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Lightning, Crunch extend partnership

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Janet
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September 4, 2014

The Syracuse Crunch and Tampa Bay Lightning jointly announced today an extension of their affiliation agreement, which is entering its third season.

The extension guarantees Tampa Bay’s top prospects will be developing their talents in Syracuse through the 2016-17 American Hockey League season. The Lightning prospect pipeline was recently ranked the second best in the NHL by ESPN and features the number one overall goaltending prospect Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“We are thrilled to be extending our partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning and continuing to grow our strong relationships with Steve Yzerman, Julien Brisebois and the entire Lightning organization,” said Crunch owner Howard Dolgon.

“We are pleased to be announcing the extension of our affiliation with the Crunch,” Lightning vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman said. “The support of the Syracuse community and as well as from Howard Dolgon and his group has been fantastic these past two seasons and we look forward to continuing to build on these relationships for the coming years.”

During the 2012-13 season, the Crunch’s first season as the Lightning’s top affiliate, the Crunch completed their most successful season to date, making their first appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. Since the start of the affiliation, 26 former or current Crunch players have played for the Bolts. The Crunch own a record of 74-54-10-14 over the two seasons they’ve been affiliated with the Lightning.

“The partnership with the Crunch has been of tremendous help in improving our minor league development program,” Lightning assistant general manager Julien BriseBois said. “The support from Howard Dolgon’s group, the facilities at our players’ disposal, the travel and the local fan support have all contributed to us graduating many players to the NHL these past two years and we are happy to know we will be developing future Lightning players in Syracuse for the coming seasons.”

The Syracuse Crunch are entering their 21st year of operation in the American Hockey League and boast the longest, current independent ownership group, led by Howard Dolgon. The Crunch have the sixth-longest tenure of any AHL team. The Lightning are the fourth primary NHL affiliate of the Crunch, who previously partnered with Vancouver (1994-1999), Columbus (2000-2009) and Anaheim (2010-2012). Syracuse had a dual affiliation with Vancouver and Pittsburgh from 1997 to 1999. The Crunch have played their home games in the Onondaga County owned War Memorial Arena since their inaugural season.

“The Tampa Bay Lightning have been an excellent partner for the Syracuse Crunch and for Onondaga County,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. “Congratulations to Howard Dolgon and his management team for continuing this strong partnership and thank you to the Tampa Bay Lightning for contributing to and recognizing how successful the Syracuse Crunch are and can be.”

The Lightning joined the National Hockey League as an expansion franchise in 1992 and 12 years later, in 2004, were crowned Stanley Cup Champions. In addition to their Stanley Cup the Lightning have made six other post-season appearances (1996, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2014). Beginning with the 2010-11 season the Lightning and their AHL affiliate have been run by vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman and assistant general manager Julien BriseBois.

NU’s Ryan Added to Columbus Roster

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Janet
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Former Niagara hockey defenseman Kevin Ryan has been added to the Columbus Blue Jackets roster that will be taking part in the Annual National Hockey League Prospect Tournament from Sept. 12-16 at the Center Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich.

 

The 25 players participating in the tournament will undergo physicals and fitness testing as well as an on-ice practice session at the OhioHealth Ice Haus, the club’s official practice facility at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, Sept. 11 before departing for Traverse City.

 

Ryan will be one of 25 players, 19 of which were selected by the club via the NHL Draft.  In 147 games for Niagara, which included 132 consecutive starts, the Eden, N.Y. native notched seven goals and 50 assists for 57 points. The two-time Atlantic Hockey Third Team honoree was signed by South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League at the completion of his Niagara career.

 

This year will mark Columbus’ 13th consecutive appearance at the tournament.  The Blue Jackets won the tournament title in 2006 and 2007.  Participating clubs include Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers.

The Blue Jackets’ game schedule includes:

Friday, Sept. 12

3:30 p.m. VS. MINNESOTA

Saturday, Sept. 13

7:30 p.m. VS. DETROIT (West Rink)

Monday, Sept. 15

3:30 p.m. VS. ST. LOUIS (West Rink)

Tuesday, Sept. 16
Game – Opponent, Time and Rink TBD

Canisius Hockey Tickets on Sale

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Janet
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Individual game tickets for the Canisius College hockey team’s inaugural season at HARBORCENTER are now on sale.

