All posts by Randy Russon
Hamilton calls on Soo boy
Goalie Noah Zeppa of Sault Ste. Marie will dress as an emergency backup for the Hamilton Bulldogs tonight, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Express v. Eagles
The second end of a home-and-home set between the Espanola Express and Soo Eagles will take place tonight at Pullar Stadium in the Michigan Soo. …[read more]
Minor hockey snapshot
The various grassroots programs are where it begins for many young hockey players, some of whom will eventually advance to skate at the bantam, midget, junior and college levels. And maybe even beyond. …[read more]
New coach in Flint
A week after Ryan Oulahen resigned as head coach of the Flint Firebirds for personal reasons, the Ontario Hockey League team has hired a new bench boss. …[read more]
Soo nets one on Saginaw
Goal-tending through two periods was an apparent difference tonight as the Soo Greyhounds slipped past the visiting Saginaw Spirit in an Ontario Hockey League mid week matchup. …[read more]
Thank you, Patrick Dovigi
It is just a sign. Actually, it is more like a welcome sign. Or, perhaps a sign of the times. As in good, old times from the good, old days. …[read more]
World challenge notables
Hockey Canada has confirmed its three-team, 66-player roster that will represent the nation at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. And while the Canadian Hockey League — specifically the Ontario Hockey League — dominates the rosters of the three teams, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is also represented. …[read more]
Porco’s stock is rising
He has a team-leading eight goals to along with two assists through nine outings heading into play this week. Nick Porco is on a developmental fast track as a second year left winger with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Trade talk
There are those teams that have built towards this season and who will continue to try to add on for a shot at Ontario Hockey League championship glory. Just as there are those who are rebuilding and who can move current assets for future planning. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Troops work OT
North Bay Battalion capped a three games in less than 72 hours road trip on Sunday afternoon with an improbable 3-2 overtime win over the Soo Greyhounds. …[read more]
Minor T-Birds take two
Soo Minor Thunderbirds have made it in to the Great North Midget Hockey League win column. Times two, as a matter of fact. …[read more]
Coaching change in Flint
Citing personal reasons, Ryan Oulahen has stepped aside as head coach of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Headrick hockey family
There are five of them, including three defensemen and two forwards. The siblings range in age from 10 to 21. There are three boys and two girls. They are the Headrick hockey family from just outside Sault Ste. Marie on Garden River First Nation. …[read more]
Historic start for Wolves
Winners of five straight games and with an overall record of 6-2-0 through eight outings, the Sudbury Wolves are off to their third best start in 48 years. …[read more]
Good as gold up in KL
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are in first place in the East Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. …[read more]
Hounds cuff Firebirds
Goalie Emanuel Vella stood tall in the Flint Firebirds net tonight. But a lack of quality scoring chances for Flint sent the Firebirds to their seventh straight loss to begin the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season, dropping a 4-1 road decision to the Soo Greyhounds. …[read more]
Fired up for a win
It has been only six of what is a 68-game, regular-season schedule. But as the Flint Firebirds are the only team without a victory in the early stages of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season, the elusive win is becoming much-needed. …[read more]
OHL Notes: UPL is 5-0-0
Who are these guys? Backed by an unbeaten rookie goalie, the surging Sudbury Wolves have won five straight games to move into first place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
Porco: 7 goals in 7 games
It has taken Saginaw Spirit left winger Nick Porco just seven games into the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League regular season to surpass his goal total from the 2017-2018 campaign. …[read more]
Giving thanks for hockey
It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. But as there are family dinners with turkey and stuffing planned, there is also hockey to be played and enjoyed. …[read more]
OHL scout likes Soo boys
At least one Ontario Hockey League scout sees a duo of defensemen from the Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League as potential first or second round picks at the 2019 priority selections draft. …[read more]
NOJHL East heats up
Hearst Lumberjacks and Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are putting the heat on the pace-setting Powassan Voodoos in the East Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Porco: 5 goals in 5 games
It has taken Saginaw Spirit left winger Nick Porco just five games into the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League regular season to match his goal total from the 2017-2018 campaign. …[read more]
Numbers on Soo midgets
It has been a struggle through the first month of the 2018-2019 Great North Midget Hockey League regular season for both the Soo Major Thunderbirds and the Soo Minor Thunderbirds. …[read more]
NHL scouting likes Soo boys
Sault Ste. Marie products Nick Porco of the Saginaw Spirit and Keegan Stevenson of the Guelph Storm are among 44 players from the Ontario Hockey League who have made the initial ‘players to watch’ list ahead of the 2019 National Hockey League draft. …[read more]
Majors math: 4-4 = 500
