CCHL This Week

The biggest news in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) this week is the departure of its most successful head coach and general manager.

This morning (Monday) it was announced that Sheldon Keefe is stepping down from his duties as coach and GM of Pembroke Lumber Kings to become head coach of Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He replaces Mike Stapleton.

Greyhounds are currently in seventh place in the 10-team Western Conference of the OHL with a 13-14-2-0 mark and just 28 points from 29 games. The decision to replace Stapleton apparently came following a 2-1 loss to Owen Sound Attack on Saturday.

Keefe, 32, leaves the CCHL as one of its most successful coaches. In a relatively short coaching career he led Lumber Kings to an unprecedented five straight league championships from 2007-2011. In the spring of 2011 Pembroke won their first ever national Tier 1 Junior A championship, capturing the Royal Bank Cup. Keefe’s teams also won the 2007 and 2011 Fred Page Cup Eastern Canadian championship tournaments.

Last season, after losing some 18 players from the previous year’s title team, Keefe guided Kings to the CCHL semi-finals where they lost in the maximum seven games to eventual league champion Nepean Raiders.

He has also served as a coach for Team Canada East in the World Junior A Challenge tournament, including at this year’s event in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in November.

The Brampton native was a star forward in the OHL with Toronto St. Michael’s Majors and Barrie Colts. In the 1999-2000 OHL campaign the right winger scored 48 goals and added 73 assists in 66 games for Barrie.

In the 1999 NHL entry draft he was selected in the second round (47th overall) by Tampa Bay Lightning. Keefe made his NHL debut in October 2000. In 125 games with Lightning he scored 12 goals and added 12 assists. He also played for three different American Hockey League teams and one in the former International Hockey League.

On June 6, 2006 he became Lumber Kings’ head coach and GM. He has enjoyed incredible success in Tier 1 Junior A and is highly respected in the sport in general.

In making the announcement of Keefe’s appointment Monday, Greyhounds’ GM Kyle Dubas said, “As a young coach, Sheldon has had unprecedented success in Pembroke. He is a proven winner as a head coach and we feel his experiences with Pembroke and Hockey Canada will allow him to have success at the Major Junior level.”

CCHL Commissioner Kevin Abrams led the tributes to the departing Keefe Monday!

“On behalf of the CCHL I would like to congratulate Sheldon Keefe on his appointment as head coach of Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. After an amazing career in our league I’m certain future success awaits,” Abrams said Monday morning.

“Sheldon makes three OHL coaches that moved directly from the CCHL to head coaching roles, joining Chris Byrne (Ottawa 67’s) and Todd Gill (Kingston Frontenacs).

“Once again the CCHL demonstrates it develops players, coaches and officials as well as any league in North America,” Abrams adds.

“While we lose people to higher levels it also confirms we have attracted and will continue to attract quality people like Sheldon Keefe.”

Smiths Falls Bears’ head coach Mark Grady, who coached against Keefe in his last CCHL game Sunday night in Pembroke (the first place Bears won 3-0) was also high in his praise.

“I’m very pleased for Sheldon. I enjoyed coaching against him. I’m sure he will do very well in the OHL.

“This goes to show we (CCHL) aren’t only a development league for players but also for coaches who want to move up,” Grady notes.

Keefe himself was unavailable for comment Monday morning.

Lumber Kings’ website says Keefe is leaving the club “in order to pursue other opportunities.”

The story on Lumber Kings’ site says long-time assistant coach Scott Mohns will assume Keefe’s duties with assistant GM and coach Shawn Cation continuing in his current role.

Keefe is also part of the Lumber Kings’ ownership group and the story says that structure will remain unchanged.

Bears bulk up

Smiths Falls Bears clearly have no intention of hibernating this winter!

Grady and company made several moves in an effort to strengthen the league pace setters prior to Saturday’s league trade freeze.

In two separate deals with last place Kemptville 73’s, Bears added forwards Blaine Byron and Jake Butler and defenceman Jesse Lussier. They also picked up blueliner Patrick Crampton in a trade with Hawkesbury Hawks but dealt him to Kemptville as part of the moves involving 73’s. In addition Bears have acquired the CCHL rights to former Kemptville star Brandon Lesway.

Traded to 73’s were forwards Jesse Blais and Cole Allard and the rights to Dean Galasso.

Grady is pleased with the moves.

“Jesse Blais is just 17 and he is going to be a star in this league,” he says of one of the players moved to Kemptville.

