U.S. Hockey Report
November News
11/30/01
One More for the Gophers
5'10", 165 lb. Shattuck-St. Mary's RW Tyler Hirsch has made up his mind -- and it's the University of Minnesota.
Hirsch, with a line of 22-29-51 in 22 games, is the third-leading scorer on Shattuck's top line, which has Zach Parisé centering Brady Murray and Tyler Hirsch.
Hirsch, the leading point-getter on the U.S. Select 17 team that went to Fussen, Germany in late August, made his final choice from among BU, BC, Minnesota, North Dakota, and CC.
Hirsch, whose family recently moved from Bloomington down to Faribault, where Shattuck is located, is a 1/4/84 birthdate. He's a smart player, with good anticipation, an ability to get open, and a strong finishing touch.
11/29/01
Whitney Top-Ranked Collegian in Preliminary Rankings
The NHL's Central Scouting Service has released its preliminary rankings and 6'3½", 200 lb. Boston University freshman defenseman Ryan Whitney sits atop the list of NCAA players eligible for June's NHL Draft, which will be held in Buffalo, NY.
Whitney, of Scituate, Mass., played for Thayer Academy before moving on to the U.S. National Team Development Program. Of the top 11 collegians ranked by Central Scouting, all but three played in the Ann Arbor program.
Click on the link below to see the whole list, including U.S. junior and high school players.
Central Scouting's first official list will be released in January, followed by a final ranking in the spring.
Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings
11/26/01
- Top Prospects Teams Selected
- The 2001 Top Prospects Tournament will get underway on Mon. Dec. 3 -- a week from today -- and run through until Wed. Dec. 5. The tournament will take place at the Compuware Sports Arena, which is on Beck Rd. in Plymouth, Michigan.
- Here is the schedule:
- Mon. Dec. 4:
- 11:00 a.m -- NAHL vs. AWHL; 2:00 p.m. -- USHL vs. At-Large Team
Tues. Dec. 5:
11:00 a.m. -- USHL vs. AWHL; 2:00 p.m. -- NAHL vs. At-Large Team
Wed. Dec. 6:
11:00 a.m. AWHL vs. At-Large Team; 2:00 p.m. USHL vs. NAHL
- And here are the rosters:
- America West Hockey League:
Goaltenders: Jeff Lantz, '83 ( Bismarck); Joe Tuset, '82 ( Bozeman). Defensemen: Robbie Bina, '83 (Bismarck); Matt Boldt, '82 ( Billings); Kyle Finch, '83 ( Fairbanks); Aarpm Kakepetum '81 ( Bozeman); John Miller '81 ( Bozeman); Eric Robb '82 ( Fairbanks). Forwards: Jason Blain '83 ( Bozeman); Steve Canter '83 ( Billings); Lou Garritan '81 ( Billings); Eric Helstedt ( Fairbanks); Nick Krebsbach '81 ( Bismarck); Ryan McKelvie '82 ( Bozeman); Garrett Roth '82 ( Bismarck); Jon Rudnick '82 ( Bismarck) Eric St. Arnauld '81 ( Bozeman).
North American Hockey League:
Goaltenders: Brandon Crawford-West '82 ( Texas); Tim Heneroty '82 ( Pittsburgh). Defensemen: Alex Dunn '82 (Lansing); Andy Greene '82 ( Compuware); Peter Harrold '83 ( Cleveland); Jared Nightingale '82 ( Soo); Dylan Reese '84 ( Pittsburgh); Greg Tam '82 ( Danville). Forwards: Andy Brandt '83 ( Pittsburgh); Chris Conner '83 ( Chicago); Mike Falk '81 ( Compuware); Dan Knapp '83 ( Compuware); Ryan Lessnau '81 ( Compuware); Greg Rallo '81 ( Springfield); Matt Rutkowski '82 ( Compuware); Geoff Smith '83 ( Texas); Mike Walsh '83 ( Compuware).
