowed extra time for homework and tests due to his issues with concentration.

He stays fit by getting up for early morning swims, but misses the competitive nature of the contact sports of his youth.

Philip says he has no regrets, and he likes the harshening of punishments for head checks and hitting from behind in hockey as a preventative measure.

His message to those who choose to participate in physically competitive sports is simple; be aware. There is no way to completely remove concussions from the sports that have been founded on physicality, but if the players doing the hitting understand the circumstances and potential consequences, and the players receiving the hit are mentally focused on the game, it will only help reduce the amount of debilitating brain injuries kids endure in the future.#

Second Annual PUCCS Charity Hockey Event November 23- 25 Holiday Twin Rinks www.PUCCS.org

East Aurora Rink / 6

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hey built it, and the Buffalo Sabres helped make history by hosting the board president Anthony DiFilippo IV. “In the past we could only do ice, and first game in the annual National Hockey League Winter Classic. when the ice was down there was the exposed piping in the sand, so you They moved it, and the outdoor rink renamed the Time Warner Clascouldn’t do anything. Now, when the ice is melted, there’s a smooth finished sic Rink became a popular destination in concrete surface for activities that are the Village of East Aurora for both hockey ancillary to our on-ice programming, players and public skaters alike. such as roller hockey, roller skating, They’ve renovated it, and now the dry land training and some communirink is poised to become not only a more ty events that we could do at the rink established hockey facility but also a now.” venue for non-hockey events in the East That could include concerts, car Aurora community in the off-season. shows, or other festivities that require After securing the funds to make it an open space and solid surface. happen, the Aurora Ice Association (AIA) The story behind the Time Warner this past summer moved ahead with the Classic Rink has already been well next phase of its master plan to turn the documented: the rink used by the

By Michael Mroziak “temporary rink” into a permanent base, Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins at press@wnyhockeyreport.com when construction workers poured a conRalph Wilson Stadium on January 1, crete slab on the grounds beneath where 2008 was disassembled and put into the ice will soon be restored. The cooling storage, with the possibility of selling it system will be secured within that concrete, which expands beyond the rink for parts. The newly formed AIA acquired the rink and moved it into the Vildimensions to cover the deck where spectators stand. lage of East Aurora where it was used beginning with the 2009-2010 hockey “That will expand the ice season, probably make it more efficient but season. also allow now for some off-ice programming, plus it cleans up the site,” said The AIA developed a master plan for capital improvements to what AIA board president Anthony DiFilippo IV. became Time Warner Classic Rink. Two years ago, the AIA carried out its By pouring concrete in place of the sand which lay beneath the ice in first step in realizing that master plan by constructing a pavilion roof, which past years, DiFilippo says they’ll only need to put down about two inches of is credited for improving the quality of the ice surface by protecting it from ice as opposed to several inches above the old base. In theory, it will make it direct sunlight and precipitation, while leaving the sides open to preserve easier for staff to maintain the ice, including a more efficient use of energy. the feeling of playing outdoors.

How much of a difference it will make remains to be seen, according to What comes next in the master plan, according to DiFilippo, could either DiFilippo. But the new slab is nevertheless a cause for celebration by the be construction of a permanent dressing room facility or a permanent volunteer Aurora Ice Association board of directors, which raised funds to heated lodge with windows that would allow spectators to watch the action make it possible… without seeking taxpayer dollars. on the ice while staying out of the cold.

UBNS_WNY Hockey_2012_Layout 1 9/4/12 9:39 AM Page 1 “It will make that facility a year-round facility,” said Aurora Ice Association “The (proposed) lodge is the showpiece in that end zone that probably would be more costly,” he said. “If we had enough money to cover it we Visit us at UBNS.com would probably do the lodge first. We figure we could probably raise the money easily in the next year for the locker room building. If we were short on money, we might do the locker room. It’s a tough call.”

Time Warner Classic Rink & Aurora Ice Take Next Steps

East Aurora’s Hockey Hub

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Just as the Aurora Ice Association proceeds with its slow but steady growth, so too does the hockey activity. The youth hockey association Aurora Ice has slowly grown along with the rink as its resident youth program.

“We’re really growing our house program,” Aurora Ice youth hockey committee chairman Bob Morgan. “We’re hoping to get new registrations at that level. We want it to be a community-based hockey program.”

Community based, but still modest. What the Ice does not seek to do is thin out the talent pools of the more competitive travel clubs in the region.

(Continued on Page 9)

7

Game For A Goal

By Randy Schultz

“I

t started with the Buffalo Sabres organization being so community driven. They gave two organizations, ‘Hasek’s Heroes’ and ‘Kids Escaping Drugs’ a grant sponsorship.

“The two organizations are going to be working together this year to get kids from the campus on the ice. That’s when the two organizations began brainstorming with ideas to come up with a fundraising plan.

“One of the things the two organizations always talk about is ‘healthy living and healthy choices.’ We want to help make these kids in both organizations healthier.

“That’s when we came up with the idea of ‘Game For A Goal.’”

That is how Sean Green, executive director for “Hasek’s Heroes,” explained the concept for this fund raising effort.

So what is “Game For A Goal?”

“We issued a challenge to all youth hockey organizations in the area,” continued Green. “At some point during their hockey season one youth hockey team (it can be house, travel, high school, ect.) will designate one game to raise money and donate it to the cause of ‘Game For A Goal.’

“The minimum a team has to raise is $300 to win a wristband for each player on the team.But they are welcomed to raise more.

“The more they raise the greater the prize they can win.”

The idea was pitched to the Sabres.

“Again, they bought into the idea almost immediately,” said Green. “Again, they asked the question of what could they do?

“We decided to have different levels of prizes for different levels of money raised.

Some of the prizes include an autographed Sabres team flag, a Sabres autographed team jersey, autographed mini-sticks for an entire team, a pizza lunch for a team during a Sabres practice at First Niagara Center and a tour of the locker room.

“There are also tickets to a Sabres game with a post-game meeting with a player and even an hour of practice time at the First Niagara Arena for a team.

“There are some very attractive prizes.”

Green admits that there will be some

challenges.

“This is the first year we’ve done this,” added Green. “Times are still tough out there but we’re giving it our best shot for being the first year.”

The contest is opened ended.

“We are telling teams that if they designate one game and raise a certain amount of money, but see that another team has taken their game and raised more, they can go back and designate another game to raise even more money.

“It’s up to each team and organization and how far they want to go. So this can be organization driven as well because there are prizes for them as well.”

This has an interesting twist to it.

“In Western New York you have some very big organizations that have a lot of teams and players,” said Green. “You also have some that are small and don’t have a lot of players.

“So the final decision will be weighted if needed. There is a formula devised to determine a winner.

“So everybody has an equal chance.”

This event is opened to all teams within the Western New York area, including the Buffalo, Rochester and Jamestown areas.

The contest will run from October 1 through December 31. But that could be changed depending on the current NHL lockout.

“In the end we want the teams to be creative in how they raise the money,” concluded Green.

“Come up with some different types of ideas.

“In the end everybody is a winner including the kids that raise the money and the kids that receive the help from the money raised.

“It is truly a win-win situation.”#

For Information, registration forms, full list of prizes and contest rules on Game For A Goal go to www.makeachangewny.org

East Aurora Rink/Sabres/Stars / 9

(continued from Page 6)

“We would just really want to create access in our community for kids to play.”

Last season Aurora Ice hosted cross-ice mites and a squirt house team, plus a bantam travel team. If they hope to grow anywhere, it’s with the squirt house division.

Adult hockey will also return to the Tim War-

Miracle Field A Hit!

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he Buffalo Sabres Alumni and several current players took to the baseball diamond recently. They played ball with a very special group of children on a very special field.

Miracle Field on Grand Island was a community project partially funded by the Buffalo Sabres Alumni AsFormer Buffalo Sa- sociation that gives children bre Larry Playfair with disabilities a place to was honored for play ball. his work on The

The second annual Miracle Field, single-inning game drew Grand Island. a diamond surrounded by (Photo by Janet spectators cheering on the Schultz) young players as they were assisted by their hockey heroes including Larry Playfair, Renee Robert, Danny Gare, Larry Carriere and Nathan Gerbe to mention a few.

The field is specially designed with an artificial turf that allows the players to utilize wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and canes easily.

The entire field is fenced in and includes a covered Former Sabre Larry Carriere shelter and conat Miracle Field. (Photo by cession stand.# Janet Schultz)

ner Classic Rink this season, only this time there will be two leagues. The Old Tyme Hockey League of East Aurora (which, in the interest of full disclosure, is owned by the same company that operates WNY Hockey Report) will begin its fifth season this October. The 20team league features players ages 30 and older (with the exception of a handful of late 20-somethings who were grandfathered into the league before the 30-over rule became enforced), bearing the names and colors of classic NHL teams.

In addition, the rink will be home to a new 40-and-over league known as the Labatt Blue Classic Hockey League 40, or CHL40 for short. The minimum age for players will be strictly enforced at 40 years old, except for goalies, who may be as young as 35 years old. An interesting requirement by the CHL40, according the AIA’s website, is that wood hockey sticks are mandatory.

