UHL champion Fury to open training camp Monday
September 30, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- Set to launch their 13th campaign as members of the United Hockey League, minor pro hockeyÂ’s and the UHLÂ’s all-time best winning team, the reigning Colonial Cup Champions, the Muskegon Fury will commence their annual training camp for the 2004-05 season officially this MONDAY, OCTOBER 4TH at the FuryÂ’s long-standing home of Walker Arena, downtown Muskegon.
Second-year Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Todd Nelson will formally greet approximately 23-25 roster prospective roster candidates for team meetings and physical exams on Sunday, October 3rd at 5:00 pm as the Fury take their initial steps in quest of a successful defense of their second UHL crown in the last three seasons and their third through the past five calendar years attained last season.
Training camp sessions will be conducted daily with twice-a-day workouts limited to the opening two days of MONDAY, OCTOBER 4TH and TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH. On each of those aforementioned days, the men of the Fury will be on the ice for the morning session at 10:00 AM followed by a 2:00 PM afternoon gathering. For the remaining days of camp, single workouts will be scheduled for 10:00 AM. All training camp sessions are open free to the general public.
It is anticipated that the Fury training camp roster will be comprised of 3-4 GOALTENDERS; 7-DEFENSEMEN and 13-FORWARDS. Of the players listed on the Fury early roster, thus far, 17 have been signed to UHL contracts with the remaining list having signed official league tryout agreements.
Presently, it appears, that Muskegon will have as many as 11-players returning from its record-breaking, history-making squad which captured custody of “The Cup” in an UHL unprecedented, unparalleled, undefeated 11-0 post-season playoffs surge; sweeping Quad City (3-0), then defending titlist, Fort Wayne (4-0) and, in the Finals, Elmira (4-0).
Among the galaxy of Fury returning holdovers from the 2003-04 “Team Title” which set or equaled some 44 UHL and/or Fury franchise records are defensemen NOLAN BROWN and TYLER PALMER. At the forward position, there is an abundance of firepower returning for a Fury club that led the league last year in goal-scoring marksman-ship with 298-GF. There are nine returnees to be exact, including reigning league scoring champion and Fury all-time career scoring kingpin right wing ROBIN BOUCHARD, the last remaining Fury player who has been a member of all three championships. Also back on right wing is 44-goal sparkplug SCOTT HOLLIS along with two-time Colonial Cup mainstay RUSTYN DOLYNY and JASON LAWMASTER. Centers TODD ROBINSON and BILLY COLLINS are back in the stable, again. The former finishing third in the UHL scoring derby overall and #1 on the road last season while the latter starts his first full season in Muskegon following a brief stint near the conclusion of the season of Colonial Cup III. Completing the Fury forwards’ list of incumbents are left wings DAVID AMBLER, B. J. GAUSTAD and sniping sharpshooter BRANT BLACKNED, also a member of the last two Fury championship aggregations.
Among the prominent newcomers adorning the defending kingpinsÂ’ pre-season roster is stellar center JEFF NELSON, who actually broached last season with the Fury, averaging over two points per game through the first 10-games before his return to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Attention will be focused on the FuryÂ’s re-constituted goaltending and defense departments where 2003-04 UHL Colonial Cup MVP and two-time Fury Team MVP Sylvain Daigle has departed to perform his craft in Europe while long-time ace veteran defensemen Scott Feasby and last seasonÂ’s Team Best Defenseman Award winner Garry Toor have retired.
In this title-defending season, the Fury will have 7-year standout pro BRENT BELECKI and promising first-year pro CLAYTON POOL prepared to assume the puck-detouring duties. On the blue line, 8-year AHL and IHL veteran DAVE VAN DRUNEN, erstwhile of the Grand Rapids Griffins, will be joined by offensive-minded catalyst KEVIN HAUPT and former Central League physical rearguard JORDON FLODELL. In their remarkable 11-0 climb to the crown last spring, the Fury were utterly brilliant defensively, grudgingly surrendering a scant 14-GA for a GAA of an all-time league record 1.26.
The Muskegon franchise is inaugurating its 13th year under the Fury moniker as both the all-time winningest team in UHL history with 490-victories as well as the best winning team in all of minor pro hockey with a winning percent-age of a sterling .620. Moreover, the Fury are the lone team in UHL history to finish every season with an overall winning record and attaining a post-season playoff berth in each year of their existence. Twice in the last three years and three times through the past six seasons the Fury have amassed 100 or more points in the final standings. Five times in the past seven years and seven of the last 10-years they have achieved over 40-victories.
