Eagles v. Warriors for pair
I-75 highway rivals, the Michigan Warriors and Soo Eagles will meet for a pair of key North American Hockey League games tonight and Saturday.
The Warriors will play host to the Eagles in 7 p.m. games both nights at Perani Arena and Event Centre in Flint. …[read more]
First points for Andrew Barbeau
Andrew Barbeau, a 1997 birth-year defenceman from the Canadian side of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie, is adapting quite well to the level of play in the North American Hockey League.
For starters, Barbeau, a rookie with the NAHL’s Michigan Warriors and the youngest player — and only one with a 1997 birth date — on the team, is taking a regular turn on the blueline. …[read more]
Soo Eagles headed the right way
Now in their fifth year under current ownership and a hockey department led by veteran coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo, the Michigan-based Soo Eagles have established a firm and faithful following.
From two years in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey to this, their third season in the North American Hockey League, the Eagles have served notice that they are in Sault Ste. Marie to stay. …[read more]
Rookies spark Eagles sweep
Playing in front of back-to-back, Pullar Stadium crowds of more than 700 fans both nights, Soo Eagles fashioned a weekend sweep of the visiting Minnesota Wilderness.
Led by a pair of rookies — goalie Jack Berry and forward Keegan Miller — the Eagles emerged from the Wilderness with 7-2 and 4-3 triumphs to move into first place in the North Division of the North American Hockey League with a 7-5 record. …[read more]
Winning Wednesday in the Soo
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League both won home games on Wednesday. …[read more]
Pat Gazzillo returns to the Soo Eagles
Soo Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo says a good team can never have enough good defencemen.
Ergo, Bragagnolo did not hesitate in bringing hard-boiled hombre Pat Gazzillo back to the Eagles when the opportunity presented itself. …[read more]
Rehash and replays
First pucks drop on the new Canadian International Hockey League…Four wins in a row for the Soo Thunderbirds…Soo Eagles have a Berry good goalie…Two perfect teams in the Ontario Hockey League…Opening act in the Midwest Jr. Hockey League… …[read more]
T-Bird midgets are 3-1
Head coach Jim Capy uses the word “satisfied” to describe the play of his Soo Thunderbirds through the first four games of the 2014-2015 Great North Midget Hockey League campaign.
After beginning the ’14-15 GNMHL regular season with a loss, the Thunderbirds have since reeled off three wins in succession. …[read more]
Stops and starts
The 2014-2015 junior hockey season is in prime time.
From where we operate, the Ontario Hockey League, Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and North American Hockey League regular seasons are well underway.
Meanwhile, first pucks will drop on the new Canadian International Hockey League and the third-year Midwest Jr. Hockey League regular seasons next weekend. …[read more]
Weekend Warriors
Michigan Warriors are home for three games this weekend and the North American Hockey League team has several promotions planned for Perani Arena in Flint.
On the ice, the defending NAHL North Division playoff champions will be out to shrug off an 0-4 start to the 2014-2015 campaign. …[read more]
Sawruk assists surging Soo Eagles
Bruno Bragagnolo, the seasoned coach-general manager of the Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League, is known as someone who gives credit when and where it is due.
And Bragagnolo has praise aplenty for his associate coach with the Eagles, Alex Sawruk. …[read more]
Jets seek return to winning ways
Metro Jets of the North American 3 Hockey League will look to return to the win column when they play host to the Pittsburgh Vengeance in Saturday-Sunday games at Lakeland Arena in Waterford, MI.
Saturday’s game has a 7:50 p.m. start while first puck on Sunday drops at 11:50 a.m. …[read more]
Midweek Notes
Here ’n there on Wednesday, September 24: …[read more]
Soo Eagles Hockey Show returns tonight
The boys are back on the air.
The Soo Eagles Hockey Show makes its return to the airwaves tonight at 5 p.m. on ESPN 1400 Radio. …[read more]
Hockey North Show returns tonight
Back for its fourth season on ESPN 1400 Radio, the Hockey North Show with Randy Russon returns to the airwaves tonight at 5 p.m. …[read more]
Soo Eagles eke one out
Bruno Birzitis netted his second goal of the game late in the third period to boost the Soo Eagles to a 3-2 win over the visiting Janesville Jets in the 2014-2015 regular-season opener for both North American Hockey League teams. …[read more]
Opening acts
There’s a bit of a chill in the air which to some, means hockey season is here.