A 12-year Mission Enters its Fifth Season The quest to bring a rink into East Aurora was hardly a new mission when word got out the NHL’s first Winter Classic Rink was available.

In fact, according to DiFilippo the quest began a dozen years ago.

The Time Warner Classic Rink will enter its fifth winter of operation. Judging by the numbers of hockey players and many more people who have frequented the rink for Friday night public skates, the rink will again be a popular draw this fall and winter. By putting in the new concrete surface, the facility’s future is bright because it allows the center to be a useful facility for the greater community, not just those who can skate.

“That’s something we always envisioned,” DiFilippo added. “Because we’re a not-for-profit, we’re not municipally owned nor municipally subsidized, we didn’t have deep pockets. It’s amazing where we’ve come, and we’ve taken baby steps.”#

Buffalo Stars Go Pink

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he Buffalo Stars Hockey Organization will GO PINK for the month of October as they do their part for Cancer Awareness Month. Over the course of 30 days every team in the Buffalo Stars Organization will have some type of function to raise awareness of Cancer as well as raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

The Stars will kick off the month a day early as they take part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk-a-Thon on Sunday, September 30. You can do your part either through participation or donation by going to this link: https://secure3.convio. net/tacs/site/SPageServer?donate=1&pagename=MSABC_FY13_ TR_event_search&fr_id=47319 and then enter: Buffalo Stars Hockey.

Our month long participation will end on Saturday, October 27 as we conduct our Annual Health & Fitness Night at Holiday Twin Rinks. The night will feature various participants from the local Health, Wellness and Fitness Community. The main event that evening will be our Annual Blood Drive for UNYTS (Upstate NY Transplant Services).

Throughout the month of October, All Buffalo Stars teams will participate in some type of fundraiser such as bake sales, skate-a-thons, and other activities.

Buffalo Stars Teams are also selling Pink Bracelets for $3 and Paper Ribbons for a donation of any amount. The Paper Ribbons will be hung on the Buffalo Stars Office and the goal is to cover the entire office with ribbons. Again, all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

The Stars U16 Midget Team and Empire Junior Team will also wear pink jerseys on Saturday, October 27 as they play host to Team Ohio in non league action. The jerseys will later be auctioned off with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

All Buffalo Stars Players will also wear Pink Skate laces the entire month of October as a show of support for Cancer Survivors and Patients.

For a complete list of activities visit the Buffalo Stars at: www.buffalostars.com. ### (Submitted by the Buffalo Stars Hockey Program)

Junior Sabres / 10

A

Alex Dagnal, an early standout. (Photo by Junior Sabres)

s the National Hockey League’s teams began locking out its players, the Buffalo Junior Sabres were busy passing around home schedule posters, sending direct Twitter messages to some of their nearly 600 followers, and seizing any opportunities they could to send out a simple message to Buffalo area hockey fans: With all due respect to the NHL lockout, there is still a season of good

quality hockey to be enjoyed.

In postgame comments after the team’s game against the St. Michael’s Buzzers on September 17, head coach and general manager Michael Peca offered his own thoughts and made his pitch on behalf of his team to the local hockey watching public.

“I think it’s a terrific brand of hockey,” he said. “If anyone’s come out and seen us play thus far this year, the level of hockey is very high. The enthusiasm, the energy is extremely high.”

Through mid-September, the Jr. Sabres were off to a 2-1 start. That night against St.

by Michael Mroziak Michael’s, the team was handed a 6-2 loss, press@wnyhockeyreport.com Buffalo’s first loss of the season. The loss to the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s early top team came following a 3-0 season opening win on the road at the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, followed by a 6-5 home opener win against the Burlington Cougars.

Getting the word out on the Jr. Sabres, even with a successful start, remained an uphill battle for the team with hockey fans focusing on the NHL’s labor situation. A big win by the Buffalo Bills on September 16 also kept a lot of the local sports fan base’s minds on football.

It would be two more days after the St. Michael’s game when the NHL would cancel the first games as the result of their lockout. Rewind to the Jr. Sabres game on September 17 and Michael Peca continued his public pitch to hockey fans to give his squad a try.

“There’s people who are going to need a hockey fix, there’s no doubt about it. It’s a game that this city loves to watch and loves to support. I think the Buffalo Jr. Sabres program is a perfect outlet for them, especially with the uncertainty of the National Hockey League and its lockout.

“I know these kids in our program would love to have the support of the community. I know we’re going to be really getting involved heavily in the community with our kids. We would just love to see our rink get filled up from time to time. I think any time as an athlete when you play in front of a large enthusiastic crowd, it only makes the environment and the product a lot stronger. So, we’re hoping to maybe draw from some of those hockeystarving people and get them in our rink.”

Peca also pointed to defenseman Sean Federow for “giving us what we’d thought,” which was a steady presence in the back, the sort that led Buffalo to trade for him back in April. He also offered praise to fellow blueliner Tony DeVito.

“He plays with a lot of poise for a 17-year-old, and I only expect him to get better.”

Rocky Off to Niagara Even before the team’s training camp came to its conclusion, the Jr. Sabres were already saying goodbye to a player. Veteran forward Rocky Gruttadauria received a surprise invitation to enroll at Niagara University this academic year and join the school’s NCAA Division I program.

Gruttaduaria, a native of the Rochester area, was preparing to enter his third season with the Jr. Sabres and admitted having early conversations with Niagara about joining them in 2013-14. However, a roster spot became immediately available and he was contacted about filling that vacancy.

When interviewed by the Jr. Sabres for purposes of making the announcement, Gruttadauria looked back on his years with the Jr. Sabres and thinks very highly about his teammates, and their chances.

“Playing for the Jr. Sabres the last two years was a crucial step in my journey to get to where I am today,” said Gruttadauria. “The Ontario Junior Hockey League is a much better league than most people in the U.S think it is.

“This coming season I think the team is stronger than it has ever been. Coach Peca has made the right moves to strengthen weak areas from last year. A smart veteran core headed by captain Derek Patterson will be the key to their success.

I wish the boys the best of luck this season and I’m sure I’ll play either with or against most of them again.”

Junior Sabres Report It’s Still “Game On!”

Rivals on NHL’s Radar

To offer another perspective of the high level of competition the Jr. Sabres are facing this season, two of the players they skated against in the first few games of the regular season are now officially on the National Hockey League’s watch list. Matt Buckles of the St. Michael’s Buzzers is ranked with a “B” by the NHL’s Central Scouting, while Bryson Cianfrone of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens is ranked with a “C”.

No Buffalo players are on the list at this time, but previously Jr. Sabres players have been watched from afar by the NHL. Last year, for example, then Jr. Sabre Andrew Poturalski was included in the league’s “Players to Watch” list, which focuses on junior, midget and prep school players. Poturalski, who is verbally committed to the University of New Hampshire for 2013-14, reported to the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for this season.#

Early Standouts?

Through the early stages of the OJHL season, Alex Dagnal was emerging as the Jr. Sabres’ leading scorer with three goals in as many games. He also led all Buffalo scorers with a total of five points (two assists to go with his goals). Pat Egan scored two goals up to that point and was in a four-way tie for second place in team scoring with four points. So, too, did Josh Kielich.

Dagnal was praised by Peca for his efforts, but the head coach noted some other players he also thought were early standouts.

“I think Ryan Schmelzer’s been our best overall player so far this year,” said Peca. “He’s been very consistent, strong in all areas of the game. He’s been our leader up front.”

Rocky Gruttadauria, off to NU (Photo by Junior Sabres)

WNY Assn. News / 11

F

irst, let’s have a little introduction.

Hello readers, and welcome to the first installment of Around the Associations. What this column will offer each month is a summary of happenings and a preview of upcoming events throughout the Western New York youth hockey scene.

As you already appreciate, there are quite a few youth hockey associations throughout the region. We’ll make the rounds and spotlight different associations as best as we can. But we’ll only be as good as the information that’s available to us.

If you’ve got tournament or game results, an upcoming team-related charity or community project or some other news or note from your youth hockey association, please let us know! You can forward your news to us by email at press@ wnyhockeyreport.com.

In the meantime, with divisions including bantam and peewee just beginning to get their seasons underway at press deadline, the news this month will lean more heavily toward happenings at the midget level.

Thanks, and good luck to everyone this hockey season. And away we go…

sion), Monroe County 16U (Red Division), Buffalo Saints 16U (Blue B) and Amherst Knights 16U (Green Division).

In the WHYAHL’s 15U divisions, the Bud Bakewell Bruins were off to a hot start but right behind them in the standings were the Bisons, who won two of their first three games in the early stage of the season.

Around the Associations

Bud Bakewell Bruins The Bruins are entering a team for the first time this season in the midget-level Multi Organizational House League (MOHL). The team will be coached by John Garey and, with its roster in place, awaits the start of the MOHL season in early October, pending the results of a league scheduling meeting in late September.

