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The Telegram THETELEGRAM.COM SPORTS Saturday, March 24, 2012 B5 CURLING Nichols temporarily putting retirement on ice Forner Team Gushue third to throw lead stones for Jeff Stoughton at Players Championship next month BY CHRIS ROBERTS manent gig, Stoughton isn’t being coy with his SPECIAL TO THE TELEGRAM choice for a new lead. “I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t want on’t call it a comeback. At least, not yet. him to play with us, but obviously he doesn’t DMark Nichols retired from curling last live in our fair city,” he told the Winnipeg Free year and has been enjoying a ‘normal’ Press. life, he says. Aside from working and spending Right now, Nichols is viewing the opportu- time with friends and family, he recently mar- nity as a one-and-done — a chance to fuel his ried long-time girlfriend and fellow curler, competitive desires, while catching up with Colette Lemon. friends who he has not seen in the past year. Curling has been an afterthought. One of those is Gushue. “I haven’t played much,” said the Olympic “Brad knows that I’ll be going, but that’s it. gold medallist. “I’ve probably only thrown I haven’t talked to anyone else about it,” says about 40 rocks (in the past year).” Nichols. Nichols called it quits after last year’s third- Stoughton and Gushue meet April 20. place finish at the Tim Horton’s Brier, ending “It will be interesting for sure,” said Nichols, a highly-successful 13-year partnership with “but it’s just another game of curling when Brad Gushue. The pair shared a world junior you get into it. I’m there to help Jeff do well, championships in 2001, and have represented and that’s what I’m going to do.” Newfoundland and Labrador at the Brier It will be a quick transition for the 32-year- since 2003, with one exception — 2006, when old, however. He’ll be flying to Moncton to they won Olympic gold in Turin, Italy. meet the Stoughton team April 17 before For Nichols, the competitive fire still burns, crossing the bridge to P.E.I. The team will play and that’s why he listened with serious inter- their first draw the next day. est when three-time Brier champion Jeff And though he contends this tournament Stoughton inquired about his services for the will be a one-time thing, Nichols wouldn’t upcoming Players Championship in Summer- officially rule out joining the Stoughton rink if side, P.E.I. next month. asked. “They needed a player for this event, and Mark Nichols, seen here delivering a stone during the 2011 Brier, is coming out of retirement to join Jeff “I’d have to take a serious look at it. Right where it’s in P.E.I. and I’m pretty close, it made Stoughton’s rink for the Players Championship in Prince Edward Island. The long-time third for nine-time now, it’s not on the radar … There would be a sense that way,” explains Nichols. provincial champ Brad Gushue formally retired from competitive curling last year. — Canadian press file photo whole lot of hoops to jump through for that to “I told him I was interested. I just had to happen. clear it with work.” Manitoba curling championship. The move thirds in the world, would be more than a wel- “It’s not a definite no, but it’s by no means The opening came a little over two weeks came after the Winnipeg team won the Brier come addition to the Stoughton rink throw- a yes.” ago when Stoughton dropped long-time lead and world championship last year. ing lead rocks. Steve Gould after a disappointing finish at the Nichols, once considered one of the better While there’s no offer on the table for a per- [email protected] NEWFOUNDLANDERS AWAY HOCKEY PROFESSIONAL, JUNIOR AND COLLEGE STATS Celebrating a quarter century of hockey 2011-12 statistics for Newfoundlanders in professional, major junior, tier 2 junior A, CIS, NCAA and European hockey leagues (as of March 21, 2012) on the Southern Shore GP G A PTS +/- PIMS LR NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE BY CHRIS ROBERTS all-sport athlete who, in 1992, passed away at just 15- Daniel Cleary, Riverhead, Harbour Grace (RW) (Detroit Red Wings) 69 12 20 32 7 28 11-20-31 years-old. Ryane Clowe, Fermeuse (LW) (San Jose Sharks) 67 13 26 39 -5 85 12-24-36 SPECIAL TO THE TELEGRAM Adam Pardy, Bonavista (D) (Dallas Stars) 30 0 1 1 -9 10 0-1-1 The tournament