Stars Sign Defenseman from Syracuse Camp
October 6, 2003 - United Hockey League (UHL)
Columbus Stars News Release
Gary Zinck To Be Watched Carefully by Blue Jackets Organization
Lee Jelenic Retires Due to Chronic Injury
COLUMBUS, OH â Sometimes situations just fall into place. Gary Zinck and the Columbus Stars are that kind of perfect fit.
Zinck signed to play for the first-year United Hockey League team for the 2003-2004 season, announced UHL Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Malcolm Cameron and General Manager Robb W. King today.
The 6-3 defenseman is a native of Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia where he played youth hockey on the same teams as Stars forward Evan Cheverie. Also hailing from the Halifax suburb is Coach Cameron and camp invitee Craig Hillier. The hard-nosed blueliner has spent the last two seasons with the Tigers of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His defensive tenacity and toughness in front of the net has earned him 170 penalty minutes in 47 games over those two years.
The 210-pounder attended the American Hockey League camp of the Syracuse Crunch, the top affiliate for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Stars location in Ohio's Capital city, will help keep Zinck on that organization's radar screen. Zinck played for his local Halifax club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for two seasons before joining the Long Beach Ice Dogs for the 2001 West Coast Hockey League playoffs. Zinck has never played a season for Cameron, but the Stars' coach has helped Zinck develop in summer hockey schools and being around the Halifax area hockey scene.
"I know coach as a person and as a coach and he has always been good to me," Zinck said. "Hopefully he can help me get to the next level and I can help the team reach its goals."
"Zinck is a big, tough, rugged defenseman who takes very good care of his own end," Cameron said. "It also helps that he is not afraid to mix it up a little bit." LEE JELENIC RETIRES â Left Wing Lee Jelenic will not be joining the Stars in camp after a previous injury did not respond to treatments as hoped. The 6-2 Toronto, ON native played most of his two professional seasons with the UHL's Flint Generals but finished the 2002-03 season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, appearing in 17 games.
Jelenic played four years of college hockey at Yale University and received the Thomas W. Ford '42 Community Outreach Award and his BA in Political Science in 2001. The Stars acquired the rights to Jelenic in the four-player deal that sent Kevin Kerr to the Generals.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW! - Excitement continues to build over the return of minor-league hockey to Columbus and soon everyone will be able to join in the fun.
The Stars and TicketMaster will put single game tickets on sale Monday, October 6 for each of the 38 home games scheduled for the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum this season. Tickets start at $9 and the most expensive seat in the house is $15.
Tickets along the glass are only $12 for adults and students with a valid ID can buy a reserved seat in any section for $9. Adult reserved seats begin at $10.
The home opener is rapidly approaching, with the defending Colonial Cup Champion Fort Wayne Komets coming to Columbus on Friday, October 31 for a 7:00 p.m. game.
Tickets are available over the web at www.ticketmaster.com, at any TicketMaster location or by calling the Stars office at 614/985-STAR (7827).
Blue Jackets' affiliate Elmira comes to town Friday, November 21; Friday, January 9; Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, March 14. Plus former IHL rivalries will be renewed with Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Flint and Muskegon.
Also look for billboards featuring Stars' forward Scott Levins to spring up this week. Check out www.columbusstars.com for information on a "Look to the Stars" contest to win great prizes!
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