2010-2011 Season Underway!

THE NEW SEASON IS UNDERWAY!

Shelburne's Red Wings win inaugural game in Toronto / Elliot Lake gets off to fast start / Jamestown to host first game in the U.S.

Summer has come and gone, Autumn has arrived, and with it, the Fifth Anniversary season for the Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League.

The GMHL has undergone more changes this season, with new teams in Sturgeon Falls, the All-Russian Red Wings in Shelburne, and in a late summer move, the league ventured south of the border to accept our first U.S. based team, the Jamestown Jets in Jamestown, N.Y.

The latter situation has provided for some hectic issues these last few weeks, particularly with the revision of our schedule, which, along with the decision to launch a new website, forces us to start the season playing catch-up to an extent.

We're confident that the 2010-2011 campaign will be our most interesting yet and it will only be a short period of time before all of our modifications will be sorted out, smoothed over and be well worth it in the end.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

A handful of games were played last week to get the season going and there has been some great action already.

Elliot Lake, regular season champions of a year ago, hit the ice flying, with convincing 7-2 and 9-3 wins over the new Lumberjacks of Sturgeon Falls, and Powassan Dragons respectively.  The Bobcats look strong again as they begin their quest to repeat as regular season champs, but hopefully make the next step and challenge for the Russell Cup.

Shelburne's Red Wings visited Toronto to get their GMHL experience started, and after a Moose goal with a minute left in the game to tie the game at 4's, the Wings came away with the victory 13 seconds later when the puck hit a Toronto D'man in the chest and ended up in the Moose net.  Alexander Nikulnikov got credit for the goal, to go along with three earlier goals to give him 4 on the night and establish himself already as a player to keep an eye on.

Bradford saw it's first action, when the Red Wings visited the very next night, and in front of a 300 plus crowd in Bradford, which included numerous members of the military and a memorable opening ceremony honouring Brian Collier, a 24 year native of Bradford, killed in action serving our country in Afghanistan.  In a wide open hockey game, Bradford found itself down 7-5 late in the third, only to respond with 6 goals in six minutes to win going away, 11-7.

The new Stugeon Falls Lumberjacks responded to the loss in Elliot Lake with their first-ever victory, taking out their cousins in Powassan 5-2.  The Dragons were a first year club last season, and both clubs are owned by North Bay's Lui Ricci.  The Dragons pursued a larger number of European players this season, and after running a camp overseas recently, have loaded up their team with some quality players from Poland.

Lastly, the new week has already begun with a victory by defending GMHL Champion Deseronto Storm finally subduing a stubborn Algoma Avalanche side, 7-4, but tonight will see the GMHL's first official league game taking place in the U.S., when the Lumberjacks visit Jamestown for the official opener and inaugural game for the Jets.

THE GMHL wishes everyone involved with the league a fantastic season, and we thank you for your patience with our schedule and our website as we continue efforts to iron out all the changes.

Season Five is underway!!!