 

Tickets for each of the home games at HARBORCENTER are $12 for reserved seating, $10 for general admission and $7 for children. Canisius is set to open the $172 million hockey and entertainment complex on Oct. 31 with a home contest against Ohio State.

 

In addition, tickets for the Griffs’ three games at First Niagara Center are also on sale. All tickets for the October 5, 10 and 11 games on the home ice of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres are $12 with a $7 option for children.

 

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or by calling the Canisius College Ticket Office at (716) 888-2885.

 

Season tickets, which include tickets to all 19 home games, also remain available for the 2014-15 season and can be purchased by calling the ticket office.

Four Prospects are Native New Yorkers

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Janet
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0
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Teams Grier and Olczyk Set for
CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game
Game Set for September 25 at Buffalo’s First Niagara Center
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – While the players for the third annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game were previously announced, USA Hockey today unveiled the division of players that will comprise Team Grier and Team Olczyk. Former NHL players Mike Grier and Eddie Olczyk will each coach a team in the event, which will feature 42 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The game is slated for Sept. 25, at First Niagara Center, home of the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres.
Twenty-three players appeared on NHL Central Scouting’s “Futures List,” which highlights players that have potential to be selected in the first three rounds of the draft.
The game will include four players from New York, Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y.), Joseph Cecconi (Youngstown, N.Y.), Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y.) and Steven Ruggiero (Kings Park, N.Y.).

Clarkson University Women’s Hockey Adds Olympic Medalist Meghan Duggan to Coaching Staff

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Janet
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0

 

 

 

Meghan Duggan, a two-time Olympic silver-medalist and standout performer for USA Hockey, is returning to the collegiate ranks as a new assistant coach for the defending National Champion Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team, the school announced today.

 

Duggan joins Head Coach Matt Desrosiers and newly hired Assistant Coach Britni Smith in guiding the Golden Knights.

 

“I am very excited to welcome Meghan to our staff here at Clarkson,” said Desrosiers. “With her wealth of experience as a player and proven leadership abilities she will certainly be a great mentor to our players. Meghan’s passion and work ethic will be contagious to not only the players on our roster, but also to the young women we are recruiting.

 

“She is a great ambassador of Women’s Hockey and will prove to be an excellent role model for young females in our community. I am looking forward to getting Meghan on campus so we can sit down as a staff with Britni and start planning how we will defend our National Championship. I personally am excited to learn from Meghan and Britni as they both have a lot to share.”

 

A two-time Olympic silver-medalist with USA Women’s Hockey, Duggan has extensive experience with the United States National program. She skated in both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, serving as USA’s captain at this past year’s Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. A native of Danvers, Mass., Duggan also represented the U.S. at five Women’s World Championships, capturing a gold medal four times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013) and one silver (2007).

 

“I’m honored to join the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey Coaching Staff and excited to work with such a talented group of players,” stated Duggan. “I would like to thank Matt Desrosiers and the athletics department at Clarkson for the opportunity to coach while continuing to train and compete for the U.S. Women’s National Team and in the CWHL. I’m eager to get started and look forward to helping the Golden Knights move forward with another successful season.”

 

An all-star forward in college for four seasons (2006-09, 2010-11) at the University of Wisconsin, Duggan helped to lead the Badgers to three NCAA National Titles (2007, 2009, 2011). She graduated (Biology ’11) as the leading scorer in Wisconsin’s history with 238 points on 108 goals and 130 assists in 159 career games. Duggan was honored with the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey in her senior campaign.

 

She has also played professionally in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), skating with the Boston Blades since 2012.

 

Duggan has served as an instructor with the Canadian Hockey Enterprise – Just for Girls Hockey Camp in Lake Placid since 2010, and at the Scott Fusco Summer Hockey Camp (2010-12).

 

She has also been involved with Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity, Sled/Wheel Chair Hockey and Athletes in Action along with numerous motivational speaking engagements.

