Ragno would not name names, but Hungarian-American forward Sam Holeczy looked fantastic all game, Kazakhstan native Bek Tolepbergen scored four times, and 6’5”, 227-pound defenseman Ned Simpson, out of the University of Jamestown (ACHA) made an impression with some big hits.

Holeczy opened the scoring. He took a feed from Whiteduck and labeled a wrister from 10 feet out that was stopped by Breandan Colgan (West Chester University ACHA), but he quickly popped his own rebound in with his backhand for the first goal of the game.  On the very next shift, the brought the puck deep below the right circle and to the net on his backhand, working it in front to Houmard who made it 2-0.

Holeczy had the first goal of the second half as well, tallying on a nice catch-and-release from the slot on a feed from Houmard.

Born in Illinois, Holeczy played junior hockey for five different teams in North America before embarking on a pro career in Hungary and Slovakia.

Houmard – who was held without a point in five FPHL games for Mentor last season – notched a hat trick and added a pair of assists skating on a line with Holeczy and Whiteduck, a 6’1”, 185-pound forward who flashed speed and skill.

Houmard, from Canton, is definitely a product of the Ohio hockey development ecosystem. He has played for the Cleveland Barons, Ohio AAA Blue Jackets, Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks, Wooster Oilers and Kent State University.

Tolepbergen scored his first goal with a nice move in close to his forehand and, on the next shift drew a penalty and, awarded a penalty shot, converted again – this time on his backhand. Late in the first half he had a chance for a third, but was denied by the left pad of Shea Spanier, a 22-year-old goaltender out of Kent State.

Spanier was one of seven goaltenders to suit up for the scrimmage, which consisted of two 30-minute halves, and did not give any of them much time to make an impression.

In the second half, Tolepbergen tried to dish the puck to Henry Berger on his backhand on a two-on-one, but it banked in off the defender's stick to give him a hat trick.  He then scored on a nice wraparound with 4:35 left in the contest for his fourth goal of the night.

Ice Breakers veteran Jackson Tucker had some jump in his step, his head was always up looking for his teammates, and he had a few good dangles. He scored one goal and assisted on another.

Other Ohioans participating in the camp include Blake Naida (Benedictine HS) and Dom Horvath (Toledo St. John’s HS).

Naida skated for the Red team.  His mustache was in mid-season form and he scored a goal.  Horvath manned the blue line for the Gray team, which was coached by player-assistant coach Josh Newberg.

“There are some guys out here trying to make the team,” Horvath said of the intensity level in camp. “Not many of us have played in a competitive hockey game for quite some time.”

Ice Breakers veteran Isaiah Crawford lit the lamp in the first half, speeding down the right wing and snapping the puck top shelf. Prior to the game, Crawford said the players got up to speed quickly considering their long layoff.

“The first skate seemed a little slow at the beginning but then it started to pick up,” said Ice Breakers veteran forward Isaiah Crawford. “You could tell the rust was starting to wear off a little bit.”

The Southern Professional Hockey League – one notch above the Federal League on the pro hockey food chain – announced last week that only five of their 10 teams will compete next season. That means, if the FPHL can get their season off the ground, there could be an abundance of talent filtering down to their league and boosting the level of play.

That would create even more competition for roster spots but, ultimately, would be good news for the hockey fans in Mentor.

The Ice Breakers will put season tickets on sale to the general public on October 17 (www.mentoricebreakers.com).

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest