Jody Fitzgerald brings a defense-first checking style to the ice for the Norwood Vipers. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Asphodel-Norwood - Jody Fitzgerald admits that making the jump from the Lakefield Chiefs and the Central Junior C loop to the Major League Hockey Senior AAA circuit was a “big step.”
The Peterborough Minor Petes grad has found a nice, steady role with the Vipers as a defensive-minded forward tasked with checking the top forwards on opposing clubs.
“It’s a big step actually. There are some pretty good guys out there,” Fitzgerald told the Northwest EMC. “Dundas, pretty much the whole team’s played pro. You’ve really got to step up your game when you play them. I was very surprised when I played them.”
Fitzgerald grew up in Peterborough playing “AA” for the Minor Petes and helped the Juvenile “A” Petes win an all-Ontario title. After finishing his minor hockey he joined the Chiefs where he played two seasons and was part of a Lakefield squad that went to the Central Junior championship final. He took last year off before trying his luck with the Vipers.
Fitzgerald’s goal is to bring a “checking, shutdown” style to the ice against “some of the better players and put the puck in the net whenever I have the chance to.
“You have to go out there and do your own thing and shut them down and hopefully do your job.”
Fitzgerald says there’s “lots of leadership” in the Vipers dressing room citing veterans like Steve Thomas, Dave Stewart, Mike Craigen and John Loucks, gone with a leg injury.
“It has improved my skills and what they’ve taught me,” he said. “I’ve definitely learned a lot from them. You never stop learning in this game.”
With the play-offs fast approaching, Fitzgerald echoes coach Mike Posavad when he says the team has to stay disciplined and avoid penalties.
And the Vipers absolutely have to make sure they avoid the situation they found themselves in in Dundas with just 11 skaters to support goalies Jeff Quinlan and Ryan Aschaber.
“We only had two actual ‘D.’ That doesn’t work out,” Fitzgerald said. “You’re not going to win. We’ve got the best goalie in the league [but] we definitely let them down.”
Five-on-five and with a full team Fitzgerald believes Norwood is as good MLH leaders Whitby and Dundas.
Norwood travels to Orillia February 6 and hosts Whitby February 14.
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Short-staffed Vipers hammered by Whitby
By Bill Freeman
Whitby - The short-staffed Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers were no match for the first place Whitby Dunlops who scored early and often on their way to a 10 - 1 Major League Hockey romp before 540 fans at Iroquois Park.
The Vipers had 11 skaters and two goalies dressed for the game and were trailing 2 - 0 before the game was 1:30 old with Frank Littlejohn drawing first blood 11 seconds into the game. Littlejohn notched a hat trick for the Dunnies who skated out to a 7 - 1 fist period lead.
Ryan Aschaber took over for starter Jeff Quinlan after the first period and was superb in stopping 25 of 28 shots. He earned the game’s third star for that performance.
Whitby’s Adam Van Dam was the only goal scorer in the second period despite peppering Aschaber with 16 shots. Shane Terry and Littlejohn found the back of the net in the third.
Norwood’s Ryan Toms scored the lone Vipers goal at the 13:46 mark to cut the lead to 4 - 1.
The game was almost penalty free with Norwood getting one powerplay and Whitby two.
Whitby gave backup goalie T.J. Rudnicki two periods of action to finish the game. Anthony Marshall got the start.
Whitby (15-5-0) holds a slim two-point lead over Dundas (13-3-0-2). Norwood (9-11-1-0) is in third.
Norwood hosts Dundas Sunday with a 7:15 p.m. face-off.
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Will Jones not afraid to take hits to make plays
Will Jones has quietly become the Norwood Vipers’ top assists player. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Norwood - Will Jones is not afraid to muck it up and take hits to make big plays for the Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers.
The former Peterborough Stars and Lakefield Chiefs forward has been a steady presence for the Vipers this season and has quietly become the team’s top setup player leading the team with 13 helpers that included two outstanding tape-to-tape passes to engineer goals in Norwood’s 4 - 1 win over Orillia.
