Latest news with #EliteIceHockeyLeague
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Finnish Ex-Avalanche Goalie Signs In Scotland
Finnish goaltender Sami Aittokallio, 32, has signed a one-year contract with the Glasgow Clan, the Scottish-based EIHL club announced on Thursday. 'I've heard nothing but great things about the city, the fans, and the organization, so I'm really looking forward to getting over to Glasgow, meeting everyone, and getting started,' said Aittokallio. 'Sami was my primary target at season's end,' said Glasgow coach Corey Neilson. 'He's smooth and calm in his movements, recovers to his feet well, has really good hockey IQ, plays fast and has good hands. He doesn't ever really look flustered in the net. He'll look great in purple.' Born and raised in Tampere, Finland, Aittokallio is a product of the Ilves club. He was chosen in the fourth round, 107th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Aittokallio played three seasons in North America from 2012 to 2015, all in the Colorado organization. He played two NHL games in that time, posting a goals-against average of 3.39, a save percentage of .884 and was charged with one loss. Since returning to Europe in 2015, Aittokallio has played in Finland with Kärpät Oulu, Vaasan Sport, Ässät Pori and JYP in the Finnish Liiga, Sparta Prague in the Czech Extraliga, the Bietigheim Steelers of the German DEL and HK Nitra of the Slovak Extraliga. Last season, Glasgow finished seventh in the 10-team EIHL. Photo © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Belfast Giants Win 3rd EIHL Title In 4 Years Great Britain's Elite Ice Hockey League concluded on Sunday with the Belfast Giants finishing in first place in a tight race that went down to the last game. The EIHL's playoffs are still upcoming but, in keeping with the established norm in British sports, the regular-season winner is considered the league champion, which Belfast has now won three of the last four years.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Comet will not face criminal charges in UK
YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — A former Utica Comet will not face any criminal charges in England, according to prosecutors. The New York Times first reported on Tuesday, April 29 that The Crown Prosecution Service — an independent organization that prosecutes criminal cases in England and Wales — will not be seeking a conviction against Matt Petgrave, who was being held in England on suspicion of manslaughter. The organization received the case from police almost a year ago — in May 2024 — and has spent the subsequent year reviewing the case. Petgrave was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a 2023 incident when he was playing for the Elite Ice Hockey League's Sheffield Steelers. In a collision with the Nottingham Panthers' Adam Johnson, Johnson suffered a cut to his neck, which led to his death. Deputy chief crown prosecutor Michael Quinn told The Athletic in Petgrave's case 'there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution.' Petgrave was told to remain in the United Kingdom while the case was being investigated. In that time, his bail was extended eight times, most recently in February. The incident has brought forth a flurry of regulations to prevent a repeat incident. After Johnson's death, a majority of hockey leagues — including the NHL, AHL and Elite Ice Hockey League — require all players to wear neck guards. Petgrave spent parts of two seasons with the Comets, in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He also spent time with the Laval Rocket, Belleville Senators and Syracuse Crunch. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Stewart sign new deal with play-off bound Panthers
Nottingham Panthers head coach Danny Stewart has signed a new "multi-year" deal after guiding the club to the Elite Ice Hockey League play-offs with a third-place the 46-year-old Canadian's first season at Motorpoint Arena he has Panthers challenging for their first piece of major silverware since who reached the the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup earlier in the season, face Guildford Flames in the quarter-finals over two legs this weekend."We talked a lot about putting this team back on the map and fighting for those trophies and so far we have certainly done that," Stewart told the Panthers website., external"I am excited to see how we can push this forward." If Panthers get past Guildford they will advance to the play-off weekend at their home arena, where both semi-finals and the decider take place next are six-time play-off title winners, but have not claimed the showpiece honour since chief executive Omar Pacha said Stewart has had "a great first season" as Nottingham boss after his arrival from EIHL rivals Coventry Blaze - where he spent more than a decade as both a player and coach over two spells."I said when we appointed Danny it was part of a long-term vision and I truly believe we can build something special here with Danny," Pacha said.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
Man re-bailed over ice hockey player's death
