Former WHL player Ladislav Scurko, a Slovakian, is back in the news. Using stories from more than three years ago and running some Monday stories I found on the Internet through Google translator, I have tried to piece it together.
Here’s what I have come up with . . .
Scurko, 26, was convicted of murder in Kosice court on Monday and sentenced to eight years in a medium surveillance facility.
Immediately after sentencing, Scurko said he will appeal.
Originally, he was convicted of murdering referee Marek Liptaj, 28, in January 2008 on a highway between Kosice and Presov. Liptaj was stabbed 19 times and his body was then buried.
Scurko, who played two seasons (2004-06) with the Seattle Thunderbirds and 12 games with the Tri-City Americans in 2006-07, was a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL’s 2004 draft. He never played in the NHL. He spent 2008-09 with Kosice in the Slovakian Extraliga, picking up 12 points in 52 games. He also had 19 points in 11 games with Treviso (Slovakia, 2.Liga).
Scurko pleaded guilty to murdering Liptaj but later changed his story. He was released from jail in November 2011 after serving 2½ years in prison. He then signed with his hometown team, Slovan Gelnica (Slovakia, 3.Liga). He had 20 points, including 14 goals, in only eight games there, then added 24 points, 15 of them goals, in 10 games with HK Trebisov (Slovakia, 2.Liga). It would seem that Scurko still has some game.
Topky.sk reported Monday that Scurko originally admitted to the murder but "his story changed only after the lawyer has changed."
According to Scurko’s new story, he didn’t murder Liptaj but took the blame because he was threatened by Mafia members who control betting.
Hnonline.sk reported that Judge John Poprock didn’t believe the hockey player who claimed that "the act (was) committed by two unidentified men from the so-called betting mafia."
Topky.sk also reported that Scurko, according to the judge, admitted to being in a normal state "and not under the influence of drugs and alcohol, as the defense."
"The amount of the sentence took into account the fact that according to experts," topky.sk continued, "Scurko committed (the act) in anger, was unmanageable and therefore his court imposed an annual psychiatric outpatient treatment."
In sentencing Scurko, the judge said the accusesd three times had admitted to the murder "and accurately described the commission of an act." The judge added that it was "unrealistic" that someone should admit an "act of penitence" three times and then recant it all.
Scurko apparently listened to the sentence without emotion, but told reporters later that he was disappointed and that he will appeal.
Alexander Farkasovsky, Scurko’s lawyer, also expressed disappointment, telling topky.sk that he is "convinced" of his client’s innocence and that he "defended him as his own son."
According to topky.sk, Scurko changed his story in July 2010, bringing two other men into it and claiming they killed Liptaj and put the body in the trunk of Scurko’s car.
"One of them sat down to him and commanded him to go towards Kežmarok," topky.sk reported. "The second of the men followed in their off-road car. . . ."
Scurko later said he changed his story because after fearing for his life he now had "found the courage to resist," topky.sk reported. "Plus he was in his own words in interviews stressed out because investigators had to convince him that all the evidence to go against him."
If I have read all of this correctly, Scurko returned home after saying he will appeal, although the court imposed psychiatric outpatient treatment.
Also, should the appeal fail, Scurko, because of time served, would be eligible to apply for parole in less than three years.
For half-a-dozen photos, some of Scurko taken Monday, visit this site right here.
Right here is what appeared on this blog on April 25, 2009, after Scurko first was arrested.
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JUST NOTES:
Zoran Rajcic, the Everett Silvertips’ assistant GM, has been promoted. He now is executive vice-president of the Silvertips and their parent company, CSH International, Inc. Rajcic, who has been with the Silvertips since their inception in 2002, had been assistant GM since October. According to a news release, he will continue to oversee business operations for the Silvertips while expanding his role with other CSH properties. CSH owns four Americans junior teams – the Silvertips, Amarillo Bulls (NAHL), Texas Tornado (NAHL) and North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL). CSH also owns the Peoria Pines Golf Course in Peoria, Ariz., and has acquired a West Coast League summer collegiate baseball franchise in Medford, Ore.
