COACHING has always been one of those professions where you know one day your team will decide to go in a different direction.
Well, that day has come for a pair Thunder Bay products coaching in the junior A ranks as Larry Wintoneak and Ian Swalucynski were both recently let go by their respective clubs.
The Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan Jr. Hockey League referred to Wintoneak’s departure as coach and director of hockey operations from the organization last month after four plus-plus years on the job as being by mutual agreement.
He also had a two-year stint with Canada West as both an assistant and head coach at the previous two World Jr. ‘A’ Hockey Challenge events.
As for Swalucynski the former Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League coach of the year with the North Bay Trappers was relieved of his duties this past week.
In three-plus years at the North Bay helm he had a .665 winning percentage along with a 103-49-12 record while also serving as Trappers’ general manager.
Both men, who will undoubtedly be back behind the bench coaching again sooner rather than later, vastly improved their team’s fortunes when taking over the reins with each organization.
However, this season’s win-loss record saw their sides languishing around the .500 mark when being let go.
AROUND THE OHL: Make it 12 and counting for Kale Kerbashian.
The Thunder Bay native skating for the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League ran his consecutive game point streak to 12 Sunday despite a loss to the front-running Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors on Sunday.
The 20-year-old forward produced points in every game the Sting played in January notching five goals and 12 assists in the first month of 2011.
The run also equals the longest active point streak in the entire league.
Overall Kerbashian sits tied for seventh in OHL offensive production with 66 points including 26 goals, which matches a career single-season best.
Next among area OHL players in scoring is Emo’s Luke Judson with 37 points. He had a five-game point streak dashed Saturday in a 7-0 loss at Sault Ste. Marie, which turned out to be the first OHL shutout for Thunder Bay’s Matt Murray as he turned aside all 22 shots he faced in the victory.
Rounding out the top three local products in the OHL point parade is Michael MacDonald of Thunder Bay.
The 19-year-old forward has 35 points in 44 games with London and his current club the Sudbury Wolves.
NEW CLUB: Despite leading the Southern Professional hockey League in assists as well as being among the top three point producers in the eight-team loop Thunder Bay’s Trevor Karasiewicz was waived by the cellar dwelling Louisiana Ice Gators only to be scooped up the Fayetteville Fire Antz who are one place higher in the standings.
Now in his eighth season in the professional ranks the former Superior International Jr. Hockey League MVP has skated in 356 games overall scoring 102 times while dishing out 275 assists for 377 points.
CENTURY MARK: Former Thunder Bay Queens player Hope Fullum is closing in on a milestone for her collegiate team.
The senior, who plays defence for the Robert Morris Eagles of the American Collegiate Hockey Association, is just one point shy of reaching the 100 mark.
In 107 career games Fullum has tallied 35 times and doled out 64 helpers.