lordstanley
01-22-2010, 11:59 AM
Hamilton returns after two-month absence
BY CORY WOLFE, THE STARPHOENIXJANUARY 22, 2010
- ICE (29-15-1-2) AT BLADES (32-9-2-3), 7 P.M., CREDIT UNION CENTRE
Curtis Hamilton's on-ice instincts might be a little dull tonight, but his skates won't be.
Nearly two months have passed since Hamilton lost an edge and broke his collarbone while representing Team WHL in the Subway Series. He returns to the Saskatoon Blades' lineup tonight after missing 21 games.
"I've been in a couple of contact practices now and gotten a few bumps in," Hamilton said Thursday. "It will be an adjustment with timing and stuff like that but hopefully I'll be ready to go."
Hamilton originally planned to resume playing Jan. 9, but his return was delayed because X-rays showed that the fracture was healing slower than expected. As a precaution, Hamilton also sat out Wednesday's Top Prospects Game in Windsor.
"The doctors didn't want me to risk playing and breaking it again because then I'd be out until playoffs," he said. "It was kind of a mutual decision between myself, (Blades coach-GM) Lorne (Molleken) and my agent to sit out (the Top Prospects Game) and be ready for this weekend."
The East-leading Blades face some stiff competition. Tonight at Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon aims to end the Kootenay Ice's 13-game winning streak. The test doesn't get any easier Saturday when the Brandon Wheat Kings come to town.
Hamilton's return goes give the Blades some welcome flexibility, though.
"He adds another dimension on the power play and with penalty killing," said Molleken. "There's going to be an adjustment period for him as far as getting his game conditioning and timing back, but he's a big body with good offensive instincts and he's really responsible away from the puck."
Hamilton lines up on the left side of centre Marek Viedensky, whom the Blades acquired from Prince George earlier this month. Josh Nicholls patrols the right side. The hope is to create some consistent secondary scoring behind the first line of Gaelan Patterson, Derek Hulak and Walker Wintoneak.
"That's a pretty skilled line, so we'll see where that goes," Molleken said of the Viedensky unit. "They can all skate and they all see the ice extremely well. Curtis is probably the goal scorer on that line right now, so we're hoping we can get him some pucks so that he can score some goals for us."
Viedensky and Nicholls have already been working on their chemistry. Nicholls set up Viedensky for his first goal as a Blade last week during a 4-3 win in Swift Current.
"He knows where I am," Viedensky said of Nicholls. "It was a really nice pass. Hammy has good skills, too, and he should score goals."
The Blades might have to pile up plenty of goals to keep pace with the Ice. Kootenay has averaged five goals per game during its stellar run, which includes an 8-1 victory over Saskatoon on Jan. 6 in Cranbrook.
Although that game marked the end of a six-game road trip for the Blades, Molleken dismissed fatigue as a factor.
"You give (Kootenay) credit for kicking our ass last time," he said. "They came hard at us and we didn't counter what they put on the table.
"Our players all understand what type of effort we're going to need (tonight) to win a hockey game."http://www.thestarphoenix.com/sports/hockey/blades-hockey/Hamilton+returns+after+month+absence/2471157/story.html
BY CORY WOLFE, THE STARPHOENIXJANUARY 22, 2010
- ICE (29-15-1-2) AT BLADES (32-9-2-3), 7 P.M., CREDIT UNION CENTRE
Curtis Hamilton's on-ice instincts might be a little dull tonight, but his skates won't be.
Nearly two months have passed since Hamilton lost an edge and broke his collarbone while representing Team WHL in the Subway Series. He returns to the Saskatoon Blades' lineup tonight after missing 21 games.
"I've been in a couple of contact practices now and gotten a few bumps in," Hamilton said Thursday. "It will be an adjustment with timing and stuff like that but hopefully I'll be ready to go."
Hamilton originally planned to resume playing Jan. 9, but his return was delayed because X-rays showed that the fracture was healing slower than expected. As a precaution, Hamilton also sat out Wednesday's Top Prospects Game in Windsor.
"The doctors didn't want me to risk playing and breaking it again because then I'd be out until playoffs," he said. "It was kind of a mutual decision between myself, (Blades coach-GM) Lorne (Molleken) and my agent to sit out (the Top Prospects Game) and be ready for this weekend."
The East-leading Blades face some stiff competition. Tonight at Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon aims to end the Kootenay Ice's 13-game winning streak. The test doesn't get any easier Saturday when the Brandon Wheat Kings come to town.
Hamilton's return goes give the Blades some welcome flexibility, though.
"He adds another dimension on the power play and with penalty killing," said Molleken. "There's going to be an adjustment period for him as far as getting his game conditioning and timing back, but he's a big body with good offensive instincts and he's really responsible away from the puck."
Hamilton lines up on the left side of centre Marek Viedensky, whom the Blades acquired from Prince George earlier this month. Josh Nicholls patrols the right side. The hope is to create some consistent secondary scoring behind the first line of Gaelan Patterson, Derek Hulak and Walker Wintoneak.
"That's a pretty skilled line, so we'll see where that goes," Molleken said of the Viedensky unit. "They can all skate and they all see the ice extremely well. Curtis is probably the goal scorer on that line right now, so we're hoping we can get him some pucks so that he can score some goals for us."
Viedensky and Nicholls have already been working on their chemistry. Nicholls set up Viedensky for his first goal as a Blade last week during a 4-3 win in Swift Current.
"He knows where I am," Viedensky said of Nicholls. "It was a really nice pass. Hammy has good skills, too, and he should score goals."
The Blades might have to pile up plenty of goals to keep pace with the Ice. Kootenay has averaged five goals per game during its stellar run, which includes an 8-1 victory over Saskatoon on Jan. 6 in Cranbrook.
Although that game marked the end of a six-game road trip for the Blades, Molleken dismissed fatigue as a factor.
"You give (Kootenay) credit for kicking our ass last time," he said. "They came hard at us and we didn't counter what they put on the table.
"Our players all understand what type of effort we're going to need (tonight) to win a hockey game."http://www.thestarphoenix.com/sports/hockey/blades-hockey/Hamilton+returns+after+month+absence/2471157/story.html