Bud Holloway played only 30 games as a member of the Ontario
Reign, but they were rather memorable.
He was nearly a point-per-game player (14 goals, eight
assists in 23 games) after being sent down by the Manchester Monarchs late in
the 2008-09 season; he added another five goals and 14 assists in seven games
against the Stockton Thunder in that year’s playoffs.
Along the way, in a February 2009 game against the Phoenix
Roadrunners, Holloway scored the prettiest goal in the history of Citizens
Business Bank Arena. That’s an unofficial honor, mind you, but if ESPN or
YouTube ever got hold of film footage of the zigzagging, one-on-one, backhand
breakaway, it would be accepted knowledge.
Holloway spent all of last season with the Monarchs and put
up good numbers — 19 goals and 47 points in 75 regular-season games – plus
another seven goals and seven assists in 16 postseason games. He helped
Manchester go on a deep run, scoring several game-winning goals, before eventually losing to the Hershey Bears in the Eastern Conference
Finals.
If there was one disappointment, it was that Holloway’s name was
passed over for an NHL promotion several times during the season when injuries
to various Kings forwards necessitated an AHL recall. Corey Elkins, Marc-Andre
Cliche, Rich Clune, Scott Parse, Oscar Moller and Brandon Segal all got the nod
at various points during the season; even spare defenseman Peter Harrold shifted in on the wing
before Holloway could get a shot at making his NHL debut.
The 22-year-old, in the final year of his
entry-level contract, is taking it in stride.
Continue reading “Catching up with Bud Holloway.” »