MiHockeyMag - March 19, 2012

mihockeynow.com

V.22 : I.18 | March 19, 2012

FIRST CLASS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MICHIGAN MARCH 19, 2012 VOLUME 22: ISSUE 18 6 THE LOCKER ROOM Talking hockey on Facebook and Twitter

8 SLIDESHOW High school state championships photos

10 SPEAKING OF HOCKEY

What’s your favorite youth hockey memory?

12 GET BETTER

A drill to help with checking

14 YOU SHOULD KNOW The NTDP’s Jared Rutledge

16 FUTURE PRO GOAL

The Equipment Conundrum?

25 TOURNAMENT CALENDAR The latest tournament listings

26 HOMETOWN HERO Lansing’s Drew Miller

39 MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS Meet Rasmus Bengtsson

28-30

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

41 NAHL

Next wave of college commitments coming

Read about all three high school state championship games

42 U.S. NTDP Checking in with Danton Cole

43 COLLEGE HOCKEY Oakland’s remarkable season

44 JUNIORS Previewing the upcoming OHL Draft

46 GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS One for the Record Books

18

STATE CHAMPS

youth state title games continues

4

Michigan Hockey

48

RED WINGS INSIDER

Dave Waddell writes about how Gustav Nyquist is fitting in with the Wings

50

LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE LAST LINE

Darren Eliot examines where the Wings are heading into the final stretch of the regular season

MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

APRIL 9, 2012

To advertise in Michigan Hockey please contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or lucia@mihockeynow.com or Michael Caples at (248) 479-1136 or mcaples@mihockeynow.com

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

FROM THE EDITOR MICHIGAN HOCKEY EDITOR Michael Caples

mcaples@mihockeynow.com

ADVERTISING Lucia Zuzga

lucia@mihockeynow.com

DESIGN Emily Huston Chuck Stevens MICHIGAN HOCKEY STAFF Brian Kalisher bkalisher@mihockeynow.com

DISTRIBUTION Lucia Zuzga

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Amy Jones DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & PROGRAMMING Darren Eliot

EDITORIAL BOARD: Bob DeSpirt, Christine Knight, Derek Blair, James Jenkins, Julie Pardoski, Kirk Vickers, Linda Holland, Lisa Zarzycki, Mark Vansaw, Nyron Fauconier, Randy Paquette, Rob Mattina, Susan Bottrell, Tim Wilson, Todd Krygier LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: MICHIGAN HOCKEY® welcomes Letters to the Editor.

E-mail mcaples@mihockeynow.com

MICHIGAN HOCKEY is published by SUBURBAN SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS, LLC 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 483352829.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MICHIGAN HOCKEY®, 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829. ©2011

by Suburban Sports Communications. All Rights Reserved. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of MICHIGAN HOCKEY or its advertisers. All editorial copy, photographs and advertising materials remain the property of MICHIGAN HOCKEY.

BY MICHAEL CAPLES We had a little trouble deciding which photo we wanted to use for the cover of this issue.

So we let you decide instead.

I’ve been overwhelmed by the response we have received since posting three options for the cover on our Facebook page. In less than 24 hours, our readers sent over 300 votes in, with varying opinions of which we should choose. You can close the magazine and see which one we ended up with – but please be sure to open it back up when you’re done reexamining the cover.

I think it’s an accurate description of how this state feels about high school hockey, and really hockey in general.

The passion we all share for the game (and for our schools) is something remarkable.

It’s such a great time of year for that passion to be showcased, as well. New high school kings were crowned.

College hockey’s best converge on the Joe for the CCHA Championships. The Red Wings are battling to keep home ice in the playoffs (more on that in Darren Eliot’s “Last Line” column on Page 50). And the youth state championships

@michaelcaples continue. On that note, we hope that everyone who got sick during their games at Taylor heal quickly. What a horrible story; kids who earn a spot in a state title game shouldn’t end up at the hospital due to strange illnesses that come up out of nowhere. No person deserves that, obviously, but you know what I’m getting at there.

We’ve got plenty of high school coverage in here, and plenty of youth state title games too. Plus, we check in with Michigan native and NTDP coach Danton Cole, Dave Waddell reports on how Gustav Nyquist is fitting in with the Red Wings, and much, much more.

We have a little bit of a breather after we send this paper off to press. However, that just means more time to focus on the web. Keep an eye on MiHockeyNow.com for more state title games, more college coverage, and anything else hockey we can come up with. In my honest opinion, it’s certainly worth adding to your bookmarks collection.

See you at a rink soon.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY 23995 Freeway Park Drive • Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829 (248) 478-2500 • FAX: (248) 478-1601 E-MAIL: mcaples@mihockeynow.com WEBSITE: mihockeynow.com PHOTOS AT LEFT: Brother Rice players celebrate a goal at Compuware during the state title game (Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey), Reader submission, Gustav Nyquist (Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins) COVER: Photo by Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey

Cover reprints available e-mail: mcaples@mihockeynow.com

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

VISIT MIHOCKEYNOW.COM FOR DAILY COVERAGE OF HOCKEY IN MICHIGAN MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

Michigan Hockey

5

THE LOCKER ROOM

THE

LOCKERROOM LOCKER ROOM POLL

ON THE FLY

Q:

We couldn’t decide which championship photo to use for the cover of this issue. So we let our friends on Facebook decide. We posted a photo with all three design possibilities, and asked them to pick between A, B, and C. Here’s what the results were:

Cover A – 14%

Cover B – 30.5%

Cover C – 55.5%

TWO FOR TWEETING

Thi photo This h t was shared h d with ith us on F Facebook b k by b Jennifer J if Leigh L i h Photography Ph t h (www.jenniferleighphoto.com). Jennifer captured Brother Rice captain Mackenzie MacEachern celebrating after his goal in the state title game at Compuware on March 10. Pretty cool photo, huh? We’re glad she shared it with us.

6

Michigan Hockey

Always fun to see readers snap a photo of the magazine when they see their loved ones featured.

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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Supporting our Michigan Hockey Families Since 1976

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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Michigan Hockey

7

SLIDESHOW

MICHIGAN HOCKEY IN PICTURES: HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONS The Brighton Bulldogs celebrate one of their four goals on the night.

(Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey)

The Brighton Bulldogs show off their D1 state title trophy after topping Grosse Pointe North 4-3. (Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey)

The Brother Rice Warriors celebrate one of their four goals en route to a win over Grosse Pointe South in the D2 state ďŹ nal game. (Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey)

Jacob Soyka celebrates his goal in the D3 state title game with William Yates. Their Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett team captured a state title in Plymouth moments later. (Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey)

The Brother Rice Warriors skate their new trophy over to their friends in the student section at Compuware Ice Arena. (Andrew Knapik/Michigan Hockey)

8

Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

Ages 18 & up

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10 Skates

11 Skates April 9th - June 26th

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SPEAKING OF HOCKEY

“What’s your favorite youth hockey memory?

We all have them, whether it was our first goal, a game-winning goal, a funny play, or a state/national title. Share you story!”

For each issue of the magazine, we will post a question on Facebook, and one randomly selected answer will win a Warrior prize pack: hoodie, hat, and T-shirt. Good luck!

We had a completely outdoor rink until I was a Squirt. Then they finally put a roof over it. By the time I was in high school, we were completely enclosed and had refrigeration. But I’ll never forget my dad shoveling snow off the ice between periods when I was a Mite. Alex DiFilippo

I would have to say my favorite youth hockey memory was my very first year of being on a real team.

We, the Plymouth Shark Attack, went 25-0 and blew out my good friends’ team in the championship game at Joe Louis Arena. This was by far my favorite youth hockey memory. Chase Zebari

My favorite memory was meeting Nick Lidstrom before a game at Novi. Signed everything we brought to him and was a great guy. Jordan Peerbolte

My son’s winning goal in a tournament championship game in OT :) Lynn Marie Vitte My favorite memory as a kid was dominating in roller hockey just to come in second year after year. Mike Slade

WINNER

Having a kid two-hand me in the blocker at the end of a championship game...only to become teammates and friends with the same kid down the road. David Telega

Watching my son’s Midget B team win States this season up in Sault Ste Marie. It was first for all the boys and coaches on the team and watching them win 3-2 in the final was just great! The whole weekend being up in the Soo with the team made it even that much better. Most of these boys have played hockey since Mites so this is something they really worked hard for their whole hockey career. It was a total team effort with lots of support from lots of family who also made the trip. None of us will ever forget that experience! — Christine Schenk Marek

Visit our Facebook page to try and win our next Warrior prize pack, facebook.com/mihockeynow 10

Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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Michigan Hockey

11

GET BETTER

GETBETTER POWERED BY

INDIVIDUAL CHECKING DRILL

Hockey Player Connor Kostaroff Age 10 Hometown Brighton Team Kensington Valley Squirt Destroyers Position Center Coaches Max Reginier and Tyson McCarthy School Malby Middle School Grade 5th Favorite Team Detroit Red Wings Favorite Player Nick Lidstrom

Objective: Angling to create separation Key Elements: Skating, puckhandling, puck protection and checking. Good competition drill to end practice.

Organization: Forwards line up against side boards at blue line and defensemen line up in slot. On the whistle, D-man executes transition element, pivoting at hash marks to go back and retrieve a puck that coach dumped in corner. Forward skates a tight ďŹ gure-8 at blue line, pursues D-man retrieving the dump-in. D-man has to skate puck out of zone (not shooting it out, but carrying the puck out) against resistance of forechecker.

Progression: Add players to each side making it a 2-on 2 breakout versus an equal number of forecheckers.

Hockey Player Kathryn Kostaroff Age 8 Hometown Brighton Team Kensington Valley U10 Ravens Position Left Wing Coaches Kim Gerns, Tony Siciliano and Dave Kostaroff School Spencer Elementary Grade 2nd Favorite Team N/A Favorite Players Her Teammates

Make your player a "Star of Tomorrow" Every player appearing on Reebok's Stars of Tomorrow will win a new Reebok hockey stick! t (P UP NJIPDLFZOPX DPN BOE ĂśMM PVU UIF GPSN PO UIBU XFCQBHF 8F XJMM DPOUBDU ZPV BCPVU B QIPUP UP BQQFBS JO UIF QBQFS

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Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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League Features Season runs early April - June

Recreational hockey for beginners and players with little or no organized experience.

