Wesmen edged out in soccer home opener

  The University of Winnipeg Wesmen kicked off their season on the 31st of August with both teams taking opening game losses
  The Wesmen men played the Saskatchewan Huskies and opened the scoring early in their contest as Ross Pinhammer was able to squeak one by the Huskies goaltender Michal Bandula.
   Despite some solid pressure, that would be all the Wesmen could muster up in the match, as they gave up two second half goals to the Huskies en route to a 2-1 loss. Saskatchewan's Brett Levis tallied markers at the 78th, and 85th minute that put the Wesmen away for good.
   After a solid first half, the Wesmen struggled in the second half being outshot by the Huskies 12-2. The Wesmen men's soccer team hosted the Mount Royal Cougars Friday and Saturday night. Friday's game ended in a 1-1 tie. There is no score for Saturday's game yet.
   Up next for the men, they host Simon Fraser on September 13th (Thursday), and Victoria on September 14th (Friday). Both games at 6:00pm.

   The Wesmen women didn't fare much better in their home opener, as they fell 4-1 to the University of Regina in their season opener on Friday night.
   Megan Cormier scored twice for Regina paving the way for a dominant victory. Despite outshooting Regina in the first half 13-6, the Wesmen found themselves down 1-0. In the second half, Regina turned up the pace outshooting the Wesmen 15-2 and tallying three goals in the process en route to a 4-1 victory.
   The Wesmen women hosted Saskatchewan last night, but the score is not yet posted. Up next for them is a road trip out west to play Lethbridge and Calgary before returning home to play their in-province rival the University of Manitoba Bisons.

Jets young stars off to hot start

   After beating down on the San Jose Sharks prospects on Friday night, the Jets young guns turned their attention to the Edmonton Oilers prospects on Saturday.
   The Jets pumped 7 goals past the Oilers goaltending en route to a 7-2 drubbing of the Oilers prospects. Scott Kosmachuck and Axel Blomquist each scored twice for the Jets as Eric Comrie made 36 saves in a winning effort.
   The Jets young starts will take on the Vancouver Canucks young stars today at 1:30pm CT and will look to remain unbeaten in the tournament by improving to 3-0.
Check out the link below for a more expanded expanded look inside Saturday's game vs the Oilers.
http://jets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=681711

2014 Sochi Olympic Hockey Team: Predictions.

   The 2014 Olympics are coming up soon in Sochi, Russia. Canada is looking to continue the success that they saw in 2010 in Vancouver in all sports. Team Canada Hockey has already began their summer camp, taking a look at the 47 players who might represent Canada in hockey at the Olympic Games. It is important however, to keep in mind that this is not a try out, it's merely a preliminary list of players they're taking serious looks at. They can pick players off the list. It will depend on how they play with their NHL team throughout the first half of their season.
   Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd was invited to the camp, which proves that they are taking a serious look at him. The gritty winger is coming off a season where he racked up 46 points in 48 games with the Jets. Winnipeg's a hockey town, so why not take some time to make predictions?
   Canada will carry 14 forwards, eight defencemen, and three goaltenders, but will probably dress 13 forwards, seven d-men, and two goaltenders with 3 spares. There are a few shoe ins at each position, but there are also a lot of spots up for grabs.
   Also close to home here for the Jets with regards to Olympic hockey is the non-Canadian players that will be trying out for their respective countries. Four Jets will battle for the right to represent the stars and stripes of the U.S.A. They include Blake Wheeler, Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien, and Jacob Trouba. As well as Ondrej Pavelec and new addition Michael Frolik trying for spots on the team Czech Republic. Meanwhile, the likes of Tobias Enstrom and Olli Jokinen were not invited to their respective camps. Enstrom  for Sweden and Jokinen for Finland. They will have to have good seasons with the Jets in order to catch the eye of their respective countries. Especially Jokinen who struggled last season putting up only 14 points in 48 games.
   So without further adieu, here are my 14 forwards, eight d-men, and three goalies that I believe will play for team Canada in Sochi.

GOALTENDERS:

Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals)
Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)
Corey Crawford (Chicago BlackHawks)
Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens)
Mike Smith (Phoenix Coyotes)

My picks:
Any of these five goalies would serve Canada well. But they can only have three. Here are my picks:
Roberto Luongo: Led Canada to gold in 2010.
Carey Price: Best option in my opinion. If I were me coaching he'd be my starter.
Corey Crawford: Silenced critics on what should have been a Conn Smythe winning playoff run. But he got what really matters, the Stanley Cup.

Possibilities:
Mike Smith: Smith has had two very good seasons with the Coyotes. He almost led them to the Stanley Cup in 2012, and represented Canada at the IIHF World Championship this year.
Braden Holtby: I was shocked to see his name on the list ahead of some other goaltenders out there, but he's stolen the show in Washington since taking over for Tomas Vokoun.

Off the List:
Here's three goaltenders not at the summer camp who could make a case for a spot on the team.
Marc-Andre Fleury: Although he's had his struggles, and may have been pushed aside by Tomas Vokun, Fleury is still a goaltender who most teams would like to have.
Cam Ward: I still think if he had stayed healthy last season that Carolina would have been contending for the top of the Southeast Division. He has represented Canada in the IIHF World Championship, and could make the step to the Olympics.
Martin Brodeur: Even after all these year he's still got it. It's never safe to count him out.

DEFENCEMEN:

Shea Weber (Nashville Predators)

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)

Duncan Keith (Chicago BlackHawks)

Brent Seabrook (Chicago BlackHawks)

Dan Boyle (San Jose Sharks)

Jay Bouwmeester (St. Louis Blues)

Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver Canucks)

Travis Hamonic (New York Islanders)

Kris Letang (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Marc Methot (Ottawa Senators)

Dion Phaneuf (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues)

Marc Staal (New York Rangers)

Marc-Edouard Vlasic (San Jose Sharks)

Karl Alzner (Washington Capitals)

Mike Green (Washington Capitals)

My picks:

A solid core picked here by Steve Yzerman and Hockey Canada, but unfortunately they can only take eight. Here are my picks:

Shea Weber: The man is a beast. He's one of the best, and most dominant d-men in the league right now.   

Drew Doughty: At the 2010 Olympics and during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Drew Doughty showed everyone that he's a big time player.

Duncan Keith: Still one of the smoothest skaters in the N.H.L. today. Can both man the power play and kill penalties.

Brent Seabrook: Much like Weber, he's a big, fast, and smart defenceman with a big shot. Can kill penalties as well. 

Dan Hamhuis: May not have the offensive numbers that the names above do, but he's dominant in his own zone. He would be helpful on the penalty kill. 

Kris Letang: Similar in style of play to Duncan Keith. He's a smooth skater,  he has offensive upside, and he's not afraid to go into the corners and battle. 

Alex Pietrangelo: A budding star in the N.H.L. and the sky is the limit with his set of skills. He's big, fast, and tough to play against. At 23 years old he still has room for growth. 

PK Subban: Love him or hate him, he's got unbelievable talent. Big shot from the point, insane hockey smarts, and as we all know, he's not afraid to get under the other team's skin. 

Possibilities:

Dan Boyle: Major offensive skill but he might be too old compared to some of the younger talent   ahead of him. 

Jay Bouwmeester: Always underrated in Calgary. Found a home with a much better team in St. Louis. As good as he is, there's so much talent here I don't see him making the team. 

Travis Hamonic: I was surprised to see him on the list, but if they're looking for a hardnose stay at home defenceman who will make the other teams forwards pay for going into the corners, he's their guy.  

Mark Methot: Tough as nails, great in his own end. Like Hamonic, I was shocked to see him on the list but he has what it takes to get on the team if they want to go in more of a defensive direction. 

Dion Phanuef: Captain Maple Leaf has what it takes to make the team. He's good in both zones, and is a natural leader. 

