Two Island players reunite to play for Fred Page Cup

Evan Carmody and Ben MacSwain celebrate after winning the Kent Cup 4-3 in triple overtime of game seven and will now move on to the Fred Page Cup in Kanata, Ont. (Submitted photo)


 

By Bo Ford

A pair of Sherwood Falcons alumni are set to do battle together once again. This time it will be at the Fred Page Cup in Kanata, Ont.

Ben MacSwain and Evan Carmody grew up playing minor hockey together, going to school and hanging out together, now they will get a chance to live out a dream.

Both players have taken almost the same paths to being where they are today, but for MacSwain the trek has been a little bit longer.

Both players have played for the Falcons, both have played for the Cornwall Thunder and now they can say they both play for the Woodstock Slammers.

Carmody started his rookie season with the Slammers putting up 35 points in 52 games.

As for MacSwain he started his second season in the MHL with the last place Miramichi Timberwolves.

MacSwain got news from the T-Wolves on Dec. 7 that he was traded to the Slammers for two other players and ending his season with a combined 17 points in 44 games.

MacSwain said when he found out the news he was excited, he knew he was joining a special team, with a great group of guys.

He said it didn’t take him long to reunite with his long time friend Evan Carmody.

“When I pulled in, the first person to greet me at the front door was Evan.”

Carmody was just as excited as MacSwain when he heard the news that he was on the way to Woodstock to join the team.

“I was the only one on the team that knew him. We were always good buddies, I knew he would be a good fit for our team. It was a good trade for us,” said Carmody.

Both players agree it was great to get back together.

“It’s just like old times, we hang out pretty much everyday. Away from the rink were together a lot,” said Carmody.

The two players have won a handful of minor hockey tournaments back in there Falcons days. Now after a 4-3 triple over time victory over the Yarmouth Mariners the two boys will now get a change to bring their friendship to whole new level at the Fred Page Cup.

Both players enjoyed a stellar playoff run, each putting up a nine points in 15 playoff appearances.

“It’s been quite the ride, but I’ve learned a lot. Jason (Tatarmic), our coach has given me lots of ice time and a chance to prove myself,” said MacSwain.

It was also Carmody’s first junior playoffs. He said it didn’t feel like it until the final round.

“Until we got to play Yarmouth and faced some adversity, it didn’t feel like the playoffs.”

Carmody was on the ice for the game winner against the Mariners and recalled the crowd going crazy.

“We were just trying to get it over with, I was on the ice when it went in the net, the whole place erupted. It’s probably the best feeling I’ve ever had in my whole life.”

The team didn’t have much time to celebrate the hard fought victory, hopping on a bus Monday for the 10 hour long bus ride to Kanata. But MacSwain said it is for the best.

“We aren’t that far removed from the series, so we should be ready to go for the tournament.”

Both players said they want to do whatever it takes for the team to win the championship.

“We need to work hard, stay focused on the task at hand. If we stick to the game plan, we’ll be alright,” said Carmody.

MacSwain said Carmody is the model of consistency with the Slammers, playing both offensively and defensively.

“He’s really good in both ends, he knows is defensive zone well. He has a powerful shot and he knows how to score goals.”

As for MacSwain, Carmody said his hard work and grit allows him to jell with the team.

“He brings a ton of energy to the team, he throws hits, battles in the corners. He’s also the type of guy who can score at just the right moment.”

The team practiced last night (Tuesday night) in preparation for the Slammers first game on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m (6:30 Atlantic Time) against the host Kanata Stallions.

MacSwain said he hopes to be able to chip in on the points department as much as possible.

“If it means me hitting, if it means me chipping in a few points. We came here to win, and I don’t think anyone will be satisfied if we don’t give it our all.”

Carmody agreed saying he has the same mentality as MacSwain going into the tournament.

“Whatever it takes to win. Every player has bought in all year, none of us expect it to change now.”

MacSwain summed it up at the end of the interview, when asked what it would be like to win the Fred Page Cup.

“Were all out here with the same mindset. To win. To give ourselves the best chance possible to move onto the Royal Bank Cup.”

New Vehicle sales see big boost on P.E.I

By Bo Ford

Car dealers on P.E.I. are very happy with the recent release of new motor vehicle sales on P.E.I over the past year.

Statistics Canada released numbers earlier this week that show car sales on P.E.I are up 20 per cent from February 2011 to February 2012.

President of the P.E.I. Automobile Dealers Association Peter MacDonald said it is hard to pin point the biggest reason in the increase.

“I do think one of the big things is the increase in inventories in some of the Japanese manufacturers. The large inventory helped with their sales.”

MacDonald said the inventory has been low due to some recent disasters and now the inventory is there.

