Lock Monsters start camp

[nccanes]

Lowell anxious to forget last season
By BARRY SCANLON, Sun Staff

LOWELL The 2002-03 season for the Lowell Lock Monsters was longer than the Great Wall of China, more painful than a root canal.
When it (mercifully) ended, the Lock Monsters had an American Hockey League-worst record of 19-51-7 and the look of a team flattened by a runaway Zamboni.

Well, a new season is around the corner the Lock Monsters will take to the ice tomorrow for the first time at Tsongas Arena and not a moment too soon, according to assistant coach/director of player personnel Tom Rowe.

"Everybody knows what's at stake," Rowe said. "We can't have another year like last year from a pride standpoint. Certainly all the teams that beat up on you ... you don't forget that. Last year was a fluke with the callups and injuries."

One thing is certain Lowell's roster this winter won't even resemble last year's.

First, unlike last year, when Lowell received only Carolina's top prospects, the Lock Monsters this season will consist of the elite minor league talent from both Carolina and the Calgary Flames.

The Flames will send six forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender to Tsongas Arena, presumably upgrading Lowell's talent.

Second, many of the veteran players from last season including Jeff Daw, Steve Halko, Greg Kuznik, Jeremiah McCarthy and Tommy Westlund will not return.

Yesterday, Calgary sent four players to Lowell: defensemen Deryk Engelland and Brennan Evans, center Garrett Bembridge and left winger Martin Sonnenberg.

Carolina and Calgary still haven't made their final cuts and Lowell's final roster likely won't be set until early next week, but Rowe said the Lock Monsters figure to be much stronger than last year, especially on defense.

Tomorrow's practice will begin at 10:15 a.m. Fans who make their way to Tsongas will see a familiar race, NHL veteran goaltender Arturs Irbe, who played seven games for the Lock Monsters last season.

It's very unlikely Irbe will stay in Lowell look for him to be loaned to another organization or, in the event that Patrick DesRochers continues to struggle, rejoin the Hurricanes to back up Kevin Weekes.

Carolina's final cuts may contain some surprises. One player who hasn't had a great camp is right wing Jeff Heerema, the all-time leading scorer in Lowell history.

Other ex-Lock Monsters on the bubble in Carolina are forwards Mike Zigomanis, Brad DeFauw and Tomas Kurka, and defensemen Tomas Malec, though it's likely Malec will need more seasoning in Lowell.

Lowell begin its preseason schedule Sunday by taking on the Providence Bruins at Stoneham Arena.

"It's been a long summer," Rowe said, anxious for the puck to be dropped. "You can only play so much golf."

[moonstomper]

itd be intersteing to see how well the Monsters do this year....With a healthy line-up which includes many NHL experienced players, plus the kids from Calgary, they certainly shouldnt spend any more time in the cellar

[hoosiercaniac]

Wouldn't be surprised if the Lock Monsters are one of the best teams, given the numbers of guys that are border line NHL players that will start the season there. Plus, the Calagary players will be a major help.

[nccanes]

Carolina would be home sweet home for Rourke
By BARRY SCANLON, Sun Staff
LOWELL His dream of playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs seems over.
But Allan Rourke's dream of playing in the National Hockey League is not.

"I didn't look at it as a disappointment," said Rourke, referring to last May's trade which sent Rourke from Toronto to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Harold Druken and Jeff Daw. "Obviously I didn't get a chance to play a game in Toronto. I don't look at it as a team didn't want me, but that another team did want me.

"It's every kid's dream to play in the NHL. You can't pick the team," Rourke added.

Think of a kid from Medford being drafted by Boston, then being traded before he got a chance to skate for the Bruins. That's basically what happened to Rourke.

Rourke, a 23-year-old defenseman from Mississauga, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, played the last three seasons in the American Hockey League with St. John's.


Despite putting up solid numbers, Rourke never got called up to the Maple Leafs. He's hoping someday to get that call from Carolina.

If he stays in Lowell, look for the 6-1, 214-pound Rourke to get plenty of ice time. Last season, in 65 games with St. John's, Rourke scored 12 goals and 31 points.

To put that in perspective, Nikos Tselios and Steve Halko neither whom will return this season led Lock Monster defensemen with four goals each last season.

