All posts by Randy Russon
NOJHL scores ‘E’ for effort
It stick handled around the COVID-19 opponent with a careful game plan and by following all the rules.
And while not all teams were able to finish what they started, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League stared down adversity and came away with an ‘E’ for effort in an abbreviated 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]NOJHL team has summer plans
The coach and general manager of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League intends to ice a summer team that will compete in showcase tournaments, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Soo Eagles got game
A closed international border prevented the Soo Eagles from competing within the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this season.
But the Michigan-based Eagles — the only American team in the 12-member NOJHL — still found a way to play a number of games over the past several months.
…[read more]Hounds ’79-85 reunion
Friends of Terry Crisp and Sam McMaster are planning a Soo Greyhounds reunion for Saturday, July 17 of this year. The reunion is for those who had an association with the Ontario Hockey League team from 1979 to 1985.
Crisp coached the Greyhounds from 1979 to 1985. McMaster worked alongside Crisp as the Greyhounds general manager from 1980 to 1985.
…[read more]Local lad leads Lakers to glory
A program known for its national championship success under erstwhile coaches Frank Anzalone and Jeff Jackson is finally headed back to the big dance.
Led by the three goal spark of junior forward and local lad Ashton Calder, glory returned to the Lake Superior State Lakers in the form of a 6-3 win over the Northern Michigan Wildcats and the 2021 Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship.
…[read more]Beavers take down the Birds
COVID-19 cohort competition and a rabid rivalry is alive and well in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League series between the Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds.
Playing at home today, the Beavers took down the Thunderbirds by a decisive 8-3 score to even the marathon, season-long, cohort series between the fiery foes at seven games apiece. It was the second straight home ice win by Blind River over the Soo to cap a two games in two days, weekend matinee series.
…[read more]Soo boys spark Blind River
Devin Mauro netted the tying tally in the third period, then sealed the deal in the shootout, and fellow Sault Ste. Marie product Gavin Disano made 48 saves as Blind River Beavers edged the visiting Soo Thunderbirds 5-4 in another cohort contest between the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League rivals on Saturday night.
…[read more]Oh, so close for Sault High
Close but no cigar. All in all, though, it was a passing grade for a Sault High Blue Devils hockey team that extended a short season into two rounds of the playoffs.
…[read more]Beavers come up short
It was a spirited effort by a team that played with just two of its regular defensemen due to league suspension.
But despite numerous glorious scoring opportunities, the visiting Blind River Beavers came up short in yet another cohort match with the Soo Thunderbirds in Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League action on Thursday.
…[read more]Devils season is over
A last-minute goal lifted the Alpena Wildcats to a 3-2 win over the Sault High Blue Devils in Michigan high school hockey Region 18 semi-final action from Thursday.
…[read more]High school semis tonight
Michigan high school hockey will determine its Region 18 finalists tonight from a pair of semi-final matches at Tawas Bay Ice Arena.
Sault High Blue Devils will face off against the Alpena Wildcats in a 5 p.m. game ahead of a second semi-final contest between the Cheboygan Chiefs and Gaylord Blue Devils.
…[read more]Blue Devils skate to semis
Sault High Blue Devils have advanced to a semi-final match on the Michigan high school hockey Region 18 playoff scene.
…[read more]Playoff date for Sault High
Win and they play on. Lose and they return home.
Sault High Blue Devils are downstate in Tawas tonight for a Michigan high school hockey, Region 18 quarter final playoff match against the host Braves.
…[read more]Crunch and Rock carry on
Three games in as many days was the workload as Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cohort rivals Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock faced off on the weekend.
…[read more]NOJHL deserved better
It has followed all the rules — and then some — relative to COVID-19. Fifty three of its scheduled 58 games for this season have been played thus far and the only ones that were postponed were of the precautionary measure.
Still, the 12-member Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is down to four active teams and is poised to halt the 2020-2021 season at the end of this month when Blind River Beavers v. Soo Thunderbirds and Cochrane Crunch v. Timmins Rock finish their respective, current cohort schedule.
The NOJHL deserved better. And, as just one example, so did the up and coming Espanola Express.
…[read more]Here’s looking at Hounds
Major question mark between the pipes aside, Soo Greyhounds figure to be a formidable force once the games begin on the pandemic affected version of a 2020-2021 Ontario Hockey League season.
With seasoned skill and developed depth on the forward lines and at the defense position, the Greyhounds are set up for success in whatever form or length the anticipated, abbreviated OHL season takes.
