Skyhawks up for the challenge

The North Bay Skyhawks practice Monday afternoon at Pete Palangio arena. The NOJHL Champs will have their hands full with three tough opponents in three nights in the Dudley-Hewitt Cup tournament which starts Tuesday night. Photo by Chris Dawson.

It looked like a kids early morning practice at Pete Palangio arena around the noon hour Monday. Skyhawks goaltender Chris Abbey walked into the arena wearing all his goalie equipment that he put on back at Memorial Gardens much like he would have as a kid back in Atom or Tykes.

The lanky netminder from London, Ontario seemed relaxed as he prepared to head on the ice for one last practice on North Bay ice before heading on the bus to Georgetown where they will face their toughest opponents of the year at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup.

“The celebration ended with that night,” Abbey said about winning the NOJHL championship in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan last week.

“We were really happy that we won the league but now we’re focused on putting in a good performance at the Dudley-Hewitt, and excitement I think is the word to describe what our team is feeling right now,” added Abbey who will start game one Tuesday night versus Georgetown.

The host squad from Georgetown will be gunning for the Skyhawks in the event’s opener Tuesday night. However the Provincial Junior “A” club that lost in the league final to St. Michael’s will be without one of their top snipers. According to the Skyhawks coaching staff Kevin Harvey, brother of San Jose Sharks forward Todd Harvey, will miss the first two games due to a suspension. It’s not much of an edge but the Skyhawks will take anything they can get going into their most crucial three games of the year.

“It should be jammed packed,” said Skyhawks assistant coach Lui Ricci about their opener against Georgetown.

“First of all, we have to get the crowd out of the game and hopefully the boys can play a good defensive game. That’s what’s going to win it for us is our defensive game and of course our goaltender.”

For the Skyhawks this will be their third straight trip to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup. In 2003 they lost to the Wellington Dukes in the final at the event in Fort Frances and in 2004 they lost in the final on home ice against the eventual Royal Bank Cup champions from Aurora. The Skyhawks have only three players back from last years Dudley-Hewitt Cup finalists.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys on our team,” said forward David Cappadocia who played last year in the event hosted by the Skyhawks.

“We don’t have much Dudley-Hewitt experience, Thunder Bay (Fort William) has a bunch of guys (returning), Georgetown, St. Mike’s, have a few top notch players on their teams, we go in there for experience and to get the wins and that’s our main goal, “ Cappadocia said.

Returnee Josh Merson realizes this event will be the Skyhawks ultimate test.

“It’s going to be a tough go, we’re definitely going to be the underdogs down there but I think we have a definite chance,” said Merson.

For Captain David Frawley this will be his third trip to Dudley-Hewitt Cup tournament with the Skyhawks. This year he likes the idea of being the underdog.

“I guess we are going in kind of under the radar,” said Frawley.

“There’s less pressure, I think it will be a little easier but we still have to go out and do what we do best.”