Blast Begin Quest for 106th Allan Cup With First Round Series Vs Whitby Dunlops

Preview

Tonight’s first game of the playoffs will feature the third seeded Blast (16-7-0-1) hosting the second seeded Whitby Dunlops  (18-4-0-2) for game one of the best-of-seven ACH Semi Final playoff series.

The playoff series begins each team’s quest for the 106^th Allan Cup Championship. Should Dundas beat the Stoney Creek Generals in the first round, the winner of this series will automatically receive a berth in the Allan Cup which will be held in Dundas from April 14-19^th at JL Grightmire Arena in Dundas.

Game one of this series will be played at the Civic Centre in Brantford. Doors open at 6:45, with puck drop at 7:45 PM.

Theme

There is no specific theme for the Game 1 of the playoffs. There will be the usual – Blast Lung Association 50/50, Ted Beare Sports Experience Fund Frisbee Toss, Montana’s Rib Eating Contest, and Free Harvey’s Hamburgers if the Blast score five or more goals. The Blast are also excited to announce that since the 2008 Allan Cup, the Lung Association 50/50 has raised over $96,000, meaning fans have walked away with over $48,000 in prize money.

Season Series

The two teams played four total games against each other (two in Brantford, two in Whitby). They split the season series, each winning two games. The Blast won their first two on the road and at home 6-2, and 4-1. Whitby won their two at home and on the road near the end of the season 5-2 and 4-3.The Blast outscored the Dunlops 15-12 in the season series.

The two teams combined for 185 PIM throughout the four games in the regular season, with Whitby receiving 100 and Brantford receiving 85. The Blast went 4/23 on the powerplay (16.4%) and killed off 18/20 Whitby power plays (90%), while Whitby went 2/20 on the power play (10%) and killed off 19/23 chances for the Blast (82.6%).

The Blast were led in scoring in the season series by new comer Brandon Dietrich who had 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in four games. Scott Freeman led the way for Whitby with 3 goals and 1 assist in the season series.

Recent Games  

The Blast lost their final game of the regular season in Dundas last Friday 7-3 to the Real McCoy’s. Whitby won their regular season finale in Welland 12-0. The Blast finished the season with a 2-3 record in their last five and 5-5 in their last ten. Whitby finished the year with a 4-1 record in their last five and a 8-1-0-1 record in their last ten.  

Players to Watch

The Dunlops were led during the regular season by co-scoring leader John Scrymgeour who had 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) in only 18 games. Forwards Patrick Jobb, Shane Terry, Brett McConnachie, and Peter MacKellar were all also in the top 15 in scoring with 39, 32, 30, and 29 points respectively.

The Blast players who led the way during the regular season were Joel Prpic who finished 4^th in league scoring with 43 points in 21 games, Captain Chad Spurr (18 goals, 10 assists – 28 points in 24 games), newcomer Brandon Dietrich (11 goals, 15 assists – 26 points in 19 games), and Mike Ruberto (9 goals, 15 assists – 24 points in 24 games).

Blast To Close Out Regular Season Against Arch-Rivals Dundas Real McCoy’s

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (16-6-0-1) visiting the Dundas Real McCoy’s (17-4-0-2) for the eighth and final game between the two teams this season. It’s also the regular season finale for both ACH Heavyweights. The Blast lead the season series 4-2-0-1 this season (9 points), while Dundas boasts a 3-2-0-2 record (8 points). Three of the seven games between the two teams have gone to a shootout, three others were 1-3 goal games, with the biggest victory going to Dundas in December, a 10-2 victory over the home Blast.

The game will be played at the JL Grightmire Arena on Market St in Dundas. Doors open at 6:30, with puck drop at 7:30. Be sure to follow live via Twitter @BrantfordBlast for live game updates.

Playoff Implications

With Dundas’ 7-3 win over Whitby last night in Whitby, the Blast are frozen at third place in the league. However, the Blast can play spoiler to the Real McCoy’s with a win in regulation tonight. A win combined with a Whitby win over Welland tomorrow night, would mean that Whitby would clinch first place in the league and would host Stoney Creek, while the Blast would face the Real McCoy’s who would have home ice advantage.

