AMARILLO, TX – It will be a busy Labor Day Weekend for members of the Amarillo Gorillas and the local ownership group, as they will be making several appearances both in Amarillo and in Borger.
Gorillas’ players Dave Rattray and Chris Robertson will be signing autographs at SAM’S CLUB at 220 Ross-Osage from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday. Rattray will be back at SAM’S CLUB on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and joined by player-assistant coach Brian Pellerin.
The Gorillas Blacktop Hockey Clinic will be continuing with a stop in Borger on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Gorillas forward Chris Robertson will be putting on the clinic at the Borger Taco Bell.
Several Gorillas players, front office staff and members of the ownership group, Hockey Sports of Amarillo, will be answering phones at the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy on Monday, Sept. 2 at Center Court of Westgate Mall.
Forwards Chris Robertson, Dave Rattray, Brian Pellerin, and Director of Media Relations/Broadcaster Denis J. Puska will be among those answering phones from 10:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. and then again from 2:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.
“This organization has been committed to not only being involved in the community of Amarillo, but across the Panhandle,” said Director of Media Relations Denis J. Puska. “We are looking forward to all of our appearances, especially helping out the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. We hope all of our fans will call in when we are answering the phones and make a donation.”
GORILLAS BUSY IN COMMUNITY ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND
AMARILLO, TX – It will be a busy Labor Day Weekend for members of the Amarillo Gorillas and the local ownership group, as they will be making several appearances both in Amarillo and in Borger.
Gorillas’ players Dave Rattray and Chris Robertson will be signing autographs at SAM’S CLUB at 220 Ross-Osage from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday. Rattray will be back at SAM’S CLUB on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and joined by player-assistant coach Brian Pellerin.
The Gorillas Blacktop Hockey Clinic will be continuing with a stop in Borger on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Gorillas forward Chris Robertson will be putting on the clinic at the Borger Taco Bell.
Several Gorillas players, front office staff and members of the ownership group, Hockey Sports of Amarillo, will be answering phones at the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy on Monday, Sept. 2 at Center Court of Westgate Mall.
Forwards Chris Robertson, Dave Rattray, Brian Pellerin, and Director of Media Relations/Broadcaster Denis J. Puska will be among those answering phones from 10:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. and then again from 2:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.
“This organization has been committed to not only being involved in the community of Amarillo, but across the Panhandle,” said Director of Media Relations Denis J. Puska. “We are looking forward to all of our appearances, especially helping out the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. We hope all of our fans will call in when we are answering the phones and make a donation.”
GORILLAS ADD SIZE AND CHARACTER WITH ROOKIE SIGNING
AMARILLO, TX – The Amarillo Gorillas have signed another impressive rookie with intimidating size for the 2002-2003 Central Hockey League season.
The Gorillas have signed American-born Neill Posillico a native of Syosett, New York, who spent the past season with the Victoriaville Tigres (Tigers) of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The Tigers had an impressive year capturing the QMJHL championship and advancing to the final game of the Memorial Cup Canadian Major Junior Hockey Championship before losing to the Kootenay Ice. Posillico is the third Gorillas player to have played in the Memorial Cup, joining defenseman Ryan Shannon and sniper Dorian Anneck.
“I have known Neill for several years now and I am excited to have him on our hockey club,” said Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Joe Ferras. “Neill will make an immediate impact with his size and great work ethic on our smaller ice.”
The 6-2, 249-pound left winger is a strong skater and is expected to bring toughness and energy to the Gorillas line up.
Posillico spent his first three years of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and the Barrie Colts. In 108 career games, Posillico had eight goals and five assists for 13 points and 185 penalty minutes.
“This will be a great opportunity for Neill as a professional hockey player,” said Ferras. “ It will be a day-to-day learning process and with the character of our returning players, this will help in making Neill’s adjustment go smoothly.”
Neill Posillico brings the total number of players signed by the Amarillo Gorillas coaching staff to 16, including John Dean, Dorian Anneck Brian Pellerin, Mark DeSantis, Chris Robertson, Todd St. Louis, Scott Wray, Ryan Shannon, Dave Rattray, Eric Andersen, Shawn Degagne, Steve Debus, Ben Maidment, Justin Schabes and Joe Degenstein.
Re: Gorillas press releases 9-18-02
The Gorillas have a couple of exciting opponents lined up for exhibition games this season. Joe Ferras' troops will travel to Oklahoma City to face the Blazers on Fri., Oct. 11, beginning at 7:35 p.m. at the Blazers Ice Centre.
The following night, Saturday, Oct. 12, Amarillo fans will have their first opportunity to see their Gorillas on home ice when they entertain their rival New Mexico Scorpions at 7 p.m. at The Jungle in the Amarillo Civic Center.
All seats for the game at the Civic Center are only $5
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The Amarillo Gorillas have made a couple of key additions to their staff for the upcoming season.