In the meantime, the Bruins’ tournament bound and non-tournament bound midget teams, like others in Western New York, got their seasons underway in mid-September. So, too, did their 16U and 15U level teams. The nontournament bound 15U lineup, under coach Bill Cline, was off to a fast start, winning their first five games in the Western New York Amateur Hockey League to remain undefeated as of mid-September.

The bantam and peewee teams were just getting their respective seasons underway.

Aurora Ice The Aurora Ice program continues to grow in the Village of East Aurora, playing on the Time Warner Classic Rink. What it is not, by its own admission, is another program attempting to go AAA and is instead more focused and satisfied with its mission to host a fun and community-minded place for young players to

By Michael Mroziak press@wnyhockeyreport.com

enjoy the game.

We have more on the Aurora Ice elsewhere in this issue, as part of a separate article on the latest improvements to their home rink, the former Buffalo Sabres NHL Winter Classic rink.

Cheektowaga Warriors Cheektowaga’s midget level squads were all off to a good start in the WNYAHL’s 18U and 16U divisions (Blue or Red, depending on tournament bound status).

Frank Willhauck is serving as head coach for the Warriors’ 18U tournament-bound squad, which got off to a 3-0 start through midSeptember with wins over Cazenovia, Tonawanda and Bud Bakewell.

All were one-goal games, so look for some good competition within the division this season.

Cheektowaga’s 16U entry in the WNYAHL’s Red Division was also off to a good start winning its first four games of the season. It also enjoyed a successful tournament start at Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena, taking the 16U Purple & Silver division title with a 2-1 overtime win over Southtowns.

Buffalo Stars The Stars put in a busy month of September starting with the annual Labor Day Holiday tournament it hosts, followed by a Youth Opening Weekend on September 15 which featured several teams and games which were all telecast on the team’s official online channel at UStream.tv.

The youth openers on September 15 included the food and festivities that the organization has become well known for hosting. On the ice, the Stars’ squirts defeated Hamburg 2-1, while the bantam teams recorded split results, with the bantam minors downing Bud Bakewell 4-2 and the team’s other bantam squad falling to East Aurora, 8-0. In the midget division, the home team’s 15U and 18U squads were victorious with a 4-2 win over Wheatfield and 5-3 win over Bud Bakewell, respectively. The 16U side fell 5-1 to the Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles, who avenged a 7-2 victory by the Stars at the Dwyer Arena Early Bird Tournament earlier in the month.

Also enjoying some successful starts in the very early stages of the 2012-13 WNYAHL season were the Rochester Americans 16U (Blue A Divi-

Jamestown Lakers WNY Hockey Report paid tribute to hockey in Jamestown in our last issue, and heading into a new season they’re offering some competitive youth hockey. The Lakers’ 18U entry into the WNYAHL was sitting atop the Midget Blue Division at press time, winning its first four starts.

Jamestown, through the Chautauqua County Youth Hockey Association, is already seeking entries for its Mid-Winter Classic, scheduled to play in Jamestown during the weekend of February 16 to 18, which includes the President’s Day holiday and, for many Western New York schoolchildren, falls in their school district’s winter break.

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons and Clarence Mustangs Chucksters Learn to Skate Program begins Monday, Oct. 1 at Nichols Small Rink.

The program is for first time skaters, boys and girls ages 3 to 8. The focus is on learning to skate and introduction to basic hockey skills.

Practices are Mondays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. Hockey equipment is required and includes skates, hockey helmet, elbow pads and gloves. Walkers are provided for those that need assistance initially. For information contact Amy Kneer, amybisonhockey@aol.com or call 716-4655522. The program is being run in conjunction with Clarence Mustangs Hockey.

The Buffalo Bisons Mite Development Program begins Sunday, Sept. 30 at the North Buffalo Rink. This is for second year skaters and up, boys and girls ages 5 to 8. Emphasis is on continued development of skating and basic hockey skills.

Sessions are three times each week from October to February. Skating will be held at Buffalo State College Arena, Nichols School and the North Buffalo Rink. They will be using the USA Hockey ADM Cross-Ice Format. For information contact Amy Kneer, amybisonhockey@aol.com or 716465-5522. Bison Hockey and Clarence Mustangs Hockey are partnering for the third season at these early age levels.

(Continued on next page)

WNY Assn News / 12

Batavia Ramparts The Batavia Ramparts participated in the Oakfield Labor Days Parade to promote the hockey. The kids rollerbladed behind the float and handed out flyers to promote Batavia’s “Try Hockey For Free” days! The float took 3rd place!

Folks, once again… help us grow this monthly column! Send us your team news, including upcoming special events, to press@wnyhockeyreport.com.

Sabres Selected to Develop Webster Block

M

ayor Byron Brown announced that HARBORcenter Development, LLC (the development company affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres) as the preferred developer of the Webster Block. The plan is to create two new ice rinks, which coupled with the existing rink, makes this facility the “first of its kind” in the United States. The project also calls for a hotel, retail, a restaurant and new parking, for a total estimated project cost of $123 million.

“This is an exciting day for Downtown Buffalo and its waterfront,” said Mayor Brown, at a recent press conference. “I want to thank HARBORcenter Development, LLC and the Buffalo Sabres for putting before us a remarkable proposal that will re-make this prime piece of city-owned land, and bring tremendous economic impact to the community.”

“We are proud to be named the preferred developer of the Webster Block,” said Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Sabres. “This project will further enhance the current development at Canalside and in the process, create a destination attraction to draw hundreds of thousands of people to Buffalo’s waterfront on a yearly basis.

Canalside has seen a rebirth the past few years and we expect our project to act as a catalyst for future development on the waterfront.”

The Webster Block, a 1.7 acre city owned site located directly across from First Niagara Center, is considered a prized downtown parcel due to its location in downtown Buffalo, its proximity to Canalside, two major sports venues, and the Peace Bridge. The HARBORcenter Development project is expected to provide approximately 1,500 construction jobs. Once complete, the facilities are expected to create 350 full-time jobs, and generate $4.1 million in state and local taxes, $48 million over the next ten years.

In addition to building the new facilities, the Buffalo Sabres agreed to the following terms: - Pay $2 million for the Webster Block

- Seek city residents for post-construction jobs - Agreed to use local workforce for construction and meet 25% minority and 5% female hiring goals - Agreed to 25% minority business and 5% women business enterprise participation goals - Pay Living Wage for employees of ice rink and parking ramp - Attain the highest reasonable environmental standards for building - Expand parking in the building to make attendance at Canalside events more convenient for the public - Construct a facility that attracts new hockey-themed events/tournaments, and creates new opportunities for other special events - Committed to public, community and youth hockey use - Receive additional community input through the charette process

HARBORcenter Development also committed to the start of construction in March 2013, with the projected completion of the parking ramp, retail and ice rinks by the beginning of the 2014 Buffalo Sabres Hockey Season. The hotel is projected to be completed by spring of 2015.#

Feature / 13

Rochester: Developing Today’s Players for Tomorrow’s Careers!

Maksymum Hockey: A Leader in Skill and Hockey Development!

By Randy and Janet Schultz

W

hat simply began as a guy giving private lessons to some kids who were interested in hockey and skating at the ESL Center (now MCC Arena) in Rochester, is now a thriving business and occupies quite a bit of space in the Arena.

Jeff Kolcon, along with partner Dave Maksymiu, began a partnership 20 years ago in the ESL Center. Maksymum Hockey is now billed as the nation’s premier hockey development company and they now own a junior A hockey team.

“We went from focusing on private lessons, still the backbone of our business, to many other hockey-related aspects of the business including on-ice, off-ice and classroom training,” said Kolcon.. “We have a great relationship with the amateur hockey organizations in the Rochester area.”

“We have private lessons, clinics, camps and league services. We also have our own radio show, which focuses on amateur hockey.”

“We now own a Junior A and a Junior B hockey team and run the Maksymum Girls Academy for Hockey.

“Girls at all levels are involved and doing extremely well,” said Kolcon.

One of those girls is Kolcon’s own daughter, Maggie, who just happens to hold the woman’s record on the Rapid Shot. She has the highest score of any girl in the world and also holds the record for having the most shots on goal on the machine.

The Rapid Shot counts the shots on goal and the goals scored.

“Thousands of kids use this machine as well as NHL players,” said Kolcon.

Maggie, along with Bridgette Hamlin and Mel Ames are playing for the Pittsburgh Penquins Elite Women. All three went through the Maksymum program and were with the Rochester Edge.

The girl’s program includes a structured training program but the girl’s are free to use the ice daily and they can go into the performance center, Athletic Republic, to work out at any time.

“The girls put more time in than anyone else,” said Kolcon. “There’s no magic formula, you work hard you will succeed.”

Kolcon emphasizes that Maksymum is a hockey development company, but they approach things differently than many, whose focus is on making it to the NHL. “Part of our job is to help a kid prosper and continue to dream about what he or she is doing,” says Kolcon. “More of our business is about building confidence. That’s as important as building skills.”

“We try and help an athlete in every aspect of life. That can include from the time they are very young right up to their late teens.

“We are about them, not just for a few weeks, but sometimes for years,” he stresses.

“Remember you can’t have confidence without skill and you can’t have skill without confidence.