 

Duggan and Smith replace Shannon Desrosiers and Matt Kelly, who both stepped away from the Clarkson program after helping to lead the Green and Gold to the University’s first-ever NCAA Championship title this past March.

 

With Golden Knights Women’s Hockey since its beginning as a Division I program in 2003, Shannon Desrosiers resigned her position as co-head coach this past May to spend more time with her growing family after 11 seasons with the program. A six-year assistant coach for the Knights, Kelly has taken a position as the head scout for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

 

Clarkson begins defense of its title in 2014-15 when the 12th season in the program’s history begins in early October. The Golden Knights will face a challenging 34-game regular-season schedule, featuring the 22-game ECAC Hockey slate, eight contests against teams from last year’s NCAA Tournament and four meetings against archrival St. Lawrence University. Clarkson, which will host 15 games at Cheel Arena, will also play in it’s first-ever in-season tournament.

 

The Knights get things rolling with a home-and-home, non-league series against St. Lawrence. Clarkson raises its NCAA Championship banner when it hosts the Saints on Saturday, October 4 in the home-opener at Cheel after facing its rival in Canton the previous night. As part of the banner-raising celebration, the game will be free and open to the public.

 

OJHL Opens Weekend Dedicated to Jaime Palm

By
Janet
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0

“OJHL to Pay Tribute & Raise Funds for Scholarship Fund”
September 3, 2014, Mississauga, Ontario – The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) today announced that the league, along with all 22 member clubs will dedicate the 2014-15 regular season opening weekend to the memory of Jaime Palm.

On July 30, tragedy struck the entire hockey community and hit particularly close to home locally. Fifteen year old Jaime Palm passed away suddenly and tragically in an accident near her hometown of Newmarket, Ontario and was taken from the world much too soon.

Jaime was a bright, beautiful, strong, athletic and caring young woman whose compassion had no limits. A friend and teammate to all, Jaime always gave 100% in everything she set her mind toward accomplishing. Jaime’s father, Rob Palm, is a long-time official within both the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the OJHL, while her mother, Jacqui, is a long-serving official within Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The Palm family is truly the epitome of a “Hockey Family” and their loss is shared by the entire hockey community.

The OJHL will be dedicating the opening of the 2014-15 regular season to the memory of Jaime Palm and a moment of silence will be observed prior to each game this weekend out of respect to Jaime, her family and her friends.

Along with the moment of silence, all home teams will be accepting donations with 100% of the proceeds going to the Jaime Palm Athletic Scholarship Fund that has been set-up in her memory.

Polisseni Dedication Scheduled; Home to RIT Men and Women

By
Janet
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0

The official Gene Polisseni Center Dedication Ceremony will take place in the new arena on Thursday, September 18 from 5:30-7 p.m. The event is open to the public, with doors opening at 5 p.m. Fans can register to attend the event.

The Gene Polisseni Center, located on the south end of campus, will house the RIT Division I men’s and women’s hockey teams. The building will have 4,000 seats, with additional standing room only space for a total capacity of 4,300 fans. Here is the complete 2014-15 RIT men’s hockey schedule and 2014-15 RIT women’s hockey schedule.

Parking will be available in lots S and U. The dedication will start at 5:30, as RIT President Bill Destler, along with members of the men’s and women’s hockey teams and the Tiger administration invite the Rochester community to celebrate this once in a lifetime event.

At 6 p.m., the celebration will continue with RITchie, the RIT Pep Band and Tiger Hockey teams. Fans will be able to join members of the men’s and women’s hockey teams for an open skate, tour the brand new arena, and win some Tiger Swag with their slap shot or at Plinko. Several interactive activities will be available, with your chance to win free prizes. Free soft drinks and popcorn will be available at concession stands throughout the arena.

For more information on the dedication ceremony, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 585.475.2586, toll free at 1.866.RIT.ALUM, or via email at[email protected].