Marc Staal: Despite the horrific eye injury he sustained during this past season, Marc Staal is back on the ice, hopefully with a visor on. Like everyone in this list, he's good in both zones and he plays a hard game. 

Marc-Edouard Vlasic: Smooth skater, good puck mover, he'll be in tough with the amount of talent that Canada has at its disposal. 

Karl Alzner: Good in both ends, and ultra-talented, just like everyone on this list. 

Mike Green: If he has a good, injury free season with Washington he will definitely have a shot at making the team.

Off the List:

None, the best of the best are on the two above lists. 

FORWARDS:

Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins)

Jeff Carter (Los Angeles Kings)

Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks)

Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Matt Duschene (Colorado Avalanche)

Jordan Eberle (Edmonton Oilers)

Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks)

Chris Kunitz (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)

Taylor Hall (Edmonton Oilers)

Andrew Ladd (Winnipeg Jets)

Milan Lucic (Boston Bruins)

Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins)

Rick Nash (New York Rangers)

James Neal (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks)

Mike Richards (Los Angeles Kings)

Patrick Sharp (Chicago BlackHawks)

Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)

Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)

Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Jon Tavares (New York Islanders)

Joe Thorton (San Jose Sharks)

Jonathan Toews (Chicago BlackHawks)

My picks:
There's an insane amount of talent in this forward group. Which makes choosing a team very hard. All combinations of these guys on the list would help Canada win. Here are my picks:

Patrice Bergeron: Great faceoff man, great penalty killer, good in both ends of the ice. Can't say enough about his play during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's a big time player and will play a big time role.

Logan Couture: The value of Logan Couture extends beyond his ability to score. He can fill a third line checking role, and transition to play wing, two things that he has done in the past with the Sharks. He's a versatile player and still has room to grow in his young hockey career. 

Sidney Crosby: He's the best of the best, plain and simple. 

Jordan Eberle: Those who follow junior hockey know that when Jordan Eberle puts on team Canada's jersey, something great will happen. He was clutch then, and has since grown into one of the best wingers in the N.H.L.

Ryan Getzlaf: Big centre showed his critics that his career was far from over when he led the Anaheim Ducks to a dominating second place finish in the Western Conference this season. Will most likely play with Anaheim teammate Corey Perry. 

Claude Giroux: The Philadephia Flyers captain has shown eveyrone that he's one of the best players in hockey today. He may have to play on the wing for the tournament. Depends where Mike Babcock wants to put his players. 

James Neal: Scored 40 goals in 2011/2012. For me it came down to a choice of one between him and Patrick Sharp of the Chicago BlackHawks, and Rick Nash of the New York Rangers. Any of them would be a great addition, but I had to go with Neal. 

Corey Perry: Like his linemate Getzlaf, Corey Perry had a great year with the Ducks. They'll most likely play alongside one another in the tournament, either on the wings or Getzlaf centering Perry and whoever the other player might be. 

Mike Richards: He's won just about everything there is for a hockey player of his caliber to win. In fact it seems that wherever Mike Richards goes that team wins. 

Eric Staal: Big Centre found chemistry with Getzlaf and Perry in 2010. I expect to see them together again. 

Martin St. Louis: The ageless wonder keeps on playing as if he were 10 years younger. Playing with the best sniper in the game certainly helps but what Marty has shown us in the past few years is that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. 

Steven Stamkos: The most prolific goal scorer in hockey today, Stamkos and St. Louis will be hard to keep apart. They have a chemistry where they just know where one another are out there. Like Gioux, expect to see him transition to the wing and use his speed, and his wicked shot to his advantage. 

Jon Tavares: The New York Islander has put up some very good seasons in recent years. Lifted a lowly Islanders team into the playoffs last season.

Jonathan Toews: A member of the triple gold club, and a two time Stanley Cup winner, Jonathan Toews is a winner. He was born to win, and he's done just that. 

Possibilities:

Jeff Carter:He's elevated his play in past years and was easily the best of the King's during their run to the Western Conference final this past season.

Matt Duschene: I still beleive this guy has all the potential to be a superstar. But much like Evander Kane he's struggling to completely get his feet of the ground. He'll need a tremendous regular season in order to push some of the talent that's on this roster.

Chris Kunitz: Even though Chris Kunitz had a tremendous year, I still think he's the product of playing with Sidney Crosby. Kunitz is a great player, I just don't think he's good enough to push some of the other players off the roster. With that being said, he does have an uncanny chemistry with Crosby. Which might be enough for Kunitz to crack team Canada. 

Taylor Hall: His speed would be an asset on the bigger ice surfaces. He plays wing, and has chemistry with Jordan Eberle. But will it be enough to push the amount of talent aside?

Milan Lucic: I'd personally love to see him make the team. I've always been a fan of the big, agressive, and sometimes downright scary style of play that Milan Lucic brings to the table. A big winger who can score goals is valuable to any team.

Brad Marchand: Now this pick, this pick may have fans of the Vancouver Canucks (and any other team that's played against Boston for that matter) foaming at the mouth with rage. But they'll have to face the fact that Brad Marcharnd is a great player, and an even better pest. Someone like Marchard could be helpful for team Canada. He scores, he's fast, he's got great hands, and most of all, he makes other players mad like I've never seen before. Might be a stretch, especially with the IIHF officiating which unlike the NHL, doesn't let the cheap stuff go.

Rick Nash: Although he had a subpar year with the Rangers this past season, I still think Rick Nash can be one of the most dominant players in hockey. His chemistry with Toews and Richards in 2010 may be enough to bring him back if he has a decent season. 

Patrick Sharp: Although I ended up taking James Neal, this guy could easily make the team. If there's anything Patrick Sharp has shown us in his career, it's that no one should ever count him out. 

Jordan Staal: On a team chalk full of some of the best centers in the game, I don't see the youngest of three Staal brothers at camp making the team. But you never know!

Joe Thorton: Jumbo Joe is still a very effective player. With the influx of young talent on the list, he'll have to have a pretty outstanding year to grab a spot.

Andrew Ladd: The lone Winnipeg Jet invited to camp, and the most underrated player at camp. He ranked 11th among the forwards invited to the camp in points during the past lockout shortened season. And will not only look to make the team, but he'll look to lift the Jets into the playoffs. 

Off the list:

Jamie Benn: With a struggling Dallas Stars team, it's been hard for Jamie Benn to shine. But he's right there with the best of them. If anyone on this list will really change the minds of Hockey Canada, it will be him. 

Evander Kane: I was shocked to see that Evander Kane was not on the list to attend this summer's camp. He's got speed and he can score goals, don't count him out.

Jason Spezza: He'll be recovering from back surgery, but if he has a good season, he may turn a few heads or two. Especially if he plays the way he did before his back injury.

Tyler Seguin: His time with the Bruins was cut short, and that was a good move for both sides. It wouldn't surprise me to see him turn an eye or two in his direction. But I think he has some growing to do before he represents Canada in the Olympics. 

Brian Bickell: This one may be a long shot, and even I will admit that this is a bit of an odd choice. He earned a pretty raise with the BlackHawks and it's now up to him to prove he's worth it. If he play like he did in these past year's playoffs he may catch some attention. 

Patrick Marleau: Started the year on a tear this season and slowed down as the season went on. In fairness, no one expected him to keep up an 8 goals every three games pace all season. He played for Canada in 2010. With his line mate Joe Thorton on the bubble, 2010 may have been the last time we see Marleau in a team Canada uniform for the Olympics. 

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART:

This is merely speculation. The coaches will decide who plays where based on how they're playing, and who they find chemistry with. This is just a preliminary look at how the team could look based on my predictions, and what my depth chart would look like if I were coaching.

