Sault College at the Gardens
GFL Memorial Gardens in downtown Sault Ste. Marie is the slated site for a pair of weekend games involving the Sault College Cougars men’s hockey team.
Sault College will play host to the Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals with matches set for 8 p.m. on Friday evening and 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams are members of the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association.
Thus far this season, coach Mike Hall’s Sault College crew has an impressive record of 14-2-1. Saginaw Valley has a mark of 7-9-3.
Leading the Sault College scoring parade is forward Ryan Vendramin, who has put up prolific point totals.
The 23-year old Vendramin, who previously played for Hall with the Soo North Stars of the Great North Midget Hockey League before going on to become a draft pick of the Sarnia Sting and play in 20 games over parts of two Ontario Hockey League seasons, has been lighting up the ACHA in a big way.
Vendramin has played in 15 of Sault College’s 17 games thus far in 2018-2019 and has put up eye-popping totals of 31 goals, 22 assists, 53 points.
“He is one of our captains, thus he is one of our leaders,” Hall said of Vendramin. “Ryan is a quiet kid but is learning how to assert himself and he has embraced a leadership role with us. He is one of our older players and he has stepped up on and off the ice.”
Meanwhile, three other top point producers on the high scoring Cougars are recent graduates of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Forwards Mark Tassone (Soo Thunderbirds), Max Khull (Blind River Beavers) and Austin Rowe (Soo Eagles) all opted for the education and hockey route at Sault College this season despite having junior eligibility remaining.
Tassone and Khull both have 1999 birth dates while Rowe was born in 1998.
Tassone is tied for second on the Sault College scoring chart with Khull. Tassone has 7 goals, 24 assists, 31 points while Khull has 6-25-31 numbers, just ahead of Rowe, who has 15-12-27 totals.