A Blast loss tonight would mean that Dundas would clinch first place in the league, and the Blast would play Whitby in the first round, where they would have home ice. Basically it’s the Blast’s time to become a spoiler for their Arch-Rivals and set up a first round date between the two teams. 

This year it’s a bit different to qualify for the Allan Cup. Since Dundas is the host and Kenora already has a spot in the 106^th Allan Cup, if any team makes it to the Final against Dundas, then they automatically qualify for the Championship, which will be played in Dundas April 14-19. Should Dundas get eliminated in the first round, the winner of the ACH Final and the Roberston Cup, would receive a berth into the Allan Cup.

 

Recent Games  

The Blast won their most recent game in Norwood 12-5 over the Vipers in their regular season home finale. Dundas won their last game last night in Whitby as mentioned 7-3.   

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 6-4  in their last 10, while Dundas has a record of 3-1-0-1  in their last five games played and 6-2-0-2 in their last ten games played.

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Dundas are their top scorer Scott Mifsud who is first in league scoring by 4 points over Brantford’s Joel Prpic with 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 21 games. He also has 6 points in his last five games and 20 points in his last ten. Cam Watson and Joe Koudys are two other players to keep an eye on as they have 37 and 30 points this season respectively.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 43 points in 20 games, including 13 points in his last five games. A few other players who have been performing exceptionally lately are Chris Rebernik and Jon Jankus (9 points each in their last five games), and Chad Spurr and Brandon Dietrich (8 points each in their last five games played).

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Dundas are Joel Prpic who has 6 points in his 5 games played against the Real McCoy’s, and Chris Leveille and Mark Taylor who each have 5 points so far.

The Real McCoy’s are lead by Scott Mifsud (9 points in 7 games) and Darryl Smith (7 points in 4 games).

Playoff Tentative Schedule

The playoffs are set for a soft date of Friday February 28^th. However, with the Blast most likely not having home ice advantage it may not be until the following week before they play a home playoff game. The finalized schedule will be posted all over social media as soon as it is made available to us. Stay tuned.  

Blast Head on a Roadtrip to Norwood to Take on the Vipers Tonight

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (15-6-0-1) visiting the Norwood Vipers (2-19-0-1) for the fourth and final game between the two teams this season. The Blast lead the season series 3-0, off of 7-6, 6-4 and 16-2 victories over the team. This is the fourth and final time this season these two teams will faceoff against one another.

The game will be played at the Norwood Community Centre, with puck drop  at 6:30 PM. Be sure to follow live via Twitter @BrantfordBlast for live game updates.

Playoff Implications

With the Blast loss to Whitby on Friday night, they have to have a bit of luck on their side in order to get first place. A Blast win will put them one point behind Dundas for second place and two points behind Whitby for first place.  

The best the Blast could do would be to tie Whitby, but since the tie breaker is first the head to head results, it would come down to goals for, which the Blast are currently losing 136-111. It could very well become a battle for second place with Dundas. Only time will tell what happens.

Recent Games  

The Blast lost their most recent game against Whitby 4-3. Dundas won their last game against Welland  

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 5-5 in their last 10, while Norwood has a record of 0-5  in their last five games played and 0-9-0-1 in their last 10 games played.  

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Norwood are their top 3 scorers: #14 Darren Doherty (19  goals, 21 assists – 40 points in 21  games), #10  Murray Free (11  goals, 13 assists – 24 points in 18 games) and #23 defenceman Mike Madgett (6 goals, 17 assists – 23 points in 22 games). They have 10, 7 and 9 points in their last five games respectively.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 37 points in 19 games, and Cam Sault who has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 14 games since coming back from injury.

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Norwood are Chad Spurr (6 goals, 4 assists – 10 points in 3 games), Joel Prpic (5 goals, 3 assists – 8 points in 3 games), Cam Sault (2 goals, 6 assists – 8 points in 3 games) and Jon Jankus (1 goal, 6 assists – 7 points in 3 games).

The Norwood players leading the way in the season series are Darren Doherty (7 points in 3 games), Mike Madgett (6 points in 3 games), and Chris Johnston (4 points in 3 games). 

