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witness
08-02-2006, 11:33 AM
Congratulations to Nick for making the U 18 squad. It will be a great experience to help his hockey growth.

To bad for Brett. He didn't survive the cuts. But, I do look for really good things from him this year. He was hampered with injuries l for the majority of the season last year. I am looking for him to start asserting himself (physically) and will be effective with increased ice time.

Some_Arrogant_Jerk
08-02-2006, 01:01 PM
Good for Nick, I knew he was going to make the team all along. He should make a huge difference on defence this tournament, and he will most likely learn alot.

I thought brett was going to make the team, too bad. Im not sure if he got enough playing time and experience this year, due to injuries, unlike Nick. He also got really sick and lost alot of weight during the playoffs against saskatoon, when most of the team got the flu during the end of the series.

But I expect him, and Nick to contribute alot to the team this year, Nick should get even more playing time on defence, and Brett will be consistantly playing this year on a 2nd line, maybe third, which is pretty good for a kid his age.

patsfan33
08-02-2006, 01:37 PM
Tough break for Leffs, but congrats to Ross! This kid layed out a few big hits :D during camp and notched an assist along the way. Good luck in the upcoming tourney and don't be shy with those hipchecks... the opposition won't know what hit em. :thumb:

Definately can't wait to see this one back in a Pats jersey this season!

Number_4
08-03-2006, 04:03 PM
From reginapats.com


August 3, 2006

Greg Harder, Leader-Post

Ross cracks under-18 roster

The puck will drop a little earlier this season for Regina Pats defenceman Nick Ross.

The 17-year-old Lethbridge native was among 22 players named Wednesday to Canada's entry in the Junior World Cup, which starts Tuesday in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

"This is a great chance to go play international hockey," said Ross, who watched Pats teammate Logan Pyett win a gold medal at the same event last summer.

"It's huge. I've been thinking about it ever since last year when Pyett went. I wanted to play this so bad."

Pyett has been quick to offer encouragement.

"I talked to him a little bit about it," Ross said. "He was on MSN the other day and told me 'good luck' and just to try hard."

Ross's excitement was slightly tempered Wednesday by some unfortunate news for another member of the Pats. Forward Brett Leffler was among the cuts from a group of 44 which opened a four-day training camp on Saturday in Calgary.

"We were on the same (intrasquad) team and we hung out together a lot during this week," noted Ross. "It was disappointing but you can't really do much about it."

Ross and Leffler were both in tough to crack a roster which some consider the strongest group Canada has ever sent to the under-18 championship. The team will need to rely on its depth after losing two key forwards -- Logan Couture of the Ottawa 67's and Oshawa Generals star John Tavares -- to leg injuries during camp.

Angelo Esposito of the Quebec Remparts and Brandon Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels lead Canada into a tournament which it has won 11 of the past 12 years.

"It was a really difficult week (of workouts)," Ross said after the tryout camp ended. "Everyone was giving it 110 (per cent). There are a lot of fast guys out there. All around it was a really tough camp. I tried really hard and I came to camp in pretty good shape. I think I played pretty physical. Things just kind of fell into place."

This will be the first trip overseas for Ross, who played for Team Pacific at last year's World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Regina.

"I want to play really well and get some more exposure," added Ross, noting that the under-18 experience should put him in top form when the Pats open training camp on Aug. 30.

"You get all the kinks out of your game early. I'll have already been playing competitive hockey so I should come into Pats camp in pretty good shape, which should be good."

Team Canada is scheduled to fly to Europe today and play an exhibition game against the Czech Republic on Sunday. The Canadians open the tournament Tuesday against Switzerland.

NOTE: The summer development camp for Canada's world junior team concluded Friday in Calgary. Pats head coach Curtis Hunt is an assistant on the team. Among the 44 players who participated were Moose Jaw Warriors forwards Kenndal McArdle and Riley Holzapfel, a native of Regina. Holzapfel was a last-minute addition due to injury. The team's final tryout camp is slated for mid-December.

patsfan33
08-09-2006, 02:11 PM
Our #29 got himself a goal in Canada's win today over the Swedes via his signature shot from the point...keep it comin' kid! :thumb:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/PatsFan21/teamcanada.jpg

nivek_wahs
08-15-2006, 03:39 PM
from reginapats.com via the LeaderPost


Golden Experience for Ross
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
August 15, 2006

From lost luggage to some offensive local cuisine, the start of Nick Ross's first trip to Europe had all the trimmings of a vacation from hell.

It turned out just the opposite.

"It was probably the greatest time of my life," offered the Regina Pats defenceman after returning home from the world under-18 hockey championship in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

"It was a great experience. The gold-medal game against the U.S.A. (which Canada won 3-0 on Saturday), what more can you ask for? It was the greatest feeling ever."

Team chemistry was a key for the Canadians, who held a four-day tryout camp in Calgary prior to the tournament. A total of 44 players were invited to the camp, but just 22 made the cut.

"On the ice, game by game, every day we got closer," said Ross, who had to go shopping for new equipment in Europe after his old gear went missing in transit. "We were all pretty good friends right at the start. By the time we hit the plane, it was like you'd known every guy for 10 years. That helped winning the gold."

Ross said the players ate a lot of pizza on the trip because the hotel food was "questionable." The long flight to and from Prague wasn't much more appealing to Ross, who got sick on the way back to Canada and was still shaking off the effects of jetlag Monday afternoon while relaxing at home in Lethbridge.

The team's post-game celebration was also surprisingly low-key.

"We had to wake up at three in the morning the next day to go home so that kind of ruined the parade a bit," he said with a laugh. "But everyone was still really excited. Even in the airport we were all holding up the trophy and everyone was asking us about it. It was pretty fun."

Ross was accompanied on the trip by Pats assistant coach Terry Perkins, who served as the team's video co-ordinator. Perkins was already back at the office Monday morning but still found time to reflect on the experience.

"That's probably why I don't feel too tired," he said with a laugh. "I'm still pretty excited about it all."

Canada dominated the field at the under-18 tournament, which was re-named this year from the Junior World Cup to the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The team went undefeated en route to winning Canada's 10th gold medal in the past 11 years.

"The group of players we had was absolutely outstanding," noted Perkins. "It really amazed me how they stayed calm and didn't get rattled about anything. They just went about their business and got better every day as a team. I credit the Hockey Canada people for preparing them too, but the character of these individuals is second to none.

"This '89 (age) group that Canada has is a really special group," he added. "I didn't think there was a team over there that was near as a good as we were."

Ross was a key contributor on defence, even though he started out as the team's fifth or sixth rearguard.

Perkins, who had previous coaching experience at the world under-17 level, is hoping to get more opportunities down the road with Hockey Canada. Pats head coach Curtis Hunt is also working his way up the ladder, having worked twice as an assistant at the under-18 level. Hunt was recently named an assistant coach on this year's world junior team.

"I can't say enough about the opportunity," added Perkins. "It's a program I'd love to be part of for a long time and do as many steps as I can. It's always such a positive experience. The expectations cannot get any higher than when you're with Team Canada. There's a certain amount of pressure that comes with that but I think it brings the best out of people."