Cuts coming for Soo Greyhounds

Friday night will give players one more opportunity to leave an impression on the management and coaching staff of the Soo Greyhounds.

That’s when players will take to the ice for the annual Luke Williams Memorial Game, set for 7 p.m. at the Essar Centre.

The game will be the final opportunity for players to skate prior to cuts being made and the team preparing for a pair of exhibition games against the Saginaw Spirit.

“Training camp is always a high-stress time,” Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis said. “Even talking with some of the returning guys, they really want to show that they belong in a role that may be different than what they had previously. (On Friday), it’s important for the guys that if they haven’t felt that they’ve put their best foot forward to put a stamp on it and for the other guys to continue doing what they’ve been doing all week.”

After noting that the rookies showed some nerves on the opening day of main camp, Raftis said Thursday the showing was better.

“You’re seeing some of the younger guys start to feel like they belong and not just set up veteran players but playing the game we saw them play all year,” said Raftis.

“The first couple of days they were over-passing a little bit when they were with a veteran player and now they’re showing their game and what got them to this point,” Raftis added.

In scrimmage action on Thursday, veteran defenceman Tyler Ganly scored a pair of goals and set up another as Team Black skated to a 6-6 tie with Team White. Blake Speers added a goal and an assist for Team Black.

Boris Katchouk continued his solid play for Team White with two goals and two assists.

The evening scrimmage saw sophomore goaltender Joseph Raaymakers stop 32 shots for Team Red in a 5-3 win over Team Black.

“He worked hard over the summer,” Raftis said of the sophomore netminder. “He was excited about coming back this winter and pushing for some minutes.”

At the other end of the ice, Dougie Newhouse stopped 37 shots for Team Black.

Following Thursday’s evening scrimmage, Raftis commended the play of first round pick Liam Hawel on day two of main camp.

“He’s gotten rid of that hesitation and he’s just playing hockey,” Raftis said. “That’s every 16-year-old. They come around. They’re just waiting and seeing how they fit in and as days went on we saw more of that from him.”

Following Friday’s annual Red vs. White game, the team expects to trim the roster though haven’t determined a final number the team will head into the exhibition season with.