Blast Look to Continue Hunt for First Place for 1st Annual Sandy O’Rafferty Pink the Rink Night vs Whitby Dunlops

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (15-5-0-1) hosting the Whitby Dunlops (15-4-0-1) for the fourth and final game between the two teams this season. The Blast lead the season series 2-1, off of 6-2 and 4-1 wins, while Whitby won the most recent game 5-2 against the Blast. It’s the fourth battle for first place the Blast have played in this season.

Doors open at 6:30 and puck drop is at 7:30 PM at the Brantford & District Civic Centre.

Theme

The game will be the host of the 1^st Annual Sandy O’Rafferty Pink the Rink Night at the Civic Centre. Sandy was a long time Blast fan who passed away from her battle with cancer last March. She was a loving wife, mother and friend to many people.

The Canadian Cancer Society will be on board to deck the rink out in pink, and they will be joined by Strong Start to Reading, the Ice Kittens, and the regulars – The Lung Association, Ted Beare Sports Fund, and Mohawk College and Pauline Johnson Highschool student volunteers.

Throughout the game fans will be able to bid on game worn Blast jerseys (with the Sandy O’Rafferty Pink the Rink Night logo). After the game is over the winners will be able to come out onto the ice and claim their jersey right off the players’ backs. All proceeds go towards cancer research in the Blast’s non-stop battle against cancer.

Playoff Implications

The Blast are at a point in the season where they can control their own fate for first place. If the team wins their remaining 3 games, they will end the season in first. They currently sit tied with Whitby with 31, while Dundas is at 30. Stoney Creek is in 4^th 26 points and cannot move any higher.  

If the Blast were to lose any of the three remaining games, they would have to have luck on their side and hope that Dundas or Whitby lose some games too.

The pressure is on but the Blast are taking a one game at a time approach to these final three games, which are bound to have a playoff-like atmosphere.

Recent Games  

The Blast won their last game on Monday night in Welland 9-2 over the Whalers. Whitby won their last game on Wednesday night 9-3 over the Norwood Vipers.

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 6-4 in their last 10, while Whitby has a record of 4-0-0-1 in their last five games played and 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games played.  

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Whitby are their top 3 scorers: #27 John Scymgeour (16  goals, 22 assists – 38 points in 15  games), #10 Patrick Jobb (7 goals, 28 assists – 35 points in 20 games) and #22 Brett McConnachie (15 goals, 11 assists – 26 points in 18 games). They have 11, 9 and 7 points in their last five games respectively.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who sits 3^rd in league scoring with 37 points (12 in his last 5), Jon Jankus has stormed back after missing time with an injury – he has 12 points in 5 games since returning (including 7 and 4 point games vs Norwod and Welland), and Chad Spurr who has 23 points on the season and 9 in his last 5 games.

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Whitby are Brandon Dietrich with 6 points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 6 games, followed by Healy, Chad Spurr, Prpic, and Tocher all with 3 points against the Dunlops.

The Whitby Dunlops have had a spread of contributions against the Blast so far this year, 6 players have 2 points, and 7 players have 1 point to lead the season series. 

Blast Beat the Welland Whalers 9-2 at the Whale Tank in Welland

Entering the make up game on Monday night against the Welland Whalers, the Blast knew this game was a must-win to keep pace in the tight playoff race and the hunt for first place. They stuck to their guns and pulled it off with a big 9-2 win over Welland.

The victory allowed the Blast to jump into first place with 31 points (1 ahead of Dundas and 2 ahead of Whitby) and clinched top three in the league as Stoney Creek can’t finish higher than the Blast.

The first period both teams came out flying with Welland dominating most of the play and scoring chances. The shots would be 19-18 at the end of the first for the Blast. The Blast however wouldn’t score until the final minute of play in the period as Chad Spurr scored his 15^th goal of the season, with assists to Joel Prpic and his brother Kyle Spurr.

The Blast would come out flying to start the second period. Ryan Healy scored only 41 seconds into the frame and the Blast didn’t look back from there. Mark Taylor, Joel Prpic (2), and Jon Jankus drew the goals in the second period for a 6-0 lead heading into the third period. Assists went to Tocher (2), Caister, Jankus, Williams, Dietrich, Healy and Rebernik in the period. The Blast outshot the Whalers 19-6 in the second frame as they completely dominated the play.

