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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Chapleau Intermediate 'A' Huskies open 1977-78 Northland Intermediate Hockey League season with two wins on the road

The Chapleau Intermediate "A" Huskies seemed to have established themselves as a top contender as they opened their 1977-78 season on the road with two wins. 

It was the start of their third season in the Northland intermediate Hockey League, and with a new coach, new captain, several new players and the excellent play of team stalwarts from the previous season, they dumped the Hearst Lumberkings and Calvert GMs in convincing fashion -- 11-4 and 6-2 respectively.

The Chapleau Sentinel reported that the season openers were "a fine beginning" for coach Doug Prusky as the team had never won their first games since entering the league for the 1975-76 season. 

Jean Claude Cyr had been named captain and played "sparkling hockey in both games and was rewarded for his efforts with a five goal performance."

Glen Cappellani was in goal for the locals in both games having been the backbone of the Junior "B" Huskies for several years followed by a stint in the United States Hockey League. The Sentinel reported that Cappellani's "semi-pro experience was most evident as he came up with scintillating saves" in both games. Danny Law of the Midgets was back up goaltender as David McAdam was unable to make the trip.

Steve Prusky was back in the lineup after three years in the USHL and demonstrated the experience he had gained since leaving Chapleau where he was a star defenceman. 

"Prusky has the ability to control a hockey game from the blueline", the article noted.

Ron Larcher, Bill Scheer
Other new faces in the Chapleau lineup were Ron Larcher and Gary Legros from the Junior "B" ranks; Paul Scheer who had moved to Chapleau from Burlington; Rick Walker, a solid defenceman from Brampton and Danny Homerodean a winger who had played for the Burlington Junior "B" Mohawks.

Ron Larcher, the speedy forward was on a line with his brother Raymond and team captain Cyr. The plan may have been to use them as checking line but they came up with nine points in the two games. Raymond and Jean Claude had been with the team since its beginning

Paul Scheer made his first appearances on a line with brother Bill, who had joined the Huskies for the 1976-77 season, and Pat Swanson. Paul came up with a goal and three assists.

By the end of the weekend Pat Swanson, another veteran from first game in the Northland league was off to a fast start with two goals and four assists led the team's point parade.

Danny Homorodean played right wing for Dave McMillan and Jamie Doyle, both veterans,  and this line came up with excellent performances accumulating 10 points over the weekend.

The Sentinel commented that "McMillan is a class centre always calculating his moves while Doyle is one hockey player who skates faster coming back down the ice to his zone than he moves offensively." (As an aside the comment about Jamie was so true and a hallmark of all his playing days but he was a great two way player.)

Legros and Walker were both on the blueline and came up with very solid performances with Legros a tough player who in his first two games gave every indication he will become a valuable addition to the roster.  Walker is a thinking defenceman with an excellent shot.

Bill Scheer, Pat Swanson, Trainer Graham Bertrand. Donkey baseball
Ted Swanson was back in the lineup for another year and his experience helped the newcomers. Ted had two excellent games sliding in fronts and setting up plays in great fashion. Ted never missed a game in the four years the team was in the Northland league.

In the Short Shots section of the article, the writer took a "shot" at me, commenting that "Players and fans on the trip are unable to decide if Mike Morris, now the manager, is more excitable now than when he was coaching." I had coached the team since it was founded in 1974-75 season the for two years in the Northland League. Within one week, thirty-six years later, I really don't know. 

Dave McMillan, Danny Vaughan, Paul McDonald
John Theriault took photos of the team on the ice and while involved in other community activities. Thanks for making them available John. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Armand Ruffo film 'A Windigo Tale' to be featured September 27 on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

Armand Ruffo’s first feature film, “A Windigo Tale”, will be a featured Friday night movie Sept. 27 on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.  
Armand, from Chapleau, gave me the news in a recent email. He is a graduate of Chapleau High School -- and as an aside, I just have to note that he played on the 1970-71 Chapleau Midgets hockey team that I coached.
Check your local TV listings for time!
Hugh McGoldrick kindly provided trailer (see below) for "A Windigo Tale".. thanks Hugh!
Here is information on the movie  and Armand  taken from Anishinabeknews.ca and link http://anishinabeknews.ca/2013/09/13/ruffos-first-film-featured-sept-27-on-aptn/
Adopted by Ruffo from a play he wrote in 2001, “A Windigo Tale” has won a number of awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress at the 35th American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, Best Picture at the Dream Speaker’s Film Festival in Edmonton and Peoples’ Choice Award at the Baystreet Film Festival in Thunder Bay.  It was also selected to close the prestigious ImagineNative Film Festival in Toronto.  It has since gone on to screen both nationally and internationally.
The fictional story revolves around a road trip in which a Native grandfather, Harold, played by Gary Farmer, who is desperate to save his troubled grandson Curtis from a life on the street, shares the dark secrets of their family and community.  Focusing on the intergenerational impact of the residential school experience, the story Harold tells involves an estranged mother and daughter who must reunite to exorcise the dreaded Windigo spirit that is tied to their family’s painful past of abuse. According to Anishinaabe lore, the Windigo is a malevolent, supernatural spirit that can possess and transform people into greedy, cannibalistic creatures.
Armand Garnet Ruffo was born in Chapleau with roots to the Biscotasing branch of the Sagamok First Nation and the Chapleau Fox Lake Cree First Nation.  He is currently a professor of Aboriginal Literature and Creative Writing at Carleton University in Ottawa.  He is the author of Grey Owl: the Mystery of Archie Belaney and At Geronimo’s Grave, and he has just completed a creative biography on the acclaimed Ojibway painter Norval Morrisseau.


Michael J Morris

Michael J Morris
MJ with Buckwheat (1989-2009) Photo by Leo Ouimet

UNEEK LUXURY TOURS, ORLANDO FL

UNEEK LUXURY TOURS, ORLANDO FL
click on image

MEMORIES FROM CHILDHOOD

MEMORIES FROM CHILDHOOD
Following the American Dream from Chapleau. CLICK ON IMAGE