An ice hockey player arrested following the death of Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson has been re-bailed. Johnson, 29, suffered a fatal neck injury from a skate during a collision with Sheffield Steelers' Matt Petgrave on 28 October 2023. South Yorkshire Police arrested Petgrave, 32, on suspicion of manslaughter, in November 2023, as part of its investigation into the death. On Friday, the force said a man had been further re-bailed until 29 May. Johnson was taken to hospital after the collision, during an Elite Ice Hockey League fixture, where he was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination confirmed Johnson died as a result of a neck injury. Police said their investigation was continuing as officers worked to understand the circumstances surrounding Johnson's death. Petgrave denies the allegations and calls the incident a "tragic accident". Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Ice hockey fans remember Adam Johnson one year on South Yorkshire Police
The Independent
05-02-2025
- The Independent
Ex-Team GB hockey star and TV soap extra jailed for repeated rape and abuse of teenage girls
A former ice hockey star and TV soap extra has been jailed for the rape and sexual assault of eight victims, including children. Philip Hamer was found guilty of 33 rape and assault charges over a 13-year spree between 2010 and 2023, in which he groomed and manipulated girls in their early-to-mid teens using social media apps. Hamer, of Birchfield Drive in Worsley, sent unsolicited pictures to his victims and tracked their movements, and over a period of seven years he incited his victims to send hundreds of pictures and videos. Victims clapped the judge and burst into tears in the public gallery at Manchester Crown Court as the defendant was jailed for 41 sexual offences. Jailing him for 28 years, with an extended licence period of eight years, Judge Sarah Johnston told the defendant: 'These were no relationships – you manipulated and groomed these young girls, inexperienced and impressionable as they were, in a way that was controlling and coercive. 'Your offending is both opportunistic and actively seeking out, manipulating, grooming, exploiting and the abuse of female children, mostly teens but including a child as young as 11.' Victim impact statements detailed the trauma of the 'lost innocence' of youngsters he abused, some still having therapy or suffering issues with alcohol and self-harm. One woman said: 'I have never had a successful relationship because of my trauma. It's completely messed up my whole life,' while another said: 'I pray you find God.' Detective Constable Denise Garde, of Greater Manchester Police, said after his conviction at the end of last year: 'Much of Hamer's offending followed a similar theme - he was sexually attracted to girls in their early to mid-teens, his car was often used to take his victims to isolated places and was routinely stocked with towels and wipes. His sexual desires involved his victims wearing school uniforms. 'He persisted in offending despite knowing that he was the subject of a police investigation into underage sexual activity, such was his arrogance to fulfil his sexual desires.' The 34-year-old was a professional ice hockey player for Manchester Phoenix in the Elite Ice Hockey League and represented Great Britain in inline hockey at seven world championships, having played for the national team since youth level. Hamer also worked as a TV extra on British soap programmes. One of his victims was an actor on the set of a show he was working on. The sex offender's phone was seized after one of his victims came forward, allowing Greater Manchester Police to trace further victims, the force said. Officers also found pictures and videos Hamer had taken of people in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed. Hamer approached his victims on Snapchat and Instagram, used his real name and sent them direct messages with 'little attempt to disguise who he was', DC Garde added. Hamer would send unsolicited pictures and incited his victims to send him hundreds of pictures and videos, his sexual desires often involving school uniforms, his trial heard. He often used his car to take his victims to isolated places where the abuse took place. One victim feared that Hamer may disclose the pictures to others or come to their home. Allegations were made against him in 2011 and he was 'spoken to', the court heard, but no police investigation was launched until one victim came forward in 2023. His phone was seized which contained 'trophy images' of sexual abuse, revealing him to be a prolific offender as detectives traced further victims. DC Garde said: 'Hamer managed to instil fear in his victims - he was much older than them, he offered them lifts in his car so he knew where they lived. He groomed the victims and survivors at the centre of their case, instilled fear, and exploited their vulnerabilities. 'It took one brave victim to come forward, speak to our officers and detail their abuse. This opened up the whole case and resulted in us obtaining evidence that Hamer was a prolific sex offender.'
