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Henderson Recieves Scholarship

March 3, 2010 – The Alberta Junior Hockey League, in conjunction with Enerflex Systems Income Fund, have selected Adam Henderson of the Spruce Grove Saints as the recipient of the 2010 Enerflex AJHL Scholarship.

The $1,500 scholarship is awarded to the player deemed most deserving among the sixteen applicants (one per AJHL team). Applicants were required to submit an essay describing what they have learned from playing hockey and how they can apply this in their lives after hockey. A Selection Committee then determines the recipient based on the required essay, academic performance, and the quality of reference letters from the applicant’s coaches and educators.

“Adam came to the Saints from Whitehorse, Yukon as a camp invitee, with nothing more than aspirations of playing Junior A hockey and an unwavering work ethic. He not only made our team, but became an integral part of our club,” said Saints General Manager / Head Coach Steve Hamilton.

“He has spent the entire season as a full-time student, enrolled in online classes at the Lansing Community College, while also holding a part-time job. No other player I have ever coached has had to maintain that type of schedule while being an integral part of our success in the AJHL.”

Henderson has committed to attend the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in 2010-2011. “I believe that Adam has the outstanding work ethic, interpersonal skills, and commitment that will make him an invaluable member of any profession he decides to pursue after graduation from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks,” added Hamilton. He is an extremely worthy candidate for the Enerflex Scholarship and an excellent young man.”

Henderson returned to the Spruce Grove Saints in 2009-2010 for his third season in the AJHL following a year at Michigan State.

Connor Hardowa of the Spruce Grove Saints was the recipient of the 2nd annual Enerflex Scholarship in 2009.

Henderson will be presented with the Scholarship on Saturday, March 6th prior to the 2010 AJHL Enerflex Cup Playoff Game between the hometown Saints and the Bonnyville Pontiacs. The Alberta Junior Hockey League is proud to partner with Enerflex Systems Income Fund as its Championship Sponsor. The AJHL’s sixteen member teams battle for the honour to hoist the Enerflex Cup as AJHL Champion.

Nate Fleming; he’s one dedicated guy

Saints forward Nate Fleming has been named the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Most Dedicated Player. Nate who hails from St. Albert, Alberta was chosen by the coaches around the league as the most dedicated player to his team. Nate amassed 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points in 59 games this season which put him second on the team in scoring. Fleming has been an iron man for the Saints playing in every game with the exception of a night off against Bonnyville at the end of the schedule. Before his one game rest Nate played an astonishing 200 straight games dating back to the 2008/2009 season. Nate was surprised at his nomination but was honoured to receive the award when he got the word.

“I am honoured to be noticed by coaches and teams throughout the league, my consistency in games played combine with my points are most likely why I was chosen. It won’t be in my mind for the next few weeks because I want to win a championship and that’s our main goal.”

Nate thanks his Mother Marguerite, Father Jim, and Brother Carson for getting him to where he is.

By Travis Ziegler

Rolheiser and Marozzi named Top Goaltending Duo

Travis Rolheiser and Vincenzo Marozzi achieved the Top Goaltending Team award for the 2009/2010 regular season. The annual award goes to the goaltenders whose team has the lowest goals against average. The two puck stoppers finished the season with a combine GAA of 1.62. The Saints only allowed 99 goals against through the 60 game schedule setting a league record. Marozzi and Rolheiser also set a combine shutout record with 11 games not allowing any goals. Marozzi was named to the 2010 AJHL All-Star game in January and Rolheiser was recently named The AJHL Goaltender of the year. Rolheiser finished the last season of his junior career with 26 wins through 30 games, a GAA of 1.58, and a SV% of .934. His save percentage was also record breaking, beating the previous mark by .001%.

The goaltending duo has alternated starts throughout the year and has kept close to identical numbers. This is their second season together and they have been the epitome of what a goaltending tandem is supposed to be. Coach Steve Hamilton is confident in putting either goaltender into any situation; they have both faced top level teams this year and have made it possible for the Saints to achieve such a successful regular season. When asked if there is any competition that exists between the two net minders they immediately dismissed the idea.