Forwards:

Stamkos      Crosby       St. Louis

Neal            Tavares      Giroux

Eberle         Toews        Richards

Staal           Getzlaf        Perry

Bergeron

Defencemen:

Weber      Doughty

Keith        Seabrook

Subban     Pietrangelo

Letang

Goalies:

Starter: Roberto Luongo

Backup: Carey Price

Spares:

Logan Couture (F)

Dan Hamhuis (D)

Corey Crawford (G)

Captains:
Sidney Crosby (Captain)
Shea Weber (Alternate)
Jonathan Toews (Alternate)
Duncan Keith (Alternate)

Look over the list and give me your opinion! Lots of talent here there could be any number of players that could make this team. Should be fun to see how it unfolds! Follow me on Twitter for sports updates, the odd tweet about music, and light-hearted but ultimately "swing and a miss" type humor! TWITTER! @burnsy004

Despite solid second half, and a ton of heart, the fish fall short.

   It was a bitter-sweet night for the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Saturday at Shaw Park.
   Although the Goldeyes finally beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in a big way hammering them 9-0, the Gary-Southshore RailCats were also in the W column, ending Winnipeg's chances at a playoff birth. The RailCats were able to defeat the El Paso Diablos 7-4 with some timely hitting from Adam Klein and Mike Massaro.
   This will be the first time that the Goldeyes haven't made the playoffs in the past two seasons, and unfortunately for the fans there will be no mid-September baseball in Winnipeg.
   Despite a hot start, the Goldeyes fell on pretty hard times throughout most of the middle of the first half of the season. They fell down to as much as 4 games below .500 while on a road trip out east to play inter-league games against Can-Am league teams like the Quebec Capitales, Trois Rivieres Aigles, and Ryan Scoma's former team the Rockland Boulders. They hit the ground running out east, and got some help along the way acquiring Ray Sadler from Kansas City and bolstering their pitching rotation by bringing back Chris Salamida and acquiring Jason Jarvis from Sioux City. In the end, it was their 0-9 record against Fargo, and their 1-6 record against Gary. They've gone winless against their rivals to the south, and were swept in 4 straight at home by Gary in July.
   At this point, it's tough to say who will be back and who won't. Funny thing, independent baseball is. One week you could have a AAA quality lineup and the next week you could lose 4 players in a matter of days. Everything can change in a matter of days, the Goldeyes were proof of that this year.
   I'd like to take this post to lay out the Goldeyes roster, and offer my slightly educated opinion on who they should bring back if they are available.

Position Players

C-Luis Allen: Best catcher in the American Association. Without Luis Alen both behind the plate and in the batter's box this team wouldn't be where they are today.
1B/DH Casey Haerther: Batted .305 this season while racking up 64 RBI's. Was one of the better Goldeyes thoughout the season.
1B/OF: Ryan Scoma: He's currently in a battle for the batting title, and he leads the Fish in both batting average (.347) and on base percentage.
IF Amos Ramon: He lives in Winnipeg year round, and calls this place home. Led the team in errors this season but he still has enough pop in his bat to be a difference maker.
IF Yurendell de Caster: I see him heading back for Mexico for the start of next year because he'll make a lot more money there. He's a veteran player who doesn't make a lot of mistakes and can swing the bat really well. He is the kind of player you can build a pretty good team around in independant ball.
IF/OF Josh Mazzola: A guy with his power and his versatility is always a good player to keep. Mazzola played every position this season except for 2nd base. That's something you can't teach.
OF Ray Sadler: He was a monster towards the end of the season, and had an 8 game hitting streak going into tonight's game. With talent like his I could see him jetting off for Mexico like de Caster, but if they can keep him it would help bolster the middle of their lineup.
OF Tyler Graham: The speed that Tyler Graham possesses is reason enough to keep him around. Fargo is a perfect example of the importance that should be placed on keeping a leadoff man with great speed who will give the other team fits on the base paths. Fargo's Zach Penprase has been one of the most dominant base runners in the American Association the past few years. Having a solid leadoff hitter like Graham will help the Goldeyes tremendously.

Pitchers

Starting Rotation:
Matt Rusch: 7-4 with a 4.16 ERA. Struggled at times, especially at home, but was stellar on the road. I think he's still got good pitching left in him.
Chris Salamida: Went 7-0 in 8 starts after rejoining the Goldeyes later in the year. Was their best pitcher in the second half by a country mile.
Mark Hardy: The Canadian lefty was 7-3 with a 3.48 ERA before his season was interrupted by an injury. He pitched for Canada at the WBC and would be a good guy to keep in the rotation.
Jason Jarvis: Struggled on a basement dwelling Sioux City team but flourished with the Goldeyes. He got rocked in one start but he was stellar in all others. Finished 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA with the Fish.
Matt Jackson: Also pitched very well with the Goldeyes. He was 3-0 in 7 appearances with a 3.70 ERA.

   This, of course would be a lovely rotation to have, but in a tough business such as this it would be a stretch to bring back all 5 of these pitchers.  

Bullpen:

Brendan Lafferty: Will most likely set the single season record for appearances by a Goldeyes pitcher. With two games remaining left in the season he currently has 51 appearances, and is currently in a tie with former Goldeyes reliever Brian Beuning. Lafferty finished 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA. One could make the case that he was the best Goldeyes reliever all year.

Chis Kissock: The Canadian righty was also one of the Goldeyes best relievers this season posting a 2-4 record with a 2.41 ERA. Could see him filling the closing role.

Kaohi Downing: Finished 4-0 with a 3.27 ERA. The Hawaiian was a stabilizing force for the Fish in the middle innings.

   Despite the fact that this seems like a year end wrap up (which it is) the Goldeyes still have two games remaining. The first is tomorrow afternoon at 1:30pm, and then Monday night at 7:05pm both against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. If you like good entertainment and good food at a great price I suggest you check it out! Paul Edmonds, as always will have the call on TSN1290 radio and Shaw TV will also be broadcasting both games.

TWITTER!! @burnsy004

Fish stayin' alive, Bisons get first win at IGF, former Manitoba Moose sniper retires.

   The Goldeyes aren't going down without a fight. After blowing a 5-4 lead in the top of the 9th on Thursday night, the Fish bounced back to split the series with St. Paul.
   The Fish fell down early as starter Matt Jackson struggled through the first three innings, the fish found themselves down 4-1 early. Their one run coming on a Ray Sadler solo homerun. It seemed as though the Goldeyes were laying an egg under the lights at Shaw Park. That all changed with one swing of the bat. Third Basemen Yurendell de Caster launched one into space with two outs for a three run shot to left field in the fifth inning to tie the game. It was all Goldeyes from there.
   Mark Hardy worked two solid innings of relief out of the bullpen, and some heroics from Ryan Scoma and Ray Sadler put the fish in front for good. Scoma led it off with a single in the 8th and then the man newly nick-named "Ray Ray" drove one into the gap for the Goldeyes fifth and final run of the ball game.
   Hardy picked up the win out of the bullpen the lefty is now 7-3 with a 3.48 ERA, while Canadian Chris Kissock picked up his second save of the year.
  The Goldeyes (54-43) welcomes Fargo (61-36) to town for a three game set and currently trail Gary in the wildcard by 2.5 games. Winnipeg is 0-9 against Fargo this season, and will have to win out for there to even be a chance at the playoffs. Meanwhile, Gary (56-41) will host the lowly El Paso Diablos (38-59) who will need to help the Fish out by sweeping Gary in Indiana.

