| 4/17/2006 Trip Ends on a High Note. 92 Prospects Finish 4-5 in Europe Hi John, the Prospects went out with a bang; it was a rematch of the first exhibition game vs the Finland B team; the final was a convincing 14-1 victory. They don't believe in using a 3rd period mercy rule here however. Alex Brennan was named game MVP. I think we finished 3rd in our 2nd level pool. There was a closing ceremony where the team was given their bronze medal. Also recognized were Josh Lowe as an all tournament team representative for the Buffalo Prospects & coach Jiri Kazda. Jiri had plenty of opportunities to discuss penalties with the officials. It was an overall great experience for our team in getting to play the high talent level Slovakian teams- I think we were placed in a difficult bracket. Its now on to Prague first thing tommorrow morning. I believe we are stopping to visit a castle on the way. So long for now. Bill Pelligra 4/16/2006 Winning Ways (2-3 in tournament, 3-4 overall) Hi John, lost the second game today 3-0 to another Slovakian select travel team called Nova Komty. Discipline was better, but feel we got the short end of some calls. Their fans seemed to have an influence on the officiating, but overall they were the better team. Chris Paulin had a great game, shots were 30+. Our offense couldn't get going. The Bader- Brian Bader was named game MVP, quite an honor since we lost the game-way to go B-dub. Tomorrow's game is 7:30 am our time with game 2 at 7pm. Happy Easter to everyone in Western NY. Bill Pelligra Hi John, because the Zvolen team we lost to 2-1 was found using a few illegal players (90's) they forfeited the game, so we went 1-2 in the opening round;that placed in the middle round bracket as opposed to the top or lowest level. We had to travel to another rink in the town of Detva (30 km east of Zvolen) to play another Slovakian team from the town of Presov. The rink was a bit depressed in terms of amenities and modern conveniences. It was a great game however; 2-2 at the end of regulation; there were still many penalties called but a bit fewer then the first 3 games. Josh Lowe scored both goals & Alex Burdekin played great again; we won in a shootout 3-2, with Alex stopping all 7 shooters, with d-man B-squared- Brian Bader (meister) scoring the lone goal in the shootout with a slick back hand-top shelf, where Mama hides the cookie jar. The ice was very bad which made it difficult for the shooters especially in the slot area. Alex the Birdman Burdekin was named game MVP. Will forward more photos from this game later. We are just about to leave for our second game of the day to be played at the same rink. Take care for now. Bill Pelligra 4/15/2006 US Ambassador Skip Valee Visits Prospects 92 Team in Slovakia Hi John, this is Bill Pelligra, my son Nate is here playing for the Prospects; Ken asked to give you a quick update; before the update, just want to let you know what a wonderful job Ken & Jiri have done in organizing this fantastic event; my wife Debbie & I are very impressed with your organization. There is another gentlemen Mr. Francesco Miotti who has also helped make this a great experience for the kids * parents; the Slavic tournament organizer Miroslav ( dont know his last name) has been a very gracious & helpful host as well. We arrived in Prague ahead of schedule & were met by a beautiful bus (Mercedes Benz) that is used to transport the Slavic elite pro team HKM Zvolen. Our first stop on the way to Brno was the small town of Jihlava; the next stop was Trebic where we ate and visited a historic basilica. From there on to Brno, the second largest city in Czech Republic. We played a select Czech school team and lost 7-3; it was 4-1 after 1 with 3 pp goals against, the balance of the game was 2-2 during the second & 1-1 in third. The kids did get a chance to practice very early that day, but the jet lag & not being accustomed to what the referees would allow caught up to us. The second day in Brno was very eventful taking in the nearby Caves, a historic Chateau, & the local brewery, all topped off with an outdoor tour of the Brno castle high above the city of Brno- what a majestic panoramic view! That evening