Former Dominator finding Groove in OHL

from http://www.guelphmercury.com

Guelph’s Cazzola finds a home in Erie

 February 01, 2010, Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury, tsaxon@guelphmercury.com

GUELPH — It might be a while before Michael Cazzola makes another late-summer sojourn to his homeland.

Cazzola scored 44 pts. for the 2007-08 Dominators

Cazzola, an 18-year-old Guelph native who stars for the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, in part blamed a trip to Italy late last summer for his slow start to this season with Erie.

He had just two goals in his first 10 games this year.

“Right at the end of the summer I went on a trip to Italy. My parents told me it wouldn’t slow me down at the start of the season, but I always thought about taking a week off and how it might affect my game,” Cazzola said on a recent stop in the Royal City.

“Then a couple of weeks into the season I really found my groove and took off from there.”

Since then he has been on fire, teaming up with linemates Zack Torquato and Greg McKegg to form one of the deadliest trios in the league.

Cazzola has 25 goals and 34 assists on the season. He is tied for the team lead in goals, and is second in assists and points.

“I feel more comfortable for sure and the confidence is there. I feel like I contribute a lot more to this team, so it feels a lot better,” he said.

Last season he finished with 11 goals and 27 points. But Otters coach Robbie Ftorek said those less than impressive totals were about a player learning the league.

“I didn’t see him struggling last year, I saw him learning and gaining confidence.”

Cazzola was a 13th-round draft pick in 2007 by the Otters. He spent most of the following season with the junior B Guelph Dominators before Erie came calling with an education package the former Bishop Macdonell high school student couldn’t turn down.

Now he’s one of the team’s go-to guys.

View the rest of the article here: http://news.guelphmercury.com/Sports/article/593442

Note: Cazzola who wears #13 is currently 13th in the OHL in Scoring.

Matt Kennedy rocked by Kassian

Last night Windsor Spitfire Zach Kassian (who was acquired at the trade deadline) rocked former Guelph Storm captain Matt Kennedy (who is now playing with the Barrie Colts) in a huge open ice hit.

The OHL has suspended Kassian indefinately, meanwhile Kennedy is out with a concussion.

View the video here:

check out the rest of the story from Slam Sports here: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/Junior/2010/01/15/12483776-qmi.html

Trio of Cyclones hit Storm line-up tonight

The Guelph Storm lineup featured a trio of Listowel Cyclones Tuesday night’s in a 4-2 loss to the London Knights.

Mac Nichol made his OHL debut Tuesday night for the Storm

Ryan Horvat and Mac Nichol made their OHL debuts, joining Guelph native James Prigione who made his debut last year.  Prigione, played one game last season picking up a home win versus the Peterborough Petes on Friday, January 30th.

Horvat wore #15, collected one assist (on Vadim Guskov’s first OHL goal) and was a plus one, Nichol who wore #2 played steady defence and Prigione who wore #34 backed up starter Cody St. Jacques.

In 25 games with the Cylones this season, Nichol has 3 goals and 10 assists along with 24 penalty minutes.

Horvat has played 33 games this season with Listowel collecting 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points along with 35 penalty minutes.

In 23 appearances, Prigione owns a 15-8-0-0 record with a 2.81 GAA and 0.914 save percentage.

Also a reminder that the Guelph Hurricanes next home game is this Saturday January 2nd, when the Canes take on the Kitchener Dutchmen at Victoria Road Arena. This is one of 5 games this season (due to scheduling conflicts) that the Hurricanes will play at their old stomping grounds Vic Road. Come out and cheer on the Canes as they look to make it 3 wins in their last 4 games. Game time is 7:30 pm.

Sleeman Centre busy place this Saturday

The Sleeman Centre will be a busy place tomorrow. (Saturday December 19th, 2009)

First the Guelph Storm host the Plymouth Whalers at 2:00pm in OHL action.  This will be a chance to see newly acquired defenceman Ryan Gottschalk.

Then Chris McDougall and the Guelph Hurricanes host the Welland Canadiens at 7:30 pm in GOJHL action. Remember that Guelph Minor Hockey Players wearing their hockey jerseys will get in Free to the Hurricanes / Canadiens matchup.

 

So take a break from your Christmas shopping and head down to the Sleeman Centre for some exciting hockey

McDougall Steals Win as Hurricanes beat Listowel 2-1

from http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

MCDOUGALL STEALS WIN

McDougall stops 50 of 51 shots

Hurricanes goaltender, Chris McDougall has played well all season. Last night in Listowel was maybe his best game so far. Kicking out 50 of 51 shots and with the GM of the OHL Peterborough Petes in the crowd McDougall put on another goaltender clinic.