“There was some pent-up demand from some of the manufactures because they couldn’t get inventory for a lot of last year. Now that those inventories are now on the lots, the customers who have been waiting for that product can buy the product.”

He also believes the incentives being offered have really pushed people to buy new vehicles off the lot.

“It’s more affordable to buy a new car now then it ever has been. With the large amount of incentives out there, the zero percents and large cash backs.”

P.E.I. also had the second largest increase in new vehicle sales from January 2012 to Februray 2012 with a 1.4 per cent increase only Saskatchewan had a bigger increase.

MacDonald said he can’t point his finger as to why the Island was one of only three provinces with an increase.

“Yes we did have a great winter, but so did every where else in Canada.”

He said, now is the time to buy a new vehicle.

“Now, more then ever is the time to buy a new vehicle, it is the cheapest it has ever been.”

ARCH P.E.I. attracts new ideas

By Bo Ford

The Association of Rural Community Halls of P.E.I. held a group meeting this past Saturday (April 21) to discuss new ideas for the 2012 year.

The association introduced a new model of operation to try and come up with better funding.

Vice President, Shari MacDonald said the association received most of its funding from the government.

“We received our funding from the government. This year it doesn’t look like we are going to receive any, so we have to come up with something new.”

Without the funding from the government they will not be able to have six-month workers to help during the big season.

“Instead were going to have to find one person who can control the website and be able to set up workshop,” said MacDonald.

Erskine Smith was also on hand and shared a story about raccoons invading the Victoria Playhouse and Community Hall, giving the small crowd a good laugh.

“There wasn’t a big crowd, but it allowed us to share our ideas and let everyone get a chance to speak,” said MacDonald.

The meeting was mostly members of Central Halls and ARCH plans on expanding out.

“ We plan to take trips to the east and the west, we’re an Island group so we need to expand to all of the halls,” said MacDonald

Engineering students put projects on display

By Bo Ford

Second and third-year Engineering student finally had the day they had been waiting for.

The UPEI Design Expo went last week at UPEI. The student put on six different displays for judges from Engineers P.E.I.

At the first of the year the students were assigned to a company and asked to create a project to cure one of their problems.

The student were given a $500 -1000 budget depending on which company they were working for.

The first two displays were groups paired with the P.E.I. Bag Company.

The first group was asked to reduce the overall workforce dependency through investment in automation for paper bag production. They had to find away to create a project, which would replace a worker for counting out 6 or 15 bags at a time.

The other group was asked to do almost the same thing, except their project made out of wood, metal and computer technology was asked to stack the bags.

The five members of this group all agreed their project covered more engineering then the other projects.

“Our project covered electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering, it really allowed us to work with all three types and learn more as about each,” said group member Patrick McKenna.

This team was also a little different then the others, they had the twins, Patrick and Jon Thomas McKenna, the team agreed they defiantly had the upper hand.

“It was a great experience, we got the computer side of it but we also had to physically build it, there were some challenges to that part, but were here today,” said John Thomas.

Another member of the team Alex Hunt said they were all new to it, but it only helped in the long run.

“It did take us a while to get going, but once we got the ball rolling it was all straight ahead from there.”

Hunt said the drawings really forced the team to work together to get going.

“There were some interesting drawings for the physical model, we just combined a few of them and made them into one.”

The third group was paired with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry. They were asked to build a temporary stream crossing to help allow farmers and wood lot owners to not receive fines for driving over streams and also building permanent structures, which affect water levels.

The group of 12 created a removable bridge, it operates by tractor so it is hauled by tractor, removed by tractor all using hydraulics.

Phillip Curley, is the head behind the students who built the bridge. He said the bridge has been made with hydraulics that are attached to a tractor.

“What that means is the bridge can be picked up with a tractor, but not only that. Your tractor can actually drive away with it. Not only can a tractor drive over it but it also deploys it.”

Lyle Gauthier worked on the project with his group said the fact the tractor hauls it and drives over it make it effective.

“You can leave it over the stream after you drive over it, then at the end of the day after you go back, you can simply deploy it and take it back.”

Evan Getson said with such a big number of people the group was able to excel in all areas.

“We had people who were great welders, another guy who was great with tractors, a good group of drawers, it allowed us to come together as a great team, and a great bunch of guys.”

The only other single group was paired with Duck Unlimited to try and find a way to restore the Johnston’s River freshwater wetland.

Also a group of 12 they created two ideas. The first idea was good but it had one flaw, the speed of the water would not allow the fish to take a break from swimming.

The second idea was to remove the infrastructure in the wetland and reverts in into a tidal salt-water estuary.

As a group they all agreed if they would have had a little more time the first idea would have worked wonders.