The third period would be more of an even affair. Curtis Campbell got Welland on the board only 45 seconds into the third. Prpic would then complete his hat trick for his team leading 17^th goal of the season at 5:50, with assists to Caister and Jankus. Tanner McGowan would make it 7-2 just over half way through the period at the 12:27 mark. Jeff Caister and Ryan Healy (2^nd of the night) would close out the scoring at 13:23 and 15:15 to put the Blast back up by seven goals for a 9-2 lead. The Blast would finish the game leading the shots 51-37. Anthony Marshall was incredible in goal making 35 saves for his 7^th win of the season.

The Three Stars of the game went to: 1. Joel Prpic (3 G 2A) 2. Anthony Marshall (35/37 ,946 SV%) 3. Ryan Healy (2 G 1A). The Blast are next in action this Friday night in Brantford for the Sandy O’Rafferty Pink the Rink Night against the Whitby Dunlops for another must-win game in the chase for first place. 

Blast Travel to the Whale Tank for Rematch Game Against the Welland Whalers

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (14-5-0-1) travelling to face the Welland Whalers (4-11-3-1) for the fourth and final game between the two teams this season. The Blast lead the season series 3-0 off of 7-1, 5-2 and 5-0 wins against the Whalers.  This game will also see Bryan “HammerTime” Hamm return to action after a two game suspension made him miss the 2-1 SO win over Dundas and 5-2 loss to Whitby.

Playoff Implications

As of right now the Blast are tied for second place with Whitby with 29 points (Whitby has one game in hand), while Dundas is first with 30 points and Stoney Creek is 4^th with 24 points. Welland just recently got eliminated from playoff contention as the closest they could come to Stoney Creek is within two points if they won out and Stoney Creek lost their remaining games.

With a win over the Whalers tonight, the Blast can jump into first place with 31 points, overtaking Dundas. The Real McCoy’s would have a game in hand, while Whitby would remain two points behind with two games in hand. Also with a win tonight, the Blast would guarantee themselves top 3 in the league.

Recent Games

The Blast who will be playing their 3^rd game in 4 nights are fresh off a 5-2 loss to the Dunlops in Whitby on Saturday night. The Whalers are fresh off their 4^th win of the season 10-7 on Saturday night against a short staffed Norwood Vipers team, who only had 9 skaters and 1 goaltender dressed.

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 6-4 in their last 10, while Welland has a record of 2-2-1-0 in their last five games played and 3-6-1-0 in their last 10 games played.

Players to Watch

Players to look out for on Welland are leading scorer #11 Drew Minor who has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in only 19 games so far this season, including 14 points in his last 5 games played. #18 Mike Marquis is the other Welland player to watch as he has 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 18 games this season. Recent Welland player signing Jason Hill has been dynamite  for the Whalers with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in only 5 games, 11 of which have come in his last three games played.

Players on the Blast who are riding their own hot streaks include Joel Prpic who has 32 points in 17 games this year, and has only failed to get a point in one game this season.  Prpic has 9 points in his last 5 games played. Chad Spurr and Jon Jankus have both been on fire lately with 8 points each in their last five games. Chad Spurr jumped into the team goal lead with Joel Prpic as they both have 14 goals.

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Welland include Chad Spurr, Joel Prpic, Mark Taylor and Mike Ruberto who all have 5 points in 3 games against the Whalers. Leveille, Burgoyne, and Dietrich all have 4 points.

The Whalers player leading the way is Chris Downey who has 2 assists in 3 games and is currently the only Whaler player with more than one point against the Blast.

Leggat and Chad Spurr Propel Blast Past Dundas 2-1 in a Shootout

The Brantford-Dundas Rivalry has been incredible over the last 10 or so years in Senior hockey. This year has just brought a whole different element to the rivalry as the games have been more intense and closer than ever before (minus that 10-2 loss we all like to forget about). The teams each held 3-2-0-1 records coming into this game.

The Blast and Real McCoy’s added another intense chapter to the rivalry as Brantford beat the visitors 2-1 in a shootout on a Chad Spurr game winning goal. It’s the second Blast shootout victory in the last three games between these two ACH heavyweights.

The rink was all ready complete with Tim Horton’s banners all over the rink. The game however started off a bit slow score wise. Dundas would end up striking first at 12:26 of the first period as ex NHLer Jason Ward put in his own rebound past Brett Leggat. Nick Smith drew the assist.