United States Hockey League:
Goaltenders: Bobby Goepfert '83 ( Cedar Rapids); Marty Magers '83 ( Omaha). Defensemen: PJ Atherton '82 ( Cedar Rapids); Tim Conboy** '82 ( Rochester); Tom Gilbert '83 ( Chicago); Matt Greene '83 ( Green Bay); Nate Guenin '82 ( Green Bay); Michael Hutchins '85 ( Des Moines); Danny Richmond '84 ( Chicago). Forwards: Adam Burish '82 (Green Bay); Matt Ciancio '81 ( Sioux City); Quinn Fylling '82 ( Sioux Falls); Joe Jensen '83 ( Sioux Falls); Mark Langdon '82 ( Des Moines); Brandon Schwartz '81 ( Sioux City); Aaron Slattengren '81 ( Omaha); Jon Snowden '82 ( Lincoln); Brad Zancanaro '82 ( Sioux City).
** denotes injury (will not participate)
At-Large Team:
Goaltenders: Kellen Briggs '83 ( Sioux Falls); Justin Tobe '84 ( Compuware). Defensemen: Chris Busby '82 ( Danville); Reynold Fauci '82 ( Chicago Freeze); Chris Harrington '82 ( Omaha); Brian Hartman '81 ( Pittsburgh); Weston Tardy '83 ( Des Moines); Jake Taylor '83 ( Green Bay). Forwards: Jason Bloomingburg '82 ( Texas); Jon Booras '82 ( Topeka); Justin Cross '82 ( Soo); Stephen Gionta '83 ( USA); Andrew Mumford '82 ( Fairbanks); Justin Muth '81 ( Great Falls); Eric Przepiorka '81 ( Sioux Falls); Konrad Reeder '81 ( Tri-City); Jason Tejchma '83 ( Danville).
11/24/01
A Mighty Mite for BU
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) 5'5", 160 lb. center Brad Zancanaro, who visited UNH on Sunday and Monday, then BU on Tues. and Wed., has made his college pick -- it's the Terriers.
Zancanaro, on a separate trip a few weeks ago, also visited Providence College.
An '82 from Trenton, Michigan, Zancanaro is having a breakthrough season out in the flatlands, already eclipsing his point total from last year, his first with Sioux City. This year, he's held the second spot in the USHL scoring race practically (if not actually) from the get-go, usually trailing Sioux Falls wing -- and Golden Gophers recruit -- Thomas Vanek by roughly four points. It rarely changes.
Zancanaro, in 17 games, has an 11-21-32 line and leads the league in assists.
An '82, Zancanaro is awfully small, but he's also skilled, fast, feisty, gritty, focused in traffic, and tough to knock off the puck, as he has a lot of strength through his legs and midsection. We previously thought of him more as an energy guy for Div. I play, but this season he's proved himself to be more than that.
Last month, Sioux Falls head coach Dave Siciliano mentioned to the USHR that Zancanaro, whom he describes as "all heart and soul" has been shooting the puck more this season. "Also," Siciliano noted, "his passes -- and decisions -- are quicker than last year."
One of the interesting things about Zancanaro is the fact that he plays half his games on Sioux City's tiny ice surface. He's really more of a big-sheet player -- a burner who, given a bit of space, can cook opposing defenseman.
11/22/01
Player Dismissed from the NTDP
While the Jimmy Howard news is pleasant, overall it's been a rough Thanksgiving week around Ann Arbor, as U.S. Under-18 Team forward Jim McKenzie has been asked by U.S. National Coach Mike Eaves to leave the program for a violation of team rules.
In addition, center Stephen Werner, a recent UMass-Amherst signee, has, for the same violation, been suspended from Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School for 1½ weeks, and will not be allowed to rejoin the team until right after the Christmas/New Year's break.
McKenzie was given the harsher punishment because this most recent incident represented the continuation of a behavioral pattern going back to last season. By the same token, Werner was treated more leniently because it was his first such incident.
McKenzie, a 6'2", 205 lb. RW from Woodbury, Minn., played for Hill Murray HS in 1999-200 before joining the NTDP at the beginning of last season. This season, in 19 games, he posted a 7-10-17 line with 23 pims. Right now, it's not clear what McKenzie will do next. He could choose to finish out his senior year at Pioneer HS and perhaps play for the Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL). He could also return home to Minnesota and play high school hockey, or sign on with a USHL team.
The NTDP receives its funding directly from USA Hockey and, as such, the 45-player program enjoys a high degree of visibility. Eaves and the rest of the staff therefore expect players to hew to team rules or face the consequences.