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YOU SHOULD KNOW

you should know FIRST CONCERT: Gavin DeGraw

MUST-SEE TV: Prison Break FAVORITE MOVIE: Warrior WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE AN HOUR OF FREE TIME: Sleep IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE WISH GRANTED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?: I would want free unlimited hockey gear from all major equipment companies FAVORITE BREAKFAST FOOD: Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE: Black Ford F150, 2011 FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY: Playing street hockey with my dad THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Lil’ Wayne, Zac Brown, and Bob Probert ONE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT: iPhone WHO WAS MOST INFLUENTIAL ON YOUR HOCKEY CAREER: My dad, he learned to play goalie through pro instructors and then taught me everything he knew

jared rutledge US National Team Development Program

goaltender While he may be from Chicago, Jared Rutledge is a player Michigan hockey fans should get to know. The talented goaltender is developing under coach Danton Cole with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program U18 squad right now. But next year, he’s committed to playing for Red Berenson and the Michigan Wolverines. The 5-foot11, 167-pound netminder could be the replacement for Shawn Hunwick in the Wolverines’ crease, which means he’s got his work cut out for him at the next level.

Photos courtesy of: stanleycupwinners.net (Stanley Cup), teen.com (Taylor Swift), eonline.com (Family Guy), wikipedia.com (Rocky), blingcheese.com (Superman)

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Michigan Hockey

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Michigan Hockey

15

FUTURE PRO GOAL

THE EQUIPMENT CONUNDRUM?

BY JEREMY KALENIECKI It is a well-known fact that each year the NHL evolves.

Sometimes there are big changes while other times the changes are small and seemingly unnoticeable. As the game continues to change, everything else has to change with it.

The purpose of this article is to discuss not a change, but rather a lack of change that is causing a direct correlation on how goals are being scored. It is no secret that hockey is becoming faster. What would have been allowed years ago in hockey is now a one-way ticket to the sin bin. The game is much more open and players now have more time and space to make plays happen. With faster and more creative players, it is becoming more of a necessity for goaltenders to be more active and athletic in playing style and philosophy. These truths are self-evident and thus everything about goaltending should follow suit including new equipment.

As goaltenders are being forced to be more active, why is it that the equipment manufacturers are making less active and less mobile gear? The pads are straighter, stiffer, and more squared off than ever before.

These new pad designs continue to cater to the blocking butterfly style of play. If you are a pure blocking butterfly goalie then these would be the best of the best. However, as I have already stated, even the biggest and most

well-training blocking butterfly goalie is being forced to become more and more active.

What consequences are there then if pads are getting stiffer and straighter while goalies have to be more active and thus need more mobile equipment? The correct correlation would lead one to believe that there would be a direct impact on the way goals are being scored. If you came up with that answer, pat yourself on the back. This season, more so than in any other season in the past, goalies are giving up more and more “bad goals.”

These “bad goals” are classified as goals that enter the net either through the body, underneath the body, or from poor angles. The new equipment, I personally believe, is directly responsible for goals that are entering through and underneath the body.

After watching over an hour of highlight film on the NHL Network I have come to the conclusion that the new equipment is responsible for these goals for two main reasons.

1.) The stiffer the pads, the looser they have to be worn to provide some type of mobility for the goaltender. The looser the pads, the less responsive they will be to the goalies movements. These movements include, direct knee drives, shimmies, and sliding butterflies. If the pads are less responsive, they will lack the speed necessary to seal off holes in and around the body, thus allowing more goals.

2.) Even when goalies wear the pads as loose as possible, they are still prone to restriction of movement.

Being that the pads are straighter, they sit higher on the foot which causes them to play taller on the body. The taller the rise on the pad the more restriction a goalie will have moving around the crease. The tops of the pads will be prone to interfering with each other, the goal pants, and in some cases the gloves and arm pit holes. Due to the interference, goalies again are struggling to seal off areas which were no problem in years past.

The key to this article is not to pick and choose or favor equipment manufacturers, but rather to ensure that all goalies are educated about their playing styles versus the equipment they are looking at buying. If you are an active goalie, wear active equipment.

GOALIE SCHOOL

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Michigan Hockey

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YOUTH STATES

41 Lumber top Bay County Blizzard for Pee Wee B state title

Iron River earns Squirt B title with a win over St. Ignace

BY BRIAN KALISHER

BY BRIAN KALISHER

T

he state title madness continues and more victors will be crowned throughout the month of March.

41 Lumber from the Dickson Amateur Hockey Association in the Upper Peninsula defeated the Bay County Blizzard 6-4 for the Pee Wee B state title in Fraser on March 4.

A hat trick from Peter Ropiak and a pair from Brandon Spindlow led the team to victory.

“Our boys, they worked hard and that’s really what it was,” assistant coach Lori Jacobson said.

When it came time to pick the MVP, the coaching staff had a hard time choosing just one player, so every kid on the team was named most valuable player instead.

“After the game when [the head coach] was supposed to pick MVP, he looked at me and said ‘well, what do you think?”

Jacobson said. “I already knew.”

Of course, all the credit goes to the players on the ice for their effort in winning the state title. But according to Jacobson, their bench boss deserves a lot of credit for the way he coaches his team.

“He’s a really good coach, he figures out which kid needs which kind of coaching,” Jacobson said. “Whether it’s the holler-

18

Michigan Hockey

at-you, the talk to you nicely, the calm encouragement, he knows how to play the right buttons.”

DAHA 41 Lumber controlled early, as they came out to a 3-0 first period lead.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the kids.

“It got feisty a couple times,” Jacobson said. “I think our kids lost a little bit of composure because, to be honest, other than a couple games during the season when they were off, the closest scores were maybe four to five goal scores. Most of them were like seven or eight goal differentials.

“In fact, in our district play, our first game we knew we were playing a very weak team and we were up 8-0 after the first period. Our coach just said ‘no more goals.”

Each win leading up to the championship was won in decisive fashion, winning their first two tournament games by 10-goal margins. They parlayed their early momentum into their fifth win in tournament play and a chance to call themselves state champs.

“They were pumped, the smart thing they did all weekend was they looked at it one game at a time,” Jacobson said.

W

hen talking about youth state titles in the state of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula is an area that also provides plenty of champions. While folks in the lower part of the Mitten may not have access to these match-ups, they are definitely some to keep tabs on.

Iron River defeated St. Ignace 3-2 for the Squirt B state championship on March 4 in Negaunee, Michigan. Led by outstanding goaltending from Evan Hedtke, who gave up only nine goals in all five tournament games, and full team effort from their coed players, Iron River walked away with their second Squirt championship in three years.

“We didn’t play our A-game the whole weekend,” coach Mike Hedtke said. “We played better hockey probably in districts, but we played good, solid defense, good solid goaltending and had great backchecking and took advantage of a lot of plays when we had them.”

Hedtke is happy that his team accomplished something they set out to do last season.

“Our goal since last year at districts was to get to states and win,” Hedtke said.

Iron River has faced tough teams all year.

In fact, seven of the team’s eight losses this year came from A and AA squads.

“We played tough competition, so then when it was time to play that top competition we were ready for it,” Hedtke said.

During Sunday’s contest, Iron River took a 3-1 lead late into the third period before earning a couple of penalties within ten seconds of each other. The team was successful in killing off the 5-on-3, before St. Ignace pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and added a goal to make the game 3-2. Iron River played strong defensively in the remaining minutes to claim the victory.

“I always tell the team, to be the best; you have to play the best.”

Keep us posted on your team’s success by contacting us on Facebook or Twitter.

Or email our editor at mcaples@mihockeynow.com

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Michigan Hockey

19

YOUTH STATES

Port Huron Flags top Mt. Clemens Oakland Junior Grizzlies for Midget AA state title capture Pee Wee AA state title

BY BRIAN KALISHER

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inning a championship requires a full team effort.

The Port Huron Flags understand this concept, which is why goals came from role players other than the typical scorers.

The Port Huron Flags took home the Midget AA state title on March 4, defeating Mt. Clemens 6-1. Jason Pringle and Eric Payne, who are important players on the team but not the traditional goal-scorers, each contributed two goals in what turned out to be a surprisingly lopsided scoresheet. Port Huron led by a five-goal margin after two periods of play, and never looked back.

“The championship game was kind of a surprise because we came right out and scored right away,” coach Charley Cook said. “We kind of put them on their heels, the other team. By the end of the second period it was 6-1, which really caught me by surprise that we had scored that many goals against a quality team like Mt. Clemens.”

Winning teams usually rely on secondary scoring during games when goals aren’t coming from the regulars. Port Huron worked as a team, all chipping in to attain the victory.

“This was a team effort,” Cook said.

“In the championship game, we basically had kids that hadn’t really scored in the tournament that were scoring.

“They play well for us, but it was just a surprise to see them score…to see people who don’t necessarily score every game, you’re kind of like ‘wow.’”

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Michigan Hockey

Part of a winning recipe is heading into each game with the right attitude.

Confidence and the will to improve are two team characteristics that should never be overlooked.

“We actually did develop an attitude that we were getting better and we could skate with anybody,” Cook said. “If we got down, or the game was tough, it was no more than what we had already trained for.”

It turned out to be the games in the tournament leading up to the championship contest that proved the most intense. Port Huron had already faced adversity and the team was ready to perform once the final game approached.

“The first game was really the emotional game,” Cook said. “Beating them for the first time and being in the first game of the tournament at noon on Friday, the players were so pumped up about even scoring a goal and getting the lead on these guys.”

Cook had his hands full keeping his team calm after the first frame and even described how two or three of his players needed to be calmed down due to all the excitement.