The Blast would come out with more intensity in the second period and it eventually paid off, as Brandon Dietrich whacked it the puck a couple of times before it got past Dundas goalie Mike Mole. Drawing assists were Joel Prpic and Mike Ruberto. Blast goalie was incredible in this period and the third period, making several key glove saves.

After a back and forth third period, there were many chances but no score and the game would head to overtime for the second time in the last three games.

Overtime wasn’t much to write home about, the teams shared a few chances each but none significant enough to warrant a goal, so it would head to a shootout. Nick Smith, and Stewart would score for Dundas, but the Blast would receive three consecutive shootout goals in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th rounds by Joel Prpic, Mike Burgoyne and finally Chad Spurr, to win 2-1 in the shootout.

Both goaltenders were amazing as Leggat stopped 31 of 32 shots on route to being named the first star of the game followed by Mole who stopped 25 of 26 shots, and Chad Spurr got the third star with the winner in the shootout.  

The Blast improved to 14-4-0-1, while Dundas dropped to 14-3-0-2. The season series is now led by the Blast by a slim margin of 4-2-0-1, compared to Dundas at 3-2-0-2.

The Blast are next in action tomorrow night, as they travel to Whitby for a 6:30 PM showdown against the Dunlops. The team plays a rare Monday night game in Welland at 7:30, before coming home for the final home game of the regular season next Friday the 14^th, for a Valentine’s Day date with the Whitby Dunlops for the Pink the Rink/Sandy O’Rafferty Memorial Night at the Civic Centre. 

Chad Spurr #25 Player Profile

Position: RW (Shoots Right)

Birthdate: May 13, 1979 (34 years old)

Birthplace: Hamilton/Binbrook, Ontario

Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 lbs

Jersey Number: #25 – Captain of the Blast

1995/1996 – Hamilton Kilty B’s – OPJHL

Chad Spurr got his start off in the hockey scene in Junior A in the OPJHL with the Hamilton Kilty B’s as a 16 year old where he played with former Blast and Real McCoy’s C Paul Lawson and briefly with current Blast teammate Dave Russell. He played in 45 games in his rookie season, scoring 12 goals and adding 27 assists for 39 points in only 45 games, finishing 6^th in team scoring.

1996/1997-1999/2000 – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL/ Roanoke Express – ECHL

Autographed Chad Spurr card when he played with the Greyhounds in the OHL

Following a very successful rookie season in Junior A, Chad Spurr was drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. He would play his first season in the O in 1996/1997 where he would record 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in 61 games, good for 6^th in team scoring. The team he played on featured future NHL talent Joe Thornton, Richard Jackman and Nathan Perrott. The team would win their division and make it to the second round of the OHL playoffs before losing to Guelph. Chad had 2 points in 11 playoff games that spring.

Chad began his sophomore season in the OHL in 1997 and the team struggled as leading scorer Joe Thornton left for the NHL to play with the Boston Bruins. Despite their record of 20-36-7-3 on the season, Spurr had an increased offensive role on the team. He finished 4^th in team scoring with 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 64 games.

In 1998/1999, he split the season between the Greyhounds and the Roanoke Express of the ECHL. He played the entire season with the Greyhounds and had a career high 72 points (27 goals, 45 assists) in 65 games. He added 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 5 playoff games before the Greyhounds got eliminated.

After elimination Chad decided to get a brief taste of professional hockey as he signed with the now defunct Roanoke Express of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He played in three games that season and scored two goals. He would end up playing in the playoffs for the Express as well that year, collecting 6 points in 12 games.

At the turn of the century Spurr headed back to the OHL with the Greyhounds for one last season in the O. He played in 61 games, scoring 18 goals and 39 assists for 57 points. The team went on a long playoff run to the Conference finals and Chad was a huge reason for this as he scored 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 17 playoff games that spring.

This would close the chapter on the OHL portion of his career as he finished with 251 games played, scoring 76 goals and adding 156 assists for 232 points, adding 170 PIM. He also played in 45 OHL playoff games scoring 16 goals and adding 18 assists for 34 points.

