Q&A with Matt Donovan…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
To go with speaking to Tyler Fleck, Marty Standish and Sebastien Centomo, also had a chance to talk with Edmond native Matt Donovan.
Donovan, of course, was drafted by the New York Islanders last year and his life has been quite the blur since then.
Donovan had 51 points in 57 games for Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League.
Q: It was right around this time last year that you were drafted. What’s this last year been like for you?
A: It’s been good and really busy. Been working out as much as possible and going from camp to camp.
Q: You did a lot in this last year, does anything stand out?
A: Playing for Team USA at the World Junior A Championships was a lot of fun. Winning the gold medal was an unbelievable feeling. It’s the first real gold medal I’ve won, so it will always be special.
Q: What did it mean to you to be selected for that team? Did it let you know that you belong on that stage?
A: Making the team was a big accomplishment. And just being able to work out with those guys, you learn a lot. It definitely helps you out mentally. It was a big confidence booster.
Q: How are things going with the Islanders?
A: Things are going fine. I’m leaving Thursday to go to a team camp for them. We’re going to a Mets game, so I’m excited about that. It’s been a nice fit so far.
Q: What’s the biggest difference from your game this year compared to your game at this point last year?
A: I’m just getting stronger and faster. I know I have a lot of work I have to do.
Q: Here at the camp, you’re like an authority figure, how does that feel?
A: This is the second year I’ve helped out Tyler (Fleck), and I love it. It’s fun to be around all these kids and help them learn more about the game and do whatever you can to teach them and have fun.
Special thanks to Donovan for taking the time out to talk with me. Interesting how fast the BIC has been transformed. Almost all signs/banners of Blazers stuff has been removed. Where it said “Blazer Hockey” in paint behind the benches, now just says Hockey.
Even the logo is gone from the team locker room. Yes, the same logo that the Boneman had to pay $5 for stepping on one time.
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In other news, Springfield president and general manager Bruce Landon lashed out at reports that Oklahoma City will be the home to an AHL franchise for the 2010-11 season.
You can read his statement on Springfield’s site right here.
And you can read up more on Landon with this piece from The Republican right here.
AHL Hockey Club, LLC manager and Express Sports president Bob Funk Jr. declined to comment on Landon’s remarks as well as if there are any negotiations going on with the Iowa AHL franchise.
Donovan gets special invite…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Been a while since caught up with what Edmond native Matt Donovan has been doing. Things are still going well for the defenseman.
Donovan is one of 43 players to be invited to tryout for the U.S. National Junior Team (running from Aug. 7-15) that will compete in the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, from Dec. 26, 2009-Jan. 5, 2010, in Saskatoon and Regina, Sask.
The camp will feature practices, three games between the split U.S. squads and four games against Russia.
Donovan is one of seven players invited who played last season in the USHL. He had four points in five playoff games and 19 goals and 32 assists in 57 games for Cedar Rapids.
Donovan was a fourth-round draft pick of the New York Islanders last season.
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Both lead prep writer Ryan Aber and Thunder beat writer Darnell Mayberry have accepted the Boneman’s challenge to write a little something about Game 7 and the hockey playoffs, in general.
No excuse to have not seen the game by this point as NHL Network basically ran the game in a three-hour cycle all of Saturday into Sunday morning. Now I just have to put it on DVD. Think this game (and series) will stand the test of time as something worth talking about.
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And finally, this bit of a news about one of the Blazers enforcers from last year, Robin Gomez. Hope it can be worked out for all parties involved. Don’t wish injury on anyone and don’t wish anyone’s livelihood to be taken away, either.
Oklahoma eliminated…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
From the Oklahoma press release:
The 5th-ranked University of Oklahoma club lost a 3-2 heartbreaker in double overtime to No. 4 Illinois on Monday night in the Second Round of the 2009 ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament in suburban Cleveland.
Defenseman Robert Hetrick (Tulsa) let a massive blast rip from the right circle past Illinois goaltender Mike Burda to put the Sooners up 1-0 at 10:57 of the first period. Illinois would respond with a power play goal late in the first to tie it up and then took the lead on another power play tally just over a minute into the second period.
The Sooners kept the heat on Illinois and finally tied the game with 2:55 to go in the third period when defenseman Austin Miller (Dallas, TX) slotted home a rebound on the power play.
The Sooners dominated the first overtime period but could not solve Burda. Illinois broke the tie and the hearts of Sooners Hockey faithful with a power play goal shortly after the beginning of the second overtime to win the game 3-2.
Sooners goaltender Chad Helgason (Woodbury, MN) stopped 35 of 38 Illinois shot while Burda stopped 40 of 42 OU shots. Oklahoma was 1 for 4 on the power play while Illinois was 3 for 5 with the man advantage.