 

(Above photo was taken in early September 2013 as the building was beginning to take shape)

Photo by Janet Schultz

Rochester to Host NYS Amateur Hockey Championships

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Janet
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St Lawrence playing at Rochester 2014
 

Rochester, New York – Over 2300 ice hockey players and family members will come to Rochester in March to compete in the NYSAHA State Championship Tournaments.  The annual events, which feature the top amateur teams in the State, will take place over two consecutive weekends – March 6th through the 8thand March 13th through the 15th.

A total of 63 youth hockey teams will compete, many of which will travel in from outside the area and call Rochester home throughout the event. The out of town teams equate to roughly 2000 out of town guests that will reside in local hotels, dine in local restaurants and shop in local stores over a four day period.

Based on the National Association of Sports Commissions Economic Impact Assumptions, these events will result in approximately $1,300,000 of economic impact to the local community.

“Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex is an ideal facility for running large hockey tournaments such as these,” said Chris Woodworth, General Manager of the Iceplex.  “Our close proximity to many hotels, restaurants and shopping enhance the experience of those attending events at our facility.  This is one of many large events that we host throughout the calendar year, and as depicted in the economic impact assumptions, they have a substantial financial impact on our community.”

Grier, Olczyk Named Prospects Coaches

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Janet
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0

Mike Grier (Holliston, Mass.), who played 15 years in the National Hockey League, including two stints with the Buffalo Sabres, and Eddie Olczyk (Chicago, Ill.), the current lead analyst for the NHL on NBC/NBC Sports Network who played 16 years in the NHL and is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, will serve as head coaches for the third annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on Sept. 25 in Buffalo, New York, it was announced today by USA Hockey.

The event, which will feature 42 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft, will be staged at First Niagara Center, home of the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres.

Grier played in the NHL from 1996-2011, suiting up for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and, on two occasions, the Buffalo Sabres. He posted 162 goals and 383 points over 1,060 career games. Internationally, Grier represented Team USA at the 1995 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship and won a bronze medal with the U.S. at the 2004 IIHF Men’s World Championship. Since retiring, Grier has become a youth hockey coach. This past July he served as an on-ice instructor at USA Hockey’s Boys’ Select 17 Player Development Camp.

Olczyk skated for six teams over 16 NHL seasons, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. He notched 342 goals and 794 points in 1,031 career games. In 1994, he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup. Olczyk represented the U.S. at nine international events, including the 1984 Olympic Winter Games. He also helped Team USA to a second-place finish in the 1991 Canada Cup. Olczyk is the current lead game analyst for NHL on NBC and NHL on NBC Sports Network. Additionally, he spent parts of two seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003-05.

NU Names 2014-15 Captains

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Janet
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Senior defenseman Kevin Albers and junior defenseman Matt Dineen will serve as the Niagara hockey team captains for the 2014-15 season, head coach Dave Burkholder announced.  They will be the 22nd and 23rd players to wear the “C” for the Purple Eagles.

 

The roll of assistant captains will be taken on by senior forward Isaac Kohls and sophomore forward TJ Sarcona.

 

“On behalf of my staff it is with great pleasure announcing this year’s captains, although we expect everyone to be a leader on this year’s edition of Purple Eagle Hockey,” Burkholder said.  “We feel that these four student-athletes can band together and have an impact on keeping us focused, prepared and making sure we are adhering to the culture that has been established over the first 19 seasons here at the Dwyer. “

 

Albers, a second-year captain, has been a steady force on the defensive end for the Purple Eagles.  The Orion, Mich. native has played in 94 games during his Purple Eagle career, notching three goals and 13 assists for 16 points.  Before his junior campaign that saw him compile six points, the Orion, Mich. native had a career-sophomore season with career-highs in goals (2), assists (5) and points (7) in 37 games.

 

Dineen will be entering his third year as a Purple Eagle defenseman after registering career-high marks in goals (1), assists (4) and points (5) in 14 games as a sophomore.  The 6-foot-1 blueliner tallied his first career goal and assist last season in a 6-4 come from behind victory over Canisius.

 

The team’s assistant captains, Kohls and Sarcona, ranked second and third on the team in points during the 2013-14 campaign, respectively.