This is the first time in two years that a player has been asked to leave the program.
11/23/01
A Goalie for the Black Bears
6'1", 204 lb. U.S. NTDP goaltender James Howard committed to the University of Maine Black Bears on Monday night, just before flying out of Orono at the conclusion of his official visit.
Howard, a native of Ogdensburg, NY, which is on the St. Lawrence River, right across the water from Ontario, has played nine games with the Under-17 team this fall, posting a 3.64 gaa and a .911 save percentage.
Other schools in the hunt for Howard included BU, Ohio State, Michigan State, Clarkson, and, of course, Maine. Howard took visits to all except Ohio State.
With both Matt Yeats and Mike Morrison graduating this year, Maine's goaltenders for next year will be Howard and Frank Doyle, who's a freshman at Maine now, but, due to some major junior appearances, is ineligible to suit up until four games into next season's schedule.
Howard, a 3/26/84 birthdate, played last season for the Kanata Valley Lasers (COJHL) and the season before that with Westport Rideaux Jr. B.
Howard said the atmosphere at Maine games and the fact that the area reminded him of his native Ogdensburg were keys to his choosing the Black Bears.
Note: Speaking of Maine, the U.S. Under-18 team will be in Maine this weekend, playing Colby and Bowdoin. With the U.S. short a goalie, a call-up -- on short notice -- from outside the program was necessary and St. Sebastian's School 6'1", 175 lb. junior Kevin Regan got the nod. Regan, who's not particularly flashy but squares himself to the shooter well and just lets the puck hit him, helped lead Massachusetts to the bronze medal game at the U.S. Select 17 Festival, stopping all 61 shots he faced and winning himself a spot on the U.S. Select 17 Team that won the gold handily in Fussen, Germany in late August.
Regan will play the first half of St. Seb's Saturday scrimmage vs. Thayer, then head out with his family at halftime, arriving in Waterville, Maine in time to suit up for the 7 pm U.S. tilt vs. the White Mules of Colby College. On Sunday, the Under-18 team will face Bowdoin at 5 pm. Regan is not being guaranteed any time between the pipes, but, hey, Lou Gehrig wasn't guaranteed any playing time on a certain spring day in 1925, either.
Regan will be back with St. Sebastian's, coached by Steve Dagdigian, as the Arrows begin their defense of their Div. I prep crown with a 4:00 pm home game against Northfield-Mt. Hermon on Wednesday (11/28).
11/22/01
Player Dismissed from the NTDP
While the Jimmy Howard news is pleasant, overall it's been a rough Thanksgiving week around Ann Arbor, as U.S. Under-18 Team forward Jim McKenzie has been asked by U.S. National Coach Mike Eaves to leave the program for a violation of team rules.
In addition, center Stephen Werner, a recent UMass-Amherst signee, has, for the same violation, been suspended from Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School for 1½ weeks, and will not be allowed to rejoin the team until right after the Christmas/New Year's break.
McKenzie was given the harsher punishment because this most recent incident represented the continuation of a behavioral pattern going back to last season. By the same token, Werner was treated more leniently because it was his first such incident.
McKenzie, a 6'2", 205 lb. RW from Woodbury, Minn., played for Hill Murray HS in 1999-200 before joining the NTDP at the beginning of last season. This season, in 19 games, he posted a 7-10-17 line with 23 pims. Right now, it's not clear what McKenzie will do next. He could choose to finish out his senior year at Pioneer HS and perhaps play for the Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL). He could also return home to Minnesota and play high school hockey, or sign on with a USHL team.
The NTDP receives its funding directly from USA Hockey and, as such, the 45-player program enjoys a high degree of visibility. Eaves and the rest of the staff therefore expect players to hew to team rules or face the consequences.
This is the first time in two years that a player has been asked to leave the program.
11/19/01
Prep Composite Schedule Book Completed
The Northeastern U.S. Prep Composite Schedule Book 2001-02 is done, and mailing starts today.
Click here for more info and an order form: Prep Composite Schedule 2001-02
Putting together this book -- to say nothing of opening up the new season's prep page -- is always a massive effort, requiring tracking down schedules, fact-checking, typing, layout, etc. Naturally, it diverts out attention from news writing, which is what the U.S. Hockey Report is about. We're happy to say that we'll be back to speed shortly -- and that's a promise.