Oklahoma finishes the season with a 30-7-3 record and will be ranked No. 6 in the ACHA D1 when the final rankings are issued in the coming weeks.
And here is the CHL All-Rookie team
2008-2009 All-Rookie Team
F: Darryl Smith, Laredo Bucks
F: Adam Perry, Arizona Sundogs
F: Jeff Pierce, Odessa Jackalopes
D: Nicolas Dumoulin, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
D: Dane Marshall, Mississippi RiverKings
G: Juha Toivonen, Odessa Jackalopes
Not shocking that Jason Murfitt or Simon Lambert didn’t make it. Both had those mid-season stretches that probably took them out of consideration.
But right now, the rookie line of Murfitt, Lambert and Josh Patterson is clicking on all cylinders. And maybe even better, they enjoy being together. That’s leading to great chemistry and to success on the ice.
Be back later tonight with the usual Game Blog.
Latest on Donovan, OU/UCO…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Edmond native Matt Donovan continues his stellar play in the USHL. He made the USHL All-Star team and since returning to Cedar Rapids, hasn’t missed a beat.
He leads all USHL defensemen in scoring with 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) and was recently featured on the New York Islanders’ Web site. Donovan was drafted by the Islanders with the 96th pick in the NHL Draft last year.
After speaking with Donovan and his family last year for this in-depth piece, not shocked that the pressure hasn’t gotten to him. He was a real calm kid who doesn’t seem overwhelmed by anything that’s going on.
The RoughRiders are currently 27-8-4 and in first place in the East Division of the USHL. Cedar Rapids host Indiana on Friday and is at Waterloo on Saturday.
Also on the local scene, this weekend is the Oklahoma/Central Oklahoma games. The first one will be played Friday at the Blazers Ice Centre at 7:30 p.m. while Saturday’s 7:30 game is at Edmond’s Arctic Edge. OU is ranked sixth at 20-6-2 while UCO is 12th at 18-9-2.
UCO won the first game between the teams, 2-1. These games will close UCO’s regular season while OU will still have six games left before the ACHA Division I championships in March.
Odds and ends…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Couple of noteworthy mentions here.
First, an update with Matt Donovan:
Donovan makes All-Star team
Edmond native Matt Donovan has been selected to the 2009 United States Hockey League Prospects/All-Star Game.
Donovan, a defenseman for Cedar Rapids, has nine goals and 13 assists in 26 games and will represent the East squad in the East vs. West contest Feb. 4 in Sioux Falls.
Donovan, 18, was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round of last year’s NHL Draft.
And then the CHL gave out some midseason honors. There is one that might catch you off-guard.
‘Unofficial’ First Half Awards
Top Team – Colorado Eagles
The Eagles have the league’s best record at 27-6-1 and score almost a goal and half more than their opponent.
Honorable Mention: Odessa
Most Improved Team (from last season) – Oklahoma City Blazers
The Blazers are just one point out of first place in their division and have been one of the top Northern Conference teams all year. This following a season that saw them struggle to win back-to-back games and finish out of the playoffs and below .500.
Honorable Mention: Rio Grande Valley
Most Valuable Player – Sebastien Thinel, Odessa
Thinel is tied for the league lead with 25 goals and is second with 52 points. His 14 PP goals are also tied for the most in the CHL and his offense and big goals have pushed the Jacks to the top spot in the South.
Honorable Mention: Greg Pankewicz, Colorado
Rookie of the Year – Darryl Smith, Laredo
It’s a runaway for Smith through the first half as he has seven more points than any other rookie and is a +19. This despite spending a week in the AHL with Houston.
Honorable Mention: Nicolas Dumoulin, Rio Grande Valley
Goaltender of the Year – Andrew Penner, Colorado
Easy choice seeing his 19-1-1 record and his glowing 2.45 GAA and .922 save percentage. He has been outstanding in nearly every game he has played for the league’s top team.
Honorable Mention: Kevin Beech, Mississippi
Defenseman of the Year – Scott Polaski, Colorado
Polaski moved from forward to defense this season and hasn’t skipped a beat sitting third in the league in scoring among d-men with 30 points and boasting a +14.
Honorable Mention: Russ Moyer, Odessa
Coach of the Year – Kevin Kaminski, Mississippi
“Killer” has brought that mentality to the RiverKings and has them sitting in first place in the highly competitive Northeast Division. The RiverKings, on paper, do not have nearly the depth and talent as Colorado and Oklahoma City but they are 6-3-0 versus those two teams this season.
Honorable Mention – Dan Wildfong, Texas
Comeback Player of the Year – Ryan Tobler, Colorado
After an injury-filled 2007-08 season, Tobler is back in top form with 23 goals and 14 power play goals. He already has 21 more points than a year ago and is a +13 on the season.
