Alumni in the Pros - Nov '05

I went to the Elmira @ Roanoke (UHL) game (in VA) to see Sam Paolini. Of course, as soon as I settled into my seat behind the visitors bench during warmups, they announce the scratches...including #25. Looks like he didn't make the trip. Most likely scenario was that he stayed in NY for Thanksgiving. I think the Elmira website lists him as wearing an "A"

Anyway, I noticed that Sean Conschafter (UVM) is a goaltender for Roanoke. But he wasn't starting, either. Crap. So the only person I recognized on the ice was Carl Drakensjo (CCT) who has been with the Jackals since their birth. Until I realized who was tending net for Elmira...Nick Boucher. Ah, crap. I already had found myself cheering for the Jackals (having moved down here from the Corning area), so then I have to root for Nicky Nick.

Anyway, Roanoke was clearly the better team on the ice, but Boucher looked pretty good in net. Elmira got off to a 2-0 lead (including a nifty SHG), and Roanoke later tied it. The UHL is typically hack and fling hockey...not really that pretty or exciting. 3 "near fights" almost broke out, all involving Roanoke's #7, making it the cleanest UHL game I've ever seen, since the gloves were never dropped. Drakensjo had a nice night...a goal and an almost-fight with #7, but the PA guy pronounced his name differently each time. For some reason, there's no OT in the UHL, but they had a shootout, making it pretty anti-climactic for me. Boucher and his counterpart each let in 2 goals, and then some guy named Jan Jos won it with a trickler that slipped past Boucher. No handshakes. I don't think the home crowd knew what a shootout was.

Speaking of the crowd, there were probably more than 1000 people. Several yahoos near me didn't really know the rules of hockey, but they knew that if something happened to benefit the visiting team instead of Roanoke, you had to scream something decrying the ref. One guy was livid that they whistled an offsides even though Roanoke didn't touch the puck while offsides. A good number of fans wore NHL jerseys...the only other collegiate reference other than the CU jersey I wore was some guy wearing a Badgers sweatshirt. Besides the tons of people wearing Virginia Tech stuff, of course.

mid-period promotions included chuck-a-puck for tickets and an oil change, turkey bowling (which they started all the contestants at the blue line...nobody could heave the turkey to the goal), and the ever popular t-shirt cannon. Ever want to hear every kid in a building shriek at a high volume? Get a t-shirt cannon. Oh, and the Vipers mascot has to be the most phallic mascot since Joe Camel.

One last funny moment: Before the introductions, they were playing typical hockey DJ music. Until they must have wanted to play "Misirlou" from the "Pulp Fiction" Soundtrack, and the bit of dialogue that begins the track came out...including the F-bombs. Somehow, childrens heads didn't explode from hearing the word "fucking," much to the dismay of the CU Athletic Director.

[Q]RichH Wrote:

I went to the Elmira @ Roanoke (UHL) game (in VA) to see Sam Paolini. Of course, as soon as I settled into my seat behind the visitors bench during warmups, they announce the scratches...including #25. Looks like he didn't make the trip. Most likely scenario was that he stayed in NY for Thanksgiving.[/q]

Wonder if we'll see him Saturday at the Niagara game.

Rich, Sam has a knee injury. I don't recall the exact nature of the injury. But, I think it was not real serious. He'll be back in the lineup soon. Yes, he is an assistant captain and a great "character" addition for the Jackals.

[Q]Trotsky Wrote:

Nieuwy is back from his latest injury. He played in the 0-3 loss to NJ and tonight's 0-5 in progress game, also against NJ. Considering FL hasn't scored in 5 periods, it isn't a shock that Joe has no points since returning.[/q]
He picked up an assist on a ppg at 19:42 of the third last night, making the final 5-1. If he wants a Cup with a fourth team he'd better get himself traded pronto.

Murray had an assist on the first goal of the game and he also had the game winner last night for Cleveland, Iggy had a rough night. Vesce had an assist on the game winner in his contest also! Still nothing on Bâby, he must have a major injury or he needs to prove himself again. It seems as though they may have given up on Bâby, his playing time and dwindled the last two years.

Ryan Vesce 8th in the AHL in Scoring and 2nd among Rookies. Hopefully he will get signed by an NHL team after the season and make a jump to the big time next season. We need some young Cornellian forwards playing in the NHL!

Also, Charlie Cook scored his first goal at a Phantom last night. Shane Hynes has not played recently since Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are back with Portland after 15 game stints with Anaheim. Don't expect him to play much more until one of Getzlaf and Perry are called up. Still think it was a bad career move on Hynes part to sign with Anahiem, with them having so many power forward prospects higher on the depth chart than Hynes.

Iggulden is around 15th in AHL rookies among scoring getting significant production on the powerplay. Surprisingly he is not a penalty killer though.

While looking at some UHL stuff, I noticed that P.C. Drouin '96 is with the Fort Wayne Komets, leading them in scoring. 6-11-17 in 15 games.

Okay, so these stories of alums doing well has me curious - can I see any of them in Pensacola this season?

Off the top of their heads, does anyone know of any Cornellians on these rosters? I looked at them, and I see a bunch of ECAC alums, but no one that wears my favorite shade of red.

Pensacola Ice Pilots
Bakersfield Condors (RPI's Nick Economakos is on this roster)
Charlotte Checkers (Jessiman here)
Gwinnett Gladiators (Yale's Dwyer, UVM's Mifsud)
Florida Everblades
Greenville Grrrowl (awful name and some truly bad hairdos)
Pheonix Roadrunners
Augusta Lynx (Clarkson's Scuderi)
South Carolina Stingrays
Columbia Inferno


(Then I looked to see how far away Shreveport is...eek. I didn't realize it was in the Arkansas/Texas corner.)

Underhill's still in the ECHL, with the Alaska Aces. Seems to be playing about half their games, maybe a little more.

[Q]Liz '05 Wrote:
Off the top of their heads, does anyone know of any Cornellians on these rosters? I looked at them, and I see a bunch of ECAC alums, but no one that wears my favorite shade of red.[/q]I took a quick look through them, and it looks like you were right. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[Q]jmh30 Wrote:

Liz '05 Wrote:
Off the top of their heads, does anyone know of any Cornellians on these rosters? I looked at them, and I see a bunch of ECAC alums, but no one that wears my favorite shade of red.[/Q]
I took a quick look through them, and it looks like you were right. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[/q]

Oh well. Til Estero then!