Red Deer Advocate from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada • 10

Millette wrestles rookie tribulations HIS SKATING HURTS HIM AT TIMES. WHEN HE'S PLAYING IN THE RIGHT SPOT WITH THE RIGHT GUYS HE GETS A LITTLE MORE BY GREG MEACHEM ADVOCATE SPORTS EDITOR COLTON SCEVIOUR WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Whore are they now? Colton Sceviour excelled at every level of minor hockey in Red Deer, suiting up for the midget AAA Optimist Rebels as a 15-year-old and joining the Portland Winterhawks full-time the following season, Asa 16-year-old, the right winger scored three goals and added six assists in 58 games with the 'Hawks, then sniped 12 goals and collected 38 points in 49 outings as a WHL sophomore. Following a trade, Sceviour spent most of the 2007-08 season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, scoring 33 times and garnering 64 points. Sceviour, selected by Dallas in the 2007 NHL entry draft, had 80 points (29-51) in his final junior campaign before graduating to the pro ranks with the Texas Stars of the AHL. Now in his third pro season, he has appeared in a Texas team-record 198 regular-season contests and has racked up 100 points (33-67).

Sceviour has one NHL regular-season game with Dallas on his resume. But the gap between midget AAA and major junior is indeed large. Unless a rookie possesses all world skills a la Ryan Nugent-IIopkins, adjusting to life in the WIIL is a season-long endeavour. "Absolutely, its a big step up playing against bigger, faster, stronger and older players," said Wallin. The schedule is demanding.

Lots of young guys go through that leading into Christmas and theyre ready to get home and get that break because the season has caught up to them, But Cory has shown some encouraging signs here and hopefully he can crank it up for us for the stretch run." Millette appeared in one game with the Rebels last year, hardly a stressful test in terms of preparing him for his fulltime role this season. Even the practices here are way faster. You have to continue to improve in order to keep up and make plays at a high speed, he said. The product of Storthoaks, was only too willing to play bigger minutes as the Rebels struggled to ice a full lineup due to injuries. Getting moved up a line or two was great.

I was getting the experience of playing against tougher players, he said. And because I was playing with more skilled, experienced players, it wasnt as difficult as you might think. But now that Im back on one of the lower lines I hope to take advantage of playing against younger players. Clearly, Millettes best years as a Rebel lie ahead. Ilis upside remains immense.

Again, the things you cant teach are the hands and the skill level that he has, said Wallin. "Hes a very offensively-gified player and now its just a matter of him getting stronger, and more importantly getting quicker. When he can do that and keep up with the speed of the game is when hes going to really start to produce. Tonights 7:30 p.m. game versus visiting Tri-City takes on a different twist with midget AAA affiliate and local product Scott Feser, 16, suiting up for the Rebels due to the clubs long list of injuries.

His older brother, Justin, is a fourth-year forward with the Americans. gmeachemreddeeradvocate. com In ninny ways, Cory Millettcs season has mirrored that of the Red Deer Rebels as a team. The Ifi-year-old rookie forward was at his offensive best in October and through to mid November when the Rebels who owned the leagues best win percentage seven weeks into the season hit the skids due to injuries and suspensions. Of Millettes seven goals and 15 points this season, most came before the Rebels slide was ignited by injuries to key personnel, According to GMhead coach Jesse Wallin, the talented winger slipped somewhat due to the speed of the major junior game and the fact he was used in situations that are unbecoming to the vast majority of WIIL rookies, "I think the game caught up to him a bit, said Wallin.

"The big thing with Cory is hes very skilled. lie has a terrific set of hands and great vision, but hes got to do things with pace, "His skating hurts him at times. "When hes playing in the right spot with the right guys he gets a little more done, but there were times through December where he was playing against older players who are bigger, stronger and faster and I think the pace really hurt him, Thats affected him somewhat and its something were trying to work wdth him on to get his pace up, get his feet moving. Thats the biggest area of his game he has to improve. Millette hasnt been fazed by the fact his offensive production has slipped over the past two months.

Hes enjoying himself and sees better times ahead for himself and his teammates. "Everything has been fine. Im getting plenty of ice time, the guys have been great, the dressing rpom atmosphere is awesome, and thq fans are great, he said. "I expected to maybe do a bit better this season. We slumped as a team but we seem to be picking up our game now.

Were playing well again. Millette, the Rebels second-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, excelled last winter as the top 15-year-old scorer in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League, scoring 23 goals and collecting 53 points in 32 games with the Moose Jaw Generals. Photo by DAVE BRUNNERcontributor Rookie forward Cory Millette was at his offensive best in October and through to mid-November when the Rebels who owned the league's best win percentage seven weeks into the season hit the skids due to injuries and suspensions. Rebels vs. Tri-City Americans Tonight, 7.30 p.m., Centrium The Americans are coming off Wednesdays 5-4 overtime win over the host Edmonton Oil Kings and sit second in the Western Conference and second overall in the league with a 35-11-0-1 record.