Honorable Mention: Doug Groenestege, Oklahoma City
It’s tough to try to convey that about the most improved team because as a general rule in sports, it’s all about what have you done for me lately. And Blazer fans want reminders of the 14-1-2 start more than the 6-9-3 record since.
Second half starts tonight.
Matt Donovan update…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Hey, Larry Donovan was kind enough to fill me in. So, in turn, here’s the latest on what’s up with Edmond’s favorite hockey son.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Matt Donovan has been named CCM United States Hockey League Defensive Player of the Week.
Donovan, 18, scored three goals and posted a plus/minus rating of +4 as the Riders won back-to-back games last weekend. The Edmond, Oklahoma, native scored twice in a 9-1 rout of the Omaha Lancers last Friday and scored another goal one night later in 6-2 victory over the Tri-City Storm.
Donovan is currently tied for second among USHL defensemen in goals (6) and is tied for third among blue liners in points (13). Donovan was named to the 2007-08 USHL All-Rookie Team after finishing tied for second among defenseman in goals (12) and tied for seventh in points (30) last season. Donovan will play college hockey at Denver.
From the USHL website:
CCM Defensive Player of the Week Matt Donovan Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Edmond, Oklahoma
College: Denver
NHL: New York Islanders
The fourth-highest scoring defenseman in the USHL found the back of the net three times in a pair of RoughRider victories. In Friday’s 9-1 win over Omaha, Donovan scored a pair of goals, including one on the power play. The next night, he scored another power play goal in a 6-2 win over Tri-City. Donovan was also +4 on the weekend and had six shots on goal.
Always appreciate an update.
Edmonton/Springfield in, Lund out?
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Hey, apologize, but today was one of the longest days in my short professional career. So many rumors swirling around but nothing too concrete. Here are the two short stories that will be in Tuesday’s paper.
Executives from the Edmonton Oilers’ National Hockey League organization have visited Oklahoma City and the Ford Center and the Blazers Ice Centre, sources confirmed Monday.
The Oilers’ executives reportedly met with city officials about the possibility of Oklahoma City becoming the NHL team’s top farm team in the Triple-A American Hockey League franchise in the near future.
“We’ve had multiple and consistent inquiries from NHL teams about our market through the years, and those inquiries have included different levels of interest involving their farm teams,” Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett said Monday night.
Edmonton’s current AHL franchise, the Springfield Falcons, is based in Massachusetts. That franchise has a contract with Edmonton through 2010.
“The NHL recognizes several things about our market. That it’s big, that the Blazers have been a success and that we have a good fan base,” Cornett said. “If you think of those things, it’s only natural that when they think about where they are going to put their teams they think about Oklahoma City.”
Oklahoma City, which has been in the Double-A Central Hockey League since 1992, has been a constant leader in minor-pro hockey attendance. Oklahoma City often ranks in the top five among all minor-pro teams in North America.
The Blazers are averaging 6,227 fans through nine games this season, which ranks No. 1 in the 16-team CHL. The Blazers’ current attendance number would rate sixth in the 29-team AHL, behind Hershey, Pa.; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Chicago; Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pa.; and Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Kansas City Blades of the old International Hockey League considered a move to Oklahoma City in 2000. The original, Triple-A IHL folded in 2001, and a new, six-team league was formed in 2007. The current IHL is of Double-A caliber, which is the same level as the Blazers and CHL.
Sports editor Mike Sherman contributed to this report.
And then there’s this short blurb on the departure of Brad Lund. I am hoping Lund will return my calls in the next couple of days.
Brad Lund, a key figure in the success of the Oklahoma City Blazers since the minor-league hockey franchise’s inception, has left the team, multiple sources confirmed.
Lund declined comment when contacted Monday evening.
Lund had been chief executive officer with Express Sports, which owns the Blazers and stages three Professional Bull Riding events in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Nashville. He has been with the Blazers in some capacity since the Central Hockey League returned to Oklahoma City in 1992.
So what were you doing Friday?
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
As you know, I’m not just the Blazers dude. I’m also a high school writer. And while I did not witness the best game ever last night between El Reno and Miami, I did see one heck of a finish.
And if you want a more detailed account of the craziness, go here.
Either way, it was nuts. Tonight, I’m at Midwest City and Stillwater. So yes, no Blazers and no OU-Texas Tech for me. Dems the breaks in this business, I guess. I’m taping (yes, with a VCR, remember those) the OU game, but I doubt I’ll make it to 11 p.m. without knowing the score. Be back tomorrow for Oklahoma City and Texas.
Standish finds home…
Special thanks to Scott for sending me the info. From the Bloomington site. Now that this ordeal has been settled once and for all, back to the Blazers …
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BLOOMINGTON (Ill.) – Bloomington PrairieThunder coach Jarrod Skalde added offensive firepower and grit to the team’s roster Friday by signing veteran center Marty Standish to an International Hockey League contract.
