Coe Named AHA Goalie of the Month
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT senior goalie Sarah Coe was named the Atlantic Hockey America Goaltender of the Month for October announced by the league.
Coe recorded a 4-1-0 record, including a pair of shutouts. Coe made 28 saves in the Tigers 4-2 win over No. 7 Colgate, earning AHA Goaltender of the Week honors (Oct. 14). Coe is second in the league with a 1.93 goals against average and third with a .926 save percentage. She made 14 saves in a shutout won over Assumption and 23 saves in a shutout victory over RPI.
(Image provided by RIT Women’s Hockey)
Women’s Hockey Season Underway In NYS
By Janet Schultz, NYHOL
The season has begun at the Collegiate Level with the high school and professional schedules just days away.
Buffalo State opened their season November 1 and 2 at Neumann before returning home on November 8 and 9 to face SUNY Canton. This is Head Coach Rachel Grampp’s fourth season and the final season for WNY’er Lilli Adimey.
They took their first win of the season 5-1 over Neumann with scoring coming from five different players including three well-known to the WNY hockey scene. Lilli Adimey, Buffalo; Alex Groh, Elma and Sydney Radecki, Lancaster added to the scoring. In goal Jessie Auge stopped 13/14 shots for the W.
Niagara University has two teams in the ACHA including a D1 team that is 4-5 on the season. They are at Indiana Tech this weekend and then return to Dwyer for a four game home stand beginning with Sault on November 16 and 17.
The D2 team had a 5-3 victory over Adrian and is 4-3 overall with a game against Brockport Sunday, Nov. 3 at home.
Hilbert will opened their season with two losses to Hood College. It was a 2-3 loss on November 1 and a 3-4 overtime loss the following day. The Hawks will open at home against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on November 9 and 10 at Northtowns.
The Hawks welcome a new Head Coach this season with Emma Knoll taking the helm. Knoll played three years at Kings College and worked as a scout for Mora IK in Sweden.
This will be Hilbert’s last season as an independent as they will become part of the UCHC in 2025-26.
Looking back at last season, Kaitlin Cowie of Henrietta lead the team in goals with 4 and in assists with 10. She scored the game winner in their Inaugural game against Kings College. Kelsey Fuller of Rome (NY) is a freshman goalie that will have an instant impact on the team this season. She was named to All Section Team III First Team in 2022-23.
AT 5-3-3, RIT seems to likes tied up games that take them to a shoot-out, which unfortunately they have not been able to capitalize on. Most recently they tied St. Lawrence University 2-2 but St. Lawrence won in the shootout and then it was a Robert Morris 2-2 tie and RM beating them in the shootout. They face-off against Robert Morris as their article is being published. Next up is Syracuse at home on November 15 and 16. Kylie Aquaro leads the team in points with 4 goals and 4 assists. Addie Alvarez has 4 goals and 2 assists followed by Brie Kelley (2-4=6) and Kyla Bear with 6 assists. Goaltender Sophia Bellina was named Goaltender of the Week after having a career high 40 saves in a 2-2 tie against St. Lawrence. It’s her sixth career game with 40 saves and first this season in five starts.
Nazareth opened their season with a 4-1 win in an exhibition game over Elmira but then continued with a season opener win over Rivier University, 5-0. They will face off against Morrisville on November 9.
Allie Zack had the first goal of the regular season, unassisted in the first period. Alexis Kindred and Kate Cascio had goals in the second and in the third it was Nikki Sharp and Brook Terry. In Goal, McKinley Hoff had the shutout.
WNYGVIH
The 15th Season Anniversary Celebration Banquet has been canceled due to personal reasons for a couple of committee members and due to the low response for reservations. The Committee will regroup and look at celebration options for later in the season.
The puck will drop on the 15th Season of girls varsity hockey in Western New York on November 216 when FFLOP will take on LIDA at 4 p.m. at Holiday Twin; HHEWS will face Williamsville at 4 p.m. at Northtowns, St. Marys of Lancaster will battle Niagara County at 4:45 at Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena and CASH will take on KENGIL at the new Paddock Ice Arena at Brighton at 7:30 p.m. A full day for sure and the regular season schedule will continue on Monday, December 2.
KENGIL and St. Mary’s will be looking to keep their Section VI/Western and Private championships, respectively.
PWHL News
The new Professional Womens Hockey League will hit the ice on November 30 when the Boston Fleet take on the Toronto Sceptres at 2 p.m. at Coca Cola Coliseum. Also playing that day are the Montreal Victorie against the Ottawa Charge at Place Bell at 5 p.m.
The NY Sirens will open on December 1 at the Minnesota Frost.
The Sirens staff includes two coaches known to New York collegiate hockey in Head Coach Greg Fargo,formerly of Colgate and Assistant Coach Josh Sciba, formerly of Union and also Niagara University’s women’s D1 program.
The former Head Coach, Howie Draper, has stepped down as HC but will serve as a special advisor to the team as he returns to the University of Alberta’s women’s ice hockey team.
The Prudential Center is home ice to the Sirens and the Essex County Cody Arena will be the site of Training Camp.
