UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (07/21/96)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

The minor leagues: 1995-1996 wrap-up

The ever-expanding professional minor league hockey scene's final curtain has been drawn. Taking final curtain calls were this season's top two minor league clubs: the Calder Cup champion Rochester Americans (AHL) and the Tumer Cup champion Utah Grizzlies (IHL).

A record 18 teams comprised the American Hockey League in 1995-1996; the International Hockey League, with all of their newly formed independents, boasted a record 19 squads. Rochester (Buffalo's top farm team) eked out a tightly contested finals series versus the Portland Pirates (Washington's affiliate), four games to three. The Islanders' top farm team (Utah) swept the independent Orlando Solar Bears 4-0 en route to their championship.

Here's a capsulized recap of pro hockey's top two developmental leagues, by divisions, in order of final regular season standings, Ukrainian contributors capitalized.

In the AHL's Eastern Conference, the Prince Edward Island Senators captured the Atlantic Division without the benefit of any Ukrainian players. The Saint John Flames (T. HLUSHKO 35-14-13-27-70 and D. STRUCH 45-10-15-25-57) made it into the semi-final rounds until squeezed out by Portland. St. John's Maple Leafs (B. GRETZKY 68-13-28-41-40 and M. KOLESAR 52-22-13-35-47) finished third. Wayne's little brother, Brent, ended up fourth top Leaf scorer. Kolesar finished the season with the parent Toronto Maple Leafs, seeing ice time in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Fredericton Canadiens and Cape Breton Oilers (player/assistant coach M. KRUSHELNYSKI 50-16-25-41-78) rounded out the Atlantic.

In the Northern Division, top flying birds were the Springfield Falcons (A. GODYNYUK 14-1-3-4-19 prior to crossing over to the IHL and S. CHEREDARYK 32-0-1-1-36). Next were the Worcester Icecats (A. VASILEVSKI 69-18-21-39-112 and goaltender M. BUZAK 30-1671-9-10-5-3.05). Vasilevski finished as the Icecats' fourth top goal scorer. Buzak is St. Louis' netminder of the future. The Calder Cup finalist Portland Pirates (J. MAZUR 54-16-9-25-55, A. ALEXEEV 34-3-10-13-30 and F. BIALOWAS 65-4-3-7-211) tied Syracuse for the most Ukes on their roster with three. Fourth and final place went to the Providence Bruins (S. HUMENIUK 59-7-19-26-84).

Swinging over to the Western Conference, the Albany River Rats won the Central Division, but were quickly ousted in the playoffs. Netminder P. SIDOROWICZ (32-1809-19-7-5-2.95 with 27PIM) turned in a solid season and deserves consideration for an NHL backup slot. The Adirondack Red Wings' (P. KOCH 3-0- 1- 1-0) top goal scorer, assist-man and leading scorer in 1995-1996 was ex-lslander No. 1 draftee DAVE CHYZOWSKI (80-44-39-83-160). His phenomenal scoring year could possibly earn him one last crack in the big leagues. The champion Rochester Americans developed a blossoming future Sabre defenseman in the person of SERGEI KLIMENTIEV (70-7-29-36-74). Cornwall Aces brought up Colorado's No. 1 draftee, defenseman WADE BELAK (5-0-0-0-18) for a quick look-see from juniors. Journeyman P. AMBROZIAK (58-11-16-27-67) spent 1995-1996 in Cornwall. Last, but not least, those Syracuse Crunch, with the other trio of Ukrainian minor leaguers: B. SAVENKO (69-16-20-36-68), Y. NAMESTNIKOV (59-13-34-47-85), Syracuse's top defenseman in scoring and third on the team in assists, and goalie S. TKACZENKO (14-733-2-8-1-4.26).

Tops in the Southern Division were the Binghamton Rangers (L. SOROCHAN 45-2-8-10-26), who were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Hershey's Bears boasted no Ukrainians this past season. The Baltimore Bandits (M. MANELUK 74-33-38-71-73, third in goals and assists, tied for second in team scoring) and Carolina Monarchs (D. NEMIROVSKY 5-1-2-3-0) round out the AHL's Western South.

Glancing at the International Hockey League, landing atop the Eastern Conference's North Division were those Cincinnati Cyclones (D. MARCINYSHYN 65-6-13-19-160 and tied for PIM's lead). Oddly enough, the second through fourth teams here had nary a Ukrainian puckster. Pooh on the Michigan K-Wings, Indianapolis Ice and Fort Wayne Komets! (Get with the programs, you midwesterners, and pick up a Uke or two!)