“I like to try to hit the open man with a pass if I see them,” Jones told the Northwest EMC as they prepared for a road trip to Whitby. “And I’m not afraid to take a hit to make a play.”
Jones played minor hockey in Lakefield until he was a novice then played his Atom hockey in Ennismore before signing on with the Peterborough Minor Petes where he would win a Major Bantam championship. From there it was Tier II junior with the Stars and final years of junior hockey with the Lakefield Chiefs.
He knew about the Vipers and friends told him he should try out.
“I feel pretty good out here.”
Just as he notices the differences between Junior C and Junior A, Jones recognizes how the elite quality of play in Major League Hockey Senior AAA.
“In this league everybody’s way bigger and plays stronger hockey. I was really amazed. I didn’t expect all these older guys to be in such good shape as they are,” he said. “I think I’m playing all right. People say I am. I used to be a bit of a hothead in Tier II but I’ve really calmed it down. You can’t afford to do that here; you’ll hear it from the coach or you won’t play the next game.”
Jones says the Vipers have “lots of leadership in the dressing room.
“Everybody’s a good player. You can rely on everybody.”
Jones brings a physical game to the ice and admits that he likes to get the fans into the game.
“I like to give the fans something to come out to see.”
The Vipers have played steadily at the .500 mark and but for one lopsided loss in Dundas have matched up well against the Real McCoys and Whitby, the MLH’s two top teams.
In the play-offs Jones says they need to stay out of the penalty box.
“Five on five we can play with everyone.”
Norwood hosts Dundas Sunday.
playoffs
Posted
by: curtis
Monday, January 25, 2010
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!
THE VIPERS WILL PLAY IN THE 2010 MLH DOUBLE ROUND ROBIN VS DUNDAS REAL MCCOYS AND THE WHITBY DUNLOPS.
THE TOP 2 TEAMS TO PREVAIL WILL PLAY A SEVEN GAME SERIES , WITH THE WINNER PLAYING THE NORTH DIVISION TEAM. THE ORILLIA TUNDRAS WERE OFFICIALLY ELIMINATED FRIDAY VS DUNDAS.
DATES AND TIMES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.
BE A PART OF IT!!!!
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Former Cobourg junior fits in nicely with Vipers
Ryan Toms has been a solid addition to the Norwood Vipers this season. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Norwood - Ryan Toms admits that he was a little nervous the first time he faced off against his old Whitby Dunlops teammates. But that was a full three months ago so now the feisty Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers forward, who went to two straight Allan Cup tourneys with Whitby, relishes a chance to get under the Dunnies’ skin during games that are always entertaining and highly charged.
“The second and third time through just makes it easier to get under their skin,” the Campbellford native told the Northwest EMC.
“It will be nice in the play-offs. I know how to get to them,” he chuckled.
Toms scored a goal in the Vipers’ 5 - 4 loss to Whitby and is on a five-game scoring streak.
Toms is a nice addition to the Vipers and not only brings his Whitby experiences to Norwood but also with St. Clair College Saints where he played for four years; in his fourth year the Saints were part of the pre-amalgamation Major League Hockey Senior “AAA” league which included teams from Dundas, Brantford, Cambridge, Petrolia and Tilsonburg.
“It was a good experience,” he says.
Prior to enrolling at St. Clair he played Junior A with the Cobourg Cougars with current Vipers coach Mike Posavad behind the bench.
Playing for St. Clair was “a good stepping stone” to Whitby where Toms’ passing and playmaking skills helped an already strong club.
“It’s a pretty high level of hockey and it’s nice to keep playing that,” he says of Senior AAA. “I was surprised at how good it was. You look at Dundas and they’ve got at least 14 or 15 who played in the NHL or were at least drafted.”
The Vipers are sitting at just below .500 but have beaten Dundas and Whitby and are clearly capable of matching up with those two elite teams.
“We need to strengthen up our defense a little bit and capitalize on our powerplays. That would be our two main assets. That’s the biggest thing in the play-offs, the penalty kills and the powerplay. Everyone’s young, we can compete with those other guys.