Through preparation, the experience of playing in some of the tougher games earlier, and old-fashioned hard work, Cook was able to lead his team to the Midget AA state title.

The squad now looks ahead to nationals, which begin later this month. Cook will give his boys a necessary break before beginning what he calls “a second season.”

“Obviously, it was more a sense of accomplishment,” Cook said. “They really worked hard.”

BY BRIAN KALISHER

I

f at first you don’t succeed, lace up the skates and try again.

The Oakland Junior Grizzlies won the Pee Wee AA state title on March 4, defeating Marquette 6-4.

A group of five Grizzlies players were teammates last season for another club who lost in the state finals to Grand Rapids, but made up for it this season.

“I think that learning experience that they had, the experience of going through how difficult it was, was a real motivational factor,” coach Dwayne Norris said. “Not only for those five kids to come back again this year, but I think it truly bred the environment and the atmosphere for kids to be prepared. Those experiences are not easy to come by and deal with at this age.”

Fortunately for this year’s team, they didn’t have to deal with the disappointment of losing in the championship game.

“It was great, we’ve been a team all year that has been one of the better Yzerman [division] teams,” Norris said. “Michigan has some very tough Pee Wee AA Yzerman teams.

“We’ve been prepping for a long time to anticipate some of the competition…we knew we were in for a tough haul and the kids really played unbelievable. The timing was right, we had played very well going into districts and it was very inspirational the way the boys had played all the way through districts and also last weekend playing the competition that we played.”

The quality preparation for districts is one of the reasons why the Grizzlies found success once they reached states.

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“The thing that I really liked was that, I felt that these boys had been kind of preparing themselves for districts, and hopefully getting through districts to states and really believing in themselves” Norris said.

“They believed in what we’re teaching, the type of mentality and commitment it was going to take. It’s just nice to see that 17 kids, they got it at the right time. The motivational part for them was really quite remarkable because I think people knew we had a good team, but that we weren’t the front-runners, that’s for sure.

“It was a credit to the kids really just buying in and giving that extra to win a championship, and that’s really what it was all about.”

The theme of this year’s state championship tournament seems to be teamwork and efforts that lead to entire teams becoming MVP. That was also the case for the Grizzlies, as one specific player didn’t run the show, but the entire team took part in the win.

“We had a lot of performances, really just solid across the board,” Norris said.

“There were a number of kids that just stepped up to the plate and found a way to contribute. To me it was about the whole team’s success.”

Next up for the Grizzlies is the final game for the Little Caesars championship and then it’s off to nationals.

“We have an opportunity to really do well and to run the table,” Norris said.

That’s not with arrogance, that’s just that these kids are that focused and I really believe that we have an opportunity to win nationals too.”

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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YOUTH STATES

Photo by Matt Bishop/Michigan Hockey

Keweenaw Storm win 19U Girls head coach Rob Kivela said.

Tier II state title Marquette “Disappointing? Yeah, it is a little bit. … We

Photo courtesy of Cory Genovese

BY MATT BISHOP

D

Marquette tops Mackinaw City for Girls 19U Tier II state title

BY BRIAN KALISHER

I

n the inaugural Girls 19U Tier II State Championship game, Marquette came out victorious.

After going 5-0 in MAHA tournament play, Marquette defeated Mackinaw City 4-3, scoring four straight goals, to take home the state title and cap off a successful season that saw them win 15 of their last 16 contests.

“It was a very rewarding experience,” coach Larry Carey said.

“We carried the play the first four-five minutes. Then we took a couple of penalties and Mackinaw City got the momentum at that time when we took those penalties and they really took it to us the rest of the first period, we were just hanging on.”

Heading into the first intermission losing 3-0, Carey knew his team needed a spark.

“At the start of the second I sat and I talked to the team and I said, ‘guys, there’s a lot of time left, there’s still two full periods to go, and you need to get the next goal.

That’s all, you have got to make up your mind that you’re going to go out there and get the next goal,’ – and they did.”

After defeating Alpena 6-1 that same morning, the championship game during the afternoon proved to be a bigger challenge.

Strong leadership from the coaches and team captains provided a necessary boost in the closely contested match-up.

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Michigan Hockey

“Our ability to pull through and even if we get down, our coaches were saying all season, we can bend but we can’t break,” Kaitlyn Riesland said. “Even if they score one goal we just have to come back and score two more just to show them that we’re still in the game and we’re not going to quit.

“When we went down 3-0, our captains just really stepped up to the plate and were like ‘hey, don’t put your heads down, we can still pull through this.”

It only took Marquette five minutes to tie up the game after they found the scoresheet. The next two tallies game just 25 seconds apart to knot the game at three goals apiece, until the game-winner came with just 2:49 remaining in regulation.

Marquette’s Kate Garrow was named tournament MVP. “It was crazy, awesome experience, nail-biter game right until the end, but we pulled through after being down 3-0 and won 4-3,” Riesland said. “It’s something that I know I’ll never forget and I know the rest of my team won’t either.”

earborn — The old adage is that defense wins championships.

For the Keweenaw Storm 19U girls team, that absolutely was the case.

The Storm, behind goaltender Stephanie King, shut down the competition in the MAHA Girls Tier II 19U state tournament, not allowing a single goal and winning the championship with a 1-0 win over rival Marquette AdvantEdge on Sunday at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center.

“The biggest part was our goaltender,” Keweenaw head coach Glenn Patrick said of his defense. “Stephanie didn’t allow a goal in five games in the tournament. She plays very well, but she has five people on the ice that help her. We really try to stress that all five players on the ice are part of our defensive zone coverage. It’s not just the D, it’s not just the goalie, and the girls are very good at protecting the middle of the ice. We play from the inside-out and they just do an amazing job at that.”

Although King’s performance did not earn her MVP honors, her coach was very proud of what she was able to accomplish during the course of the tournament.

“Some games, our team is very good with the puck, we move the puck well, so she goes without stretches without having a shot and she maintains her focus,” Patrick said. “It’s unbelievable the focus she has.

She might not get a shot for three, four, five minutes and suddenly they have a great scoring opportunity and she’s ready and makes it look easy.”

For Marquette, the loss ended its hopes of repeating as state champions.

“They always say the hardest thing in all sports is repeating as champions,”

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had some struggles throughout the year, but to have a 1-0 game in a championship game to try to defend our title, so if I’m going to lose, this is the way it’s going to go.”

When Patrick says his team is very good at protecting the middle of the ice, he isn’t kidding. The Storm held Marquette at bay for much of the game, allowing only a couple solid scoring chances in the 51-minute game.

After a relatively quiet first period, Keweenaw took the lead at 5:18 of the second period on a power-play goal by Rachel Kinnunen. Kinnunen had her shot from the right point blocked by a defender, but stuck with it, skating to the left boards where she sent a shot off the post and into the goal, beating Marquette goalie Carley Maanika.

“It was a great shot,” Kivela said.

Neither team would be able to put together much offense until late. With time running down, Marquette tried to bang away at a loose puck in front of King, but she stood tall, made the save and closed out the game with another shutout.

“I feel very confident in our zone most of the time because these girls, most of them, have been together for three years and they know how to play in our zone,” Patrick said.

Considering his team lost eight players from last year’s championship team, Kivela was happy with how far his team made it this season in addition to the fact his team was down to 11 skaters after two injuries in the tournament.

“It was a rebuilding year for us,” he said.

“We’re young. We’re playing 19U and only have three girls over the age of 16. We have 13, 14 and 15 year olds, so I can promise you we’ll be back.”

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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YOUTH STATES

State title games delayed, Taylor Sportsplex evacuated due to abrupt illness

Photo by Matt Bishop/Michigan Hockey

Mt. Clemens Wolves top Icebreakers for 16U Girls Tier II state title

BY MATT BISHOP

D

earborn — What was the biggest difference in Sunday’s MAHA Girls Tier 2 16U state championship game? If you ask Mt. Clemens Wolves head coach Cassie Jaeckle, it was energy.

Mt. Clemens, led by forward Olivia Lord, used non-stop energy to win the title, overcoming the Michigan Icebreakers 2-0 at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center.

“Our energy didn’t change,” Jaeckle said. “It was high. We’ve been playing the Icebreakers for the last four years now and the battles have been tight. We just were winning every battle because of that energy. Whether it was corner battles, whether it was neutral zone, backchecking battles, whatever battles they were, we were winning them and we just kept building off of that.”

Mt. Clemens opened the scoring with 6:32 left in the first period on a goal by Lord off a feed from Alyssa Genette.

Lord struck again at 6:41 of the second period. Breaking down the ice on a 2-on-1 with Tayler Losee, Lord feathered a perfect pass across to Losee, who made no mistake about it, finding the back of the net behind Icebreakers goalie Hannah Fremd. Genette fed the breakout to pick up her second assist of the night.

“The pass was pure unselfishness,” Jaeckle said. “If you look at that, that’s a very unselfish play she made and her partner finished it and that was textbook hockey.”

Lord executed exactly what her coach wanted her team to do on the day: Play

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Michigan Hockey

unselfish hockey.

“The thing I was preaching today in the locker room to the entire team was you have to be unselfish in a game like this,” Jaeckle said. “Everything has to be about your team, everything has to be about support, whether it’s supporting in the corner, supporting in the front of the net, it’s always about support.”

Mt. Clemens, though, did leave an opening for the Icebreakers early in the third period. After Leigh Farquhar went to the penalty box for roughing, the Wolves were called for too many men on the ice, giving the Icebreakers a 5-on-3 for 1:12.

The Wolves would kill the two penalties without much trouble and control the rest of the contest with its puck control game. Any chances the Icebreakers had of forming a comeback ended when Leah Elkins was whistled for a high stick with 2:01 left.

“One of the things we’ve been working on all year long is keeping it low and using that cycle and trying to get them to wear out and I think we did a great job of that today,” Jaeckle said.

For her efforts, scoring the gamewinning goal and assisting on another, Lord earned Most Valuable Player honors.

