Three Thunder earn league honours

The well-oiled Borderland Thunder machine had three of its most important parts recognized at the SIJHL’s annual general meeting and awards banquet Saturday in Thunder Bay.
Dan Hoehne was named the league’s top goalie. Blueliner Jay Phillips was voted co-winner of the defenceman of the year trophy while forward A.J. Tucker shared the league’s sportsmanship award.
“All of them are well-deserved,” said Thunder head coach Dave Allison, who felt some of the other players on his SIJHL championship squad should have received some recognition, too.
“Chris Shaen could have shared the defenceman trophy with Jay, but I think there was a little animosity there stemming from the fact Shaen’s a Thunder Bay kid who came to play in Fort Frances.
“Josh Baxter could have won for best defensive forward and Josh McAndrew might have been rookie of the year, although [Thunder Bay Bulldogs’ Jamie] Silverson was an excellent choice, too.”
Hoehne had a league-low 2.60 goals against average while posting a 17-7-1 regular-season record to lead the SIJHL in victories. The 20-year-old Duluth, Mn. native joined the Thunder in late October and promptly earned a 3-0 shutout in his debut against the Dryden Ice Dogs.
That victory went by the wayside, though, when it was discovered Hoehne’s transfer had not been approved in time for him to play, costing the Thunder one point in the standings.
But the glitch didn’t stop Hoehne from becoming the rock-solid goalie the Thunder had been searching for after going through five other starting netminders in the first five weeks of the season.
He went on to chalk up an 8-1 playoff record to help Borderland to their first SIJHL title, and he was perhaps the main reason the Thunder came within a goal of advancing to the Dudley Hewitt Cup final here in late April.
Phillips, 20, had four goals and 23 assists to finish ninth in scoring among defencemen in the SIJHL, and was tied for fifth overall in short-handed points with three.
The Bemidji, Mn. native also didn’t shy away from throwing his weight around, despite his offensive game, as he ended up fifth on the team in penalty minutes with 117.
He shared the award with Lloyd Stansell of the Thunder Bay Bulldogs, who was second among defenceman in scoring with 41 points.
Tucker’s award was a high note in what was an up-and-down season for the Fort Frances native.
He led the team in goals with 18 at the all-star break, but only scored once more after that, sustaining a fractured ankle Feb. 4 that kept him out for the rest of the regular season and part of the playoffs.
Tucker, 19, wound up with 19 goals and 26 assists in just 39 games to finish third on the team in points, while compiling only 16 penalty minutes.
He split the honour with Eric Robin of the K&A Variety Golden Hawks (formerly the Feathermen Hawks).
The Bulldogs needed a wheelbarrow to haul home their hardware for the evening as Stansell and Silverson joined three other players and their coach on the awards podium.
Forward Trevor Karasiewicz was named Most Valuable Player and top scorer after his league-high 105 points, while Ryan Hladyniuk (ability/scholastic achievement), Rylan Vesa (Royal Bank Scholarship) and head coach Dave Vescio (coach of the year) also recognized.
Other award winners included Tom Grant of the Fort William First Nation North Stars (best defensive forward) and Dryden’s Mike MacIntyre (most improved).
< *c>Presidential change
In other league news from Saturday’s annual, J.P. Heino was elected president of the SIJHL, dethroning Jerry Blazino, who had overseen the league in its first two years of existence.
“It’s been a tough job on me,” said Blazino, who turns 65 today. “I was wondering if I should pack it in, but I had some phone calls last week saying, ‘Jerry, you can’t leave.’
“I felt if I left without running, I’d be letting the league down. But it was actually a big relief. Five minutes after I lost, it felt like someone took an anvil off my back,” he added.
Another major item was the announcement that the Iron Range Yellow Jackets would be rejoining the SIJHL after a one-year absence—and doing so in a full-time capacity.
The Yellow Jackets had played a partial schedule during the league’s inaugural season, but folded due to financial reasons.
That same fate appears to have befallen last year’s part-time league members, the Northwest Wisconsin Knights, who aren’t likely to return for the 2003-04 campaign.
The league also decided to eliminate its pre-season “Showcase Tournament,” which was held here last September, for the time being.
Other topics discussed at the annual meeting included the possible removal of the centre ice red line and a limit being placed on the number of 20-year-old players on each team’s roster, although neither issue was voted on Saturday.