Ryan Miller To Join Amerks Hall of Fame
Former goaltender and two-time AHL All-Star to be inducted later this season as the 69th member of prestigious club
(Rochester, NY) – The Rochester Americans are pleased to announce that the team will induct goaltender Ryan Miller into the Amerks Hall of Fame as the Class of 2025.
Unanimously selected for induction by the Amerks Hall of Fame Committee, Miller will take his rightful place in the prestigious club during a pregame ceremony on Friday, April 11 when Rochester hosts the Laval Rocket at 7:05 p.m. at The Blue Cross Arena.
“The City of Rochester and the Amerks organization were a very important part of my hockey career,” said Miller. “I’m excited for the opportunity to return with my family and revisit that special time. It’s a tremendous honor to be a part of the Hall of Fame and join the other great players who wore the red, white and blue.”
One of the most decorated goaltenders in franchise history, Miller appeared in 172 career games over parts of four seasons (2002-06) with the Amerks, posting a 92-61-16 record with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. The two-time AHL All-Star selection also finished with 15 shutouts, tying for second-most in franchise history behind only fellow Amerks Hall of Famer Bobby Perreault, while his 2.34 goals-against average remains the 10th-best all-time in team history.
Miller, who becomes just the seventh netminder to be enshrined in the Amerks Hall of Fame, reached the 20-win mark and led Rochester to the postseason in each of his first three seasons with the Amerks. In 26 career playoff appearances, he boasted a 13-13 record with a 2.37 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and two shutouts. He also saw time in 18 contests with the Buffalo Sabres, the team that selected him in the fifth round (138th overall) in the 1999 NHL Draft, including 15 during his rookie season.
His best season as an Amerk came during the 2004-05 campaign when he backstopped the Amerks to an AHL-best 51-19-4-6 record, helping Rochester claim the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as regular-season champions and earning him his second straight AHL All-Star selection. He was also named the recipient of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the top AHL’s top goaltender and Amerks MVP.
That same season he would also go on to set the single-season franchise record for most shutouts in a season with eight while posting a 41-17-4 record to go along with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. Miller came just seven wins shy of tying Gerry Cheevers’ mark for wins in a season with 48.
A native of East Lansing, Michigan, Miller joined the Amerks for the 2002-03 season following three seasons as a standout at Michigan State University, where he was a three-time CCHA Goaltender of the Year and won the Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player in 2001 after leading the nation in wins, winning percentage, save percentage (.950), goal-against average and 10 shutouts. He was also a two-time First Team All-American and was named the 2001 Big 10 Men’s Athlete of the Year and USA College Hockey Player of the Year. Miller, who set an NCAA record with 26 shutouts, became just the second goaltender ever to win the prestigious award following Robb Stauber, another former Amerks goaltender. In 106 career games with the Spartans, Miller posted a 73-19-12 record with a 1.64 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. He was inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2013-14.
Miller appeared in 18 seasons with Anaheim, Vancouver, St. Louis and Buffalo from 2002-21, posting a 390-289-87 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 794 career NHL games. Miller made his NHL debut with the Sabres on Nov. 19, 2002 at New Jersey. All-time, Miller ranks 14th on the NHL’s wins list, 12th in saves (21,621) and 19th in games played (794). He also ranks fifth in save percentage among all-time NHL goaltenders with 700 appearances. The only four others with a higher save percentage all-time are Hasek (.922), Roberto Luongo (.919), Henrik Lundqvist (.918) and Tomas Vokoun (.917).
He is the all-time leader among U.S.-born goaltenders in wins (391) and remains one of only six goalies in NHL history to win 30 games in seven straight seasons (2006-12). He also leads American goaltenders in career save percentage (.914), ranks second in shutouts (44) and games played (796) and ranks third in goals-against average (2.64) with at least 500 games played. Since his NHL debut in 2002-03, Miller ranks fourth among NHL goaltenders in wins, saves and appearances. He remains one of just 30 goaltenders in NHL history to win 300 games in his career. He won his 390th career game on Mar. 18, 2021 vs. Arizona, passing Dominik Hasek (389) for 14th place on the NHL’s all-time wins list for goaltenders and surpassed John Vanbiesbrouck (374) for the all-time lead among U.S.-born goaltenders in wins (375) on Feb. 17, 2019 vs. Washington.
Miller spent 11 seasons with Buffalo from 2002-14, going 284-186-57 in 540 games. He holds Sabres franchise records in career wins (284), appearances (540), minutes (21,660:48) and single-season wins (41 in 2009-10). He led Buffalo to the Eastern Conference Final in both 2006 and 2007, joining Dominik Hasek as the only Buffalo goaltender to reach consecutive Conference Finals. The highest honor of his NHL career came following the 2009-10 season when he won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder. That year, Miller broke his own record with 41 wins and finished with an astounding 2.22 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage, both NHL career-highs, while leading the Sabres to a Northeast Division title.
Additionally, Miller has made seven career trips to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Ducks, Canucks, Blues and Sabres. In 57 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, the 6-2, 170-pound goaltender went 28-27 with three shutouts, a 2.52 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. Miller ranks second in Sabres postseason history wins (25), games played (47) and saves (1,336).
