Black vs. White Game

BLACK 5 WHITE 4 (OT)

1. BLACK - Chad Gehon from JF Boisvert and Ryan Bulach
(Back hand tap in after a scramble in front)

2. WHITE - Tyler Tusonian from CJ Legassic
(Quick rush down the left side on Tusonian's off wing, makes a sweet move and puts the puck upstairs on Marco Raimondo)

3. BLACK - Graeme Strukoff
(Quick shot from the half boards hits something in front and goes in behind Ben Meisner)

4. WHITE - Sam Corcoran from Derek Tyron
(Raley and Koshey leave Corcoran open behind them as they start the rush but Tyron is able to hold the puck in and feed it to a wide open Corcoran in front who goes top corner on Raimondo)

5. WHITE - Ryan Komari from Tommy Rizzardo and Patrick Martin
(I'm not entirely sure on this one but I believe Rizzardo gets the puck in front into traffic where Komari is able to put a low backhand into the net)

***At this point Rusty Abbott replaces Marco Raimondo and Paul Barclay replaces Ben Meisner in goal***

6. BLACK - Chad Gehon (2) from Patrick Raley
(I missed the goal but am told Raley's shot went off the back boards and in front where Gehon put it home)

7. WHITE (PP) - CJ Legassic from Tyler Tusonian and Paul Mailey
(Legassic with a quick, hard shot on a well played PP)

8. BLACK - Travis St. Denis from Graeme Strukoff and Brandon Clark
(St. Denis knocks a backhand in after a ton of pressure with just over 10 seconds left in the game and Tusonian missed an empty net that would have iced the game for White)

9. BLACK - Riley Loyst from Jadon Porterfield and Kyle Leung
(Good pressure in front of the net and a bad bounce for White turns into a Loyst winner)

GAME NOTES: (Just random thoughts I wrote down during the game)

• Chad Gehon with two goals
• Tyler Tusonian, CJ Legassic and Graeme Strukoff with two points.
• Rusty Abbott had the statistically strongest performance in goal as he only let in one goal in his half of the game. That's been a theme for Abbot throughout camp.
• Brandon Clark is very smooth with a strong and accurate shot.
• Terrific move by Tusonian on the goal.
• Gehon, Bulach and Boisvert look strong as a possible top line.
• Gehon and Bulach's chemistry is obvious in the passes they're making. They seem to know where each other are going to be.
• F Jacob Perich threw a couple of nice hits despite not being all that big of a guy.
• D Skyler Smutek seems to play a very fast an aggressive game.
• F Justin Brown is going to the net, digging in the corners and looks to be a lot stronger this year.
• D Jayson Reardon gets a roughing penalty.
• F Paul Mailey goes off for hooking.
• Meisner and Raimondo looking calm and sharp in net.
• D Patrick Raley looks to be in better shape, stronger and more confident.
• Clark jumps into the rush effortless and nearly scores.
• D Tommy Rizzardo with some nice moves and a very solid pass for a scoring chance.
• Raley and D Steven Koshey somehow leave Sam Corcoran alone behind them and he scores.
• Boisvert nearly took a run at Meisner in goal and then slashes his glove when he's got the puck. Gets a penalty for it. Aggressive guy who apparently looked really good in a fight early this week in camp.
• D Liam Gorges is playing a smooth game and seems to have nice hands. Liam is the cousin of Montreal Canadiens D Josh Goerges.
• Boisvert came out of the box a little slow and let White take advantage of the extra man to score their third goal.
• Mailey uses a quick burst of speed to draw a tripping penalty on Koshey. White takes advantage of it with their fourth goal.
• D Graeme Strukoff is impressing everyone in the crowd. I've had four or five people talk to me about him including officials from other local junior teams. He's looking very poised, making quick decisions. Has a good, hard, low slap shot and quick release when pressured.
• G Paul Barclay is back in camp looking very relaxed and confident. His love for the game is back after nearly quitting the sport to start his personal training in April.
• F CJ Legassic is firing some strong, accurate wrist shots towards the net. He's fast and aggressive with wicked hands. A guy who can get under your skin and play.
• D Braden Kinnebrew goes off for tripping. Missesd the penalty.
• F Jeff Jones with a great set up for F Thomas Abenante that Baclay stops.
• Barclay with the save of the game diving across his entire net to rob Gehon on a cross crease pass. Spectacular athletic stop had the whole crowd buzzing.
• F Travis St. Denis and Brown crate some great pressure down low and Barclay again denies them.
• F Scott Jago made a strong drive to the net and into the corner.
• F Andrew Pickering goes off for a penalty I missed.
• F Dylan Walchuk is a 16 year old from Kamloops that is showing some hard work and good creativity. Both Walchuk and St. Denis are making it hard to send away the youngsters.
• Clark is throwing his weight around on the penalty kill with two solid hits and some smart position play. He's going to anchor a strong blue line.
• Gehon is buzzing all around the net. The puck seems to be following him.
• Kinnebrew takes his second penalty, this time for high sticking.
• Raley takes a spill and Perich nearly beats Abbott on a nice backhand deke. Rusy was able to get the back of his pad on the puck to keep it out.
• Koshey with a big one time slapper that Barclay stops.
• Walchuk with a heads up steal in the offensive zone and gets a quick shot on Abbott.
• Nice neutral zone hit by Jones.
• Bulach seems to have some nice jump and looks energized even late in the game.
• Tusonian misses a sure thing empty netter to the put the game away. St. Denis nearly scores once before getting another chance and knocking it in.
• Team Black Coach Corey Ross says after the game he got screwed by three bad bounces. That's hockey, Corey! Ross gets beat by a rookie behind the bench, former Smoke Eater Travis Gawryletz. Maybe something he can do when he's finished his pro career. For now, Travis off to the Binghamton AHL camp in September.