 

For his career, Kohls has suited up for 93 games, scoring 24 goals and adding 33 helpers for 57 points.  Kohls had a superb showing as a junior, garnering career-high marks in goals (12) and points (24), while adding 12 assists en route to reaching the half century mark in points.  The Forest Lake, Minn. native had six multiple-point games as a junior, pushing his career total to 12.

 

Sarcona enjoyed a successful rookie campaign that saw him lead all freshmen with 22 points off 11 goals, which included a power-play and shorthanded tally, and 11 assists in 38 contests.  His 22 points ranked him seventh among freshmen in Atlantic Hockey, while his 11 tallies slated him into the fourth spot in the league.

 

After hosting an exhibition game against Brock on Sunday, Oct. 5, the 2014-15 regular season begins at Dwyer Arena against Clarkson on Friday, Oct. 10 and St. Lawrence the following day.  Both contests are scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm.
Season tickets are now available. For more ticket information, please contact the Niagara Ticket Office at (716) 286-TIXX (8499), [email protected] or visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets.

 

Harborcenter Retail Plan Unveiled

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Janet
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0
HARBORCENTER President John R. Koelmel today unveiled the project’s retail plan that will create upwards of 10,000 square feet of new space by the end of the calendar year and as much as 20,000 square feet of additional retail opportunity in the adjacent First Niagara Center over the next several years.
“To create a premier destination for downtown Buffalo and the Canalside District, we realize that a retail component is an important element of the HARBORCENTER experience,” Koelmel said.  “This plan enables both new and established retailers to join us in providing a high-quality array of services for all of our visitors to enjoy.”
The preliminary design contemplates a “Mercantile Exchange” concept, with multiple vendors and stores providing a variety of products and amenities to HARBORCENTER guests and visitors.  In the first phase of the plan, as much as 10,000 square feet will be available facing Main Street on the southwest side of the project.  While design plans have yet to be finalized, that assumes the footprint immediately available is expanded to include a mezzanine level.
Future phases of the plan involve additional storefronts moving further south on Main Street, along the west side of First Niagara Center, extending the retail presence to the southern edge of Canalside.  That would include spaces that currently house HARBORCENTER and Mortenson Construction offices.  In total, the project would add close to 30,000 square feet of retail along the Main Street corridor, overlooking Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and the Buffalo River.
“While the amount of space that we will have available is limited, we want to ensure that we create a solid retail foundation for Canalside,” Koelmel added.  “We are committed to creating a multi-faceted, first-class experience for all of our guests and visitors.  We have already had tremendous interest from a wide-variety of vendors who want to be part of HARBORCENTER and the District.  They realize this is a unique opportunity to be part of a must-see destination in downtown Buffalo.”
The 650,000 square foot HARBORCENTER will open in late October with two NHL size rinks, a high-performance training facility operated by IMPACT Sports Performance, the Academy of Hockey, (716) Food and Sport restaurant, Tim Hortons Café and Bakeshop, and 750 space parking ramp.  A 205 room full-service Marriott Hotel will open on the property in the spring of 2015.
 

NU Adds Seven; Including Grand Island Native

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Janet
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The Niagara hockey team and head coach Dave Burkholderhave announced seven new additions to the Purple Eagle hockey family.  Set to join Niagara’s class of 2018 is Robert Angiolella, Stanislav Dzakhov, Luke Edwards,Albin Karlsson, Keegan Harper, Derian Plouffe and Lawrence Smith.

 

“On behalf of our entire hockey program it is with great pleasure and anticipation that we welcome the class of 2018,” Burkholder said.  “My staff has done an outstanding job finding these individuals that fit our goals and culture associated with Niagara hockey.”

 

Lawrence Smith │ 6-foot-3 │ 198 lbs. │Grand Island, N.Y. │ Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL)

Rounding out the recruiting list is Lawrence Smith who comes to Niagara in hopes of making an impact on the blueline. The 6-foot-3 defenseman played two seasons with the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL, after spending the 2011-12 season with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the OJHL.  As a member of the Canadians, the CCHL All-Star Team member accumulated seven goals and 63 assists, including 43 helpers during the 2013-14 campaign that contributed to his career-high 47 points.

