Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires will serve as the Western Conference Captain and Alex Pietrangelo of the Barrie Colts will Captain the Eastern Conference All-Stars at the 2010 OHL All-Star Classic in Kingston February 2-3 at the K-Rock Centre.
Both Ellis and Pietrangelo were Alternate Captains as returning players on Canada’s National Junior Team that captured silver at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Saskatoon and Regina, SK, as well as Alternate Captains in the 2009 SUBWAY OHL All-Star Classic in Windsor.
Ellis, a 19-year-old from Freelton, ON, has 33 points in 32 games and is the reigning OHL Defenceman of the Year making his second OHL All-Star Classic appearance for the Western Conference. A first round selection of the Nashville Predators in 2009, Ellis also Captained Team OHL this season at the 2009 SUBWAY Super Series. Pietrangelo, a 20-year-old from King City, ON, has eight points in seven games since returning to the OHL from the St. Louis Blues who selected him in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. A former Captain of the Niagara IceDogs, Pietrangelo is playing in his third straight OHL All-Star Classic for the Eastern Conference.
Alternate Captains for the visiting Western Conference All-Stars include AJ Jenks of the Plymouth Whalers, Jacob Muzzin of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and Zack Torquato of the Erie Otters. Muzzin and Torquato are both Captains of their respective teams and competing in their second OHL All-Star Classic. Muzzin participated last year in Windsor, while Torquato competed in the 2007 OHL All-Star Classic in Saginaw. Jenks shares the captain’s duties in Plymouth this season and is competing in his first OHL All-Star Classic following a gold medal performance with Team USA this winter.
For the Eastern Conference, Team Canada forward Stefan Della Rovere of the Barrie Colts, Cameron Gaunce of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, and Brian Lashoff of the host Kingston Frontenacs will be Alternate Captains for this event. All three are also Captains of their respective club teams. Gaunce and Della Rovere are competing in this event for the second straight season, while this is the first OHL All-Star Classic for Lashoff who was a member of Team USA’s gold medal winning team at the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships.
The 2010 OHL All-Star Classic features 40 of the top OHL players representing all 20 member clubs. Last season, John Tavares of the London Knights was Captain of the Western Conference, while P.K Subban of the Belleville Bulls was Captain for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.
Tickets to the 2010 OHL All-Star Classic events can be purchased separately at $25 for the Skills Competition on Tuesday February 2 and $30 for the Game on Wednesday February 3. Both events begin at 7:00 pm with tickets available by going on-line at www.k-rockcentre.com or by calling 1-877-KLIVE-99. They may also be purchased at the K-Rock Centre box office at 1 Barrack Street in Kingston.
For more information please visit the official event website www.ohlallstarclassic.com
