Fischer snubbed by U.S. junior team
Two local runners to compete in Venezuela at Cross-Country Cup
Windsor Spitfires forward and Illinois native Christian Fischer was not among 29 players named to the United States national junior team preliminary roster Monday.
“I’m really surprised,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said. “I thought for sure he would be invited, especially his play the last month. He’s been our best player.”
The 18-year-old Fischer was a second-round pick by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes in this year’s draft. He leads the Spitfires with 16 goals and 31 points in 27 games. His 16 goals put him among the OHL’s top 20 in that department as does his plus/minus rating of plus 20.
“Obviously disappointed, but it’s a motivation,” the six-foot-two, 210-pound Fischer said of the news. “I thought I’ve been playing very well. So, I think that the biggest thing. I don’t have any regrets.
“I thought I showed everything I could and it’s not my decision. I’ll kind of use it as motivation, play how I’ve been playing and show they should have taken me.”
The Spitfires named Fischer the club’s player of the week Monday after he posted a goal and three points in two games last week. He will also be recognized as the team’s player of the month for November where he scored eight goals and had 12 points in 11 games while posting a plus/minus rating of plus 12.
Guelph coach: Former Windsor Spitfires general manager and head coach Mike Kelly has assumed the role of head coach with the Guelph Storm.
Kelly, who is the team’s general manager, assumed the head coaching title on an interim basis Monday after Bill Stewart tendered his resignation.
Guelph sits last in the standings with two wins and five points in 27 games this season.
Firebirds deal: The Flint Firebirds announced the trade of goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic and defenceman Josh Wesley to the Niagara IceDogs Monday in return for goaltender Brett Moran, second-round picks in the 2017, 2018 and 2021 OHL Draft and third-round picks in 2018 and 2019.
The 19-year-old Nedeljkovic is expected to miss three weeks while he plays for the United States team at the World Junior Hockey Championship. He was a second-round pick by the Carolina Hurricanes, who also took the 19-year-old Wesley in the fourth round of that draft. Wesley is the son of former NHL Glen Wesley.
The 19-year-old Moran was a fourth-round pick by the Dallas Stars in 2014.
Junior C: Lakeshore native Brandon Ireland scored in overtime to give the Lakeshore Canadiens a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over the Wheatley Sharks in junior C hockey in Wheatley Monday.
The Sharks led 6-5 in the third period before Logan Percy tied the game with 4:14 remaining. J.J. Percy scored twice for the Canadiens with singles going to Zack Bedard, Brendan Crundwell, Steve Sartor.
Brett Bowman scored twice for the Sharks with Mitchell Prudence, Cole Butler, Brady Hillock adding the other goals.
Fumble recovery: Michigan State cornerback Arjen Colquhoun of Windsor was sixth on the team with four tackles and a fumble recovery in Saturday’s 16-13 victory over the undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
A late touchdown by L.J. Scott on a 22-play drive put the No. 5 Spartans in the College Football Playoff against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.
The winner will face the winner of the Clemson- Oklahoma game in the Orange Bowl.
Athletics Canada: Athletics Canada has named a pair of area runners to its 21-person team to compete at the 2016 Pan American CrossCountry Cup in Caraballeda, Venezuela.
Nick Falk, of the University of Windsor Athletic Club, will compete on the three-man senior men’s team while Mitchell Ubene, of the Windsor Legion, will compete on the sixman junior men’s team at the event, which is set for March 6th.
Both runners earned their spot based on their performance at last month’s Canadian Cross-Country Championships in Kingston.
Falk helped his club to a fifthplace finish in the senior men’s team competition as he finished ninth overall in t he senior men’s 10km race in 30:18.9.
Ubene helped his team to a bronze-medal finish in the team competition and finished seventh overall in the 8km race in 25:26.2.