After this Junior career, Chad headed out East briefly to play in one season of University hockey with the University of PEI. He played in 24 games and lead the team in every major category with 16 goals, 25 assists, 41 points and 101 PIM.

Following that season Chad left the University and began his 6 year professional hockey career. He signed with the Indianapolis Ice of the Central Hockey League. He only played in 7 regular season games that season and he scored 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) and went pointless in 3 playoff games.

2001/2002 – Charlotte Checkers – ECHL

The next season in 2001, Chad would get his first full season of pro hockey under his belt. He signed with the Charlotte Checkers (now in the AHL) of the East Coast Hockey League where he was teammates with current Blast teammate Brandon Dietrich. Chad was the only player to play in all 72 games and he scored 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in his rookie season of pro hockey as a 22 year old. He added a single assist in 5 playoff games that spring as the Checkers had a first round exit.

2002/2003-2003/2004 – Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs – CHL

Chad Spurr with the Mudbugs

In the 2002/2003 season Chad headed back to the CHL to play for the now defunct Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. He scored 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 47 games with the team in his first year with the team.

The second year Chad played with the Mudbugs he scored a career high 31 goals and added 39 assists for a professional personal high 70 points, finishing second in team scoring. The Mudbugs went on a long playoff run that season but would lose in the CHL finals. Chad scored 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 17 playoff games that spring.

2004/2005 – Pee Dee Pride – ECHL

The following year, he headed back to the league that provided him with his first taste of prop hockey back in 1998 as he signed with Pee Dee Pride of the ECHL. He only played in 40 games but managed to finish 5^th in team scoring with 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists).

That concluded the ECHL portion of Chad’s career, he finished with 23 goals and 31 assists for 54 points in 115 games.

2005/2006 – Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs – CHL

The 2005/2006 season would end up being Spurr’s last in professional hockey as he would retire at the conclusion. He went out with class, as he finished with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games and added 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 15 games in the playoffs, as the Mudbugs again lost in the Championship Finals. He would retire at the conclusion of the season to come back home to Ontario, where he would start up his own business.

2006/2007 – Present – Brantford Blast – MLH/ACH

 

Chad Spurr and Blast Owner Peter Ham in 2010 after a one year leave of absence from the league

Chad Spurr signed with the Blast after retiring from professional hockey. He started in the 2006/2007 season, where he had 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) in 27 games.

The next season he was an instrumental part of the Blast’s Allan Cup Championship team, scoring 17 goals and assisting on 22 others for 39 points in 24 games. He added 7 points in 5 games in the Allan Cup, none bigger than his OT winner in the semi finals against Dundas to propel the Blast to the Finals against Bentley where they would go on to win 3-1 and capture the 100^th Allan Cup Championship.

In total, Chad has been with the Blast for 7 seasons dating to today and he has become the second leading scorer in goals, assists and points with 115 goals, 139 assists and 254 points behind only Tyler Pelton

His season by season stats from 2008/2009 until the present day are as follows:

2008/2009 – 9 GP – 2G,8A- 10 Pts – 2 PIM

2010/2011 – 23 GP – 23G, 25A – 48 Pts – 46 PIM

2011/2012- 25 GP- 22G, 31A – 53 Pts – 24 PIM

2012-2013- 21 GP – 17G, 30A- 47 Pts – 36 PIM

2013-2014 (so far) – 18 GP – 13G, 7A- 20 Pts – 34 PIM

Blast Host Dundas Real McCoy’s for 11th Annual Tim Horton’s Night

Preview

Tonight’s game will feature the Blast (13-4-0-1) against the Dundas Real McCoy’s (14-3-0-1) in the sixth matchup between these two teams. The season series is tied with each team collecting 7 points and 3-2-0-1 records. The game will be played at the Civic Centre with doors opening at 6:30 and puck drop at 7:30 PM.

Theme

The game is the 11^th Annual Tim Horton’s Night and will include a whole bunch of events/giveaways. All fans will receive a free set of Tim Horton’s bam-bams. There will also be a chance to win 1 of 75 $5 Tim’s Cards, 1 of 2 $50 Tim’s cards, and the top prize of a Tim Horton’s Tassimo gift pack. At the first intermission the Blast will help celebrate Timbits hockey with a 10 minute showcase of two local area Brantford Timbits teams.

