15th UHL season begins on friday

Published on October 19, 2005 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release

LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO--- The 15th season for the United Hockey League (UHL) will officially begin on Friday, October 21, 2005. All 14 UHL Member Clubs will take the ice during the first weekend as a total of 15 games will be played to open the 2005-06 season.

Each UHL team will play a total of 76 games (38 home, 38 road) in 2005-06. The regular season concludes on Saturday, April 15, 2006.

New Rules The UHL has adopted a number of rule changes for the 2005-06 season:

* The center red line will not be observed for the purpose of the two-line pass.

* "Touch" icing will be utilized. A defending player must make contact with the puck for an icing the puck infraction to be ruled. (the UHL had observed the "no-touch" icing for the 2004-05 season).

* Goaltender equipment will follow the standards set forth by the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2005-06 season. UHL goaltenders must be in compliance with the new equipment standards by December 15th, 2005.

* UHL active rosters shall consist of a maximum 17 skaters and 2 goaltenders. A maximum of 16 skaters and 2 goaltenders shall be permitted to participate in any UHL game.

* Of the 18 eligible players for each game, the lineup may include a maximum of seven (7) veteran players and a minimum of four (4) rookies.

- Veterans are classified in the 2005-06 season as any player who has participated in 300 or more professional games. A veteran goaltender is classified as any goaltender who has played in 18,000 or more game minutes.

- Rookies are classified in the 2005-06 season as any player who has participated in 60 or fewer professional games. A rookie goaltender is classified as any goaltender who has played in 3,600 or fewer game minutes.

* All UHL skaters will be required to wear a protective half visor on their helmets.

* The UHL will continue to set a standard for hooking, holding, and interference penalties. The standard will not be exactly the same as the NHL standard, but much emphasis will be placed on such infractions.

Pointstreak

The UHL has partnered with Pointstreak for the 2005-06 season. Pointstreak will provide real-time scores and statistics for all UHL players and teams during the regular season and playoffs. Fans and media can view live scores and statistics for each UHL game by accessing the scoreboard at the official website of the UHL, www.theuhl.com.

UHL.com Gets New Look

The official website of the UHL (www.theuhl.com) now has a new look. The revamped site, which was launched this week, was designed and developed by AB Positive (www.abpositive.com).

"We are excited to be able to launch this site," stated Richard Brosal, UHL President/CEO. "We strive to constantly improve our standards; therefore we felt it was important that our website make some positive changes. The site will include some new elements and give us the ability to add elements in the future. Overall, the site will be very user-friendly."

2005-06 Season Preview

Adirondack Frostbite (48-24-8, 104 points in 2004-05)

The Frostbite concluded the most successful UHL season in team history in 2004-05. It was a significant turnaround from a season earlier in which they won just 22 games. The Frostbite were champions of the Eastern Division but were knocked out in the first round of the 2005 playoffs by division rival Danbury. In addition to team success, individual Frostbite players earned accolades. Captain Hugo Belanger led the UHL in scoring with 106 points (34g, 72a) and was named Sher-Wood UHL Most Valuable Player. Belanger was also named UHL Most Sportsmanlike Player and earned a spot on the UHL All-Star First Team. Defenseman Scott Drevitch was named to the UHL All-Star Second Team and led all UHL defensemen in scoring with 61 points (13g, 48a).

Coach Marc Potvin returns for his second full season behind the Adirondack bench along with a core of returning players that includes Belanger, Drevitch, Sylvain Cloutier (C), Bob Rapoza (D), as well as the goaltending tandem of Derek Gustafson and Kris Tebbs.

Danbury Trashers (44-29-7, 95 points in 2004-05)

The Trashers enjoyed a successful run during their inaugural season. A second place finish in the Eastern Division and a playoff berth capped the first UHL campaign. The Trashers were eliminated by Colonial Cup Champion Muskegon Fury in the second round of the 2005 playoffs. Danbury took just one season to enter the UHL record books as the team amassed a total of 2,776 penalty minutes in 2004-05.

