Thunderbirds OVER $11,000 RAISED FOR TSUNAMI RELIEF

HICKEY A RISING STAR ON T-BIRDS BLUELINE – The Seattle Thunderbirds have reason to be excited about the future. The team boasts plenty of young talents, many of whom will surely develop into impact players in the coming years.
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rLeading the wave of future T-Birds leaders is 16-year-old rearguard Thomas Hickey, who, halfway through his first full Western Hockey League campaign, is already showing flashes of a future star.
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r”He’s a 16-year-old player, but he plays more like a 19-year-old player,” commented T-Birds head coach Rob Sumner about the third overall pick in the 2004 Bantam draft.
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r”He can skate and move the puck really well, he’s also really solid defensively, and he can play physical,” said Sumner. “He’s one of those guys who you notice all the time, and he’s just a great all-around type of player.”
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rHickey, a Calgary, Alberta product, has been one of the most consistent and most productive Seattle blueliners through the first half of the 2005-06 regular season. He currently ranks second among all Thunderbirds rearguards in points with 12, and leads the whole team with a plus-five rating. So far, Hickey has managed the adjustment to the WHL just fine.
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r”It’s been lots of fun, so far,” said Hickey, who scored a goal in his first WHL game last season as a 15-year-old affiliate call-up. “It hasn’t been as hard as I thought it might be with the schedule and being away (from home).
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r”Last year, with injuries, I probably played 31 games all year, and we’re already at 31 games this year, so it can take a bit of a toll on the body. But I trained hard in the summer to get myself as prepared as I could for this, so it hasn’t been that bad.” said Hickey, who will suit up for Team Pacific at the 2006 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge later in December.
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rWhile it’s hard for a 16-year-old – especially a defenseman – to be an impact player in the WHL, Hickey has been just that for the T-Birds. He logs plenty of ice time, is used on special teams, and puts points on the board.
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r”I didn’t really have goals, as far as stats go, coming into this season,” said Hickey. “I just try and go out there and work my hardest and win.
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r”As far as points go, if I can chip in in that area, which I’ve been able to do, then that’s good, but the main thing is to make sure I put in my best effort from day to day,” said the former member of the Calgary Royals.
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rHickey recently experienced the first big road trip of his WHL career when the T-Birds headed east for a swing through the Central Division. For Hickey, that meant a stop in his hometown to play the Hitmen in front of family and friends, and in a rink where he’d spent plenty of time in the past watching his hockey heroes.
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r”It was amazing,” said Hickey about playing on Saddledome Ice. “Just a few years ago, I was a Hitmen fan and cheered for some of the players that I ended up playing against, so it was a bit of a weird feeling.
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r”Playing in front of the hometown crowd, you get a few jitters out there, but it was a really special experience and something I’ll never forget,” added Hickey.
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rWhile Hickey has been anything but disappointing this season, the Thunderbirds haven’t exactly lived up to expectations. After winning the U.S. Division in 2004-05, Seattle was expected to, once again, challenge for the division lead this season. Yet, a slow start to the campaign has left the T-Birds behind where they wanted to be at the halfway point.
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r”We had a slow start, but things have picked up lately and we’re starting to win more,” said Hickey. “Hopefully we can continue it after Christmas, and try and solidify a playoff position, and maybe make a run from there.”
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rJesse Watts
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rWHL KEY PERFORMERS
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rJoe Barnes, Saskatoon Blades – Barnes has scored four goals and five points in his last three games, helping the Blades extend their win streak to five. He scored the game-winner – one of two on the night – in Saskatoon’s 4-2 win over the Warriors on Sunday. Click here for WHL scoring leaders.
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rJordan Knackstedt, Red Deer Rebels – Knackstedt has recorded five assists and boasts a plus-3 rating in his last three games, helping the Rebels to a 2-0-0-1 record in that span. He is currently tied for second on the Rebels with 14 assists. Click here for WHL assists leaders.
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rSpencer Machacek, Vancouver Giants – Machacek has scored three goals and four points in his last three games, helping the Giants to three straight wins. He is currently tied for third among all WHL rookies in game-winning goals with three. Click here for rookie leaders.
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rTy Wishart, Prince George Cougars – Wishart has scored one goal and three points in his last two games, helping the Cougars to two straight wins. He currently leads the team, and ranks third among all WHL defensemen with a plus-16 rating. Click here for defensemen scoring leaders.
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rJames Reimer, Red Deer Rebels – Reimer has two wins and a shoot-out loss in his last three starts, but has allowed just five goals on 83 shots in that span for a 1.62 goals-against average and a .940 save-percentage. Click here for goaltending leaders.
