Richardson Ready For Rematch With Former Team:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Richardson ready for rematch with former team

Published: May 01, 2011

The Vernon Vipers will go up against a familiar face when they meet the Wellington Dukes at the Royal Bank Cup Wednesday in Camrose.

Former Viper defenceman Elliott Richardson, who was traded in early December to the Quesnel Millionaires as part of the deal that brought netminder Kirby Halcrow to Vernon, now plays with the Ontario Junior Hockey League champion Dukes.

Richardson, a 19-year-old Hanmer, Ont. native, posted 11 points in the final 15 games of the season with Wellington, and added 10 points in 25 playoff games.

“I fit in pretty well here. It worked out pretty well and it feels like playing at home in Ontario. Like I’m on home soil,” said Richardson, who is getting plenty of ice time and a regular shift on the powerplay.

“We’re pretty deep; we have four lines that all offer something different. We’re solid on defence and our goalie (Jordan Ruby), he gives us a chance to win every night.”

Ruby, a Tavistock, Ont. product, backstopped Canada East to silver at the World Junior A Challenge last November in Penticton.

Leading the Dukes offensively is Sean Rudy, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound play-making centre who led the team with 22 goals and 51 assists in the regular season. He uses his size as well, delivering big body checks and he is hard to knock off the puck.

The Dukes won the Dudley Hewitt Cup to advance to the RBC Cup. They faced champions from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (Soo Eagles), Superior International Junior Hockey League (Wisconsin Wilderness) and tournament host Huntsville Otters in a round-robin tourney.

In the Dudley Hewitt final, Darcy Greenaway broke open a 3-3 tie early in the third period as Wellington grounded the Otters 5-3 to advance to nationals for the first time since 2002-03.

Richardson said the Dukes endured a marathon semifinal to reach the championship, battling through four overtime periods (nearly 140 minutes of extra play) before brushing back the Eagles 2-1.

“It was a battle. We played five games in five days. More if you include the overtime,” said Richardson.

Richardson is thrilled to be competing against the Vipers.

“It was kind of in the back of my mind the whole time, being traded from a team that is going to the RBC. It’ll be pretty exciting to play my old team,” he said.

In the Eastern regional playdowns, the Pembroke Lumber Kings of Ontario advanced to the RBC for the first time since 2007 after doubling the Longueuil Collège Français of Quebec 6-3 in the eastern Fred Page Cup.

The Kings’ Jonathan Milley had two goals and two assists and Matthew Peca chipped in with a goal and two helpers.

Peca (no relation to former NHLer Mike Peca) also skated for Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge. He had 26 goals and 26 assists this season.

The Lumber Kings’ main scoring threat is Tyler Tosunian, a smooth-skating California product who finished second in the league with 31-81-117.

In Western qualifying action, the Portage Terriers of Manitoba got a 22-save showing from Jason Kasdorf to brush back Saskatchewan’s La Ronge Ice Wolves 4-0 in Game 7 of the Anavet Cup.

1993-born rookie Brent Wold led the Terriers with a 68-point regular season, including 46 assists. Extremely competitive, he also has superior passing skills.

Where Wold is the set-up man, fellow Portage rookie Brendan Harms is a finisher, scoring a team-high 28 goals and finishing ninth in the MJHL with 63 points.

The Terriers are returning to the RBC Cup for the first time since 2005.

Tournament host Camrose Kodiaks are led by 20-year-old Luke Challier, who had a team-high 23 goals and 164 penalty minutes. The Surrey native played parts of two seasons with the Penticton Vees and Burnaby Express before finding a home in Camrose.

Another important piece of the Kodiak puzzle is Jordan Hale, a 6-foot-4, 217 pounder, who played with the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings.

SNAKE BITES: Viper grad Connor Jones was named Rookie of the Year at the NCAA Division 1 Quinnipiac Bobcats annual awards banquet. Jones, who plays alongside twin brother Kellen, collected nine goals and 15 assists to lead all Bobcat freshmen and finish second in team scoring. Scott Zurevinski, another former Viper and current Quinnipiac captain, earned the award in 2009. It is the fifth time in the last seven years that a BCHL grad has been named the team’s top rookie.