nivek_wahs
10-05-2007, 09:41 AM
http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=68552&sc=5
Last updated at 10:17 AM on 04/10/07
McDonald welcomes chance to be creative
Hometown Raider afforded 'chance to be a dangler and a scorer'
RYAN BOULTON
Herald Staff
Ryan McDonald has shown early in the 2007-08 WHL season that he's more than capable of leading the Prince Albert Raiders' offence.
And you can bet the slick-stickhandling sniper will treat his hometown fans to some delightful dangling along the way.
The Raider leader in goals with five, the 19-year-old centre had scored in three straight games after a tally Tuesday in a 6-2 loss to the Tigers in Medicine Hat.
He was held off the scoresheet Wednesday, but the Raiders downed the Kootenay Ice 2-1 in Cranbrook, B.C.
With Prince Albert's thin outlook in the scoring department, McDonald will be asked to continue this production.
In the Raiders' home-ice win over Swift Current last week, McDonald's first of two goals on the night proved to be the winner.
McDonald pulled out a few tricks against Red Deer, one of which led to an early Prince Albert lead on a play in which he looked to have taken himself out of a scoring position but still managed to find the back of the net. And he nearly had another with a quick wrist shot, but rang it off the post.
McDonald could be on his way to a breakout year, and it could be fun to watch for Prince Albert hockey fans.
"I like to hold on to the puck, I like the toe drags, stuff like that. It's fun to be creative out there," McDonald said following a 2-1 overtime loss to the Rebels on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.
"They are giving me that chance here and I like to show what I can do."
Last season, McDonald had 27 goals and 50 points in 67 games split between Prince Albert and the Regina Pats. But with four markers thus far, the hometown kid is on an early pace to shatter that mark.
Comfortable in the sniper's role, McDonald says coming home to Prince Albert might have been the best thing to happen in his budding hockey career.
Now in his fourth junior season, the one-time Prince Albert Minto feels he is capable of being an offensive leader. If the early evidence is any indication, it might not be too much to ask at all for rookie head coach Bruno Campese.
"Going up into the (WHL) early, I kind of got away from that (creative-style player) and became the dump-and-chase, play-more-of-the-position-type player," said McDonald. "But since I have been here, I've been given the chance to be a dangler and a scorer like I usually was before. I want to take advantage of that and I think I can."
While you can teach structure and a style of play, pure goal-scoring tends to be a natural ability. McDonald credits it to growing up with a solid group in the city's East End, and to hours upon hours spent on the frozen surface.
"My dad made a rink for us and I remember being out there forever and just doing whatever we wanted," said McDonald. "That and going down to the local shinny rink when you are young.
"There were a lot of guys there who went on to play in the (WHL) as well. And when you were young and made someone look stupid, they'd all give you a 'woo' and it'd make you play better," said McDonald.
Now the "woos" he likes to hear are from the Raider faithful. And while it's been a rough opening to the season for the team, the significance of playing at home is never lost.
"On opening night, hearing them say 'a product of Prince Albert,' it gave me the tingles and let me know it's for real," said McDonald. "I maybe didn't realize it as much last year, but it's really great to be able to play here and it helped, I think, too."
Raider general manager Donn Clark puts McDonald high on his short list of nearly indispensables at this point. Clark feels McDonald, along with fellow Prince Albert product Matt Robertson, have the ability to reach 50 goals this season. If he continues as he has, McDonald could better that, but it's a long season.
"Ryan McDonald is a guy who can score in this league and will get a lot of chance to do that with us this season," Clark said during the pre-season.
"He has the ability and I think he can have a big year."
Raiders' butler stymies ice
CRANBROOK, B.C. (CP) - Dustin Butler made 31 saves to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 2-1 win over the Kootenay Ice in Western Hockey League play Wednesday night.
Devon LeBlanc and Blaine Tendler scored as the Raiders improved to 2-3-1 with their first road win of the young season.
After a goal-less first period, LeBlanc opened the scoring early in the middle frame. Arnaud Jacquemet countered at 17:08 of the second with a power-play goal for the Ice (2-5-0), but Tendler netted the winner barely a minute later.
Thomas Heemskerk stopped 23 shots in a losing effort.
The Raiders have today off before visiting the expansion Oil Kings on Friday in Edmonton.
Prince Albert visits Red Deer on Saturday and concludes a five-game trip Sunday in Calgary.