“She had a great, great day,” Jaeckle said. “She deserved it. She was hurt between the second and third periods and it just shows you what kind of character she has. She continued to play.”

MacKenzie Dennis was stellar in goal for Mt. Clemens when she needed to be, earning the shutout.

Editor’s note: During the state title games being played at Taylor Sportsplex on Sunday, March 11, members of various teams began falling ill from an unknown cause. The fire department eventually led the evacuation of the building, after a reported 25-28 people began experiencing flu-like symptoms.

A source told Michigan Hockey that he believes that more than 40 people experienced the symptoms from a suspected norovirus. The CDC compares a norovirus to a stomach flu or food poisoning. From the CDC’s website: “Anyone can be infected with noroviruses and get sick. Also, you can get norovirus illness more than once during your life. The illness often begins suddenly. You may feel very sick, with stomach cramping, throwing up, or diarrhea.”

MiHockey writer Carl Chimenti was at the Sportsplex to cover the games, and here is his account of the day.

BY CARL CHIMENTI TAYLOR - It started out as a great day for watching youth hockey.

The Taylor Sportsplex was buzzing this weekend, as the ice arena hosted a variety of state championship contests.

A huge crowd had gathered to watch four top state final games that included the ‘99 Pee Wee Major, 14U Bantam Major, the 16U Midget Minor and the 18U Midget Major tilts that were scheduled to be completed the evening of March 11.

It turned out to be anything but that, as the night spun out of control.

Things started out fine as the 16U and 18U games were played in the morning, with the best two out of three tied and scheduled for 6:30 pm and 8 pm that evening to crown a state champion.

Meanwhile, the third game went without a hitch as the large gathering watched Compuware beat Little Caesars 3-2 in the Pee Wee Major state title game.

The madness started soon afterward during 14U Bantam Major game. As the

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game progressed those of us covering the game were seated in one of the two suites, when reports started filtering in that a portion of the Victory Honda kids had come down with a stomach virus.

Although with people still not knowing the severity of the situation at hand, it was business as usual. The game went on as normal, with Victory Honda missing some key players due to the unknown illness. As the 14U game continued, now going into a second and third overtime, the shock began to unfold as the Taylor Fire Department had arrived and started bringing out players in stretchers and off to the nearest hospital.

We watched in shock as a number of players were taken out one by one.

“There were six kids to start and it ended up being seven or eight,” said Brian Burke, head coach of Victory Honda. “All of a sudden they started puking and then more and more guys started puking on the bench and we just kept losing them as the game went on.”

The 14U game was now four minutes shy of completing the seventh overtime when more trouble occurred. Belle Tire forward Greg Aliotta had picked up a loose puck along the wall and began driving towards the net. Just before he got there he was leveled with a thunderous check. As he lay on the ice you could see only his feet moving, as fire department personal moved in along with team and safety officials from the complex. He was put on a stretcher slowly and was removed from the ice. The check seemed like a normal hit and did not appear to be reckless or intentional. After he was in the process of being moved, the evacuation notice was relayed to everyone to begin leaving the rink immediately.

The fire department issued an evacuation of the building so they could proceed with an investigation immediately as to why the illnesses occurred. For the safety of everyone in the rink, it was the right thing to do.

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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Detroit, MI April 27-29, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 www.itshockeytime.com Big Bear - The Thunderbird Detroit, MI April 27 – 29, 2012 Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School Varsity & J.V. B A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Ferris State University’s 3 on 3 Hockey Tournaments Big Rapids, MI April 27-29, 2012 Mini-Mites (2005 & U); Mite & Bantam House; Bantam A-AA; High School Varsity; Midget AA-AAA; High School JV; Midget B-BB-A 231-591-2881 Big Bear - The Thunderbird Detroit, MI April 27 – 29, 2012 Mite U6 & Mite U8 cross ice 248-399-1694 www.shootouthockey.com MAY 2012 7th Annual Oakland Junior Grizzlies Tournament of Champions Invitational Troy, MI May 3-6, 2012 Squirt A – Midget AA 248-388-1001 Email: aboncore@ oaklandjuniorgrizzlies.com www.oaklandjuniorgrizzlies.com Big Bear - The Ring of Fire Ann Arbor, MI May 4 - 6, 2012 Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget/HS/ B - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Big Bear - The Ring of Fire Ann Arbor, MI May 4 - 6, 2012 Mite U6 & Mite U8 cross ice 248-399-1694 Visit us on line at www. shootouthockey.com OUT OF STATE TOURNAMENTS MARCH 2012 Niagara Falls Championship Cup

Niagara Falls, NY March 16-18, 2012 Mites, Squirts, Peewees, Bantams and Midgets, A, B, AE, & AA Divisions available in most tournaments. niagaratournaments.com 716-791-4068 or 716-405-7154 Gcarella17@roadrunner.com Weekend Hockey Tournaments Tampa, FL March 16 - 18, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com www.weekendhockey.com North American Holiday Hockey Las Vegas, Nevada March 21 – 26, 2012 Las Vegas Ice Center Adult & Youth 1-800-322-NAHH www.nahhtours.com email: NAHHTOURS@aol.com Weekend Hockey Tournaments Pittsburgh, PA March 23-25, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com www.weekendhockey.com Hockey Time Productions Rock ‘n Roll Cup Tournament Series Cleveland, OH March 23-25, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 www.itshockeytime.com North American Holiday Hockey Fort Lauderdale, Florida March 28 – April 2, 2012 Saveology.com Iceplex (Panthers’ Practice Facility) Adult & Youth 1-800-322-NAHH www.nahhtours.com email: NAHHTOURS@aol.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises Chicago Cup Chicago, Illinois

March 29/30-April 1, 2012 Includes Blackhawks vs Blues tickets Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Phone: 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises Atlantic City, NJ March 30-April 1, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Phone: 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com Weekend Hockey Tournaments Philadelphia, PA March 30-April 1, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com www.weekendhockey.com

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www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com CANADA MARCH 2012 CANADIAN CUP Montreal, Quebec March 16-18, 2012 Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget AA, A, B, House Select Minor/Major/Mixed divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises Capital Cup Ottawa, ON March 16-18, 2012 Includes Senators vs Leafs tickets Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Weekend Hockey Tournaments Philadelphia, PA March 30-April 1, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com www.weekendhockey.com

APRIL 2012 Canadian Hockey Enterprises Banff Cup Banff, Alberta April 12/13 - 15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises...1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

APRIL 2012 Canadian Hockey Enterprises Gamblers Cup Las Vegas, Nevada April 12 - 15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions (also Women’s divisions) Phone: 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Canadian Hockey Enterprises Montreal Adult & Old-timer Tournament Montreal, Quebec April 13 – 15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises…1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Canadian Hockey Enterprises Phoenix Cup Phoenix, Arizona April 12/13-15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, divisions Phone: 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Canadian Hockey Enterprises Okanagan Cup Kelowna, British Columbia April 13-15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises...1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Canadian Hockey Enterprises Niagara Cup Niagara Falls, Ontario April 13-15, 2012 Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Phone: 1-800-461-2161

OCTOBER 2012 Otsego County Sportsplex Gaylord, MI AAA Early Bird Tournament October 5 – 7, 2012 4 game guarantee Level: 2000 8 team limit Jim Driver 989-858-3400 Email: jim@premierjd.com Otsego County Sportsplex Gaylord, MI AAA Early Bird Tournament October 12 - 14, 2012 4 game guarantee Level: 1999 8 team limit Jim Driver 989-858-3400 Email: jim@premierjd.com Otsego County Sportsplex Gaylord, MI AAA Early Bird Tournament October 19 - 21, 2012 4 game guarantee Level: 1998 8 team limit Jim Driver 989-858-3400 Email: jim@premierjd.com

2012 SCHEDULE North American Holiday Hockey Adult & Youth 1-800-322-NAHH nahhtours.com NAHHTOURS@ aol.com Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Ice Center March 21 – 26, 2012 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Saveology.com Iceplex (Panthers’ Practice Facility) March 28 – April 2, 2012 Montreal, Quebec Complexe Sportif Bell (Canadiens’ Practice Facility) April 13 – 15, 2012 Toronto, Ontario Canlan Ice Sports April 20 – 22, 2012 Hartford, Connecticut International Skating Center of Connecticut April 27 – 29, 2012 Atlantic City, New Jersey Flyers’ Skate Zone (Flyers’ Facility) May 4 – 6, 2012

HOMETOWN HEROES

DREW MILLER 26

Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

DETROIT RED WINGS

NHL TOTALS (AS OF MARCH 14)

268 39 37 GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

76

POINTS

66 PIM

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (2003-06)

125 39 47 GAMES

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

GOALS

ASSISTS

86 POINTS

89 PIM

Michigan Hockey

27

HIGH SCHOOL STATES

DAAVETTILA’S LATE GOAL GIVES

BRIGHTON D1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OVER GROSSE POINTE NORTH

BY MATT MACKINDER Chet Daavettila said he doesn’t remember much about scoring with 1:32 left to put Brighton ahead 4-3 over Grosse Pointe North.

Who could blame him? His goal wound up being the game-winner as the Bulldogs won the MHSAA Division 1 state championship last Saturday night in front of a raucous crowd at Compuware Arena in Plymouth.

“The puck just squirted out and it was a great play by Joe Borst down in the corner,” said Daavettila. “I just kind of shot it and didn’t really think about it. It just squeaked in somehow and I didn’t really see it go in. I didn’t know what to do; I just kind of stood there. I didn’t know what I was doing and I almost blacked out, it seemed like.”

The Bulldogs only had 11 shots on Norsemen goalie Chip

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Michigan Hockey

Wujek, but according to Brighton coach Paul Moggach, that was hardly a statistic to consider.

“It was tough finding a way, but at the end of the day, we found a way to get it done and I’m proud of the way we got it done,” said Moggach. “I don’t think it’s the number of shots, but the kind of shots you make. The better question is ‘How do you keep them out of your net?’ and our goaltender (Christian Michalik) kept coming.”

