Canucks fire up the offence
Nicholas Prestia, left, and Ryan Smith are the two newest members of the Niagara Falls Canucks. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
It took him almost his entire junior career, but Nicholas Prestia has finally come home.
The 20-year-old Niagara Falls native has joined the Canucks for the final months of his career and couldn’t be happier.
“I had a chance to come home and play as a hometown kid,” Prestia said. “It feels like home and the past few games I’ve really enjoyed my experience here and feel like I’m a good fit.”
Prestia began his junior career with the St. Catharines Falcons and bounced around several teams in a few different leagues. He was most recently with Pickering of the Ontario Junior Hockey League when he was picked up by the Falls at the trade deadline last week.
“I think I’ve come a long way since I was 16 playing for St. Catharines,” he said. “When I was in Pickering, the realization was there it was my last year and I wanted to go on a long playoff run and that’s what Niagara could offer.
“I’m glad I made the move.”
Prestia said he prides himself on being a good teammate.
“I think I’m a good character guy in the room,” he said. “I have good personality and I’m coachable so for my last year I wanted to be somewhere we I could play until May and I see that here with the Canucks.”
Canucks coach Frank Pietrangelo expects Prestia to help out an already powerful offence.
“He wanted to come back and finish his career here with us and we were happy to accommodate that,” Pietrangelo said. “He has a knack for the net and has been successful everywhere he’s been.”
Prestia, who has three goals in three game since going the Canucks, has been playing on a line with another newcomer, former Niagara IceDogs draft pick Ryan Smith, and the pesky Patrick McCabe.
“I think we started clicking early. It’s going good and I feel where I fit in now, I feel like I deserved the role Frank has given me and I’m glad where I am,” Prestia said.
Smith, who was a fifth-round selection by the IceDogs in 2015 and began his junior career with the Thorold Blackhawks before moving to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, is a solid two-way centre who can also chip in offensively.
“Ryan is a smart hockey player,” Pietrangelo said. “He’s a great skater and works like a dog. He doesn’t stop. I think he’ll bring a little bit of everything to us, especially at playoff time. He will allow us to match up as we wish.”
Smith said the transition has been a smooth one.
“The guys in the room have been great and very co-operative and respectful of us moving in,” he said. “We’re trying to work together to try and build our own role on the team and not disrupt any of the chemistry that has been here before.”
Smith, too, has visions of a long playoff run.
“When I was contemplating leaving the QMJHL I had a bunch of teams contacting me and a lot of interest. I’m a winner. I’ve always played to win and I think these guys have a chance to win a Sutherland Cup and there would be no better way to finish up my junior career than to play for a championship team.”
Pietrangelo said he looked beyond the stats when he brought in Prestia and Smith.
“We wanted to make sure what we brought in were the right ingredients for our hockey club. We have a really good dressing room, really good character in there, and we didn’t want to take away from that.
“It was important we brought the right people in. Not just hockey players, but the right people so we were very selective.”
The addition of Prestia and Smith gives the Canucks an embarrassment of riches up front.
“It gives us an opportunity to do different things,” Pietrangelo said. “We’re trying to win a championship and it’s a long road. There’s going to be injuries and suspensions so guys are going to have to play different roles.
“Forget about the Sutherland Cup. In order to get by St. Catharines and Hamilton and Pelham and anyone else in our way, we need everybody contributing. We know we have a good hockey club and these two additions make us more difficult to match up against.”
The Canucks, who lead the Falcons by three points for first place with a game in hand, are in St. Catharines Friday and home to the Falcons Sunday at 3 p.m.
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