“But Blaine (Byron) is a dynamic, skilled forward. Jesse Lussier is a big defenceman and we are lacking in size in certain areas. Jake (Butler) is a big kid who will also give us some more physical presence.”

Grady says he doesn’t expect to see Lesway in a Smiths Falls’ uniform anytime soon.

“He’s playing for Sherbrooke in the Quebec (Major Junior) league. But he’s an area boy and he will be added to our reserve list. I don’t expect to have him this season, but you never know how things will go.”

As for Sunday’s win in Pembroke, Bears’ head man wasn’t overly pleased with the club’s performance.

“We didn’t play very well. Our goalie was really good. Patrick (Martin) has been excellent lately.”

Martin leads the league in shutouts with five. All have come in Bears last 17 games.

Grady says all the player moves are no guarantee of ultimate success.

“Everyone knows how competitive this league is. Any team in the upper echelon can win. I’m just happy we are opening a little space right now.”

Busy Sunday in CCHL

Smiths Falls 3 – Pembroke 0: Bears continue to demonstrate why they have been on top of the league standings for most of the current campaign. Sunday night they blanked a strong Lumber Kings squad and right in Pembroke. The win left Smiths Falls with a four point lead on their nearest opponents, Nepean and Ottawa who are tied atop the Yzerman Division standings. Bears’ goalie Patrick Martin picked up his fifth shutout and his 16th victory. Both are league highs. The visitors dominated proceedings in front of more than 900 fans at Pembroke Memorial Centre, outshooting Kings 40-28. Smiths Falls scored once in each period. Light scoring forward Nolan Trombetta fired what proved to be the winner just past the midway mark of the opening stanza. It was his fourth goal in 22 appearances. Karson McCartney with his seventh and newly acquired Blaine Byron with his first in a Smiths Falls uniform had the other goals. Byron is one of three players Bears acquired in two separate deals with last place Kemptville on Nov. 30. Andy Munroe made 37 saves but suffered his eighth loss against 11 wins in the Pembroke cage. Each team picked up five minor penalties. All of the goals were even strength strikes. Martin earned first star honours.

Nepean 5 – Cornwall 1: The defending champion Raiders moved into a tie for first place with Ottawa in the see-saw Yzerman race with an important win over a much improved Cornwall team Sunday afternoon at Nepean Sportsplex. Nepean and Ottawa stood a point ahead of Pembroke in the six-team loop Monday morning. Colts led 32-30 in shots but only managed to put one puck behind Raiders’ net minder Ryan Mulder who won his seventh game against three setbacks. Recently returned centre Mitchell Herlihey had a big game scoring a hat trick and adding an assist to boost his points total to eight in 11 games. Herlihey opened scoring with a powerplay effort at 5:47 of the first and eight minutes later he rifled what proved to be the game winner past Cornwall goalie James Edwardson. He completed his hat trick with just 3:25 left in the game. Vincent Llorca and Phillip Nasca also had powerplay strikes for Raiders who were an impressive three for four with the man advantage. The home team scored three in the first and added two more in the third. Roman Ammirato had the only Cornwall goal early in the second period. Sixteen of the game’s 23 penalties came during an unfriendly third period which saw two Nepean players and one from Cornwall ejected. Forwards Tanner Spink of Colts and Cameron Yarwood of Raiders will miss their team’s next games for fighting in the last 10 minutes of play. Their scrap occurred with just 14 seconds remaining.

Brockville 8 – Carleton Place 5: The visiting Braves completed a two-for-two weekend by downing a suddenly struggling Carleton Place side who suffered their third loss of the week and second straight on home ice. Canadians had started the week as the hottest team in the CCHL with nine victories in 11 games. The trio of setbacks leaves them six points behind Robinson Division and league leaders Smiths Falls. They are just two ahead of Cornwall who lost twice on the weekend. Despite their victories Brockville (14-14-0-3) is fourth in the Robinson, eight points behind Colts. Carleton Place outshot the visitors 34-29 but found themselves up against newly returned Braves’ goalie Andrew Pikul who made his first start of the season a winning one. Pikul appeared in 29 games for Brockville last year posting a solid 19-6-1-1 mark. Braves emerged from a hectic first period with a 4-3 lead. They then outscored the home team 2-1 in each of the second and third periods. Justin Laforest started in goal for Canadians. He was lifted just seven minutes, 50 seconds into the game after surrendering three goals on just six shots. His replacement Brendan O’Neill stopped 18 of 22 shots but suffered the loss. Braves’ ace Ben Blasko moved within two points of CCHL scoring leader Chris Maniccia of Smiths Falls by scoring once and helping out on three to reach the 55 point mark. Brockville’s second leading scorer David Ferreira led the way with a hat trick and one assist. Zach Todd added a goal and one set-up for the winners. Impressive rookie defenceman Kelly Summers triggered his first CCHL hat trick for Carleton Place while centre Evan Peterson netted twice and set up one of Summers’ strikes. Braves’ Erik Brown wrapped up the scoring parade with an empty netter with three seconds remaining. Canadians were a good three for seven with the man advantage.