-------

   Meanwhile, in football news, a football game was finally won in the newly broken in Investors Group Field. The Bombers have had their chances, the Rifles had one, but it was the University of Manitoba Bisons that finally delivered.
   Although the defense may have been a bit of a worry, the offense exploded scoring a whopping 65 points en route to a 65-41 victory over the Alberta GoldenBears in front of 10,199 fans at IGF.
   The Bisons were led offensively by a number of players but none more so than running back Anthony Coombs. Coombs finished the game with a whopping 223 yards rushing on 16 carries for an unbelievable 13.9 yards/carry average in three quarters of play.
   Newly minted starting pivot Jordan Yantz of Regina had himself a good game going 14-19 for 215 yards through the air, while racking up four touchdowns, and throwing one interception. It was a good bounce back game for the Bisons who lost a close one the prior week to the Regina Rams 30-25.
   Up next for the Bisons, the Saskatchewan Huskies come to town for a game next Saturday Sept. 7th. Kickoff is slated for 5:00pm.

------

   Former Manitoba Moose and most recently, former St. John's IceCap forward Jason King has decided to retire from hockey. He will instead fill an assistant coaching role with St. John's, the Jets farm team.
   The 31 year old was drafted in the 7th round of the 2001 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. In his rookie season he spent some time with the Sedin brothers and scored 12 goals in the process. He spent a total of 6 seasons in the Canucks organization appearing in 55 games with the Canucks racking up 12 goals and 11 assists. He spent most of his career in the AHL with the Moose, Portland Pirates, and most recently the St. John's IceCaps scoring 20 goals 6 times. In total he racked up 129 goals, 124 assists for a total of 253 points in 335 AHL games.

Fish win tonight, but still remain 1.5 back of Gary

  After dropping Tuesday night's contest in a big way, the Goldeyes rebounded tonight in front of 7,000 plus fans at Shaw Park toingiht beating up on the St. Paul Saints 9-2.
  They were led by another great pitching performance by lefty Chris Salamida, who won the game improving to 7-0 since returning to the Goldeyes. He now sits with that record in 8 starts with an unbelievable 2.01 ERA. Offensively for the Fish, Ray Sadler led the way going 2 for 4 with a walk, double, home run and 4 RBI's. He currently holds the team lead in homeruns with 19, and RBI's with 68. Unfortunately, the Goldeyes didn't get any help on the out of town scoreboard as Gary-Southshore beat the Kansas City T-Bones 10-4 tonight.
  The Goldeyes will look to take the series lead tomorrow night during Turn Back the Clock Night, Matt Rusch will get the start. First pitch is 7:05pm and Paul Edmonds will have the call on TSN 1290.
(For expanded stats on the game see the link below.)
http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/547-goldeyes-pound-saints-to-keep-pace

@burnsy004

Bombers lose again, Fish win 5 in a row, remain 1.5 games back of the wildcard.

 Well, let's just say it was another unpleasant day for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday afternoon in Guelph.
  The Bombers got hammered once again, losing to the Hamilton Tigercats 37-14 to go to 1-7 on the season, their sixth loss in a row. If there's one consolation that Bomber fans can take with them from the season so far, it's that we aren't the only team sitting at 1-7 having lost 6 games in a row...looking at you Edmonton!
  At 1-7, the Bombers will most likely need to go 7-3 the rest of the way to even have a chance to sniff the playoffs, those chances are slim to none. They say nothing's impossible, but the Bombers will need a big turn around in a hurry to have any sort of chance to make the playoffs.
  Anyway, let's move on to a more positive note brought to us from the baseball diamond.
  The Goldeyes hit the road for their final road trip of the year, taking on the St. Paul Saints, and the Sioux Falls Canaries. We start in St. Paul.
 After getting shellacked in game one of the series, the Goldeyes stormed back in a big way recording three complete game shutouts from hurlers Chris Salamida, Matt Rusch, and Jason Jarvis taking three of four from their North Division rivals. Afterwards, they hit the road south to play a three game set against the Sioux Falls Canaries, a team well out of the race at this point and a team that the Fish needed to beat. They came out storming hammering the basement dwelling Canaries three times in a row to finish off the road trip victorious. Needless to say, it'll make the bus ride back to Winnipeg a bit happier.
    "They played solid pretty much the whole road trip," said Goldeyes pitching coach Jamie Vermilyea. 
"We won some big ballgames that we needed to win and we tried to put ourselves in good position for the last week."
  And they did just that. Unfortunately for the Fish, this hot streak may have come too late. They're not done by any means, in fact, compared to where they were at the 50 game mark, and considering all the changes that they had to make throughout the season, I'd say they've done well to fight back. Despite the fact that they went 6-1 on a seven game road trip, they still sit 1.5 games back of the Railcats for the lone wildcard spot. Gary is coming off some timely wins of their own against the now eliminated St. Paul Saints. 
  The Goldeyes will return home to play the Saints Tuesday-Friday in a four game set before welcoming Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks to town for a three game Labor Day weekend series to end the season.             Despite putting together a decent season, the Fish are winless against the Redhawks this season, and the Saints would love nothing more than to spoil the party for their rivals to the north. It won't be an easy road.
  As for the Railcats, they hit the road for four games against a rejuvenated (although eliminated) Kansas City T-Bones team to coming off series wins over the Goldeyes, and the Redhawks, followed by a three game set against the El Paso Diablos, in what will be the final game in Diablos franchise history, as the team will re-locate next season. 
  The current standing have Winnipeg sitting 6 games behind Fargo for the North Division lead, and 1.5 games behind Gary-Southshore for the wildcard spot. The Wichita Wingnuts are currently the only team that's booked their ticket to the playoffs with a league best 62-31 record. Posted below are the up to date wildcard standings. 
http://www.goldeyes.com/2011-12-05-18-07-28/2012-06-20-16-37-35
  First pitch between the Goldeyes and the Saints is slated for 7:05pm at Shaw Park on Tuesday night. Paul Edmonds, as always, will have the call on TSN1290 radio. 

Fish post back to back shutouts for the first time since 2003, Bombers name Max Hall their starting Quarterback.

    After getting shellacked in the opener 14-1 at the hands of their North Division rival, the Goldeyes battled back to earn two back to back shut outs against the St. Paul Saints.
    The first game saw born again ace Chris Salamida pitch a compete game shutout of the Saints, giving up only two hits in the process. Salamida, who was on last year's championship team improved his record to a perfect 5-0 this season after signing with the Goldeyes in mid-August. Although he retired to pursue his post-baseball dream last off-season, the veteran lefty couldn't stay away when Goldeye's skipper Rick Forney gave him the call after southpaw Mark Hardy went to the DL.
    Ray Sadler, Casey Haerther, and Tyler Graham led the way offensively going 2 for 4 at the plate respectively. It was Casey Haerther's two run home-run in the fourth that sealed the deal for the fish last night.   http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/535-salamida-shuts-out-saints

    Tonight's contest was no different for the Goldeyes, and that's all Winnipeg ball fans can ask for. The Saints struck out a combined 8 times, while staff ace Matt Rusch pitched all nine innings giving up only 3 hits and not allowing a St. Paul batter to reach scoring position. Rusch improved his record to 5-0 on the road this season, while his struggles continue at home. Casey Haerther had another good night with 3 hits, posting 2 RBI, while Tyler Graham, Fehlandt Lentini, Yurendell deCaster and Josh Mazzola each drove a run in each.
   While the Goldeyes are well out of first place in the North Division, they still have a chance to take the wildcard spot from the Gary-Southshore Railcats, although it won't be easy, with Lincoln, Amarillo, and Grand Prairie all in the mix as well. With Gary-Southshore falling 18-5 in Wichita tonight, the Goldeyes moved to 2.5 games back, with 11 games remaining, and lead Lincoln by .5 a game, Grand Prairie and Amarillo remain 1 and 2 games back respectively. A full set of the standings can be seen on the American Association Website here:
http://www.americanassociationbaseball.com/standings/wild-card-standings/
    The Goldeyes will try for the series win tomorrow night before heading south to play the Sioux Falls Canaries in a 3 game set. Jason Jarvis (5-10 4.12 ERA) who was acquired Sioux City will get the start for the fish who have decided to move to a 4 man rotation for the remainder of the season sending Pete Gehle to the bullpen. Anthonly Clagget will counter for the Saints. (8-4 3.28 ERA).
http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/537-rusch-dominate-goldeyes-shutout-saints-again

    Meanwhile, the Bombers have made more changes. First, came the firing of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton (which was long overdue), then they announced that Max Hall will be their starting QB this week against Hamilton. Time will tell whether Hall will be the short (and god-willing) long term answer at the QB position for the Bombers, but for now, it is his time to take the reigns and try and lead this team to an elusive second victory.
    Maybe Max Hall will go 25-30, throw for 400 yards, or maybe Chad Simpson will rush for 150 yards in this week's game. Are those things likely? Or even possible? Probably not. But if they do, the secondary will need to get their act together to secure a victory. You can't let an accurate and experienced QB like Henry Burris throw the ball to open receivers at will, that's just asking for trouble. If things don't change this week more changes will be coming, although this time they will be on the defensive side of the ball.

