All posts by Randy Russon
NOJHL is down to the wire
It was before the start of the playoffs in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and I was having a casual chat with commissioner Rob Mazzuca.
…[read more]Nine signed in Timmins
Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League have signed nine players ahead of the 2019-2020 season including six returnees and three newcomers.
…[read more]Saginaw pair suspended
Saginaw Spirit will have to do without starting goalie Ivan Prosvetov and overage defensemen Justin Murray via lengthy suspensions handed down by the Ontario Hockey League today.
…[read more]Wright played the right way
He was a steady, stay-at-home defenseman who took a long and winding road from Sault Ste. Marie and back again to play four full seasons of hockey at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level.
…[read more]Overtime shift in Saginaw
Trade deadline acquisition Ryan McLeod scored just before the seven-minute mark of overtime tonight as the Saginaw Spirit upended the Guelph Storm by a 4-3 margin.
…[read more]A hint of glint in Flint
There is light at the end of the Ontario Hockey League tunnel that leads to Flint. If the second half of the 2018-2019 season can be used as a measuring stick, expect the Flint Firebirds to make big gains in the OHL standings in 2019-2020.
…[read more]Hearst overcomes Soo
Back-to-back home ice victories have given the no. 2 seed Hearst Lumberjacks a three games to one lead on the no. 1 seed Soo Thunderbirds in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
…[read more]Soo’s Matier signs with 67’s
It is official, as with a signature. Sault Ste. Marie product Jack Matier has signed with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Game 4 tonight in Hearst
A 3-2 win before 837 fans at Claude Larose Arena has given the Hearst Lumberjacks a two games to one lead on the Soo Thunderbirds in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
…[read more]Wolves forward is top rookie
The first overall pick from the 2018 priority selections draft has gone on to become the Ontario Hockey League rookie of the year.
…[read more]Storm shuts down London
Low-key coach George Burnett and the Guelph Storm completed an improbable Ontario Hockey League comeback tonight with a 6-3 road win over the London Knights to advance to the Western Conference finals.
…[read more]Pressure cooker playoffs
From a pressure-packed Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff game to an elimination match in the Ontario Hockey League, the tension was ticking on a Sunday in Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]Zeke, Pat and the Soo Indians
He has been away from the bench for three years on a self-imposed sabbatical. But as Hockey News North was first to report in an earlier story, long-time Sault Ste. Marie coach Patrick Carricato is returning to the game with the major midget Soo Indians alongside general manager Mike (Zeke) Kaunisto.
…[read more]Spirit soars past the Soo
Goalie Ivan Prosvetov stood tall — all 6-foot-5 of him — and Saginaw Spirit blanked the Soo Greyhounds 5-0 tonight to advance to the Ontario Hockey League Western Conference championship series for the first time in franchise history.
…[read more]Hearst heads home happy
Motivated by multiple mammoth saves by goalie Nick Tallarico early on and when the score was close, Hearst Lumberjacks eventually hustled their way to a 7-3 road decision over the Soo Thunderbirds tonight.
…[read more]Hounds, Storm on rebound
Soo Greyhounds and Guelph Storm have refused to pack it in. Both teams extended their Ontario Hockey League playoff sets with Friday night road wins.
…[read more]New coach in Kapuskasing
Kapuskasing Flyers of the Great North Midget Hockey League have put a new man in charge ahead of the 2019-2020 season.
…[read more]Discover this skating coach
Through two businesses that she owns and operates, Lisa Tremblay plays a prominent role in the northeastern Ontario hockey town of Timmins.
…[read more]No sweep in the Soo
There will be a tomorrow. Soo Greyhounds have forced Game 5 in their Ontario Hockey League playoff series with the Saginaw Spirit.
…[read more]Midget tournament project
Hockey News North is working at trying to set up a major midget hockey mini-tournament that would tentatively be slated for the August 23-25 weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
…[read more]Hounds draft Noah Zeppa
Soo Greyhounds used the 37th overall pick in the second round of this evening’s Ontario Hockey League under-18 draft to select goalie Noah Zeppa from the Soo Major Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
…[read more]Saginaw shows Spirit
A sure sign of a strong team is one that can stare the winds of adversity straight in the face and not blink. Saginaw Spirit was the epitome of resolve in overcoming an early 3-0 deficit in enemy territory on Tuesday night.
…[read more]Hearst heads to the Soo
It will be the first-place teams from the East Division and the West Division facing off for the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship.