Michalik finished with 20 saves, allowing only a hat trick to captain Joe Aluia.

“Joe was outstanding,” said Norsemen coach Scott Lock. “He’s been one of our heart and soul guys all season long and especially in the playoffs, he really came to play and put the team on his back. Tonight, he was fantastic.”

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Lock went on to say that the game’s result could have gone either way.

“It was just one of those games where we didn’t get a lot of puck luck and Brighton got a lot of it,” Lock said. “I think we carried the play for most of the game, but we just couldn’t finish at times. Brighton got the bounces and they worked for their bounces. I think we made too many mistakes early in the game.”

Troy Marrett opened the scoring for Brighton (24-4-2) just 3:27 into the game and then Zach Morgan made it 2-0 on the game’s only power play at 9:48.

Aluia scored at the buzzer off a faceoff win to end the first period with North only down a goal.

Brighton captain Tommy Kivisto restored the two-goal cushion for the Bulldogs at 11:08 of the middle period only to have Aluia answer at 12:55.

Aluia tied the game at 8:22 of the third, setting the stage for Daavettila’s heroics.

“They definitely backed me up with the goals,” said Michalik. “It was more of just me making sure nothing else was going in. After we scored that fourth goal, I was like, ‘OK, nothing else is going in.’ I didn’t want anyone to even come close to scoring.”

“When North tied the game, we had the character to get through that,” said Moggach. “As disappointing as it is to get tied up, we knew what we had to do and stayed with it.”

Even though North came into the state tournament with a sub-.500 record and finished 15-15 overall, Lock said numbers can be deceiving.

“I get asked a lot about our record being under .500, but we play in the toughest league in Michigan (MIHL) by far,” said Lock. “You look at us and Port Huron Northern (Division 2) and we were both 7-6 in our league and we both get to the final four. I think playing (a tough schedule) better prepares us for the state playoffs. We knew our team was good and I knew our team was good in the summertime.

“We just didn’t get it done tonight.”

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

HIGH SCHOOL STATES

IN RETURN TRIP TO THE D2 STATE TITLE GAME,

BROTHER RICE PREVAILS

BY MATT BISHOP PLYMOUTH — After losing in the state championship game last season, Birmingham Brother Rice had a goal: Win the 2012 MHSAA Division 2 state title.

Brother Rice accomplished that goal Saturday at Compuware Sports Arena, dominating Grosse Pointe South from start to finish en route to a 4-1 win, capturing its first state championship since 2005.

“The boys stayed focused the whole time, they never panicked and came out and played hard every single game,” Brother Rice coach Lou Schmidt Jr. said. “We knew if we stuck to our game plan we’d be successful and we did it. I couldn’t ask for more as a coach.”

For South, which had gone unbeaten in its previous 19 games, it was a tough way to go out. South was clearly playing as hard as it could, it just ran into a juggernaut in Brother Rice and had trouble getting anything going.

“It’s been the story of our season,” South coach James Bufalino said. “We worked hard, we competed in all the games, we battled through penalties. The big thing with our team this year is we had three lines and (we have to) produce from all three lines. … Tonight we had to play a phenomenal competitor that was strong all over the ice.

We matched up one of our lines and expected the other two to produce. It didn’t happen.”

Brother Rice got off to a fantastic start, scoring on the game’s first shot. Senior forward Eric Dibble put in a great individual effort, sweeping across the middle of the ice, getting South senior goaltender Christopher Schebil down and out and roofing it. The goal came at 1:50.

Brother Rice would dominate much of the period, holding South without a shot for nearly the first 10 minutes of the game. South’s first shot was a dubious one at that, as it was only a backhanded flip from its own zone during a penalty kill that happened to go near the goaltender.

If South proved one thing during the state tournament, it was the fact that you do not want to put them on the power play. Having scored nine power play goals in its quarterfinal and semifinal wins, South is dangerous with the man advantage With Brother Rice freshman forward Conner Jean in the box for slashing, South was able to muster some hope near the end of the period.

Junior defenseman Jake Corden took a pass from his twin brother, junior defenseman Maxwell Corden, and

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

beat Brother Rice sophomore goalie Jack Bowman from the side of the goal to tie the game with 36 seconds left.

South, though, would not be able to maintain that momentum heading into the second period.

Brother Rice dominated the period, outshooting South 16-2. Junior forward Russell Cicerone scored at 6:08 and by the time Michigan State commit Mackenzie MacEachern scored on a great, patient backhand on the power play at 12:17, Brother Rice had more goals in the period than South had shots.

To their credit, South came out firing in the third period, but were turned away by Bowman on their two best chances of the game. Despite the light workload, Bowman was able to remain sharp, something Schmidt was happy with.

“He’s one of those guys you probably don’t notice a lot because he hasn’t seen a lot of shots,” Schmidt said. “I’m

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extremely proud of the fact he stepped up and played as well as he did today. … He stayed focused and stepped up and made the saves when he had to. Great job.”

Cicerone added an empty-net goal with 15 seconds left to seal the championship win for Brother Rice.

“It feels awesome coming here and doing what we wanted to do,” MacEachern said. “I can’t really describe it right now.”

The win capped a dominant tournament run for Brother Rice, which outscored its opponents 36-5 in six tournament games and finished the season unbeaten in 21 games.

“We came back from the winter break and it was very refreshing,” Schmidt said. “We had been going very hard, six days a week for two-and-a-half months. … I think it was just a well-needed rest. When we came back, we were focused and we kept winning, so it kind of built on itself.”

Michigan Hockey

29

HIGH SCHOOL STATES

GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT POSTS 3-0 SHUTOUT IN D3 CHAMPIONSHIP

BY BRIAN KALISHER Hockey is a game of momentum, and the Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett Knights had it on their side for all three periods of play in the Division 3 state title game.

Led by a two-goal performance from junior James Counsman, a 17-save shutout from freshman Lucas Soyka, and a combined team effort to outshoot their opponent by 16 shots, the Knights defeated the Houghton Gremlins 3-0 for the state title at Compuware Arena March 10.

“I think what it shows is, that we have an extremely deep team and they work very hard,” fourth-year coach Robb McIntyre said. “We’ve found different ways to win all year long. We talked about it in the room, we just had to be prepared for anything and just understand no matter what went on that we have the ability to come back, the ability to win late, the ability to win in the second, the first, the third, and it was just really maintaining that.”

McIntyre believes his team beat a great opponent in the relentless Houghton squad.

“I thought they were great,” McIntyre said. “I think they

30

Michigan Hockey

came out extremely hard and they really never faltered.

We got a couple power-play goals and I think we tired them out a little bit here and there, but not really. My plan was to go out and wear them down, and I didn’t think it ever happened.

“I think they played us as well as anyone has, they had a good game plan.”

With the win, the seniors who came in four years ago with McIntyre created memories for themselves that they won’t soon forget – and ones that seemed unlikely a few years ago.

“It’s just grown every year,” McIntyre said. “We’ve really built this on the backs of these guys.

“We talked a lot about legacy and what they’re going to leave behind. It’s something that they can be proud of and the guys that were builders that have left already [can too], guys before who really did what they had to do to stay on that team. I think we’ve made a growth, it’s really pretty hard to find a comparable situation.”

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On the losing side, Houghton senior goaltender Tony Peltier stopped 30 shots and held his team in the game with an outstanding performance between the pipes.

With the back-end taken care of, the only thing missing from the Gremlins’ performance, according to coach Corey Markham, was more offensive punch.

“The only thing we didn’t do real well was create a lot of offense,” said Markham, who is in his 13th year coaching the club. “We struggled in that area, defensively we played well, we kept them to the outside and they didn’t have a lot of grade-A chances, a couple at first but I was happy with how we did that.”

Despite a fast-paced first period, the opening frame ended without a goal from either side, but there were plenty of chances.

A giveaway by a Liggett defender paved the way for a hard Gremlins shot on goal. Seconds later, Houghton was awarded a penalty shot that saw sophomore Connor Hannon ring one off the left goalpost.

The Knights started the second frame with an early goal from Counsman – his first of the night. Speedy junior defenseman Mark Evan Auk rifled a shot from the point that Counsman tipped to give his team the 1-0 lead.

After exchanging power-play chances, Liggett maintained pressure and kept the puck in the Houghton zone for the majority of the period. Tony Peltier made some of his best stops in this frame, saving nine and keeping his team alive. Counsman nearly scored again for the Knights with three minutes remaining in the period, when he cut across the crease and was stoned on the backhand attempt.

A couple minutes later, at the 1:41 mark, Counsman made up for it by posting his second goal of the evening, roofing it past Peltier during a huge scrum in front of the net, making it 2-0 for Liggett to round out the second.

The third period consisted of the teams exchanging power play chances before Liggett’s Jacob Soyka netted the team’s third goal to put the game all but out of reach.

The junior, and brother of goalie Lucas (there’s actually three Soyka brothers on the team), cut in front of the net and shot it high on the goalie.

Despite a Houghton power play with two minutes remaining in regulation, the Knights held on to win the game 3-0, and claim the D3 title.

“We’re pretty proud of ourselves,” McIntyre said.