Paul Gillis becomes the bench boss for the Trashers in their second season. Gillis is currently second on the UHL all-time list in wins among coaches (310). In addition to returning players Mario Larocque (D) and Jeff Daw (F), Gillis welcomes newcomers David Hymovitz (F), who was third in the UHL in 2004-05 with 100 points (32g, 68a) as a member of the Richmond RiverDogs, and goaltender Sylvain Daigle, who has 155 career UHL wins and helped lead the Muskegon Fury to consecutive Colonial Cup Championships.

Elmira Jackals (24-51-5, 53 points in 2004-05)

The 5th season in Jackals history was a tough road for a team that had made the playoffs in each of its first four seasons and twice reached the Colonial Cup Finals. Elmira finished last in the UHL standings and out of the playoff picture.

Perry Florio takes over head coach duties in Elmira and brings 13 years of experience in professional hockey with him. Florio will be joined by fan favorite Eddy Lowe who postponed his retirement to play another season in an Elmira sweater. Captain Trevor Burgess will also continue to patrol the blue line for the Jackals. The team will look to the goaltending pair of Ryan McIntosh, who begins his second tour of duty with the Jackals (2003-04), and Nick Boucher to backstop a team that allowed the second most goals in the UHL (310) in 2004-05. Newcomer Mike Dombkiewicz, a member of the 2004-05 UHL All-Rookie Team, also strengthens the defensive unit.

Flint Generals (33-33-14, 80 points in 2004-05)

The Generals just fell short of the final playoff spot during the 2004-05 season. Losing a team record 14 times in the shootout cost the team precious points that could have put them in the playoff mix. Bobby Reynolds finished second in UHL scoring with 103 points (31g, 72a) on his way to being named to the UHL All-Star First Team. Winger Mike Kinnie (37g, 44a) was among league scoring leaders and earned a spot on the UHL All-Rookie Team. Rob Valicevic (36g, 60a) was the third General among the top 15 UHL scorers and he was selected to the UHL All-Star Second Team.

Bobby Reynolds has hung up the skates on his playing career and now takes over behind the Generals' bench. He will look to find some scoring as both Kinnie and Valicevic have departed. The core of their defense returns with All-Star Kam White, J.P. Morin, Adam Sturgeon, and Brent Currie roaming the blue line. Returning forwards Leo Thomas and Jason Selleke will lead a group of newcomers on offense.

Fort Wayne Komets (51-24-5, 107 points in 2004-05)

The Komets continued to be one of the strongest teams in the UHL during the 2004-05 season after recording their second consecutive season with more than 50 wins. They finished on top of the highly competitive Western Division and advanced to the Colonial Cup Finals for the second time in team history. They were stopped short of their second Colonial Cup by the Muskegon Fury. Colin Chaulk led the league in assists (73) on his way to being named to the UHL All-Star First Team. Defensemen Troy Neumeier was named the UHL Best Defenseman and was also a member of the UHL All-Star First Team after leading the league in plus/minus (+47). Sean Venedam was named the UHL Best Defensive Forward after completing once of the best years in his nine professional seasons.

Coach Greg Puhalski begins his fifth season in Fort Wayne and is the all-time leader in UHL coaching wins (315). Chaulk, P.C. Drouin (LW), and UHL All-Rookie Team selection Jonathan Goodwin return to pace the Komets offense. Neumeier and veteran defenseman Guy Dupuis will be a significant presence on the blue line. Goaltender Kevin St. Pierre (29-11-3, 2.30 GAA, .922 SPCT in 04-05) returns in net for the Komets.

Kalamazoo Wings (50-24-6, 106 points in 2004-05)

The Wings set several team marks in 2004-05 as it was their most successful UHL season in team history. Much of the success happened on opposing ice as Kalamazoo earned a league high 28 wins on the road and a league record 12 consecutive road wins. Gritty winger Tyler Willis led all UHL players with 78 minor penalties, Chad Alban tied for second among UHL goaltenders with 33 wins, and Daniel Carriere was fifth among UHL defensemen with 46 points (11g, 35a).

Mark Reeds enters his third season behind the Kalamazoo bench. Reeds earned UHL Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive time in 2004-2005 and third time in the last four seasons. Willis and Carriere return to lead the Wings. Nick Bootland returns to Kalamazoo after spending last season in the American Hockey League (AHL). Newcomer Joe Seroski will add scoring to the Wings after finishing tied for third in the UHL with 42 goals in 2004-05 as a member of the Kansas City Outlaws. The Wings will be backed by one of the best goaltender tandems in the league as Joel Martin returns to the club, and Jeff Reynaert begins his second stint in Kalamazoo (2002-03).

