Spinozzi helps lead Team Red to victory
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SAULT STE. MARIE - It's not often Kevin Spinozzi finishes a game with a pair of goals.
In fact, about to begin his second Ontario Hockey League season, the Soo Greyhounds defenceman is still looking for his first career marker.
But Spinozzi scored twice and assisted on another Saturday, while also playing well defensively, helping Team Red defeat Team White 6-3 in the third annual Luke Williams Red & White Game before 1,171 at Essar Centre.
The clash typically brings a close to Greyhounds training camp.
And this Red & White clash, like many before it, was hardly a work of art.
Fatigue appeared to be a factor, as players were winding up what was a taxing, three-day camp.
“It feels good to score,” said Spinozzi, the Hounds second-round choice in the 2012 OHL Priority Selections draft. “But I'm more worried about playing defence. Goals come from good defence.”
A six-foot-two, 200-pounder, Spinozzi played sparingly a season ago.
In 22 games, he finished with a pair of assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-2.
Heading into the 2013-2014 campaign, the Hounds defence will be led by the likes of Darnell Nurse, Alex Gudbranson and Tyler Ganly.
Spinozzi will battle for playing time with returning player Mac Clutsam and rookie hopefuls Colton White, Kyle Jenkins and Medric Mercier.
“I thought Spinozzi had a great impact on defence tonight (Saturday),” said Hounds head coach Sheldon Keefe.
General manager Kyle Dubas thought the Kingston, Ont., product “just kept getting better and better.”
Spinozzi opened the scoring on a penalty shot just 18 seconds in.
On penalty calls in the opening period only, teams were awarded a penalty shot rather than a power-play opportunity.
And Spinozzi calmly slipped the puck under Team White netminder Matt Murray.
Spinozzi also gave Team Red a 4-0 lead when his point shot beat Matt Blattenberger at the 11:04 mark of the middle stanza.
“I was just playing he game the right way,” Spinozzi said. “I was trying to play the way the coaches asked us to play.”
Spinozzi also spoke of how and he his teammates entered the game with “a mindset of winning,” and “battled hard” throughout the night.
Sault native Patrick Watling also scored twice for the winners, the first on an opening period penalty shot.
Brandon Hughes and Tyler Gaudet, who also contributed an assist, had the other goals for Team Red.
Team White, which held a 38-30 edge in shots, trailed 6-0 until scoring three late goals.
Rookie hopeful Michael Bunting notched a pair and Sergey Tolchinsky had the other goal.
Andrew Fritsch and Tyler Ganly contributed a pair of assists each.
“We didn't play well at all,” said Greyhounds captain Darnell Nurse, a member of Team White. “They got two quick goals on us and we lost most of the battles tonight.”
“I thought there were some good efforts and some not so good,” Keefe said afterwards. “It was a gruelling camp, but I know a lot of guys have a lot more to offer than what was out there tonight.”
The Hounds coach praised second-year netminder Justin Nichols, who stopped all 20 shots he faced for Team Red in nearly 30 minutes of action.
Dubas again spoke of how some players “worked extremely hard,” but how others who were fighting for jobs “thought what they had done earlier in the week was enough.”
Seven more cuts were announced following the game, leaving the Hounds with a roster of 27.
Among those dropped were Blattenberger, forwards Grant Syrette and Jaren Bellini, both local products, and Chris Brill-Morgan, and defencemen Jack VanBoekel, Callum Fryer and Patrick McAuliffe.
In fact, about to begin his second Ontario Hockey League season, the Soo Greyhounds defenceman is still looking for his first career marker.
But Spinozzi scored twice and assisted on another Saturday, while also playing well defensively, helping Team Red defeat Team White 6-3 in the third annual Luke Williams Red & White Game before 1,171 at Essar Centre.
The clash typically brings a close to Greyhounds training camp.
And this Red & White clash, like many before it, was hardly a work of art.
Fatigue appeared to be a factor, as players were winding up what was a taxing, three-day camp.
“It feels good to score,” said Spinozzi, the Hounds second-round choice in the 2012 OHL Priority Selections draft. “But I'm more worried about playing defence. Goals come from good defence.”
A six-foot-two, 200-pounder, Spinozzi played sparingly a season ago.
In 22 games, he finished with a pair of assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-2.
