The Trinity Western University men’s hockey team continued to beef up its roster for the upcoming season with the signing of forwards Tristano Falbo (Langley, B.C.), Aman Sidhu (Port Alberni, B.C.) and defenceman Dylan Mooney (Squamish, B.C.) on Thursday.
The trio, all of which are 6-feet tall or better, will help the Spartans develop a more physical brand that will certainly go along ways towards Trinity Western’s efforts to move up the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League ladder after five straight years of fourth place finishes.
The 6-foot, 190-pound right-handed shooting Falbo will bring a tough, physical brand to the Spartans and will no doubt add a bit of sandpaper to the TWU lineup. He played his last four years of Junior “B’ hockey in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League, splitting time with the Grandview Steelers, Abbotsford Pilots, Aldergrove Kodiaks and, most recently, the Ridge Meadows Flames.
In, 79 career PIJHL games, Falbo had seven goals, 21 assists and 321 penalty minutes. In 18 career playoff games, all of which came with Abbotsford in 2008-09, he had one goal, three assists and 59 penalty minutes. Last year, with the Flames, Falbo played in 16 games and registered two goals, six assists and 43 penalty minutes. Falbo, who had a stint with the Junior “A” Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in 2009, arrives already well-known to Spartans coach Dwayne Lowdermilk, as the Trinity Western bench boss has had a hand in developing Falbo since he was a youngster.
“It has been a lot of fun as a coach to watch a player, like Tristano, that I have taught since he was eight or nine years old develop as a man and hockey player,” Lowdermilk said. “Tristano brings character and is a tough, grinding hockey player. His ability to match up against all types of players and game situations is exciting.”
Aman Sidhu is a 6-foot, 185-pound forward who comes to Trinity Western after playing at Northland College (NCAA Div. III) in Ashland, Wisconsin for the past two years. In those two seasons, Sidhu had a combined one goal and four assists in 10 games. Prior to attending Northland, Sidhu bounced around the Canadian Junior “A” circuit, with brief BCHL stints in Alberni Valley, Powell River and Williams Lake and a cup of coffee in the SJHL Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League) with Flin Flon.
In 2008-09, he had his most productive Junior “A” season playing with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the MJHL (Manitoba Junior Hockey League) where he had eight goals, 37 assists and 16 penalty minutes in 42 games.
“Aman brings great play making ability, good leadership and he sees the ice well,” Lowdermilk said. “While he certainly can play a solid defensive game, we want to connect him to our offensive drive this season. His experience in the BCHL and the MJHL as well as NCAA III will help him provide strength up front.”
Dylan Mooney is a 6-foot-7, 200-pound blueliner who will fit well into Lowdermilk’s towering defensive unit.
Mooney played his entire minor hockey career within the Squamish Minor Hockey Association and last played with the Squamish Eagles Midget AA team. In the summer of 2010, he attended the Portland Winterhawks (Western Hockey League) main camp and this past spring he played with the O’Neill Conditioning Mavericks, which was coached by the head scout of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, Scott Sparkman.
“I’m very excited to work with Dylan as he has a lot of hidden potential,” Lowdermilk said. “He is a very good defensive defenceman and his size, at 6-foot-7, is an obvious asset. He possesses a lot of similar qualities to that of some of the big defenseman in the NHL. Dylan will be a work in progress but it will be a fun season to watch him develop amongst our strong defensive core.”
Falbo, Sidhu and Mooney join fellow Spartans hockey recruits defencemen Chris Stew (Surrey, B.C.) and Jonathan Demme (Brampton, Ont.) and forwards Sam Gemmell (Danville, CA), Josh Gordon (London, Ont.) and Kye Benjaminsen (Ladner, B.C.).
Last year, the Spartans had a regular season record of 10-12-2, which earned them a spot in the BCIHL’s five-team playoff. With one win and two losses in the playoffs, Trinity Western finished fourth overall.
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