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By Kim Dunbar, Sports Editor

Growing up in Massachusetts, it’s hard to resist the urge to play a little pond hockey when the weather gets cold. That’s how Worcester Sharks defenseman Brendan Buckley was introduced to the sport.

“Growing up in the Boston area, hockey was pretty popular. We would play on the ponds all the time,” said Buckley, who followed his older brother’s love for the sport all the way to Boston College. Buckley, whose brother is now his agent, was a 1996 draft choice of the Anaheim Ducks and has played over 500 games in the AHL. Fresh off a European vacation and a year of playing with the Iserlohn Roosters of the German Elite League, Buckley has returned home to once again play in Worcester.

“I am excited to be back,” said Buckley, who played for the 2004-05 Worcester Ice Cats. “I am glad to be playing here and close to my family and friends. It is good to be home.” Buckley marked his return to Worcester on July 16th when he threw out the first pitch at the Worcester Tornadoes game.

While the Needham native is embracing the home-ice advantage, he is grateful for his experience in Germany. “It wasn’t as different as I thought it would be,” said Buckley, who was one of 11 imports in the all-German league (he and ten Canadians made up the North American mosaic). “It was pretty similar to the locker rooms I am used to. Everyone spoke English, which was a pleasant surprise,” he added.

Despite the frequent use of English, language barriers are always present. For example, the time Buckley misunderstood someone and walked into the women’s bathroom. But like the good sport he is, the new Shark had a good laugh. “You probably had to be there, but it was really funny,” he said.

Buckley explained that the biggest difference about playing hockey in Germany was the larger ice surface, which encourages a more open game. Buckley said that the open game allows skaters more time to make plays, which can be challenging for defenders. “It’s a tougher defense over there,” said Buckley, who is employing a wait-and-see attitude on how his overseas experience has affected his game. “I think my game has improved. I was able to focus on my playmaking and passing and those were things I needed to work on.”

Buckley also said the German hockey schedules were much more agreeable than the North American counterparts. In Germany, teams play about 50 games compared to 80 in the AHL and NHL. “There were no back to back games and you had a lot of rest in between,” he said. “You felt really ready every game.”

This season, Buckley is ready to tackle whatever comes Worcester’s way. The veteran is hoping to not only lead the Sharks in the locker room, but also to the post-season. “This is a good, hardworking team and one of our major goals is to get back in the playoffs,” said Buckley. And if the Sharks get there, Buckley will be ready to lend his expertise. “Playoff experience is a good tool to work off of. You can always use it to learn from,” he said.

And Buckley has had plenty of it. The former Manchester Monarchs captain faced the Sharks in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs in 2007, with his Monarchs team defeating the Sharks in overtime of Game 6. He also made an appearance in the 2001 Calder Cup Finals with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In fact, Buckley’s most cherished hockey memory was during the post-season: when his BC team turned their season all the way around to make it to the National Championship game, which took place in Buckley’s backyard: the FleetCenter.

While the plan is to win big, Buckley and the Sharks will be in the spotlight this season no matter what: Worcester is home to the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic. The star-studded event will take place on Sunday, January 25th and Monday, January 26th and will feature the league’s top talent in the All-Star Skills Competition and the All-Star Game. Worcester, in its 14th season with the AHL, is a first-time host of the All-Star Classic, and Massachusetts’ first since 1959. And with good fortune, Buckley just might be able to represent his team during the big show.

He’s certainly come a long way from pick-up games of pond hockey.

To support the Sharks and Buckley’s homecoming, visit www.sharksahl.com for tickets.

Photo: Buckley on the ice as captain of the Manchester Monarchs