OHL Suspends Two For 15 Games Over Tinder Rant

((HT: The Score))

Let's work backwards...

From the Ontario Hockey League offices this afternoon:

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Greg Betzold of the Peterborough Petes and Jake Marchment of the Belleville Bulls have each been suspended for 15 games. These suspensions follow recent social networking activity that has come to the League’s attention. This most inappropriate and concerning activity contravenes the League’s social networking policy and a number of other policies including Respect in Sport (Harassment and Abuse) and diversity.

The OHL takes issues related to respect, diversity and harassment very seriously. The social networking conduct displayed by these players goes against what the League stands for and serves to highlight a sense of entitlement that we, as a League, have worked hard to try to eliminate. We believe these suspensions, going forward, will reinforce to our players that all activity, be it in person, on the ice or online, must be in keeping with our policies. These events further illustrate that the League and our teams must continually work with our players to ensure they understand and appreciate our social networking policy. The League will also look to our current programs, outlined in our Players First Guide, to see where improvements may be made in terms of communications and respect for others.

Jake Marchment and Greg Betzold were wanting to have relations with women and were not being very kind in their words on Tinder- using the c-word in discussing perspective exploits and choosing their dates.

Both teams claim that they are taking care of the situation internally- which really didn't go over well with the league.

Thus, the suspension...

Here's Petes GM Mike Oke discussing their actions and not the league's...
((HT: CHEX-TV Peterborough, Ontario))


Lesson for young athletes... and, all of us, really...

Anything you print can be reproduced...

Have A Purpose: The Ian Jenkins Story

((HT: Sportsnet))

Ian Jenkins was set to be a junior hockey player in the Ontario Hockey League in 2011, but an accident cut his life horribly short.

What has happened since reminds is all about the impacts we can make while we are alive if we look at how others handle tougher situations than we can possibly fathom.

Here's the story from Milan, Michigan...
The Big E Foundation information can be found here...

Whoa! OHL Hockey Player Checked Through Glass

((ht: ca.sports.yahoo.com))

Yikes! This looked really scary though it appears nobody was seriously hurt.

Check out what happened during an Ontario Hockey League (Juniors) game between the Niagara Ice Dogs and the Ottawa 67's Friday night.

Ottawa's Travis Barron was skating down the side of the rink pursued by Mitchell Fitzmorris of the Ice Dogs. Barron makes a pass up the ice as Fitzmorris goes in for the check.

The two collide on a clean check, and Barron goes flying into the glass. And the glass breaks.

Immediately.

Barron was helped off, but returned later in the game, won by the 67's 4-3.

Here's your video from Some Hockey Videos:

OHL Starts Mental Health Program For 2014 Season

((HT: Global Toronto))

After the suicide of junior league hockey player Terry Trafford last season, the Ontario Hockey League decided in the off-season to pair with the Canadian Mental Health Association have paired to start a program where teams get a mental health coach for counseling, training on recognizing signs of suicide and depression and appointing so-called “mental health champions” to talk to the public about what the OHL is doing.

As part of the #TalkToday effort, OHL Commissioner David Branch said: “We view the importance of this subject matter, given the terrible tragedy that we all faced, that we had to maybe step up our efforts in this area and provide a more focused area of support. No question, the tragedy of Terry’s death only served to say we must move forward and provide greater support in educating our players and everyone else involved about the signs of suicide and how we can help make a difference.”

Here's Leslie Roberts with Trafford's dad talking about the initiative


According to numbers released by the CMHA, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in young Canadians behind accidents and is responsible for a quarter of deaths among 18-to-24-year-olds nationwide. 3.2 million teenagers from the ages of 12 to 19 are at risk of developing depression.

The HQ hopes this helps...

Is This Even A Legal Shootout Goal...???

((HT: Hockey Vines))

No matter how awesome looking it is...

Andreas Athanasiou, who currently plays for the Barrie Colts in the OHL, did this...


But since the puck left the ice surface, does this sickness count...???

Just asking...

Stolarz Banned 8 For Lumberjacking

((HT: Sportsnet/Cogeco))

Here's what London Knights goalie Anthony Stolarz did a day back when he didn't like what happened to him...
As a result of his retaliation to Josh Ho-Sang, Stolarz gets eight games on the bench... He won't be available until (at the earliest) the Western Conference Finals... “I apologize for my actions on Tuesday night. It’s an unfortunate situation and in no way did I intend to injure my opponent, Joshua Ho-Sang,” Stolarz said...

In a prepared statement... the HQ believes...

What In The Blue Hell Was Anthony Stolarz Thinking...???

((HT: Sportsnet/Cogeco))

London and Windsor are going at it in the Ontario Hockey League tonight...

The HQ is just going to show you this exchange with the Knights goalie and Windsor Spitfire's Josh Ho-Sang

If the OHL office doesn't come down hard on Stolarz, then something is seriously wrong...