Recent Games  

The Blast are fresh off their biggest win, a 16-2 win over Norwood last Friday night. Dundas had their last game with Whitby postponed but their last actual game was a 4-3 SO victory over Whitby at home the night before.  

The Blast draw in at 3-2 in their last five games played and 5-4-0-1 in their last 10, while Dundas has a record of 3-1-0-1  in their last five games played and 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games.

 

 

 

Players to Watch

The players to watch on the Blast include Joel Prpic who is now tied for 3^rd in league scoring, he has 30 points in 15 games this season, including 10 in his last 5 games played, Chad Spurr and Jon Jankus are two others to look out for as they had 6 and 7 points respectively last Friday against Norwood.

Players to look out for on the Real McCoy’s are the usual tandem that has caused havoc for teams all season long, Scott Mifsud (1^st in the ACH) who has 15 goals and 26 assists for 41 points, including 14 points in his last 5 games, Cam Watson – who has a league leading 18 goals, and 17 assists for 35 points and 13 points in his last 5 games, and Joe Koudys – with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points (6 points in last 5 games).

Players Leading the Way in the Season Series

Blast players currently leading the way in the season series against Dundas include Joel Prpic, Chis Leveille and Mark Taylor, all who have 5 points in the 6 games series so far. These three always seem to turn it up when the Blast’s arch rivals are in town.

The Real McCoy’s are lead by two thirds of their top line, including Scott Mifsud who has 9 points playing in all 6 games, Darryl Smith – who has 7 points in only 3 games played against the Blast and the other member of the top line Cam Watson who has 5 points in 5 games against the Blast this season. 

Mike Burgoyne #22 Player Profile

Position: D (Shoots Left)

Birthdate: Dec 28, 1980 (33 years old)

Birthplace: Hamilton, Ontario

Height: 6’2” Weight: 210 lbs

Jersey Number: #22

 

1997/1998-1999/2000 – Hamilton Kilty B’s – OPJHL

Mike “Burger” Burgoyne got his hockey playing career started off as a 16 year old in the same league as many other Blast players, he first played in the OPJHL which was Junior A hockey. He played for a team called the Hamilton Kilty B’s (now known as the Hamilton Red Wings). He played 29 games in his rookie season and scored 1 goal and added 4 helps for 5 points. One of his teammates was current Blast defenseman Dave Russell, who was 17 years old at the time.

In his sophomore season, Burgoyne got more ice time and he capitalized on it. He finished with a personal Junior hockey best 18 goals and added 27 assists for 45 points in only 47 games, as he became one of the team and league’s best offensively minded defensemen. He finished third in team scoring.

After a very solid second season, Burgoyne came back as an 18 year old for his final season of Junior hockey. He played in 30 games and added 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points.

He closed out the Junior days of his hockey career with 106 games played, scoring 29 goals, and assisting on 45 others for a total of 74 points. He also received 83 PIM over the three seasons in the OPJHL.

2002/2003-2003/2004 – Brantford Blast – OHA Sr A

After two seasons off from competitive hockey following his junior career, Burgoyne decided to come and play for the Blast in OHA Sr A as a 21 year old. The blue liner finished 5th in team scoring in their inaugural season with 9 goals and 15 assists in 30 games for 24 points.

In the 2003/2004 season Burgoyne came back to play his sophomore season with the Blast, who were now coached by Paris native and former NHLer Jay Wells. Burgoyne finished 1st among Blast defensemen and 6th overall in points with 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points in only 27 games, showing he could be a real offensive threat once again.

2003/2004-2004/2005 – Quad City Mallards/Motor City Mechanics/Rockford IceHogs – UHL

After a very strong season with the Blast, Burgoyne decided to briefly go play professional hockey following the Blast season. He signed with the Quad City Mallards of the United Hockey League (UHL), and suited up in his first two pro hockey games, going pointless and collecting 6 minutes in penalties.

In 2004, Burgoyne was brought back by the Mallards. He played in 17 games, failing to receive a point, and added 28 PIM.