We try to merge the two together and allow the kids to move up to their next level.”

Maksymum has also opened a second Athletic Republic on Lyell Road in Rochester that is a performance center for speed and agility.

“It’s an offshoot of Athletic Republic at the arena,” explains Kolcon. “We were so successful in the hockey community that we decided to take it to the fitness community.”

Another upgrade to training has been the purchasing of Nike’s Vapor Strobe Vision.

The program improves performance by enhancing visual skills such as focus, attention, anticipation, reaction, visualization, balance, stability and peripheral vision through sensory training.

“It’s a great tool,” said Kolcon. “It’s also unbelievable. Our trainers went to Nike for training and we see it as a great goalie training device.”

The Rochester Stars also partnered with the EJHL and brought the Syracuse Stars and their bus to Rochester.

“This now allows for development both for the beginner through the Major Junior,” said Kolcon.

“Our kids don’t have to leave Rochester to move on to college hockey. We can build the program and allow them to stay here.

“Again, not every kid will or wants to play for the Rochester Stars; but the option is there.”

The final part of the Maksymum story is that this is the tenth year of their radio show. The show still focuses on youth hockey and, with their USA Hockey partner, they discuss all issues and share success stories that will pertain to youth hockey in the area.

(Photo of skating treadmill at Athletic Republic and the Monroe Community College Arena, home to Rochester Youth Hockey and Maksymum. Photos by Janet Schultz)

FEATURE / 14 attended the Ontario la, is enrolled in the University’s College of EngiHockey Academy. She neering, majoring in mechanical engineering. attended the USA U16 On the boy’s side of Rochester Hockey, the Development camps in name of Nathan Billitier is being talked about 2010 and 2011; played around the country. Billitier was named to the club hockey with the USA National U17 team. The Spencerport native Rochester EDGE, taking played for the Rochester Stars Junior A, Rochester home the state champi- Alliance and was a member of the Junior Olympic onships in 2006, 2009 Team. He was the youngest player in the EJHL. and 2011. She served Billitier, a defenseman, skated in six games Maksymum Junior Hockey Team EJHL as captain of the EDGE for Team USA at the 2012 Olympic Youth Winter in her last year. Her sis- Games in Austria where he had one goal and an ter, Liz, graduated from assist. He played in 34 regular season games and Cornell in 2010 after a successful hockey career three tournament games for the Stars last season. where she scored the sixth-most power play goals He is the son of Rick and Jenny Billitier. in the NCAA era in school history. Anna is the Another of Rochester’s outstanding young playBy Janet Schultz daughter of Chris and Kate Daly. ers is Shane Prince. Also from Spencerport Prince Goaltender Mikaela Thompson, Webster, will be played for the Syracuse Stars, Maksymum’s Junior ochester Youth Hockey and the surrounding playing at St. Lawrence University this season. She Empire Team and is currently with the OHL in Otarea, including Perinton and Monroe County is an exceptional studenttawa, looking to move up to are extremely proud of the hockey players athlete and was selected to the Ottawa Senators. they have produced that have moved on to the Team USA’s Development He also played two seasons collegiate, Olympic and NHL levels. They should Camp for hockey. She is the with the Kitchener Rangers of be. daughter of Bob and Mithe OHL. They have names like Brian Gionta, Ryan Calchele Thompson.

As a member of the lahan, Rory Fitzpatrick, Jason Bonsignore, Shane Forward Kathy Donohue Maksymum team in 2007-08, Prince, Jill Cardella, Liz Zorn and numerous others will be sporting the white Prince had 15 goals and 31 asthat have become very successful at the game and green of Mercyhurst sists in regular season play. As they love. this season as a Freshman. a member of the Ottawa OHL This happened because the people who orgaShe played for the North team, Prince had 7 goals and 6 nize hockey in Rochester are passionate and com- American Hockey Academy assists in 2009-10; 25 goals/63 mitted and doing what is best for the kids. and scored 20 goals and assists in 2010-11 and 43 goals Maggie Kolcon, Bridgette Hamlin and One of the things the area had to do this season 31 assists during her junior and 47 assists last season.

Mel Ames, now playing for the Pittsburgh was combine to make the girl’s program stronger year. She was a member of

Rochester looks forward Penquins Elite Team. All from Rochester; all and competitive. Perinton, Rochester and Monroe the Rochester EDGE U14 to adding more players to from Maksymum Hockey Academy.

County are all working together as part of the (Photo submitted by Jeff Kolcon) team where she put up collegiate and professional Rochester Edge program.

91 points in 2008-09 and hockey rosters; but they also “The numbers dictated that we work together 17 points in 2011-12. As a look to make sure these playfor now to put up a stronger Tier I program and sophomore she took the Coach’s Award and was ers are developed properly. provide the girls with a path to grow in hockey,” an invite to the USA Player Development Camp as With that in mind the Rochester Stars have explained Jeff Kolcon, president of Rochester a 14 and 15-year old. Kathy is the daughter of Paul partnered with Maksymum on a U16 team that Youth Hockey. and Mary Donohue. will showcase players. They will take part in the “All three would like to have separate teams, Lizzy Marks is headed off to play for Oswego prestigious Boston Showcase and will have an opbut for now this will work the best for the girls,” and Cassandra Opela for the University of Conportunity to see what playing at the junior level is said Kolcon. necticut. Both played for the Rochester EDGE U17 all about.

The team will sport a new jersey with a logo Tier I team last season.

“It’s a taste of stronger development, but with that will incorporate the Perinton Blade, Monroe Rochester’s Jill Cardella attended the North less travel,” said Kolcon. “There is more discipline, Eagle and Rochester Edge symbol into one uniAmerican Hockey Academy and is now serving as it’s a dedicated season on and off ice and for the fied look. The girls will still be registered with their captain of the University of Boston women’s ice player to really start looking at where they want own organization but play under the Edge name. hockey team. Jill played her hockey career with to go in hockey, whether it’s the juniors or high “We forecasted four years ago that the 1996’s to the Rochester EDGE. school.”

1998’s would be down in numbers and we would Cardella enters her senior year at Boston after RYH has also put in a state-of-the-art video edithave to adjust,” said Kolcon. collecting 11 goals and 10 assists in 38 games in ing system for coaches. They have purchased the There was an idea to form a Junior girl’s team 2011-12. In her sophomore year she also played Game Breakers program, which will help coaches and Rochester began promoting it. However, it in all 38 games coming away with six goals and do things better, correct errors, be able to downdidn’t go over in the Rochester market and the eight assists. That same year she posted the two load coaching programs and training to iPhones, cost factor would have been high. multi-point games, one at the NCAA quarterfinals iPads and laptop computers.

This year the Rochester area girl’s have seen a against Mercyhurst. As a freshman Cardella led “Kids learn from playing NHL ’12 and NHL ’13,” lot of success with High School Junior Jenny Ryan the conference freshmen with 15 assists, ranked said Kolcon. “They learn from watching hockey on committing to the University of Wisconsin. Ryan second in both goals (12) and points (17). Cardella TV and they know the legends of hockey because is attending the North American Sports Academy took part in multiple USA Hockey National Devel- of the games. So why not use the technology to and is a senior at Victor High School. She also opment Camps, served as an assistant captain for teach them what they need to know to play.” made the USA U18 team. the Rochester EDGE for four years and was a two “They will now see themselves and what they Ryan began her hockey career in Webster, time silver medalist at the Empire State Games. need to improve,” said Kolcon. “At this point I see where she won a State Championship. She was Prior to attending the NAHA she attended Greece using it at the Bantam and Midget levels and also on the Rochester Edge team that took a State Athens High School, where she was also an allbeyond, not at the Mite.”

Championship. county softball player and was named valedicto “It’s a tool to get you to grow as a player.”

Ann Zorn is playing for the Cornell Big Red. rian of her senior class.

The freshman Forward is from Churchville and More Rochester news on Page 23 Cardella, the daughter of Ray and Janet Cardel-

RYH: Their Players Are on the Move

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MEN’S COLLEGIATE / 15 WNY MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES

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10-2-2 finish to the regular season launched the Purple Eagles into second place just one point out of the top spot. A sweep of rival Robert Morris resulted in Niagara’s first trip the Atlantic Hockey final four where they fell in overtime to RIT.

The unit loses just three seniors, but the key question will again be who steps into the top spot in goal with Chris Noonan’s departure after setting several single season school marks. The C-squad of juniors Cody Campbell and Carsen Chubak with sophomore Colby Drost will all throw their hat in the ring to start.

“Going in all three guys are capable and all three will get a chance,” said head coach Dave Burkholder.

“We’ll see which one takes on the roll and runs with it.

I think for all three to sit back and watch Chris Noonan evolve into one of the best goalies in the country was a great learning opportunity. What Chris did should help all three.”

The Purps return their top 13 scorers from one year ago including three defenseman led by forwards Giancarlo Iuorio, Marc Zanette, Patrick Divjak, Isaac Kohls and Ryan Rashid who all surpassed the 20-point mark. They did lose forward Scott Arnold early to a contract with Phoenix.