“We both have a huge desire to win so it doesn’t matter who is playing as long as we win.” (Marozzi)

We have both showed we can get the job done and win the game, we have strong belief in each other and we both want to win a championship.” (Rolheiser)

It isn’t known yet who will dawn the crease for the first game of the playoffs but you can be sure the coaching staff, the players, and the goalie on the bench will have complete confidence.

By Travis Ziegler

Dillon Simpson is named Rookie of the Year

Saint’s defenseman Dillon Simpson has been named the 2010 AJHL Rookie of the Year. Dillon came to the Saints after graduating from the Midget AAA South Side Athletic Club and has been a cornerstone for the Saints defensive core this season. Simpson amassed 41 points in 58 games this season which tied him for second among rookie scorers and placed him fourth in scoring amongst league defenseman. Simpson committed to North Dakota to play for the Fighting Sioux, and will join the club for the 2010-2011 season. He was also named to the 2010 AJHL All-Star game in January. Dillon credits his teammates and coaching staff for his success.

“My coaches have brought me a long way as a player they have given me opportunities and confidence. My teammates have also given me a lot of support, they are all great players and we have success as a team.”

Dillon is honoured to receive the award but continues to focus on the team goal of a championship.

“I keep it in the back of my mind, it adds to my confidence but I will just continue to play my game.”

Simpson would like to thank his Mother Christine for all the time she spent behind the wheel getting him to games, his Father Craig for guidance, motivation, and advice, and his brother Riley and sister Kennedy for their support.

*Dillon’s younger brother Riley was recently named Rookie of the Year for the Bantam AAA North division.

By Travis Ziegler

Saints have New Addition!

The Trade deadline may have been well over a month ago but the Saints have added some new personnel to their organization. Ryan and Kristy Marsh welcomed Sutten Ava Marsh to the world last Monday morning before the Saints took the ice in Drayton Valley. Sutten is the second daughter of Assistant Coach Ryan Marsh and he is extremely proud to give his older daughter Hayden a sister.

“She was 6 pounds 15 ounces and 19 inches long, Mom is good the baby is doing good she’s been a great baby, so far so good.”

Sutten was born the morning of February 15th which is also Family day. The Ryan-less Saints won 8-2 against Drayton Valley that afternoon, a great day for Ryan as a father and a coach.

by Travis Ziegler

Saints Capture Regular Season Title in Record Setting Season

The Spruce Grove Saints have captured the Dave Duchak Trophy for the second consecutive year as the 2009-2010 AJHL Regular Season Champions. The Saints set five League Records as they completed the Regular Season on Sunday with a record of 52-4-1-3 and 108 points.

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Dave Duchak Trophy (10 year history)

2008-2009 -- Spruce Grove Saints (46 wins, 7 loses, 4 ties, 5 overtime loses)

2009-2010 – Spruce Grove Saints (52 wins, 4 loses, 1 tie, 3 overtime loses)

Saints’ Season Closes In On Record

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Saints Eye History

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Saints eye defensive mark as season winds down

By Gord Montgomery

Sports Editor; Spruce Grove Examiner

Instead of just playing out the string the Spruce Grove Saints are playing it tough right to the end of the regular season.

The Saints, who have a commanding lead in the North Division, and the overall standings in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, picked up two more wins on the weekend, bumping their total points to 102, a new club record surpassing last year’s 101, reached in the final contest of the year.

The Saints began their latest winning week by skating to what looked like a rough-and-tumble 5-1 victory in Grande Prairie, the closest team to them in the overall standings although the Storm sit 23 points in arrears. The game’s stat sheet may have been a little misleading however, the Saints bench boss, Steve Hamilton said.

“I think it got a little emotional toward the end of the game but it wasn’t as bad as the box score may have indicated,” he said of the 14 fighting majors and seven roughing minors that were handed out in front of almost 2,800 fans.

“There were a couple of fracases but nothing major. It gets emotional at this time of year. Teams are looking for an edge and an opportunity to plant a seed of doubt.”

As it turned out, the Saints weren’t intimidated in the least by the Storm who didn’t plant anything anywhere, including pucks in the Saints’ net.

