Mayor's Cup preview (Updated)

This year marks the 35th time that the elite local men's hockey teams will take to the ice to vie for the coveted Mayor's Cup.

The Mayor's Cup tournament is a round robin format to decide the champions in the Open and 33-and-Over divisions of the City Men's Hockey League.

April 10th and 11th, games will be played for the first time at the Rhodes Arena as part of The Tournament. The Mayor's Cup will be playing a total of nine games in The Tournament this year.

The remainder of the round robin games will be played at the Pee Wee Arena from April 12th to 19th. Semi-Final games will be played on April 20th and 21st, with both finals to be played on Saturday April 22nd, at the Pee Wee Arena.

Last year's champions will both be returning to defend their titles. The Clarica / Blueliner Bulls won last year's final in the Open Division, as expected, but it wasn't the cake walk that everyone anticipated.

The 33-and-Over Division provided some unexpected excitement last year as Smack Daddy's pulled off come from behind upsets in the semi-final and the championship games to win their first Mayor's Cup title.

*** TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW:

OPEN DIVISION

Clarica / Blueliners

With a lineup loaded from top to bottom, Clarica / Blueliners are the odds on favourite to win the 2006 Mayor's Cup and defend their title. The lineup includes players that have played in the OHL and the minor professional ranks, such as Gary Roach, Corey Evans and John Bossio. Paul Spina, former CMHL Most Valuable Player, is arguably the top defenseman in the league. Goaltending for the Clarica / Blueliners is Steve Farkas.

Soo Kings

Former pro players such as Ken Belanger and Rob Palunuk are key to the Soo Kings success at this year's Mayor's Cup. Solid play from veteran snipers Jeff Green, Nick Chanis and Gary Armstrong will be needed to spark this high-powered offence. Defensively, Brett Maguire and Derek Belanger stand their ground very well. Goaltender, Frank Novello hasn't lost a thing since his days with the Thunderbirds and could very easily steal a Mayor's Cup for the Kings.

Assante / Mr. Transmission

A very young team by CMHL standards, Assante / Mr. Transmission is led by OHLer Greg Mizzi. A number of young AAA players fill out this lineup. Lane Burton, Sean O'Dell, and Andy Lesyshen round out this high paced team. Hustle and team play will decide the success of Assante / Mr. Transmission. Goaltending is still in question as Adam Pallot moved for work commitments.

Foggy Notions

Foggy Notions is a new team to the CMHL this year. This team is a relative unknown, but when you look at the lineup, you can see that they have an excellent chance this year. Former pro Denny Lambert, along with former Greyhounds Mark Matier, Chris Felix and Dave Ritchie are names that we all cheered at the Gardens. Former OHLers Kevin MacKay, Paul Godfrey, and Frank Porco boost an already potent offence. Jason Bernardo has been more than solid in goal this year.

Travelers Alumni

The Travelers Alumni team is comprised of players that played with the now defunct Wawa Travelers. This is a fast team that relies on team play and hustle. They did very well in the 10 games they played this year in the CMHL. Derek Doyle and Ian Jamieson led the Alumni in scoring this year. Goaltender Dave Scott is very steady and can steal games just as he did in last year's Cup.

McDougall Fuels

A young and high paced team, McDougall Fuels was led in scoring this year by Tim Johns. Experienced players such as Mike Killoren, Greg MacLean and Jody Wilson could lead this team to the semi-finals. On defense, Trevor Zachary and Kyle McLean are very hard to get past. Goaltending duties will be handled by Travis Ruicci.

33+ DIVISION

Smack Daddy's

Smack Daddy's will return to defend their Mayor's Cup title. Speed and grit will be the key to their success this year. Barry Bissonnette led the team in scoring this year and his experience both on the ice in the dressing room is invaluable. Trevor Robidoux, Steve Vresk, Joe Albert and Tony Jameus will likely provide for fast and exciting hockey. Defensively, Mark Entwistle and Chad Bouchard are solid. Carl Desgagnes will take over for the injured Rob Gibney in goal.

Tulloch Engineering

Past champion and always a Mayor's Cup threat, Tulloch, is led by the scoring of Scott Sloss and Nelson Duchesne. Gritty players like Darrin Evans, Frank Giacionne, Brian Dailey and Travis Hallerow, round out the offence. On the blueline, Paul Syrette and Bill Shiells will tower over most forwards. Brad Webkamigad, perhaps their best defenseman, will probably miss the Cup, with a concussion suffered late in the season. Goaltending at this point is still in question, with both Tulloch goaltenders out with injuries.

Weedman

This team is a goaltender's nightmare. It seems that every player on this team shoots hard and accurate. Their passes are crisp and on the tape. The offense is quarterbacked by multiple-time league scoring champion Bill Carriere. The list of snipers includes, Jody Wilson, Scott Warrick, Mike Johnson, Tony Greco, Bob Lindsay and Randy Latvinen. On defense, Ken Dickenson, Tim Burton, and Randy Chartrand provide a solid stay at home game. The bulk of the goaltending will be provided by the ever-consistent Jim Bergamin.

Mr. Transmission

With more Mayor's Cup championships than any other team, Mr. Transmission again is a viable threat to win the tournament. Team leaders in scoring include, Roger Rossett, Romano Carlucci, Mark Patellia, Al Carrier, and Ron Sartor. On defense, Eric Hicks, winner of multiple Best Defenseman awards, will lead the way with Pat Mizzi and Richard Rossett. The goaltending duties will fall on the shoulders of John Shamess again this year.

Microage / Smack Daddy's

Grit and determination is the only way to explain this team. There are no easy games against Microage. Dave Eddy, Kevin Auger, Greg Oja and John Nardo lead Microage in scoring. Ian Jefferson, Mark Spragge, Francois Bibeau, and Dean Williams are all solid on defense. Don Bruni will need to bring his "A" game in goal, and the team will need to continue with their grit and determination for Microage to advance to the Semi-Finals this year.

Mohawks

This marks the first season that the Sault Michigan Mohawks have played a full schedule in the CMHL. Playing out of the Pullar Arena, the Mohawks led the 33+ Division this year. League scoring leader, Al Bouschor, along with Corey Metro, Joe Micolo, and Rick Reckla provide the bulk of the offence. The defense includes the solid play of Sid Bradley. Returning to the CMHL this year is goaltender Gary Johnson, and he hasn't lost a step.

*** MAYOR'S CUP SCHEDULE:

PW = Game played at the Pee Wee Arena JRCC = Game played at the John Rhodes Community Centre

Monday, April 10

7:45 p.m. - Mr. Transmission vs. Stitch King/Weedman (JRCC) 9:15 p.m. - McDougall Fuels vs. Mr. Transmission/Assante Capital (JRCC)

Tuesday, April 11

7:45 p.m. - Clarica/Blueliners vs. Foggy Notions (JRCC) 9:15 p.m. - Tulloch Engineering vs. Microage/Smack Daddy's (JRCC)

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(Story submitted by Rob Gibney)