Post by Kevin on Oct 22, 2007 22:15:40 GMT -5
Interesting article in the London Free Press regarding Beljo getting booed by Niagara Fans at last Thursdays game.
Source: lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2007/10/19/4588251-sun.html
Beljo silences boobirds
Fri, October 19, 2007
The former IceDogs star nets the winner as the London Knights gain their third straight victory.
By RYAN PYETTE, SUN MEDIA; FREE PRESS SPORTS REPORTER
ST. CATHARINES -- Though he never played for the Niagara version of the IceDogs, Jadran Beljo was jeered by the team's fans every time he touched the puck.
The loudest boos came after he scored the game-winning goal for his new club -- the London Knights.
The 20-year-old forward broke a 3-3 tie in a seven-goal third period and has scored in each of the three games he has played for London -- all wins -- and was the team's latest hero in a 6-3 victory over the Niagara IceDogs before a sellout crowd of 3,145 last night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
"I heard the boos -- it was different," said Beljo, who scored 36 times with the Mississauga IceDogs last season. "It (bagging the winner) was definitely one of the best feelings I've ever had."
Beljo intended to play for Niagara in his over-age season but he was told the team was moving in a different direction. He was sent home to Sudbury to await a trade and got one when the desperate Knights needed an offensive upgrade. The new IceDogs faithful believe he didn't want to play there this year.
"You have to ask the fans that (why they were booing)," Beljo said. "Every time I touched the puck, they did it. But this was a big win for us. It looked like a tight game but the goalies (Steve Mason and Andrew Loverock) stood on their heads. Both teams had chances. We just had a few more."
Beljo's big night ruined former Knight Jordan Foreman's first big chance to bury his old team. The hard-working forward, who was dealt to Niagara in the off-season for defenceman Nathan Martine (serving the fourth of a five-game suspension last night), had a glorious scoring opportunity in the second period and just missed batting an airborne puck past Mason.
"You have to give credit to Beljo -- he had a good game for them," said Foreman, who now wears No. 21 rather than his familiar 57 because the team's numbers don't go that high. "The Knights are still the same. Their systems haven't changed and Dale (head coach Dale Hunter) still knows how to get the puck deep on teams."
After seeing the treatment Beljo got from a group of fans who didn't even watch him play, Foreman hopes his reception at the John Labatt Centre later this year doesn't go the same way.
"I hope not," he said. "You always want to do well against your old team. It just didn't work out this time."
It's hard to imagine he'll be treated harshly on his return -- he was a fan favourite in London and he drew an assist on the goal that put Niagara up 3-2 last night. It would be the last goal for the IceDogs, who dropped just their third game in 11 contests.
It was the most impressive win of the season against a rested and strong opponent for London, which has now scored 14 goals in two games after the same number in their first seven outings.
"We're still looking for more balanced scoring," Dale Hunter said, "but we were all right in the third period. We're going to get goals on hard work and going to the net and that's what we did.
"For (Jadran), it's a nice feeling to score against his old teammates. It was a little different situation because he never played here but they were booing and he got a big goal."
The good folks in the Garden City have elephant-like memories.
Right above the London Knights bench at the Jack Gatecliff Arena last night, there was a sign welcoming Don Brankley back to St. Catharines: "Happy Retirement Brankley -- Start today."
London had not played at the old downtown rink in St. Catharines in three decades.
"I never thought I'd be back here," said Brankley, who recently returned to the club after spending some time in his northern Ontario hometown of Capreol for personal reasons. "It's changed since I was last here -- it's been painted."
Back in the third round of the 1977 playoffs, Brankley and the Knights engaged in one of the more memorable series in OHL history against the then-St. Catharines Fincups.
GAME GLANCE
Knights 6, IceDogs 3
London goals: Pat Maroon (2), Justin Taylor (2), Kevin Montgomery, Jadran Beljo
Niagara goals: Luca Caputi, Stefan Legein, Michael Swift
Next: The Knights return home to face the Erie Otters tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the John Labatt Centre.