The defense also is virtually intact led by power play quarterback C.J. Chartrain, Kevin Ryan (Eden), Dan Weiss, Matt Williams and Tyler Matthews (Buffalo).

Competition for playing time arrives in the presence of seven newcomers in Dan Kolenda, Hugo Turcotte, Matt Dineen, TJ Sarcona, Matt Chiarantano, Mike Conderman and Nick Cecere.

Up front, Kolenda scored 30 goals, 65 assists and 95 points in 111 games with the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL).

Turcotte spent last year with the Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) scoring a team-high 23 goals. T.J. Sarcona (West Islip) played with the Amarillo Buffalo’s Tyler Matthews at Bulls (NAHL) the past last seasons two years scoring 23 Army vs NU Game. goals and 35 assists for (Photo by Janet Schultz) 58 points in 56 games this past season.

UMass-Lowell transfer and Rochester native Mike Conderman will seek playing time after sitting out a season. Prior to his stint with the River Hawks, Conderman suited up for 57 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) where he scored 11 goals, 21 assists for 32 points.

On defense, Matt Dineen spent the last four seasons with the Newmarket Hurricanes (OJHL). His 25 points in the 2011 season was tied for second best among defensemen on the club. Matt Chiarantano has scored 18 goals, 80 assists and 98 points in 182 games in the OJHL, split between the Orangeville Crushers, Aurora Tigers and the Georgetown Raiders. And transfer Nick Cecere played for the Michigan Tech Huskies last season.

Season Previews

by Warren Kozireski Warren@wnyhockeyreport.com

“We are finally an older group on the back end and our upper classmen need to lead. Being a bit older can be invaluable come playoff time as well as early in the year.

Having a lot of guys returning should really help.”

On the non-conference slate are road trips to Colgate, Michigan State, Clarkson and Bowling Green. Four of their final five regular season games also come away from the Dwyer Arena compound.

CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS

“W

e spent a lot of time teaching the defensive side of the game last season and we hope that carries over to this season,” head coach Dave Smith said. “Now we can let them go more and play freer using their offensively ability to create goals.”

The Griffs were in the mix to at least host a first round playoff series one year ago, but dropped all but one of the final six regular season games before losing to UConn in the first round.

It will be junior Tony Capobianco stepping into the number one spot in goal after his 3.09 goals against average and .913 save percentage from one year ago.

“He (Tony) had opportunities to play in some pressure games the last few seasons and the next step is to become our go-to guy.

He is the only one on the roster with (collegiate) game experience, but we feel good about how we have brought him along.”

Juniors Kyle Gibbons, Taylor Law, Patrick Sullivan (Derby) and senior penalty keeper Torrey Lindsay anchor the nowveteran frontline. The defense also returns intact with seniors Ben Parker, Chris Barrea (West Seneca) and junior Ben Danford are the elder statesman among four sophomores. 22 players return from last season’s 10-22-4 squad.

Griffs top recruit defenseman Matthew Backhouse will compete for playing time right away. He arrives from Humboldt Broncos of the SJHL

where he dished out 28 assists in 57 games last season and added 12 more points in 22 postseason games.

“Matthew played in two Canadian National Championships at the junior level,” Smith said. “We are looking for him to bring that winning experience along with his great size and skating ability to our program.”

Other recruits include forwards Ralph Cuddemi and Stephen Miller, defenseman Chris Rumble and goaltender Adam Harris.

Cuddemi spent 2011-12 with the Mississauga Chargers of the OJHL leading the team in scoring with 63 points, netting 27 goals to go along with 36 assists in 46 games. Recording more than 100 points in his two seasons in the OJHL, Cuddemi was named to the South Division All-Star Team that competed in the 2011 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.

A member of the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs during the 2011-12 season, Miller helped the team win the EJHL Championship last year totaling 61 points on 22 goals and 39 assists. He was named to the EJHL All-Star Team that competed in the 2011 Junior Club World Cup in Russia.

Rumble played two seasons with the Wenatchee Wild of the NAHL. The defender totaled 40 points, 10 goals and 30 assists in 53 games with the Wild and was a two-time participant in the league’s all-star game.

Harris was a member of the Selkirk Steelers of the MJHL during the 2011-12 campaign. Named the team’s MVP and a finalist for the MJHL Goaltender of the Year, Harris posted a 23-9-1 record to go along with a 2.75 goals against average and .923 save percentage.

Unofficially Orchard Park native Josh Kielich has committed, but will wait until 2012 to arrive via the Buffalo Jr. Sabres as will Shane Conacher from Burlington.

Shane’s older brother, Cory, is the all-time leading scorer at Canisius and was just named the American Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable player with Norfolk on their way to the Calder Cup championship.

Canisius begins the season with two grueling road trips to Anchorage, Alaska for the Kendall Hockey Classic and to NCAA playoff participant Western Michigan.

Their home opener is October 25th before they again fly to play Minnesota. Bowling Green at home for two the weekend after New Year’s completes the non-conference portion of the schedule.

RIT TIGERS

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third place regular season finish and a shutout lose to Air Force left a bad taste in the mouths of the Tigers and the team will need to find new leadership in all three areas of the ice to bounce back.

Goaltender Shane Madolora signed a pro contact,

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MEN’S COLLEGIATE / 16 forward Cameron Burt finished his eligibility as the Tigers all-time scoring leader and defensemen Chris Haltigan, Daniel Spivak and Trevor Eckenswiller all finished their four-year degrees.

Junior Michael Colavecchia led the team in goals and points with sophomores Matt Grabovsky and Brad McGowan both looking for top-two line spots after impressive freshman campaigns.

Greg Noyes, Chris Saracino, Nolan Descoteaux and Eliot Raibi form the nucleus of the defense that will need help from newcomers in front of either junior Josh Watson or sophomore Jordan Ruby in net, who played in seven games combined last season.

“We like both of our goalies,” said head coach Wayne Wilson. “Unfortunately for them Shane (Madolora) played so well the year before and earned the icetime. We’ll alternate both at the beginning and then either keep it that way or declare a number one.”

“Up front we have Colavecchia and a lot of young guys who played on the top lines so we have depth. Adam Hartley and Ben Lynch both had off years and we expect them to rebound and Bryan Potts scored four goals in the first seven games and was our leading goal scorer until he broke his kneecap and missed the rest of the season.”

Eight newcomers, including the first Division I hometown recruit, will compete for open spots in forwards Dan Schuler (Rochester, NY/Powell River Kings), Andrew Miller (Chicago Steel), Josh Mitchell (Alberni Valley) and Anthony Hamburg (Omaha Lancers).

Schuler, from Penfield, returns home after playing for the Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League last season. He finished the year with 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points, leading his team to a first place finish in the Coastal Division. In 15 playoff games, he recorded 10 points on six goals and four assists, helping lead the River Kings to the Fred Page Cup Finals. He finished his two seasons in the BCHL with 68 points on 28 goals and 40 assists.

Miller finished second on the Chicago Steel last season with 43 points on a teamhigh 24 goals and 19 assists. Mitchell led the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the British Columbia Hockey League with 58 points on 13 goals and 45 assists last season. Hamburg, RIT’s first NHL draft pick, joins the Tigers for his sophomore season after skating with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League last season, where he finished with 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points. The 6-1 forward, who was picked

194th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2009, played seven games for Colgate University during the 2010-11 season, tallying three assists, before returning to the Lancers.

On defense, Rajan Sidhu (Coquitlam Express), Brad Shumway (Chicago Steel), and Zander Kuqali (Sioux City Muskateers) will look to fill the void.

Men’s College Hockey Continued

Sidhu split time last season with the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Coquitlam Express, finishing the year with 11 points on two goals and nine assists. The 6-3, defenseman skated in three full seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League, finishing with 46 assists and 52 points.

Shumway appeared in 26 contests last season for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League, tallying one goal and four assists. The 6-1 defenseman led the Steel with a +22 rating last season.

Kuqali finished last season with nine points on four goals and five assists in 30 games. The 6-2 defenseman began the season with Indiana, where he had 11 points on two goals and nine assists. In three seasons in the United States Hockey RIT Head Coach Wayne League, Kuqali had seven goals and 31 Wilson at Media Day. points in 142 games. assists for 38 (Photo by Janet Ken MacLean (Kalamazoo Wings) will provide Schultz) depth in goal for the Tigers, as he is expected to compete for playing time immediately. MacLean comes to RIT after playing last season in the North American Hockey League where he finished with a 20-9-2 record with two shutouts, as well as a 2.76 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage.

“We are very excited about what this group brings to the proud history of our program as once again we hope to achieve our goal of winning the Atlantic Hockey Association Championships and advancing to the 2013 NCAA Tournament,” said Wilson, now entering his 14th season behind the bench at RIT. The Tigers open the season at Michigan for two games before hosting new Division I program Penn State at Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena for Homecoming October 20th.

Colgate, Clarkson and St. Lawrence mark the rest of the non-conference schedule. The team opens Atlantic Hockey play October 25th home against Robert Morris.#

/ 17

Celebrate the Holiday Season with Some Inline Hockey!

