Fast learning curve
Niagara Falls Canucks rookie Matthew Riva adjusting to faster pace in Golden Horseshoe
There’s nowhere to go but up for the Niagara Falls Canucks after their most recent loss in the season series with the Caledonia Corvairs.
The four-time defending Golden Horseshoe Conference champions proved why they’re the winningest team in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League dismantling the Canucks by 9-2 margin.
A loss at home that dropped Niagara Falls to 0-4 in head-to-head play versus the Canucks will be remembered by Matthew Riva for more than the lopsided result. The 16-year-old Niagara Falls native found the back of the Caledonia net for the first goal of his junior B career.
“It’s a tough league for 16-yearolds to play in, plain and simple,” Canucks owner-head coach Frank Pietrangelo said. “We have an older team, but he has gotten every opportunity to play and it was great to see him get his first.”
Riva, who logged some ice time in the last playoffs when injuries depleted the Niagara Falls lineup, brings a lot to the table.
“Riva’s a right-handed shot, so he can play the wing, but he has also played centre,” Pietrangelo said. “He’s strong defensively and kills penalties.
“We are comfortable putting him in those situations which is rare for a young kid.”
Riva is a product of the Southern Tier Admirals triple A program and played 36 games in minor midget last season, racking up 23 points. He says he is honoured to be able to suit up for his hometown team on a regular basis.
“The players have been very welcoming to me,” he said. “There’s a lot of talent on this team.”
The transition to junior B from triple A requires rookies to find, and maintain, a higher gear.
“Everyone is faster and stronger at this level,” Riva said. “As a rookie, it’s difficult to keep up the speed of the game at times.”
Before and after attending classes St. Michael Catholic High School in Niagara, Riva is working to improve his shot and working out to add muscle to his 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame.
“I shoot pucks in my basement every day and workout regularly,” he said. “I also want to become a fast skater, it’s crucial to be quick when playing at this level.”
Riva’s goal was to put up his numbers in his rookie season but in the 28 games before scoring against Caledonia he had just six assists. He was relieved when he fired home his first goal.
“It’s hard playing against older guys and trying to score a lot of points,” Riva said. “The points aren’t coming to me right now, but with my first goal, I hope the monkey’s off my back.”
The Canucks, who rebounded from the loss to Caledonia by blanking the Fort Erie Meteors 3-0 on the road the following night, play two games this week.
They put their 20-8-0-2 record on the line in a 7 p.m. faceoff Friday at Gale Centre against the Buffalo Regals, 1-27-0-3.
Saturday’ s conference schedule has the Canucks visiting the 20-7-1-0 Ancaster Avalanche. Game time at Morgan Firestone Arena is 7:30 p.m.
Niagara Falls is 4-0 versus Buffalo this season and 0-3 in its season series with Ancaster.
The third-place Canucks lead the Avalanche by one point, but Ancaster has two games in hand.
11th straight win
Streaks on opposite sides of the ledger remained intact Tuesday night when the Caledonia Corvairs renewed their junior B hockey rivalry with the Buffalo Regals.
Caledonia extended its win streak to 11 games — and its season-long shutout string against Buffalo to four games — with an 11-0 victory.
The loss was the Regals’ 14th in a row.
The Corvairs, who were back on the ice last night hosting the St. Catharines Falcons, improved to 26-30-1. Buffalo fell to 1-27-0-3.
Jesse Barwell, Mark Bzowey, Cal Davis, with two goals each, Bobby Harrison, Owen Lane, Brad Lindsay and Eddie Schulz scored, and Caledonia outshot Buffalo 59-18.
Welland native and former Well and Jr. Canadian Brandon McCorriston recorded his third shutout of the season.
St. Catharines, 21-6-1-2, came into last night’s game trailing Caledonia by eight points.
The Falcons lead the Corvairs three wins to one in head-to-head play.
Today’s action has the fifth-place Thorold Blackhawks, 11-12-3-3, home to eighth-place Fort Erie, 8-17-1-3. Game time at Thorold Community Arenas is 7:07 p.m.
— with files from Bernd Franke, Regional sports editor