Blog
Give Blood Play Hockey adds to plan of attack
October 23rd, 2014By Phillip Brents The Give Blood Play Hockey (GBPH) inline charity hockey tournament remains a major fundraiser for its primary beneficiary – Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC Children’s) – in its mission to find a cure for pediatric cancer. The tournament has become a rallying point for the entire hockey community throughout Southern California…
High school game grows in L.A. County
October 22nd, 2014By Greg Ball It might not be sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Foundation like most other sports, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the hockey world who’d tell you that high school hockey isn’t booming in California. The Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League announced recently that it has added 13 teams…
Chapman evidence of hockey’s growth, locally
October 21st, 2014By Andrew Turner It wasn’t that long ago it seemed that pundits agreed hockey could not gain a foothold in Southern California. The Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings would treat us to an occasional playoff appearance. They had their die-hards, but the game they so loved needed more groundswell. Three Stanley Cups in eight…
Lady Ducks experience month to remember
October 20th, 2014By Greg Ball The youth hockey season is just getting underway, but already it’s been a memorable one for the Anaheim Lady Ducks for a number of reasons. During the past month, the Lady Ducks have attended two fall college showcases, got an opportunity to meet with U.S. national team star Hilary Knight, and were…
Development, advancement are Avs’ goals
October 18th, 2014By Matt Mackinder A season-opening sweep of Phoenix and taking two of three from Southern California rivals Valencia and San Diego to start the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) season was nice, but the Ontario Avalanche realizes it was just a start. Still, Avalanche director of player personnel and scouting Rick Roberts said the fast…
Passion for the game continues to fuel Ford
October 18th, 2014Matthew Ford has never taken hockey for granted, particularly going into this season. Ford (West Hills) spent nearly six months recovering from neck surgery after getting hit from behind in the Oklahoma City Barons’ final regular-season game. “It was similar to Peyton Manning’s injury,” Ford said. “I lost about 85 percent of the strength in…
Vegas’ WSHL team brings more opportunity
October 16th, 2014By Matt Mackinder The Las Vegas Storm’s roster for its inaugural season in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) has a mix of local and overseas talent. That combination should make for an exciting foray into junior hockey in Las Vegas. “I see junior hockey in Las Vegas as being a positive decision for the…
Vegas firefighters, USAH help young players
October 16th, 2014By Matt Mackinder The Las Vegas Firefighter Youth Hockey (LVFFYH) organization recently received a boost from the USA Hockey Foundation in the form of a $10,000 grant to be used for the 2014-15 season. LVFFYH board member Eric Littmann said the grant money “has been the foundation for our success.” “They’ve supported us from the…
Chalk Talk: Don’t underestimate chemistry
October 16th, 2014As hockey coaches, we spend a great deal of time developing our practice plans. We’re also very diligent with our dryland workouts and, of course, our in-game strategizing, but in my opinion not enough emphasis is given to the unsung hero relative to team success. That’s team chemistry. While it’s becoming more and more apparent…
Industry Profile: Brandon Convery
October 15th, 2014Brandon Convery has known the heights of anticipation that come with being one of the top-rated players in an NHL Entry Draft class. And he knows the depths of disappointment that come with seeing a promising NHL career derailed, then ended, prematurely because of injuries. With those experiences in mind, plus years of coaching youth…