Former Ontario Hockey League Assistant Joins RoadRunners’ Staff

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Phoenix RoadRunners of the ECHL, an affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes and the San Antonio Rampage, are pleased to announce the hiring of Brian O’Leary as the team’s new assistant coach. O’Leary replaces Brad Church who was promoted to head coach and director of hockey operations on March 22.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to coach in the ECHL, and extremely happy about working with Brad Church as a member of the RoadRunners’ family,” said O’Leary.

O’Leary brings to Phoenix 17 years of coaching experience in Canadian junior hockey as both an assistant and a head coach. The Owen Sound, Ontario native recently spent the past four seasons as an assistant with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League, and helped guide the Attack to four consecutive playoff appearances and a franchise-best 40-18-10 record in 2004-05.

“Brian brings a wealth of experience to our staff and I am very excited to work with him,” said Church. “He has built great relationships with his players and his colleagues over his long coaching career.”

In 2000, O’Leary was named the first head coach in Attack history and led the team to a 31-27-10 mark during the 2000-01 season and a berth in the OHL playoffs. Prior to his appointment, he served as an assistant from 1996-2000 with the former Owen Sound Platers of the OHL. O’Leary has also enjoyed two stints as a head coach with the Owen Sound Greys of the Midwestern Junior B League in the Ontario Hockey Association.

The RoadRunners will visit the Arizona Sundogs of the Central Hockey League in the “Battle of the Desert” pre-season series at 7:05 p.m. Oct. 12 and 13 at the Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Tickets for both pre-season games will be $13 regardless of location in Tim’s Toyota Center and will go on sale Monday, Sep. 10 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), online at www.gettix.net, or in person at the Tim’s Toyota Center Box Office.

The RoadRunners return to US Airways Center at 7:11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 when they host the Utah Grizzlies to commence their third season in the desert. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2007-08 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.

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