All posts by Randy Russon
Laker grad turning pro
High-scoring senior forward Diego Cuglietta is moving on from the Lake Superior State Lakers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.
…[read more]Drive-thru playoff preview
Spring fever has struck the Ontario Hockey League in the form of the annual rite of the playoff season. Following is a Hockey News North drive-thru preview of the first round of the OHL playoffs.
…[read more]Soo Indians coaching change
The AAA major midget Soo Indians of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association have a new coach. Actually, the new coach is an old coach.
…[read more]Sons of Hounds on Attack
Two current members of the Owen Sound Attack have a rather unique Ontario Hockey League history with the Soo Greyhounds.
…[read more]RBC banks on Bowen
Backed by the goal-tending of David Bowen, the Rayside Balfour Canadians have taken a two games to none lead on the Soo Eagles in a best-of-seven, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League semi-final playoff series.
…[read more]OHL playoffs looming
As the regular season in the Ontario Hockey League ends this weekend, all 16 teams that will take part in the upcoming playoffs have been confirmed. And while who will finish where in the standings has not been totally finalized, a few first-round match-ups have been determined.
…[read more]Team NOHA finishes 2-2
Four games at this week’s OHL Cup in Toronto produced a 2-2 record for Team NOHA. Representing the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and made up of players from the Great North Midget Hockey League, Team NOHA was one of 20 entries in the Ontario Hockey League-sponsored event.
…[read more]Team NOHA goes to 2-1
Team NOHA, representing the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and made up of players from the Great North Midget Hockey League, has improved its record to 2-1-0 at the OHL Cup tournament.
…[read more]Perfetti piling up points
As Saginaw Spirit is playing at a torrid pace, rookie left winger Cole Perfetti is piling up the points for the streaking Ontario Hockey League team.
…[read more]Team NOHA at OHL Cup
The four-division, 20-team OHL Cup is slated for this week in Toronto. The annual tournament of games features top minor midget aged talent who will be showing their skills to a bevy of general managers and scouts ahead of the April 6, Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]NOJHL has good coaches
It was not that long ago — just a few years back, in fact — that the vast majority of head coaches in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League were seasonal, part-time workers.
…[read more]Korah crew came through
All in all it was a good hockey season — team and player-wise — for the venerable high school from the west end of Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]Beavers wipe out Wildcats
Blind River Beavers are moving on to the West Division semi-finals and a showdown with the no. 1 seed Soo Thunderbirds. The Beavers bested the Elliot Lake Wildcats 6-2 today to sweep the best-of-three, preliminary round, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League playoff series in two straight games.
…[read more]More points for Baber
Opportunity has led to production for Sault Ste. Marie product Camaryn Baber. Having taken advantage of more ice time, the 2001 birth year center has two goals, seven assists, nine points in his last six games for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Soo high school to NOJHL
Playing high school hockey in Sault Ste. Marie has proven to be far from the end of the line for a number of performers who have managed to move up an ice level over the years.
…[read more]Exceptional status granted
Shane Wright, a 2004 birth year forward, has been granted exceptional player status and is thus eligible for the April 6, Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft.
…[read more]Elliot Lake v. Blind River
A junior hockey rivalry between two neighbouring towns that officially dates back to 1971 will be revisited when the Blind River Beavers and Elliot Lake Wildcats face off this weekend.
…[read more]North Bay via New Liskeard
Justin Brazeau has written quite a story since the North Bay Battalion took the 6-foot-6, 225-pound right winger in the 13th round of the 2014 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft from the New Liskeard Cubs of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
…[read more]It shouldn’t be about the refs
I watch a lot of hockey. It is what I do. I get to write and talk and make a nice living from a game that I first grew up watching on an old black and white television at mom and dad’s house on Maple St. in Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]Soo Eagles secure 3rd spot
Third place in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is what it will be for the surging Soo Eagles.
…[read more]Four points for Cam Baber
Rookie forward Camaryn Baber had the most prolific game of his young Ontario Hockey League career on Saturday night. The Sault Ste. Marie product assisted on four goals as the Saginaw Spirit cuffed the Kingston Frontenacs 7-1.
…[read more]D1 deal for Express forward
Chase Lammi, a 2002 birth-year forward with the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, has secured a future commitment to play at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level, Hockey News North has confirmed.
…[read more]NOJHL to OHL to NHL deals
Goalies Evan Cormier and Ken Appleby have both gone from tending twine in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League to signing National Hockey League contracts.
…[read more]Great North face-off finals
North Bay Major Trappers and Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves will begin their best-of-five, Great North Midget Hockey League championship series on Saturday night in the Gateway City.