Kemptville 6 – Hawkesbury 4: With several new faces in the line-up as a result of pre-deadline trades, the new-look 73’s handed the visiting Hawks a setback in their bid to move up in the Robinson Division and overall league standings. Forward Brandon Seatter, acquired in a deal with Carleton Place, lit it up for Kemptville in just his second game. Seatter, a 17-year-old centre from Ottawa, fired a first period powerplay goal and set up three others. He had seven points in 12 appearances for Canadians prior to last week’s move. Seatter’s goal came in the first period after the visiting Hawks had jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Sunday afternoon’s contest. Kemptville trailed 3-1 and 4-2 at the intervals but erupted for three unanswered in the final stanza to ground Hawks. Right winger Jesse Blais, picked up in one of two trades with Smiths Falls, scored in his first game for his new club. Defenceman Shane Snow and forwards Brett Varrin and Joey House had the third period strikes for 73’s. House’s goal was an empty netter with 18 seconds left. Hawkesbury scoring leader Brandon Bussey had two of the early goals to give him 10 markers and 31 points. Centre Jean-Pierre Larmoyeux and high scoring defenceman Holden Anderson had a goal and one assist each in a losing cause. Kemptville goalie Jacob Tugnutt was excellent turning aside 32 shots as the visitors held a slight 36-35 advantage in scoring chances. The 73’s were an impressive three for four on the powerplay which greatly aided their cause. Hawks picked up six of nine penalties with each team having a player ejected as the result of a first period fight.

Cumberland 4 – Gloucester 2: Grads won only their eighth game in 29 appearances this season at home Sunday afternoon. But the two points moved last place Cumberland within four points of the fifth place Rangers in the Yzerman Division. Grads also have a big four games in hand on their nearest opponent. The Navan club led 1-0 and 4-1 at the intermissions and they outshot Gloucester 42-37. Forwards Matthew Morin and Mark Golberg each scored twice for the winners. Both players now have nine goals. Newly acquired defenceman Andrew DeBrincat, picked up in a trade with Nepean, had two assists in his first game for Grads. Defenceman Carl-Philippe Ouimet, playing in his first game after being dealt to Gloucester from Pembroke, scored his first of the campaign during a second period powerplay. Patrick White with his 11th for Rangers rounded out scoring early in the third period. Reilly Turner was the winning net minder while Gunner Rivers suffered the loss. Cumberland picked up five of the game’s eight minor penalties. Each team struck once with the man advantage.

Bears continue charge

Smiths Falls 7 – Gloucester 2: The first place Bears looked sluggish early but came to life in the third period to record their 22nd win in 32 tries in front of more than 600 at Smiths Falls Memorial Centre Friday. Five unanswered goals in the final frame did it for Bears who outshot Rangers 38-33. It was their seventh victory in 10 games while Gloucester, who is fading fast in the Yzerman standings, dropped their fifth in a row and eighth in the last 10. The visitors held league scoring leader Chris Maniccia to one assist. But rookie defenceman Cameron Romoff triggered a hat trick (his first goals in 12 games) and added an assist. Veteran forward Jeffrey Carroll had a five point night, including his 11th goal. Right winger Connor McLaren set up four. Goalie Patrick Martin backstopped the win with a strong 31 save performance to move to an impressive 15-5, the best mark in the CCHL. Gloucester led in shots over two periods and goalie Dylan BrindAmour was steady as the teams were deadlocked 1-1 and 2-2 at the intermissions. Patrick White and Christian Leger were the Gloucester goal-getters. Rangers collected seven of 12 minor penalties and Bears responded with a pair of powerplay markers in the five-goal third period.