“We’re getting there. Add a couple more on defense and that will help us out in the long run because we’ve got forwards playing defense right now.”
The Vipers travel to Dundas Friday and host Whitby at the Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre January 23.
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Vipers turn it on to beat Orillia 4 - 1
Orillia’s Roddy Cox and Norwood’s Adrian Wilson exchanged pleasantries during their Major League Hockey Senior AAA game at the Asphodel-Norwood Centre. Norwood won the game 4 - 1. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Norwood - The Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers shrugged off a lop-sided loss in Dundas to beat the Orillia-Coldwater Tundra 4 - 1 in Major League Hockey Senior “AAA” action before 240 people at the Asphodel-Norwood Centre. The Vipers are five points behind second-place Dundas with four games remaining.
A promising start in Dundas ended in a 10 - 1 loss but it had no impact on how the Vipers played Sunday where Will Jones led the team with three points, including two perfect breakaway setups to Mike Craigen and Rob MacDonald. Mark Prentice scored twice.
“The Dundas game didn’t rattle me. I don’t think it rattled them either,” Vipers coach Mike Posavad told the Northwest EMC. “The way we came out playing you never thought it was going to be a ten - one game. Even half-way through. The biggest turn-around was not scoring on a five on three to tie it up.”
What happened instead was a Dundas shorthanded goal.
Orillia opened the scoring early with a quick shot by Ryan Oliver and carried the 1 - 0 lead into the second until Jones’ tape-to-tape pass to Craigen as he stepped out of the penalty box for a clear breakaway on Tundra stopper Mike Bertrand. Jones did the same thing 21 seconds later finding MacDonald who flipped the puck over Bertrand’s shoulder. They made it 3 - 1 a minute later with Prentice tapping in a bouncing rebound.
Prentice completed the scoring on a powerplay with 7:49 left in the game.
Posavad liked what he saw from Jones.
“I’ve liked him from day one. He’s got a lot of poise with the puck and he’s got so much patience,” he said.
Jones has Junior A and C experience but has never played against men with so much pro-level experience. Posavad says that doesn’t show in his game at all.
“He’s not afraid to hang onto the puck just a little bit and wait for something to open up. He’s a guy we have to have playing that way to be successful in the play-offs. The guys we’ve been looking for to be leaders on the ice have to step and take it to the next level for us to do anything in the play-offs.”
Goalie Ryan Aschaber will be one of the keys.
“He wanted that one goal back. I think that motivated him to slam that door shut,” Posavad said.
Norwood is still trying to fill some spots and because of “cut-down day” had forwards Mark Cranley and Adrian Wilson back on defence.
“We have some cards open and we’re trying to add some pieces to the puzzle,” Posavad said.
Vipers buzz: Joe Curry injured his wrist and was taken to the hospital. The three stars were Jones, Prentice and Aschaber.
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Friday, January 22, 2010
Sniper finds scoring touch with Vipers
Jason Bonisteel of the Norwood Vipers Major League Hockey Senior AAA club winds up for a shot during recent action against the Whitby Dunlops. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Norwood - Jason Bonisteel has played his fair share of junior hockey games but has never faced players as talented nor as skilled as he does when he slips on his Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers Major League Hockey Senior “AAA” sweater.
“This is definitely the best hockey I’ve ever played. I’ve played junior C the past four years but this is a lot better than anything I’ve played,” Bonisteel told the EMC during a chat after a big offensive weekend against Orillia and league-leading Whitby where he scored five goals.
Bonisteel honed his minor hockey skills in Belleville and Quinte before spending a year with the Picton Pirates of the Empire Junior C league. College studies took him to Lindsay where he suited up with the Central League’s Little Britain Merchants. He also spent some time with the Tier II Lindsay Muskies.
Now, the self-confessed “mucker” with a scorer’s touch, finds himself playing the highest level of senior hockey in Canada against former NHLers, Ontario Hockey League vets and NCAA and CIS stars. And he’s liking every minute of it.
“They are really experienced guys. They’re really smart. They know how to move the puck. It’s not often you’re going to catch them off guard.”
