Jeff Alcombrack and Stephen Margeson are ready to feed the puck tonight.
By TOM WILLIAMS
YOUNGSTOWN — SteelHounds defensemen Jeff Alcombrack and Stephen Margeson boast some similarities.
Both played in all 64 of the Central Hockey League team's regular-season games last year, with Alcombrack, 27, scoring 52 points and Margeson, 25, getting 39.
Both know their way to the penalty box. Margeson was assessed 121 minutes for infractions last season while Alcombrack had 60.
And both are key components to the SteelHounds power-play unit which provides so much of the team's scoring.
What you won't find often is Alcombrack and Margeson on the ice at the same time.
"They're both very good puck [and] skate-moving d-men," SteelHounds coach Kevin Kaminski of his veteran defenders. "So you want to have a guy who's more of a stay-at-home defenseman [paired with them] so those guys can jump into the play."
Alcombrack and Margeson know their job is to get the puck as often as possible to captain Chris Richards and his linemates.
"Nobody can replace Jeff Christian, eh?" said Alcombrack, referring to former team captain and CHL MVP who was traded to the Tulsa Oilers in June. "But with Richie back and a couple of new guys that we hope will fill Jeff's shoes, we'll see."
SteelHounds fans can check out the team's new look tonight at 7 at the Chevrolet Centre when the Cincinnati Cyclones of the East Coast Hockey League visit for an exhibition game. Tickets cost $5.
"Richie is going to get people points," Alcombrack said. "If you can skate, he's going to get you the puck. It's tough to lose Jeff, but I think we'll do alright."
Alcombrack spent much of the offseason recovering from leg surgery.
"I had a rough summer for skating," Alcombrack said. "I didn't get much skating in until the last few weeks."
Margeson said the highlight of his offseason was being invited to the Syracuse Crunch training camp. The Crunch are the American Hockey League team affiliated with the SteelHounds and the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets.
"I got called up last year," Margeson said of playing at the next level. "It makes me push myself to get better. I know what I need to do to be at that level and that's where I want to be. It's a good starting point for me to see what I have to do to get there."
Margeson said offseason workouts only help so much.
"You can train all summer, bike all you want, run all you want, but when you get on the ice, it's a totally different thing," said Margeson who scored the team's only goal in Wednesday's 4-1 road loss to the Johnstown (Pa.) Chiefs. "You've got to get your timing back. Hockey is a multi-tasking sport."
Tonight, Kaminski said Andy Franck will make his SteelHounds debut in goal while Richards, the team's new assistant coach, will skate with newcomers Joel Irving and Erik Johnson on his line.
Bryan LaChapelle will center the second line, with Chris Shaffer and Adam Smyth on the wings.
williams@vindy.com