Heading into the 2013-2014 campaign, the Hounds defence will be led by the likes of Darnell Nurse, Alex Gudbranson and Tyler Ganly.
Spinozzi will battle for playing time with returning player Mac Clutsam and rookie hopefuls Colton White, Kyle Jenkins and Medric Mercier.
“I thought Spinozzi had a great impact on defence tonight (Saturday),” said Hounds head coach Sheldon Keefe.
General manager Kyle Dubas thought the Kingston, Ont., product “just kept getting better and better.”
Spinozzi opened the scoring on a penalty shot just 18 seconds in.
On penalty calls in the opening period only, teams were awarded a penalty shot rather than a power-play opportunity.
And Spinozzi calmly slipped the puck under Team White netminder Matt Murray.
Spinozzi also gave Team Red a 4-0 lead when his point shot beat Matt Blattenberger at the 11:04 mark of the middle stanza.
“I was just playing he game the right way,” Spinozzi said. “I was trying to play the way the coaches asked us to play.”
Spinozzi also spoke of how and he his teammates entered the game with “a mindset of winning,” and “battled hard” throughout the night.
Sault native Patrick Watling also scored twice for the winners, the first on an opening period penalty shot.
Brandon Hughes and Tyler Gaudet, who also contributed an assist, had the other goals for Team Red.
Team White, which held a 38-30 edge in shots, trailed 6-0 until scoring three late goals.
Rookie hopeful Michael Bunting notched a pair and Sergey Tolchinsky had the other goal.
Andrew Fritsch and Tyler Ganly contributed a pair of assists each.
“We didn't play well at all,” said Greyhounds captain Darnell Nurse, a member of Team White. “They got two quick goals on us and we lost most of the battles tonight.”
“I thought there were some good efforts and some not so good,” Keefe said afterwards. “It was a gruelling camp, but I know a lot of guys have a lot more to offer than what was out there tonight.”
The Hounds coach praised second-year netminder Justin Nichols, who stopped all 20 shots he faced for Team Red in nearly 30 minutes of action.
Dubas again spoke of how some players “worked extremely hard,” but how others who were fighting for jobs “thought what they had done earlier in the week was enough.”
Seven more cuts were announced following the game, leaving the Hounds with a roster of 27.
Among those dropped were Blattenberger, forwards Grant Syrette and Jaren Bellini, both local products, and Chris Brill-Morgan, and defencemen Jack VanBoekel, Callum Fryer and Patrick McAuliffe.
Spinozzi adds physical dimension
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As is the case with the vast majority of 16-year-old defencemen, Kevin Spinozzi came out of the gate slowly.
The Soo Greyhounds second-round selection (34th overall) in the 2012 Ontario Hockey League draft, needed time to adjust to a new role in a new league.
But after struggling early in the season, the Kingston native is beginning to round into form.
He's playing with more confidence and is using his size and willingness to play it tough to his advantage.
“I see a big-time improvement,” said Hounds general manager Kyle Dubas, when asked for his opinion on Spinozzi's play of late. “He's put in the work and his improvement is a credit to (assistant coach) Joe (Cirella) and the coaching staff.”
Cirella, in his first season with the Greyhounds, works closely with the club's defencemen.
“He's a physical kid and he's working hard,” added head coach Mike Stapleton, whose Hounds squad (12-13-2-0) plays host to the Erie Otters (7-15-2-3) tonight in a 7:07 p.m. Essar Centre start. “We like him. It's going to take some time, but he keeps getting better game after game.”
Spinozzi, a Kingston native, spoke of how learning to keep his feet moving at all times has been an area where he's noticed the most improvement.
“Since the season started, compared to now, I feel a lot better,” said Spinozzi, who played last season for the Greater Kingston Minor Midgets. “I'm more confident and more comfortable.”
However, getting used to limited ice time has been difficult for Spinozzi, who estimates he played nearly 45 minutes-per-game a year ago.
And when his midget season ended, he finished the season on the second defensive pairing with the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Kingston Voyageurs.
So far with the Hounds, he's played in 13 games (he sat out eight due to a league-imposed suspension) and has managed one assist, a plus-minus rating of plus-1 and 19 penalty minutes.
“Coming in as a rookie is different,” said the six-foot-two, 200-pounder. “I wasn't really worried about making mistakes. I'm a 16-year-old and mistakes are going to happen. I've just been trying to learn from the veterans.”