Ottawa 5 – Kemptville 2: Junior Senators, the Yzerman Division leaders, rang up their fifth consecutive win at the expense of 73’s who have fallen into a deep hole at the bottom of the 12-team league. Still, Kemptville had to be inspired by the tremendous display put on by rookie goalie Jacob Tugnutt. He turned aside an incredible 53 shots as the visitors held a wide territorial edge, out chancing Kemptville 58-25.Tugnutt, the game’s second star, kept his club in the game for two periods. Sens led 2-1 and 3-2 at the intervals before finally putting it away with two unanswered in the final stanza. Sens’ scoring leaders Ben Robillard and Ryan Collins each had a goal and one assist with single markers credited to Dylan Giberson, Michael Evelyn and Eric Witzel. Mason Nowak and Brett Varrin replied for lowly Kemptville. The home team took 11 of 15 penalties but their penalty kill worked well most of the night. They limited Ottawa to one powerplay strike on eight opportunities. Alexandre Savard-Belanger was the winning goalie improving his record to 8-4. Kemptville maintained their improved attendance average with 211 in the stands. The 73’s are 10th in the league in attendance with an average of 200 fans per game at North Grenville Municipal Complex.

Pembroke 3 – Carleton Place 2: The charging Lumber Kings stayed hard on the heels of Junior Senators, edging Canadians in Carleton Place Friday night. It was the third consecutive victory for Lumber Kings and their seventh in the past 10 outings. Carleton Place fell to fourth overall in the tight overall standings, dropping their second game of the week to Yzerman Division teams. They lost a heartbreaker in Ottawa two nights earlier. This one was tight all the way! Pembroke outshot Carleton Place 31-27 but the clubs were deadlocked heading into the third period. Right winger Brendan McGuire’s second of the night and 11th of the season, just one minute, 46 seconds into the final stanza, proved to be the winner. Winning goalie Darren Smith stopped all 11 shots Canadians fired at him in the third. Patrice Wren had the game opening goal for Kings in the first. Alex Frere with a first period powerplay marker and Carleton Place goal scoring leader Kevin Dufour, with his 17th, answered for the home side. Recently arrived Canadians’ goalie Brendan O’Neill saw his record evened at 2-2. Both teams were assessed seven penalties. Carleton Place forward Stephen Baylis picked up a major penalty and a game misconduct for head contact late in the opening period.

Nepean 1 – Hawkesbury 0: Raiders stayed in the thick of the battle for first place overall in the league, squeezing past the much improved Hawks in Hawkesbury Friday night. This one was obviously a defensive struggle. But it can’t be called a “goaltender’s duel” because there were just 41 shots recorded in the game, 21 of those by the home team. Matt Zawadzki picked up his first shutout of the season in 22 net minding appearances for Raiders. He improved his record to 13-8. Neither goalie figured in the three star selection however. Nepean centre Dalen Hedges, the third leading scorer in the CCHL, potted the only goal of the game during a powerplay with just 36 seconds remaining in period two. Hedges, who moved to 22 goals and 47 points, was the game’s second star. Hawks led the penalty parade taking seven of 11 minors called by veteran referees Chad White and Patrick Brown. Hawkesbury defenceman Ryan Kruss was assessed three penalties. The second, a boarding call, was the only penalty whistled in the middle frame. It proved costly as Hedges triggered the game’s only goal while Kruss was in the box. Carmine Guerriero was the losing goaltender.

Brockville 6 – Cornwall 5 (SO): Braves won the latest in their Highway 401 series with arch rival and Seaway neighbours Cornwall. They needed a shootout to record their first win in three tries against Colts this season. Friday’s game was played in front of 864 fans at Brockville Memorial Centre. It was only the fourth win in 10 tries for Braves who remained a distant fourth in the Robinson Division. Colts fell for the third time in four games but two of those setbacks came in shootouts. The rivals were deadlocked at two after 20 minutes and Cornwall led 4-3 heading to the third. Brockville struck twice in the third period. Defenceman Zach Todd tied the game and forced overtime with his ninth goal at the 11:33 mark. Overtime was scoreless although the home team led 4-1 in shots on goal. In the shootout phase Braves outscored Colts 2-1 to pick up the bonus point. Centre and team captain Chris Roll scored twice in regulation giving him nine goals and 26 points. Brockville’s second leading scorer David Ferreira had a goal and two assists. Team leader Ben Blasko improved his second place standing in the CCHL scoring race to 51 points with four assists. Centre Mitch Zion and defenceman Stephen Johnson had a goal and two assists apiece to lead Colts. Centre Roman Ammirato and winger Kevin Hope had a goal and one helper each in a losing cause. Braves held a solid 46-30 edge in shots with Matthew Jenkins the winning goaltender. Jordan Piccolino was the hard luck loser despite making 40 saves. Cornwall was two for five on the powerplay while Brockville was one for six.

