River Otters Make Changes Early
A Former Player Returns for the Opposition
River Otters Lose to Flint, Rockford and Muskegon
By Louis J. Launer
To most loyal Missouri River Otter fans, it is not time to circle the wagons yet. There are concerns that the Otters started out slower than normal and player changes have already been made. Gone are St. Louis native J.P. Beilstein and Jared Newman.
Before the second week of UHL games began, forward Dave Stewart came to the Missouri River Otters from the Quad City Mallards. He was exchanged for future considerations. Also acquired were forwards Jimmy Callahan (played at UHL Kansas City last season) and Bret Peppler. Peppler was in this year’s Richmond Riverdogs training camp before his release at the beginning of this season.
Head coach Kevin Kaminski is hoping that the newly acquired players can increase the team’s scoring potential, especially for Peppler, a UHL rookie.
“We’re hoping he can contribute to the team offensively,” Kaminski said.
The three new players played last week in their first game at Family Arena against the Flint Generals. Jimmy Callahan scored his first goal of the season at the 1:27 mark. Later on in the second period, Flint’s Jason Selleke took advantage of a loose puck lost by an Otter defenseman and not watched by goaltender Brendan Cuthbert. Selleke fired one slap shot and it easily made the goal.
In the third period, Flint took advantage of a power play, with River Otter right winger Bret MacMillan in the penalty box. Forward Taras Foremski scored the game-winning goal for Flint with 6:23 left in the game. It gave the Generals a 2-1 victory and the River Otters their third straight loss in the early season.
Even with the new players, the ability of setting up plays and taking shots is lacking with this year’s River Otter team. In the game against Flint, the Generals outshot the River Otters 20-14. However, in the third period, Missouri outshot Flint 11-4. Most of the shots took place after the second Flint goal and it was too little, too late. Flint Goaltender Jason Saal had one of his best games. It was also the first win for Generals coach Bobby Reynolds, who helped coach last season’s Michigan State hockey team to an NCAA championship.
A former River Otter made his presence known at Family Arena last week as a member of the Flint Generals. For Flint’s right-winger George Cantrall, the trip to St. Charles was a homecoming. Most of his hockey career has been spent with St. Louis area teams. He played his Junior “A” hockey with the St. Louis Sting in 1999-2000. His first three seasons as a pro were with the River Otters. Halfway through last season, Cantrall suffered a leg injury that ended his season.
The River Otters did not want him back this season. Cantrall quickly found a team this summer with the Flint Generals. The fans and sportswriters in the UHL are not expecting much out of Flint. It is a rebuilding year for the central Michigan team. But Cantrall can provide excitement if he stays healthy.
“They’re a good group of guys here,” Cantrall said. “We have a chance to play some good hockey.”
In the last two seasons as a River Otter, Cantrall portrayed the role as an enforcer, someone who will put pressure on opposing players and deliberately receive penalties just to keep players from scoring or getting possession of the puck. Enforcers have reputations to hit extremely hard and pick fights with opponents. There’s an art to be an enforcer. They have to make sure that the referee isn’t looking.
“Sometimes, you pay the price by going into the [penalty] box,” Cantrall said. “But that’s how the game is played.”
Cantrall credits former Boston Bruin John Wensink for his converted role.
“John [Wensink] is a great coach,” he said. “He was my coach when I played youth hockey and with the River Otters.”
Wensink was the assistant coach for the River otters during the 2003-04 season. It was also Cantrall’s best season, if you considered 321 penalty minutes as an accomplishment.
Cantrall’s biggest problem as an enforcer for the River Otters was that he was a successor to all-time fan favorite enforcer Marty Melnychuk. Melnychuk played in 2002-03, a season that Cantrall sat out. Although Cantrall is 6’ 3” and 215 pounds, he looked a bit small as a River Otters’ enforcer, compared to the behemoth Melnychuk.
Cantrall in the game against the River Otters did get into one fight and also committed a double-minor penalty after trying to intimidate any of the players that got into his way. He wants to play in nobody’s shadow and continues to be serious about his role in hockey. He respects his new teammates in Flint. Although fans in Flint have been quite vocal about the team’s lack of depth and inexperience, George Cantrall could provide some excitement in a very hockey-starved working-class city.
The River Otters are still on their losing ways as they lost 9-1 on Friday night in Rockford. Rockford’s Preston Mizzi recorded his first hat trick this season. The following night, the River Otters maintained a 3-3 tie in Muskegon against defending Colonial Cup champion Muskegon Fury. The Fury scored five goals in the third period and defeated the River Otters 8-3. The River Otters remain winless this season.
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