“Larry, at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, is a two-way defenseman that can play in all situations,” Madsen said.  “He has great power play instincts, and a very heavy shot that we expect to be an asset on our power play unit.”

Robert Angiolella │ 5-foot-10 │190 lbs. │ Richmond Hill, Ont. │Aurora Tigers (OJHL)

Forward Robert Angiolella began his Ontario Junior Hockey League career with the Vaughan Vipers before making his way to the Markham Waxers where he recorded 47 points in 58 games.  Angiolella joined the Aurora Tigers for the 2012-13 season where he led the squad to a division title.  The two-time OJHL North All-Star team member was named captain the following season en route to the OJHL North-East Conference title.  He wrapped up his two campaigns with the Tigers with 49 goals and 50 assists for 99 points in regular season play, while adding another 13 points in playoff action.

“Rob is a two-way center who excels on faceoffs and being a reliable penalty-killer,” associate head coach Tim Madsen said.

Stanislav Dzakhov │ 6-foot-2 │ 210 lbs. │ Moscow, Russia │ Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL)

The second recruit to join the Purple Eagles is 6-foot-2 forward Stanislav Dzakhov.  During the 2011-12 season, Dzakhov started with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League, notching nine goals, 12 assists and eight points in 66 games before transferring to the Bismarck Bobcats of the North American Hockey League.  With the Bobcats, the 2013 Robertson Cup All-Tournament Forward scored 35 goals, 33 assists and 68 points in 84 games.  Dzakhov finished his second year with the Bobcats as the team’s leading goal scorer with 25 goals, which was ranked eighth in the NAHL, while adding 23 assists for 48 points.

“Stanislav brings a mixture of speed, skill and competitive level to our program, which we believe will allow him to contribute immediately in all situations,” Madsen stated.

Luke Edwards │ 5-foot-11 │189 lbs. │ Kingston, Ont. │ Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL)

Luke Edwards comes to Niagara looking to carve out his own niche, with the help of his older brother Brock Edwards. The 5-foot-11 center comes to Monteagle Ridge after amassing 39 goals, 74 assists and 113 points in 145 games for Carleton Place of the Central Canada Hockey League.  During his rookie season that saw him garner 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists), Edwards was tabbed as the team’s Rookie of the Year, while earning the Coaches Award after the completion of the 2013-14 season.

“Luke is a true power-forward with tremendous hockey sense, and the ability to make play in all three zones,” Madsen said.

Keegan Harper │ 5-foot-11 │ 195 lbs. │Ottawa, Ont. │Pembroke Lumber Kings (CCHL)

Defenseman Keegan Harper comes to Monteagle Ridge after five years in CCHL, split between the Cumberland Grads and the Pembroke Lumber Kings. In his two years with the Lumber Kings, the blueliner played in 120 games, while scoring 23 goals, 48 assists and 71 points.

“Keegan is an intelligent, mobile, offensive defenseman who we expect to help our power play immediately,” Madsen stated.

Albin Karlsson │ 5-foot-9 │ 170 lbs. │ Sigtuna, Sweden │ Kenai River Brown Bears(NAHL)

Albin Karlsson joins the Purple Eagles after playing the previous two seasons with the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League.  While there the forward tallied 25 goals and 47 helpers in 106 contests.

“Albin has the ability to change a game with his high-end division-one speed,” Madsen said.  “He has great offensive instincts, and plays the game with great tenacity.”

Derian Plouffe │ 5-foot-10 │ 180 lbs. │ Shawville, Quebec City │ Smiths Falls Bears (CCHL)

Before spending the 2013-14 season with the Smiths Falls Bears, center Derian Plouffe began his CCHL career with the Kanata Stallions.  His standout season came in 2012-13, where Plouffe tallied a career-high 35 goals and 33 assists for 68 points.  Overall, the Shawville, Quebec City native put together an impressive run in 143 games with the Stallions, scoring 67 goals and adding 82 helpers for 149 points.

