AMATEUR HOCKEY
Local players will spend spring break in Czech Republic
R. J. Gicewicz, Austin Bianchi and Matt Goss likely will have some awestruck moments during their first trips abroad but would prefer to be the ones prompting the “oohs” and “aahs” during their European vacation.
The three Western New York youth hockey players were recently picked to participate in the World Selects Invitational Tournament for players born in the year 1995. Selects Hockey— an elite prospect development company owned by Howe Hockey Development, Inc., which was co-founded by Gordie Howe’s grandson, Travis — runs the event.
Since 2003, Selects Hockey has worked with top 13-to 16- year-old hockey players from across North America and Europe in an effort to increase their exposure to junior-and college-level scouts by providing opportunities to compete and develop against the world’s best youth players. Twenty-two past Selects Hockey participants have been picked in the National Hockey League draft the last two years, including Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers.
The tournament runs April 13-19 in Prague, Czech Republic. The boys will join their respective teams in Munich, Germany, on Friday for practices and exhibition games against bantam- aged teams (ages 13-14) from Germany.
Bianchi, 14, and Gicewicz, 13, will play for the West Coast Select team. Goss, 13, will play for the East Coast Quebec Select team.
“It’s going to be a fun experience,” said Goss, a goalie from Getzville who plays for the Amherst Knights. “It’s going to open so many more doors for my hockey career.”
“It’s a once in a lifetime trip,” said Orchard Park’s Gicewicz, a former teammate of Goss who will play for the West Seneca Wings next season. “I hope I get noticed.”
How is it that three suburban Buffalo boys wind up playing for teams nowhere near their hometowns?
Selects Hockey operates multiple teams and isn’t restricted by regional or national-boundaries when filling roster spots. That means if players have the ability to play, they earn invitations for participation.
Bianchi, a forward, Gicewicz and Goss were notified of their selections last November. After attending an initial tryout Jan. 1, 2008, they earned invitations to participate in a weekend camp last summer before the organization’s talent evaluators to state their cases for inclusion.
While going to Europe in itself is a nice cultural experience, it’s not a cheap. The cost for each player is $2,500. Each family member traveling to attend the event also must pay the same amount.
“It was an easy [decision to make] in the sense that we knew it would be a great opportunity [for our son],” Jim Goss, Matt’s father, said. “We felt it would be money well spent just because of the experiences he’s going to have.”
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Niagara Falls’ Adam Clendening, a defenseman with the United States National Under- 17 team, will play for the National 18-and-under team in the IIHF Championships, which begin Thursday in Fargo, N. D.
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The North Buffalo Bisons 12- and-under girls team lost in the national championship game of the USA Hockey Tournament on Sunday in Rochester, dropping a 2-1 decision to Massachusetts’ Assabet Valley. Alexandria Laing’s second short-handed goal of the tournament broke a 1-1 with 6:08 left in the third period.
Assabet goalie Rose Pijaca made 27 saves, while Bridget McCarthy also scored for the winners, who finished with 20 shots. Allison Gasuik scored her sixth goal of the tournament in the first period to give the Bisons a 1-0 lead.
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