The WNY Roller Hockey League will be ringing in the 2012 holiday season with a bang! Registration is now open for our Winter 2012 Season at the Kenan Center in Lockport, which kicks off November 25th. All ages will be represented, ranging from youth instructions programs and beginner league, to adult divisions encompassing all skill levels, and a 35+ skate. All 1st and 2nd place teams will be awards prizes, as well as individual awards for Top Scorer, Top Goalie and Championship MVP, with a Player of the Month award granted to an individual displaying stellar improvement and exceptional play in all divisions! Registration for this session is limited, so if interested, don’t let the opportunity pass you by. To register or obtain additional information, please contact Eric Haak at Eric@wnyrh.com or call (716) 903-2658. We can’t think of a better way to welcome the holiday season than with the exciting, intense action of the WNY Roller Hockey League, register today!

WOMEN’S HOCKEY / 18 2012-13 Women’s College Season Previews Cornell Big Red

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ix members of the Big Red were named to Hockey Canada’s National Women’s Team September Camp and Fall Festival.

Seniors Laura Fortino and Lauriane Rougeau, juniors Jessica Campbell and Brianne Jenner, sophomore Jillian Saulnier and freshman Cassandra Poudrier are on the 40-woman roster.

Former Cornellian Rebecca Johnston, who won the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics with Canada, also made the team.

Fortino, Rougeau, Campbell, Jenner, Saulnier and Poudrier were all part of Hockey Canada’s U22 Development team that played a three-games series against the United States.

The September Camp and Fall Festival are used to evaluate players for potential inclusion it the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship and other events, including centralization for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Hockey Canada monitors the players throughout their college season and at other international events during the year.

Cornell was placed third in the USCHO national poll as the 2012-13 season is set to begin. The Big Red received 109 points, third behind defending national champion Minnesota and national runner-up Wisconsin.

Cornell is the highest-ranked team in ECAC Hockey and is three spots ahead of No.7 St. Lawrence, which also made the NCAA Tournament last season.

Cornell finished last season by making its third consecutive Frozen Four, and reached 30 wins for only the second time in school history. They had the third-most wins in the country in 2011-12 behind Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In USA Today’s national poll, Cornell placed third, again behind Minnesota and Wisconsin. St. Lawrence took ninth and Clarkson and Quinnipiac also received votes.

In the ECAC Coaches Poll, Cornell will win its fourth consecutive regular-season league title this season.

The Big Red were selected as the conference’s top squad entering 2012-13. They have won the coaches’ poll for the third consecutive season. In addition Laura Fortino, Lauriane Rougeau and Brianne Jenner were named to the ECAC Preseason All-League Team.

Cornell opens its season with three exhibition games at home on October 12-14 and opens regular season play on the road at Boston University on October 20 and 21.

Their home opener will be October 23 against St. Lawrence. ECAC play begins against Brown on October 27 and Yale on October 28 at Lynah Arena, Ithaca.

RIT Tigers

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new era begins in Rochester as the RIT Women’s Ice Hockey Team debuts in College Hockey America as a Division I team.

“We’re excited,” said Head Coach Scott McDonald.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a number of years.

“Timing is everything,” he continues. “We can bypass our independent year and go to the playoffs right away.”

RIT is coming off a championship in the NCAA

Women’s Hockey Report

by Janet Schultz Janet@wnyhockeyreport.com Photos by Janet Schultz Division III and returns to the ice this season with 19 players, including 13 of their top scorers. They also set Division III and school records with 28 wins last season.

Their first two games will be held at press time against Mercyhurst, which has a 336-92-29 record since going DI in 1999. They have also made eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

“Opening with Mercyhurst right away will be a great test to see where we need to be as a team,” said McDonald, who begins his seventh season with the Tigers.

The Tigers will then play their first contest at Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester against Yale as part of the Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend on October 20.

In November and December the Tigers go on-theroad to North Dakota and Ohio State, both strong DI programs. In addition the Tigers play two games at Brown, play Colgate twice and Sacred Heart four times.

“We have a really nice balance, playing in new places, against different teams in different leagues,” said McDonald. “We want to enjoy traveling to different places.”

Senior forward Kim Schlattman will serve as RIT’s captain for the third straight year. Schalttman is excited and looks forward to playing teams she’s admired throughout her career.

“You grow up wanting to play DI hockey and now it’s come,” said Schalttman. “It’s a bigger step, bigger challenge and we’re underdogs, but no one’s expecting anything from us, so it’s great for us.”

“We don’t have any individual players, we work together as a team and our freshmen are in good shape and we have good size,” said Schalttman of this years squad.

Webster’s Kristina Moss returns for her senior year as a Tiger.

“It’s exciting,” said Moss. “When I was looking at schools there was talk about RIT going DI and I’m glad it happened in my senior year.”

Also returning are assistant captains Tenecia Hiller and Arianne Yokoyama, both for the second straight year in that role.

“All three lead by example on and off the ice,” said Coach McDonald. “They are tremendous ambassadors for the program.”

Up front the Tigers return 10 players, including all its top scorers and adding three recruits. Junior Kourtney Kunchihika led the team in scoring with 45 points on 20 goals and 25 assists. Sophomore Lindsay Grigg moves up to forward after spending last season on the blueline, where she tallied 22 points in 30 games. Junior Erin Zach, along with sophomores Marissa Maugeri and

Julie Hall will expand their roles this season. Joining the forwards are freshmen Carly Payerl, Katie Hubert and Jess Paton.

On Defense, the Tigers have six returning including seniors Kristina Moss and Danielle Read. Moss finished last season with 34 points in 30 games and Read emerged as a shutdown defenseman with 18 points.

Sophomores Morgan Scoyne and Emilee Bullied formed a strong pairing last season and will be counted on to take on more responsibility in 2012-13. Also returning is Junior Melissa Bromley. She has great size and comes back in excellent shape. Senior Ellesha Fortuna returns for her final season and will be a mainstay on the back end. Joining the defense are freshman Casidhe Kunichika and Kristina Klishko. Casidhe is the younger sister of Courtney Kunichika.

The top two goaltenders, Laura Chamberlain and Ali Binnington, return this season. They combined to win 27 games last season. Chamberlain was named the NCAA Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player and led all DIII goalies in lowest goals against average (1.09), highest save percentage (.951) and winning percentage (.921). She finished 17-1-1 with four shutouts.

Binnington excelled as well finishing 10-0-0 with a 0.95 goals against average; .942 save percentage and named to the ECAC West All-Rookie Team.

The Tigers are really solid in net, according to Coach McDonald and will be very competitive this season.

Buffalo State College

T

he Bengals open their 2012-13 season with a exhibition game against the Niagara Falls Midget AA team on October 22. They will then faceoff against Stevenson University on October 26 and 27.

Stevenson named Elmira’s assistant coach, Shera Vis, as their Inaugural Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach last season. This is their second year of play.

Buf State is coming off a 7-16-2 overall record in 2011-12. They graduated three seniors, including Depew’s Brianne Murphy, Niagara Falls Christine Williams and Leah Knott. Local players returning to the line-up should include Rochester’s Jeyna Minnick and Cheektowaga Goaltender Jessica Garland.

Coach Rob Burke will begin his seventh season at the held of the Bengals. Through six seasons he led the Bengals to a 41-89-12 overall record, including the team’s first ECAC West postseason appearance in five years during the 2007-08 season.

UB Lady Ice Bulls

E

xpectations are high for the University at Buffalo Lady Ice Bulls 2012-2013 season as Head Coach Jody Rosen and the Lady Ice Bulls go into their fifth season together. Its their fourth season in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)(www.achahockey.org) at the Division one level since rebuilding the program began back 2008.

“It took five years to get to where we are today and I am really excited,” said Coach Rosen. “We started with six players and a program about to fold playing a club schedule. I took the head coaching job five years ago and went to a competitive ACHA D1 program. I can’t believe how far we have come.”

The Lady Ice Bulls had a big turnover from their 2011-12 roster signing 10 new players. They recruited players from all over including some local talent. Their biggest signings were transfer students Shawna Clair

WOMEN’S HOCKEY / 19 from Oswego State and Bailey Danahy from NCAA division three Hamlin University in Minnesota. They also signed Chrissy Wolcott, captain of last year’s 19U West Seneca Wings, and Maggie Ryan, Buffalo, of the Wheatfield Blades.

The incoming freshman class is really strong.

Leading the top of the freshman class is Kasey Seidlinger, a Cornwall New York native coming from the 19U Troy Albany Ice Cats. Other strong signings where Katie Albright, Baldwinsville, 19U Lysander Lady Icers; Jennifer Wiedl,Erie (Co), 19U Fort Collins Jr. Eagles, and Carrin Clifford, Clarence, 19U Buffalo Regals.

The biggest challenge was going to be replacing starting goaltender AJ Sliwinski who graduated last May. But they have the answer in two goaltenders. Juniors Chelsea Peterson, Busti, who played for the Jamestown Lady Lakers and Melinda Reeb, North Tonawanda, Wheatfield Blades will be the new puck stoppers between the pipes for the Lady Ice Bulls.