Internationally, Miller represented Team USA at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games, leading the U.S. to a silver medal in 2010. He was named the MVP, Best Goaltender and an All-Star at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, posting a 5-1 record with a 1.35 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in six tournament games. Overall, he went 6-1 with one shutout, a 1.30 goals-against average and .945 save percentage in seven tournament games. His six Olympic wins are the second-most in Team USA history. Miller also represented his country at three World Championships (2001, 2002, 2003), posting two shutouts with a 2.09 goals-against average and .932 save percentage in eight tournament contests.
Throughout his illustrious career, Miller is the only player in hockey history to be named the top goaltender in the NCAA, American Hockey League, National Hockey League and Winter Olympics. He is also a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022 and was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame along with having his jersey No. 30 retired in January 2023.
(Photos provided by Rochester American Hockey Team)
U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team Wins 2024 Women’s World Challenge Title
| Team USA Earns Third-Consecutive Tournament Championship With 3-0 Win Over Canada |
| SKIEN, Norway – Kelsey DiClaudio (Plum, Pa.) scored twice and added an assist to help the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team to a 3-0 victory over Canada to clinch the 2024 Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Challenge championship at Skien Fritidspark.The U.S. finished the tournament with a 4-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record for the third-consecutive year and has now won all three Women’s World Challenge titles since the inaugural event in 2022. “It was a great game, we knew it was going to be tough and very competitive for all three periods,” said Rose Misiewicz, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team. “We are super excited that we got the job done and won our third World Challenge.”Team USA opened the scoring 3:59 into the contest while on the power play. DiClaudio gained possession in the offensive zone and threaded a pass to Lera Doederlein (San Diego, Calif.), who found Chloe Kirkpatrick (Bemidji, Minn.) with a back-door feed across the crease. Kirkpatrick one-timed the puck across the goal line to put the U.S. up 1-0. In the closing minutes of the opening period, Gabby Graves-Wake (Phoenix, Ariz.) denied a breakaway chance for the Canadians with an acrobatic blocker save to maintain the lead.At the 5:02 mark of the middle frame, DiClaudio carried the puck into the offensive zone and created a one-on-one with the Canadian goaltender, tucking the puck home off a deke to double the U.S. advantage. Just 42 seconds later, DiClaudio recorded her second tally of the contest after winning a puck battle in front of the Canada crease and capitalizing on a shot from the left circle to go up 3-0. Both sides were held scoreless in the third period despite power play opportunities for each, sealing the victory, and Women’s World Challenge championship for Team USA. NOTES: Team USA outshot Canada 20-11 … The U.S. was 1-3 on the power play, while Canada was 0-3 … Kelsey DiClaudio was named U.S. Player of the Game … The U.S. outscored its opponents 27-0 across four games. Press release supplied by Team USA |
Ringette Comes to WNY
Story and Photos by Janet Schultz © NYHOL
Team USA for Ringette paid a visit to Western New York recently and put on a clinic for anyone interested in learning the sport.
Hosted by the Buffalo Regals Girls Hockey organization, participants were introduced to the sport of Ringette.
Played very similar to hockey it does have major differences. First the stick has no blade and rather than passing a puck, you pass a round rubber ring with a hole at its center. There are no face-offs, instead teams are awarded ring possession. Games are stop time and a 30-second shot clock contributes to the game’s reputatiohn as the fastest on ice.
Equipment is basically the same…skates, helmets, pads and the straight stick.
Players are prevented from carrying the ring across the blue lines, so they must pass to another teammate. Only three players from each team, plus the defending goalie, are allowed in the end zones at the same time. The rules of the game have demanded that players develop strong skating skills and encourages them to focus on speed and agility.
“One of the reasons I brought this clinic to Buffalo was to show that the skills in Ringette are good for ice hockey,” said Scott Then of the Buffalo Regals.
Ringette is played in a number of countries including Finland, Canada and the United States. Also in France, Slovakia, Russia,the Czech Republic and Abu Dhabi. Ringette found its prime years in the 90’s with St. Paul, Minnesota hosting the World Ringette Championship. The USA is working to grow the sport throughout the nation introducing it to older players first, then youth.
Anyone interested in learning more about Ringette or getting involved should contact Team USA and they will work to bring a “Come Try Ringette” session to your rink. Coach Then hopes to bring the clinic back to Buffalo early in 2025.
Learn more about Ringette at http://www.ringette.cc
Anne Murray Loves Her Hockey!
BY RANDY SCHULTZ –
I have been a fan of Anne Murray for a long time. When I found out in the late 1980s that she was a big hockey fan, that peaked my interest in her even more.
I finally caught up with Murray in North Tonawanda, NY at Melody Fair, a little theater that was covered by a theater dome. Prior to her concert there I had the opportunity to visit and interview her trailer, located just outside the theater.
I found out quickly that Murray was a hockey fanatic. Yes, this was the same Anne Murray who has had such hits over the years like “Snowbird,” “You Needed Me” and “A Little Good News.”
I also discovered that when she wasn’t recording or performing Murray followed hockey very closely. So closely that it wasn’t unusual for her to watch a hockey game every night of the week, if possible.
Murray, a native of Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada, the singer grew up with Canada’s national past-time.
“I guess it all started by listening on radio,” recalled Murray. “Of course, Saturday night was ‘Hockey Night In Canada,’ That was sacrosanct. Everybody stayed home and watched it.