we left for Zvolen, Slavakia where we were met by Miroslav; Miro allowed our team to use the home team dressing room of their pro elite team HKM Svolen where players like Richard Zednik, Marion Hossa, & others played. The next day was an exhibition vs the Finland B team, & the Prospect came out on fire roaring to a 4-1 lead after one; the final score was 8-3; the game featured a lot of hitting (mostly by the Prospects) and a lot of penalties, again mostly by the Prospects; but we were able to overcome with 2 SH goals-on the same shift! Friday we have an 8 am game where the boys will be visited by the US ambassador to Slovakia, Skip Valee; The ambassador will be attending the game with parents-should be an exciting opportunity to meet with a foreign government official. Word is that there will also be local TV cameras there, along with Zvolen government & hockey officials. Will give you another update after tomorrows contest and opening ceremonies in the town square. Its getting late here, but will try to send some photos on the next email. It may direct you to the Kodak Easy Share site since file sizes may be too large to send. Let me know if you have questions or comments and I will gladly share with Ken, the boys & the rest of the parents. So long for now. Bill Pelligra Hi John, the Finland A team beat the Buffalo Prospects 7-2 in the opening round game of the Greschun Cup. The Prospects spent way too much time in the penalty box; they are definitely not accustomed to the officiating style. The Finn team was big but not overly physical; the Prospects definitely could skate with them, but they just need to play a bit smarter. Before the game they were greeted by the US Ambassador, Skip Vallee who wished them well & gave them all US/Slovakia pins. Skip is from St.Albans Vt, and played college hockey at Williams College (MA); he made a special trip to be at the tournament from the capital city of Bratislava. Last night there was an outdoor opening ceramony in the Zvolen town square, that featured traditional Slovak music, dancing, guest speakers that included the Swiss Ambassador to Slovakia, the mayor of Zvolen, the president/owner of team HKM Zvolen & Francesco Miotti- original tournament organizer( his son Filippe is playing with our team). Bill Pelligra 4/14/2006 Winning And Competing Numerous positive reports and some good news on the ice, too. Wed: Game against Kometa 1992 team from Uvoz School in Brno (Czech) L 3-7 Thu: Game against Rauman LUKKO D92A (Finland) W 8-3 4/11/2006 Arrival We made it to the Czech Republic!! We are very excited to be here. Our travels went very smoothly other than very few glitches. Ken Paulin is holding up very well considering all that has been on his mind. He is amazing. Our trip to the airport in Toronto went great. We went through the border with no problems. We arrive at the airport at about 12:00(ALOT of time to spare since the plane didn't board until 5:30). The first memory is that poor Chris Paulin left his passport on the bus so Ken had to call the bus(which was already in Hamilton) and pay for him to drive back to the airport. Good thing we had alot of time. Ken said that he knew something would happen but he didn't think it would be his own son that did it. All spirits were up when we were checked in, and the wait wasn't too bad. The plane ride was like a party, and unfortunately none of us got much sleep. We arrived in the Czech Republic at 7:30, about one hour earlier than we expected. Every one passed through customs, and all of our luggage was there waiting for us. We are using a local hockey teams bus. It is a regular charter bus, and is very comfortable. BUT we have TOO much luggage and hockey bags, so we have the aisles packed with bags. It has worked out because I have found that hockey bags make great pillows. We stopped at a local square to see the sights. This is a beautiful country with alot of scenic country side. We ate at a restaurant called Kleopatra, and found that the food is very good here. We walked to a Bazilika that was built in 1101. It was very midevil(?) looking, made only on cement, and extremely ornate. We made it to the Hotel Slovakia at 7:00 PM(1:00 your time). The hockey practice was postponed until the next morning since the ice was being used at 6:00 as we had on our schedule. There is a McDonalds and a Kentucky Fried Chicken here. We all tried them out, and they are the same. The boys were up at 6:30 am, and left for the rink about 7:15 for practice this morning. They are now having breakfast. Everyone is doing well and enjoying this wonderful experience!!! 