Morning Star Fisheries, a company from B.C. that rears Atlantic Halibut teamed with the last two groups.

The first group was asked to modify a tank in which the water flows through in order to improve fish waster removal.

The tanks used by Atlantic Halibut are all rectangular which makes it harder to produce any circulation.

Andrew Smith said the group had no idea about fish farming.

“The project took us some extra work, first semester was all straight research, we had four proposals and put them all together.”

They decided to create a circular motion in the rectangular tank by making curved corners, much like a hockey rink.

“It moves the water in a more circular motion, we have it set so the water knows to keep flowing, this way allows the middle to drain more waste so it doesn’t build up.”

The groups also used a dual drain design, the design allows for as much recirculation as possible.

“It drains 20 per cent of the dirty water, and allows 20 percent of new water to come in. Then it cleans the water so it can recycle as much water as possible,” said Shaw.

The other group of five was asked to find a way to create a grading table.

Halibut grow at different speeds, every few months they need to be graded to see the growth, this way they grow bigger when they are with fish around their size.

Currently the job is done by one work that uses his own preference to choose where the fish should go.

Evan Kennedy said the group introduces more computer technology to grade the fish.

“We modified the current system on how they send one fish down at a time, and instead of a person sorting the fish, we use a camera about the water and a computer to grade the picture to decide where the fish should go.”

Kennedy said they were asked to do this because of the lack of consistency in the size of some of the Halibut.

“It’s true though, if its 4:30 on a Friday afternoon are you going to be concerned about the size of a fish. You might think different then me too, what I think is a bigger fish, you think is a small fish.”

They have also adjusted the table so the workers no longer have to lean over into the cold water, they can no adjust it to their height preference.

“They already said they like are idea and they would like to try it out. Most of all it is going to benefit the workers,” said Kennedy.

Although the students don’t receive any kick back from the projects they created, they all seemed to be okay with it.

“It was all a fun experience, although at the end of the day there is an announced winner, were all winners today, it’s going to be something as engineers we can always say, yes we made that,” said Jon Doyle.

UPEI students finding a way to help

By: Bo Ford

Most people don’t realize the struggles people from third-world countries go through everyday but through the first-year Engineering Design Course at UPEI, students really found out.

The students were asked to build a project that would help the people of Kenya use their agriculture waste into solid bricks.

The project is thought the Mikinduri Children of Hope. Engineering professor Dr. Andrew Trivett explain the struggles people go through everyday.

“They use wood for cooking in doors, not their own wood. Stolen wood. We were asked to find a way for the people to start using agriculture waste to cook with, so when they were finished they could use the agriculture waste for something else.”

Dr. Trivett then asked his students to find a way to pack the agriculture waste and make it into bricks so people could use it in building.

“They took off with it, they were on Youtube and Google looking for the best idea, the better part about it, it wasn’t only helping out a charity but it was also worth mark,” said Trivett.

The students recently put their projects on display outside of the Engineering Design Expo at UPEI.

Trivett said it was good for the student to get exposure.

“They put their projects on display for people to see how it works, and then after the Design Expo, Engineer’s P.E.I. are going to come be the judge of this too.”

The students took a hand full of ideas some using wood PVC well others used a keg to make the bricks.

“Starting out, I thought it was one of the worst ideas I’ve seen. Turns out I was wrong, because it turned out to work pretty good,” said Trivett.

Trivett said the students learn a lot more working in groups with people they enjoy.

“It gives them a taste of the real world as well, you have to be able to work in groups in the classroom and the work force.”

First-year student Matt MacEachern agreed with Trivett about his experience.

“I learned a lot through this experience, I can’t wait to do the big Expo next year.”

Now the projects will be sent to the Mikinduri Children of Hope charity and they will decide if they like a certain project better then another.

“They could use all eight of them, them may use one. Or they may not use any of them,” said Trivett.

The students who participated in the build are very unique explained Trivett.

“This group of students will be the first group that will have the chance to graduate from UPEI, the get the option to stay put or head off, second and third year students won’t have that option, unless they want to wait it out.”

City oval ready for new season

By Bo Ford

The lights will be turned back on, the harnesses will be shining and the horses will be pacing tonight at Red Shores in Charlottetown.

The city track has been in darkness when it comes to live racing since January when it shut down for the winter seasons.

The track has 11 races scheduled to go behind the gate tomorrow night with post time at 6 p.m.

The top class Preferred 1 features six of the Islands top horses all vying for the $2,200 purse.

From the rail out has Casual Motion (Joey Pineau), Blue Star Outlaw (Jason Hughes), Barrett Jackson (Mark Bradley, Matt Trapper (Brian Andrew), Unstoppable Speed (Corey MacPherson) and the outside post to Oakrock Almighty (Ron Matheson).

