Like father, like son.
Ty Amonte began his BCHL career with a bang Saturday night at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena, making an impressive debut with the Penticton Vees that would make his famous father Tony proud.
The 18-year-old Amonte unloaded a flurry of knockout punches that floored the Prince George Spruce Kings, collecting two goals and an assist in a 4-0 victory.
The younger Amonte’s talent for putting the puck in the net is tattooed in his DNA. His dad scored 416 goals in 15 NHL seasons at right wing for the New York Rangers, Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Calgary.
Ty arrived on the Vees’ doorstep this summer having already locked up an NCAA Division 1 scholarship for next season at Boston University, the same college his Massachusetts-born dad attended. Before joining the Vees he played four years of high school hockey at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass. Playing for his dad, the Tigers' coach, he led the team last year with 70 points in 30 games.
"It just feels good to get the monkey off my back in the first game and get a win and bring it home to Penticton," said Amonte. "I didn't think I played up to my full potential (in the preseason) and it was a good day for me and hopefully there will be more. It's a great league and I just hope there's more ups than downs for the boys."
After two years with Calgary Flames, Amonte Sr. retired in 2007 when Ty was nine years old – old enough to remember what it was like to see his dad play in the NHL.
"He's always been there as an example, I got to see the style of game he plays and I saw the re-runs of him in the World Cup on TV," said Ty. "I'd like to play like him, but I think I play a different style than him. He's always encouraged me to put the puck in the net and that's what I'm going to try to do all season. It helps to be playing with good players."
Although the Fred Harbinson-coached Vees have just six returning players from last's year team which won an astounding 50 of 58 regular-season games, they made it clear to the Prince George crowd Saturday they remain one of the elite squads in the 17-team BCHL. Six of their new players this season, including Amonte, arrived with NCAA scholarships already locked up, among 11 college-bound Vees now on the roster.
"It was easy picking Penticton. There weren't many other teams I had my eyes on, seeing how consistently good they've been," said Amonte. "I love the style of play that Fred does and how he develops his players, like Tyson Jost and Dante Fabbro (both first-round NHL draft picks from last year's team) and I like how they recruit."
On Saturday, Amonte played the right side on a line with Owen Sillinger and left winger Ryley Risling. Like the rest of the Vees, they seemed to get stronger and more tenacious in the third period.
Penticton and its veteran-laden defence put up a protective shell in front of goalie Mat Robson and scored three goals in the third period, outshooting the Kings 19-6 in the final 20 minutes. It could have been worse for the Kings if not for the stellar netminding of Stefan Wornig, who made 46 saves in the game. Wornig was making his second straight start in net after holding the Merritt Centennials to a 2-2 tie in the season-opener Friday night.
The Vees dictated the flow in the early going and took advantage of a couple of power plays to outshoot the Kings 13-4 in the opening period but were held off the scoreboard until the 3:30 mark of the second period. Amonte picked off a breakout pass attempt by Kyle Johnson in front of the Kings’ net and rifled in a wrist shot for his first of the night.
"I don't think we were ready from puck-drop," said Kings captain Brett Mennear. "They're a really good team over there and you have to give them credit, they played really well and came out in mid-season form. We were in the game until the third period and I think if we had come out for the third period better, with our foot on the gas, it could have been a different game. You have to give a lot of credit to Wornig, he kept us in it for a long part of the game."
Sillinger staked the Vees to a 2-0 lead, poking in a loose puck at the side of the net 6:27 into the third period, after Amonte put the puck on net. Sillinger, a 19-year-old centre recruited to Arizona State next season, is the son of Mike Sillinger, who played centre for 12 NHL teams in 18 seasons.
Amonte banked the puck in off Wornig for his second goal at 10:39, and Risling capped the scoring late with a backhanded effort.
"They took it to us, they kept moving the puck down low and kept outworking us in the d-zone,"said Wornig. "I was hoping to come out with the win but it's alright. We have a pretty new team and lot of guys are just getting their first BCHL games, so we're not going to worry about it. We just have to get some chemistry going with the boys and we'll win some games."
The Spruce Kings took a few too many penalties and although the Vees' power play did not score in seven opportunities, all that penalty-killing time tired out Prince George's better players. Combined with the effects of having played a tough game the night before, fatigue had to be a factor, especially in the late stages.
Robson made 21 saves for the shutout in his first BCHL action. The 20-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., joined the Vees this season from Toronto of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He didn't see much rubber because the Vees' defenceman, especially David Eccles, Gabe Best and Mitch Meek, were so adept at moving the puck quickly out of the defensive zone.
The Kings now turn their attentions to the Wenatchee Wild, their opponents the next three games this coming week at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. The Wild will face the Kings Wednesday, Friday and Saturday to begin their second season in the BCHL.