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

BOY RECIPIENTS Garret Bailey, Alpena Robert Bondy, Ann Arbor Pioneer Quinn Lyman, Bay Reps Travis Adkins, Belleville Danny Fryc, Berkley Ferndale Unified Grayson Barbot, Big Rapids Mike Ryan, Birmingham Groves Patrick Gleason, Bishop Foley Catholic Michael Calvas, Bloomfield Chris Wilberding, Brother Rice Luke Brithinee, Cabrini Joe Gussert, Cadillac Tage Green, Caledonia Shawn May, Canton Steven Warren, Carleton Airport Jake Alan Elmore, Cheboygan Area Cody Fojtik, Chelsea Zach Greiner, Chippewa Valley Dan Macalka, Comstock Park Justin Kirk, Cranbrook-Kingswood Justin Sims, Crestwood Sean Allen, Dearborn Divine Child Joe Steele, Detroit Catholic Central Ryan Goleniak, Detroit Country Day School Adam Frechen, DeWitt/St. Johns Cameron Rooks, Dexter Austin Bremer, East Grand Rapids Matt VanValkenburg, East Kentwood Chris Hagan, East Lansing Kevin Belvitch, Edsel Ford Aaron Schneider, Eisenhower Tony Monico, Farmington

Hunter Braciszewski, Father Gabriel Richard, Ann Arbor Jacob Raske, Flint Powers Catholic Jared Mervenne, Forest Hills Northern Connor Gordley, Fraser Willis Gelow, Gaylord Tyler Thomas, Gibraltar Carlson Drew Black, Glen Lake Trevor Bushnell, Goodrich Hunter Moran, Grand Blanc Doug Zelenka, Grand Haven Aaron Mohnke, Grand Ledge Mike Pryor, Grand Rapids Christian Kyle O’Hearn, Grand Rapids West Catholic Ryan Laurain, Grosse Ile Max Landry, Hartland Drake Anderson, Houghton Dan Hoekstra, Hudsonville Shane Long, Jackson Lumen Christi Logan Burns, Jackson United Christopher Powell, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (United) Kody Eddy, KBH United Dan Hankins, Kenowa Hills Elliott Rinke, Lake Orion Joey Lepkowski, Lakeland Brett Blum, L’Anse Creuse Anthony Marchionni, L’Anse Creuse North Nate Richards, Lapeer East/Lapeer West Jim Lelekatch, Livonia Churchill Brian Roulier, Livonia Franklin Christopher McDonald, Livonia Stevenson Scott Rymill, Macomb Dakota

Yari Lynch, Manistee Collin Schwemin, Marquette J A Sonnevil, Mattawan Sam Murad, Milford Kyle VanderWal, Mona Shores Matt Stockert, New Boston Huron Shane Moran, North Farmington DJ Pagnucco, Notre Dame Prep, Pontiac Michael Albosta, Nouvel Catholic Central Kent Burnett, Novi Ryan Restum, Okemos Daniel Coley, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Nick Hocker, Oxford Kirk Smith, Pinckney Nate Stemberger, Plymouth Zachary Davis, Port Huron Louis Nowakowski, Port Huron Northern Michael Scott, Portage Northern Doug Grevious, Reeths-Puffer, Muskegon Anthony Facca, Rochester Justin Ullrey, Rockford Cameron Gillem, Romeo Drew Yntema, Saginaw Heritage Ryan Gilleran, Saint Clair Kyle Eggenberger, Salem DJ Aben, Saline Sean McGahey, Sault Area Austin Buchholz, SCS Unified Zach Zitnik, South Lyon Zak Moore, St. Mary Catholic Central Taylor Zuke, Stoney Creek Nathan Bryant, Swan Valley Russell Ellinger, Thorneapple Kellogg

Lucas Little, Traverse City Central Willie Hanrahan, Traverse City West Michael Lesko, Trenton Brett St. Cyr, Troy David Gushee, University Liggett School Erik Rust, University of Detroit Jesuit Kevin Chalmers, Utica Stevenson Stefan Ropp, Walled Lake Central Paul Fowler, Walled Lake Northern Nick Malles, Walled Lake Western Brian Feldpausch, Warren De La Salle Ryan Brown, Waterford Kettering Scott Cuthrell, Waterford Mott Brian Lipson, West Bloomfield Joe Taurence Jr, Woodhaven Ryan Lynch, Wyandotte Roosevelt GIRL RECIPIENTS Hanna Sturgis, Ann Arbor Pioneer Sydney Sakwa, Cranbrook-Kingswood Christine Jiang, Detroit Country Day School Emma Huellmantel, Grosse Pointe North Melissa Klinger, Grosse Pointe South Erin Cronyn, Ladywood Lauren Hensick, Mercy Emily Bullock, Plymouth-Canton-Salem Haleigh Bolton, University of Liggett

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2012 SPRING TRYOUTS 2005 STARS

Coach – Manon Rheaume mrheaume33@aol.com TRYOUTS COMPLETE

2002 STARS

Coach - Vicki Crimmins Vcrimmins9@comcast.net 3/21/12 = 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 3/24/12 = 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM

2004 STARS

Coach– Cal McGowan cmcgowan@suburbanice.com 3-21-12 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 3-24-12 = 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

2003 STARS

Coach – Matt West mattlwest@charter.net

2001 STARS

Coach – Cal McGowan cmcgowan@suburbanice.com

2000 STARS

Coach – John Fritz wlcjvh@sbcglobal.net 313-805-3609 3/24/12 = 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM 3/25/12 = TBD 3/26/12 = 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

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Coach – Mike McCollough mjmcc123@msn.com 3/19/12 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 3/28/12 = 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

98 STARS

MIDGET A STARS

Contact – Troy Isaacson tisaacson@gen-x-eng.com 3-16-12 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 3-20-12 = 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM 3-24-12 = 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Coach – Dan Cesarz Manager – Anna Martinez hydroplane87m@gmail.com 3/18/12 = 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM 3/20/12 = 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM 3/25/12 = 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM 3/27/12 = 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

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GIRLS 2012 SPRING TRYOUTS 10U Icebreakers Coach – Geoff Bennetts gbennetts@suburbanice.com 3/25/12 = 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM 3/28/12 = 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

14U Icebreakers Coach – Joe Jones jjones@suburbanice.com 3-24-12 = 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM 3-28-12 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

12U Icebreakers Contact – Cal McGowan cmcgowan@suburbanice.com 3/27/12 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 3/30/12 =7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

16U Icebreakers Coach – Glenn Stichhaller gsmv@comcast.net

Coach – Russ Tasker rmtasker6@att.net

AACCEPTING CCEPTING COACHING C OAC H I N G APPLICATIONS APPLIC AT ONS FOR FOR 12U 12U ICEBREAKERS ICEBREAKERS FOR INFO CONTACT CAL MCGOWAN CMCGOWAN@SUBURBANICE.COM

Woodhaven Hockey Association

House Draft Skates

MINI-MITES

MITES

Monday, March 26th 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Tuesday, March 27th 6:00 – 7:00 pm

SQUIRTS

PEE WEE

Monday, March 26th 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Tuesday, March 27th 7:00 – 8:00 pm

All skates are at the Southgate Civic Arena

Looking for Travel and House coaches for the fall if interested contact shannon5@wowway.com

MI ICE HAWKS PEE WEE A SPRING/FALL 2012 TRYOUTS (2001’s)

DATES: 3/18, 12:45PM, MCCANN ARENA; 3/20, 6:25PM, FRASER GLSC; 3/24, 2:00PM, MCCANN ARENA; 3/25, 12:45PM, MCCANN ARENA *Cost is $15/skate – Free for Goalies.* *Roster Openings at Each Position & Goalie.* *Prior Travel Experience Not Required.*

• NEW HEAD COACH: Michael Lucchese – NonͲparent paid coach with head coaching experience from Squirt to High School. Well known skills instructor for over eight years. Player on national championship college team.

• ASSISTANT COACHES: Michael Rourke and John Valenti (Goalies).

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD PLAYERS, AND OFFER ONE OF THE BEST YOUTH HOCKEY OPPORTUNITIES AROUND, INCLUDING: *Substantial Corporate Sponsorship* *Professional Coaching* *Reasonable Ice Bills* *Positive Environment* *FullͲTime Goalie Coach* *Strong Core of Returning Players* *Commitment to Player Development* For more information, please contact Scott at 313.737.9098, or email us at 01miicehawks@gmail.com.

Team website: www.michiganicehawks.org/01.

“A Tradition of Excellence” We are Proud to Announce Our COMPUWARE Coaches for 2012 – 2013 M. Mj. 98’s 00’s 02’s

Joe Pomaranski Derek Langlois Todd Krygier Jeff Garcia

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04’s 03’s 01’s 99’s

Todd Mailloux John Miller Ron Simons Matt Mitchell

M. Mn. 99’s 01’s 03’s

Lloyd Andrews Al Buchanan Tom Byrne Erik Penhollow

Andy Copp Todd Jenkins Jim Duhart John Miller

(734) 320-2543 (517) 812-3552 (810) 845-1486 (248) 388-0761

Dave Filak Jeff Garcia Rod Porter Greg Stefan

(615) 663-3469 (734) 231-7770 (810) 869-3901 (248) 473-0081

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(248) 867-8326 (248) 388-0761 (248) 918-7571 (810) 217-6699

04’s 02’s 00’s 98’s

Please contact our coaches direct for try-out information. For more information see www.compuwarehockeyaaa.com

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Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

2012 SPRING TRYOUTS honeybakedhockey.com 1998 Bantam Major Midget Major

CONTACT: Steve Dickinson 4EJYJF !BPM DPN t Tues April 10 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Tues April 17 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Tues April 24 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Tues May 1 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Tues May 8 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Tues May 15 8-9:30pm at Hazel Park Thurs May 24 9-10:30pm at Hazel Park Thurs May 31 9-10:30pm at Hazel Park

Midget Minor

CONTACT: Rob Krohl ,SPIMZ !HNBJM DPN t Monday April 2nd 9:00 pm at Hazel Park Thursday April 5th 9:00 pm at Hazel Park Goalie position is by invitation only

CONTACT: Pat Peake lmcsweet@aol.com Tryouts are complete

1999 Bantam Minor

CONTACT: Jeff Mitchell mitch22jo@sbcglobal.net Tuesday March 13th 7:00-8:30pm Thursday March 15th 6:30-8:00pm All skates are at SIFH and are $15 each

2000 Peewee Major

CONTACT: Trevor Edwards )POFZCBLFE !IPUNBJM DPN

Tryouts are complete

2001 Peewee Minor CONTACT: Danny Veri dannyveri@sbcglobal.net

2002 Squirt Major Tier II (DISTRICT 4) CONTACT: Dave Debol daviddebol@aol.com 1. o 1.

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All skates are at SIFH and are $15 each