“And we watched it any other nights it was on.”
Murray even played the game, first with her brothers out on the frozen ponds of Nova Scotia and later on a girl’s team in high school. Surprisingly, Murray wasn’t a Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens fans during the six-team era of NHL hockey when she was growing up.
Instead, she was a Detroit Red Wings’ fan.
“I guess it was because Gordie (Howe) played for Detroit,” said Murray. “He was always my favorite.
“Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr were alright, too. They were great to watch. But as a kid Gordie was number one.”
She recalled the first time she got to meet her childhood hero, as well as an additional superstar.
“I remember having Gordie Howe on a television show I did in Canada years ago and that was great,” Murray commented. “I also met Jean Beliveau.
“I admired both of them for a long, long time, and I was nervous meeting them.”
Over the years Murray became a star in her own right with the NHL. She was the guest star at the NHL All-Star Charity Dinner prior to the 35th All-Star Game at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
When asked if she had a favorite player at the time of the interview with me, Murray gave a definite answer.
“I would have to say Wayne Gretzky,” remarked Murray. “I especially loved watching Gretzky and Mario Lemieux together when they played in that Canada/Russia series. That was awesome.”
At one point in the 1980’s, Murray put together a group that tried to purchase the Maple Leafs.
“But old Harold (Ballard, then owner of the Leafs) wasn’t interested in selling the team. It’s a shame too.”
Even today in retirement, Murray still loves the game.
“It is such a beautiful sport,” concluded Murray. “I enjoy other sports like football and baseball.
“But there is something about hockey that fascinates me. It must be the grace and style by which the players play the game.
“It is almost artistic. It’s just something I have in my blood.”
Yogi Berra Was A Hockey Kind of Guy
(Hockey writer Randy Schultz has covered the hockey scene at all levels for over 50 years. He has interviewed people about hockey from all walks of life during that time. Players, coaches, executives, celebrities, college and high school players have been interviewed over the five decades of hockey writing. He hopes you enjoy his memories.)
BY RANDY SCHULTZ –
With the World Series almost upon us, I thought it might be a good idea to open my column with one of the many baseball players I talked to over the years who had a love for hockey.
Yogi Berra was one of America’s most beloved athletes. A member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame, Berra spent most of his career with the New York Yankees.
But what a lot of people never knew about Berra, who passed away in 2015, was his love of hockey and being a big hockey fan. That love went back almost eight decades, back to his days growing up in his native St. Louis, MO.
Nineteen years have passed since I had the opportunity to talk to Yogi by phone at his home in Montclair, NJ. He was a big fan of the National Hockey League. When Berra was at home, he could be watching NHL hockey on TV and it didn’t matter if it was the New York Rangers, New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils.
“I never played ice hockey growing up in St. Louis,” recalled Berra at the time of our interview. “I played street hockey and roller hockey.
“We didn’t have any place to play ice hockey. And if we had, we really didn’t have the money for skates or some of the other hockey equipment needed.
“We had sticks. We used old rolled up magazines as shin guards. And we used wooden pucks. That’s right, wooden pucks. We couldn’t afford a real puck. So we made one.
“That’s why roller and street hockey were easier to play. And all kids in the neighborhood, including Joe Garagiola.
“We played all different kinds of sports depending on the time of the year. We played baseball, football, basketball and hockey. We would just choose up sides and play.”
Of course, Berra admitted that he wasn’t the greatest skater in the world.
“I can skate, but I can’t skate very well,” stated Berra. “I can’t stop as easy as the hockey players do.”
Berra also followed pro hockey while growing up in St. Louis with the Flyers of the old American Hockey Association.
“I used to follow the Flyers when I was a kid,” remembered Berra, who played 18 seasons (1846-1963) with the Yankees. “I remember the day of a game, I used to take a nap in the afternoon so I could go with my brother to the hockey game that night at the old St. Louis Arena.”
When Berra made it to the majors with the Yankees at the end of the 1946 season, he instantly became a fan of the NHL’s New York Rangers. One of the Hall of Famers favorite hangouts in New York became the old Madison Square Garden.
“I really enjoyed the Rangers,” said Berra. “I went to their games every chance I got down at the old Gardens. I really like the old Gardens.”
The players in the Rangers that Berra got to know was like a “Who’s Who” of hockey. It included Emile Francis, Harry Howell, Eddie Giacomin, Jacques Plante, Gump Worsley and Bernie “Boom-Boom” Geoffrion.
“I know the Rangers didn’t really have great teams back in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s,” recalled Berra. “But they were still entertaining.”
Berra and his wife, Carmen, were also your typical hockey parents, getting up at $:30 in the morning to drive their boys to practice or a game. That tradition continued to include the Berra’s granddaughter, Lindsay, who turned out to be a very good player in her own right.
Berra followed pro hockey right up until he passed. At one time he was a neighbor of former New Jersey Devils owner, the late John McMullen.
One of the changes Berra saw come into the NHL in his later years was the shootout.
At the time Berra thought it was a good change.
“I guess that a lot of fans like it,” concluded Berra.
One might say, using an original Yogism, “the game’s not over now until it’s over.”