Tri-City, ranked No. 1 in the CHL just last week, is 5-4-0-1 in its last 10 games The Americans boast impressive depth up front with the fifth-, sixth- and ninth-highest scorers in the league in LW Adam Hughesman (29-45-74), Brendan Shinnimin (29-44-73) who sniped the overtime winner Wednesday, and Patrick Holland (20-47-67). In addition, Red Deer product LW Justin Feser has 54 points including 24 goals while RW Jordan Messier has sniped 16 goals and Mason Wilgosh has 36 points Ty Rimmer, who stopped 42 shots Wednesday, is tied for top spot among WHL goaltenders with a 2. 1 9 goals-against average and is first in save percentage at 9.29. Injuries: Tri-City Marcus Messier (upper body, one week).

Red Deer Kayle Doetzel (upper body, day-to-day), RW Brooks Maxwell (upper body, day-to-day), Justin Weller (upper body, indefinite), Devan Faford (upper body, week-to-week), Patrik Bartosak (upper body, season-ending), RW Marc Mackenzie (upper body, day-to-day). Special teams: Tri-City Power play 23 4 per cent, fifth overall; penalty kill 84.7 per cent, first. Red Deer Power play 1 7.0 per cent, 20th overall; penalty kill 81 .2 per cent, sixth. WHO'S A CLOSER i'Imi 1 1 I WllQ I closer Brandon Wheat Kings LW Darian Dziurzynski is tied with two others players for the league lead in insurance goals with six. The 20-year-old product of Lloydminster has accumulated 22 goals and 33 points in 39 games this season.

Hockey dream comes time for Mafti Fraser FABULOUS FRESHMAN Fabulous Freshman Vancouver Giants LW Marek Tvrdon is the leagues top-scoring first-year player with 50 points (18g, 32a) in 42 games. The 18-year-old is from Slovakia. GREG MEACHEM Matt Fraser was pinching himself before and after he made his National Hockey League debut with the Dallas Stars Tuesday. Its a dream come true, Fraser told Mike Ileika of the Dallas-Fort Worth News. The Red Deer product, who came of age in his final two WHL seasons with the Kootenay Ice, played just under four minutes and had one shot on goal as the Stars slipped past the visiting Anaheim Ducks 1-0.

With 21 goals in games, Fraser is the leading scorer with the Texas Stars and was reassigned to the American Hockey League team Wednesday. The left-handed winger is in his first pro season after signing a free agent deal with Dallas last year. Fraser developed into somewhat of a sniper and certainly a solid, two-way player during his final two WHL seasons with Kootenay. lie potted 32 goals in 2009-10 and contributed 36 goals and 74 regular-season points last winter, then had 17 goals and 27 points in 19 playoff games as the Ice captured the league championship. He doesnt see himself as primarily a gunner.

I dont even think of myself as a goal scorer, Fraser said during the News interview. The guys who are so good at this level can do so many things well. Its usu and generally looked right at home during a 4-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants. I didnt really realize it went in until the boys started to come over towards me, said Bleackley, who beat Giants rookie net-minder Payton Lee with a rising wrist shot that knotted the game at 2-2 early in the second period. It was just something that Ill probably remember the rest of my life.

During his time as a Rebel, Bleackley has been aware of the larger, stronger and faster players he has encountered in comparison to the foes he faces as a member of the midget AAA UFA Bisons. But I think Ive been getting better every game and I hope I can keep on doing that, he said, I just wish we could skip to it (the 2012-13 WHL season) right now. Its been a blast playing here every single time. Actually, it wouldnt be difficult to envision Bleackley as a full-time WHL forward this season. You just throw him in there and you dont notice him.

He looks like he belongs, said Rebels GMhead coach Jesse Wallin. For a young guy whos only 15, hes very poised. Hes good in his own end of the rink. He doesn't hurt you defensively and his skill level and awareness is real good in the offensive zone as well. Hes got that knack to find the net and he did that tonight when he shot the puck through a screen, It was great for him and a big goal for us," gmeachemreddeeradvocate.com ally the small things like attention to detail in the defensive zone.

Being a young guy thats been thrown into it, thats something that I try to improve on every day, and so far 1 feel Ive gotten better at it." Fraser will play in the AHL all-star game Monday in Atlantic City, N.J. Not surprisingly, the Dallas Stars like his potential. Hes a real attentive kid, hes got a great shot and hes 21 there in the minors and hes in the (AHL) all-star game, said Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan. Hes doing real well for himself and he deserves (the NHL debut). Added Dallas GM Joe Nieu-wendyk: Hes a young player who has had a very nice development surge, and you like what you see with him.

Hes still learning, obviously, but he has shown a real intensity about wanting to work on every part of his game, and thats been encouraging. Very little in life is guaranteed. A notable exception would be the presence of Conner Bleackley on the Red Deer Rebels 2012-13 roster. The 15-year-old winger has been outright impressive through the five games hes played with the Rebels this season. He scored his first-ever WHL goal Wednesday PLAYER OF THE WEEK Player of the Week Edmonton Oil Kings Michael St.

Croix is the WHL player of the week for the period ending Jan. 22. The third-year forward picked up 10 points including six goals and had a plusminus rating of plus-7 in three games. 1 1 JlAl II II I --111 rf (, n.iMuvwri-j-LEj DNTINUEl I.