TWITTER! @burnsy004

Goldeyes roll through Sioux City taking 3 of 4.

    The schedule creator was nice to the Goldeyes late in the year. As the team they're chasing, The Gary-Southshore Railcats finished up a series with the league leading Wichita Wingnuts, the Fish played the basement dwelling Sioux City Explorers in a 4 game set. And the Goldeyes made good, taking 3 of 4 from the X's.
    Up next for the fish is a return to downtown Winnipeg to entertain the Kansas City T-Bones for a 3 game weekend series, where they'll try to close the gap in the wildcard race even further. They currently sit 2 games back of the Railcats. Article courtesy of Scott Taylor and www.goldeyes.com

 http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/530-goldeyes-roll-through-sioux-city

It's been a while but I'm back!

    Hey gang, I know I haven't posted in a while, I've been quite busy with work, sports, and social events, but since school is starting very soon, I'll be glued to my computer the majority of the time! Which means, more blogging! I can tell you are all shaking with excitement...anyway, here's a recap of what I've missed in local sports since I've been gone.
   The Winnipeg Jets made some good moves during the offseason, and amid great frustration that they didn't do anything during the free agent period, but I'm happy to say that Kevin Chevaldayoff made some pretty good moves.
   Along with re-signing the core of Wheeler, Little, and Bogosian, they also re-signed tough guy Anthony Peluso, and young d-men Paul Postma, and Zach Redmond. Kevin Chevaldayoff and the Winnipeg Jets have one thing in mind when developing this team, they want to build from within, and that begins with a strong core.
   Aside from signing the core, strengthening the right side was the priority for Chevy. And he did just that. Trading draft picks was something that Chevy didn't want to do for so called "quick fixes". But in a change of heart he went out and traded draft picks for two quality right wingers that will be a certainly be a step up from the players they had last year. The first is Micheal Frolik. The Czech winger is coming off a good season, and a better playoff with the Chicago Blackhawks where he won a Stanley Cup. Although his role with the stacked Hawks was limited, he will play a much larger role with the Jets. Similar to his time in Florida, Frolik will take a more offensive role with the Jets, filling 2nd or 3rd line duties, killing penalties, and even working on the power-play. I'm excited about this transaction, adding a guy who can play at both ends of the ice, and play on the 2nd or 3rd line will certainly be a step up from Antropov and Wellwood (no disrespect intended towards those gentlemen).
    The second player that the Jets picked up was Devin Setoguchi from the Minnesota Wild. While he's never found that 31 goal form that he had with the Sharks, he's a big, fast winger who can put the puck in the net. The expectation is that he will be "the guy" to play with Evander Kane, and he certainly has the ability. Whether him, Frolik, or another player steps up remains to be seen. But the Jets won't go far without a solid second line. I still believe Olli Jokinen has good hockey left in him, and with Evander Kane the sky's the limit. Hopefully the Jets can piece it all together and make it to the playoffs.  

    The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in shambles, they are 1-5, they "fired" their GM before they even fired him, and their CEO "frosted tip" cool guy Garth Buchko was also relieved of his duties.
    This is a team that is in bad shape, scratch that, they're in terrible shape, scratch that again, it's hard to tell what kind of shape their in because they are so mangled, and disorganized. I don't know what to make of this Wade Miller situation but some in the media seem to be pretty high on him, but if the Bombers don't start winning games, they'll find themselves the laughing stock of the league once again, new CEO or not.
    Before I continue I just want to say that I love the Bombers, as bad as they may be, I'm a fan of them, and they are my team. But this whole year has been bad from the start. We commit to Buck, Mack, and Buchko, yet here we are. Two of those three men are gone, while buck has gone from starter to third string in a matter of days. They told us it was Goltz's team for the remainder of the season, well, he didn't play so well against the BC Lions. Now it's Max Hall's turn to take the reigns, maybe he'll be the Jesus type figure that the Bombers have been searching for! He could lead us to the promise land! But my guess is that we haven't seen the last of Buck Pierce this year.
    They have yet to win at the stunning Investors Group Field this season, and if things continue this way, I'd be surprised if they sell-out another game this season.

    The Winnipeg Goldeyes started off hot but cooled off significantly for a time. At one point the Fish were 9 games back of the wildcard spot in the American Association playoff race after being swept by Gary-Southshore at home earlier in the season. But the fish found a way to fight back, and now sit only 3 games back of the Gary-Southshore Railcats for the wildcard spot. In Iowa tonight, the Goldeyes took a 4-1 lead in the 5th inning of tonight's contest against the Sioux City Explorers, only to fall down 5-4 going into the ninth. But this never say die group of ball players scored twice in the top of the ninth, then Patrick Keating shut it down picking up his 16th save of the season.
   The Goldeyes picked themselves up after being knocked down, and are very much back in the playoff picture. Like I said in an earlier post, Rick Forney finds the players, and they find ways to win.
    One thing that'll help them tremendously is the return of veteran IF Yurendell deCaster, who's team in the Mexican league failed to make the playoffs. In 71 games with Acereros de Maclova deCaster hit .342 with 10 homers and 52 RBI in the Mexican League in 2013, and will join his cousin, fellow Goldeye Kevin Mosequit in Winnipeg. deCaster was part of the Goldeye's club that took home the American Association championship last season.
    Goldeye's OF Fehlandt Lentini set the record for all time stolen bases in independent baseball. The record is a nice touch for a guy who has spent a large part of his career with the Goldeyes in three different stints. He's been a fan favorite since his introduction to the Peg in 2006, and the fact that he was able to achieve this milestone with the Goldeyes, is icing on the cake.
    The last, and perhaps most intriguing development with the Fish this year is the season that Ryan Scoma is putting together. Scoma is currently batting .363, and hunting down the batting title. He remains in the top five and has 9 hits in his last 4 games. If he gets there, he would be the first Goldeye to win the batting title since Kevin West did it in 2005.

    Well there you have it, I think I've caught up for the most part, here's to hoping the Bombers fight back, the Fish make the playoffs, and the Jets put together a "game changing" season and prove their nay-sayers wrong.
     Cheers!

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! @burnsy004

Goldeyes struggles continue; meanwhile the Bomber near their first pre-season game.