In the Central Division, the Turner Cup finalist Orlando Solar Bears were also division winners. The place team in the standings were the Detroit Vipers. The third slot belonged to the Cleveland Lumberjacks, who were one of three IHL squads to carry three Ukrainians. Second on the team in goals and fourth in points was NHL veteran MARK OSBORNE (70-31-38-69-131). Career IHL'er DAVE MICHALYUK (53-22-21-43-27) and still promising blueliner DRAKE BEREHOWSKY (74-6-28-34-141) were the other Ukrainian Lumberjacks. The Atlanta Knights (M. RUCHTY 12-3-4-7-38) finished ahead of the Houston Aeros. VADIM SLIVCHENKO (81-24-28-52-44) finished second in goals and fifth in scoring for the disappointing Aeros. Slivchenko can play. RYAN HUSKA (28-2-3-5-15) saw limited action in Houston.

Over in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, the Milwaukee Admirals finished in first place. MIKE TOMLAK (82-11-32-43-68), TONY HRKAC (43-14-28-42-18, scoring at a point-per-game clip) and GARY GULASH (4-0-0-0-11) were a trio of Ukrainian Admirals. GREG PANKEWICH (45-9-l 6-25-164) played it rough for Chicago. This Wolfe was third on his club in penalty minutes (just 45 games, too). The Kansas City Blades finished in the middle of the Midwest pack. The third and final IHL contingent with three Ukes were the Peoria Rivermen. Mark's younger brother, KEITH OSBORNE (63-23-28-51-64, third in goals and forth in scoring), NHL-veteran GREG PASLOWSKI (60-16-27-43-22) and DAN RATUSHNY (45-7-15-22-45) practiced their puck skills in Peoria. The Minnesota Moose finished 1995-96 with a pair of Ukrainians patrolling their blueline. Youngster GREG ANDRUSAK (63-6-34-40-136, top scoring defenseman among the Moose) joined the afore-mentioned ALEXANDER GODYNYUK (52-9-20-29-93).

The Las Vegas Thunder captured the Southwest Division and made it into the playoff semifinals. Ukrainian assistant-GM CLINT MALARCHUK came out of retirement to play four minutes in goal the night his number was retired by the Thunder. The champion Utah Grizzlies were second to Las Vegas in the regular season. The now bankrupt San Francisco Spiders beat off the Phoenix Roadrunners (M. BOBACK 62-16-37-53-21, second in assists and third in scoring, GARY SHUCHUK 33-8-21-29-76) for the third spot in the Southwest. Shuchuk played with the parent Los Angeles Kings the second half of the season. At the bottom of the division were the lowly Los Angeles Ice Dogs (W. STRACHAN 75-19-30-49-55).

Buzak in Blues' plans

When the past American Hockey League season began, goalie Mike Buzak was basically a well-paid doorman for the Worcester Icecats. He opened the door on the bench and watched rookie Eric Fichaud play. And play. And play.

Buzak, a rookie out of Michigan State, had only spot duty, playing on the road and in the middle game of a three-game weekend. A month into the season he had appeared in two games and his goals-against-average was over 5.00.

But after Fichaud's inevitable promotion to the NHL's New York Islanders late last January, Buzak became an every-day goalie and was the AHL's turn-around player of the year.

A seventh-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 1993, this Ukrainian climbed to fourth in the AHL with a 2.79 GAA and a 90.8 save percentage at one point this past season

"I knew Fich (Fichaud) was going to be the man, but I knew eventually he wouldn't be here and I'd get my chance," Buzak said. "It was tough sometimes, but I had to wait for my chance."

Then he had to prove to coach Jimmy Roberts that he deserved to play.

"I don't think he was ready early in the year to help," Roberts said. "But I have to give him credit. He has worked on his game and he's playing well."

One area of improvement: his concentration. "I'm working on being more intense, on focusing on every thing that got me here," Buzak said. "(At Michigan State) I could do it sporadically because everybody couldn't shoot."

Buzak didn't celebrate when Fichaud was called up, however.

"In a way, it was a sad day for me because we got along well," he said. "I wasn't sitting there saying, 'I hope he leaves soon.' I did learn some things from him and I know he made me better."

MINOR LEAGUE UKRAINIAN UTTERING: Jim Sandlak, an 11-year veteran, initially balked at his demotion to the Syracuse Crunch by the Vancouver Canucks, but finally reported on March 6. The fourth over-all pick in the 1985 draft, Sandlak played only 24 minor league games and 546 in the NHL. He finished the season back with the Canucks and dressed in the playoffs.

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