Returning are the core of its’ team with veteran captain defensemen Alison Edwards (Cornwall Typoons, ON.), and Katelyn Bothwell (Buffalo Bisons). Leading the team in scoring last year and returning is Fallon Waxman (Long Island Lady Islanders). The rest of the team’s returning forwards are Katie Wrona (New England Jr. Falcons), Lauren Leeson (Adirondack North Stars), and Helena Ingram (Buffalo Regals). The defense is also returning Alexandria Colling (Hamilton Hawks ON.) Alayna DeMarchi (Camillus Cougars), and Brittany Fields (Buffalo Bisons).

The UB coaching staff carries a lot experience and talent to help continue to build a quality program. Coach Rosen is assisted by offensive coach Melissa Jeckovich of Niagara Falls who played for the Buffalo State Bengals and assistant Ronald Adimey, the defensive and goaltenders coach. Ron’s playing days included goaltending for the Niagara Scenics (Buffalo Jr Sabres) and he played his college hockey for the West Point Military Academy followed up by a career in Germany playing for Viernheim and the Adler Mannheim.

The team will continue in the East Coast Women’s Hockey League (ECWHL) of the ACHA. They will face their usual ECWHL opponents hosting the University of Vermont, University of Massachusetts, and SUNY Canton. The team will travel to Northeastern University and the University of Rhode Island. Other ACHA opponents they will be hosting are Penn State, Slippery Rock University, and California University. They will also be facing the University of Colorado in the Catamount Challenge in Burlington Vermont. The ECWHL playoffs will be held in Rhode Island in February followed by the ACHA National Championships in Washington DC in March.

In addition to their ACHA league games they will also be playing three scrimmage games against the Niagara University Purple Eagles Club team.

“The Niagara games should be very challenging for us with the Purple Eagles carrying several NCAA Division I players still on their roster from the dissolved D1 program, said Coach Rosen. “We are looking forward to the challenge.

The Lady Ice Bulls face-off against NU in their first appearance of the season on October 5 at 8:20 p.m. at Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena. Vermont comes to town the following two days, October 6 and 7. UB’s home games are played at Northtowns Center, Amherst.

The full UB schedule can be found at WWW.UBWOMENSHOCKEY.COM

Cortland

Cortland opens their season against New England Col-

lege in Henniker, NH on October 26. They follow that with Castleton on October 27 and then open their ECAC play against Elmira with back-to-back games on November 3 and 4 in Elmira.

Head Coach Earl Utter begins his sixth season with Cortland. Cortland finished last season 5-16-1 overall. They lost five seniors to graduation. WNYer’s returning this year should include Chelsie Hausberger, Buffalo Bisons and Maggie Giamo of Orchard Park/RIT.

Women’s Club

Niagara’s Club team is coached by Jason Elliott and co-presidents are LeAnna Kozlowski and Megan Murphy. All levels of ability are welcome, even interested players who have never played. NU holds practice and dryland workouts twice a week at Dwyer Arena and the Kiernan Center on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Niagara University’s women’s ice hockey club team now sports some players who played on the Division I CHA team. Practices focus on skill strengthening and team building. NU Women’s Club Hockey play 15 to 20 games each season with home games at Dwyer Arena on Friday/Saturday/Sunday evenings. They open their season against the University of Buffalo Lady Ice Bulls on October 5 and then travel to Syracuse on October 7. In a three-game home stance they face the Niagara

Coyotes on October 13 at 9:30 p.m.; SUNY Geneseo, October 19 at 8:40 p.m. and the Wheatfield Blades on October 21 at 9:10 p.m. For information contact LeAnna at lkozlowski@mail.niagara.edu or Coach Elliott at jelliott@niagara.edu.

Club teams have been or are being formed at Brockport, Canisius, Cornell, Cortland and D’Youville. WNY Hockey Report is working to contact these clubs for their monthly hockey news. Schedules and rosters can be sent with news to Janet Schultz, Janet@wnyhockeyreport.com.

Around Western New York Wheatfield Blades Women’s Program Bigger and Better!

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By Scott Then

fter seven years of women’s hockey at Hockey Outlet, the Wheatfield Blades Women’s program has added a second and higher level of Women’s hockey.

For the last seven years, the Wheatfield Blades Women Sr. C team has traveled all over the Northeast and the country competing in regional, state and national tournaments, winning a number of championships including four State tournaments and one National tournament.

This year, The Blades have added a Women’s Sr. B team to the mix, with a group that includes former D1 and D3 players, as well as a number of players that have played at the Club and Sr. travel levels. This year’s group of women hails from all over NY state, from as far away as Rochester, and Clarkson.

Both teams will be tournament bound and competing to represent NY at the National Tournament in California. The age range of Sr. Women division in USA Hockey is 18 and over,

Anyone interested in participating or sponsoring the team, contact the Wheatfield Blades or Scott Then at WBHASRWOMEN@AOL.COM

WOMEN’S HOCKEY / 20 In Other WNY News...

…Julia DiTondo will be playing the 2012-13 season with Mercyhurst. DiTondo is from Kenmore and played for Nichols School and the Buffalo Bisons. As a Bison, she was on the team that took the State Championship in 2010-11 and while at Nichols won the CIS Championship last season, the NAPHA title in 2009-10 and 2011-12. She also played field hockey and lacrosse at Nichols. Ditondo was a U.S. Lacrosse Honorable Mention All American in 2011. She is the daughter of Michael and Diane DiTondo and has two brothers, Patrick and Matthew. …Rochester’s Maggie Kolcon, Bridgette Hamlin and Mel Ames will be playing for the Pittsburgh Penns Elite team this season. All three girls played with Rochester Youth Hockey and trained at Maksymum Hockey Academy. …The Rochester Institute of Technology Women’s Ice Hockey Team held a Meet and Greet on Saturday, Sept. 22 at Park Point Barnes and Noble. This is their only autograph session of the season and is their first fundraising event of the year. Attendees received a 2012-13 team photo with a minimum $2 donation and Barnes and Noble offered 20% off all apparel. The Meet and Greet included a silent auction and special edition “Tigers in Pink Block Party 2012” tee shirt sale.

Last year they raised almost $4,000 for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. …Webster Girls were looking for Non-Tournament Bound players at the 17U level. Email girls@wyha.com ...Emily Janiga, East Aurora, will be playing for Mercyhurst this season. Emily played at Nichols School and for the Burlington Barracudas. She led the Provincial Women’s Hockey League after scoring 27 goals and 21 assists last season.

She was named MVP of the Chowder Cup as the Barracudas claimed the title.

Emily is the daughter of Leonard and Mabel Janiga. ...Tonawanda Lightning U12 Girls Fundraiser being held Saturday, Oct. 20, 6 to 9 p.m. at Mooney’s, 1531 Military Road. Tickets $20 include beer, well drinks, soda and food. Tickets available at the door.#

M

atthew Barnaby has a new focus these days; helping youth hockey players find the right direction for their careers and, more importantly, their lives.

After he retired from the NHL in 2007, Barnaby went on to work as a co-host for the show Enforcers with fellow former Sabres agitator Rob Ray. In 2008, he left Enforcers to become an analyst for ESPN, a relationship that ended in 2011.

With his analyst duties on hold, Barnaby has turned his attention to coaching and mentoring the young aspiring hockey players in Western New York.

Although he may not seem like the highly skilled, high profile player many parents want their kids to model their game after, Barnaby is an excellent communicator and understands the intricacies of minor hockey.

From coaching and on-ice development to making the decisions that shape a player’s future off the ice, Barnaby has personally experienced the gauntlet of obstacles that face players and parents. Not only from his own path to the NHL, but now with his 14-year old son who is currently filtering through the ranks of youth hockey.

“I think the younger kids are much more advanced with the current training methods” said Barnaby. “They can be pushed more and absorb more at a younger age.”

Through a philosophy founded in hard work and inspiring his players to compete against themselves on a daily basis, Barnaby hopes to help kids reach whatever heights they aspire to attain.

Often, players are given opportunities based on physical attributes and natural abilities. While those two aspects of recruiting will probably never change, Barnaby wants to help foster a stern work ethic within each player, regardless of

Player Feature RIT’s Kristina Moss

The Webster native began her hockey career at age 5 in Perinton Youth Hockey playing with boys until she was 12 years gold. She played for the Rochester Edge for two years and then went to the Buffalo Bisons for 3 years.

She began playing hockey because it was a family lifestyle with her Dad and two sisters playing.

She never say a difference in playing with boys or girls.

“The physical play of the boys is different, but it’s the same drive, same atmosphere and we all want the same thing, to win,” said Moss.

The highlight of her career, winning the NCAA DIII Championship last year. Along the way she’s only gotten better and is looking forward to playing at the DI level this season.

On the personal side her favorite player is Ryan Callahan and her favorite team, the NY Rangers.

Her advice to girls coming up is to work hard.

“Things don’t always work out but work hard and want it,” advises Moss.

Moss is a Health Systems Administration major and hopes to work with the elderly.

She is the daughter of Gary and Joan Moss.

size or talent.