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rTHE PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE
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rAfter a rough start to the 2005-06 Western Hockey League season, the Tri-City Americans have managed to slowly claw their way back into the U.S. Division race.
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rWith only three regulation losses in their last 14 games, the Ams find themselves 11 points back of first-placed Everett – and with four games in hand on the ‘Tips.
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rMuch of the team’s success of late can be credited to the strong play and leadership of 20-year-old veteran Ian McDonald, who has stepped up his play on the ice and played a more prominent role as a leader in his final WHL campaign.
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rThe Edmonton product currently leads the Ams with 13 goals and 33 points, and is on pace to easily surpass his career-best 16 goals, which he tallied last season, and 44 points, which he notched in 2003-04.
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rThe 6’0″, 200-pound pivot will need to be a key contributor both on the ice and in the dressing room if the Ams want to move up in the U.S. Division standings through the season’s second half.
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rIan McDonald’s Perspective
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rOn the Americans’ first half…
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r”We started off slowly, but we have really picked it up lately. We’re all buying into a system, and we’re working really hard, and things are starting to click. Hopefully we can make the most of the couple of games we have left before the break so we can go into the break on a high.”
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rOn The U.S. Division battle…
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r”It’s going to be tough, and we know it will probably come down to the wire. We just need to play as hard as we can in those divisional games, because they are huge, and we know we have to win as many of those games as possible.”
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rOn his role on the Ams this year…
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r”I think I’ve been given a different role this year. In years past, I’ve been in more of a supporting role, but this year I have to be one of the leaders offensively and in the locker room. I think I’ve really embraced the opportunity, and it’s been going pretty good so far.”
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rOn the Ams youth…
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r”(Taylor) Procychen has been really good. His work ethic is second to none on our team, and that’s something you can’t overlook. Everything else, like putting pucks in the net, will come with age for him, but he’s got the work ethic. Chris Inglis has had a good year so far, and I think he’ll continue it as the year goes on.”
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rJesse Watts
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rWHL THIS WEEK – News and Notes
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rThe Calgary Hitmen acquired 19-year-old D Craig Lineker from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a 6th round pick in the 2006 Bantam draft…The Red Deer Rebels acquired 18-year-old F Ken Petkau and a 5th round pick in the 2006 Bantam draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for 20-year-old Swiss F Roman Wick…The Red Deer Relebs acquired 20-year-old F Cam Cunning from the Vancouver Giants in exchange for a 4th round pick in the 2006 Bantam draft and a 6th round pick in the 2007 draft…Calgary Hitmen 20-year-old F Darryl Moscaluk and 20-year-old F Cam Lilley have left the team…The Swift Current Broncos assigned 20-year-old G Brant Hilton to the Winnipeg South Blues (MJHL)…The Kamloops Blazers relieved Head Coach Mark Ferner of his duties, and announced General Manager Dean Clark will assume head coaching duties for the remainder of the season…The Vancouver Giants have added former BCHL coach Sean Crowther to their coaching staff…The Moose Jaw Warriors announced the resignation of athletic trainer Mike Murray, and announced Curtis Amiot as his replacement…Calgary Dinos freshman F Jarret Lukin (Kam, M.H) has been named Canada-West Hockey’s Husky WHL Graduate of the Month for November.
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rRaider Education Fund Benefits from Kiwanis Hole In One
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rPrince Albert, Saskatchewan – Prince Albert Raider Education Advisor Bob Twyver on Tuesday accepted a cheque in the amount of $1,500 for the Western Hockey League team’s education fund, from the Kiwanis Club of Prince Albert.
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rThe amount represents the Raiders proceeds from the Kiwanis Hole In One event held in June.
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rThis is the third year the Raiders have assisted the Kiwanis Club in the Hole In One Event.
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rThe Kiwanis Club is a world-wide service club made up of men and women dedicated to youth development and assisting the Raider Education fund fits into that mandate.
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r“The Raider hockey club would like to thank the Kiwanis for their supportâ€?, said Twyver.
r“This assistance will help out in a year in which our organization is paying out a record
r$70,000 in tuition to former Raiders.�
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r“A special thanks should also go to the many volunteers who helped man the Kiwanis
rHole in One�, concluded Twyver.
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rRemember to sign up for the WHL Fantasy Hockey League for a chance to win some great prizes. Register and select your team by visiting www.whl.ca.
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rThe Western Hockey League has introduced Webcasting of every WHL game for the 2005-06 season. Fans can now watch their favorite teams live from their computer. Visit www.whl.ca and look for the WHL Live Stream link.
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