2003 Squirt Minor Tier II (DISTRICT 4) CONTACT: Jeff Mitchell mitch22jo@sbcglobal.net Saturday March 17th 4:30-6:00pm Wednesday March 21st 5:30-7:00pm All skates are at SIFH and are $15 each

2004 Honeybaked (DISTRICT 4) CONTACT: Todd Waldo UXBMEP !DPNDBTU OFU

All Girls team tryouts will be held after the USA Hockey National Tournament which ends April 2nd

Girls 19U

CONTACT Head Coach Ryan Pardoski rpardoski@suburbanice.com

"TTPDJBUF )FBE $PBDI 3PC 3PCJOTPO SPCSPCJOTPO !HNBJM DPN

Girls 16U

CONTACT: Lyle Phair lphair@suburbanice.com

Girls 14U

CONTACT: Danny Veri dannyveri@sbcglobal.net

Girls 12U

CONTACT: Mike McCullough .KNDD !NTO DPN

A comprehensive training program for A/AA/AAA players ages 9-14

July 23 - July 27 6TXLUW 0LQRU Â&#x2021; 6TXLUW 0DMRU Â&#x2021; 3HH :HH 0LQRU 3HH :HH 0DMRU Â&#x2021; %DQWDP 0LQRU Â&#x2021; %DQWDP 0DMRU /,0,7(' (152//0(17 Â&#x2021; Applications can be found at:

honeybakedhockey.com or call 248-478-1600 Off ice training program by Triad Performance Gym and Training Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kirk Vickers, former Detroit Red Wings head athletic trainer.

Train Hard. Play Hard.

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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35

Girls Hockey Spring Tryouts U12 – U14 – U16 – U19 March 20th and 22nd – 7:00pm to 8:20pm Suburban Ice East Lansing $15 Per Skate

Coaches

2012 Motown Tournament Champions 2011 Semi-Finalists Pittsburgh USA Thanksgiving Classic www.glaha.org

Kevin Miller MSU Hockey Alumni Pro Hockey Player – 17 yrs Ph. 517.655.9334 Kevin.miller@yahoo.com

Brad Fast MSU Hockey Alumni Pro Hockey Player – 9 yrs Ph. 517.930.6907 Fasty27@hotmail.com

Tryouts are $50.00 April 6 – 8 We play in the NJPHL Call 734-604-0832 or email briancronan@yahoo.com

Maksymum Hockey 2700 Brighton-Henrietta TL Rd. | Rochester, NY 14623 | 585-426-8488

99 Michigan Travelers Try Out Dates

03 Michigan Travelers Try Out Dates

Tuesday March 20, 2012 -7:55 PM – Michigan Wednesday March 21, 2012 7:10 PM - Huron Sunday March 25, 2012 6:15 PM – Superior All Skates at Great Lakes Sports City $15.00 Per Skate All PosiƟons Open Non-Parent Level 4 Coaching ^ƚĂī Contact Coach Rick Lopez at 99TravelersCoach@gmail.com

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Michigan Hockey

Wednesday March 21, 2012 5:45 PM - Superior Thursday March 22, 2012 6:10 PM – Ontario All Skates at Great Lakes Sports City $15.00 Per Skate All PosiƟons Open Non-Parent Level 4 Coaching ^ƚĂī Contact Coach Rick Lopez at 99TravelersCoach@gmail.com

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

Detroit Skating Club 2012 Spring Adult Hockey Leagues Sign-up Today!

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

U18 ELITE BRIGADE AAA Spring team is designed to provide top high school age players further developmental opportunities at the AAA level. This program is great for players that plan on playing high school hockey in the fall. The team will compete in 2 local AAA tournaments and 4 exhibition games. Tryouts TBA

ELITE BRIGADE 2OOO AAA Summer team will practice 2x per week for 6 weeks. Team will play in May 25-27th Warrior AAA summer tournament at Troy Sports Arena.

Season will begin late May and end in July. Tryouts TBA. Home rink is Kensington Valley Ice House.

ELITE SUMMER TRAINING TEAMS ELITE TRAINING TEAMS are a combination of individual skill development, and off-ice strength/ conditioning training. These camps are available for Peewee Majors, Bantams, Midgets, and HS players.

EAST CAMP: T, TH 1.5hr on ice and 1hr off ice (speed work) M, W, F Strength training program at gym of choice WEST CAMP: M, W 1.5hr on ice 1hr off ice (speed work) T, TH, F Strength training program at gym of choice *Kensington Valley Ice House

Contact Coach Slater at 269-598-2197

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March 15th, Thursday Spring Tryout 7:30 – 9:00 pm

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March 24th, Saturday Open Skills Skate 1:00 – 2:30 pm

March 26th, Monday Spring Tryout 7:30 – 9:00 pm

March 29th, Thursday Spring Tryout 7:30 – 9:00 pm All skates at Grosse Pointe Community Rink 4831 Canyon St, Detroit, MI 48236 Cost: $15/skate; Goalies: Free We offer: Professional & Non-parent Coaches; Goalie Coaching; Private Locker Room; All positions open We are looking for a starting goalie!

Spring Coaches: Robb McIntyre, Craig Walworth, Eric Warezak More Information: Contact Eric Warezak at 313-363-5528 or eric_warezak@yahoo.com

Michigan Hockey

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1998

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Coach: Richard Hutchinson coachhutch@hotmail.com Contact for more information 586-524-6385

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Coach: Derek Burkhart dburk02@yahoo.com March 14 6:15 pm; March 19 7:00 pm; March 21 6:15 pm 248-495-3482

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

MICHIGAN’S LATEST STAR FROM SWEDEN

BY MATT GAJTKA

Forming Two Teams for Spring/Fall Seasons Birth Years ‘04, ‘05 & ‘06 April 2nd, 4th, 16th & 18th 5:00-6:30pm @Hazel Park, Viking Ice Arena - $15 per skate On Ice Instructors : Mike Hamilton, Brian Jardine, Larry Knapp, Craig Furstenau, Joe Smaza and Trevor Edwards For More Info, Email Mike Hamilton at: Coach85s@yahoo.com

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

Over the past decade, the state of Michigan has developed a reputation for being friendly to Swedish hockey players. But although Detroit is home to most of the notable Scandinavian imports, Muskegon is currently playing host to one who harbors National Hockey League dreams.

A second-round choice (No. 59 overall) of the Florida Panthers in last summer’s NHL Draft, and the highest draftee currently playing in the United States Hockey League, Lumberjacks defenseman Rasmus Bengtsson is hoping his stay on Michigan’s Gold Coast will expedite his journey to the game’s top level.

“I wanted to try something new,” said Bengtsson, 18, who had played parts of three seasons with the Rogle BK hockey club in his native country, at both the junior and senior levels. “So far I really like it here and I’m glad I made the decision.”

Bengtsson’s trans-Atlantic move was facilitated by a previous relationship between his advisor and Lumberjacks Owner/CEO Josh Mervis. But if Rogle BK hadn’t been gracious enough to approve the loan to Muskegon, Bengtsson would still be back home.

The 6-foot-2, 196-pounder is a smooth skater with good instincts at both ends of the rink. As of March 10, Bengtsson has skated in 22 games at the USHL level, contributing nine points while seemingly getting more ice time by the week.

Lumberjacks Head Coach Jim McKenzie took over the club’s controls just after Bengtsson arrived in the United States in early January, and the 15-year NHL veteran sees a lot to like in the game of Muskegon’s No. 2.

“Right away you can tell he’s a highly-skilled individual,” McKenzie said. “In the last few weeks you can tell his comfort level has increased a lot and we’re happy to put

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him out there in all situations.”

Bengtsson perhaps looks most in command when manning the point on the Lumberjacks’ power play. His first USHL goal and five of his nine points so far have come with Muskegon on the man advantage, but the numbers only tell part of the story.

“The chemistry he has with [Lumberjacks defenseman] Ryan Bullock is tremendous,” said McKenzie. “You watch them make all those great plays. Those two working the points have made our power play much more dangerous lately.”

While the power play is certainly one of Bengtsson’s comfort zones, his move to North America was inspired by his desire to improve all facets of his skill set. Perhaps the most significant adjustment he’s had to make is to the playing surface itself, which is generally about 15 feet narrower on this continent as compared to the European standard.

“The hardest change for me was figuring out my angles,” said Bengtsson. “I’ve been getting better at closing the gap [on opposing forwards] lately. Also the neutral zone is bigger in Europe so there’s more room in the offensive and defensive zones over here.”

Of course, the Panthers have a good amount of input on what their prized pick is working on. Led by former NHL defenseman Brian Skrudland, Florida’s player development department keeps track of Bengtsson’s progress and contacts him regularly.

Acclimating to the North American style of hockey has been one thing, but adapting to the culture of this continent has been another. Luckily for Bengtsson, at least one aspect of living in Muskegon requires no adjustment on his part.

“The weather here is pretty much exactly the same,” he said. “The food is a little different, but a lot of what we eat as a team is available in Sweden, too.”

In junior hockey, the host family (or “billet”) plays a key role for any given franchise, easing the transition from lower levels of hockey to a more professional lifestyle.

However, Bengtsson was already living on his own while playing for Rogle BK, so his billet has a different experience than most.

“The family has been awesome,” said Bengtsson of Scott and Dacia LeRoux, who share their home with him.

“They have a couple of kids my age so it’s been good to talk to them and just hang out. It’s been a really good experience.”

Like many athletically-minded youngsters in Sweden, Bengtsson grew up admiring his fellow countrymen who made it to the NHL. Of course, the Detroit Red Wings currently employ several natives of the hockey-crazed nation, from prolific forwards Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom to legendary defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. “[Lidstrom] makes it look so easy,” said Bengtsson of the seven-time Norris Trophy winner. “He definitely has a gift from above. He’s a guy I’d love to imitate but some of the things [he does] can’t be taught.”