Missouri River Otters (42-32-6, 90 points in 2004-05)

The Otters had a huge turnaround in 2004-05 by winning a team record 42 games. They had won just 17 a season earlier. Goaltending and defense played a large role in the team success. The Otters set a new UHL mark with 12 shutouts during the regular season and set a new team mark by allowing just 224 goals. A quartet of players from the St. Louis Blues spent part of the season with the Otters during the NHL lockout (Barret Jackman, Ryan Johnson, Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador) and helped propel the team to the playoffs.

Coach Kevin Kaminski returns for his second season and looks to build on the success from a season ago. The quartet of NHL players have gone back across town, but the team will rely on a mix of newcomers and returning players to push the team beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in team history. Frank Littlejohn begins his first full season in an Otter sweater after coming to Missouri via a trade last year. Littlejohn and Lars Petterson (C) will be joined by new winger Brad Church to lead the offensive attack. Defensemen Mat Snesrud (UHL All-Star Second Team) and Mike Dombkiewicz (UHL All-Rookie Team) have departed, but a group of defensemen led by Tim O'Connell and returning goaltender Kevin Reiter will continue to provide a stingy defensive unit.

Motor City Mechanics (37-36-7, 81 points in 2004-05)

After a slow start in their inaugural UHL season, the Mechanics finished the 2004-05 campaign as one of the hottest teams in the league. They finished the season winning their final 12 games and fell just short of making the playoffs. Goaltender Rod Branch played the second most minutes among UHL goaltenders (3,686) and earned UHL Goaltender of the Month honors in both March and April. The Mechanics added several big names to their roster in 2004-05 as NHL players Chris Chelios, Derian Hatcher, Bryan Smolinski, and Sean Avery suited up in Motor City during the NHL lockout. Winger Joe Burton reached a milestone as he scored his 600th career goal and became only the second American-born player at any level of professional hockey to reach that mark.

Danton Cole begins his first full season as Mechanics coach. Cole took over as bench boss for the final 20 games of the 2004-05 season and led the team to a 18-2-0 record during that stretch. He is a proven winner as he led the Muskegon Fury to the Colonial Cup in 2001-02. With the lockout resolved, the NHL players have returned to NHL rosters, but the Mechanics will rely on Branch along with returning defensemen Kyle Kos and All-Star Kevin Hansen to help the team pick up where they left off from a season ago.

Muskegon Fury (51-20-9, 111 points in 2004-05)

The Fury claimed their second consecutive Colonial Cup Championship in 2005. They also captured the Tarry Cup after finishing on top of the UHL standings with 111 points. A trio of Fury players finished among the top ten in UHL scoring: Robin Bouchard, 98 points (43g, 55a), Brant Blackned, 97 points (34g, 63a), Jeff Nelson, 94 points (23g, 71a). Sylvain Daigle led all UHL goaltenders in goals against average (2.08) and save percentage (.930). Much of the Fury success can be attributed to their special teams as they led the league in both power play conversion (27.4%) and penalty killing (89%). Bouchard (50) and Blackned (45) ranked first and second in the league in power play points.

Todd Nelson begins his third season as the coach of the defending champs. Bouchard, Nelson, captain Rustyn Dolyny (RW), and Todd Robinson (C) return to pace the offense for the Fury title defense. The departure of goaltender Sylvain Daigle to Danbury has left some big skates to fill. Clayton Pool looks to continue his success from a season ago (18-6-5, 2.37 GAA) and provide the Fury with a strong presence between the pipes.

Port Huron Flags (expansion team) The community owned team begins a new era of hockey that also reminds fans of the storied hockey history in Port Huron. The Flags are enjoying overwhelming support from the community for their inaugural UHL season as they have already exceeded 1,000 season tickets sold and are well on their way to break the Port Huron record of 1,100 season tickets by the Port Huron Border Cats in the 1996-97 season.