Blue Star Outlaw is the morning line choice of Gerald Smith, but track handicapper Les MacIsaac leads towards 2011 Cecil Ladner runner-up Oakrock Almighty.

“They don't come much more consistent than this guy. Closed out the year hitting the board in six of seven and today's outside post shouldn't be a factor since that's where he was for all of those. Top call,” said MacIsaac.

MacIsaac keyed in on This Bird Will Fly in the fourth race. The three-year-old stakes hopeful will leave from post-position three.

Paphos in race five is his value play of the day and Prince Country Horse of the Year Blu Meadow Willie is the long shot play of the day.

One name not listed to drive is one of the top drives in the Maritimes Kenny Arsenault who is out with an upper body injury.

“It’s just an old injury that happened a couple of years ago. Nothing to serious,” said Arsenault.

He has himself returning in a couple of weeks time once everything feels back to 100 per cent.

Mark Bradley has picked up seven drives on opening day and really likes his chances with Rich Raider in the 11^th.

“He qualified in 2:00. It’s a pretty good class, and I like my chances with him,” said Bradley.

The track will also feature five more qualifying races starting at 4:15 p.m. including Govener’s Plate winner Serious Damage and the tough top class pacer Roscoes Child.

Twelve engineering student one bridge

  Phillip Curley a third year engineering student stands with the bridge his group built for the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the 2012 Design Expo at UPEI.(Bo Ford photo)

 

By Bo Ford

Twelve UPEI engineering students have created a portable bridge to help farmers and wood lot owners.

The students were paired up with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry as part of a project for the 2012 Design Expo held yesterday at UPEI.

Currently the Department of Agriculture and Forestry has streams all over P.E.I. It is a fine if a person drives a tractor or ATV across them. This has caused people to create permanent infrastructure.

The permanent infrastructure has started to affect the water levels in the stream and it stops fish travel.

The Department asked the students to build a quickly deployable and quickly removable bridge, because it has to be taken out during the high flood seasons.

Phillip Curley, is the head behind the students who built the bridge. He said the bridge has been made with hydraulics that are attached to a tractor.

“What that means is the bridge can be picked up with a tractor, but not only that. Your tractor can actually drive away with it. Not only can a tractor drive over it but it also deploys it.”

This makes the concept very easy for laying the bridge over a stream driving and driving over it.

Lyle Gauthier worked on the project with his group said the fact the tractor hauls it and drives over it make it effective.

“You can leave it over the stream after you drive over it, then at the end of the day after you go back, you can simply deploy it and take it back.”

Curley said the group was given two hours for the bridge to be deployed and extracted.

“We can do it in about seven minutes, so were pretty satisfied with it.”

  The group pitched three ideas, a trailer that backed up and flipped over, an accordion idea and a simple bed frame

“We took the idea of the accordion and we tried to make it as much into the trailer thing,” said Curley.

“We realized through the use of hydraulics and the fact it’s for a tractor. The idea just evolved to say, to say why don’t we just hook it directly up to the tractor and use its own hydraulics.”

Curley explained the group got lucky in their situation; one of the group’s members has a father that is a welder.

“We did all our own welding, but we did have him there to supervise.”
The project now goes to the Department of Agriculture, they then make sure the math is correct and the bridge is safe before distributing it around the Island.

Curley said the group doesn’t receive any money for the creation.

“We receive the benefit of doing the project,” joked Curley.

The group was given a $1000 budget from the Department to complete the project and they clocked in around $920.

The bridge is not built to normal size. If it was built to normal size it would cost about $2500.

The group members explained the main idea was to keep it around the $2000 fine, so there would be more of a benefit for people to build or buy one of these bridges.

“It took us about nine hours of work to do it, but if we were to do it again, it would only take about half the time,” said Gauthier.

The Department has already sent members out to check out the bridge the group has built.

“They are actually coming back with a group of wood land owners, to see if they would be interested in it,” said Curley.

The bridge was constructed by Curley, Gauthier, Tyler Bernard, Andrew Walsh, Abdullah Abdullsalam, Christian Chatham, Dawson MacMillan, Dylan McIssac, Edward Lush, Evan Getson, Matthew Tong and Nico Verhoeven

Five other projects were entered in the contest. The UPEI Design Expo Award is the one all the groups are hoping on. The award is handed out to the group who produced the best product as voted on by Engineers P.E.I.

“Everybody’s chance is pretty good, you never know. I feel pretty solid,” said Curley.

Two of the other projects were teamed with the P.E.I. Bag Company to make there company more efficient. One with Ducks Unlimited to help restore the wetland in Johnston’s River. The other two groups were paired with Morning Star Fisheries to make a grading table and another to help tank circulation.