Bonisteel notched a hat trick against Orillia and potted two against the Dunlops, a team that’s been to the Allan Cup the past four years.
He and some hockey buddies came to the Vipers try-out camp and Bonisteel ended up making Mike Posavad’s team and has been a pleasant surprise for the coach.
“We’ve noticed his skill from the start,” Posavad said, admitting that he wasn’t sure if the Junior C vet could make the jump to elite Senior AAA. “He has stepped it up.
“Opportunities happen for good players and he’s a very good player.”
And he’s as “tough as nails,” Posavad added. That was evident against Whitby where he showed no fear going into the corners against the Dunnies’ pro level defencemen.
“I’m a playmaker,” Bonisteel says. “I do score a few goals and I like to throw my body around too. I’m one of those guys who tries to get in there and muck it out. I’m starting to get more comfortable out there “
The Vipers (6 - 6) trail Whitby (8 - 3) and sit two points ahead of Dundas (5 - 2) which has played five fewer games. Bonisteel knows it’s a hard task to close the gap between those two powerful teams.
Hard work and getting the powerplay to roll, are two key things they need to do he says.
Norwood was short players in their 6 - 4 loss to Whitby.
“At the end of the game we had only two real defencemen playing back there and that hurt. It’s tough to play like that but we made it close.”
emc
Posted
by: curtis
Friday, January 22, 2010
Vipers knock off Dundas in shoot-out
By Bill Freeman
Dundas - Goalie Ryan Aschaber was magical as the Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers picked up a huge road win in Dundas knocking off the high-flying Real McCoys 5 - 4 in a shoot-out with Ryan Courtney firing the winner past Bryan Worosz.
Courtney had a strong game notching a pair of first-period goals before his shoot-out heroics. He was the only player of the six to find the back of the net.
The win keeps Norwood (6 - 5) one point ahead of Dundas (5-2-0-1) in the Major Hockey League Senior AAA standings but trailing Whitby (9 - 3) who beat Orillia 8 - 7.
The game also marked the appearance of Jordan Freeland in a Vipers’ sweater. Freeland was one of the top goal scorers in the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League with the Frankford Huskies and his presence will be welcome in the Norwood lineup as they try to ignite their powerplay which has performed below par but worked well in Dundas going two for four.
Courtney opened the scoring 1:07 into the game with an assist from Mike Banks. They added to their lead with powerplay markers 37 seconds apart early in the second frame with Jason Bonisteel continuing to wield a hot stick, and Courtney beating Brett Leggat who was replaced by Worosz.
Dundas broke Aschaber’s shutout on a Jerry Galway marker at the 6:11 mark of the second. The home side tightened things 16 seconds into the third with a goal by John Neal but Jody Fitzgerald responded for Norwood two minutes later to make it 4 - 2.
Dundas scoring ace Mike Amodeo made it 4 - 3 at the 8:25 mark. Former OHL and CIS star Justin Davis evened the game with 2:22 to go in the game
Aschaber was the difference for the Vipers who were out-shot 48 - 22 which included a 16 - 3 Dundas barrage in the third period and 4 - 2 overtime margin.
He turned aside three former NHLers, captain Mike Kennedy, Ryan Christie and Nick Smith, in the shootout. Freeland and Bonisteel were also stymied in the shootout.
Vipers buzz: Norwood plays their next two games against Dundas; December 4 on the road and December 12 at the Evinrude Centre in Peterborough at 7:15 p.m. They are back in Norwood December 13 (7:15 p.m.) when they host Orillia. Three Vipers are in the top ten in MLH scoring: Adrian Wilson (7-8-15) is fourth, Mark Prentice (7-5-12) is eighth and Bonisteel (8-3-11) is tenth. Bonisteel is tied with Whitby’s Peter MacKellar for first in goals. Whitby’s Shane Terry leads the MLH in scoring with 19 points.
dundas
Posted
by: emc
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Norwood Vipers goalie Ryan Aschaber makes a save on Dundas Real McCoys Shawn Shewchuk while Norwood captain Dave Stewart tries to block the shot during Major League Hockey Senior AAA action Sunday. Dundas rallied for a 7 - 3 win. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Asphodel-Norwood - The Dundas Real McCoys staged a second-period rally to drop the Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers 7 - 3 in Major League Hockey Senior AAA action Sunday.