Jim Prigione the Cyclones goalie also played well only allowing goals by Jake Weidner(2) and Connor Ste Marie. Collecting assists were Daniel Cotroneo and Mike McFarland.

For the 3rd consecutive game the Canes were full measure for the win. They played hard for a full 60 minutes and carried the play at different times in the game.

This was the front end of a home and home series with the Cyclones and the 1st game between the 2 teams since the trade.

Tomorow night sees the return of Dan Mohle and Ken Rolph at the Sleeman Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Remember to bring the kids, because for each adult admission purchased up to 4 children ages 0-13 can get in Free.

Chris MacDougall has been traded

Hurricanes goalie traded in OHL to Petes

According to the Waterloo Region Record,  Chris MacDougall (who is Kitchener Rangers property) has been traded along with an 8th round pick in 2012 to the Peterborough Petes for Defenceman Chad Lowry. Read the full article here: http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/631216

Fanelli feeling better

Fanelli can’t recall ‘The Hit’

Joe Warmington, The Toronto Sun Oakville | Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 5:12 am

Oakville – It seems the only person who hasn’t seen “The Hit” is the very guy who took it.

He may not have seen it but young hockey player Ben Fanelli lived it.

At least that’s what doctors, his teammates and his loving family have told him.

The 16-year-old Fanelli also doesn’t remember an opposing forward crashing toward him, his head smashing into the glass, his blood pouring onto the ice, his teammates circled around him in prayer, him being taken off with a back board before the horrified Kitchener crowd or the airlift to hospital in critical condition.

But one look in the mirror shows something drastic happened. And that giant scar running down from his right eye tells the whole story of a kid who suffered a cracked skull and broken orbital bone.

Throw in that “fuzzy” feeling as he walks and the Oakville kid understands it must have been a heck of a wallop which prompted OHL commissioner David Branch to suspend Erie Otter Mike Liambas for the remainder of the OHL season.

“I don’t remember any of it,” the talented Kitchener Rangers defenceman laughs Tuesday in his first public words about the Friday, Oct. 30 bodycheck seen and heard across the country.

Of course his mortified parents certainly do since they were at the game.

“It was my worst nightmare,” says his mom, Susan.

Firefighter dad Frank agrees, saying they are so grateful to have their son home because in the hours after this incident it was “touch and go” where doctors warned there were no guarantees.

“I thought for sure he was going to check out,” says an emotional Frank. “If you had a child you would understand how that felt. I died inside.”

Their son dying, being on life-support or permanently disabled were all scenarios they were trying to come to grips with.

But there they were yesterday.

Their wonderful son is home from hospital, healing and already looking ahead. From the depths of darkness to relief.

“We want to thank everybody for their cards, well wishes and prayers,” says Susan.

“And the Kitchener Rangers organization has been amazing,” says Frank.

Ben adds he was shocked that so many cared — everything from being mentioned on Hockey Night in Canada to having former NHLer Adam Graves come to visit him in hospital.

The product of the Mississauga Senators of the GTHL’s focus now is to work with the doctors and recover from this unexpected road block in his career.

“I can’t wait to get back on the bus and see the guys again,” says an enthusiastic Ben.

Not so fast, say his parents. There are a number of steps to go through first.

“He is going back to McMaster for more tests,” says his dad, adding there are concerns over a “clot” as well as other potential damage.

While Ben’s mom says, “there will be some discussion before he puts the skates on again” you could certainly tell by the look on Ben’s face that if he has his way not only will he do that, but he’ll be back out there on OHL ice as soon as humanly possible.

Those kinds of decisions will have to come in their proper time, says Frank.

“We don’t know yet,” he says of the long-term prognosis, adding there are more tests to come.

But he’s certainly in a better place than a week ago. And it was a good sign to see young Ben Tuesday throw on his Kitchener Rangers number 4 and head out for a walk around the block with his mom and dad.

He’s a very nice kid and you can tell why because he comes from a very nice family.

“I feel pretty good right now,” says Ben with a smile.

He’ll feel even better when he can get back in the Kitchener Rangers’ lineup — one event he, and all those who root for him, will have no problem remembering.

Fanelli released from hospital, Liambas’ OHL career ends

from Waterloo Region Record

Rangers’ Fanelli released from hospital, resting at home in Oakville

November 07, 2009

Waterloo Region Record staff and news services

Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli has been released from hospital and is resting at home in Oakville, the team told The Waterloo Region Record on Saturday.

“The family advised me at about 9 this morning,” Rangers’ chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski told The Record shortly after a media release was posted to the team website. “This is really good news, but we’re still cautious; it’s only been a week.”

Bienkowski said he does not know whether Fanelli’s medical status has been upgraded again. Fanelli had been upgraded from critical but stable to serious but stable earlier in the week.

