HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-11-21, Page 15-01
Sports
The Huron Expositor • November 21, 2007 Page 15
O'Reilly to play for Team Ontario in World Hockey CMlne
Jennifer Hubbard
Varna's Ryan O'Reilly will be
hitting the ice alongside the
province's best this December as a
member of Team Ontario.
O'Reilly, the 16 -year-old son of
Brian and Bonnie, was one of 22
players selected to represent
Ontario at the men's under -17
2008 World Hockey Challenge.
Team Ontario director of opera-
tions Robert Kitamura and head
coach Jason Brooks announced
the official roster on Nov. 14.
"I'm very excited, it'll be a great
experience," O'Reilly said in a
phone interview on Monday.
"I'm looking forward to playing
against so many great players and
being part of a team with just as
many great players."
O'Reilly is currently playing in
the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
as a forward with the Erie Otters.
Tryouts for the provincial team
began last spring after the OHL
playoffs. O'Reilly and his future
teammates endured a number of
intense exhibition games, prac-
tices and drills before the team's
"short list" was announced in
July.
"It was way more competitive
than anything I've ever done," he
recalled.
"Everyone plays with a different
style, soI'm hoping to learn from
my team. I'm also looking forward
to just hanging out with some
guys my age and developing some
long-lasting friendships."
A team meeting has been set for
Dec. 17 and O'Reilly said prac-
tices will likely continue through
the Christmas break. In the
meantime, the local teen is "get-
ting his body ready to fire."
"I'm stepping it up, a bit and
approaching the tournament like I
approach playoffs," he explained.
"I'll be constantly tuning my
game from here on until the tour-
nament."
Team Ontario will face Russia
in an exhibition game on Dec. 28.
Round-robin play begins on Dec.
29, with Team Ontario and Team
Pacific hitting the ice.
Bronze and gold medal games
are scheduled for Jan. 4.
O'Reilly said he was shocked to
hear that his first international
hockey tournament would be
played so close to home and hopes
to see a few familiar faces in the
stands.
"It's exciting to be able to play
international hockey in front of
what will pretty much be a home
crowd."
London, Ontario, will host this
year's World Hockey Challenge at
the John Labatt Centre. The tour-
nament will feature five regional
teams from across Canada and
five ' international teams —
Finland, Germany, Russia,
Slovakia and the U.S.
Team Ontario has been grouped
with teams from the Pacific,
Quebec, Finland and Slovakia in
round-robin play.
And while the 2007-08 season
has gotten off to a rough start for
the Otters, O'Reilly is hoping the
World Hockey Challenge will give
him a boost to finish off the sea-
son.
"We've had some big changes
and we're in a rebuilding phase,"
he said of the Otters' 3-17-1-1 sea-
son.
"Personally I hope to see success
in the world tournament, build
my confidence and come back to
the league as an even better play-
er."
O'Reilly was the -first overall
pick in the 2007 OHL draft. Prior
Io that he was the centre -man for
the Toronto Junior Canadiens, a
minor midget 'AAA' team. `
"Selecting a team of this magni-
tude is always a difficult task;
however, I believe that the coach-
ing staff and I have selected the
22 best players that will represent
Ontario with pride and class both
on and off the ice at this high per-
formance event," said Kitamura.
"We hope that our. team will
turn in a gold -medal performance
for Ontario at the World Hockey Ryan O'Reilly, 16, of Vama, will compete on
Challenge."
2008 World Hockey Challenge.
submitted photo
Team Ontario in the men's under -17
Minor Midgets
Nov. 17
Huron -Perth
Lakers 4
Cambridge Hawks
2
Goals: Dean Klomp
(St. Mary's),
Darren Young
(Embro) 2, Andrew
Barton (Stratford)
RINGETFE
Junior
Nov. 12
Goderich •7
Seaforth 6
Goals: Alex
McDougall 3, Jordan
Coyne, Lindsey
Keys, Ashley Van
Dorp
Scoreboard
Exeter
Tournament
Nov. 18
Kitchener 1
Seaforth 9
Goals: Connie
Finlayson 5, Jordan
Coyne 2, Alex
McDougall, Ashley
Van Dorp
Waterloo 1
Seaforth 3
Goals: Alex
McDougall 2, Connie
Finlayson
Seaforth 7
Woolwich 5
Goals: Connie
Finlayson 4, Jordan
Coyne 2, Alex
McDougall
Goderich 1
Seaforth 9
Goals: Connie
Finlayson 5, Alex
McDougall 2, Jordan
Coyne, Ashley Van
Dorp
Coaches'
Comment:
Awesome tourna-
ment girls. You did-
n't show how tired
you were, you just
kept going and going
in all four games.
You played with
great sportsmanship
as always. Rachel
Askett was awesome
in net. It's nice to
finally have a gold
medal to wear
proudly.
Midget Boys
Nov. 17
Blyth Icedogs 2
Seaforth Stealers 8
Goals: Dave Bolton,
Chris Hundt, Dan
Steinman
Seaforth Community
Hospital Foundation
Fundraising Campaign
PACS Campaign
Our Goal
=213,283
Current
Donations
$192,000
$80,368.72)