continues today, culminating Sunday Michael Ryder, Bonavista (RW) (Dallas Stars) 73 32 25 57 20 38 30-24-54 he first skate in the Southern Shore Arena was held on with the championship game. Teddy Purcell, St. John’s (RW) (Tampa Bay Lightning) 71 20 37 57 9 17 20-34-54 TDec. 8, 1987. Tonight is being labeled as a free-skate birthday bash Luke Adam, Kilbride (C) (Buffalo Sabres) 52 10 10 20 -6 14 10-10-20 Colin Greening, St. John’s (RW) (Ottawa Senators) 74 16 17 33 -3 46 14-17-31 Since then, there have been countless memorable — a family skate accompanied by free drinks and food for moments in the home of the Breakers, from senior hock- the kids, and a birthday cake to be cut at center ice. AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE GP G A PTS +/- PIMS LR ey clashes with rival Flatrock Flyers to minor hockey Sunday, the Southern Shore Breakers and Flatrock Fly- Jason King, Corner Brook (F) (St. John’s IceCaps) 59 19 17 36 -12 34 18-17-35 magic. ers will take part in an alumni game which will see former Luke Adam, St. John’s (RW) (Rochester Americans) 12 2 7 9 -1 14 2-6-8 The rink in Mobile has become iconic to the commu- senior hockey stars on both sides — Andy Sullivan, Den- Robert Slaney, Upper Island Cove (LW) (Hamilton Bulldogs) 22 1 1 2 -1 4 1-1-2 nity. nis Lake, Jamie Coady going head-to-head with Ed Oates ECHL It is, then, no surprise that many current and former and MHA Kevin Parsons, to name a few. Robert Slaney, Upper Island Cove (LW) (Cincinnati Cyclones) 31 11 7 18 -4 23 8-5-13 Justin Pender, St. John’s (D) (Bakersfield Condors) 59 7 13 20 -13 98 4-11-15 players will be taking part in this weekend’s festivities, Most of the founding members of the arena — along Jason Morgan, C.B.S. (C) (Stockton Thunder) 24 2 7 9 -15 24 2-6-8 honouring the past quarter-century of not only the arena, with Loyola Sullivan, who will MC the evening — will be but Southern Shore minor hockey. on hand for a ceremony prior to Sunday night’s game. EUROPEAN PRO LEAGUES Pat Yetman, Shea Heights (RW) (Ässät, Finnish championship league) 49 9 8 17 NA 24 8-8-16 “It’s been the heart and soul of the Southern Shore,” Yet, the star of the ceremony is likely to be Corey Keough, Mark Lee, Mount Pearl (F) (Ilves, Finnish championship league)*** 1 0 0 0 NA 0 NA says arena manager Kenny Williams. who, according to Williams, “never misses a hockey game Sam Roberts, St. John’s (D) (EHC Lustenau, Austrian Division 2 League)*** 3 2 5 7 NA 4 2-5-7 Rodi Short, St. John’s (D) (VEU Feldkirch, Austrian Tier 2 League)*** 9 2 4 6 NA 22 2-4-6 “If you look at senior hockey, it wasn’t unheard of to (at the arena).” have 1,500 people here for a game out of a population of Keough, who’s been a fixture at the Southern Shore QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE 5,000.” Arena for almost two decades, will be dropping the puck Zach O’Brien, St. John’s (RW) (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) 63 50 51 101 -2 0 50-50-100 Aaron Hoyles, Gander (D) (Blainesville-Boisbriand Armada) 51 1 5 6 7 87 1-5-6 The celebration began Friday with the opening of the for the ceremonial face-off. Travis Randell, Twillingate (F) (Halifax Mooseheads) 68 6 10 16 3 18 6-10-16 19th annual Rogan Power Memorial Tournament, a 10- “He’s been one of the strongest advocates of junior and Steve Gillard, St. John’s (D) (Halifax Mooseheads) 10 0 4 4 -5 10 0-4-4 Andrew Ryan, Paradise (LW) (Halifax Mooseheads) 45 10 13 23 6 14 9-12-21 team peewee invitational tournament named after the senior hockey here on the Shore,” says Williams. Scott Trask, St. John’s (LW) (Moncton Wildcats) 60 6 7 13 -14 104 6-7-13 James Melindy, Goulds (D) (Moncton Wildcats) 61 9 18 27 -7 74 9-18-27 Michael Abbott, St. John’s (D) (PEI Rocket) 46 1 7 8 -12 10 1-7-8 Kurt Etchegary, St. John’s (LW) (Quebec Remparts) 61 5 9 14 -10 34 5-9-14 Marcus Power, St. John’s (C) (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) 61 9 15 24 -2 12 9-15-24 Brandon Hynes, Norris Point (RW) (Victoriaville Tigres) 61 42 44 86 21 29 42-42-84 Puck perspective MARITIME JUNIOR A HOCKEY LEAGUE (playoff statistics) Brandon Street, Bonavista (C) (Amherst Ramblers) 8 3 5 8 NA 6 2-5-7 Brett Shute, Harbour Grace (LW) (Amherst Ramblers) 0 0 0 0 NA 0 0-0-0 Ryan Matheson, Gander (D) (Amherst Ramblers) 8 0 4 4 NA 16 0-3-3 Dylan Brake, St.