Steelheads Open NAPA Auto Parts Training Camp Friday with 22 Players

The two-time Kelly Cup Champion Idaho Steelheads opened its twelfth training camp Friday with 22 players on its roster. The opening-day roster must be submitted to the ECHL office by 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 15, and may have up to 20 active players on it; four of them may be veterans. Idaho?s camp begins at Qwest Arena in Boise and ends in McCall at the Manchester Ice and Events Centre with two preseason games against the Victoria Salmon Kings on Oct. 10 and 11. The team moves to McCall on Monday, following a Hockey 101 Icebreaker open house for fans on Sunday from 3 p.m. ? 5:30 p.m. at Qwest Arena. Admission is free.The roster is comprised of 13 forwards, 7 defenseman and 2 goaltenders. Eight players are returning, six from the 2007-08 season, including ECHL All-Star Mark Bomersback, Craig Cescon, Captain Marty Flichel, ECHL All-Star Darrell Hay, John Lammers, Kory Scoran, Brent Shepheard, and Travis Wight, and two from previous seasons; Garett Bembridge played with Idaho and was named to the ECHL All-Star team during the 2005-06 season and Derek Paget last played with the Steelheads as a member of the 2004 Kelly Cup Championship team.Forwards- Garett Bembridge (veteran), Curtis Billsten, Mark Bomersback, Craig Cescon, Dan Eves, Marty Flichel (veteran), Blaine Jarvis, Jimmy Kerr, John Lammers, Ben Nelson, Derek Paget, Brent Shepheard, and Kris Sparre.Defensemen- Darrell Hay (veteran), Kyle Radke, Kory Scoran, Kelly Sullivan, Adam Welch, Riley Weselowski, and Travis Wight.Goaltenders- Rejean Beauchemin and Matt ClimieLammers and Climie were assigned to Idaho from its National Hockey League affiliate, the Dallas Stars; Climie was assigned today having played with Dallas during their training camp. The 25-year-old played a full game for Dallas in Colorado on Wednesday holding the Avalanche scoreless through more than a period of hockey and making 25 stops on 28 shots before eventually losing 3-1.Steelheads Head Coach Derek Laxdal said of Climie?s assignment today, ?Dallas expects to see great things from Matt, and their not having an American Hockey League affiliate this year helped us get a high-caliber goaltender that we may not have had otherwise.?Four of the players are still in AHL camps, including Lammers who was sent to Houston from Dallas, Bomersback and Eves (Providence), and Weselowski (Peoria).Eleven of the players are rookies, with eight attending their first professional training camps after playing college hockey last season. There are four American-born players, including two from Michigan, one from Minnesota and one from Spokane, WA. The most players hail from the Canadian provinces of Alberta and from Coach Laxdal?s home province of Manitoba (five each). There are three each from British Columbia and Ontario, and two from Saskatchewan. The Steelheads open their season at home on Saturday, Oct. 18. A variety of Season Ticket Plans for the 2008-09 season, with reduced pricing in some sections, are now available by calling (208) 383.0080 or visiting the team?s website at www.idahosteelheads.com. - www.idahosteelheads.com -