11/14/01
Monarchs vs. Hogwarts
The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, formerly the Snowdevils, are off to a 10-2-1 start in the EJHL this season, and will provide a nice opening-day test for Dana Barbin's Exeter squad this afternoon at 4:30.
Last year, Exeter, in their first game, met the Snowdevils and, behind current Harvard C Tom Cavanagh's six-goal day, beat the Snowdevils, 7-6.
That probably won't happen this time around. Monarchs coach/GM Sean Tremblay has a stronger team this year, with three kids already ticketed for Div. I schools and at least a couple of others showing the ability to play at that level.
-- 5'11", 185 lb. defenseman Bobby McCabe, who'll be joining UMass-Lowell next season, leads a stingy defense, which has kept opponents to under two goals per game so far this season. McCabe, a 12/12/81 left-shot from Somersworth, N.H., is the most complete D-man we've seen thus far in the EJHL. He's an excellent skater, a highly-mobile D who hits hard and jump up into the rush. In 22 games, he has 12 goals and 15 assists. McCabe was at Berwick Academy as a freshman, then took his sophomore and junior years at Holderness, where he played forward. Last year, his senior season, he came to the Snowdevils/Monarchs, where Tremblay put him back at his natural position. It's paid off nicely.
-- Look for 6'2" John LaLiberte, a left shot playing the off-wing, to be at Harvard next year. LaLiberte took his official visit there several weeks ago and while it's not official -- nothing is at Harvard schools until the admissions officer touches the applicant on the shoulder with the magic sword -- it's also not expected to be an issue. Ever-vigilant Dartmouth was on LaLiberte early, and Brown and Providence got in the hunt, too. LaLiberte, who's gotten better bit-by-bit ever since we first saw him four years ago at St. John's Prep, protects the puck nicely, is a smart player, and has worked on his release -- he's finding the back of the net regularly this season. He's still filling out, too. He's roughly 190, now, and in time could add 10-15 lbs. He missed some games early in the season with a knee injury (torn cartilage), but in the 11 games since returning, has a 10-14-24 line. There's pro potential here. LaLiberte, who's from Saco, Maine, is an 8/5/83 birthdate and is thus eligible for June's NHL draft without opting in. LaLiberte, by the way, used to be the stickboy for the Snowdevils back when they played in southern Maine, and his dad was a minor league baseball player.
-- 5'9" LW Zach Mayer, who graduated from Deerfield last spring but deferred a year at Yale in order to play juniors and work on building himself up to the point where he could play Div. I without getting bounced all over the place. A Rhode Island native who played for LaSalle HS before going to prep school, Mayer is a savvy playmaker. He's very patient and is always looking for -- and usually finding -- the open man. Like LaLiberte, Mayer missed the first few weeks of the season with an injury, in this case a broken wrist. Since his return, he's notched four goals and 15 assists in 14 games.
-- A golden acquisition for Tremblay has been 6'5", 215 lb. goaltender Joseph Pearce, an '82 from Brick, NJ who formerly played for Randy Walker's N.J. Jr. Titans. Tremblay first saw Pearce two years ago at the Chicago Showcase, and has watched him get continually better since. Pearce is starting to get some Div. I interest from Hockey East schools, but, in this era of 20-year-old freshman goalies, will likely need another year. Don't look for him to grow any more.
-- Among the other players, we liked 5'6', 165 lb. forward Brian Pouliat, a late '84; and 6'0",185 lb. defenseman Jesse Driscoll, who played for New Hampton and the Green Mt. Glades last year. Driscoll, an '82 with a year of junior eligibility after this season, was very steady, and in time may be someone who could round out a group of D at the Div. I level.
11/13/01
Lane Leaves Harvard for Major Junior
Harvard University freshman defenseman Jesse Lane has left the Crimson and will be joining the Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) for tonight's home game against Chicoutimi. Hull has scheduled a press conference for 6 pm tonight to announce the deal.
Needless to say, the college hockey world is buzzing over this one -- shocked might be a better word.
For the Crimson, Lane played in three games and had an 0-1-1 line. On Saturday at Dartmouth, Lane was benched for accruing too many penalty minutes in Harvard's 5-1 loss to Vermont the night before, a game in which the Crimson were blitzed for four powerplay goals.