4/5/2006 T minus 3 Days and Counting Thanks to an amazing amount of work by Ken Paulin and the commitment from a great bunch of parents & players, the Buffalo Prospects 1992 team is three days away from leaving on the trip of a lifetime. We will provide daily updates from Europe as they send them to us. Stay connected by checking back regularly. Buffalo Prospects Slovakia Schedule: April 6 - April 20, 2006 04/07/06 Friday Slovakia Team Meeting, Pizza "get to know you" party & Movie - Miracle 6:30p @ Sheridan Meadows - 6245 Sheridan Dr. (West of Transit - last bldg.) 04/07/06 Friday Mail Income Taxes 04/09/06 Sunday 10:30p - Meet at limo pickup point (TBA) 2:30p - arrive at Toronto Airport for flight to Prague 5:30p - Czech Airlines flight #103 to Prague 04/10/06 Monday 8:45a - Arrive in Prague 10:00a - Board buses to Brno, Czech Republic 12:00p - Tour & Lunch @ Namast M. Oslavo Castle 3:00p - Tour Jaromerice Château 5:00p - Arrive in Brno, Czech Republic 6:00p - Practice @ Rondo Arena 04/11/06 Tuesday Tour City of Brno & School (Uvoz) 9:00a - Tour Macacha Cave 11:00a - Tour Kritny Cathedral 3:00p - Play game against Kometa 1992 team from Uvoz School in Brno 5:00p Tour & dinner @ Petrov Castle 7:00p Tour Spilberk Castle 04/12/06 Wednesday 9:00a Board buses for Zilina, Slovakia 11:00a Tour & Lunch @ Buchlov Castle 2:00p Tour @ Buchlovice Château 4:00p Tour Trencin Castle (hockey town where Satan, Hosa & Gaborik are from) 7:00p - Arrive in Zilina, Slovakia and check-in to tournament hotel 04/13/06 Thursday 2:00p - Exhibition Game vs. Rauman LUKKO D92A (Finland) 04/14/06 Friday Grischun Cup Tournament - Day 1 8:00a - Game 1 vs. Lukko B (Finland) 04/15/06 Saturday Grischun Cup Tournament - Day 2 10:30a - Game 2 vs. HC Kosice (Slovakia) 2:00p - Game 3 vs. Stred I (Slovakia) 04/16/06 Sunday Grischun Cup Tournament - Day 3 Semi-Finals (x-overs) - 2 games 7:00a or 10:30a - Semi Game 1 2:00p or 5:30p - Semi Game 2 04/17/06 Monday Grischun Cup Tournament Finals/Consolation Finals - 2 Games 7:00a or 10:30a - Final Game 1 2:00p or 5:30p - Final Game 2 04/18/06 Tuesday 9:00a - Leave for Prague Karlstejn Castle Krivoklot Castle Old Town Square 04/19/06 Wednesday 9:00a - Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and Charles University Noon - St. Nicholas Church 2:00 - Old Town Square 4:00p - Barandov Movie Production Studio? 04/20/06 Thursday 9:45a - Arrive at Prague Airport 12:45p - Czech Airlines flight #102 to Toronto 4:00p - Arrive in Toronto HOTELS: 4/10 & 11 Hotel Slavia - Brno, Czech Republic 011 420 542 215 080 Phone 011 420 542 211 769 Fax hotel.slavia@iol.cz Solinicni 15/17 662 16 Brno 4/12 - 4/17 Hotel Franko - Zilina Slovakia 011 421 45 533 0928 Phone 0907 279 041 Reception 0905 800689 Mr. Franko's Phone frankopension@stonline.sk Sturava 11 SK-960 01 ZVOLEN 4/18 & 4/19 Hotel Ambassador - Zlata Husa - Prague, Czech Republic 011 420 224 193 111 Phone 011 420 224 230 620 Fax hotel@ambassador.cz Vaclavske namesti 5-7 111 24 Prague 1 Czech Republic 3/31/2006 Schedule and Information Update Dates: April 13-16, 2006 Arrival: April 10, 2006 Teams: 10-12 per birth year representing Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Czech, Croatia, Slovakia Location: Zilina, Slovakia Airport: Prague, Czech Republic From Ken Paulin: The Slovakia trip is on! We have 100 seats being held on Czech Airlines. The plan is to fly direct from Toronto to Prague on April 9, 2006 and return on April 20 (or 17th if you need to get back sooner). We are very fortunate to have Jiri Kazda, a friend of John Hannon who lives in Ontario and is from the Czech Republic, as our tour guide. Jiri is setting up exhibition games for us and will help coach our teams. I have been working with Jiri to put together the following: Details Routing direct from Toronto