Jason Cassidy’s Blog: The holiday ‘break’ and welcoming new recruits

From THN.com:

...hockey is a game about improving your team relative to those in the league. And if other schools are bringing in quality talent, you’ve got no choice but to follow along and take those risks if you stand any chance of winning.

Tommies end 2009 on a high note

The Tommies sent the Varsity Blues back to the Big Smoke winless against Fredericton competition. Kenton Dulle and Matt Eagles each had two points to pace STU to a 3 to 2 victory.

The first period was scoreless with the Tommies going 0 for 3 on the PP which was ineffective all afternoon. Toronto would score first on the PP at 9:40 when Kyle Paige missed on his original shot but a large rebound was pushed past Ben MacFarlane just inside the post. Mike Reich would reply on some hard work by Tyler Dietrich when he kept the puck in at the Toronto blue line and made a nice pass to Reich, who buried the opportunity. Shortly thereafter at 12:18, Kenton Dulle found the top shelf on a good pass from Matt Eagles. STU would score their third of the afternoon shorthanded at 15:09 when Matt Eagles intercepted the puck in the Blues end and saucered a pass to a streaking Alex Labonte for the eventual game winner.

Andrew Kizito would narrow the lead to one at 5:23 of the third on a shot from the left wing circle that MacFarlane would certainly like to have back. St. Thomas ended the game being out shot 25 to 23 with Matt Eagles picking up the Tommies' player of the game award. STU went 0 for 7 on the PP and Toronto went 1 for 3.

Next game for the Tommies is Saturday night January 2nd against UPEI, 7PM at the LBR. According to one source UPEI has lost defenseman Bret Nasby who has left the team.

Remembering Mike Power

In today's Daily Gleaner, Dave Ritchie remembers his co-worker and friend Mike Power who left us all to early back in May of this year. We know that women's hockey in the city of Fredericton miss Mr. Power greatly because as Dave points out, "It didn't seem to matter whether it was high school or university, girls or boys, summer or winter. He was interested, as much, it seemed, in the people involved than the sport they represented. "

Thank you Mike, you will be remembered. David Ritchie: 2009: Remembering our former colleague and his love of local sports

Tommies feeling the Holiday Blues

Speaking of the blues, tune in to 95.7 The Wolf for your daily blues fix. As for the game tonight at the LBR, Moncton scored two goals in the first period and two in the third en route to a 4 to 3 victory over the Tommies.

Erick Tremblay scored two second period goals at 14:55 and 18:47 to even the score at 2 -2. Jason Cassidy would give STU a short lived lead early in the third period. Guillaume Miszczak got the start and played well despite the loss, facing 31 Moncton shots. STU fired 21 the other way.

With his two goal performance Erick Tremblay was named the Tommies' player of the game. STU will play the loser of tonight's UNB - U of T matchup. Game time will be 3 PM at the Aitken Centre if UNB wins and 7 PM if Toronto emerges victorious.

UPDATE: The Squirrels defeated U of T 5 - 1, so STU will play Toronto at 3pm at the Aitken Centre on Wednesday. Daily Gleaner: Todd give U of T the Blues (Hey, if you like the Blues check out 95.7 The Wolf for all the Blues you can handle) UNBHockeyfans story

Daily Gleaner: Soucy does in Tommies with late game heroics

Tombits

Lady Tommies update: With any luck we should see a full Tommies squad for the first time this season in the New Year. The flu reeked havoc with the team but has made its way through most of the players.

Kayla Blackmore should also be returning to the line-up in the New Year. It will be the first action Kayla has seen in almost a year. Coach Murphy expects to use her in special team opportunities the first weekend and reevaluate from there.

STU Olympian preparing for Vancouver: Lucrece Nussbaum has made it through the first set of cuts at the Swiss Pre-Christmas camp. She leaves for their second camp today (Dec 28th). The Swiss name their team Dec 31st and there are apparently two more players to be cut but it looks like they will be forwards, so we should get the good news soon.