“There’s not a team in this league that’s physically stronger and tougher than our team,” Hamilton noted. “I know our guys are confident we can play with anybody.”

As they’ve done all year, the Saints got scoring from a variety of players, as five different guys hit the twine on the night: Bryce Van Branbant, Josh Lazowski, Jordan Draper, Wes McLeod and Adam Henderson.

That aside, the one thing Hamilton was pleased with was allowing the defending AJHL champions just one goal in their own barn in what was likely the Grove’s last real test on the regular season schedule.

“It wasn’t a real classic game,” Hamilton noted, “but we capitalized on some of our chances. It took us a while to get our legs going but we had a strong second period. I thought we defended very well. That was probably the strength of our game. We played a real solid defensive zone game.”

That style of play carried over to Family Day, where the Saints traveled to Drayton Valley and smacked the Thunder 8-2..

“We played pretty well,” the Grove coach stated. “I didn’t think it was our finest hour but we got an early lead and sometimes it’s tough to stay completely dialed in then.”

Goals in that game came from Brett Switzer, Josh Keizer (2) and Dillon Simpson in the opening period and Kodie Curran and Draper in the second. Curran and Switzer each netted their second in the final period to complete the big win.

By giving up only the three goals on the weekend, the Saints have a mark sitting in front of them that has the team’s collective interest — allowing less than 100 goals against in a 60-game schedule. Through 57 contests they’ve given up a measly 95.

“I think there’s been a ton of pride taken in our goals-against this year,” the coach said. “It’s a real reflection of the team and that’s why it’s a stat the guys are really proud of. There is definitely some motivation there in that we have a chance to do something special.”

With that end goal to work toward, Hamilton said the club will also focus on preparing properly for each game that remains in the regular season, including their final one at home on Friday, Feb. 19, against the Bonnyville Pontiacs at 7 p.m. Their last league game is Sunday in Sherwood Park.

Then, after a layoff due to earning the first round bye in the playoffs, they’ll start a whole new season looking to keep the flow going that they built up in this past regular season.

League award nominees

Three Saints players and their coach have been nominated for AJHL Awards, which were announced Tuesday.

The odds-on favourite in the Rookie of the Year balloting has to be the Saints Dillon Simpson while Nate Fleming got the nod for the Most Dedicated Player honour. Rounding out the trio of Saints picked for the final four names for voting (two from each division) was Travis Roheiser in the Top Goaltender category, who also has to be favoured given his year’s stats.

Finally, Steve Hamilton looks to retain his title as Coach of the Year in the AJHL.

The winners will be announced on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

ex.rep.sports@bowesnet.com

Saints within striking distance of a number of league records

By Gord Montgomery

Sports Editor, Spruce Grove Examiner

Even though there’s still three weeks to go in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) schedule, the Spruce Grove Saints have wrapped up their second straight regular season title.

Despite that, their head coach says, they aren’t getting wrapped up in several league records they may be close to setting.

As of Feb. 2 with nine games remaining in their regular season, the Saints still had a shot at tying the AJHL record for most wins by a team in a season, 52, established in the 1999-2000 season by the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.

The Saints can also set a team record for wins in a year, 46, a number they reached last year.

The Grove squad can also top McMurray’s record for points in a season by winning all their remaining games. The 20 points that would give them would be two more than the Oil Barons present record mark of 106, also set in 1999-2000.

One of the marks the Saints can equal if they win, or tie, every game from here on out is for the fewest losses in a season. That mark sits at four, set by Olds in 1993-94 in a 56-game schedule.

As for their own record for fewest losses, the Saints picked that up last year, suffering only seven losses in the regular season of 62 games.

The one mark that seems almost destined to be broken this year by the Saints is the one for fewest goals allowed during the regular season.

That stands at 110 right now but having given up only 86 goals in their first 51 games, an average of 1.70 per game, it would seem the local club could rewrite that mark. The AJHL’s present record was established by Fort McMurray in 2005-06.

If nothing else, they’ll most likely set a new team mark, considering the fewest the club had allowed prior to this season was during last year, when they gave up 139.