“Derian’s greatest asset is his ability to score goals,” Madsen stated.  “He has scored goals at every level has played at, and we fully expect that to translate to college hockey.”

 

“We have identified our needs and these young players will all have an impact on our success in the classroom, on the ice and in the community,” added Burkholder.

The Purple Eagles open the 2014-15 season at Dwyer Arena against a pair of ECAC opponents. NU will face Clarkson on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. and will host St. Lawrence on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Season tickets are now available. For more ticket information, please contact the Niagara Ticket Office at (716) 286-TIXX (8499), [email protected] or visit www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets.

Buffalo Stars 15U Open with Win

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Janet
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The Buffalo Stars Midget U15 team participated in the Niagara University Invitational Tournament this past weekend and claimed victory in a wild weekend of hockey.

In game one on Friday, the Stars opened with a decisive victory over the Niagara Coyotes 6-0. Anthony Gallo recorded a hat trick and single tallies were earned by Josh Hussar, Nathan Gentile and Elliott Whittaker.  Connor King was solid in net turning back 17 Coyotes shots to earn the shutout.

The Stars played twice on Saturday and barely squeaked by with a pair of 1-1 ties.  The first game of the morning saw the Stars come out flat against a very determined Clarence Mustangsteam. The Stars had already beaten and tied the Mustangs in this early pre season and they were on a mission to end that pattern. However, the stellar goaltending of Alex Paul kept the Stars in the game as Buffalo came from behind off the stick of Will Mann to record the tie.

In the evening contest the stars faced off against the Wheatfield Blades and once again, the Stars came out flat. Only stellar goaltending, this time from Connor King,  kept the Stars in the game. Once again, Buffalo rallied from behind to tie as Ethan Alexin tallied late in the third period to advance Buffalo to the Championship round.

The division was tight and a Wheatfield victory would have kept Buffalo out of the Championship game. The Blades pulled their goaltender in a desperate attempt to gain victory but King stood tall and snatched victory for the Stars.

On Sunday, the Stars would face the Coyotes for the gold.  The Coyotes had made a determined preliminary round rebound claiming victory over Clarence and a hard fought tie with Wheatfield to propel into the final game.  However, the Coyotes rally was not to be as the Stars came out and dominated the game from the opening faceoff. The Stars scored in the first two shifts off the stick of Anthony Gallo and Ethan Alexin. Buffalo never looked back as Will Mann and Devin Conrad added a pair and Josh Hussar tallied once and the Stars skated to a convincing 7-0 victory.  Alex Paul turned back 15 Coyotes shots to earn the shutout.

Buffalo is back in action this evening at Holiday Twin Rinks as they take on the Saints Independent team at 7:45pm.  The game will be broadcast on the Stars UStream.tv network. You can view the game free of charge at:http://www.ustream.tv/channel/buffalo-stars-junior-hockey%20 

In other news, the Stars U16 team will open the regular season against Cheektowaga this evening at 9:15 at Holiday. That game will also be broadcast.

The Stars U18 team also participated in the weekend tournament and came out with a 1-3 record. The Stars fell to Bud Bakewell 6-4; Caz 4-0 and Clarence 3-2 before rebounding with a solid 5-2 victory over the Purple Eagles on Sunday.

You can follow the Buffalo Stars on line at:www.buffalostars.com

US U22 Women Beat Canada in Shootout; Sweep Series

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Janet
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U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team Beats Canada, 3-2, in Shootout, Sweeping Under-22 Series
USA Team captain Alex Carpenter scored game-tying goal
and was two-for-two in shootout
CALGARY, ALBERTA — The U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team scored twice in the final two minutes of regulation to force overtime and went on to a 3-2 shootout victory over Canada here today to complete a three-game sweep of the 2014 Under-22 Series.
Team USA captain Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) scored the game-tying goal and was two-for-two in the shootout to lead the way offensively.
“Both sides played well and we got down a couple of goals but our players never quit on each other and mounted a nice comeback late in the game,” said Ken Klee, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team. “I was really proud of our team today and throughout the series.”
For a complete recap, highlights and photos click here.
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