Fanelli, who suffered a fractured skull in a game on Friday, Oct. 30, was released late Friday night.

“This is obviously an emotional day for the Fanelli family, our organization and community and really for the entire Ontario Hockey League’s players and fans,” Bienkowski said in the release. “ It is still very early in Ben’s recovery that will include out-patient treatments at the hospital along with additional supporting treatments at home.”

Ben’s mother, Susan Fanelli, said in the release that “the support from the Kitchener Rangers organization has been wonderful. We are so appreciative it is hard to express.”

Restrictions on visiting will remain in effect while the Rangers and the Fanelli family continue their policy that requests for privacy continue to be honoured. Any future information will continue to be released through the Rangers, the team reiterated.

Bienkowski told The Record that the team is hoping to arrange limited, selective team visits to the Fanelli home over the next few days.

___________

Meanwhile Michael Liambas, the Erie player who administered the hit has been suspended for the entire season, plus playoffs. This suspension ends Liambas’ OHL career, as this was the last year he was eligible to play.

Their is much debate in the hockey world about the suspension and whether it was a clean hit or not.

Leave a message and let us know what you think?

Kitchener Ranger Fans and Teammates show support for Ben Fanelli

Ranger Fans Katie and Chris Moonen show support for their team and fallen Ranger Ben Fanelli

This is a follow-up article on Ben Fanelli that appeared in the Waterloo Region Record.

Hearts are with Fanelli as Rangers return to ice

November 02, 2009

By Jeff Hicks, Record staff

KITCHENER — Jason Akeson rifled the puck into the net.

The twine behind Sarnia Sting goalie Adam Courchaine bulged and launched a water bottle into the air.

An Ontario Hockey League crowd of 5,719 cheered another game-winning Kitchener Rangers goal on Sunday at the Aud. The bottle fell to the ice, behind and to the left of the net.

It landed on The Spot.

Two nights earlier, Rangers teammate Ben Fanelli lay on his back with his head on that spot. Blood slowly seeped onto the ice from a cut above one eye and spread in a sickening puddle.

On Sunday, Fanelli remained in intensive care at Hamilton General Hospital with skull and facial fractures. His condition, as reported by the Rangers, remained critical but stable.

Rangers chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski said that Fanelli has regained consciousness at times over the weekend.

According to the family, he has recognized them on those occasions.

His Rangers teammates came to the rink and played. What else could they do?

“We’ve got to keep going,” Akeson said. “As hard as it is, as shocking as it is, you’ve got to keep battling. It’s good to come here and lose your thoughts for a couple hours.”

Win a game. Lose their thoughts. Then, back to brutal reality.

Their teammate, a 16-year-old rookie from Oakville, is in rough shape.

This is head trauma, Rangers trainer Dan Lebold said. These matters are much more delicate than your typical concussion.

Read the rest of the story here: http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/623020

Hurricanes dominate play, but still lose to Cyclones

From http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

OUR BOYS DESERVED TO WIN

That was the quote General Manager Matt Mullin used after watching his Canes go down 3-2 to the never say quit Listowel Cyclones.

The fast paced game was a thriller with many excellent hits but few penalties. Guelph controlled the game and had many excellent chances to score but bad bounces, goal posts and the fantastic play of Cyclones goalie Drew Pegrum held the Canes off the scoresheet for most of the game.

The Canes went into the 3rd up 2-1 on goals by Cam Jude(3rd) and Ken Rolph(9th) Both goals were set up by Dan Mohle. Other assists went to Connor Ste. Marie and Tyson Theaker. When a team goes into Listowel they know that the Cyclones don’t quit and they seem to be most dangerous in the 3rd. For the second game in a row the Canes watched a couple of bounces go against them in the third and the Cycs as they usually do capitalized and stole a 3-2 win.

Coach MacEachern was obviously upset that his club lost another 3rd period lead but he was able to take away some positives as well. He noted he all 4 lines were solid throughout the game. The line of Mohle, Theaker and Rolph dominated every time they were on the ice.

Due to illness of defensmen Zach Dion and Peter Soligo, Conner Ste Marie played a regular shift on defense and had a stellar performance. Chris MacDougall had another solid goal and could not be faulted for any of the goals.

He was also pleased with the play of newly signed forward Taylor Lakasik. Lakasik is a draft pick of the Owen Sound Attack and recently was playing with the Orangeville Crushers of the OPJHL.

Next game for the Canes is next Thursday when they travel to Barntford to face the formidable Golden Eagles and scoring wizard Josh McQuade.

Next home game is Saturday, November 7th when the Waterloo Siskins are the visitors. Game time at the Sleeman Center is 7:30 p.m.