A large part of the Saints success this season can be attributed to the duo of goaltenders, Vincenzo Marozzi and Travis Rolheiser, that they throw out on a rotating basis.

Both tenders are in the hunt for the best-ever goals-against average (GAA), set by the Oil Barons Jimmy Bernier in 2005-06 at 1.64.

As of Feb. 2, Marozzi was at 1.67 while Rolheiser was at 1.66.

Also, both have a shot at the save percentage record, presently held by a former Stony Plain minor hockey player, Ryan Rondeau who set the standard of .933 when he played in Canmore with the Eagles in 2005-06, in 25 games.

Marozzi had a save percentage of 93.4 after 26 games while Rolheiser had a mark of 93.2 in 25 games.

In regard to the possible new records his club could set, head coach/general manager Steve Hamilton said those are things no one on his club, coaches and players alike, focuses on.

“As a group we’ve never discussed any kind of regular season records. That’s a little bit big picture. We just want to focus a little bit more on game in and game out. People are aware we’ve had some success and we want to make sure we keep it in perspective,” a way in which records are often set.

ex.rep.sports@bowesnet.com

Saints take first overall with two more wins

By Gord Montgomery

Sports editor, Spruce Grove Examiner

The way Steve Hamilton saw it, the sooner his team, the Spruce Grove Saints clinched the overall title in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) the better.

And no, he isn’t concerned that clinching the second straight regular season title for the team is coming too early. That happened Tuesday night, as the Saints downed the Sherwood Park Crusaders 5-3 to earn their second Dave Duchak Trophy in as many years as the overall league champs.

That though, Hamilton said, doesn’t mean once first place overall is reached the team will slow down its pace of play.

“We’ve talked a lot about consistency and the importance of just playing well on a nightly basis,” he said, which also included a 6-3 victory in Fort McMurray.

“We really haven’t looked a lot at the big picture this year. We’ve just tried to focus on the day to day.”

Keeping the club sharp through the rest of the regular season won’t be that tough a task although nothing’s really been put into place as of yet, the head coach/general manager noted.

“We’re going to do some different things this year. We haven’t completely decided what that’s going to look like but we want to learn from the past. I didn’t think the bye (in the first round of playoffs) last year was a huge determining factor in the outcome of the playoffs. We were a little out of synch, but that was likely more to do with other factors and less to do with the break. We’re just going to take the time to be as well prepared as we can.”

In that regard, Hamilton said some younger players would get the chance to step into AJ action, given that some of his vets are limping right now.

“Just based on injuries and availability of our guys at this time we don’t have a lot of wiggle room. We have a handful of guys out so we might be using affiliates as soon as tomorrow (Tuesday). We make those decisions as it goes so I’m not quite sure right now.”

The one thing about their remaining nine league games Hamilton said, is that they’re all against teams battling for playoff positioning, so his team can’t afford to take them lightly.

“There’s a lot to be decided still in the North and we don’t have any more games against the South,” meaning the points at stake are important for their opponents. “The teams we play are still in the hunt. We want to make sure we’re prepared on a nightly basis.”

“It was a good win. We got some timely scoring. I thought we were a little sloppy with the puck and created some opportunities for them. The timely scoring was big though. It seemed every time they got close we found a way to get one more in.

The Saints are at home again on Friday night (Feb. 5) when they host the Bonnyville Pontiacs in a 7 p.m. start at the Grant Fuhr Arena.

All-stars shine

The Grove’s Kodie Curran was named the top player of the AJHL All Star game played in Fort McMurray on the weekend. He recorded two goals and three helpers in the North’s wild 14-9 win over the South.

Dillon Simpson had three helpers in the game with Nate Fleming scoring two goals and adding an assist while Josh Lazowski garnered two assists in the win.

Ex.rep.sports@bowesnet.com

Saints continue to stretch out lead in AJHL

By Gord Montgomery

Sports Editor

Spruce Grove Examiner

Good teams are always being tested so when your head coach, a teacher by profession, says you’ve done A-OK in his books in what was essentially a month of tests, you know you’re making the grade.