Early week games

Cornwall 8 – Kanata 4: The stampeding Colts easily tamed Stallions Thursday night, dominating territorially and using a big third period to finish off the visitors. The result further tightened the already compact overall standings. Colts, who earned 13 points from 10 games, moved within three points of Carleton Place and Ottawa who were tied for second overall in the CCHL. Kanata, who split their last 10 outings, remained four behind the first place Junior Senators in the Yzerman. Cornwall outshot the visitors 43-21 but was kept at bay by Stallions’ goalie Brandon Lane who made 35 saves including 16 in the first period alone. Colts led 1-0 after 20 minutes and the teams traded three goals apiece in the middle stanza. Cornwall connected four times in the third including three markers in a span of two minutes, eight seconds that sealed the deal. Veteran forward Mitch Zion led the winners with two goals and an assist. Team scoring leaders Marly Quince, Michael Pontarelli and Roman Ammirato each had a goal and one helper. Billy Ulrick assisted on three Colts’ tallies. Veteran left winger Doug Harvey, who has seen limited action for Kanata this season, scored twice, his first goals of the campaign. Team leaders Derian Plouffe and Brandon Petrie had the others. There were just nine minor penalties called, five going to Cornwall. Each team netted twice on the powerplay.

Ottawa 3 – Carleton Place 1: Junior Senators won a goaltender’s duel at home Wednesday edging Canadians in an outstanding match-up of two of the league’s elite clubs. Carleton Place missed an opportunity to pull even with first place Smiths Falls at the top of the CCHL’s tight overall standings. Ottawa moved level with Carleton Place in points with 41. Sens topped the Yzerman tussle following the game while Canadians remained second to Bears in the Robinson. The visitors held a 26-25 shots edge but couldn’t put enough rubber past Ottawa goalie Alexandre Savard-Belanger, the game’s first star. New Carleton Place net minder Brendan O’Neill was no slouch either. He kicked out 22 shots and was the hard luck loser, falling to 2-1. O’Neill was named third star! Dependable Brock Edwards gave Canadians a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, netting No. 10. Younger brother and line mate Luke assisted on the play to take over the team scoring lead with 31 points. Right winger Joey Champigny tied it with his first of two at 13:37 of the middle stanza. Ottawa leader Ben Robillard fired the winner during a Sens’ powerplay midway through the third. The outcome was in doubt until Champigny put his fifth of the campaign into the empty Carleton Place cage with five seconds left. Robillard also earned an assist to up his team leading points total to 35. There were just seven minor penalties in the well-played contest, four going to the home team.

Pembroke 7 – Kanata 2: After falling behind 2-0 the visiting Lumber Kings triggered seven straight goals Tuesday to rout Stallions in front of more than 300 Kanata fans. Centre Tyler Gaudet and defenceman Keegan Harper both fired a pair of markers as Pembroke won for the seventh time in 10 games. In the process they moved into top spot in the highly competitive Yzerman Division and stood third overall in the league following the contest. Stallions remained fourth in the division, three points off the pace. Lumber Kings outshot the home side 33-23. Kanata starter Brandon Lane was replaced by rookie goalie Brayden St-Germain after the fifth Pembroke goal. High flying right winger Timmy Moore had four assists giving him eight points in five games. Gaudet added one helper for a three point night while defenceman Charlie Connell and newly arrived forward Jordan Boucher-Gould each had a goal and one assist. Rookie winger Braedan Moffatt with his sixth and team scoring leader Derian Plouffe with his 19th gave the home team their short-lived two goal advantage. Kanata picked up nine of the game’s 17 penalties and the visitors took advantage scoring three times on six powerplay chances. All three came during a five goal second period for Pembroke.

This week’s 14 game CCHL schedule opens with three games on Tuesday night. Pembroke travels to Navan to face Cumberland Grads at 7 o’clock, Kanata hosts Kemptville and Brockville will be in Smiths Falls. The latter contests are both 7:30 starts.

Jeff Maguire is a career journalist based in Carleton Place. He has covered junior hockey in Ontario for 41 years. Jeff’s report will appear on the CCHL website every Monday throughout the season. He can be reached by e-mail at: jeffrey.maguire@rogers.com