The Vipers couldn’t match the intensity level of experience-laden Dundas during the second half of the game surrendering a powerplay and shorthanded goal late in the second to give the Real McCoys, with two former NHLers and a second round Montreal Canadiens draft pick in the lineup, the momentum.
Norwood was coming off a fine 4 - 3 overtime win in Orillia while Dundas was smarting from a 5 - 1 loss in Whitby
Former Calgary Flame and Dallas Star forward Ryan Christie starred for Dundas with a pair of third-period goals while Ryan Kuwabara, a 100-point player with the Ottawa 67’s in 1992 and Montreal draft pick, added three assists, as did Nick Smith who played with the Florida Panthers.
Norwood looked strong at the start building up a 2 - 0 lead with goals by Ryan Toms and Adrian Wilson. Dundas rallied to even it at 2 - 2 but Norwood regained the lead on a brilliant breakaway goal by Mike Craigen with five minutes to go in the second. Dundas matched that 46 seconds later then took the lead on a powerplay goal that deflected off Tom Brown’s foot. Boston Bruins draft pick Tim Baxter added a shorthanded goal with 1:18 left in the frame to seize control.
“It just looked like we were missing a step today,” Vipers coach Mike Posavad told the Northwest EMC. “We were just a little lethargic. I don’t think Friday’s game took much out of us. The real killer was the one that went off the guy’s foot. It gives them the lead and took the wind out of our sails.”
“It’s early in the year. We kept working. We didn’t give up; that’s the main thing.”
Norwood was well aware of the veteran talent on the Dundas bench.
“You can see the experience they’ve got. They’ve got a lot of ex-pros. They know where to go in all the situations. After losing to Whitby, they knew they had to win. There’s a lot of pride over there [and] there’s a lot of guys who have won a lot of games. This is a tough rink to win in.”
“We’re not discouraged,” Posavad said. “It was just one of those games where you’re missing that jump. We made a couple of mistakes from the top of the circle down and that cost us.
“It’s the little things that win games. The team that makes the fewest mistakes, especially below the hash marks. These are the things where you really have to bear down.”
Vipers buzz: Adrian Wilson scored the overtime winner in Orillia on a penalty shot. Orillia grabbed a 3 - 2 lead with 57 seconds to play but Mark Prentice tied it 24 seconds later.
vs whitby
Posted
by: emc
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Norwood Vipers goalie Ryan Aschaber gets some help from Tyler Hamilton in corralling the puck during Major League Hockey Senior “AAA” action against the defending champion Whitby Dunlops. Norwood won the game 5 - 4. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Norwood - The Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers got clutch goaltending and huge shot blocks down the stretch to edge the Whitby Dunlops 5 - 4 in their home opener after watching a 5 - 0 first-period lead disappear.
Norwood blitzed Whitby for three goals in the first 2:24 of the game surprising themselves and their fans then added two more chasing Dunlops’ goalie Anthony Marshall.
You knew the defending Major League Hockey (MLH) champs would not roll over and they responded with three goals in the second including powerplay markers from stars Ron Baker and Peter MacKellar. Another powerplay goal by Shane Terry with 6:59 left in the game tightened things up.
“When you come back and win usually you say it’s good that it’s 60 minutes long. We would have hoped for a shorter game the way it went,” new Vipers coach Mike Posavad said afterward. “They are 60 minutes and every minute counts and we made it count in the first period.”
“I don’t think we played bad in the second and third, Whitby’s just the kind of team that keeps chipping away,” said Posavad, a former Dunnies’ coach who guided them to two Allan Cup finals. “We would have felt better if we were up 5 - 0 after the second. You knew they were going to be upset.”
While there weren’t a lot of penalties, Norwood found itself short six times in the final two periods and that affected the Vipers’ physical game.
“Some of the penalty killing takes away from the hitting,” Posavad said. “It takes you out of that rhythm that we had in the first.”