…[read more]Saginaw takes Soo to school
Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco potted his 20th goal of the season and added an assist as the Saginaw Spirit out-scored the Soo Greyhounds 5-3 tonight en route to a well-deserved Ontario Hockey League victory.
…[read more]Soo Eagles G nets NCAA deal
Joseph Benedetto, a 1998 birth year goalie with the Soo Eagles of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, has a college commitment for next season.
…[read more]Porco in pursuit of 20 goals
Saginaw Spirit already has five players with more than 20 goals this season. And having found the back of the net 19 times, Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco is closing in on a 20-goal season for Saginaw.
…[read more]Best of the Great North
Goalie Noah Zeppa of the lowly Soo Major Thunderbirds has been named most valuable player in the Great North Midget Hockey League for the 2018-2019 season.
…[read more]Rock adds Majors coach
The head coach of the Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League has joined the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the balance of this season.
…[read more]New ownership for Rayside
The former owner of the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League is poised to take control of the Rayside Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
…[read more]Trappers oust Major T-Birds
A humdrum season ended with a passable effort in defeat for the Soo Major Thunderbirds on Saturday night at John Rhodes Community Centre.
…[read more]High school award winners
Among other award winners, Korah Colts goalie Dawson Hunter has been named the most valuable player from the four teams that comprise the high school hockey program in Sault Ste. Marie.
…[read more]High on the 2019 OHL draft
Flint Firebirds or Kingston Frontenacs will have the first overall pick at the upcoming 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. Either Flint or Kingston will finish in last place overall in the 20-member OHL and which ever team does will choose first at the April 6 priority selections draft.
…[read more]Cougars roar to nationals
Sault College Cougars have earned a spot at next month’s Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association national men’s championship tournament.
…[read more]Branch on the rebuild ranch
Having to rebuild an Ontario Hockey League team is nothing new for Flint Firebirds general manager Barclay Branch. In his first and prior gig as an OHL general manager, Branch was at the helm of the Sudbury Wolves rebuild.
…[read more]Saginaw extends its coach
Chris Lazary has been rewarded for the coaching job that he has done for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. The 36-year old Lazary has had his contract extended through the 2020-2021 season.
…[read more]Soo, Kap on the brink
Win or else. Soo Major Thunderbirds and Kapuskasing Flyers are both staring at elimination in the semi-final playoffs of the Great North Midget Hockey League.
…[read more]Playoffs loom in NOJHL
As the 2018-2019 regular season winds down in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, details for the upcoming playoffs have been confirmed.
…[read more]Lakers surge into second
A pair of 3-1 weekend wins over their arch-rival Michigan Tech Huskies has the Lake Superior State Lakers tied for second place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
…[read more]Trappers take it to T-Birds
Goalie Noah Zeppa was a standout for the Soo Major Thunderbirds in Game 1 of their Great North Midget Hockey League playoff series with the North Bay Major Trappers. The 2002 birth-year goalie made 63 saves for the Soo in a 5-0 loss to North Bay.
…[read more]Dog days in Niagara
Despite being an Eastern Conference championship contender this season, the Niagara Ice Dogs are in big trouble with the Ontario Hockey League.
…[read more]Kap Flyers suspend GM
The general manager of the Kapuskasing Flyers has confirmed that he has been suspended indefinitely by the Great North Midget Hockey League team.
…[read more]Korah off to title tilt
It will be the second seed Korah Colts who will try to dethrone the reigning Sault Ste. Marie high school hockey champion St. Mary’s Knights.
…[read more]Spirit extends GM
Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League has confirmed that it has extended the contract of general manager Dave Drinkill for two more seasons beyond the current one.
…[read more]Northern exposure
No less than six players from the Great North Midget Hockey League — who are all members of Team NOHA (Northern Ontario Hockey Association) — are poised to be selected within the top three rounds of this year’s Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, multiple sources have determined.
…[read more]Solid as a Rock rookie
He is one of the youngest players on the Timmins Rock. And as a 2001 birth-year forward, Riley Brousseau leads all rookie scorers on the Rock and is fifth on the points chart for the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team.
…[read more]Timmins Majors now, next
Their season ended in the third-and-deciding game of the first round of the Great North Midget Hockey League playoffs. And head coach Brandon Perry likes what may lie ahead for the Timmins Majors.
…[read more]Come up and see the north
Contrary to what many of the scouts in southern Ontario might think, we do have indoor hockey rinks in northern Ontario towns such as Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, New Liskeard, Timmins and Kapuskasing. Not only that, we also have our share of good hockey players up north.
…[read more]