Working In the Corners

By Kelly Sharp

Welcome to my first edition of working the corners, an Opinion 250 perspective on hockey. Good to see the Central Interior Hockey League is back in operation for another year. The 2006-07 season is 15 games old. The Senior Men’s AA Hockey League increased to nine teams with the addition of the Omenica Ice and Hazleton Wolverines. The loss column is still unblemished for the Williams Lake Stampeders, 100 Mile HouseBears, Houston Luckies and Omenica (Fort Fraser & Fort St James). League play goes Saturdays and Sundays with the next action October 21.

Talking about action, the 25-team ECHL returns to regular season play this weekend. Billed as a pro development league for the American Hockey League, the ECHL rosters include plenty former junior hockey players who at one time wore Cougars or Spruce Kings uniforms. Ex-Cougars Justin Cox, Blake Robson and Mike Wirll are with the Utah Grizzlies. Former Cats captain Myles Zimmer is with the Augusta Lynx of Georgia. Former Spruce King Mike Stutzel is on the roster of the Victoria Salmon Kings. Ex Kings Mike Lalonde( Stockton) and John Hopson (Idaho) are in the ECHL. Mackenzie native Scott Burt is also with the Idaho Steelheads. Former Cougars and Prince George minor hockey product, Gary Gladue, is listed with the Long Beach Ice Dogs.

On the university hockey front, the UBC women’s hockey team fell to the University Alberta Pandas 6-0 and 6-1 on the Vancouver Island doubleheader. The next time the Pandas skate into BC for a pair of CIS games against UBC will be February 9^th and 10^th at the Prince George Coliseum. Funds raised from the regular season games go to UNBC athletics.

Any ideas on sports stories ? You can get a hold of me at kelly@opinion250.com

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