(Photo by AP)
Colgate Women’s Hockey Completes Weekend Sweep
Each of Colgate’s 11 forwards tallies at least one point in 8-1 win
HAMILTON — All eleven Raider forwards scored at least one point highlighted by Kristýna Kaltounková’s season-high four tallies as Colgate completed the weekend sweep with an 8-1 win against Post. First-year goalie Farah Walker recorded her first career victory in net, while classmates Alexia Aubin and Addison Spitz added their first collegiate goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Kaltounková sent Colgate into the break up one after converting on a rebounded Neena Brick shot.
- The Raiders exploded for four goals in the second period, starting with Kaia Malachino’s third goal in two games and capped by Spitz’s first career score.
- Aubin kicked off the third frame with an unassisted snipe, and Sarah Roger scored the second goal of her career less than a minute later.
- Alexis Petford capped the victory with her second goal of the season off the assist from Kaltounková.
GAME NOTES
- The Raiders outshot the Eagles 47-14.
- Brick and Petford added their first multi-point outings of the season while Roger racked up two points for the first time in her career.
- Emma Pais and Aubin accumulated two points for the second-straight game.
- Kaltounková racked up four or more points in a game for the ninth time in her career. She sits three tallies away from 200 career points.
- Averill McCorkle made her third career appearance in goal, logging 13 shutout minutes in the win and making three saves.
- Elyssa Biederman extended her point streak to four games and has registered a point in all but one outing so far this season. She also inched closer to the century mark with her 98th career point.
UP NEXT
Colgate is back on home ice at 6 p.m. on Friday Oct. 25 to take on Maine.
—- (Photo Credit “Brian Miller | Colgate Athletics”) —-
PWHL Announces 2024-25 Officiating Team; 3 WNY’ers Included
39 Referees and 26 Linespeople Return for Season Two
NEW YORK AND TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) officiating team for the 2024-25 season will consist of 39 referees and 26 linespeople from across North America. The entire roster of 65 officials, which includes 38 women and 27 men, returns with PWHL experience from the inaugural season.
“The PWHL is fortunate to have an experienced team of world-class officials who share our passion for growing the game and taking this league to new heights,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. “Our officials did a tremendous job during the inaugural season, applying our innovative rule changes and allowing the players to showcase their speed and skill, while managing an elevated physical aspect of the game that promoted competitiveness without compromising player safety.”
Joining the PWHL Officiating management staff this season is Katie Guay, who will serve as Associate Director of Officiating. Guay brings more than 30 years of experience in hockey, notably serving as an Officiating Manager with the NHL for the last two seasons. Her on-ice resume is highlighted by officiating at the 2018 Olympics and becoming the first woman to referee an AHL game in 2021.
The PWHL held its first-ever Officials Camp Sept. 28-30 in Denver, CO, providing officials with a unique development opportunity to foster team building and strengthen the consistent application of the league’s standard of play. The camp had both on- and off-ice components and dedicated sessions for referees and linespeople.
2024 PWHL Officials Camp Highlights:
- PWHL Director of Officiating David Taveroff and Supervisor Bryan Lewis led sessions focused on rules and standard of play, supported by PWHL Hockey Operations staff Bevin Harvey and Bree Arnold.
- PWHL Central Situation Room (CSR) Officials and former NHL Officials Scott Driscoll and Dean Morton facilitated sessions focused on CSR rules and officials positioning.
- Sydney Delcontivo, PWHLAssociate Manager of Player Safety, discussed the importance of safe competition.
- PWHL Senior Director of Player Experience Alexis Miller conducted a retrospective presentation of Season One highlights.
- Ottawa Charge Head Coach Carla MacLeod led a seminar on communication along with special guest Dave Jackson, a former NHL referee and current ESPN rules analyst.
- Dave Smith, NHL Fitness Consultant, was a special guest for on-ice sessions.
- Special guest Brian Kula led a fitness and nutrition seminar.
- Special guest Julie Revers led a seminar about balancing parenting and officiating.
