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| 2005-06 SEASON PREVIEW |
| The RMC Paladins hit the ice this week as they opened up their training camp for the 2005-06 OUA varsity hockey season. The Paladins look to equal or better their school record setting 2004-05 season (8-10-0-6 for 22 pts second in the OUA Mid East Division). Led by Head Coach Kelly Nobes who is entering his fifth season behind the bench, RMC is looking forward to the start of the season. In each of his five years as head coach, Nobes has taken RMC to the playoffs but has not been able to get past the second round and this year they look to do so.
Gone from last years team are OUA leading scorer Tyler Middlebrook (OUA East Division Second All Star Team), the teams second leading scorer Louis Charland, and stalwarts Adrian Hartley, Jeff Todd and Jessi Bruni. Despite the loss of these core players coach Kelly Nobes has high hopes for a team that will feature 15 returning players plus a solid recruiting class. The Paladins look solid in net as Blair Robertson returns for his third season. Last year he recorded a 6-10-0-6 record and a 4.63 GAA as a OUA workhorse playing all but 80 minutes of last year. Vying for playing time will be Matt Hartney a former AJHL All Star and University of Saskatchewan product and Adam Briggs (Pictou, NS) - Charlottetown Abbies (MarJHL). Briggs is a Goaltender, a 2-time CJHL All-Star and 2-time Team MVP of the Brockville Braves Brent Maurice an offensive defenseman who was named an OUA East Division Second All Star Team member will lead the defensive core. Limited to only 14 games last year due to a severe ankle sprain, Maurice notched 17 points and was the quarterback of the powerplay. Joining Maurice is Ian Miller who was named to the OUA Rookie All Star Team. Miller came on strong in the second half of the season and looks to carry that momentum into this year. Joining the defense core is Matt Fetzner of the Royal Bank Cup Champions Weyburn Red Wings in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Sean Dickson from the Brockville Braves in the Central Junior Hockey League. Prior to joining the Weyburn Red Wings Fetzner played parts of 4 seasons in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurrincanes, Portland Winter Hawks and Saskatoon Blades. In 52 games with the Red Wings, Fetzner had 3 goals, 13 assists and 158 penalty minutes. The 6�2�� 215lbs Dickson tallied 3 goals and 7 assists and 100 penalty minutes in 52 games last season. Up front RMC is returning a key core of veterans led by Team Captain Pat McDonald. McDonald is entering his fourth year and the power forward is a dominating presence on and off the ice. Last year McDonald notced 7 goals, 3 assists for 10 points. The other veterans are speedy Tyler McTavish who joins McDonald on the power line and crafty Nick Cregan who notched 14 points last year. RMC also boasts a large group of dominating sophomores led by All Rookie selection Roman Srutek who had 9 goals and 10 assists for 19 points in his rookie season and Dion Lahoda who notched 7 goals 13 assist for 20 points tying him for second on the team in scoring. Also in the returning sophomore class are Luke Pierce and Duaine Fetzner. New to the Paladins this year are Paul Bradley of the Canmore Eagles of the AJHL, Ryan Lahie (Hamilton, ON) - Thorold Blackhawks (GHJHL), Matt Millberry of the Brockville Braves and Adam Purdy a 6�1� 210 left winger from the Kanata Stalliions of the Central Junior Hockey League. Bradley led the Eagles in scoring in 2004-05 with 29 Goals and 28 assists for 54 points in 64 games. Bradley was named the MVP of the AJHL all-star game, Lahie is a power forward who led the Jr B Golden Horseshoe League in scoring in 2002-2003, Milberry netted 10 goals, 18 assists and 127 penalty minutes last year while Purdy had 9 goals and 27 assists and 116 minutes in penalties in 55 games. |
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