Burgoyne was then traded mid-season to the Motor City Mechanics, and this is where he started to show he could be effective in professional hockey. He played in 30 games for the Mechanics and scored 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points. Despite only playing in 30 games, Burgoyne was still 5th in Mechanics defensemen scoring. This team was very rich in NHL talent, due to the lockout that year. It included a 42 year old Chris Chelios, Darien Hatcher, Sean Avery, and Bryan Smolinski.

Despite showing some offensive flair, Burgoyne was again on the move before the trade deadline, as he was traded to the Rockford IceHogs, where he would play the final 4 games of the season, failing to receive a point.

2005/2006 – Motor City Mechanics – UHL

After being traded away from the Mechanics the previous season, Burgoyne signed back with the Detroit based team the following season in 2005. He played on a team featuring former Blast player and brother of The Great One, Brent Gretzky, and current Blast teammate Greg Bullock. He finished 2nd in defensemen scoring on the Mechanics behind current Real McCoy’s defenseman Matt Smith, and 7th overall with 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points in 76 games, adding 76 PIM.

He closed out the UHL portion of his career to move on to play in the CHL the following year. He finished with 129 games played, scoring 19 goals and adding 33 assists for 52 points and 117 PIM.

2006/2007-2007/2008 – Oklahoma City Blazers – CHL

It was during his time in the CHL that Burgoyne really broke out offensively in professional hockey. In his first season in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with the now defunct Oklahoma City Blazers, Burgoyne had career highs in goals, assists and points, finishing with 21 goals, 40 assists and 61 points in only 64 games. He added 76 PIM. He also added 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists) in a long playoff run of 14 games that post-season.

When the 2007/2008 season came around he was back with the Blazers and continued his offensive pace, scoring 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points, and adding a career high 88 PIM.

2008/2009 – Belfast Giants – EIHL

 

Burgoyne (right) celebrates with a teammate after scoring a big goal for the Giants

In 2008, Burgoyne made the trek overseas to Ireland where he signed with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League. It’s the same team that Theo Fleury had played for only 3 seasons prior.  He fit in right away, on route to being the offensive leader for Giants defensemen and finishing 8th overall in team scoring with 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points in 55 games. He went pointless in 2 playoff games that spring.

2009/2010 – Victoria Salmon Kings – ECHL/ Missouri Mavericks – CHL

Following one season abroad in Ireland, Burgoyne headed back to North America the following season in 2009. He started off the year in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with the Victoria Salmon Kings in which would be the highest level of pro he had played. He only played 6 games, scoring 1 goal and added 3 assists for 4 points before heading back down to the CHL.

After a brief spot in the ECHL, he headed back to the CHL with the Missouri Mavericks, where he played with current Dundas Real McCoy’s C Jordan Foreman. Burgoyne finished 5th in team scoring that season despite only playing 41 games. He scored 10 goals and added 22 assists for 32 points.

This concluded the CHL portion of Mike’s career, as he finished with 169 games played, scoring 48 goals and adding 100 assists for 148 points, and 199 PIM.

2010/2011 – The Hague HYS – Netherlands

 

Burgoyne battles for the puck with the Dutch team The Hague HYS in 2011

Burgoyne once again headed overseas in 2011 to play in the Netherlands based league for The Hague HYS. He was a very effective player on the team, scoring 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points in only 38 games, adding 77 PIM. He helped the team win the National Dutch Championship that spring and retired from professional hockey to come back home to Ontario.

2011/2012 – Present – Brantford Blast – ACH

After retiring from professional hockey, Burgoyne came back to the place he started his career after Junior hockey, as he signed a player card with the Brantford Blast, who were now in a league called Allan Cup Hockey (ACH). He scored 7 goals and added 12 assists in 19 games in his first year back with the Blast, as he won the ACH League’s Best Defensemen Award.

In 2012/2013, Burgoyne became a player/coach for the Blast, a role he still carries today. He finished with 29 points (7 goals, 22 assists) in 22 games, on route to his second consecutive ACH Top Defensemen Award. He added 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 9 games in the Blast’s playoff run which ended in a Robertson Cup Championship.

That brings us to the current season, where Burgoyne has 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games so far and has propelled himself into 1st all time in all major categories with Blast defensemen. He also ranks 6th overall in games played with 114, 5th overall with points with 126, 8th overall for goals with 37, 5th overall with assists with 89 and 6th overall in penalty minutes with 142.