Let the games begin. …[read more]
Midweek Notes
Here ’n there on September 10: …[read more]
Soo Eagles take Rollie King Cup
Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League have possession of the Rollie King Cup.
The Eagles swept the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League by 3-1 and 7-1 scores on the weekend to win the Rollie King Cup showdown between the Twin Soo rivals. …[read more]
Metro Jets start with a win
Veteran forward Alex Holm scored two goals and added an assist as the Metro Jets opened the 2014-2015 North American 3 Hockey League regular season with a 5-0 win over the visiting Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks on Saturday night at Lakeland Arena in Waterford. …[read more]
Midweek Notes
Here ’n there on September 3: …[read more]
I took the ice bucket challenge
It was for a good cause so I did my best to be a good sport.
Local insurance agent John Palmerio recently nominated me for the ALS ice bucket challenge. And on Thursday, in the outdoor patio of Service Grill on Korah Road, I accepted the challenge. …[read more]
Thanks to our advertisers (updated)
HockeyNewsNorth.com came into official existence on February 1 of this year and I am both happy and humbled by the response to the site.
The number of visitors — especially during the summer months — seems to back up what I have often said, and that is the hockey season never really ends.
At any rate, here is the latest update of the list of the many advertisers and sponsors who continue to support HockeyNewsNorth.com. They are: …[read more]
Two more Eagles advance to NCAA
Soo Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo has confirmed to HockeyNewsNorth.com that two more of his players have recently secured National Collegiate Athletic Association commitments for the 2014-2015 season.
Scott Cuthrell, a 1993 birth-year forward, and Matthew Montemurro, a 1994 birth-year defencemen, will both be advancing to the Division 3, NCAA ranks. …[read more]
Anzalone ready to Wing it
Michigan Soo native Francis Anzalone is preparing for his first season as head coach of the Aberdeen Wings and will be looking to build on the success that the North American Hockey League team had during the 2013-2014 regular season.
With 38 wins, a berth in the NAHL playoffs and 13 current and former players making National Collegiate Athletic Association commitments within the last year, the 2013-2014 campaign was a rousing success for the Wings. …[read more]
Michigan Warriors to Ferris State Bulldogs
The leading scorer from the Michigan Warriors of the North American Hockey League is headed to the Division 1, Western Collegiate Hockey Association ranks.
…[read more]
Six skaters with a sweet Soo side
The warmth of the August sun is pointing to the ice of September.
As the clock ticks toward the 2014-2015 junior hockey season, let us take time to begin our watch on six notable players with a Sault Ste. Marie side to them.
…[read more]
Brett Findlay to Toronto Marlies
Echo Bay product Brett Findlay is poised to move up the hockey ladder.
Findlay, a 1992 birth-year forward who was part of an East Coast Hockey League championship team with the Alaska Aces in 2013-2014, has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Toronto Marlies.
…[read more]
Another day in hockey paradise
Officially, Sault Ste. Marie is unofficially Hockeytown, at least to us Twin Soo residents who have ice in our veins.
Our status as Hockeytown comes from the fact that the Twin Soo market is home to no less than five teams in five different junior leagues and a Division 1 collegiate program.
At any rate, the dog has been fed, the morning walk has been completed and the grass has been cut and watered.
Ergo, let’s check in on the six high-level teams within the Twin Soo border.
…[read more]
Thunderbirds major midget tryouts
Head coach Jim Capy has advised HockeyNewsNorth.com that tryouts for the Soo Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League will be held on Monday, August 18 from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday, August 19 from 5-7 p.m. and Wednesday, August 20 from 5-7 p.m. at John Rhodes Community Centre.
…[read more]
Early August brunch
Here ’n there on a Canadian holiday Monday:
…[read more]
August tryout camps
Various teams in various junior hockey leagues will be holding their main tryout camps during the month of August.
Following are details on several of them.
