Defenceman Pavel Gomenyuk has returned for his third stint and fourth season with the Excel Hull Stingrays, bringing them just one import (and possibly one Brit) away from completing their defensive corps.Gomenyuk who has twice been forced to leave the Stingrays, once unwillingly and once willingly, returns after his second season with the Newcastle Vipers where he recorded 7 goals and 12 assists in 47 games as the Vipers finished 5th in the Elite League. Whilst he had a distinctly average season, he spent much of the time suffering from a groin injury. Injury is a key factor in whether Gomenyuk, or "Pasha" as he has become known, emulates his play with the Stingrays in 04/05, where he was named defenceman of the year for the team, or 06/07, where he played through injury and in the end became loathed by Stingrays fans.
With that said, 06/07 was a hugely disapointing season for everyone, players, fans and management included, so the question that poses itself is, will he come back better than ever and prove a point?In a move that is sure to displease sections of the Stingrays fanbase, after what even he will call an awful season in 06/07, coach Rick Strachan had this to say:
“If he plays the way we know he can he will be a rock for us. He can play a lot of minutes, he is tough, physical, he has a good shot on him and he will be a key player on the powerplay. I know the last time he was with us he probably had the worst year of his career so he will have something to prove and he will do that. He is a proud person and he will want to show he can do the job. You talk to forwards in the league and they will tell you they hate playing against him."The Stingrays may now move on to looking for another more experienced import defenceman from North America to complete their 08/09 defence before opening pre-season games against the Sheffield Steelers, on 30th and 31st August, in a battle for the Yorkshire Cup.
PICTURE 1: Yorkshire Cup glory. Gomenyuk in one of the few high points of the 06/07 season, winning the Yorkshire Cup against the Sheffield Steelers.
PICTURE 2: Gomenyuk scores in 04/05 in a 3-1 win v Fife Flyers.