Norwood knew it would be a close game and handled the late-game pressure well. There was a 30-second flurry in the third where everyone seemed to block shots after goalie Ryan Aschaber lost a stick. Aschaber was a wall in the final six minutes. Whitby outshot Norwood 10 - 2 in the third.
That flurry is the sort of memory a team can draw on late in the season, Posavad said.
“There’s that rivalry there that is healthy for the league and we all have connections with the teams and that makes it a special win. You like to win those home games and you get the first win on the board and that’s a big psychological advantage.”
Scoring for Norwood were Mark Prentice, John Loucks, Josh Valez, Corey Johnson and Adrian Wilson.
Viper buzz: Whitby outshot Norwood 29 - 27. MP Dean Del Mastro, MPP Jeff Leal and Asphodel-Norwood Reeve Doug Pearcy dropped the ceremonial puck. A-N Centre staff shared the big 50-50 prize. Norwood hosts Dundas October 25 at 7:15 p.m.
scoring ace
Posted
by: emc
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Norwood Vipers Mark Prentice hopes to fill the scoring void left by all-star sniper and OHA Senior player of the year Darren Doherty who is playing pro hockey in Germany this year. Photo: Bill Freeman
By Bill Freeman
Asphodel-Norwood - With the departure of Darren Doherty, the Ontario Hockey Association’s senior player of the year, the Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers will be leaning on Mark Prentice to take up some of the scoring slack. And the slick-skating former Oshawa General, Port Hope Predator and Columbus Cottonmouth, has the tools to do it.
The Bethany native notched 56 goals in 49 games and had a 100-point season for the Junior A Predators in 2006 and followed that up with 40 goals during two seasons in Columbus, Georgia, of the Southern Professional League.
“I definitely want to put up some good numbers and help the team that way and also be a good defensive player,” Prentice told the Northwest EMC. “You always need a two-way player on your team.”
Doherty (22, 40, 62 points) led the Vipers in scoring last year and was third overall in the Major League Hockey loop (MLH) behind Whitby’s Peter MacKellar (27, 38, 65 points) and Dundas’ Neil Smith (20, 43, 63 points). He’s trying his luck this year with Herner EV of Germany’s division three Oberliga and scored a goal for his new club in their 16 - 2 win over the Turnhout Whitecaps in the Eindhoven pre-season tourney in the Netherlands. Herner lost 2 - 1 to Dortmund EHC in the final.
Prentice played in Peterborough from novice until he was drafted by the Gens and already knows many of his Vipers teammates.
“Whenever I came back I’d get invited out, hang out, play golf, play in tournaments. There’s a lot of talent here and obviously a good coaching staff. You always lead from your coach,” he said.
“What I’ve heard and what I’ve watched it’s really competitive,” he says of the MLH.
Prentice didn’t play any summer hockey this year so he’s grateful for the intense workouts the Vipers have had. “The more we skate we’ll get better. Basically it’s timing and anticipation and go from there.”
The Vipers open their home schedule October 18 at 7:15 p.m. against the Whitby Dunlops.
goalie
Posted
by: emc
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The goalie who led the Norwood J.J. Stewart Vipers to the John Ross Robertson Memorial Cup championship over the Whitby Dunlops in 2005 is back with the team. Ryan Aschaber has signed on with the Vipers as they get ready to launch their Major League Hockey Senior "AAA" season October 3 in Whitby. In their championship season, the former Windsor Spitfire and Boston Bruins draft pick led the EOSHL in goals against average and copped team MVP honours while making the league's all-star team. His all-world performance between the pipes was a big reason for their title. In his final year with the Spitfires Aschaber led the OHL in save percentage. The Peterborough native has spent the past four years playing Canadian university hockey with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. The Vipers also signed former Jr. A star and Oshawa General Mark Prentice who scored 56 goals (100 points) in 49 games for the Port Hope Predators in 2006 and followed up his junior career playing for the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League. Norwood opens their home schedule October 18 against Whitby at 7:15 p.m. Photo: Bill Freeman