…[read more]Blue Devils get even
Next up, the regional playoffs.
A resounding 7-2 road victory over the Petoskey Northmen today lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to the .500 mark and a record of 5-5-0 to end the abbreviated regular season.
…[read more]Sault High class of 2021
Playoffs are looming.
But before that, Sault High Blue Devils, with a record of 4-5-0, conclude an abbreviated regular season today with a 12:30 p.m. road tilt against the Petoskey Northmen.
…[read more]OHL return to play sketch
It has been just over a year since there was game action in the Ontario Hockey League.
As COVID-19 put a halt to the 2019-2020 season a year ago this month, the OHL is poised to finally return to the ice for a shortened version of a 2020-2021 campaign.
A normal OHL regular season is 68 games for each of its 20 teams. But there is very little that is normal in this age of hockey as it relates to COVID-19.
…[read more]Stevenson still in the game
His hockey playing career ended a dozen years ago at age 34. But now, at 46 years of age and at his playing size and weight of 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Jeremy Stevenson still looks fit and trim enough to be patrolling the left wing.
A first round pick of the Cornwall Royals in 1990 who would finish his Ontario Hockey League career with the Soo Greyhounds, Stevenson defied the odds to play in 228 National Hockey League games after being an 11th round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 1994.
…[read more]Seven up for Birds, Beavers
Soo Thunderbirds and Blind River Beavers will take the COVID-19 affected Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season to a conclusive seven game series between the cohort rivals, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Four cohorts on NOJHL slate
Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock have drawn up a schedule of 10 games between each other over the next 20 days.
And Blind River Beavers and Soo Thunderbirds are working on their next slate of games as cohort opponents, which will likely be next week.
…[read more]Disano stands tall for BR
At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, Gavin Disano is on the short side when it comes to the preferences of Ontario Hockey League scouts and American college recruiters who evaluate goalies. But if a goalie can stop the puck and win games, how much does size really matter?
To be sure, Disano who is a 2003 birth year rookie with the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, has been standing tall between the pipes.
…[read more]Beavers take broom to Birds
Staring adversity straight in the chops, Blind River Beavers pulled out a stunning 5-4 victory over the Soo Thunderbirds today to complete a weekend sweep of their Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cohort rivals.
…[read more]Sault High surges to .500
Two straight home ice wins have lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to an even mark with the Michigan high school hockey season approaching playoff time.
…[read more]Beavers overcome T-Birds
Enough is enough.
Blind River Beavers halted a five game win-less streak against the Soo Thunderbirds today with a 4-1 victory.
Playing at home, the Beavers scored two power play goals and rode the good goal-tending of rookie Gavin Disano to end a skid in which Blind River had gone 0-4-1 over its previous five games against the Soo.
…[read more]NOJHL boss was OHL star
These days, Rob Mazzuca is well known as the likeable, respectable commissioner of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
With deep northern Ontario roots, Mazzuca — who has been the league’s commander in chief since 2011 — has brought a thorough, thoughtful, professional approach to his position and to the NOJHL itself.
…[read more]Home win for Sault High
Freshman goalie Camden Labadie made 31 saves to backstop the Sault High Blue Devils to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Petoskey Northmen.
Friday night’s win for the Blue Devils improves their record on the Michigan high school hockey season to 3-4.
…[read more]Crunch and Rock in cohort
They figure to be familiar and formidable foes by facing off 10 times in a 20 day frame.
As Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League cohort opponents, the Cochrane Crunch and Timmins Rock are slated to play 10 games against each other between March 10 and March 30.
…[read more]Birds have Beavers baffled
Soo Thunderbirds have the Blind River Beavers number as of late.
Since the 2021 portion of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season began about a week ago, the Thunderbirds have taken four straight games from the Beavers with Blind River’s only point coming in a shootout loss.
…[read more]Sault High home at last
Following five straight road tilts, Sault High Blue Devils will finally be at home this weekend.
The friendly ice of Big Bear Arena awaits the Blue Devils in the aftermath of their latest away game, which was a narrow 3-2 loss to the Alpena Wildcats tonight.
…[read more]NOJHL a game at a time
Five for seven. As in, of the seven games that the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League had scheduled for last week as it returned to play from COVID-19 hiatus, five of them went into the books.
Thus, the NOJHL is maintaining a good average of completion of scheduled matches. In all, when totaling the 51 slated games to date — November and December of 2020 and February of 2021 — 46 have gone on as scheduled.
