HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-06-02, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016.
Sports
McCutcheon signs on for second season with Lakers
Turning heads
Luke McCutcheon had a big season with the GMHL Junior
A London Lakers last year, earning the team's Most
Improved Player award and being signed for a second year.
McCutcheon is shown above playing for the Goderich
Flyers just a few years ago. (Fite photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
The London Lakers of the Greater
Metro Junior A Hockey League
(GMHL) have re-signed Brussels
native Luke McCutcheon for a
second season.
McCutcheon, who was signed by
the team last year as a defenseman,
was converted to a power forward
over the course of the season. At the
end of the 2015/2016 season, the
first in the team's history,
McCutcheon was named the team's
Most Improved Player.
"Obviously our whole staff is
excited to have our Most Improved
Player back," said Jeff Zehr, head
coach and general manager of the
Lakers in a team press release.
Zehr added that McCutcheon, the
son of Gary and Jane of Brussels,
has the skills to become one of the
league's top players.
"With the [veteran] experience
that we are bringing in, 'Cutch has
the potential to turn into a GMHL
beast," Zehr added. "Luke is huge,
can skate, hates to lose, works hard
every day and is learning to play big,
and best of all, he is a great kid from
a great family."
McCutcheon began his hockey
journey in Brussels late, only first
strapping on skates when he was
nine or 10 years old. Along the way,
he would suffer several setbacks,
including one completely lost season
due to serious head injuries
connected to an ATV/deer collision
and then a second lost season in
2014/2015 when he broke his ankle
in one of his first games
of the season with the Goderich
Flyers.
Last year, when he first signed
with the Lakers, McCutcheon said
he was really excited to be given an
opportunity with the team.
He said that what he feels first
attracted the attention of team scouts
is his size. At 6'5" and 230 pounds,
McCutcheon is one of the bigger
players in the league, especially
when on skates.
Aside from his size, however,
McCutcheon says he's been praised
for his skating ability over the years,
which has been described as
"beautiful" and `effortless" over the
years by coaches.
McCutcheon's GMHL journey
began when he was trying out for the
Burlington team, but caught the
attention of London scouts.
In just one season with the Lakers,
those involved with the team say his
skill set has grown by leaps and
bounds.
"Luke is just scratching the
surface of his potential," said Ian
Kennedy, the Lakers' Director of
Hockey Operations in a team press
release. "He got better every game
and he looked like a totally
different player again at the
Michigan pre -draft tournament this
spring."
Kennedy added that in addition to
bringing McCutcheon back as a key
member of the on -ice team, the
Lakers hope to make him part of
their leadership structure as well.
"Luke will be part of our
leadership group, and will wear a
letter on his shirt this season with the
Lakers. Our whole staff was in
agreement that he demonstrates
everything we want in leadership
and as a person," Kennedy said.
"Our players will look up to Luke
this season both literally and
figuratively."
McCutcheon's signing to the
Lakers, and his success under the
team's banner came after
McCutcheon travelled a long, hard
road to recovery.
In his 2014/2015 season with the
Goderich Flyers, McCutcheon
suffered a broken anlde that kept him
off the ice until just before the
playoffs were set to begin. In order
to work his way back, he would put
in long hours at the Clinton
Community Centre ahead of his
classes at St. Anne's Catholic
Secondary School.
Beginning at 5 a.m. every day,
McCutcheon would skate on the
centre's ice alone for hours,
determined to get into game
shape and play for the Flyers
again.
The Lakers will begin their road to
the 2016/2017 season in late August,
when the team will hold its main
camp on Aug. 27-28 at London
Sports Park. Their season schedule
has yet to be released,
For more information, visit
londonlakersjrahockey.ca.
Peters helps Hershey Bears eliminate Toronto Marlies
Holding the line
Blyth native Justin Peters, shown above when he played for
the Carolina Hurricanes several years ago, was
instrumental in the Hershey Bears elimination of the
Toronto Marlies from the American Hockey League
playoffs. (Fite photo)
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By Denny Scott
The Citizen
As much as the village of Blyth is
pulling for professional hockey
player Justin Peters, he is likely an
unpopular guy in Toronto right now.
Peters, who was put on waivers by
the NHL's Washington Capitals last
year, has been playing for their
American Hockey League (AHL)
affiliate the Hershey Bears this year.
The bears eliminated the Toronto
Marlies, the Toronto Maple Leaf's
AHL affiliate, from the playoffs on
Sunday evening with a 3-2 win.
Peters has been a key part of the
team's playoff run, playing in all of
the team's 16 postseason games with
the final win in the best -of -seven
series against the Marlies bringing
him to an 11-5 postseason record
including two shutouts. He stopped
21 of the 23 shots on him in the
Bears' Sunday night win.
Prior to that, Peters appeared in 37
games in the regular season.
Aside from the Washington
Capitals, Peters also played for the
Carolina Hurricane in the NHL for
six seasons wherein he has played 80
games, 67 of which he started for a
.901 overall save percentage.
Peters has played for several other
teams in the Ontario Hockey
League, the. AHL and ECHL,
formerly known as the East Coast
Hockey League, including the
Albany River Rats, the Charlotte
Checkers and the Toronto St.
Michael's Majors.
The Bears, with Peters holding the
last line of defense, will now take on
the Lake Eerie Monsters from
Cleveland, Ohio for the coveted
Calder Cup. Games one and two of
the series will be played in
Cleveland on Wednesday, June 1 and
Friday, June 3.
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