It was great to be back at the rink yesterday for game action. Very nice to see friendly and familar faces sitting or standing in their usual spots. Even if it was just an inter squad game, I'm practically giddy that we have hockey back. That's not a very macho word is it? On Sunday two full teams of potential Smoke Eaters did battle to try and win spots on the team.

It was a really tough day for coaches and players. Sunday also marked cut down day for the team. After the morning scrimmages a number of players were let go, and even more went home after the inter squad game. It'll be easy enough for fans to figure out who isn't around anymore on their own so I don't want to linger on it. I can't imagine how hard it is for a coach to have to tell someone that they didn't make it. Especially when that player was counting on making it. That's one of the many times I'm glad I just broadcast the games.

The Smokies have had a lot of hard working, talented players in training camp. It's a testament to the hard work of the ever expanding hockey operations department. From the coaching staff to the scouts they've made every effort to re-stock this franchise. Hopefully a number of the younger players who didn't make it this year will stay in touch and work their way onto the team after another year of development.

The Black vs. White game itself was fun to watch. The second half was a little sloppy as both teams were showing some fatigue after a long week and morning scrimmages. However, it's obvious there's a lot of talent. Everyone at the rink was talking about the blue line. The feeling is that 8 to 10 of the guys in camp could make most BCHL teams. That doesn't even include Jimmy Geerin and Shane Oatway who are out with injuries. That's obviously very promising, but also means the coaching staff has some hard decisions to make in the next week. I don't envy their choices. I honestly can't really decide who I wouldn't keep from the group we saw play today. That'll make these pre-season games even more important. We know Kinnebrew and Raley. We heard about Clark, Koshey, Smutek and Reardon. Now Strukoff, Smith, Gethers, Dekeyser, Rizzardo and Gorges and making strong cases for themselves. I wish I could get to Princeton to see those games with Powell River.

I think there is also a tremendous battle for the final few roster spots up front. I'd say they have a pretty good idea who at least 9 or 10 of the forwards are going to be. However, 4 or 5 spots are still wide open for the remaining guys. That's how I see it, but I'm sure the coaches have a better idea what they're looking for. Basically there is still a lot on the line in the exhibition games.

Overall I love what I'm seeing on defence and in net. I think there are some dynamic players up front. Gehon and Bulach should do some great things together. Mailey, Boisvert, Legassic, Tusonian and a few others were showing nice offensive upsides. Lots of hard workers. However, I would say if there was anything the team had to address at this point it would be to add more goal scoring. I know one guy they were hoping could put points up is James Kellington, but he had to sit out today's game with what I'm told is a minor injury. There are certainly capeable forwards on the team, but I think we're more likely going to see 2-1 and 3-2 wins than 6-5 or 7-4. We're also likely going to see a lot of the scoring generated by the dynamic defencemen.

BARCLAY RETURNS

I was surprised to see Paul Barclay back in uniform this weekend. I had talked to goaltending coach Pasco Valana earlier this week and knew Barclay was looking to get back into the game. However, Valana said at the time that Paul was mainly looking at Western Hockey League options. Barclay's reality is that he could start a lucritive career right now if he wanted to. He's in better shape than almost any player in the league and had a job lined up as a personal trainer. Apparently when Barclay was playing this summer with some of the pros and semi-pros he was training, they told him that he'd be nuts to give up hockey. Barclay had told the Smoke Eaters in April he was going to give hockey up so they moved on and traded for Marco Raimondo. This week the two sides talked again and decided to get together and see what happens. I'm excited to see him back. Paul seems energized and more confident than I've ever seen him. If he is staying Trail will only be richer for having two reliable, athletic, veteran BCHL goaltenders. Plus he's a familiar face in a dressing room of strangers for me right now.

Barclay gave the fans a taste of what he can do in the Black/White game. His cross crease diving save is a part of the athletic package that could absolutely make him a starter in the BCHL. I'm sure the Smokies will go with Raimondo to start the season, but it's good to know they have options.

Ultimately, I'm just glad Paul Baclay didn't give up on his obvious gift. He's got a new lease on his hockey life. Lets see where it takes him.

(...and now he can give me some work out tips to get rid of this summer beer belly I seem to have put on. I blame open bars at Italian weddings!)

BLACK VS WHITE ROSTERS

Team Black

G Marco Raimondo 88
G Rusty Abott 91
D Brandon Clark 88
D Graeme Strukoff 91
D Steven Koshey 90
D Patrick Raley 89
D Eric Smith 91
D Eric Gethers 89
F Chad Gehon 88
F Ryan Bulach 88
F JF Boisvert 89
F Richard Hubscher 91
F Travis St. Denis 92
F Andrew Pickering 89
F Justin Brown 91
F Riley Loyst 89
F Jeff Jones 91
F Thomas Abanante 90
F Jadon Porterfield 88
F Kyle Leung 90

Team White

G Paul Barclay 89
G Ben Meisner 90
D Skyle Smutek 90
D Dan Dekeyser 90
D Jayson Reardon 90
D Braden Kinnebrew 89
D Tommy Rizzardo 90
D Liam Gorges 90
F Paul Mailey 90
F Tyler Tusonian 90
F CJ Legassic 90
F Jacob Perich 91
F Dylan Walchuk 92
F Trevor Kang 91
F Corey Allen 90
F Patrik Martin 88
F Ryan Komari 89
F Sam Corcoran 89
F Scott Jago 89
F Derek Tryon 90