On the ice, the Flags will be led by a familiar face to people around the UHL. Coach Paul Willett was named to the 1997-98 UHL All-Star Second Team and also earned honors as the 1998-99 UHL Best Defensive Forward during his playing days in a Muskegon Fury uniform. Willett has assembled a strong mixture of rookie and veteran players that looks to make a strong statement to the fans in Port Huron and to teams around the UHL. Former NHL 1st Round draft pick Jeff Brown and former IHL Rookie of the Year Brian Felsner will wear the Flags sweater in 2005-06.

Quad City Mallards (39-30-11, 89 points in 2004-05)

The Mallards made a strong stretch run in 2004-05 to claim the final playoff spot. They also nearly pulled off the upset in the first round as they took the Muskegon Fury to a deciding Game Seven. Mike Kompon (39g, 51a) was the UHL Rookie of the Year and goaltender Robert Gherson joined him on the UHL All-Rookie Team along with being named to the UHL All-Star Second Team.

Brian Curran will begin his first season as head coach in Quad City. The former NHL enforcer will lead a large group of players that will be wearing a Mallard sweater for the first time. Center Patrick Nadeau is the only returning player that saw significant game action in 2004-05. Nadeau is fourth on the Mallard all-time scoring list. The defense will rely on newcomers Andrei Lupandin and Jami Yoder. In net will be two solid goaltenders, Jason Tapp and Terry Friesen. Tapp recorded seven shutouts last season as a member of the Missouri River Otters.

Richmond RiverDogs (33-42-5, 71 points in 2004-05)

The RiverDogs struggled on defense in 2004-05 as they allowed a league high 319 goals. Wingers David Hymovitz (32g, 68a) and David Brosseau (41g, 28a) paced the offense. The second UHL season for the RiverDogs ended with them out of the playoff picture.

Veteran UHL coach Robbie Nichols takes over behind the Richmond bench this season. Brian Goudie returns on defense for the 'Dogs and will be joined by a group of V's on the blue line (Ryan Van Buskirk, Josh Vanderbreggen, Dan Vandermeer). Brosseau and J.J. Wrobel return up front along with newcomer and high scoring center Mike Oliveira. John DiPace was also added to the forward lineup and re-unites with Coach Nichols after the two were with the Flint Generals in 2004-05.

Roanoke Valley Vipers (34-40-6, 74 points in 2004-05 as Port Huron Beacons)

The Vipers begin a new era of hockey in the Roanoke Valley. The team re-located from Port Huron in the offseason. They look to re-group after missing the playoffs in 2004-05 for the first time in three seasons. David Beauregard led the UHL last season with 47 goals and was selected to participate in the mid-season UHL All-Star Classic.

Jim Wiley begins his first season with the team and looks to build a strong unit for the inaugural campaign in Roanoke. A handful of players changed zip codes with the team in the offseason, including Beauregard, who returns to lead the offensive attack. Rookie Steve Crusco had a solid preseason and will add scoring punch to the lineup of young forwards that includes five rookies. In net, the Vipers have Jamie Hodson, who has AHL experience, and rookie Aaron McKenzie to backstop the defense.

Rockford IceHogs (46-25-9, 101 points in 2004-05)

The IceHogs enjoyed their most successful season in Rockford hockey history in 2004-05. The team nearly advanced to the Colonial Cup Finals, but was stopped in overtime of the deciding Game Seven by the Fort Wayne Komets during the second round of the playoffs. Michel Robinson was a UHL All-Star First Team selection and named UHL Best Goaltender in 2004-05. Defenseman Nathan Lutz was also a member of the UHL All-Star First Team and defenseman Steve Pelletier was named to the UHL All-Rookie Team.

Coach Steve Martinson returns for his second season in Rockford and looks to Lutz, Pelletier, and Robinson to pick up where they left off from a season ago. The IceHogs will look to a core a players to add offense as two of their top scorers from 2004-05 have departed (J.F. Dufour and J.C. Ruid). The IceHogs roster is full of speed and toughness, plus includes only two veterans as no player on the opening night roster is older than 29.

The United Hockey League is entering its 15th season which begins play on October 21st. The league is comprised of 14 Member Clubs competing in seven states.

International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 19, 2005

• Vipers introduce "under six for six" - Roanoke Valley Vipers
• 15th UHL season begins on friday - IHL 2

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