“His gap control is a lot better,” said Dubas, discussing the area in which he feels Spinozzi has made the biggest advancement. “Early on, he was way back (defensively), giving guys all of the outside. He's also moving the puck quickly and he's keeping his feet moving.”
Dubas said he likes the strength he sees in Spinozzi.
The GM spoke of how “you see guys try to run him and they bounce off of him.”
For his part, Spinozzi, said he wants to be known as a player who loves to hit.
“I want to be one of the most physical guys in the league,” he said. “I'll hit guys on every shift if I can. If a hit is available, I'll make it.”
As for tonight's clash, the Otters will arrive in the Sault with a new head coach.
Kris Knoblauch, formerly the head coach of the Western Hockey League's Kootenay Ice, is replacing Robbie Ftorek, who was fired Thursday.
The Otters are fresh from Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Plymouth.
“They played well last night and I'm sure they'll come in fired up,” Stapleton said Thursday. “We want a more consistent effort than what we showed (Wednesday).”
The Hounds are coming off of a 5-4 shootout victory over Sudbury here. Colin Miller scored late in regulation and, after a scoreless OT, Andrew Fritsch's shootout goal clinched it.
Stapleton said he plans to start rookie Justin Nichols in goal tonight.
The Soo Greyhounds second-round selection (34th overall) in the 2012 Ontario Hockey League draft, needed time to adjust to a new role in a new league.
But after struggling early in the season, the Kingston native is beginning to round into form.
He's playing with more confidence and is using his size and willingness to play it tough to his advantage.
“I see a big-time improvement,” said Hounds general manager Kyle Dubas, when asked for his opinion on Spinozzi's play of late. “He's put in the work and his improvement is a credit to (assistant coach) Joe (Cirella) and the coaching staff.”
Cirella, in his first season with the Greyhounds, works closely with the club's defencemen.
“He's a physical kid and he's working hard,” added head coach Mike Stapleton, whose Hounds squad (12-13-2-0) plays host to the Erie Otters (7-15-2-3) tonight in a 7:07 p.m. Essar Centre start. “We like him. It's going to take some time, but he keeps getting better game after game.”
Spinozzi, a Kingston native, spoke of how learning to keep his feet moving at all times has been an area where he's noticed the most improvement.
“Since the season started, compared to now, I feel a lot better,” said Spinozzi, who played last season for the Greater Kingston Minor Midgets. “I'm more confident and more comfortable.”
However, getting used to limited ice time has been difficult for Spinozzi, who estimates he played nearly 45 minutes-per-game a year ago.
And when his midget season ended, he finished the season on the second defensive pairing with the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Kingston Voyageurs.
So far with the Hounds, he's played in 13 games (he sat out eight due to a league-imposed suspension) and has managed one assist, a plus-minus rating of plus-1 and 19 penalty minutes.
“Coming in as a rookie is different,” said the six-foot-two, 200-pounder. “I wasn't really worried about making mistakes. I'm a 16-year-old and mistakes are going to happen. I've just been trying to learn from the veterans.”
“His gap control is a lot better,” said Dubas, discussing the area in which he feels Spinozzi has made the biggest advancement. “Early on, he was way back (defensively), giving guys all of the outside. He's also moving the puck quickly and he's keeping his feet moving.”
Dubas said he likes the strength he sees in Spinozzi.
The GM spoke of how “you see guys try to run him and they bounce off of him.”
For his part, Spinozzi, said he wants to be known as a player who loves to hit.
“I want to be one of the most physical guys in the league,” he said. “I'll hit guys on every shift if I can. If a hit is available, I'll make it.”
As for tonight's clash, the Otters will arrive in the Sault with a new head coach.
Kris Knoblauch, formerly the head coach of the Western Hockey League's Kootenay Ice, is replacing Robbie Ftorek, who was fired Thursday.
The Otters are fresh from Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Plymouth.
“They played well last night and I'm sure they'll come in fired up,” Stapleton said Thursday. “We want a more consistent effort than what we showed (Wednesday).”
The Hounds are coming off of a 5-4 shootout victory over Sudbury here. Colin Miller scored late in regulation and, after a scoreless OT, Andrew Fritsch's shootout goal clinched it.
Stapleton said he plans to start rookie Justin Nichols in goal tonight.