Ice Hockey: Award honours retiring Manchester coach Brebant

The Manchester Phoenix coach, Rick Brebant, was "honoured" after being inducted into the British Ice Hockey Writers' Association Hall of Fame.

The Manchester Phoenix coach, Rick Brebant, was "honoured" after being inducted into the British Ice Hockey Writers' Association Hall of Fame.

The former Great Britain international will retire from playing after the Elite League play-off finals at Nottingham's National Ice Centre this weekend, ending a 17-year career in the United Kingdom to return to North America.

"It is a great honour to be recognised by people involved in the sport, and for me it shows that people believe you've done something good for the sport," he said. "I've always been passionate about the game and I'm really very chuffed to be inducted this quick - normally you have to be out of the game for a while before you're considered."

Brebant has won honours throughout his career in Britain with Durham Wasps, Cardiff Devils, Nottingham Panthers, Manchester Storm, London Knights and Sheffield Steelers.

The Belfast Giants coach, Rob Stewart, mourned the loss of the retiring pair Paxton Schulte and Colin Ward. The duo, who have been with the four-year-old team from day one, bade farewell following their elimination from the Elite League play-offs at the Odyssey Arena on Sunday.

In East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Tuesday the New Jersey Devils' Pat Burns recorded his 500th career win as the Devils tied Philadelphia for the lead in the NHL's Atlantic Division with a 5-0 victory over New York Rangers. Burns became the ninth coach to reach that level.