Jordan Jackson is the team's new Director of Game Operations. Jackson, an Amarillo native, is presently attending West Texas A & M University studying sports management. Jackson served as an intern in the Game Operations Department last year and his duties will include various game day functions, planning intermissions and organizing corporate partnerships on game nights. "I am excited that they thought of me after my experience a year ago with the hockey club," Jackson said. "I am really looking forward to bringing the Gorillas into a new era and providing the fans with a lot of fun on game nights."
The Gorillas also announce that former player Jason Desloover will be the new Director of Ice Operations this season. Desloover, a native of Saginaw, Michigan, is no stranger to Amarillo after spending parts of season with the Amarillo Rattlers in the Western Professional Hockey League and the Central Hockey League.
Desloover will be in charge of all ice operations and skating instruction programs.
"I am thrilled to be associated with the Gorillas and the community of Amarillo in this capacity," said Desloover. "We are going to be introducing numerous programs such as power skating, broomball and hockey for women."
Re: Gorillas press releases 9-19-02
GORILLAS ADD GUSTO WITH SIGNING OF GUSTAVSON
AMARILLO, TX –The Amarillo Gorillas coaching staff has been busy recruiting players who will bring a winning attitude to the hockey club.
Left-Winger Ben Gustavson becomes the 17th player signed by the Amarillo Gorillas for the upcoming season.
The Provo, Utah native was a member of the Ottawa 67’s team which captured the 1999 Memorial Cup Canadian Major Hockey Championship.
“ Ben will bring some big attributes to the club,” said Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Joe Ferras. “He can put the puck in the net and he is not afraid to pay the price to do it.”
Gustavson appeared in three games with the Rochester Americans of The American Hockey League last season. He also spent time the Port-Huron Border Cats and Adirondack Ice Hawks of the United Hockey League where he compiled 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points and 113 penalty minutes in 69 games.
The 5-foot, 11-inch 200-pounder, began his professional hockey career with the Bakersfield Condors of the West Coast Hockey League where he connected on 18 goals, and 20 assists for 38 points and 139 penalty minutes in 60 games.
“ We are counting on Ben to bring a lot of leadership to the team,” Coach Ferras said. “Once you have won a championship with the status of a Memorial Cup, and seeing what it takes to win, we are looking for Ben to be a big leader both on and off the ice.”
Gustavson played his entire junior career with the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League under the coaching guidance of Canadian junior hockey legend Brian Kilrea. In 250 career games, Gustavson fired 80 goals and had 124 helpers for 204 points.
Gustavson appeared in 50 playoff games with the 67’s and had 21 goals and 19 assists for 40 points.
The inaugural season of the Amarillo Gorillas is fast approaching. Opening night is set for Friday, Oct. 18 when the Gorillas host their arch-rival Lubbock Cotton Kings at 7 p.m.
Individual game tickets go on sale Saturday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. and for further information on ticket prices, please call 806-242-7825
Re: Gorillas press releases 9-23-02
GORILLAS ADD MORE OFFENSE WITH SIGNING OF FORMER NHL SECOND ROUNDER
Kuster to attend Utah Grizzlies training camp
AMARILLO, TX – The Amarillo Gorillas have added more fuel to their offensive firepower with the signing of right-winger Henry Kuster.
Kuster, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, enjoyed great success the past two seasons with the San Antonio Iguanas of the Central Hockey League where he rang up some solid numbers. In 127 games, he had 59 goals and 71 assists for 130 points and 45 penalty minutes. Kuster had his highest goal scoring effort in the 2001-2002 season where he rang up 31 goals and 32 assists for 63 points in 62 games played.
“Henry will definitely add to our offense,” said Head Coach Joe Ferras. “He has the ability to be a 40 goal scorer for us and be a leader in the locker room.”
Prior to joining the Gorillas, Kuster will be attending the American Hockey League’s Utah Grizzlies training camp that begins this week. He will be joining John Dean and Ryan Shannon at that camp that is the triple A affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.
Kuster was originally drafted in the second round, 45th overall, by the Boston Bruins in the 1996 National Hockey League Draft.
The 6-foot, one-inch, 210-pounder began his professional hockey career with the Augusta Lynx of the East Coast Hockey League in 1998-99. The following season, Kuster split time with the San Antonio Iguanas of the Central Hockey League, as well as the Augusta Lynx and the Jacksonville Lizard Kings of the East Coast Hockey League.
“The attribute that Henry has that most players don’t, is that he is not afraid to shoot the puck in any situation,” said coach Ferras. “Goal scorers are very hard to find and with Henry’s strength on the puck, he will give opposition defensemen fits in trying to contain him.”
Kuster played junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League where he had 126 goals and 171 assists for 297 points and 239 penalty minutes in 350 games. Kuster s best season was in 1995-96 where he posted 35 goals and 43 assists for 78 points in 72 games.
Henry Kuster is the the 18th player signed by the Amarillo Gorillas joining Brian Pellerin, Mark DeSantis, Chris Robertson, Scott Wray, Ben Maidment, Todd St. Louis, Dave Rattray, Justin Schabes, Joe Degenstein, John Dean, Dorian Anneck, Ryan Shannon, Eric Andersen, Shawn Degagne, Steve DeBus, Neill Posillico and Ben Gustavson.
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