Lewadniuk arrives in camp; still waiting on Manchester quintet.

Center Aaron Lewadniuk took part in his first ECHL practice Monday, after being released from his tryout with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and arriving in Ontario at noon. Lewadniuk was with the Moose for nine days, and scored a goal in an exhibition game against the University of Manitoba.

“It was a good experience,” Lewadniuk said. “The older guys took care of themselves real well – eating right in the mornings, really taking care of their bodies. Everything was real quick, a real eye-opener, seeing how fast it is in the next level.”

Though Lewadniuk thought he made a favorable impression, he wasn’t surprised to get cut after Manitoba received an influx of players from the Vancouver Canucks’ camp.

“They had a lot of guys under contract,” he said. “I kind of expected it. I knew from the get-go I was probably going to come here. I’m glad I got to stay as long as I did, had a real good experience and see what it was like at that level.”

The five players cut from the Manchester Monarchs’ camp had not arrived in time for practice. A couple more notes:


• Head coach Karl Taylor put the team through another hard day of work Monday. “We did another hour and 15 minute spin class today. It was
really tough. The trainer there (at the Claremont Club) does a great job
and you can see it’s the first day of ice here. The ice isn’t very
good, and it’s hot in the building. Everything was hard for the guys
today. Mike, our ice guy, worked really hard; it’s just the first day
that’s just the way it is. It’s a process. … We need to get the
temperature down and get the ice down.”

• Riverside resident Josh Newton (left groin) was held off the ice a second straight day.

• Taylor said the team will have another closed practice Tuesday at The Bank, followed by an open practice at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Center Ice Arena. The Reign will head north Thursday in advance of Friday’s preseason opener in Stockton.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.