That did it for the Lanes and college hockey.
Lane's mother, Wendy Lane, reports that Jesse's exit from Harvard was "a total family decision," adding that her son is "more geared toward the pro philosophy and the longer schedule of major junior." Both parents, who are very hands-on, went to Harvard -- she for grad school, and the father, Fred, as both an undergrad and a grad student. Jesse, an affable kid, seemed like a Harvard type as well. Now, he will be taking a leave of absence from Harvard, and is planning on taking courses at the University of Ottawa.
Harvard coach Mark Mazzoleni would only say, "It was a decision he and his family made and we just wish him the best."
It's extremely rare for a player to leave the Harvard program as a freshman, particularly after just three games. We can't recall it ever happening before.
Hull will be Lane's fifth team in four years. He spent the '98-99 season with the Walpole Stars (EJHL); the '99-00 season with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL); and the '00-01 season with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
Lane, from Needham, Mass., is a 3/2/83 birthdate who's 6'1", 185 lbs. and a left shot. He could go as high as the second round in June's NHL draft. Most NHL GMs, however, prefer to see kids stay in college, where they are playing against older, more physically mature kids than in juniors. For the last three years Lane has played up, now he will be playing down.
11/12/01
Pilkington to Bowling Green
5'11", 180 lb. center Brett Pilkington of the Olds Grizzlys (AJHL) has committed to Bowling Green.
Pilkington, a rookie and a 1/6/84 birthdate, is the leading scorer on his team. In 23 games, he has a 9-25-34 line.
A native of Calgary, Pilkington was voted the top forward at last year's Air Canada Cup, which is Canada's Midget National Championship. His team, the Calgary Royals, came in second. Pilkington, a playmaker with excellent vision and hands, also stood out at the MAC's Tournament over the holidays.
Last weekend, Pilkington visited Ohio State, and, shortly after returning to Calgary, decided on Bowling Green.
11/10/01
Prep Season Approaches
With the international tournaments scheduled for this week having been scrubbed (see USHR News 10/24/01), and things quiet on the recruiting front, there's not a lot to report.
That's not to say that we're not busy. The primary projects we're working on now are:
-- Getting the '01-02 USHR Prep Page ready. You may have noticed, on the top of this site's main page, that it says "Coming Soon." That ain't no lie, brother -- look for it to open this week. It may start as a mere trickle, as most schools don't get going until after Thanksgiving break, but will become a torrent soon enough. As always, we're going to need assistance from all Div. I prep schools in the matter of e-mailing box scores. More on that later.
-- The other big project involves the preparation of the 2001-02 Northeastern U.S. Division I Prep Composite Schedule, a 60 page 8½x11 booklet that not only supplies schedules for each Div. I prep school and all the holiday tournaments, but also a day-by-day, hour-by-hour listing of every Div. I prep school game from November to March. It's designed with college recruiters and pro scouts in mind, but in recent years more and more fans have purchased it as well.
As soon as we deliver it to the printer, we'll post ordering info on this page.
11/06/01
Another Coyote Becomes a Friar
New England Jr. Coyotes (EJHL) 5'11", 170 lb. center Bryan Horan committed to Providence College last night.
A Farmington, Conn. native and 2/12/84 birthdate, Horan has a 3-9-12 line in six games with the Coyotes so far this season. He was also on the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that went to Fussen, Germany in late August, winning in a cakewalk. Horan, with a 6-3-9 line in four games, was the team's second-leading scorer (to Tyler Hirsch)
The other two finalists for Horan were Notre Dame and Northeastern.
The Friars, by the way, will have nine former Coyotes on their roster next season -- D Dominic Torretti, D Jeff Mason, D Eric Lundberg, F John Luszcz, F Jon DiSalvatore, F Chris Chaput, F Peter Zingoni, and incoming forwards Torry Gajda and, of course, Horan.
If there's anyone out there who can think of a Div. I college that carried more players from any one team, please let us know. We'll try to come up with a prize, perhaps a Gary Dineen bobble-head doll or something.
11/06/01
Parez to Alaska-Anchorage
6'2", 195 lb. forward Ales Parez of the Chicago Steel (USHL) has committed to Alaska-Anchorage.