2024-25 PWHL Officiating Team
Referees:
- Krysta Ansell (Brownstown Township, MI) #19
- Grace Barlow (Vancouver, BC) #22
- Kyle Bauman (River Falls, WI) #18
- Brandy Beecroft (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) #33
- Andrew Bell (Downingtown, PA) #6
- Jenn Berezowski (Quinte West, ON) #4
- Hillary Brennan (London, ON) #40
- Jarrett Burton (Kingston, ON) #8
- Alexandra Clarke (Griffin, SK) #7
- Kelly Cooke (West Roxbury, MA) #29
- Marie-Eve Couture (Chambly, QC) #20
- Jared Cummins (Norwalk, IA) #14
- Jordan Deckard (Chicago, IL) #9
- Melissa Doyle (White Bear Lake, MN) #48
- David Elford (Kitchener, ON) #11
- Damian Figueira (Toronto, ON) #32
- Beatrice Fortin (Longueuil, QC) #26
- Katie Glover (Seattle, WA) #45
- Sydney Harris (Monument, CO) #28
- Jack Hennigan (Halton Hills, ON) #44
- Samantha Hiller (Gurnee, IL) #12
- Charly Hurley (Quincy, MA) #43
- Chad Ingalls (Woodstock, ON) #25
- Jake Kamrass (Cumming, GA) #3
- Tatu Kunto (San Diego, CA) #17
- Cianna Lieffers (Saskatoon, SK) #13
- Bobby Jo Love (Kamloops, BC) #5
- Elizabeth Mantha (Longueuil, QC) #15
- Amy Martin (Winnipeg, MB) #31
- Michelle McKenna (Regina, SK) #10
- Shauna Neary (Halifax, NS) #49
- Harrison O’Pray (Hildegarde, NB) #27
- Chelsea Rapin (Essex Junction, VT) #2
- Chris Rumble (West Seneca, NY) #24
- Laura Schmidlein (Quincy, MA) #23
- Lacey Senuk (Toronto, ON) #39
- Amanda Tassoni (Bradford, RI) #21
- Adam Tobias (West Seneca, NY) #16
- Laura White (Runnemede, NJ) #47
Linespersons:
- Ali Beres (Brant, ON) #67
- Melissa Brunn (Kelowna, BC) #73
- Sarah Buckner (Plymouth, MN) #66
- Antoine Bujold-Roux (Ottawa, ON) #72
- Adam Burnett (Toronto, ON) #94
- Jenny Cameron (Northborough, MA) #71
- Jessica Chartrand (Val-des-Monts, QC) #63
- Patrick Dapuzzo (Rutherford, NJ) #77
- TJ Dockery (Lockport, NY) #70
- Joanie Duchesneau (Montréal, QC) #74
- Jeremy Faucher (Cowansville, QC) #85
- Stephanie Gagnon (Princeville, QC) #76
- Erika Greenen (Sugar Grove, IL) #88
- Laura Gutauskas (Woolwich, ON) #68
- Matthew Heinen (Hull, MA) #82
- Spencer Knox (Clarington, ON) #81
- Anthony Lapointe (Montréal, QC) #78
- Dustin McCrank (Guelph, ON) #84
- Greg Offerman (Fitchburg, WI) #95
- Shawn Oliver (Ottawa, ON) #56
- Luke Pye (Belle River, ON) #80
- Sophie Thomson (Halifax, NS) #75
- Justine Todd (Kawartha Lakes, ON) #50
- Abigail Torres (Charlestown, RI) #65
- Kirsten Welsh (Conway, PA) #64
- Erin Zach (Cambridge, ON) #60
PWHL Training Camps open Nov. 12 followed by pre-season Mini Camps Nov. 19-22 taking place in Montréal and Toronto with a total of six scrimmages. The 90-game regular season begins Nov. 30.
Plattsburgh State Women’s Ice Hockey Season Preview
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – After missing out on the national semifinals for the first time in 10 years last season, Coach Kevin Houle and the Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team are hungry to make a deep postseason run and fight for their NCAA Division III record eighth national championship and first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championship.
“With a strong group of upperclassmen and a promising first-year class, we are optimistic and looking forward to the upcoming season,” Coach Houle said about the 2024-25 season.
With Houle at the helm, a run at a national championship is always possible and is often expected, as his program has won the national tournament seven times. The 22nd-year coach carries a 497-62-27 record going into the season, good for a .871 winning percentage over 20 years of coaching. With his 500th win this season, he will join Middlebury’s Bill Mandigo and Gustavus Adolphus’ Mike Carroll as the lone 500-win club members in the history of Division III women’s ice hockey. Last year, the team’s decade-long streak of conference titles and national semifinal appearances was snapped, as the team will now look to start a new streak in 2024-25.
With four of the team’s All-SUNYAC selections gone, the team will lean heavily on their returning All-SUNYAC honorees as well as a mix of returning and new players. Senior Mattie Norton (Glen Carbon, Ill.) will serve as the team captain this season and will be counted to lead the Plattsburgh defensive unit in 2024-25. Assistant captains fifth-year Ciara Wall (Somerville, Mass./New Hampshire) and senior Bridget Orr (Excelsior, Minn./North American Hockey Academy) will be counted on to lead the forward group into 2024-25.
Goaltenders
Plattsburgh State will have a new primary goaltender in 2024-25, as Lila Nease departed to graduation last season after appearing in 43 games over her final two years. Chloe Lewis (Monson, Mass./Northwood School) started four games last season, appearing in five overall, making 100 total saves and allowing just four goals for a .86 goals-against average. She is the lone returner to the group of netminders, as first-years Maddy Stetson (Wasilla, Alaska/Little Caesars) and Ava Varecka (West Falls, N.Y./Nichols School) will join Lewis for the upcoming year.
Defenders
Norton will step in to lead the Cardinals blueline unit in 2024-25, as the two-time all-conference honoree will look to replace the production of last year’s captain Kendall Wasik, who earned First Team All-America honors. Norton was effective in multiple facets for the Cards, scoring seven goals, picking up nine assists, and also posting a plus-minus mark of +14.
The returning group of defenders is deep for Plattsburgh in 2024-25, as SUNYAC All-Rookie selection Adriana Urban (Monroe, N.J./Hoosac School) is back for her sophomore campaign, along with juniors Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers) and Su-An Cho (Madison, Ala./Florida Alliance), as well as sophomore Maeghan Forsyth (Billings, Mont./Notre Dame Hounds). Balfour appeared in all 28 games last year, while Forsyth appeared in 26, and Cho in 12.