    The Winnipeg Goldeyes' early season struggles continue. After an 8-0 start on the road, and an overall 10-3 record through their first 13 games, the Goldeyes' seemed like they were right where they left off a season ago. However, after being swept at home by Fargo, the fish split a four game set with Sioux Falls in South Dakota during the week, and lost the first game against Fargo last night 3-1 when Amos Ramon's possible 3 run shot was stopped short at the warning track. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games.
    Fortunately for the Goldeyes' the struggles continue elsewhere in the North Division as they still sit tied for top spot with the St. Paul Saints at 12-9.
    The Fish play tonight and tomorrow night in Fargo before opening up a homestand on Monday night with 3 games against the Whichita Wingnuts in a rematch of last season's AA final. They then welcome their fellow Canadian brethren the Quebec Les Capitales to Shaw Park for a 3 game set before heading out on the road to play St. Paul.
http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/411-comeback-effort-ends-at-the-warning-track

    All fist fights aside, the Bombers training camp it going according to plan. Both the offense and defense look ready to go. Fights broke out because of the intensity of their training camp, but why shouldn't they be intense? All these players want to make the team, they want to make a difference, they want to make the first year in their new state of the art stadium a memorable one, and they want to win for the fans, who've already bought up to 25,000 tickets for each game so far. The fights are done and done, as the Bombers look to put a winning team one the field for the 2013 CFL season.
 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/06/03/mb-blue-bombers-training-camp-winnipeg.html
http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/698825/winnipeg-blue-bombers-flying-high-as-season-ticket-record-set/

Evander Kane's twitter rant sparks Jets fans, and I''m loving it.

    It won't be often that you see me here with a more editorial stance on a sports topic, because with this blog I prefer to report rather than comment. But every now and then a little opinion based writing or ranting is good for the readers, and the writer. So here goes.
    The Winnipeg Jet's Evander Kane unleashed his frustration and thoughts on twitter following the fourth and final game of the Pittsburgh/Boston series. He was asked by fans why he was watching the NBA playoffs instead of the NHL playoffs, and then he let loose. Kane had tweets previous that were in relation to the events of the NBA final's game between the San Antonio Spurs, and the Miami Heat.
    It should be mentioned that Kane is an NBA fan, and despite the fact that basketball isn't for everyone, it's perfectly acceptable for an athlete from one sport to watch a different sport, and not their own, people are allowed to have different interests. All Kane did was offer a prediction for the outcome of the basketball game, then comment on the game during and after it was over. The question that many fans asked him may have hit a nerve with the young Jets star, as he unleashed his opinion on twitter, and offered up a promise to Jets fans.
    "For everyone asking why I don't care to watch or talk about the NHL playoffs. I'm not playing in them, can't win this year, CONT: "So I don't care! Next year will be a different story! You can count on that."
    He then went on to tweet, "I'm sick of sitting here at this time of the year not having a chance to win, not scoring goals, not winnings games, and not winning rounds." "It really pisses me off and I'm done with these kinds of results. It's time to start winning and it's starting now."
    Now, Jets fans seem to jump to the option of trading a player anytime he makes a tweet that they don't like let alone making a mistake on the ice, and some may view this twitter tirade as Evander Kane asking for a trade. I can't speak for Evander Kane himself, but I don't feel this as the case. If Evander Kane wanted to be moved, he wouldn't have signed a 6 year extension last season, if he had wanted to be moved he wouldn't be one of the Jets best players who busts his ass game in and game out for the betterment of the team. Everyone makes mistakes, and in Winnipeg, as a pro athlete your mistakes will be magnified, but Evander Kane seems to like playing for the Jets, and clearly, he wants to win here.
    The way I view this twitter rant is it's Evander Kane showing a lot fire. He's been in the league for 4 years now and hasn't had a taste of playoff hockey. He is however, a competitor. And I'm sure now no player likes to sit on the sideline while other teams are out winning and competing for the Stanley Cup, and Evander Kane is no different. He wants to win. Don't they all?
    If you can't already tell, I loved the rant by Kane. In fact, it's already getting me pretty excited for the Jets season to start. It shows a strong determination, a ferocious will to win, and it shows that he wants to win in a city that has dedicated fans who deserve the playoffs just as much as the players do. Why should the guy get any backlash for that?
   Sadly, I feel this is just the Evander Kane haters getting more attention than the one's who actually see his drive, determination and his will to win. The one's who see his dedication night in and night out. He's a super-talented hockey player, who wants to win for the team, the city, and the fans. That's all we can ask for.

Fish swept by rival Fargo-Moorhead, Bombers begin training camp in preparation for 2013 season

    It wasn't exactly the weekend series that the Winnipeg Goldeyes had planned. After a hot 10-2 start, the fish were swept by the RedHawks in this past weekends three game series. Up next for the Fish is a four game series in Sioux Falls against the Canaries.
http://www.goldeyes.com/news/goldeyes-beat/395-fish-swept-by-redhawks
    Elsewhere, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened training camp, as they welcomed season ticket holder's to the new stadium for tours. There are high hopes for the Bombers this year, as they try to put a terrible 2012, that saw them go 6-12 while missing the playoffs. Below is a link to news stories relating to the Bombers, and the progression of their training camp.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=winnipeg+blue+bombers&rlz=1C1OPRA_enCA531CA531&oq=winnipeg+blue+&aqs=chrome.0.0l4.3443j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=winnipeg+blue+bombers&rlz=1C1OPRA_enCA531CA531&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ei=jzisUaW1HojuqQGdrIGQAg&ved=0CAwQ_AUoAw&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244034,d.aWM&fp=516777276e576e09&biw=1920&bih=979

Follow me on Twitter! @burnsy004

Goldeyes return to Winnipeg for their home opener tonight.

    The Winnipeg Goldeyes are heading home after a very successful road trip.
    After sweeping their way through Texas, the Fish split a four game set with the Lincoln Salt Dogs, finally returning home following a lengthy road trip. Despite their hot start, the Fish won't have an easy task by any means, as they welcome the Laredo Lemurs to Shaw Park. The Lemurs (10-0) sit undefeated, and in first place by a long mile in the South Division. It will be a battle of the top two teams in the American Association.
    Game one goes Monday night, while games two and three will go Tuesday, and Wednesday respectively. The Fish will then have a day off Thursday, before welcoming their arch-rival Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks (2-8) to Shaw Park for a three game set.
Here are the current standings in the American Association, as they stand after the first 10 games.

NORTH DIVISION:                   
1-Winnipeg Goldeyes (8-2)                                    
2-St. Paul Saints (7-3)                      
3-Sioux Falls Pheasants (4-6)              
4-Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (2-8)
     
CENTRAL DIVISION:   
1-Gary-Southshore RailCats (6-4)            
2-Lincoln Salt Dogs (6-5)                          
3-Wichita Wingnuts (5-5)                          
4-Sioux City Explorers (5-5)                
5-Kansas City T-Bones (3-7)                  

SOUTH DIVISION:
1-Laredo Lemurs (10-0)
2-Amarillo Sox (4-6)
3-El Paso Diablos (3-7)                      
4-Grand Prairie AirHogs (2-7)

Fish sweep Amarillo; off to best start in franchise history

    It seems the only thing that can cool the Goldeyes off is rain, and even it couldn't slow them down for long.
    The Fish won both games of the double header in Amarillo, Texas on Wednesday night, improving to 6-0 on the season, their best start in franchise history.
    Game 1 marked the first time in this young season that the Goldeyes had to battle back late in a ball game. They trailed by 1 for the majority of the game until they put twp across the plate off the bats of Nick Liles (3/4 RBI) and Fehlandt Lentini (2/4 RBI). Winning the contest by a 2-1 final. It marked another occasion when the Goldeyes got timely hits, in timely situations.
    "The guys got timely hits in timely situations to win the first one, and they kept it going in game two" Goldeyes pitching coach Jamie Vermilya told Paul Edmonds on TSN1290. "We closed them out in the first game and then we came out hot, and kept our foot on the gas for game 2."
    Matt Rusch (2-0) pitched 7 innings allowing one unearned run on three hits picking up his second win of the season. Meanwhile, Patrick Keating pitched an inning of relief for his second save of the season.
    Game 2, wasn't so close.
    Leonard Davis went two for four with two runs scored, and a solo home run in the fifth. Josh Mazolla went two for four with a run scored, and the red-hot Ryan Scoma was one for four with a run scored and two RBI's. Scoma's batting average now sits at a remarkable .600. They led the Fish to a 5-0 shutout, completing the sweep of the Amarillo Sox.
    Alex Capaul (1-0) pitched 5 innings striking out four and walking one, while picking up his first win of the season. Brendan Lafferty and the newly acquired Wes Alsup both pitched hitless and scoreless innings in relief.
    Vermilya was impressed with the rookie Alsup's performance. "How about Wes Alsup in the ninth? Wow! He was throwing it up there at 95-97 miles per hour, he has rookie status. We're glad to have him".
    There is no doubt that the Goldeyes have gotten great performances from all over their lineup. 9 of their 12 pitchers have an ERA of 0.00, and they've been getting hits from all over the batting order. If we include their championship winning streak last fall they have won 12 straight ball games. They're a ball team on a mission, and their mission is all going according to plan, so far.
    The Fish hopped the bus immediately after tonight's game, on their way to Lincoln, Nebraska where they take on the Lincoln SaltDogs in a four game set, before returning home to Winnipeg for their home against the also undefeated Laredo Lemurs.


