Slovakia’s top hockey league
New York Aviators‘ Kevin Druce(38) has pretty much been the top goaltender in the first year Federal Hockey League and tonight he backbones the defense in pursuit of the Commissioner’s Cup vs. Akwesasne Warriors.
Druce previously played two rather uneventful years with Twin City Cyclones in the SPHL.
It’s a bit of a head scratcher why Alex Goupil(7) decided to sign a deal with the 1000 Island Privateers of the FHL when he could have almost assuredly landed a job in a higher league.
He finished the 44 game single A hockey league season with 77 points and was a +23. It will be interesting to see where he decides to play hockey next season.
Pittsburgh native, Matt Bartkowski(3) has skated in trio of games with Boston on three different recalls and all of them have coincidentally been against his former home town team, the Penguins.
He hopes that he will continue to play with the big club and face another opponent.
Matt Lopes(35) signed to play with Cape Cod Barons of the Federal Hockey League just under a month ago but it wasn’t until last week that he got to see any action as he likely doesn’t travel with the team.
It happened when starter Peter Skoggard(30) got into a 3rd period fight with Privateers‘ goalie Richard Sillery(1) and both were tossed from the game.
Then in comes Matt Lopes(35) for his 2nd professional hockey action ever. I just so happened to be at the game in Lowell last March where he was signed as the emergency back-up for Manchester Monarchs and pressed into action when Jeff Zatkoff went out with an injury. He ultimately got his first victory in the come back win over the Devils to boot but has seen no pro action since.
One big problem about this time in the crease: no stats. A pointstreak scorecard was never filled out for the game on 2/12 at the Hyannis Youth And Community Center. It’s like it never happened, but i have a photo or two to prove it. He only let in one goal and came away with no decision as the game was already decided by then with the Barons losing 4-1.
Single A hockey hits the Cape in the form of the Cape Cod Barons playing in the first season of the Federal Hockey League with 5 other competing teams from Danbury, New York, Akwansanse, Rome NY, and tonight’s opponent, 1000 Islands Privateers.
The game at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center had to draw near 1000 fans and would work as a good home arena for them. Danbury draws best (they did when they were the Trashers of the UHL too) with 1700 people in the rink on average but the other teams pull only in the 500 range. The hockey is decent but I bet you any team in the SPHL could crush even an All-Star team of players from the FHL.
Still though, hockey on the Cape: bring it on.
And it looks like they are going to survive their first season and start up another for 2011/2012 (with even more teams).
Barons forward Shaun Gould(2) and Privateers center Nikita Poliakov(13) eye the puck.
In his rookie season defenseman Matt Bartkowski(3) has seen action in the NHL with Boston on two seperate call-ups. His decent play could be one of the reasons the Bruins have cooled on the play of Mark Stuart and are looking at him as salary clearing trade bait.
Sophomore defenseman Josephine Pucci(2) has arrived. She’s literally like the Ray Bourque of Women’s hockey.
Liza Ryabkina(3) has become the standout player on a decent but not great Harvard Crimson women’s team this season.
In Friday night’s game at Bright Center she absolutely teed up and cranked two one-timers passed the BU Terriers‘ netminder, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 5-3 in the game.
Bruins’ forward Max Sauve(7) was the hero with the hat trick in the Springfield Falcons’ (Indians) AHL 75th year home opener vs. Providence Bruins (Reds) at the Mass Mutual Center on October 9. Bruins won this game 6-5, while the Falcons spoiled Providence opening game the night before with the 5-1 win.
Here comes trouble: the diminutive pugilist 5′ 8″ 190 pounds, Garet Hunt(46) scratched and clawed his way through Worcester Sharks‘ training camp to land a spot on the team’s opening night roster.