The 5-foot-7, 165-pound Standish is in his 10th season at the professional level. He has skated in 580 games, scoring 221 goals with 315 assists for 536 points. Standish has accumulated 1,513 penalties minutes and a plus-76 rating. He has had only four seasons with a negative plus-minus rating.
“Marty has proven throughout his career that he can put up numbers and he’s a gritty player,” said Skalde. “He’s a character player, who leads by example. He should fit in nicely with the guys we have and should complement (Don) Parsons and (Jon) Booras on the first line very well.”
Standish, who will wear No. 11, is expected to be in the PrairieThunder’s lineup Friday night when it plays at 6:30 p.m. at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo. Bloomington then travels to Muskegon for a 6 p.m. game Saturday.
Standish played eight seasons with the Oklahoma City Blazers in the CHL. In 445 games, he scored 188 goals with 261 assists for 449 points. He started this season with the Blazers and played eight games before being traded to Laredo. He was waived by Laredo.
The 30-year-old Standish also has played with the Quad City Mallards and Missouri River Otters in the United Hockey League, the Kansas City Blades in the IHL, along with the Portland Pirates and the Utah Grizzles of the AHL.
The Kelvington, Saskatchewan native has averaged 24.5 goals, 34.3 assists and 166.7 minutes in penalties per season. He has scored 35 game-winning goals during his career.
Twice during his career, Standish has scored 80-plus points and has never scored less than 38 in a season. His most productive season was in 2000-01 when he scored 88 points on 43 goals and 45 assists in 63 games.
Prior to turning professional, Standish skated in 272 games with the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL, where he scored 184 points (80 goals, 104 assists) while serving 480 penalty minutes.
In other roster moves, rookie forward Jeff Rainville has been added to the 21-man roster for this weekend’s games. The 5-11, 165-pound Rainville had signed a mid-season tryout agreement with the PrairieThunder last week.
The 24-year-old Rainville, who hails from Blind River, Ontario, played in France last season. He scored 10 goals and added nine assists for 19 points in 25 games. He was a teammate of Booras for three years in college at Lake Superior State. He will wear No. 34.
To make room for Standish and Rainville on the roster, veteran center Tomo Hafner and rookie forward David Mitchell were waived.
Per team policy, terms of player’s contracts are not released. |
USA wins gold…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
And in dominating fashion, a 7-1 shellacking of Canada West. Edmond’s Matt Donovan had two assists and was selected to the All-Star team.
The official release, once again thanks to the Donovan family for the info.
United States 7 - Canada West 1
UNITED STATES WINS WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE GOLD
CAMROSE, AB – The reign of Canada West is over – there is a new champion at the World Junior A Challenge.
Seven different players scored goals and 11 had at least one point as the United States claimed the gold medal with a 7-1 win over Canada West on Sunday night in front of a capacity crowd at the Edgeworth Centre.
The Americans scored three times in the first period and four times in the second en route to victory.
Canada West had won the first two gold medals at the tournament – in 2006 in Yorkton, SK and 2007 in Trail, BC – but had to settle for silver as the Americans improved on their bronze medal from one year ago.
The game got off to an inauspicious start for Canada West and Kevin Genoe, as the netminder tried to catch a shot from American Lee Moffie that was two feet over his head, only to have the puck deflect off his glove and into the net for the game’s opening goal.
The lead doubled just two minutes later when David Gerths swatted a rebound past Genoe. Both of the U.S.’ first two goals came on the powerplay.
With the pro-Canada West crowd quieted by the early goals, Rylan Schwartz got them on their feet when he batted a loose puck behind American goaltender Mike Lee to cut the lead in half with the Canadians enjoying the man advantage.
The momentum would be short-lived, however, as Mike Cichy restored the two-goal lead late in the opening frame, swooping around the net and roofing a shot, sending Genoe to the bench in favour of Andrew Bodnarchuk.
Outshot 10-5 in the first period things didn’t get much better in the second for the Canadians, as Max Nicastro, Josh Birkholz, Josh Balch and Danny Kristo all put pucks behind Bodnarchuk to give the Americans a 7-1 lead heading to the final period.
Genoe returned to the Canadian goal for a scoreless third period, turning aside all 10 shots he faced.
The USA finished with a 39-19 advantage in shots on goal.
Following the game, the Under Armour® Undeniable MVP and tournament all-star team were announced.
American forward Mike Cichy picked up the MVP award and a spot on the all-star team. He was joined by teammates Mike Lee (goaltender), Matt Donovan (defence) and Craig Smith (forward), along with Andrew MacWilliam (defence) and Jaden Schwartz (forward) of Canada West.
Be back at 4 p.m. with the CHL player and goaltender of the week update in the power poll post.