That’s been the case for the Spruce Grove Saints, the No. 1 team in both the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and the country in the CHL rankings, as they’ve gone 9-1 in their last 10 games, including two impressive home-ice wins last weekend.

In the first of those, the Saints avenged their only loss in 2010 by downing the AJHL’s second-place team, the Grande Prairie Storm 3-2. The Saints then whacked the AJ North’s third-place team, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons 7-1, to show they aren’t letting up even though they’ve built a huge lead in the overall standings.

The team’s head coach and general manager, Steve Hamilton, said he likes what he sees night in and night out from his team, especially given the fact the month of January was a tough test to show just how good this club is.

“Just looking at the schedule we knew it’d be a tough grind and we’ve done a pretty good job of holding up our end of the bargain,” he said following the weekend. “With the exception of the (first) Grande Prairie game (a 3-2 loss on home ice on Jan. 15) we’ve pretty much run the table and that would have been a tall order had you asked me earlier in the season.”

The key to the recent success, Hamilton feels, isn’t due to just one thing. In fact he says, winning at a .900 percentage means just about all facets of the team’s game are clicking.

“You know, it’s just consistency night in and night out. We’ve never lost a game by more than a goal this year and we’ve found a way to be in every hockey game. If you give yourself a chance it’s going to be a lot of different factors when you win, but we really feel we’ve given ourselves a good opportunity (to win) every night.”

The opportunity for redemption against the only team to have beaten them this year was seized upon early by the Saints, who threw everything they had at the Storm in the opening 10 or 12 minutes. They totally dominated the opening period, out-shooting the visitors 19-5.

In a mirror image of the game the previous week, the Saints jumped to a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes before seeing the Storm charge back to make it close, but lose by a single goal.

“I thought we came out energized and kind of set the tone. They had a great rally early in the third,” said Hamilton. “We were wobbled but not shaken. We bounced back well and finished it off. It’s always a tight game with them and even with a 3-0 lead against them you can’t think it’s over.”

Scoring for the Saints in the win were Adam Henderson and Ryan Kerr with two, including the winner on the power play late in the second.

Hamilton went on to explain the comeback attempt by the Storm isn't out of the ordinary in this league.

“Their first goal hit our goaltender in the glove. If that shot gets squeezed, it’s the end of the play,” and still 3-0.

"The second goal hit a shin pad and redirected into the net and suddenly it’s 3-2. But, they also had some chances that didn’t go in. A team that good is always going to have life.”

There wasn’t much life in the Oil Barons the next night, as again the Saints scored early.

Leading 1-0 after one, the Saints fired 23 shots on goal in the second to jump to a 4-1 lead which they were never in danger of relinquishing.

“I thought our offence was pretty good that night,” Hamilton related. “Our power play was good. We capitalized on some chances we had. We played a pretty good three period game; a 60-minute effort.”

Goals came from Joshua Lazowski (2), Wes McLeod, Kerr, Jordan Draper, Scott Allen and Liam Darragh.

With several regular season games remaining, but holding a rather commanding 17-point lead in the overall standings in the AJHL over the Storm, Hamilton said his team won’t lie down and relax. There is, he noted, still work to be done.

“We just want to continue to play well and be hard to play against,” which has been the case from the beginning until now for the Saints.

The Saints are on the road this weekend in Fort McMurray for a single game as well as the league's all-star contest.

The team returns home next week when they play host to the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and Bonnyville on Friday, Feb. 5 at the Grant Fuhr Arena.

Power play

The Saints youngest player has accepted an NCAA scholarship offer.

Dillon Simpson, 16, has committed to play with the University of North Dakota’s Fighting Sioux. No year was put on the press release as to when he'd be playing at the highly-regarded hockey school.

“Dillon has been an integral part of our team success this season,” Hamilton said of the young defenceman who has eight goals and 26 assists to date. “He has developed into the top-level defenceman that we have come to rely on in every situation. At times, it is hard to believe that he is only 16 years old. His poise and confidence are mature beyond his years.”

ex.rep.sports@bowesnet.com