Lukie will return to STU Jan 11th after playing in the MLP cup. She will then leave Feb 1st for the Olympics and will return the day after Switzerland plays their final game in Vancouver.

Suspensions settled: You win some, you lose some. The AUS has ruled that Corey Banfield will not be suspended for 1 game but in their wisdom have upheld the one game suspension to Kenton Dulle. Kenton will miss the January 8th game against the Squirrels.

Interesting quote: "I'm never going to talk a kid out of that (going to University) because I played in that league and I coached in that league. Unless you figure you're going to make it to the NHL, you can't retire on American League money. At some point in your life you're going to need to get an education in order to get a job." Malcolm Cameron, coach of the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

The same coach that signed Justin Bowers and Jadran Beljo. Things that make you go hmmm??? Source

Tommies prepare for second half

With only one point separating 7th place Dalhousie from 6th place St. Thomas, every game becomes important from here on in. STU takes to the ice in exhibition action Tuesday at 5 PM versus Moncton at the LBR in the annual Pete Kelly Cup hosted by UNB. The Blue Eagles are only 4 points behind the Tommies in the standings and defeated STU on November 20th 4 to 1.

Coach Eagles hasn't landed any new bodies for the roster at this time but points out the return of some familiar faces.

Tommies head coach Mike Eagles is hoping defenceman Bryan Main (concussion) and forwards Max Chamberland and Corey Banfield will be ready to play.

Main has been sidelined for more than two months. He was spilled into the boards in an Oct. 24 game against Dalhousie.

"Bryan was feeling a lot better when he left (for Christmas)," Eagles said. "Max and Corey should be fine, but we won't be 100 per cent sure until we practise (Monday)."

Eagles won't take a chance on goaltender Charles Lavigne, however. Lavigne suffered a groin injury Nov. 7.

Although he's played since, he still hasn't fully recovered, leaving Ben MacFarlane and Guillaume Miszczak to mind the fort.

Daily Gleaner Article

Happy Holidays from STUTOMMIES.com

With all of the beautiful white snow falling today in Fredericton we wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone the best for the Christmas season and a joyous and prosperous 2010.

Thanks to all our student athletes, coaches, and volunteers that make STU hockey so great. We sincerely hope that your Christmas holidays are the best ever.

To our loyal Tommies faithful, AUS fans, and local media we appreciate your support and look forward to hearing from you in the new year.

Former Tommie Tony Carlisle killed in crash

It is with deep regret that we mention the passing of former Tommies' defenseman Tony Carlisle. (STU Tommies 89-92) Tony was 41 years old. We offer our condolences to his family and friends. Tony Carlisle 1968 - 2009

Tombits

Former Tommie doing well: The Daily Gleaner catches up with Eric Bissonnette and his new business venture.

"They asked me if I was interested in coming to school here, and I just said "Yes!" said Bissonnette. "I could barely speak English." He said he had to get a map to find out where it was.

"I didn't expect to be here after my first year," said Bissonnette, chuckling. "I was a bit of a lost soul. I played major junior and I was never an academic at all. I really thought I was just going to come for a year and play hockey and see what it was all about."

The rest, as he says, "is history."

He spent five years on campus, earned his Bachelor of Education degree, and found himself in the process.

"I fell in love with the school and the city...it was really good for me. It gave me a direction in life," he said.

FULL GLEANER STORY

STU may return to Chatham? - It looks like it is possible.

The provincial government and the federal MP for Miramichi say they're on board with the idea of St. Thomas University setting up a campus in Miramichi.

The university's board of governors has agreed to pursue a campus based out of St. Michael's Basilica convent in the former town of Chatham.

Daily Gleaner - Province backs creating STU campus in Miramichi

Bowers CHL player of the week - A little bit late but Justin Bowers was named the Central Hockey League's player of the week for November 23 to 29. Allen Americans' story