…[read more]
Branding the Michigan Warriors
Through their four-year existence in the North American Hockey League, the Michigan Warriors have been an on-ice success.
Under the tried, tested and true leadership of coach-general manager Moe Mantha, the Warriors have won two North Division playoff titles in the four years they have been playing out of Perani Arena in Flint.
…[read more]
Soo Eagles promote from within
Alex Sawruk has been promoted to full-time associate coach with the Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed.
The 34-year old Sawruk, who hails from the Michigan Soo, was a volunteer assistant with the Eagles in 2013-2014. …[read more]
Good intentions for two teams in one town
Where I live — the Canadian side of the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie — has become home to two junior A hockey teams in two separate leagues.
And like it or not, it has resulted in a cross-fire of sorts between factions loyal to either side.
…[read more]
Andrew Barbeau has what it takes
Suffice to say that Moe Mantha knows a thing or two about defencemen, having patrolled the blueline in the National Hockey League over a career that spanned 12 seasons and 673 games. …[read more]
Stops and starts
Recent junior hockey player and personnel moves to peruse: …[read more]
Be-Leaf in Kyle Dubas
So, the boy wonder is leaving Houndtown for the Show and taking his new wife with him.
And it’s not just any seat in the Show.
At age 28 — and just three years after being named general manager of the Soo Greyhounds — Kyle Dubas is departing a small-market Ontario Hockey League team to become the assistant GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs on what is the National Hockey League’s biggest stage. …[read more]
Toronto Maple Leafs hire Kyle Dubas
The boy wonder is moving on and up.
Kyle Dubas is leaving the Soo Greyhounds for the Toronto Maple Leafs, HockeyNewsNorth.com confirmed this morning. …[read more]
Record numbers: NAHL to NCAA
NAHL.com exclusive by Alex Kyrias with files from Randy Russon
It’s been said that every young hockey player grows up with a dream.
For the majority of those who are playing junior hockey in the United States, that dream is to one day play college hockey within the National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks. …[read more]
A mid-summer hockey day
Seems as though there is no such thing as a day or a night away from hockey, even in mid-summer.
Take yesterday, for instance. …[read more]
Week-long camp for NAHL Warriors
Fresh from a strong 2013-2014 campaign in which the Michigan Warriors captured the North Division title and advanced to the Robertson Cup semi-finals, the North American Hockey League team is looking to add new talent to its 2014-2015 roster. …[read more]
NOJHL or CIHL?
This is a tale of two Ontario-based junior A hockey leagues.
One is the established Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, which was formed in 1978.
The other is the new Canadian International Hockey League, which takes to the ice for the first time this 2014-2015 season. …[read more]
Laker summer hockey camps
Doug Laprade, who has a strong association with the Lake Superior State University Lakers as a player and assistant coach that dates back to 1987, will be heading up a pair of hockey camps at the school’s Norris Centre facility this summer. …[read more]
Here ‘n there on July 4
Independence Day, otherwise known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States.
But while our neighbours to the south are commemorating the Declaration of Independence that was adopted on July 4, 1776, it’s just another summer hockey day in Canada. …[read more]
Twin Soo midgets to face off
The two Soo major midget teams representing both sides of the International Bridge will face off in a six-game series for the HockeyNewsNorth.com Cup over the course of the 2014-2015 regular season. …[read more]
Scouting the tryout camps
Players who attend the various and multiple junior hockey tryout camps are not just showcasing their skills to the team they are trying out for.
As an example, Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League are holding their second tryout camp of the off-season this weekend in Detroit with well over 100 players in attendance. …[read more]
AGM agendas
The Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Midwest Jr. Hockey League are both holding their annual general meetings this weekend.
Governors from the NOJHL will welcome new franchises from Elliot Lake and Powassan to make it a nine-team league.
MWJHL executives will be joined by officials from the upstart Canadian International Hockey League at their AGM. …[read more]
Soo Thunderbirds v. Soo Eagles
Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League will resume the Rollie King Cup series after a two-year hiatus, officials from both teams have confirmed.
The cross-border Soo teams established the Rollie King Cup during the 2011-2012 season when both were members of the NOJHL. …[read more]