TWITTER! @burnsy004

Goldeyes hammer the Sox to improve to 4-0

    The Winnipeg Goldeyes pounded out 20 hits in an 11-5 thumping of the Amarillo Sox in game one of their three game set, keeping their unblemished record in tact.
    Nick Liles, Luis Allen, and Ryan Scoma each had three hits for the fish, while all three along with Leonard Davis had two RBI's a piece. Winnipeg scored six runs in the first three innings to jump out to a commanding 6-0 lead early on. And they wouldn't stop there.
    Pete Gehle (1-0) who was acquired from the Sioux Falls Pheasants in the off season went 5 1/3 innings allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out three.
    Kaohi Downing, Chris Kissock, and Patrick Keating all pitched shut out innings in relief against the Sox, who made four errors in the game. Game two goes Tuesday night in Amarillo's National Bank Sox Stadium.
     The Goldeyes also announced some roster changes signing rookie pitcher Wes Alsup, while granting the release of Pitcher's Chris Allen, and Dan Martony.
     The 26 year old Alsup went 2-3 in all three level of the Seattle Mariners organization last season, posting a 8.74 earned run average.
     Allen made two scoreless appearances for the Fish in Grand Prarie but had become to odd man out, while Martony made no appearances in a Winnipeg uniform.

Fish complete the sweep in Grand Prarie, off to Amarillo.

    After winning on opening day, the Fish out scored the Grand Prarie AirHogs 15-5 over the next two games to cap off an opening weekend sweep of the AirHogs. After a combined 2 hit shutout on Saturday, the Goldeyes capped off a great series by winning 10-5 on Sunday night, due in part to SS Nate Samson who popped a grand slam in the fourth inning.
    Ryan Scoma got the fish started driving in two with a single in the second inning, and the offense kept coming from there.
    After Samson's grand slam, CF Fehlandt Lentini ripped his first of the year to put the fish up 7-0 through four. He would also adds a sacrifice fly later in the game.
   Grand Prarie would widdle it down to 8-5 in the sixth but their comeback came up short of the marl as the fish put up a couple in the 9th to put the game out of reach.
    Justin Garcia (1-0) got the start for Winnipeg after being activated off the disabled list the day before. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking one, and striking out seven. Aaron Correa gave up three runs in the seventh, but Lafferty and Caldwell put up a couple of goose eggs to end the game.
   Looking back to last year's 6-0 playoff run, the fish have won 9 in a row. They take their show to Amarillo next to finish up their only stop in Texas this year.

Mazzola smacks a two-run shot as the Goldeyes win on opening day

    In front of 3,219 at QuickTrip Park the Winnipeg Goldeys began their title defense with style in Grand Prarie, Texas.
    The Fish trailed 2-1 in the 6th when Josh Mazolla cranked a two run shot in the top half of the inning, which turned out to be all the Fish needed to take home a win on opening day. Fehlant Lentini doubled to begin the inning, and was driven in by Leonard Davis who was followed by Mazolla's bomb. Every member of the Goldeys had a hit in the ball game, except for LF Tim Smith who went 0-4.
    Davis connected for 3 hits, while Mazolla and Nick Liles both had two hits a piece, leading the offensive charge.
    Goldeyes staff Ace Matt Rusch (1-0) went five innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out five and walking none. Brendan Lafferty, Chris Kissock, and Allen Caldwell all worked one inning of relief before Patrick Keating came in for the save.
    The Fish look to win the series tonight in game two of the three game set, and will play the AirHogs again on Sunday before they head to Amarillo on Monday night for a three game series with
The Sox.

NHL Draft: Who will the Jets pick?