…[read more]OHL drafts the Great North
Call it an accomplished achievement under the Northern Ontario Hockey Association umbrella. No less than 14 players from the NOHA’s Great North Midget League were among those chosen at the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Soo boys help spark Spirit
First star Nick Porco tallied twice and added two assists and fellow Sault Ste. Marie product Camaryn Baber found range once as the Saginaw Spirit sped past the Soo Greyhounds 10-1 tonight in Game 2 of their Ontario Hockey League playoff series.
…[read more]Pszeniczny goes to the Dogs
A third member of the Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League was taken at today’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Sooite spiels Flint draft story
Cornerstone defenseman Tyler Dunbar has become the highest-selected player from the Michigan side of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie to ever be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Soo’s Tyler Dunbar drafted
Soo Minor Thunderbirds defenseman Tyler Dunbar has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Flint Firebirds.
…[read more]Soo’s Jack Matier drafted
Defenseman Jack Matier, who starred for the Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League in 2018-2019, has become an Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Ottawa 67s.
…[read more]Don Mills line-mates go 1-2
Center Shane Wright and left winger Brennan Othmann, who were high-scoring line-mates with the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League during the 2018-2019 season, went first and second overall at today’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
Read moreHeartfelt move by the OHL
In a classy move that tugs at the heartstrings, the Ontario Hockey League has confirmed that pick no. 74 at Saturday’s priority selections draft will be dedicated to the memory of Roy Pejcinovski.
…[read more]Kingston makes it Wright
Kingston Frontenacs have officially confirmed ahead of Saturday’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft that they will take center Shane Wright with the no. 1 pick.
…[read more]Lumberjacks sweep Voodoos
The red-hot Hearst Lumberjacks have clicked their ticket into the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League championship series.
…[read more]Praise for Porco & Baber
Saginaw Spirit head coach Chris Lazary gushed a gallon of good words about Sault Ste. Marie products Nick Porco and Camaryn Baber ahead of the upcoming Ontario Hockey League playoff series with the Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]Hearst wins for no. 1 fan
The father of Hearst Lumberjacks coach-general manager Marc Lafleur passed away on Wednesday afternoon. Raymond Lafleur was known as the no. 1 fan of the Lumberjacks — and the players on the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team went out and won their playoff game on Wednesday night for their coach’s dad.
…[read more]Flint to take a Flyer
Flint Firebirds will take left winger Brennan Othmann from the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League with the second overall pick at Saturday’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]Thinking outside the box
A year ago at this time, the Hamilton Bulldogs were a quarter of the way through an improbable playoff run that culminated with a stunning upset of the favoured Soo Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League championship series.
…[read more]OHL draft day on its way
D-day is looming in the Ontario Hockey League. The annual OHL priority selections draft is slated for this Saturday.
…[read more]Sault Major chooses coaches
Sault Major Hockey Association has decided on the head coaches for its elite teams ahead of the 2019-2020 season, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]4-10-14 in last 15 games
Injuries to veteran forwards Cole Coskey and Danny Katic late in the 2018-2019 season opened the door to regular playing time for rookie center Camaryn Baber. And the Sault Ste. Marie native has answered the call for the Saginaw Spirit.
…[read more]Saginaw-Soo sneak peek
Separated by about 250 miles of highway via Ontario and Michigan, two formidable foes will face off in a much-anticipated, major junior hockey showdown.
…[read more]OHF awaits Soo Major Atoms
They are holding multiple practices per week ahead of the upcoming Ontario Hockey Federation championships in which they will represent the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and Sault Ste. Marie at the provincial level.
…[read more]Cougars roar to title glory
Sparked by scoring sensation and tournament most valuable player Ryan Vendramin, Sault College Cougars put an exclamation mark on a remarkable season by winning the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association championship.
…[read more]No. 2 seed v. no. 3 seed
It will be the Saginaw Spirit and the Soo Greyhounds as opponents in a best-of-seven, second-round, Ontario Hockey League playoff series.
…[read more]NOJHL West preview
Soo Thunderbirds and Rayside Balfour Canadians will meet in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League West Division finals for the second straight season. Following is a prelude to the best-of-seven playoff series.
…[read more]How sweep it is
Like spring cleaning, there have been multiple sweeps through the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
…[read more]Seventh heaven in Hearst
It is not too often in a playoff series when the no. 1 seed becomes the underdog against the no. 4 seed. But minus their top two scorers due to suspension and down three games to one in their Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League East Division semi-final set against the fourth-place Timmins Rock, few expected the first-place Hearst Lumberjacks to rebound.
…[read more]T-Birds, Canadians advance
For the second spring in succession the Soo Thunderbirds and Rayside Balfour Canadians will play for a Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League division playoff title.
…[read more]