Falcons ready for training camp
Goaltender Hayden Jeffery is back for his second season with the St. Catharines Falcons. Photo: BILL POTRECZ
Training camp is just around the corner for the St. Catharines Rankin Construction Falcons.
The Falcons open camp Monday, Aug. 19 in preparation for their Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season opener at home Friday, Sept. 13 versus the Cambridge Redhawks.
Falcons general manager Zack Schipper says the team has already been skating informally preparing for camp.
“We’ve been skating every couple weeks. We just rented our own ice. It’s really great because we have a strong core of guys returning and have been able to get the guys together multiple times throughout the summer,” Schipper said.
The Falcons will open camp with a solid core of returning veterans — forwards Treyson Dewar, Calvin Petrovsky, Marcus Harris and Jordan Marconi, defencemen Mitch Dmytrow, Luke Gualtieri, Dallys Hibbert and Trent Vaillancourt, as well as goaltender Hayden Jeffery.
“We’re in a good position this year where we have the majority of the guys locked in so we’ll be hitting the ground running from Day 1,” Schipper said. “A few holes left to fill here and there, but for the most part we’ll be ready to roll.”
Schipper said he expects big things from Petrovsky, who is entering his third season at the junior B level, as well as Jeffery, who performed well as a rookie.
“Coming back for his second season between the pipes, we are grateful he’s putting his trust in our organization. He is locked in and ready to help us achieve our goals,” Schipper said.
The Falcons will be participating in Eli Palfreyman Global Invitational Tournament at St. Andrew’s College along with the host Saints, Ayr Centennials, Caledonia Corvairs, Listowel Cyclones and Jungadier Mannheim, Aug. 22-25 before taking on the Welland Junior Canadians in a pair of exhibition games Sept. 5 in St. Catharines and Sept. 8 in Welland.
“It’s all about starting to develop our systems in practice and getting the legs going and balancing that with some game action as well,” Schipper said.
The Falcons have added a few new faces over the summer, including former Cambridge captain Matt Fries, who had 25 goals and 54 points last season and is attending Brock this year.
“He has leadership abilities and as a 20-year-old we’re going to rely on him heavily,” Schipper said. “From everything we’ve heard from people throughout the league, we’re getting a great hockey player and an even better human.”
Look for off-season updates on the Fort Erie Meteors and Pelham Panthers in the coming days.
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