BLAST SET FOR HOME OPENER
By: Brian Smiley, Brantford Expositor
(Source: Brantford Expositor Wednesday, October 25, 2017)
Brantford Blast owner Peter Ham is excited for the team to open the home portion of its Allan Cup Hockey season on Friday.
"We expect 2,400 or 2,500" fans, Ham said earlier this week as the Blast prepare to host the Dundas Real McCoys at the civic centre at 7:30 p.m..
"It's always nice to open our season that way and we've been fortunate in the past to do that."
The Blast started the 2017-18 season with a pair of road losses, 10-7 in Stoney Creek two weeks ago and 9-3 in Whitby last week.
"We played the first two games without our big guns," said Ham, whose team is in its 16th season. "We played without Charlie Stephens, Joel Prpic, Doug Clarkson, Jason Pitton, Jason Williams and Paul McIlveen ... due to varying commitments."
Ham said that, with an earlier start to the season - things usually get going around the beginning of November -- his team wasn't ready. But the earlier start did give the Blast a chance to look at some of their newer young players, such as Zach McQuade, Ryan Waterhouse and Stephan Schollig.
McQuade, drafted from Thorold in the league's dispersal draft after that team folded, looks good.
"I'm going to tell you, Zach McQuade impressed me so much in Whitby when we were thin, with his hockey sense, his skill and the way he played both ways," said Ham.
"We found us a hockey player."
Ham said he has no concerns about longtime goaltenders Anthony Marshall and Brett Leggat who played in the first two games, giving up 19 goals.
"Goaltending is always a place you can improve on, if you can find anyone better," he said. "We've yet to find anybody better than the combination of Brett Leggat and Anthony Marshall.
"Anthony and Brett provide us with as good of goaltending as you're going to get in this league. Their loyalty and dependability at this level is incomparable."
Ham praised the work done by new general manager Darren Watson for signing several new players, including former NHLer Williams.
"Darren Watson has done a marvelous job of chasing people down and recruiting players," said Ham, who was the team's only GM up until this season. "There have been a couple of guys slip through his fingers but he won't quit."
Ham said he also is impressed by new coach Peter Crosby and his assistant, Mike Wittchen.
"He has imparted his gentle way," Ham said of Crosby, "The guys, from the top to the bottom, enjoy the man, enjoy his practices and enjoy his knowledge.
"It hasn't been a fair start for Peter with the lineup we've been able to provide for him."
Ham said he expects big things when the full lineup hits the ice.
"I see the team being very good," he said.
"I think we're solid right now. We can always improve on D(efence) but it's the toughest place to improve. We have a lot of firepower up front when everyone is here.
"I'm expecting everyone except Joel Prpic (on Friday). I'm expecting Charlie Stephens, Clarkson, Pitton, Williams, McIlveen, all those guys.
"We should be pretty good."
The team will welcome several dignitaries to the game along with those affiliated with the Strong Start to Reading program.