A right-shot LW, Parez has size, gets open well, and has good patience with the puck. Before joining the Steve Richmond-coached Steel this season, the native of the Czech Republic played for the Bismarck Bobcats (AWHL). Before that, he played at the Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania, a boarding school roughly 100 miles north of Philadelphia. One of his teammates -- Parez arrived as a 5'6" eighth grader -- was (now) 6'5" Harvard LW Dennis Packard, whose father is the school's headmaster and was instrumental in getting Parez to the United States.
Parez, in 13 USHL games this season, has a 1-6-7 line, and is tied for fourth on the team in scoring.
By the way, John Hill, hired as Alaska-Anchorage coach last April, has infused the program with a positive energy that was never there in the Dean Talafous regime, when it seemed that players were leaving the program almost weekly. Hill, who captained the Seawolves in the early '80s, brought in two Czechs, forwards Pavel Hlavacek and Martin Stuchlik, over the summer. Now Parez makes three.
11/05/01
Michigan's Goalie of the Future?
With Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn, who's played every minute of every game this season, and backup Kevin O'Malley both set to graduate in the spring, the University of Michigan will be bringing in two goalies next season.
The Wolverines main target? U.S. Under-17 goaltender Alvaro Montoya.
Perhaps feeling burned by the Jason Bacashihua situation last spring, the Michigan staff, in pursuing Montoya, is going after a kid committed to his studies. Montoya, who's from Glenview, Ill, a northern suburb of Chicago, has, despite attending three different high schools in the last three years, maintained a 4.0 average and, although he's currently just an 11th grader, is attempting to accelerate. The Michigan staff thinks he can do it, and sees Montoya wearing the maize and blue next fall.
Montoya, who is 6'2", 173 lbs. and extremely athletic, has posted a 3.12 gaa and .915 save percentage in 10 games against NAHL competition this season. Last season, Montoya played 16 games with the Texas Tornado (NAHL), posting a 2.82 gaa and an .891 save percentage. Bear in mind that he played most of that season as a 15-year-old.
This means that, if Montoya does indeed go to Michigan in the fall, he'll be a 17-year-old Div. I college goaltender, which is rarer than a tulip in Antarctica.
The NTDP isn't thrilled at the prospect of losing Montoya a year early. They'd like him to continue his development with the program, where he'd play for the Under-18 team and face a large number of Div. I colleges without fear of sitting if he struggles, which, of course, frequently happens in college. On top of that, the '85s in the NTDP are deeper up front and in goal than any group since the program, now in its fifth year, began. This means the U.S. is well-positioned to contend for a medal at the 2003 World Under-18 Championship, and would like Montoya to be a member of the squad all season long.
Montoya wants to go to Michigan, and Michigan wants Montoya. Right now, it looks like it's going to boil down to the question of whether or not he is able to accelerate.
11/05/01
Goat Grabbing!
On Saturday, USHR's Asian correspondent got to talking about Buzkashi which, literally translated, means "goat grabbing." It's the national sport of Afghanistan, and, if you can imagine a combination of a 1975 Philadelphia Flyers game and a WWF tag team free-for-all, you get the picture.
All you need to play is a large flat field, and an equally large number of horses and riders, which means it would be a good sport for Wyoming. You also need a goat carcass. They don't sell them at the supermarket, though, so you have to go out and get a live one. You then take the goat (a calf can be substituted), chop off its head, cut the legs off at the knees, remove the entrails, and, finally, soak the carcass in cold water -- this toughens and hardens it -- for 24 hours (sort of like putting pucks in a bucket of ice, eh?)
The next day, the teams gather, with each player mounted on horseback. Since there is no limit to the amount of horses/riders that can take part, the numbers shoot well up into the hundreds, and the game takes on the appearance of an ancient war on horseback. It brings you right back to the good old days of Genghis Khan and the Mongols.
To start a game of Buzkashi, the puck -- whoops, goat carcass -- is placed in the center of the field, a face-off circle of sorts. The object of the game is simple: to gain full control of the carcass and bring it into the scoring area, but in practice it's difficult, demanding superb horsemanship, and, like hockey, physical courage, strength, etc.
