Versatile Excel Hull Stingrays defenceman, Steve Slonina, has today been called up to play in the Elite League's inaugural All Star game in Coventry on Thursday night.Southern All Star coach Paul Thompson has called Slonina into the side after a number of injuries, most notably an injury to Cardiff's Jason Stone, and he will step straight into defence for the game against the Northern All Stars, coached and selected by Sheffield Steelers coach Dave Matsos.
Slonina, who has scored seven goals and added 27 assists this season, becomes the fifth Stingrays player to be selected after Lee Mitchell, Slava Koulikov, Curtis Cruickshank and Jeff Glowa.
The University of Massachusetts-Lowell alumni has been particularly impressive in the three months since his switch from forward to defence, in which time he has not only shored up the Stingrays woeful defence but also provided the blueline with a scoring threat.
In the wake of the Stingrays crippling injury crisis he moved from his preferred centre spot to defence and the move has seen him win three consecutive fan voted player of the month awards, a record in the five year history of the event.
Photo courtesy Arthur Foster