The Cardinals have two new blueliners this year, as Marina McCann (Bear, Del./St. Louis Blues) and Seoyoung Yoo (Yongin, Republic of Korea/Ontario Hockey Academy) fill out a strong group for the 2024-25 season.
Forwards
With the graduation of First Team All-American Julia Masotta and All-SUNYAC selection Ivy Boric, the Cardinals will have some new contributors looking to step up and fill the void left from their graduate students last year.
As usual, Plattsburgh will not be without experience this year, as assistant captains Wall and Orr will be the leadership group for the forward group along with graduate student Mae Olshansky (Las Vegas, Nev./North American Hockey Academy). Wall is the team’s top returning scorer after posting 10 goals and 16 assists last year, as she will be one of the team’s top offensive options for 2024-25. The team should also receive some good contributions from Orr, who had eight goals and eight assists last year, and Olshansky who has 62 career points.
Other returners include juniors Ella Fesette (Plattsburgh, N.Y./RIT), Emma McLean (Burlington, Mass/Pomfret School), and Molly Riggi (Farmingdale, N.J./New Jersey Titans), as well as sophomores Sydnee Francis (Canton, N.Y./Nepean Jr. Wildcats), Emily Kasprzak (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), and Ava Mattaliano (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Belle Tire).
Several newcomers will see a lot of time on the ice this year for the Cardinals as they look to put out a formidable and deep offensive unit. The first-years in the forward group this year are Kate Conlon (New Hudson, Mich./Little Caesars), Emma Holmes (Winthrop, Mass./Worcester Academy), Julia Holmes (Winthrop, Mass./Worcester Academy), Tessa Morris (Grand Island, N.Y./Rome Girl’s Hockey), Ashley O’Hara (Chittenango, N.Y./Syracuse Valley Eagles), Ella Procyk (Stratford, Conn./Lovell Academy), and Kayson Ruegge (Edmond, Okla./Philadelphia Jr. Flyers).
Schedule
The Cardinals tune-up for the regular season on Oct. 20 and Oct. 27 with two exhibitions at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena, taking on the Ottawa Jr. 67s and Trinity (Conn.) before opening their season on Nov. 2 against Norwich in their home rink. The Cardinals then embark on a string of five straight SUNYAC road games, beginning with a SUNYAC Championship rematch on Nov. 8 at Cortland. The team next heads to Potsdam on Nov. 15 and follows that up with a trip to Oswego on Nov. 16. A date with the Canton Kangaroos concludes the road trip on Nov. 22, as the team returns home the following day for a home game against Buffalo State on Nov. 23.
The Cardinals host the Cardinal/Panther Classic in 2024, as the team will play St. Norbert in the tournament’s opening game at 3 p.m. on Nov. 30, followed by Middlebury taking on Endicott at 6 p.m. The consolation game is set for Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. with the championship game to follow at 5 p.m. The team then concludes the 2024 end of their schedule by hosting Morrisville in a SUNYAC semifinal rematch on Dec. 6.
Plattsburgh State opens up the 2025 portion of its schedule at the Norwich East-West Hockey Classic where they play Nazareth in the tournament’s opening game. The team will then either play Amherst or Norwich in the consolation or championship game, set for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively. The Cards return home to take on Oswego State in conference play for two-weekend games, occurring on Jan 10 and Jan. 11. The team next heads to Morrisville for games on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18, and then Buffalo State on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 for four straight conference road games. Plattsburgh State then heads to Vermont, as they take on Middlebury in road action on Jan. 28.
The Cards finally return home on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, hosting Cortland for two important SUNYAC games, and then take on Potsdam on Feb. 7 at home and Feb. 8 on the road. The conference schedule wraps on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, as Canton comes to Plattsburgh for two league games. Plattsburgh State will then finish its regular season on the road, as they head to Williams on Feb. 22.
The top four teams in the final regular-season conference standings will qualify for the SUNYAC Tournament, with the semifinals set for Mar. 1 and the championship set for Mar. 8.
Colgate Women’s Hockey Routs Post, 6-1
Five multi-point performances power Colgate past Post
HAMILTON — Jaimee Spring and Alexia Aubin recorded their first-career multi-point performances while Kaia Malachino, Madeline Palumbo and Kristýna Kaltounková added a pair of points each in No. 8/9 Colgate’s 6-1 victory over Post on Thursday night.
“It was so fun out there tonight,” Aubin said. “I think playing in our own rink helped me a lot, and playing with all the girls cheering me on just set me up perfectly.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Spring broke the scoring open for Colgate late in the first period with her first goal of the season, and Colgate headed into the first intermission leading shots on goal 21-5.
- Kaltounkova doubled the Raiders’ advantage with a goal at the 15-minute mark of the second stanza.
- Colgate exploded in the third frame, firing off four goals in 14 minutes powered by back-to-back scores off the stick of Malachino.
- After Post broke up the shutout late, junior Elyssa Biederman put the finishing touches on the win scoring her fourth goal of the season with under four minutes to play.
