Losing Skid Prompts Roster Changes

5 Players Released Immediately

The Kamloops Storm have released five players with the Dec. 1, carding deadline.

Keaton Miller, Spencer Donaldson, Jordan Suzuki and Sheldon McDonald.
Dominic Alec was also released due to health issues (upper body injury).

The Dec. 1 carding deadline gives KIJHL teams 25 new cards to use for the rest of the season.
With the team hosting the Keystone Cup the Storm are looking to improve their line up to be competitive during the tournament. Storm owner and general manager Barry Dewar wishes the players all the best for the future.
"It's always hard to make changes, but sometimes it needs to be done. We have a wonderful opportunity with the Keystone Cup being held in Kamloops and we need to put our best foot forward. We want to be competitive during the tournament and bring a championship to the River City," Dewar said.

The new-look Storm line up will be in action Friday night in Invermere against the Columbia Valley Rockies and Saturday in Fernie. Next home game will be Dec. 12 when the Storm host the Princeton Posse. Game time is 7 p.m. at McArthur Island Sports and Events Centre.

For more information on the released players contact Dewar at 250-574-7811 or 250-376-0990.

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Storm Weekend Injury and Suspensions Oct 9, 2009

Here is a summary of the Kamloops Storm current injury situation and suspensions.

Suspensions for Saturday only:

Tyler Jackson and Brent Fritz. - Jackson for his double game misconduct for fighting and 3rd man in. I guess Fritz takes the blame for the over-the-limit amount of fights as head coach Greg Hawgood had already been tossed earlier in the game against Revelstoke for beaking the ref.

Injuries:

Matt Pouncy wrist 1 month

Kolton Moen shoulder 3 weeks

Ryan Skinner bruised knee 2 weeks.

Sheldon Mcdonald wrist 1 month

Duncan Shulz lower body injury day to day

Other:

Spencer Donaldson has taken some time off to reconsider his hockey options.

Look for these 3 New Faces in the Line-up;

Taylor Leibel (19), Keaton Miller (18) and Jordan Suzuki (19).

Leibel was here in camp earlier this season and at this point we are not sure where the other 2 players have come from. Hopefully we will be able to fill you in at game time... This Sunday, 2pm against arch-rival, the Chase Chiefs.

Storm Humbled by Eagles

Veteran Sicamous Team Looks Like Class of the Division... so far

The Sicamous Eagles rolled into the Mac Park Sports Centre about an hour late (broken down bus) but there was nothing late about their performance.

The Eagles veteran starting line of Aaron Buat, Jarryd Tenvaanholt and Jordan Hynes quickly showed their superiority by out-skating and out-checking the Storm's starting line of Duncan Schulz, Tyler Jackson and Taylor Stuart . The depth of the Eagles, who have at least 12 returnee's from last year's divisional finalists, was apparent all evening.

Derek Husiman led Sicamous with 2 goals, one on the power play and one just as the power play ended. Scott Fellnermayr notched his first goal of the season.

The Storm welcomed 2 new 16 year old players, Logan Hawgood and Brent Defrias, both defensemen, to the line-up. They were put under fire early and often. Defrias was paired with team captain, Mike McCance, while Hawgood spent most of the evening paired with Dylan Becker. Although both players are good skaters and understand the game well, their size may be a difficult obstacle during the season. Add Mike McCance and the Storm have 3 starting d-men at 5'7" or less.

The bright spot of the evening for the Storm was the play of all-star goaltender, Anthony Manfredi. The young and inexperienced defensive corps gave up break-away after break-away with Manfredi coming up big on the save every time. There was a short spell in the 2nd period where Manfredi couldn't keep the puck out when the Eagles were dominating down low, picking up a rebound and a couple of deflections.

Spencer Donaldson scored the only goal for the Storm. Normally a defenseman, Donaldson played as a forward this game.