Mike MacCulloch, Everett’s director marketing/corporate sales, now will handle all corporate sales efforts after sharing those responsibilities with Rajcic. MacCulloch is another original staff member. . . . Kevin Danford, the ticket sales manager, now is the director of ticket sales as he prepares for his sixth season with the Silvertips.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Matt MacDonald, 29, is the new assistant coach with the Cincinnati Cyclones, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. . . . MacDonald, who retired as an active player after last season, played three seasons with the Cyclones. . . . With the Cyclones, he replaces former NHLer Andrew Cassels on the coaching staff. MacDonald will work alongside head coach Jarrod Skalde.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl is scheduled to resume play in the Vysshaya Liga (VHL) today at home against Neftyanik Almetyevsk. Lokomotiv will play each VHL club once for a 22-game schedule and will then participate in the VHL playoffs, with automatic entry into the second round. Lokomotiv’s seeding will be determined by percentage of points won. . . . All KHL teams were required to submit lists of all players under contract aged 17 to 22 and each team was allowed to protect two players. Lokomotiv was then allowed to negotiate with all unprotected players on the lists. . . . The new Lokomotiv roster lists 24 players. The oldest player is 22, the youngest 17, and 12 of the 24 are 19 or younger. . . . Lokomotiv will return to the KHL, with a guaranteed place in the KHL playoffs, next season.
Meanwhile . . .
F Ladislav Scurko (Seattle, Tri-City, 2004-07) signed a contract for the rest of the season with his hometown team, Slovan Gelnica (Slovakia, 2.Liga). Scurko was released from jail in November after serving 2 1/2 years in prison for the murder of a Slovakian hockey referee. In his last season prior to his conviction, 2008-09, Scurko had seven goals and five assists in 52 games with Kosice (Slovakia, Extraliga) and nine goals and 10 assists in 11 games with Trebisov (Slovakia, 1.Liga). . . .
F Kyle Wanvig (Edmonton/Kootenay, Red Deer, 1997-2001) was released by mutual agreement by Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Villach's press release states that he has retired and is returning to Canada to become a firefighter. Wanvig was limited by injuries to just 16 games this season, getting one goal and two assists for Villach.
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F Brett Connolly of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, via the Prince George Cougars, is on the limp at the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp in Calgary. It appears that he first injured a calf in a Sunday morning practice, and may have irritated in the nightly scrimmage. He is to be re-examined today.
Late Sunday, Connolly sent this tweet: “Everything is okay. Just a little banged up. Not serious at all.”
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Brady Brassart broke a 3-3 tie on the PP with 1:50 left in the third period as the Hitmen beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-3. . . . F Trevor Cheek scored twice for Calgary, giving him 11. . . . F Alessio Bertaggia had two goals — he has 16 — and an assist for Brandon. . . . Calgary had a 41-25 edge in shots. . . . The Hitmen have assigned D Keaton Lubin, 17, to a team still to be named. He had one assist in 11 games but hasn’t played in 10 due to an undisclosed injury. . . .

In Regina, F Jordan Weal scored three times to lead the Pats to an 8-4 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Weal also had an assist. . . . The Blazers, now 1-1-0 on their East Division swing, had won eight in a row. . . . Regina G Adam Beukeboom stopped 32 shots to earn his first WHL victory. . . . For more on this game, check out the blog over on the right where Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post hangs his hat. . . .

In Red Deer, G Cole Holowenko stopped 39 shots to help the Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Rebels, 5-0. . . . That was Holowenko’s second victory season and the first shuout of his career. . . . Red Deer now has lost a franchise-record 13 in a row. . . . F Mike Winther and F Justin Maylan each scored twice. Each has 17 goals this season. . . . Red Deer scored three PP goals. . . . The Rebels were without seven regulars. Five of those are injured, including G Patrik Bartosak, while D Alex Petrovic and D Mathew Dumba are in Calgary at the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp. . . . The Rebels had D Haydn Fleury, 15, from the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos in the lineup. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., G Ty Rimmer stopped 29 shots as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Portland Winterhawks, 3-0. . . . Rimmer has three shutouts this season. . . . Tri-City F Connor Rankin scored twice. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser scored the game’s first goal, his 15th this season and the 200th point of his career. . . . The Americans are 5-0-0 against Portland this season, with Rimmer having won four of those, two by shutout. . . . Rimmer has three shutouts this season and seven in his career. . . . Tri-City has won six in a row and is the first WHL team to 50 points this season. It leads the U.S. Division five seven points over Portland and is atop the Western Conference, five points up on the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Portland has lost three in a row. . . .
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Oliver Gabriel, Portland.
F Chase Clayton, Calgary.
D Colton Jobke, Regina.
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For today’s good read, we go to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. You know, Brooks . . . he is John Tortorella’s favourite sparring partner. Anyway, Brooks has a column in Sunday’s paper that is headlined: Time for NHL to give up the fighting. . . . It is right here and it is more food for thought.
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And now here’s a treat that doesn’t have much of a hockey angle, other than a mention of Brian McFarlane. But if you read The Hardy Boys back in the day, this right here is for you.
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