“First and foremost is hard work. We work on their skills and work as a team. I want every player to realize their full potential and not have any regrets when they are finished playing hockey,” he added.

Matthew Barnaby Hockey holds clinics and camps that players can participate in over the summer months, and tryouts for the spring tour-

MB36: Developing WNY Hockey By: Kyle Gunn-Taylor

of; 9 forwards, 5 defensemen and 2 goalies. The teams will participate in 12 development skates and 4 tournaments at a cost of $1,275 per player.

Barnaby’s coaching staff features three Sabres Alumni; Grant Ledyard, Jason Woolley and Jay McKee, who will all assist with different aspects of the development skates.

Also on staff are Johnny Winstanley, Jordan French, David Smith, Justin Bailey and Corey Mickey, who bring valuable knowledge of specific aspects of the game.

Although his focus is to develop good habits and enhance production on all levels, the competitive part of Barnaby still wants to bring home some of these tournament’s prestigious hardware.

“If the kids aren’t having fun, you won’t get the most out of them,” he said.

After all, hockey is still just a game and at the end of the day, the most gratifying result of hard work is winning.# See Advertisement on Page 22!

nament teams take place on December 31, 2012 at Holiday Twin Rinks in Cheektowaga, New York.

Players born between 1998 and 2005 are eligible to compete for the tournament teams nicknamed the Warriors, with tryout payment and registration closing on December 1st.

For birth years 2003 through 2005, there are two separate teams at each age level, Red and Black. Each team fields 9 forwards, 4 defensemen and 1 goalie. The 6 teams will take part in 12 development skates and compete in 2 tournaments at a cost of $875 per player.

Players who were born between 1998 and 2002 will face much stiffer competition, as there is only one team per age group, each made up

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Rochester Hockey Continued / 23 Lakeshore Arena A Place for Families and Fun

By Janet Schultz

W

hen Bruce Rizzo purchased Lakeshore Arena over 30 years ago, he decided he would run it the way he wanted to. He’s done just that.

He took an arena that was in bankruptcy, with the doors locked and unlocked those doors to a new era for the residents of Rochester.

“When I walked in it was just as the banks had left it when they locked it,” he explains. “There was still food in the cupboards. The only thing the former owner was allowed to do, was go in and turn off the ammonia.”

“We brought it back,” he says proudly.

They added office space, a snack bar, bar, meeting room, expanded the pro shop and added bumper cars for his client’s parties, which also includes a party room.

It is a place families like to come and where players like to play.

Along the way Rizzo added some firsts in the hockey world.

“I was the first to use a floor brush, which cleans the snow build up along the boards,” he says proudly. “We use that rather than edging after every session.”

He also claims to have installed the first curfew clock.

“We needed a clock that counted backwards in order to eliminate arguments over who was on the ice too

long,” says Rizzo. “We contacted several companies and finally I took a basketball clock and reversed it’s timing. Curfew Clock.”

“I was also the first to mandate helmets on men’s league, it’s now a USA rule,” he says.

Rizzo also instituted the third man in rule well before USA mandated it.

Jump to the last two years and Rizzo has put on a new roof, redid the compressors, bought a new Zamboni, redid the piping in the floors and added new shower fixtures with time senor showers.

Another unique aspect of Lakeshore is that it is strictly a hockey rink. There is no figure skating, although they do hold a beginning skating program and open skate.

“Our ice is always 17 degrees for hockey, figure skaters like it at 20 degrees,” said Rizzo, who also said there is plenty of figure skating opportunity in the Rochester area.

Along with Rizzo’s renovations came long-time Coach and Association Hockey Director for Monroe County Youth Hockey Rob Sedia with an idea for a fitness and development center.

NewEdge Hockey was born!

NewEdge, scheduled to open just after press time, is an 1,100 square foot facility that will feature a shooting station, slide board training, shot tec training, goalie training and a 46” LCD TV for game viewing, instructional videos and analysis. There will also be strength training machines, agility ladders and steps, medicine balls and Russian boxes.

“Easton Hockey has partnered with us,” said Sedia proudly. “Not only are they a class act company, but

their equipment is top notch.”

Along with all the new are the old standards like homemade soups and cookies, Lakeshore’s Ice Cubs learnto-skate program and their Future Stars, a program for beginner hockey players ages 5 through 9.

The future?

“I’d like to put in a Hall of Fame featuring those players that have played here and gone on,” said Rizzo.

Among those he has been proud to know were Ryan Callahan, Brian Gionta, Rory Fitzpatrick, Jason Bonsignore and Shane Prince.

Lakeshore Ice Arena—one more place to add to your bucket list whether you’ve already played there already or haven’t had the opportunity yet!

(Photos l to r): Lakeshore arena, bumper cars used on ice for parties and one of the the renovated Lakeshore ice pads Photos

by Janet Schultz)

The Buffalo Stars Salute the American Troops Night Saturday, October 13 The event is part of the Buffalo Stars Home Opening Weekend Holiday Twin Rinks, Cheektowaga

Watch the Buffalo Stars Empire Junior Team vs the Jersey Wildcats following Empire Opening Ceremonies at 7 p.m.

Service members home on leave are invited to attend!

Other Activities That Day Chinese Auction, 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Buffalo Stars Bantam Major vs Tonawanda, 4:30 p.m.

Benefits the Wounded Warriors Project

Collection of Gift Cards, 1 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Buffalo Stars Squirt Minor vs Southtowns, 5:45 p.m.

(Gift cards collected will benefit the New York Air National Guard 107th Airlift Wings’ Family Readiness Group

Sunday, October 14: See the Stars Empire Juniors vs Jersey Wildcats, 10 a.m.

Questions: Email: sportsniag@aol.com or Call: 716-685-1122

TRY HOCKEY FREE FOR A DAY HOSTED BY BUFFALO STARS YOUTH HOCKEY SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3 HOLIDAY TWIN RINKS, CHEEKTOWAGA 3:30 TO 4:30 P.M. AGES: 4 - 9 YEARS OLD Do you know a Child that would like to try Hockey for a day? For Free?

First 40 to Register receive a Jersey and Goodie Bag from USA Hockey!

A reception will follow along with a Question/Answer Period on What To Do Next if your child is interested in playing hockey!

This is for NEW players only!

Register at www.buffalostars.com Click on the FREE HOCKEY link to download the registration form.

Questions: Email: sportsniag@aol.com or Call: 716-685-1122

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HPHD Training / 26

W

hen you walk into the HPHD Hockey Training facility located on the 2nd Floor of Holiday Twin Rinks, you can’t help having that feeling like a kid in a candy store. Head Coach Steve Thomson says “ a lot of parents exclaim wow we never had this when we played, I’d be here every day” . Well Coach Thomson feels pretty lucky to be heading up this Hockey Heaven.

The Holiday Twin Rink location boasts the same technology that is usually reserved for the professional ranks, that is now available to our youth players. The skating treadmill as HPHD’s center piece, is the same one used in the Gatorade Sports Lab and at Colleges and Professional Teams around the world.

“We use the skating treadmill to work on the player’s technique and increase the players stride length that ultimately makes the player a faster skater. The longer the stride - the faster the skater”, Coach Thomson pointes out. The Skating treadmill which is affixed with lasers for stride guidance, sits in front of massive mirrors that allow the players to see themselves and how their body and stride moves. This allows HPHD instructors to make changes to a players stride, on the fly. Something that cannot be done on the ice as the players cannot view themselves in real time.

The Rapid Shot Shooting lane is the same one that was at the World Jr Championships Fan Fest held in Buffalo and is the same one that is used by NHL teams including Buffalo Sabres players.

In the Rapid Shot we can work with a player and get instant feedback from the computer about a players Accuracy , Reaction Time and Shot Speed. As Coach Thomson points out. He says smiling “ A player can have the hardest or the quickest shot but if they aren’t accurate, all that doesn’t matter. Think the opening scene to the movie Happy Gilmore” The Shooting lane has a full length synthetic ice surface is large enough to teach skating skills, puckhandling and goaltending skills as well.

Along with great instructors that is with the player every step of the way, is the instant HD Video Review with Slow Motion and Telestrator. ‘We have the ability to give instant video feed back including side by side video comparisons as the player is in rest/ recovery mode between reps. When the players see the body angles drawn on the large screen monitor or the replay that is focusing right down to a full screen Zoom view of the toe snapping

at the end of the stride.

The player is better armed with information to make

Pro Training Video Technology For Youth Players Today

the adjustment. Just when you thought that was it, Coach Thomson demonstrates an instant screen shot with the technical mark ups and then automatically emails it to the player on the spot for a permanent record. HPHD Instructors can also bring this down to ice level during on ice clinics and for their Spring Hockey Tournament teams and using the same technology HPHD can monitor a players Heart Rate real time on the large monitor to confirm training objectives.

“We train everyone the same way we train our pro’s.”

Says Coach Thomson.”Now players have access to the same equipment and Sport science knowledge, so they can get better and see success every session and make it to the next level or reach their playing goals.”

HPHD is truly the place where sport science and state of the art technology and professional coaching come together to build the consistently better player.

WNYHR Staff Writer