There are rules. For example, you can't hit opponents hands (slashing), or trip their horses. But it gets nasty -- cracked ribs, broken limbs, and head injuries are common -- and you're expected to play hurt. Occasionally, games are situated near rivers and some players -- i.e., the goons -- have been known to conspire to drown their more skilled opponents. Adds an interesting side dimension to the game. Mario Lemieux would certainly relate.
Today, the game is more popular in Northern Afghanistan, where the matches are contested on the wide-open plains, and the players don't have to worry about being bombed. Up until fairly recently, games were held in the southern cities but since the Taliban disapproves of sports, one has to travel far into the country to see a match. The one urban stadium in which Buzkashi was occasionally played in the past, Kabul's Ghanzi Stadium, is now used by the Taliban for public executions, cutting off the hands of anyone exhibiting unfundamentalist behavior, and other assorted acts of ugliness. Do they fill the stadium? Do they charge admission? Do they sell beer?
We have no clue.
Anyway, up north, where the Northern Alliance fights on, the game is not just big, it's a way of life, not unlike hockey in Warroad, Minnesota. We should also mention that the game's top riders gain not just prestige, but big cash prizes, often surpassing $100, which in Afghanistan is big bucks, and worth the pain of playing with cracked ribs.
Don't look for Buzkashi -- sounds like health food, doesn't it? -- to become an Olympic sport anytime soon. Afghanistan, which participated in the summer Olympics from 1936-96, is under International Olympic Committee suspension, and has been since well before the events of Sept. 11, primarily because the Taliban government violates the IOC charter by refusing to allow women to compete. That's actually the least of the sins the Taliban commits against girls and women, who are virtual prisoners. They can't leave home without a male relative accompanying them, and even then they must be covered head-to-toe. Oh yes, they can't go to school after age eight, or hold jobs either.
On Salon.com not too long ago, sportswriter Allen Barra referred to Afghanis as being "sports-impaired" and suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that before we drop bombs on them, we should drop basketballs.
But we've done that. Over the years, Peace Corps workers have tried -- and failed -- to introduce hoops. It didn't work. Hockey, rugby, or polo wouldn't work either, for the Afghanis already have a sport which combines elements of the three. And that's Buzkashi.
In other non-hockey sports news, last night the Arizona Diamondbacks won a tremendously gripping World Series by scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth -- sorry, C.J. Marottolo -- to pin a 3-2 defeat on the N.Y. Yankees and closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera.
11/02/01
Big Get for the Minutemen
6'1", 188 lb. C/RW Stephen Werner of the U.S. Under-18 Team committed to UMass-Amherst last night.
Werner, who's from Chevy Chase, Maryland, will be the second Marylander to play for UMass coach Toot Cahoon. When Cahoon was at Princeton he coached Potomac native Jeff Halpern, who went undrafted, was signed as a free agent after his senior year with the Tigers ('98-99), and now, in his third NHL season, is among the Washington Capitals top four or five forwards. Halpern, who blossomed at Princeton, spoke to Werner, giving him the thumbs-up on playing for Cahoon.
Before going to the NTDP, Werner played for the Washington Capitals Jr. B.
Werner, who has size, is a strong skater, and excellent puckhandler. He was the sixth-leading scorer on the Under-17 team last year with a 12-23-35 line in 69 games. So far this year, he has a 4-8-12 line in 17 games. In the U.S. gold medal winning performance at the World Under-17 Challenge in Nova Scotia over the holidays last winter, Werner came through with two goals and two assists.
Werner, an 8/8/84 birthdate, is the first player from the NTDP to choose UMass-Amherst, which, under the Cahoon regime, has started to attract the high-skill players that went elsewhere in the past. UMass fans can get a sneak preview of Werner when the U.S. Under-18 Team plays the Minutemen at the Mullins Center on Fri. Feb. 15 at 7:00 pm.
11/02/01
Another Man Done Gone
Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL) head coach/GM Craig Heggs resigned on Tuesday morning, one day after Cleveland Barons (NAHL) head coach Larry DePalma was fired.
Blues part owners Peter Crawford and Jack Rankin made the announcement at the team's weekly media conference, saying that "Craig has pressing family problems in St. Louis," and citing the fact that Heggs' mother was in poor health, and the coach was unable to devote 100% of his attention to the team. Crawford said he and Heggs parted ways on "very good terms."