"He had a real good year last year," Lowell head coach Ron Smith said. "I don't know him very well, I have to admit. You've played against him, but you're mainly watching your own team."

But Smith admits to being intrigued by Rourke's offensive talent from the blue line.

"That's really good. We haven't had much of that the last two or three years, that's for sure," Smith. "That would be a huge bonus. We could have a pretty good power play up front, but you've still got to have the guys back (on defense) that can do it."

"It's definitely something I can bring," said Rourke, "but it's not the main thing. Obviously, my end of the ice is the most important thing. I like to jump up in the play when it's there."

Rourke's offensive skills began to blossom during the 1999-2000, his final one in the Ontario Hockey League, when he scored 31 goals and 74 points in 67 games. The season before he had been drafted in the sixth round by the Maple Leafs.

Rourke was sent to Lowell before appearing in any of Carolina's exhibition games, a disappointment since he felt he was having a pretty good camp.

"To make the jump up I'm going to have to work on every aspect of my game," he said.

Lowell finished last season with an AHL-worst 19 wins.

"Ours wasn't much better," said Rourke, noting St. John's only won 32 games. "We didn't make the playoffs, either. Obviously, everybody wants to change that around. When you don't make the playoffs, everybody's that much hungrier."

There's one obvious positive about Rourke's trade. In St. John's, Newfoundland, road trips last for at least two weeks. In Lowell, most games consist of bus trips under three hours.

NOTES: Two of the eight players sent down by Carolina, Jeff Heerema and Tomas Kurka, took part in the opening day of training camp yesterday at Tsongas Arena. The remaining six forwards Pavel Brendl, Damian Surma, Mike Zigomanis and Brad DeFauw, defenseman Tomas Malec and goaltender Rob Zepp are expected in the next day or two.

One of the last player's off the ice was 36-year-old goaltender Arturs Irbe, who backboned Carolina to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals. ... Who will Lowell's tough guy be? The Hurricanes will keep either Jesse Boulerice or Joey Tetarenko. The other will be sent to Lowell.

[Shell]

Lock Monster Roster Moves , Camp Roster Update
Posted by staff on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 07:07 PM GMT

Bayda returns to Lowell; Four sent to Florida Lowell, MA – The Lock Monsters announced today that they have release four players from the 2002-03 training camp. Goaltender Daniel Boisclair and defensemen Jared Newman and Matt Pagnutti and forward Roberto Bissonnette were all sent to the Florida Everblades (ECHL) camp, which begins October 6th.

In related roster movement, the Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have assigned forward Ryan Bayda to the Lowell Lock Monsters. Bayda, one of the AHL's leading rookie scorers during the 2002-03 season, registered 43 points (11g, 32a) through 53 games in Lowell last season. Recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, he appeared in 25 NHL games registering 14 points (4g, 10a) and 16 PIM.

The Lock Monsters begin the regular season next Friday, October 10th when they host the Portland Pirates at the Tsongas Arena. Face off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

roster after today's movements

2003-2004 Roster
#.5 Sean Curry D
#.7 Mike Zigomanis C
#.9 Ryan Bayda F
#11 Roman Rozakov D
#14 Carl Mallette C
#17 Jason Morgan C
#19 Tomas Kurka LW
#20 Damian Surma LW
#22 Garett Bembridge RW
#23 Peter Reynolds D
#24 Brad Fast D
#25 Martin Sonnenberg LW
#26 Allan Rourke D
#27 Ian Forbes D
#28 Dan Sullivan RW
#29 Chad Larose RW
#32 Brett Lysak C
#39 Brad DeFauw LW
#40 Pavel Brendl RW
#41 Matt Davidson RW
#43 Brennan Evans D
#44 Deryk Engelland D
#71 Tomas Malec D
#.1 Arturs Irbe G
#30 Robb Zepp G
#37 Dany Sabourin G

[lvscolencanes]

I think Lowell might just kick some butt this year!!!

[Guyute]

I'd guess that Patty D will replace Sabourin...

I hope the goalies there get enough playing time. I REALLY dislike this sharing a farm team crap. and add to that the problem of having an NHL goalie there. ugh.