Hawks forfeit game to Canucks
A junior B hockey game involving the Thorold Blackhawks was not played for the second time in as many nights and for the third time this season.
Niagara Falls Canucks owner Frank Pietrangelo confirmed the Blackhawks cancelled their Friday night road game against his team at Gale Centre. He said Niagara Falls has been awarded two points for a forfeit win by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).
Thorold’s Thursday night home against the Caledonia Corvairs was postponed, as was last Saturday’s home game versus the Buffalo Regals.
It was not known at press time whether those Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League Golden Horseshoe Conference games
Once we get a few more healthy bodies and players back from suspension, we should be OK.” Thorold Blackhawks co-owner Tony Gigliotti
will be rescheduled.
Blackhawks co-owner Tony Gigliotti said injuries and suspensions have depleted the lineup, and he was unable to say when Thorold would be able to field a full team.
“I actually don’t know for sure what’s going on,” he told Postmedia Network. “At this point I don’t know 100 per cent what’s going on and what this team needs.”
Other than to say the Blackhawks have “some injured and some suspended players,” Gigliotti declined to discuss Thursday night’s postponement.
“I really don’t want to make any comments about last night’s game, to be honest with you unfortunately,” he said. “I just don’t want to bring any negative press to the Blackhawks.”
Gigliotti also wouldn’t comment on the status of general manager and head Bryan Kelly, who was suspended indefinitely by the OHA following what the team described as a post-game altercation with referees.
“Again, I’m not really going to make any comments at this time,” he said in an interview. “Maybe after the season we can sit down and talk about it.”
Gigliotti said fears of the Blackhawks not being able to play out the season are unfounded.
“We have tons of APs (affiliated players), so it should be all right,” he said. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
He said two players are injured and two others out of the lineup serving suspensions.
“Once we get a few more healthy bodies and players back from suspension, we should be OK.”
Ralph Sacco, who co-owns and operates the team along with Gigliotti, declined comment other than to say that he hoped Thursday’s home game against Caledonia and last Saturday’s versus Buffalo can be rescheduled and played before the regular season wraps up Sunday, Feb. 26.
Thorold has eight games remaining in league play and has already qualified for the playoffs as seventh seed in a field of eight in the nine-team conference.
Messages left with OHA president Karen Phibbs were not returned as of press time.