Forward Bevin Ollek picked up his 2nd major infraction in 2 home games as he was nailed with a 5 minute hit-to-the-head major and a game misconduct. It was our opinion that the penalty should have been a 2 min. minor and a 10 min misconduct but referee, Nick Swain didn't see it that way. It's pretty hard for a guy that's 6'5" (Ollek) to make a hit on a smaller player without coming near his head... period. Obviously Ollek is going to have to adjust his style of play if he hopes to play a whole game at home this year.

The Storm have a chance to redeem themselves tonight as the Penticton Lakers are in town tonight for a 7 pm start.
See you there!

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Our camera work has significantly improved this year. We have 3 young guys (Mike and Justin Potestio and Morgan Sidkey)taking turns on a moving camera and bringing you more shots by following the play and offering closeups of the benches, skirmishes, penalty box and of course, the goaltenders. Thanks guys.

The MAGIC NUMBER is down to 2

For Kamloops Storm to Clinch First Spot in the Division
by Barry Dewar

Any combination of 2 wins by the Storm or 2 losses by the Sicamous Eagles will ensure first place for the Storm. With our destiny in our own hands we head to Princeton this weekend for a game against the Posse.

The Storm will still likely be without Daniel Medland Marchen, Ryan Hanes, Brock Backus and Jamie Galbraith. Galbraith did skate this week and is a possibility but outside chance at best. Hanes and Medland Marchen are both expected to dress for the Kamloops Blazers this weekend, so the Storm will be looking to fill the void with some affiliate player call ups. We expect 15 year old Brett De Frias, 15 year old Josh Rasmussen, 17 year old Alex Marr and maybe 17 year old Spencer Donaldson in the lineup. All players are from the Thompson Blazers Major Midget team which has a bye this weekend.

De Frias will be playing his third game for the club, while Rasmussen will be playing his second game. Alex Marr who is the captain of the major midget team will be playing his 5th game. Donaldson if he suits up will be in his first game as a Storm Player. Donaldson is third on the major midget team for goals and tied for the lead in points with 10 goals and 12 assists. Marr has 2 goals and 10 assists with 50 pims while Rasmussen is 3-3 and 54 pims and De Frias is 5 goals 5 assists with 34 penalty minutes.

Backus has not yet decided if he wants to play since returning to Kamloops from university.

It is expected that a couple of regular players could be seeing action in the BC Hockey League over the next few weeks. Merritt made several trades at the January 10th deadline and have been going with a short bench as they complete their season. Several players have been affiliated to various Junior A teams including Anthony Manfredi, Daniel Medland Marchen, Scott Kirkham, Sean Menton, David Gore, Jose Reyes, Mick Ludvig, Mike McCance and Kyle Graham.

This weekend the Kamloops Storm visit Princeton for the 6th and final meeting until playoffs. Kamloops won the first game in September 3-2 in overtime,. The second meeting was a 9-2 Domino Pizza night with Anthony Manfredi, Mick Ludvig and Peter Soroka as the stars. The third meeting in November was a 6-2 win by the Storm. Ryan Hanes had a hat trick in that game and Josh Caron had a pair of goals. December saw the teams play twice. The first was a 4-1 win for the Storm while the second game was a 5-4 shoot out win for the Posse. Taylor Stuart had 2 goals in the first meeting and 1 in the second meeting against his old team. In the shootout they had 12 shooters each with only John Minot of Princeton and Kyle L'Arrivee beating Kyle Graham who was in the net for the Storm while only Austin Goode scored for the Storm.

The Storm needs to play close attention to Wade Masch and Jason Allessio to earn the victory this weekend. The Storm won both of their games last weekend while Chase lost 4 games last week starting with a loss to the Chase Chiefs in Princeton, followed by a grueling road trip to Fernie, Kimberley and Creston. Next home action for the Storm will be February 7th against Chase for the Juvenile Diabetes fundraiser and on February 8th when Tory Caldwell and the Kimberley Dynamiters come to town.