…[read more]Making headway in Espanola
The times they are a changin’ in Espanola.
And it is change that has been for the better relative to the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Birds fly into top spot
Fast skating power forward Cooper Smyl fired three goals today to spark the surging Soo Thunderbirds to a 7-2 triumph over the Blind River Beavers.
The road win for the Thunderbirds boosted their record to 7-3-1 and moved them into first place in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, just ahead of the idle Espanola Express, which has a 5-4-3 mark.
…[read more]Beavers earn tough point
It wasn’t a victory.
But Blind River Beavers coach Kyle Brick credited his team for a hard fought effort in gaining a point from a 6-5 shootout loss to the Soo Thunderbirds in Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League action from Friday night.
The visiting Beavers forced the shootout with a power play goal by Matt Cato with less than three minutes to play in the third period.
…[read more]NOJHL games postponed
Tonight’s and Saturday’s scheduled Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League games between the French River Rapids and the Espanola Express have been postponed, multiple sources have confirmed to Hockey News North.
…[read more]Nicholls boards the Express
He has served a full two year apprenticeship in the Great North Under 18 Hockey League. And now, 2003 birth year goalie Evan Nicholls has been granted the liberty to tend twine in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]NOJHL: So far, so good
Tests have been passed through the early going of return to play in the 2021 half of the interrupted Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season.
The resumption of play on Feb. 23 after a two month shutdown relative to COVID-19 has followed an impressive 2020 half for the NOJHL in which 41 of 44 scheduled games were completed.
…[read more]T-Birds add seasoned skaters
As play resumes in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this week following a two-month shut down, the Soo Thunderbirds have added a pair of veteran forwards to their lineup, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]NOJHL rallies with rebound
Let the record show that junior hockey returned to northeastern Ontario on February 23 after two months on the sidelines.
The Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League — which got in an impressive 41 games between November 13 and December 22 of 2020 before Christmas holidays and then a province wide shutdown relative to COVID-19 led to the two month stoppage in play — is back on the ice with a safe schedule of games for the 2021 portion of the season.
…[read more]Express v. Rapids etc.
Better late than never.
The 2021 portion of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season will finally get underway tonight when the French River Rapids play host to their cohort rival Espanola Express in a slated 6:00 start.
The two teams have already faced off against each other six times this season with each side winning three games. Two of French River’s wins were in extra time.
…[read more]NOJHL confirms return
The Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has just confirmed what Hockey News North had said would happen in a story posted earlier today — a return to play effective this week.
…[read more]NOJHL working on return
Sources are telling Hockey News North that the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League will return to play this week.
And the same sources are saying that teams will be restricted to playing within their own public health units, at least to begin.
In the case of the five-member West Division of the NOJHL, there is an odd number of teams. That is, unless a guest team from the Great North Under 18 Hockey League is allowed in.
…[read more]Soo via Kingston
Even the best of teams can only have so many star players.
In fact, it is the best of teams who make good use of the grinders.
And it was during the Ontario Hockey League glory years of Sam McMaster as general manager and Terry Crisp as coach that the powerhouse Soo Greyhounds twice made trades with the lowly Kingston Canadians in which they exchanged high scoring forwards for fibrous left wingers.
…[read more]Sault High is all even
A road victory at Big Rapids has lifted the Sault High Blue Devils to the .500 mark through four games of the recently started Michigan high school hockey season.
…[read more]Moving out of the dog house
As the 1984-1985 championship campaign ended a spectacular five year run for the Soo Greyhounds under the coach and general manager duo of Terry Crisp and Sam McMaster, the next five seasons would be all downhill for the Red and White.
But as the Greyhounds went from the penthouse in 1984-1985 to the outhouse in 1985-1986, a pair of right wingers escaped the dog house via trade and finished their Ontario Hockey League careers with a flourish.
…[read more]NOJHL guest team scenario
As amateur hockey teams and leagues try to stick handle around COVID-19 and return to game activity with the blessing of public health units, there are various scenarios in consideration.
One such suggestion would have, for example, the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League joining the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League as a guest team.
…[read more]Eskymos 5, Blue Devils 4
Sault High Blue Devils have yet to pass a road test in the early going of the Michigan high school hockey schedule.
The Blue Devils came up just short on Wednesday, dropping a 5-4 decision to the Escanaba Eskymos.
Sault High will have another road test on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Big Rapids for a 2 p.m. start.
…[read more]