Crawford, the brother of Vancouver Canucks coach Marc Crawford, is taking over behind the bench on an interim basis. His first game is tonight, a home game vs. the Springfield (Missouri) Spirit, which started the season as the St. Louis Sting.
As for the next coach, Crawford said, "We're in no hurry, we just want to make sure we make the right choice." Crawford has already begun to receive resumes.
Last season, under Heggs, the Blues were a franchise-worst 19-36-1. This year, they are 4-8-2 and have lost four straight. After Ferris State recruit Greg Rallo, who has scored close to 47% of his team's goals -- an insanely high percentage -- there are no other big scorers.
In other words, in the short term, it could be difficult for Crawford to turn the franchise's fortunes around. Tonight's game, though, begins a stretch of seven straight home games.
As for the Cleveland situation, the major reason for the firing of DePalma is reported to be team owner Tom Goebel's unhappiness with the amount of playing time his son, Tom, was receiving under DePalma, and DePalma's unwillingness to bend on the situation.
11/02/01
Good for Clarkson
6'3", 195 lb. LD Dale Good of the Newmarket Hurricanes (OPJHL) and 6'0", 195 lb. RD Chris Breckelmans of the Strathroy Rockets (WOJHL) have committed to Clarkson.
Good, who was one of five non-OHL players on the Team Ontario roster at last winter's World Under-17 Challenge in Nova Scotia, is a smart, skilled defenseman with pro potential and the ability to quarterback the powerplay. Bowling Green and BU were among the other schools recruiting Good. He's a 1/13/84 birthdate and played for the York Simcoe Bantams before moving up to the Hurricanes.
Breckelmans is an excellent skater, plays in all situations for the Rockets, and is perhaps the most physical defenseman in the Western Ontario Jr. B circuit. Breckelmans is a 9/23/83 birthdate. By the way, Clarkson sophomore LW Rob McFeeters, ECAC Rookie of the Year last season, is also a Strathroy product.
Notes: Speaking of non-OHL players on Ontario's Under-17 team in Nova Scotia (coached by ex-Yalie Dan Poliziani), 6'0", 175 lb. LW Derek MacKay of the Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) is leaning toward Ferris State.... Bob Driscoll, who we wrote about last month (USHR News, 10/12/01) has been named Providence College's new Athletic Director, and will be taking over on January 1st. This is good news, for Driscoll's a hockey man, having played at Ithaca College, where he was team captain and second-highest scorer in the school's history. He graduated in '74. In 1977, while an assistant AD at Union College, he took over the hockey team on an interim basis after the Ned Harkness scandal. For the past 14 years, he's been an associate AD at Cal-Berkeley.
11/01/01
Denver Lands Gauthier
5'9", 180 lb. LC Gabe Gauthier of the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL), one of the elite US-born '84s, committed to Denver University last night.
Gauthier's final choice was between BU and Denver. Gauthier made his official visit to BU Oct. 13-14, and was at Denver this past weekend.
In 13 games this season, Gauthier has a 7-17-24 scoring line. His numbers last season were 30-51-81 in 45 games played. Gauthier, who's not big nor the swiftest skater, has remarkable vision and that, combined with excellent hand-eye coordination, is what makes him a blue-chip recruit. Watch him as he moves around the offensive zone. He's always thinking, anticipating, and weighing options. He knows how to get open. He anticipates where on the ice his teammates are going to move to. He can slow the game down. His passes are hard and accurate -- likewise for his shot. He should be an impact freshman for the Pioneers.
In the summer of '99, Gauthier was the dominant player at the U.S. Select 15 Festival, which was won by his Pacific Team (others on that team included Brett Sterling, Timmy Wallace, Matt Carle, and Jake Wilkens).
Gauthier, who's from Buena Park, California, grew up playing hockey in the Los Angeles area, which he left at 14 for the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass. He was there for one year and then went to the BCHL. This is his third season with the Chiefs, currently leading the league's Mainland Division with a 13-2-2 record. Chilliwack features four forwards already committed to Div. I schools. In addition to Gauthier, they are: Jeff Tambellini (Michigan), Kaleb Betts (Nebraska-Omaha), and Dave Van der Gulik (BU).
Gauthier joins D Brett Skinner (Des Moines, USHL) and D Scott Drewicki (St. Albert, AJHL) as current Denver recruits.
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