Ducks Across The Pond
By Kris Hill
Anaheim, CA via Europe – Currently five Ducks are playing in Europe to stay in game shape and pay the bills as the lockout continues. This is the first in a weekly series of how these boys are doing on foreign ponds.
Matt Beleskey is currently playing in Great Britain for the Coventry Blaze. The Windsor, Ontario native has played in 17 of the Blaze’s 20 games. He has totaled eight goals and 17 assists. Beleskey notched a hat trick (and the Blaze’s only goals) in a 4-3 loss to the Nottingham Panthers December 5th. Beleskey has been penalized for 37 minutes with a season high 14 minutes coming in a November 11th game also versus Nottingham.
Over in Sweden, Viktor Fasth and Cam Fowler are facing off on occasion. Fasth is playing for Tingsryd, while Fowler is on the Sodertalje team.
Fasth has been in goal for Tingsryd during 12 of the teams contests. While in net, he has recorded a shutout for the 10-18-3 team known there as Ha. Fasth has a GAA of 1.68 and a save percentage of 0.942. Note: No W-L-T record available at this time for the net minder.
Fowler has seen limited action for Sodertalje but the blue-liner has notched two goals and three assist.
In Italy, Nick Bonino is playing for HC Neumarkt Egna Riwega of Italy’s Tier 2 league. The Unionville, CT forward has played in 16 of the teams 22 games and has netted the game winner in five of their fifteen wins. Riwega is tied atop the standings with SSI Vipiteno Weihenstephan at 15-5-2. Bonino has notched 43 total points (21 G, 22 A) and has been very stout on the power play scoring six goals and assisting on seven.
Luca Sbisa is getting it done with HC Lugano in the Swiss league with five goals and six assists and a +1 differential in his 25 games played.
No doubt the experience gained playing in these leagues will greatly help the Ducks when and if the lockout ends. The two sides are still entrenched, but NHLPA President Donald Fehr agreed to the idea of bringing back the group talks from two weeks ago.