ST. CATHARINES - The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) holds its 1st annual Thanksgiving ‘Showcase Weekend’ here this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12.
The Golden Horseshoe Conference, partnered with the St. Catharines Falcons, is hosting the weekend. All 26 teams from the three conferences (Western, Midwestern and Golden Horseshoe) will play two inter-league games.
The event takes place at the Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre. This complex boasts four NHL-size ice surfaces and plenty of seating.
St. Marys Lincolns play Guelph (3-6) of the Midwestern loop on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. (Rink 2). On Sunday, Lincs face first-place Stoney Creek (9-1) of the Golden Horseshoe League at 12 noon (Rink 3).
This weekend, coach Merlin Malinowski says Lincs are going to play “their game” against two “unknown” opponents.
“About all you can do is play your own game,” Malinowski said. “We have a certain style that suits our hockey team. We’re not going to adjust because it’s Guelph and Stoney Creek. We’re going to play our own game, and try and make those teams adjust to us.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I think our players are, too,” he added.
Lincolns’ next Western Conference game is Wed., Oct. 15 in London at 7:30 p.m. Their next home game is Friday, Oct. 17 when St. Thomas comes to town.

•Lincs’ rookie goalie Jesse Raymond was named the team’s Swiss Chalet player-of-the-month for September prior to last Friday’s home game against Chatham.
The 17-year-old Woodstock native posted a 3-2 record, with a strong 2.00 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in five starts last month.

•The addition of winger Colin Martin makes the Lincolns “deep” on the forward lines.
“Man, does he shoot the puck,” assistant Paul Petrie said of the 17-year-old Londoner. “He’s going to give us scoring and size up front. The kid’s a top-end player, and he’s what we needed.”
Last season, Martin had 14 goals—including two game winners—and 20 points in 47 games with the Lincs.

•Coach Marc Swayze had this response when asked last Friday how his 2008-09 Chatham Maroons are shaping up.
“We’re young and still in a rebuilding phase,” Swayze replied. “We only have two 20-year-olds and four 19-year-olds, so it’s going to take us a little time to gel.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how we’ve progressed come Christmas time. We have some offensive kids, but they have to realize that you have to play 60 minutes and work both ends of the ice.”

•Former Lincolns’ goalie Mike Minard (1992-94) has joined Port Huron Icehawks of the International League.
Minard comes to the Icehawks with 12 seasons of professional experience, including 141 games in the American League.
The 31-year-old Owen Sound native signed as a free agent with Toronto Maple Leafs in 2001 and went on to enjoy some of the most prolific seasons of his career with Toronto’s AHL affiliate, the St. John’s Maple Leafs in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
Minard has played in a number of leagues throughout his well-travelled career, including the IHL, UHL, CHL and ECHL. Last season, he played 33 games with New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League and posted a record of 15-12-4, with a 3.74 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage.
“Minard’s experience will be extremely valuable for us,” coach Stan Drulia said on the Icehawks’ website. “He knows the game inside and out, and has an incredible work ethic.”