Blog
Santa Margarita comes up big at JSerra Invite
December 29th, 2015Things aren’t always going to be perfect. Throughout the season, there are a number of moments that’ll test the strength and will of a hockey club. Off to just a 1-4 start against teams in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League Division I group this year, the Santa Margarita Eagles were looking for a…
WSHL’s Monsters out to tackle unfinished business
December 29th, 2015A rematch is looming in the Western States Hockey League’s (WSHL) wild west, but Bryce Dale and the Fresno Monsters have their sights set on something bigger. The defending division champs from Fresno, who’ve won three of the last four Western Division titles, were in a dogfight with the Valencia Flyers for top spot in…
Lady Ducks program a blueprint for success
December 29th, 2015The numbers are staggering, and even for those who’ve witnessed the growth of the Anaheim Lady Ducks program over the years, seeing them for the first time truly hammers the point home. According to USA Hockey, participation in girls and women’s hockey programs across the country grew by 36 percent in the decade from the…
CIF-Metro Conference rolls out 16th season
December 29th, 2015The CIF-Metro Conference rolled out its 16th season on Nov. 30 with four games at Escondido Sports Center. The defending Kiwanis Cup champion Rancho Bernardo Broncos opened defense of their CIF championship by defeating the St. Augustine Saints, 17-0, in one of the non-league contests. Broncos second-year coach Joe Gelsomino said his team is looking…
Taking Liberties With… Rocco Grimaldi
December 27th, 2015Rocco Grimaldi Center, Portland Pirates (American Hockey League) Hometown: Rossmoor Last Amateur Team: University of North Dakota Youth Programs: California Wave, Little Caesars (Detroit) From California Wave to riding the waves of pro hockey, Rocco Grimaldi has experienced the highs (winning USA Hockey national championships and World Junior gold) and lows (season-ending knee surgery in…
Yorba Linda’s Nieto decides on Brown University
December 27th, 2015Yorba Linda’s Gavin Nieto will attend and play his NCAA Division I hockey at Brown University following his junior career. A goaltender for the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Fairbanks Ice Dogs this season, Nieto leads the league with a 1.74 goals-against average and holds the sixth-best save percentage at .927. Nieto, a former Los…
Chalk Talk: Hockey is the greatest team sport
December 26th, 2015I might be biased, but in my opinion hockey is the best team sport on the planet – without a doubt. There are so many reasons why I can’t list them all, but here are a few: The Locker Room: It’s where the team collects before the game and the banter starts. It’s a sanctuary…
Jr. Ducks’ Pee Wee AAA1 team readies for Quebec
December 26th, 2015Jean Labbe grew up in Montreal and played in the Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament as a youth, but the longtime coach has never stood behind the bench at the legendary event. That will change in February when his Anaheim Jr. Ducks Pee Wee AAA1 team takes the ice in Quebec City. “I’m very excited…
Scholastic inline leagues face off around the state
December 26th, 2015The Central Coast High School Hockey League remains one of the state’s longest-running scholastic club organizations, with teams spread throughout the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo regions. This season’s lineup includes four teams in the varsity division and three in the junior varsity bracket. League play started last month and will run until mid-February….
Mainland offers unique spring tourney experience
December 26th, 2015Every spring for the past two decades, youth hockey teams from all over British Columbia have flocked to the Vancouver area to compete in one of the region’s most beloved tournaments. The Mainland Hockey Tournament will be back for its 22nd year in 2016, and is expected to draw up to 100 teams – many…