GAME NOTES
- Colgate overwhelmed Post with a season-high 44 shots on goal.
- A total of 12 different Raiders tallied a point in the victory, the most in a single game so far this year.
- Senior goalie Hannah Murphy contributed an assist, the third point of her career, on a goal from Sara Stewart early in the third period.
- Malachino added her third multipoint game of the season, also good for her second two-goal outing of the campaign.
- After adding an assist in the win, junior Casey Borgiel has now racked up three points in her past two games.
- Biederman inched closer to the 100 career point mark, scoring tally 97 in the victory.
- Kaltounkova now has 15 game-winning goals and is in a third-place tie for most game-winning goals in program history. She is also approaching the 200 career point mark with 193 tallies.
UP NEXT
The two teams return to the ice for a rematch Friday at 5 p.m. in the Class of 1965 Arena.
—- (Photo Credit “Brian Miller | Colgate Athletics”) —-
Lockport’s Cornerstone Arena Celebrates 10th Anniversary; It Is More Than A Hockey Rink
BY RANDY SCHULTZ –
LOCKPORT, NY – On October 29th, 2013 a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Cornerstone CFCU Arena. Approximately a year later the doors were opened to the new facility located at the intersection of Grigg Lewis Way and Market Street in the heart of downtown Lockport.
On October 19, the Cornerstone Ice Arena will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary. And what a 10 years it has been.
The arena was the dream of the late William “Ben” May, a well-known Lockport attorney as well as a founding member and long-time director of the Grigg-Lewis Foundation. May lived long enough to see the completion of the arena, but unfortunately passed away in 2016.
Niagara County Court Judge, Hon. John Ottaviano, has always believed that May loved Lockport and that his legacy will always be the Cornerstone CFCU Arena.
“Ben believed in the arena at a time when many people were extremely skeptical and critical,” commented Ottaviano. “They said it could not be done.
“But not Ben, he believed in our dream and stuck with us.”
Because May believed so strongly in the project, the Grigg-Lewis Foundation donated $4 million to the arena, which consequently brought in more donations. It should be understood that the Arena is not a city-owned building. A federally-designated not-for-profit organization owns Cornerstone Arena.
For anyone who has yet to set foot in the arena, Cornerstone CFCU Arena features two NHL-size rinks, along with full concessions, The Penalty Box restaurant and a performance training center. The facility is the home of the Lockport Lock Monsters youth hockey organization.
The arena has offered an array of opportunities for the local community to take part in including: learn to skate, figure skating, youth/men’s league hockey, sled hockey, public skating, birthday parties, indoor lacrosse and ice bumper cars. It is estimated that over 150,000 players, parents, spectators and visitors come to the arena annually.
Throughout the years many hockey games and tournaments have been played as well as many ice skating events held at the arena. But in March of 2020 all of that changed when the Pandemic hit the United States.
“When we closed down on March 15th, when everything in the country and the world was closing down, we didn’t know what we were going to do,” recalled Shelley Unocic, Executive Director and GM of Cornerstone Arena. “I got a call from a representative at Lockport Hospital who told me that about 20 percent of their workforce couldn’t come into work because they didn’t have any child care facilities to take their children to.
“Remember, everything was closed including child care facilities and schools. I then got on the phone and made phone calls to the Executive Director over at the YWCA and the Executive Director at Youth Mentoring Services.
“We met and had a meeting to try and figure out what we could possibly do and what we were going to be allowed to do. I had the space in our building, but I didn’t have the license or credentials to operate anything myself.
“Within two days and working with Sue Capell (Executive Director of YMS) we came up with this essential worker daycare program. The Niagara Health Department was involved and they OK’d it.
“We started taking kids in that Wednesday or Thursday after everything had shut down. We got them free breakfasts and lunches.
“Sue was able to get several emergency grants to cover expenses. So anybody that had to keep working during the Pandemic could bring their children to the Arena.
“So while we sat as an ice arena and were closed, we could open the facility for the kids that needed daycare.”
Interestingly, when the arena opened for regular business in late August, daycare service for children continued.
“It was not unusual, once schools started again, we had children in everyday,” added Unocic. “And the program wasn’t just for essential workers anymore.
“So on any given day we had between 30 and 35 children in our building doing virtual learning on their devices. We had children spread out all over the building.
“And that program continued on until schools got back to normal. We have continued that program with YMS and kids can still come in here on no-school days and school holidays.
“It has turned out to be a win-win for everyone. Some of these children who came here for daycare are now enrolled in our learn to skate program and other related programs, including hockey.”
Since that time the Lockport School District opened their Family Empowerment Center in our building. They have brought in a lot of community-based programming for children.
Other youth-based organizations have had events at the Arena.
“It is a lot of community-based events that have nothing to do with stepping on the ice at all,” added Unocic. “And I think it is good for the community.
“We’re a safe place. We’re open seven days a week. We work with the city of Lockport as a cooling center in the summer and a warming center in the winter. All during the day.”
Unocic summed up the Cornerstone Arena’s history.
“I think it’s more than Mr. May would have imagined,” concluded Unocic. “But I think he would have been very proud of where we are today.”
(Hockey action photo by Janet Schultz Photography/NY Hockey OnLine)