In addition to their three Colonial Cup coronations, the Fury have reached the UHL Conference Finals in six of the last seven seasons. In the process, they have registered an all-time league high 68-lifetime playoff triumphs.
THE FURY PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE: (3)
Wed. October 6 THE FURY at Kalamazoo 7:00 pm
Fri. October 8 THE FURY at Motor City 7:00 pm
Sat. October 9 Motor City at THE FURY 7:30 pm (WALKER ARENA)
For the FuryÂ’s lone home pre-season game appearance against the newly-minted Motor City Mechanics, SATURDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 9TH, all tickets are specially priced at only $5.00.
Tickets for all regular season games are now on sale at the Walker Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster Centers or by phone (231) 726-2400. VISA / MASTERCARD accepted.
For the various Fury season ticket plans and great group rates, call the Fury office (231) 726-FURY (3879).
FURY POCKET SCHEDULES are now available throughout the Lakeshore region and at the Fury offices and the Walker Arena Box Office.
THE CHAMPIONS FURY OPENING WEEKEND: The FuryÂ’s grand opening night extravaganza is set for SATURDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 16TH AT WALKER ARENA. The Fury will host the fledgling Motor City Mechanics at 7:30 pm. Special opening night ceremonies will include one final celebration of the FuryÂ’s Colonial Cup III Championship. With that celebration will come the raising of the latest Championship Banner, the presentation of the Championship Rings and a great giveaway night as well. Everyone in attendance opening night will receive a free replica Fury championship banner as a special keepsake and memento from Colonial Cup III.
THE FURY ON RADIO: All Fury games, pre-season, regular season and post-season playoffs will be broadcast live for a ninth consecutive year on the exclusive Fury flagship WEFG-FM, “KICKIN’ COUNTRY 97.5.” In addition, the popular weekly radio show, FURY HOTLINE PRESENTED BY PEPSI has already returned for a 10th consecutive year at RACQUETS DOWNTOWN GRILL every Monday night from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. THE FURY DAILY UPDATE is Monday through Friday at 5:25 pm, also on “KICKIN’ COUNTRY 97.5.”
***THE FURY TRAINING CAMP PRACTICE SCHEDULE***
MONDAY, OCTOBER 4 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM MONDAY, OCTOBER 11 10:00 AM
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12 10:00 AM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10:00 AM WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 7:00 PM WEDNESDAY, OCTOB
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 10:00 AM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 10:00 AM
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 10:00 AM FRIDAY. OCTOBER 15 10:00 AM
2004-05 MUSKEGON FURY TRAINING CAMP LINEUP
3 TYLER PALMER DEFENSE
4 KEVIN HAUPT DEFENSE (HOPPED)
7 BILLY COLLINS CENTER
8 DAVID AMBLER LEFT WING (AMM-BLURR)
11 JEFF NELSON CENTER
18 RUSTYN DOLYNY RIGHT WING (DOH-LIH-NEE)
19 TODD ROBINSON CENTER
21 NOLAN BROWN DEFENSE
25 JORDON FLODELL DEFENSE (FLOW-DELL)
26 B. J. GAUSTAD LEFT WING (GAW-STADD)
27 DAVE VAN DRUNEN DEFENSE (VAN-DREW-NEN)
32 ROBIN BOUCHARD RIGHT WING (BOO-SHARD)
34 JASON LAWMASTER DEF / RW
35 BRENT BELECKI GOAL (BEH-LECK-EE)
40 CLAYTON POOL GOAL
41 SCOTT HOLLIS RIGHT WING
44 BRANT BLACKNED LEFT WING
DAN HOEHNE GOAL (HAY-NEE)
JAKE LAIME RIGHT WING (LAH-MAY)
JOE PACE DEFENSE
ALEXANDER THYMARAS LEFT WING (TAH-MAIR-RIS)
PRESIDENT / GOVERNOR TONY LISMAN
HEAD COACH TODD NELSON
ATHLETIC TRAINER JOHN EDER, ATC
EQUIPMENT MANAGER CHRIS DAVIDSON-ADAMS
VP COMMUNICATIONS / RADIO TERRY FICORELLI
• Discuss this story on the International Hockey League 2 message board...
International Hockey League 2 Stories from September 30, 2004
- Frostbite ink two rookie goaltenders - Adirondack Frostbite
- Mallards Announce Training Camp Schedule - Quad City Mallards
- Labelle and Malts put in Hogs mix - Rockford IceHogs
- Quenneville signs with 'Dogs - Richmond RiverDogs
- New head Mechanic John Tull to lead Motor City hockey franchise - Motor City Mechanics
- UHL champion Fury to open training camp Monday - Muskegon Lumberjacks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