Source: lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Hockey/2007/10/19/4588251-sun.html
Beljo silences boobirds
Fri, October 19, 2007
The former IceDogs star nets the winner as the London Knights gain their third straight victory.
By RYAN PYETTE, SUN MEDIA; FREE PRESS SPORTS REPORTER
ST. CATHARINES -- Though he never played for the Niagara version of the IceDogs, Jadran Beljo was jeered by the team's fans every time he touched the puck.
The loudest boos came after he scored the game-winning goal for his new club -- the London Knights.
The 20-year-old forward broke a 3-3 tie in a seven-goal third period and has scored in each of the three games he has played for London -- all wins -- and was the team's latest hero in a 6-3 victory over the Niagara IceDogs before a sellout crowd of 3,145 last night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
"I heard the boos -- it was different," said Beljo, who scored 36 times with the Mississauga IceDogs last season. "It (bagging the winner) was definitely one of the best feelings I've ever had."
Beljo intended to play for Niagara in his over-age season but he was told the team was moving in a different direction. He was sent home to Sudbury to await a trade and got one when the desperate Knights needed an offensive upgrade. The new IceDogs faithful believe he didn't want to play there this year.
"You have to ask the fans that (why they were booing)," Beljo said. "Every time I touched the puck, they did it. But this was a big win for us. It looked like a tight game but the goalies (Steve Mason and Andrew Loverock) stood on their heads. Both teams had chances. We just had a few more."
Beljo's big night ruined former Knight Jordan Foreman's first big chance to bury his old team. The hard-working forward, who was dealt to Niagara in the off-season for defenceman Nathan Martine (serving the fourth of a five-game suspension last night), had a glorious scoring opportunity in the second period and just missed batting an airborne puck past Mason.
"You have to give credit to Beljo -- he had a good game for them," said Foreman, who now wears No. 21 rather than his familiar 57 because the team's numbers don't go that high. "The Knights are still the same. Their systems haven't changed and Dale (head coach Dale Hunter) still knows how to get the puck deep on teams."
After seeing the treatment Beljo got from a group of fans who didn't even watch him play, Foreman hopes his reception at the John Labatt Centre later this year doesn't go the same way.
"I hope not," he said. "You always want to do well against your old team. It just didn't work out this time."
It's hard to imagine he'll be treated harshly on his return -- he was a fan favourite in London and he drew an assist on the goal that put Niagara up 3-2 last night. It would be the last goal for the IceDogs, who dropped just their third game in 11 contests.
It was the most impressive win of the season against a rested and strong opponent for London, which has now scored 14 goals in two games after the same number in their first seven outings.
"We're still looking for more balanced scoring," Dale Hunter said, "but we were all right in the third period. We're going to get goals on hard work and going to the net and that's what we did.
"For (Jadran), it's a nice feeling to score against his old teammates. It was a little different situation because he never played here but they were booing and he got a big goal."
The good folks in the Garden City have elephant-like memories.
Right above the London Knights bench at the Jack Gatecliff Arena last night, there was a sign welcoming Don Brankley back to St. Catharines: "Happy Retirement Brankley -- Start today."
London had not played at the old downtown rink in St. Catharines in three decades.
"I never thought I'd be back here," said Brankley, who recently returned to the club after spending some time in his northern Ontario hometown of Capreol for personal reasons. "It's changed since I was last here -- it's been painted."
Back in the third round of the 1977 playoffs, Brankley and the Knights engaged in one of the more memorable series in OHL history against the then-St. Catharines Fincups.
GAME GLANCE
Knights 6, IceDogs 3
London goals: Pat Maroon (2), Justin Taylor (2), Kevin Montgomery, Jadran Beljo
Niagara goals: Luca Caputi, Stefan Legein, Michael Swift
Next: The Knights return home to face the Erie Otters tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the John Labatt Centre.