Last updated at 10:17 AM on 04/10/07
McDonald welcomes chance to be creative
Hometown Raider afforded 'chance to be a dangler and a scorer'
RYAN BOULTON
Herald Staff
Ryan McDonald has shown early in the 2007-08 WHL season that he's more than capable of leading the Prince Albert Raiders' offence.
And you can bet the slick-stickhandling sniper will treat his hometown fans to some delightful dangling along the way.
The Raider leader in goals with five, the 19-year-old centre had scored in three straight games after a tally Tuesday in a 6-2 loss to the Tigers in Medicine Hat.
He was held off the scoresheet Wednesday, but the Raiders downed the Kootenay Ice 2-1 in Cranbrook, B.C.
With Prince Albert's thin outlook in the scoring department, McDonald will be asked to continue this production.
In the Raiders' home-ice win over Swift Current last week, McDonald's first of two goals on the night proved to be the winner.
McDonald pulled out a few tricks against Red Deer, one of which led to an early Prince Albert lead on a play in which he looked to have taken himself out of a scoring position but still managed to find the back of the net. And he nearly had another with a quick wrist shot, but rang it off the post.
McDonald could be on his way to a breakout year, and it could be fun to watch for Prince Albert hockey fans.
"I like to hold on to the puck, I like the toe drags, stuff like that. It's fun to be creative out there," McDonald said following a 2-1 overtime loss to the Rebels on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.
"They are giving me that chance here and I like to show what I can do."
Last season, McDonald had 27 goals and 50 points in 67 games split between Prince Albert and the Regina Pats. But with four markers thus far, the hometown kid is on an early pace to shatter that mark.
Comfortable in the sniper's role, McDonald says coming home to Prince Albert might have been the best thing to happen in his budding hockey career.
Now in his fourth junior season, the one-time Prince Albert Minto feels he is capable of being an offensive leader. If the early evidence is any indication, it might not be too much to ask at all for rookie head coach Bruno Campese.
"Going up into the (WHL) early, I kind of got away from that (creative-style player) and became the dump-and-chase, play-more-of-the-position-type player," said McDonald. "But since I have been here, I've been given the chance to be a dangler and a scorer like I usually was before. I want to take advantage of that and I think I can."
While you can teach structure and a style of play, pure goal-scoring tends to be a natural ability. McDonald credits it to growing up with a solid group in the city's East End, and to hours upon hours spent on the frozen surface.
"My dad made a rink for us and I remember being out there forever and just doing whatever we wanted," said McDonald. "That and going down to the local shinny rink when you are young.
"There were a lot of guys there who went on to play in the (WHL) as well. And when you were young and made someone look stupid, they'd all give you a 'woo' and it'd make you play better," said McDonald.
Now the "woos" he likes to hear are from the Raider faithful. And while it's been a rough opening to the season for the team, the significance of playing at home is never lost.
"On opening night, hearing them say 'a product of Prince Albert,' it gave me the tingles and let me know it's for real," said McDonald. "I maybe didn't realize it as much last year, but it's really great to be able to play here and it helped, I think, too."
Raider general manager Donn Clark puts McDonald high on his short list of nearly indispensables at this point. Clark feels McDonald, along with fellow Prince Albert product Matt Robertson, have the ability to reach 50 goals this season. If he continues as he has, McDonald could better that, but it's a long season.
"Ryan McDonald is a guy who can score in this league and will get a lot of chance to do that with us this season," Clark said during the pre-season.
"He has the ability and I think he can have a big year."
Raiders' butler stymies ice
CRANBROOK, B.C. (CP) - Dustin Butler made 31 saves to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 2-1 win over the Kootenay Ice in Western Hockey League play Wednesday night.
Devon LeBlanc and Blaine Tendler scored as the Raiders improved to 2-3-1 with their first road win of the young season.
After a goal-less first period, LeBlanc opened the scoring early in the middle frame. Arnaud Jacquemet countered at 17:08 of the second with a power-play goal for the Ice (2-5-0), but Tendler netted the winner barely a minute later.
Thomas Heemskerk stopped 23 shots in a losing effort.
The Raiders have today off before visiting the expansion Oil Kings on Friday in Edmonton.
Prince Albert visits Red Deer on Saturday and concludes a five-game trip Sunday in Calgary.