    The Winnipeg Jets pick 12th in this year's NHL Entry Draft. With a draft class that some scouts are saying is possibly the deepest draft of all time. The Jets are slowly tumbling down the draft ladder, which in this case is a good thing. It shows that the team is headed in the right direction, moving up in the standings, but down on the draft board. It will be a shame they'll miss out on the top end talent like Seth Jones, Nathan MacKinnon, and Jonathan Drouin, but the Jets will still have a solid group of players to pick from when their name is called.
    I think it's fair to list the players who will definitely be gone by the time the Jets pick. They include:
Seth Jones: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Nathan MacKinnon: Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Jonathan Drouin:  Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Alexander Barkov: Tappara (Finnish Elite League)   
    They're pretty much the unanimous top 4 on most scouts rankings which means that by the time the Jets pick, these players will be gone. But with so much talent in this year's draft, the Jets could get their hands on a real good player.
    The Jets have made some surprising draft choices over the past couple year's. Taking Mark Schifele in 2011, and Jacob Trouba in 2012 when there were still names such as Sean Coutourier and Filip Forsberg  on the board. However, both Trouba and Schifele have dominated at their respective levels, and look ready to move onto the pro's.
    So finally, here it is, a list of 12 players who the Jets will give a good hard look at, if they are still available when the Jets pick.
1-Darnell Nurse: D from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL): Nurse played in 68 games for the Greyhounds this year, registering 12 goals and 29 assists for 41 points during the regular season. His 116 penalty minutes shows that he's got a mean streak in him. Something valuable to any team is a d-man with a mean-streak who can put points on the board. He was -13 in his first season, but cleaned that up his sophomore year and improved to +15. At 6'5 weighing in at only about 190 pounds he has some growing to do, once that growing is done he'll be a big, strong defenseman.
2-Valeri Nichushkin: F for Chelyabinsk Traktor (KHL): The big 6'5 Russian center would give any team what they want, a big center with skill. Playing only 18 games for Chelyabinsk Traktor in the KHL, he recored 2 goals and 4 assists, as well as 3 goals and 6 assists during their playoff run. He's big, he's fast, and would give any team a solid, big, top end center.
3-Elias Lindhold: F for Brynas IF Gavle (Swedish Elite League): Over two seasons with Brynas, Lindholm has racked up 11 goals and 19 assists in 60 games. He was a -1 over his two year career in Sweden, and was also part of the Swedish team that captured silver at the past year's Under 20 World Championships in Ufa, Russia. At 6 feet and 190 pounds he isn't big by any means, but he isn't small either. Only time will tell if he'll be physically and mentally ready for the NHL level off the bat.
4-Sean Monahan: F from the Ottawa 67'S (OHL): After putting up 47 points in his rookie season, Monahan racked up back to back 78 point seasons for the Ottawa 67's. During his career in Ottawa, he's put up a total of 201 points in only 185 games. He was +24 his first two years but that fell to -18 this past season, though he was on a weaker 67's team. His minus shows that like most other prospects, he has some work to do in his own zone. He's tall at 6'2 but still needs to put on some muscle. I wouldn't expect to see him in the NHL this upcoming year, but whoever drafts him will be gaining a skilled center who gets his name on the score sheet.
5-Max Domi: F from the London Knights (OHL): Unfortunately I don't see him still being available when the Jets pick, but you never know. It would be nice for him to come to Winnipeg (or Toronto for that matter) given his father's history with both teams. With Max Domi, you're getting about the opposite of what his father brought to the table. He was part of the Knight's team that last season that went to the Memorial Cup tournament, and has led them back into that position as they play Game 7 against Mark Schifele's Barrie Colts. Over his career in London, Domi has collected 136 points in 126 games, and 41 points in 39 career playoff games, including 32 points in their current playoff run. He's never been a minus player in his junior career.
6-Hunter Shinkaruk: F from the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL): Part of Canada's 4th place team in Ufa, Shinkaruk has emerged as a star in the WHL. In 193 games throughout his career with the Tigers, he's racked up 229 points averaging about 1.6 points per game. He clearly has offensive upside, and would be a nice addition to any team. If the Jets could pick him up he'd help them in a department they desperately need help in; a solid top 6 forward to play with Evander Kane, and Olli Jokinen. Not to say his impact would be immediate, but he clearly has the offensive ability to someday play in the NHL. The one blemish he has is  the -13 in the plus/minus column for this past season, showing he has some work to do in his own end of the ice.
7-Nikita Zadorov: D from the London Knights (OHL): The London Knights continue to churn out top prospects. In only one season with the Knights, Zadorov played 63 games, collecting 25 points, and was a +33. At 6'5 and 225 pounds there's no doubt he is physically ready for the NHL, but he may still have some work to do to refine his game a bit. Anyone who picks him will be getting a big skilled d-man, something every team wants.
8-Alexander Wennberg: F for Djurgardens IF Stockholm (Swedish Elite League): The young Swede collected 32 points in 46 games with Djurgardens in the Swedish Elite League this season, and was a +10 during the regular season. While he hasn't had a ton of exposure, he has a year against grown men in the Swedish league under his belt, where he put up some solid points for an 18 year old. He's 6'1 and only weighs about 170 lbs so he has some growing to do, but that will come with age.
9-Rasmus Ristolainen: D for TPS Turku (Finnish Elite League): Like many other European prospects, this 19 year old has the advantage of playing two seasons against grown men. In two seasons with TPS Turku, Ristolainen racked up 23 points in 92 games but was a combined -28 during his two seasons. He's a big right-handed shooting d-man, and word has it the Flyers are actively trying to make sure they get him. The Jets are pretty deep on d already, but it wouldn't surprise me if they nabbed Ristolainen if his name is still on the board.
10-Ryan Pulock: D from the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL): With a booming shot and lots of hockey smarts, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Wheaties captain move his way up the draft board (he's currently listed at 14th). In 195 games with the Wheat Kings, Pulock has scored 41 goals, added 106 assists for a total of 147 points, and is a +28 for his career. The Grandview, Manitoba native would like nothing more than to be picked up by his home province team, but one thing is certain, whoever picks him will be getting a strong, solid d-man with a big shot.
11-Curstin Lazar: F from the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL): Lazar has been a member of the Oil Kings for 3 years, and was integral to their Memorial Cup appearance last season. He had a career high in points this past season with 61, and has collected 93 points in 141 games. He may not have the offensive numbers that some of the other top ranked players may have, and at 6 feet 190 lbs he's not that big either but he brings a gritty game to the ice, and solid d-zone awareness at +42 for his career.
12-Zachary Fucale: G from the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL): Another key piece in a stacked Halifax team. Fucale is widely recognized as the highest ranked goaltender in this year's draft. While the Jets have made it abundantly clear that Pavelec is their man going forward, it never hurts to have depth at the goaltending position. He's appeared in 113 games with the Mooseheads, achieving an outstanding record of 77-23-9 with a career 2.76 GAA, and a .900 save %. In this year's playoffs he went 16-1. I wouldn't expect the Jets to pick him up, but you never know.
    Whichever of these players (if any) the Jets decide to draft will not be a choice wasted. They are pretty deep at the defense position, and in the goaltending department as well, so I would expect them to take a forward with their first pick. No matter who it is, there's no denying that this year's draft boasts some of the best talent that we've seen in year's.

Goldeyes aren't the team they were last year, but Forney and the Fish look to repeat as American Association champs.

   The only team in Winnipeg to even sniff a championship in year's is back for another year of independent baseball in the American Association. Last season, the Goldeyes stumbled into the playoffs winning 7 of their last 11 to get themselves into the wildcard spot, taking on a power-house 65-35 Fargo-Moorhead team in the first round. The Fish ended up making quick work of them, as well as the Wichita Wingnuts in the final en route to a perfect 6-0 playoff record, and the city's first championship in years.
    With only 6 players returning this season, it wouldn't be fair to refer to them as the "defending champs". With independent ball, there will always be turnover, players seek other options, chase the big league dream, or leave to make more money elsewhere. A high end player in the American Association makes $1,400 a month, with the younger players earning $800 at the most. Needless to say, the Goldeyes will have a different look this year.
    The group of guys they are bringing back aren't slouches. They include last year's playoff MVP Amos Ramon, longtime catcher Luis Allen, first basemen Josh Mazolla, and pitchers Kaohi Downing, Chris Allen, and staff ace Matt Rusch. Even with the skill of their returnees, the Fish have a lot of work to do.
    "There's not many people in there that are going to have rings that they earned last year. Every year presents its new challenges and roster turnover is going to present a new one for us," Goldeyes manager Rick Forney told the Winnipeg Sun. "Not many people can continue to play baseball for $1,200 a month, or $1,400. So you're going to have some turnover."
    The Goldeyes have lost a lot of key players, including fan favorites Ace Walker, and Price Kendall but those losses came with age. The three biggest departures came in the form of former big-leaguers, Yurendell de Caster, Barbero Canizzares and Chris Roberson. All three spent significant time in the big leagues, and their veteran presence had a large impact on the team's success.
    "There's a lot of leadership involved" said Mazolla, "parts of the game that fans don't see, Roberson, de Caster, you got to see how they prepared. They have that upper level. They were both big league guys. I saw it last year, and hopefully maybe I can pass it on this year. Come out and be ready to win each day".
    It won't be easy for the Fish, in independent ball it never is. They added some players who they feel will give them a good chance to win, and Rick Forney has a history of finding players that come together, and do the one thing every team sets out to do, win.
    Adding veteran, and fan favorite Fehlandt Lentini gives them a Chris Roberson-esque center fielder. Lentini is coming off a career year in the Atlantic League, where he hit .319 with 19 homers, 92 RBI'S, and 32 stolen bases. This would be his third stint with the Fish, and he is hoping to help the team to a second straight championship. Lentini was set to be signed by the Fish late last season, but talks fell through. He'll work well with the younger players, he's an example of a vet who knows and loves the game. Although he's 35, and even an elder to one of his coaches, you won't see Lentini slowing down any time soon.
    "When I'm on the field no one ever guesses my age", said Lentini, "cause I'm always running around more than the young guys". "So far it's been a  lot different, a different vibe going."
    However it works out, I'm sure the Goldeyes will continue to provide great entertainment, at a good price.  Forney knows his way around the baseball diamond, and somehow, he always finds a way to win games. I have no doubt he'll find a way again this season.
    The Goldeyes open their season with a road trip down to Texas to play the Grand Prairie Airhogs, and the Amarillo Sox. They'll come back through Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the SaltDogs in a 4 game set before returning to downtown Winnipeg for their home opener on May 17th, against the Laredo Lemurs.
 

Second Blog!

   Alright gang, I'm here with another blog, that I hope to update as often as possible! I've started this blog to keep up with local sports in the Winnipeg/Manitoba area. I will try my best to cover a range of topics, including the Jets, Bombers, Goldeyes, Wesmen, and Bisons. I'll also make an effort to include high school sports, and MJHL hockey! Will try to update it as much as possible!