Ho-Sang chopped Stolarz... yes, the HQ gets that...

But, even as the Knights are rolling in their first round quarterfinal series with a 10-2 win Tuesday night, it doesn't mean you should pop somebody on the back of their head like a kid being disciplined by his grandfather.

With the thick end of your goalie stick...

Terry Trafford Autopsy Results Released (UPDATED)

((HT: WNEM-TV))

And it appears to be self-inflicted asphyxiation...

The Saginaw Spirit winger was found in a Wal-mart parking lot in an SUV a week after being reported missing by his club...

Trafford had been suspended for disciplinary reasons that were reportedly partying too much on a road trip. The fourth-year player on the Spirit roster had only suspended by the team and not released, but Trafford apparently told his girlfriend that he wanted to end it all in a communication with her before he went missing...

Here's the latest from Saginaw...
WNEM TV 5

The Spirit postponed their mid-week game in the Ontario Hockey League so the team and its players could mourn Trafford's death...

FRIDAY UPDATE: Trafford will have a Tuesday funeral in his home town of Toronto with visitation Sunday and Monday. Spirit team president Craig Goslin says the team will visit Sunday.

The Ontario Hockey League team says its home game with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds that was postponed from Wednesday because of Trafford’s death will take place Monday, ending its regular season.

Saginaw visits SSM on Friday and hosts the London Knights Saturday.

DEVELOPING: Terry Trafford Found Dead

((HT: Sportsnet))

Saginaw, Michigan police found the body of junior hockey player Terry Trafford in an SUV in a Wal-Mart parking lot early Tuesday afternoon. He had been missing since last Monday after being suspended from the Saginaw Spirit for a violation of team rules.

Jessica Shepherd of the Saginaw News caught up with a woman who claimed she dated Trafford since 2010- when they were in high school together in town:

Trafford's girlfriend, Skye Cieszlak, said Trafford sent her a message stating "his life was over and that he didn't want to do it anymore" on Sunday, March 2. Cieszlak said Trafford was "devastated" after the Spirit sent him home because of rule violations.

She told WNEM-TV that Trafford was devastated that "the team didn't want him back." She also said that Trafford was sent home from a road trip for partying too much...

The Spirit released a statement on their own:

Our deepest condolences are with Terry’s family and his friends both in Ontario and Michigan. Terry played on our team and was a member of the Spirit family for the last four years and he will be missed.

We have reached out to Terry’s parents and will look to provide them with support over the coming days. In addition, we met with team players and staff this evening, along with our Team Chaplain.

On behalf of the Spirit we would like to thank the police who were looking for Terry, the media for providing updates and all who provided information. The coming days will be difficult and we will endeavor to keep the community and media apprised of arrangements and other details.

Here's the story before Trafford was found
((HT: WNEM-TV))
WNEM TV 5

Terry Trafford Missing From Saginaw Spirit

((HT: Sportsnet))

Saginaw Spirit player Terry Trafford was suspended from the team for disciplinary reasons, but has been missing since Monday.

A missing persons report has been filed with Saginaw police. Team President and managing partner Craig Goslin said the entire organization is very concerned for the young man is hoping he is found safe soon.

Trafford is in his fourth year with the team and his output has improved each year.
In 54 games this season, he has 32 points (8G, 24A)

Sportsnet caught up with Trafford's parents...

Sergey Tolchinsky With The Spinning Hockey Goal of the Year--So Far

This is pretty impressive and it comes to us from the Ontario Hockey League.

Check out the move by Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sergey Tolchinsky on the breakaway. He gets the puck in full stride and the puck starts to get ahead of him. Tolchinsky composes himself, pivots, turns and shoots all in one motion...

Impressive to say the least...

Flyers Prospect Stolarz Gashed By Skate

((HT: RogersTV/Hockey Prospects Video))

This, there is no dispute, was an ugly injury that could have been a whole lot worse...

Last night, when London played Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League, Knights goalie and Flyers prospect Anthony Stolarz was gashed by a skate blade in the crease...


Stolarz is 21-4-1-1 with the Knights this year with a 2.58 goal-against average and .925 save percentage.

He tweeted out later last evening:

At the hospital now. Thank you all for the kind words. Nothing too serious and I'll be looking to get right back on the as soon as I can.

No Goalies On The Bench...??? Put Crispie In...

((HT: TVCogecoOntario))

The only problem is that Connor Crisp hadn't been a goalie since the age of 5...
By his own admission...

The Erie Otters main goalie lasted under two minutes since he got run over, and that means that Crisp was thrown into the crease... for almost a full game against the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Naturally, saves were fewer and farther between than normal, but it was a fun one...
32 out of 45 shots...

Crisp was named first star as fans from Niagara gave him a standing ovation when it was all said and done- they got it completely...

Here's the highlights- and, naturally, there are a lot of them...
13-4 games will do that...