to Prague, Czech Republic and back (Prague is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time): - Sunday, April 9, 2006 at 5:30p - Fly Czech Airlines Flight 103 from Toronto to Prague, Czech Republic. Flight arrives at 7:40a on April 10 (8 hour flight) - Return Thursday, April 20 12:50p Fly Czech Airlines Flight 102 from Prague to Toronto. Flight arrives at 4:00p (9 hour flight) Background Information Itinerary (Tentative): Arrive in Prague at 7:40 a.m. on April 10 and take a bus (about $15/person) to Brno, the 2nd largest city in the Czech Republic and Jiri's home town (about a 2 hour drive). Check into hotel (still waiting for rates) see the sights, and visit Brno school where they have hockey classes (just like Math & Science) and their own rink. Play game there on April 11. April 11 or 12 - go to Zilina, Slovakia for tournament check in (3-4 hour drive, bus provided by tournament). Hotel is 25 Euro ($30)/person/night and includes breakfast, hot lunch and hot dinner (US type foods). The ice rink is located in the hotel and the hotel has rooms with 2-4 beds. I'm told the hotel is equivalent to a Travel Lodge in Toronto. This is a real bargain. April 13-16 - tournament in Zilina April 17 - leave Zilina for Prague via bus (tournament pays to Brno, we pay approximately $15/person to Prague) for sight seeing. We can also arrange other games and/or visit other areas as well. Additional ground transportation is $3/kilometer/bus. April 20 - return to Toronto. Should you need to return home sooner, we can make arrangements for some people to fly home on April 17 (Czech Air does not fly to Toronto on the 18th or 19th). This is an outstanding opportunity for the boys and we are excited about it. The tournament already has 18 international teams confirmed and will have an Olympic feel to it. We will meet parents and players from other countries throughout Europe, trade pins, learn a little about their culture, etc. Passports A passport valid through October 20, 2006 is required for all travelers. No travel Visas are required for the countries we are entering. If you do not have a passport, it is easy to get one. You will need to appear, in person, at a US post office or County Hall (some municipalities have additional town and DMV options). See the following link for instructions and forms needed to apply for a passport (note: there is a special parental consent form for children under 14 to get a passport): http://travel.state.gov/passport/fri/pubs/pubs_854.html What is Slovakia like? Slovakia is a modern European country mixed with a deep rural tradition. Geographically, it is primarily a mountainous country with numerous winter activities. It has a continental European climate with moderate winters and warm summers. Most infrastructure and many of the tourist facilities are on par or near Western European standards. There's a refreshing absence of McDonald's-style commercialism that is rampant across Western Europe. Quaint and jovial with a surprisingly rich cultural life, Bratislava is a capital city without the usual congestion. The High Tatras are a magnificent range of European mountains (only second to the Alps in elevation) dotted with villages with deep peasant traditions. You'll find Slovaks to be an extremely helpful, pleasant people prepared to go out of their way to welcome you. From film and folk festivals, to castle tours to snow boarding and hiking you'll find Slovakia a spectacular country to visit. See www.slovakia.org for more information. What is the Czech Republic like? Czech Republic: http://www.czechtourism.com/index.php?show=003005032000&lang=3 Prague, Czech Republic: http://www.prague-info.cz/ Brno, Czech Republic: http://www.brno.cz/index.php?lan=en 92s We will need to conduct our tryout for the Spring, 2006 -1992 Team the morning of October 10, 2005 (Columbus Day Holiday) at Holiday Twin Rinks at 10:00 a.m.). This will allow adequate time to make reservations, gather travel documents, and fund raise. Main Contact Information for 92s Kenneth W. Paulin, Jr. Euro Tour Organizer 277 Continental Dr. Lockport, NY 14094 716.438.0002 kpaulin2@yahoo.com |
| Buffalo Prospects 92 Team with US Ambassador Skip Valee |