A weekend sweep of the North Bay Minor Trappers and the Soo Major Thunderbirds has vaulted the surging Timmins Majors to the .500 mark in the Great North Midget Hockey League. …[read more]
Adieu to a good oldtimer
He was a retired elementary school teacher and one of the founders of the Soo Water Tower Inn 35’s oldtimers hockey team. Good guy Branko Danicich passed away suddenly on Saturday at the age of 76. …[read more]
The Wolves are howling
Sudbury Wolves are showing some teeth. Since being soundly cuffed by the Barrie Colts just a few days ago, the Wolves have responded with a pair of come-from-behind victories to improve their record to 3-2-0 in the early going of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. …[read more]
Soo draft prospects
Defenseman Jack Matier heads a list of 2003 birth year skaters from the Soo Minor Midget Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League who have been tapped as potential prospects for the 2019 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. …[read more]
Wolves win home opener
A night after being shellacked 10-3 by the Barrie Colts, Sudbury Wolves roared back to upend the Oshawa Generals 5-2 on Friday. It was the home opener for the Wolves, who evened their record at 2-2-0 in the early going of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. …[read more]
Debut win for BR goalie
Blind River Beavers tightened up the standings in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League on Thursday with the help of a new goalie. …[read more]
Big Bird Bazarin
Off to a sizzling 5-0-0 start to the 2018-2019 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League season, Soo Thunderbirds have added more size up front. …[read more]
Home cooking in Timmins
An old sports adage relates to taking it one game at a time. That aside, Timmins Majors of the Great North Midget Hockey League have two games to play this weekend. And if the Majors can take advantage of being at home, they can turn two wins into a .500 record. …[read more]
Good managing by Branch
Staring adversity straight into the eyes just two games into the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League regular season, Flint Firebirds general manager Barclay Branch did not blink. …[read more]
Early going in the NOJHL
We go here and there through the first three weeks of the 2018-2019 Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League regular season. …[read more]
Firebirds are Bangs on
Having lost two straight games to begin the 2018-2019 season and giving up a whopping 18 goals in the process, Flint Firebirds have acquired 2000 birth year defenseman Ryan Bangs in an Ontario Hockey League trade with the London Knights. …[read more]
Saginaw adds vet d-man
Looking to bolster his team’s blue-line brigade with experience, Saginaw Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill has traded for fifth-year, overage defenseman Reagan O’Grady. …[read more]
Major weekend at home
Timmins Majors get to stay home this weekend. After playing five of their first six games of the 2018-2019 Great North Midget Hockey League season on the road, Timmins is home for games on Saturday night and Sunday morning. …[read more]
Eagles win home opener
After beginning the 2018-2019 season with five road games, Soo Eagles skated to a 7-3 home-ice victory over the Blind River Beavers before more than 700 fans at Pullar Stadium. …[read more]
Talking up the OHL north
I have never been reticent about trying to boost — when and where it is opportune and worthy — hockey in northern Ontario. And I had the occasion of doing that on television earlier this week during a guest segment on CTV News Northern Ontario. …[read more]
Setting it up in Sudbury
It is an iconic Ontario Hockey League franchise that has been more than 45 years in the making. But since entering the OHL along with their since-more-successful, northern neighbour Soo Greyhounds in 1972, the Sudbury Wolves have never won a league championship and have never participated in the Memorial Cup tournament. …[read more]
Major home match
Having started the 2018-2019 Great North Midget Hockey League regular season with three road games, the Timmins Majors will play their home opener on Friday night. …[read more]
Coach in Cruise control
The first year head coach of the Soo Major Midget Thunderbirds is encouraged by the commitment that is being shown by his players in the early stages of the 2018-2019 Great North Midget Hockey League season. …[read more]
Beavers dam good so far
Winners of four of five games to begin the 2018-2019 season, Blind River Beavers are the top team in the West Division of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. …[read more]
Seen on the Soo scene
The rinks in the area surrounding Sault Ste. Marie are full of action. Regular season schedules got underway in both the Great North Midget Hockey League and the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League a couple of weekends ago. And the bright lights of the Ontario Hockey League will shine on the Soo Greyhounds and 19 others teams beginning this week. …[read more]
Up north in the OHL
At first blush, it would appear that the Soo Greyhounds, Sudbury Wolves and North Bay Battalion are all poised to at least make the Ontario Hockey League playoffs in 2018-2019. …[read more]
Into the Spirit of things
Now this is what can be called a promotion. Beginning with its regular season opener against the Soo Greyhounds on Wednesday, Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League will introduce a 90 minute food and drink special that will be held before every home game at The Dow Event Center. …[read more]
Goals by Baber and Porco
Sault Ste. Marie products Camaryn Baber and Nick Porco combined to score the tieing and winning goals as the Saginaw Spirit upended the Flint Firebirds 6-4 in Ontario Hockey League exhibition play from Friday. …[read more]