Lincs holding ‘Spring Camp’ on Apr. 29 – May 1 weekend
By Pat Payton
St. Marys Lincolns are holding their annual ‘Spring Camp’ on the weekend of April 29, 30 and May 1 at the PRC.
The three-day prospects camp will consist of a series of intra-squad games. Players are guaranteed three games, a team info session, lunch and a team shirt.
Contact Assistant GM Mike Glover at: MGlover@Lincs.ca., with date of birth, height, weight, position and current team. E-transfer $150 to club treasurer Stew Grant at: Stewartgrant16@gmail.com, using password “Lincolns”.
–Prior to Sunday’s home game against Sarnia Legionnaires, Lincs’ forward Cole Schnittker was honoured as Player-of-the-Month for February.
The 20-year-old winger from London had three goals and eight points in nine games last month. Schnittker is currently fifth in team scoring with nine goals and 24 points in 42 games. He has three game winners, plus a shorthanded marker.
–Last Friday, Lincolns held their ‘Billet Appreciation Night’ – thanking the St. Marys families who are boarding Lincs players (seven in total) during the 2021-22 season. Billet ‘moms’ who received flowers from the players they are boarding were: Kerri Clifford-Audet, Michelle Galloway, Barb Boscarato, Shari McHardy and Tracey Thompson.
–On Friday, April 1, Lincolns are hoping for a big crowd for their ‘Fill the Rink’ night promotion.
“Come enjoy a playoff atmosphere at the last (regular-season) home game of the year,” club president Brandon Boyd said.
Prior to the game against St. Thomas Stars, the team will honour eight graduating players (all 20-year-olds). They will receive their game jersey in a frame.
–Forward Ethan Lamoureux continues to lead the Lincolns in scoring with 18 goals, 34 assists and 52 points in 43 GOJHL games. The 19-year-old Ilderton native leads the team with six powerplay goals, followed by rookie Noah VandenBrink with five.
VandenBrink (19-24-43 in 42 games) is second in team scoring, followed by fellow rookie Kyle Morey (16-25-41 in 44 games).
–A great late-season addition for St. Marys has been centre Spencer Hazell. The 20-year-old Western student has eight goals and 14 points in 17 games. Hazell, who hails from Georgetown, is a key member of Lincolns’ powerplay units and also very strong in the face-off circles.
–Komoka GM/owner Roop Chanderdat says “injuries” are the main reason for the Kings’ recent fall in the Western standings.
“Three of our top four scorers have been out for lengthy periods,” Chanderdat said prior to last Friday’s game in St. Marys. “And after the Covid break, we lost another guy (Matthew Gough) to the USPHL. We’re not making excuses, and we’ll figure it out going forward, but we’ve been filling out our team with APs (affiliate skaters).
“You look at third place all the way down to eighth, and it’s tight in the standings. Right now, we just want to be playing good hockey and getting healthy for the first game of playoffs.”
–Former Lincs’ defenceman Brayden Hislop (2019-20) is now a member of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit.
In 31 games with Saginaw, the 18-year-old St. Clements native has two goals, seven points and 23 penalty minutes. The good puck-handling blue-liner started the season with the GOJHL’s Elmira Sugar Kings, and was acquired by the Spirit in a trade.
Originally drafted by the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, Hislop had 16 points (4-12) in 40 games with St. Marys two years ago.
–Stratford native Steve Miller spent one season as a Lincolns’ defenceman in the early 1990s, and then put his entire focus on being a hockey official. Miller recently completed a 21-year career as a NHL linesman.
He earned rings for working the Stanley Cup playoffs, working 1,000 games, and reaching the 15-season milestone. He also received an Olympic bronze medal in 2006. Overall, the personable Miller worked over 1,400 NHL games, including three Stanley Cup finals.
Along the way, he also mentored other officials such as former Lincoln and Thorndale area native Tyson Baker, who is currently a NHL linesman.
Today, Steve Miller’s hockey school has donated $25,000 to Rotary Hockey in Stratford over six years, mostly to help underprivileged families afford registration.
