The Manitoba Bison men's hockey team continues to build towards the 2009-10 season as returning head coach Mike Sirant adds two more new recruits. Bisons head coach Mike Sirant is pleased to announce the commitment to attend the upcoming Bisons training camp to Troy Crowley and Travis Mealy.
Crowley, 20, played for the Phoenix Polar Bears (Junior A Tier III) in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) during the 2008-09 season. He led the WSHL Western Division scoring race plus named Divisional MVP for being third overall in WSHL during the regular season with 77 points (37 goals – third most in league and 40 assists) with 129 penalty minutes in 41 games. Crowley was captain of the Bears who went on to win the 2009 WSHL Championship (Thorne Cup) and finished third at the National Championship. In the 2009 WSHL playoffs, the Winnipeg native added 14 points (6g, 8a) in 11 games Prior to the Polar Bears, the 6'1”, 185 lbs. forward played for the Western Hockey League (WHL) Saskatoon Blades in 2006-07 and registered two points (1g, 1a) with 43 PIMs in 52 regular season games and started with the Blades with four games in 2005-06.
Sirant stated, “Troy comes highly recommended by Bison alumnus Harry Mahood who coached him last season with Phoenix. Troy is an excellent skater who covers a lot of ice and plays a very aggressive game. He is a tough, competitive player who creates energy.”
Mealy, 24, played two seasons with the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) Panthers from 2006-08. In the 2006-07 season, he scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in 23 regular season games and added one assist in seven games during the 2007-08 regular season. The 5'11, 204 lbs. defenceman played three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and started with the Lewiston MAINEiacs in the 2003-04 season with three assists with 87 penalty minutes in 64 regular season games. He split the season with Lewiston and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2004-05 season and combined accounted for 16 points (4g, 12a) and 80 PIMs in 71 regular season games with one goal in 10 playoff games. In 2005-06, the Brandon, MB native played with Rouyn-Noranda and the Prince Edward Island Rocket and combined for 28 points (10g, 18a) with 142 PIMs in 60 regular season games plus five points (3g, 2a) in six playoffs games.
Sirant said, “Travis is an explosive skater with great vision and puck skills. He has a hard, accurate shot from the blueline that makes him effective on the power play. His two CIS seasons will be an asset as he makes the transition to the Bison Hockey program.”
