AFTER starring on the ice the past four seasons in Sweden, Michela Cava has begun a new challenge in the Far East.
Earlier this month, the 27-year-old Thunder Bay product joined the KRS Vanke Rays, who are based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, but play out of the 10-team Russian Women’s Hockey League.
Cava got her first taste of game action with her new organization last week in a meaningful way.
After the 2021 RWHL final, that was originally slated to be played back in March, was postponed due to COVID-19, it allowed the former Thunder Bay Queens standout to take part in the best-of-three championship series that went the distance and concluded Sunday.
However, the Vanke Rays were edged out 3-2 in a shootout in the third and deciding game, that went seven rounds of extra shots before their opponent, Ufa Agidel, prevailed.
Offensively, Cava contributed a pair of assists in the series and also scored for her new club in the shootout.
Her current team now has just over a week off before they commence the 2021-22 campaign when they take on that same Ufa squad on Sept. 22.
Cava had come off winning a Swedish Women’s League crown in the spring with Luleå HF.
Always among the top point producers in each of her four years in Sweden, she paced the SWHL in offensive production in 2018-19 with 54 points and was tops in plus-minus, at plus-59, last season.
In her time in Scandinavia, Cava collected 230 points in 144 outings on 104 tallies while setting up 126 others as a member of MoDo, Brynäs and Luleå.
She also boasted an impressive plus-163 rating in that span and chipped in with 30 playoff points, featuring 16 markers, in 25 games.
Meanwhile, Cava’s former Queens’ teammate Kaitlyn Tougas played for the Vanke Rays in 2020-21, but has returned to Sweden where she has signed on with MoDo for the year.
Tougas also put up solid numbers in the SWHL, getting 129 points in her first 107 contests in the league.
The former stalwart at Bemidji State in the NCAA Division I ranks set-up the third period game-winner in MoDo’s season opener Saturday vs. Leksands, but was held off the scoresheet Sunday in a setback against Brynäs.
TASTE OF NHL: Tyler Tucker will be getting a chance to prove his worth this weekend in a five-team National Hockey League Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich.
Born in Thunder Bay and growing up in Longlac, the 21-year-old Tucker will be a part of the St. Louis Blues contingent at the rookie tourney.
Drafted by the Blues in 2018, the defenceman spent 2020-21 with the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League where the blueliner appeared in 21 games and had a goal and six assists.
Prior to that he spent fours seasons in the OHL with both the Barrie Colts and Flint Firebirds, accumulating 152 points from the back end in 244 appearances.
Tucker signed a three-year, two-way entry level contract with St. Louis back in March of 2020.
The Blues begin play in the Traverse City event Friday afternoon against prospects from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Of note, Tucker’s twin brother Jesse is gearing up to begin his freshman year at Michigan State University on NCAA Division I scholarship where he will attend school and play with the Spartans men’s program.
He served as captain of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers to wrap-up his junior career.
In all, he skated in 158 USHL games with the Gamblers over three seasons, collecting 129 points.
His 88 career assists with Green Bay are a franchise record.