FEIA Boys Hockey Program Completes Successful Season

By Michael Clarkson

A successful season was over on March 21 for the two FEIA boys’ hockey teams.

And yet, through spring they continue to practice on ice and in the gym while developing players and respectful teenagers for Junior A clubs, post secondary schools and international teams.

The Falcons Under-18 boys, who have sent more than 20 players to junior, university and international teams since 2019, this season had Baron Tanton and Riley Cave play some games for the Niagara Falls Junior A Canucks.

In 2025, Grant Spada, who once played on their Under-17 team, was drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. He now skates for Guelph Storm of the OHA Junior A loop.

“Developing players is No. 1 for us,” says Falcons coach Derek Bachynski, who went to Wayne State University on a hockey scholarship. “That’s why we practice everyday into spring – to build complete players. We teach hockey IQ, visualization, life classes, respect for others and character building.”

He added that, “Hockey players sometimes take a little longer to get scholarships than other athletes. Step one is our team, then junior hockey, then college or university. Our program is still young, but each year we’re growing and building for better things, getting more competitive in leagues and attracting higher qualify players.”

During the regular season, the Falcons were third in two leagues – 13-4-2 in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and 10-7-1 in the Ontario Prep Hockey League. They won their last four league matches.

Goalie Demitry Gikas, of Mirabel, Que., was an OPHL first-team all-star while forward Juri Baunov, of Moscow, made the league’s all-academic team with a 96 per cent average. Falcons had one Fort Erie native, goalie Ashton Venzon.

In the CSSHL Eastern playoffs in Montreal, March 19-22, the Falcons went 2-1 but didn’t make the finals with four goals from Thomas Harvey, of Rosemere, Que., two goals and two assists from Sam Schelling, of Varennes, Que., and one goal and four assists from Travis McDougall of Amos, Que.

Derek is supported by associate coach Tyler Leclair.

The U-17 Falcons, under coach Gary Friesen, finished strong with four straight league and went 2-1 in the Montreal playoffs as Charles-Antoine Racette, of Repentigny, Que., scored four goals and Elisei Melikian, of Mytishchi, Russia, and Matvei Zakharov, of Dzerzhinsk, Russia, each had three goals and two assists. They had two other players from Russia.

Coaches are now recruiting for next year and hope to have more players from the Niagara area. This season, most of their skaters were from Quebec, but some from Alberta, Mexico City and Florida.