Matt Gajtka is the Communications Director and Broadcaster for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com.

Michigan Hockey

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NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE NEXT WAVE OF COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

BY MATT MACKINDER COMING DOWN THE PIKE

Photos from left to right: Brett Gervais, Fairbanks forward Gabe Levin, Amarillo forward TJ Sarcona, Omaha Lancers Chris Wilkie (Photos courtesy of the NAHL) The North American Hockey League brands itself as a league of opportunity and with the recent surge in NCAA Division I college commitments, that claim certainly holds true.

Amarillo forward TJ Sarcona (Niagara), Austin defenseman Christian Folin (Massachusetts-Lowell), Fairbanks forward Gabe Levin (Denver) and Fairbanks defenseman Justin Woods (Alaska) are the latest NAHL players to have a college plan in place for next season.

“Every person who plays junior hockey has the dream of playing Division I hockey and I have succeeded in that dream,” Sarcona said. “Playing in Niagara means being a lot closer to home so that my parents can come up and see me play in a weekend series.”

In 49 games for the Bulls, Sarcona has potted 20 goals and added 30 assists for 50 points.

Amarillo coach Dennis Williams is ecstatic for Sarcona.

“To be able to coach TJ for the last couple of years has been fantastic,” said Williams. “It’s an honor for me. I think the world of him as a player and as a person. I know for a fact that he is going to do a great job at the next level for Niagara. TJ will be an impact player not only on the ice, but in the classroom and in the community.”

Sarcona is the tenth member of this year’s Bulls team to commit to play NCAA hockey.

Folin is a bit of a different story. He came to Austin last year from Sweden specifically looking to get a chance to play D-I hockey.

UML will give him that chance.

“I got a feeling that they really wanted me and they wanted to be part of my development,” Folin said. “I’ve been having the time of my life in Austin and I’m enjoying every second of it, but being away from my mom’s food

NAHL.COM MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

is a big change. I grew up with and I miss it, but at least I have Skype to talk to her and that helps a lot.”

In Fairbanks, Levin and Woods are continuing the tradition of moving players to D-I that the Ice Dogs’ organization has become known for over the years.

“Both Gabe and Justin have worked very hard this season and are a big part of our success,” said Fairbanks coach Trevor Stewart. “It is great to see them not only get rewarded with the selection to the Top Prospects Tournament, but then announce their NCAA Division I plans.”

Expect more commitments to be announced in the coming weeks as the NAHL enters the postseason.

NA3HL EXPANDS TO BREEZY POINT, MINN. The North American 3 Hockey League has approved membership for a new team in Breezy Point, Minn., that will begin play next season.

The Breezy Point North Stars fit right into the NA3HL’s Minnesota presence.

“We are very pleased to be adding another team in our 3HL footprint to help solidify the upper Midwest and Minnesota area,” NA3HL president Mark Frankenfeld said.

“The ownership has been extremely professional through the process and it represents another quality club to help share in the NA3HL mission to develop, train and expose players in the Tier III category. We believe all the pieces are in place to make their organization a success, on and off the ice.”

The Breezy Point staff includes GM Joe Bergquist and head coach Bryan Henrichs and the team will play all of its home games out of the 750-seat Breezy Point Hockey Center.

The NA3HL currently has three teams that call Minnesota home: the Granite City Lumberjacks (Sauk Rapids), Minnesota Flying Aces (Little Falls) and the Twin City Steel (Vadnais Heights).

NAPHL’S GERVAIS SIGNS NAHL TENDER The Orange County Hockey Club of the North American Prospects Hockey League has announced that 18U forward Brett Gervais has signed an NAHL tender with Fairbanks.

Gervais led OC in scoring during the NAPHL's regular season, scoring 14 points in 22 league games. In the NAPHL championship series, Gervais was even better as he helped OC to the NAPHL 18U semifinals, where they fell to the eventual champion California Titans. Gervais scored five points in four NAPHL playoff games.

Earlier this season, OC goaltender Arthur Brey (Aberdeen) and forward Tyler Teague (Kenai River) signed NAHL tenders.

THREE FROM NAPHL INVITED TO NTDP CAMP Fifty-three of the top American players born in 1996 have been invited to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program evaluation camp to be held March 19-23 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

The roster features three players who competed in the 16U division of the NAPHL this past season: forward Chris Wilkie from the Omaha AAA Lancers, defenseman Josh Wesley from the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes and Jr. Hurricanes goalie Logan Halladay.

“We have a terrific group of players and look for the talent level and competitiveness to be high,” said NTDP director of player personnel Peter Ward.

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41

JUNIORS PREVIEW NTDP

Checking in with US NTDP coach Danton

BY MICHAEL CAPLES Danton Cole says he has a hard time imagining a job more fun and more rewarding than the job he has right now.

If your job description involved working with the best young hockey players in the country and traveling across the globe, you would probably give the same answer.

Cole, a native of Pontiac, has certainly had his fair share of hockey experiences. After spending four seasons in East Lansing with the Spartans, Cole played 11 years of professional hockey. After his retirement, he moved behind the bench, serving as the head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins and University of AlabamaHuntsville.

But now, he’s working in Ann Arbor, serving as the bench boss for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-18 team. And Cole couldn’t be happier to be back home in Michigan.

“Growing up in Michigan and all that, we love it here,” Cole said. “It’s good to be close to family and all that. But I think wherever you’re at, it’s always the kids and the guys you’re coaching that determine how much you enjoy the job.

I have a hard time imagining something that is more fun and more rewarding than coaching kids of this talent and this hungry and this amount of dedication, so I’ve had a blast. I really like it here.”

Cole is charged with the task of molding some of the top players in the United States into hockey players capable of competing both in the college and professional levels, along with representing their country on the national stage.

“It’s hard to just, in a quick sentence or two, say what we do,” Cole said. “But I think the prevailing thing that is here is the training, the international experience, developing the guys mentally and physically to be pretty good hockey players - now and down the road for the US, whether it’s the U20s or at the senior men world championships, or in the Olympics. I think over time it’s proven to be a pretty good formula here.”

The Michigan native, who played for the Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lighting, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and the Chicago Blackhawks during his NHL career, said that one of his main goals for his players is to

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Michigan Hockey

Cole

help them become better citizens, not just better hockey players.

“One of the main things that comes out of this is just how they come out [of the program] as young men,” Cole

said. “How you act on and off the ice. We talk a lot in the minor leagues and stuff about how to be a pro, and we want them to be as complete as a hockey player and a person as they can coming out of here.

“There’s a lot of pressures, there’s a lot of different things that they’re responsible for here. Everywhere they go, 24 hours a day, they’re representing the United States of America, and that’s a pretty big responsibility for a 16 or 17-year-old young man. A lot of responsibility is put on them, but usually when they leave, mentally they’re in a pretty good spot, they know how to practice, which is a skill not everybody has, and they know how to get after it in games and how to adjust on the fly. They’re ready to take that next step, whether it’s college or pro hockey, which some guys have done.”

Since returning to the Mitten, Cole has been able to get a sense of how hockey in Michigan is progressing. So far, he likes what he sees.

“The kids that are coming out of here, if you look at - a lot on college rosters and there’s a lot of Michigan kids all over the country that are playing, when they jump into the junior leagues they do very well,” Cole said. “I think it’s good, I think we’re still sorting some things out at the minor level, trying to figure that out, but I think overall we’ve got a lot of hockey people and a lot of good coaches and the kids coming through are real strong.”

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

COLLEGE PREVIEW

OAKLAND’S CINDERELLA RUN ENDS WITH LOSS IN ACHA D-I TITLE GAME

“It can be tough to play hockey and balance your academics, but in the end you are rewarded with a college degree and you get to pursue your hockey career.”

JUSTIN ABDELKADER Michigan State University

Detroit Red Wings Play It Smart. Play College Hockey. www.collegehockeyinc.com Follow us on:

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

BY MATT MACKINDER Oakland University came into this season with aspirations to ease its nine freshmen into the lineup, have a good season and ultimately qualify for the ACHA Division I national tournament.

Check, check and check.

What wasn’t expected were the Grizzlies getting all the way to the national championship game on March 7, a game Delaware won 5-1 in suburban Cleveland.

“It’s tough to lose when you’ve worked so hard and battled so hard all year,” OU coach Jeremy Bachusz said. “It was a good run and I think it’s the toughest on our seniors because they won’t get another chance to do something like this, but we can certainly use this as motivation for next season.”

Grizzlies’ captain Brian Baker sees the season as a success, even without the win over Delaware.

“It’s hard to have a run like the one we had and not look at the season as a success,” said Baker. “We shocked the nation at nationals and no one can ever take that away from us. Obviously, we are a bit disappointed we did not go all the way and win that last game, but at the same time, we accomplished a lot of our team goals this year, which included being GLCHL regular-season champs.”

On the journey to the national title game, OU knocked off then-No. 4-ranked Arizona State and then top-ranked Penn State in the semifinals.

“I think beating those two teams and making it to the finals shows we can compete with the best teams in the country,” said Bachusz. “I think it also helps with recruiting and also with the guys coming back where they want to strive to be better. They’ve seen what it takes to get as far as we did.”

OU previously won national titles in 2004 and 2006 at the ACHA Division II level and then in 2007 at the D-I level.

“I originally came to Oakland for the engineering program and hockey was secondary,” said Grizzlies goalie Matt Toter.

“Hockey is becoming a great thing here. I’m still pretty sour about losing the national championship game, but it’s starting to sink in what a great season we had. It was always in the back of my mind that we could make a serious run and I never doubted the fact we would make the national tournament.”

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“I don’t think there was ever a point throughout the entire season where we thought that making nationals was not an attainable goal,” added Baker. “This program expects to be a national contender year in and year out and the coaches and players treat it like that.

“This was one of the tightest group of guys I have ever had the privilege to be a part of. We really gelled as a team early in the season and stayed close throughout the entire season.

It is a blast playing with these guys and having good times both on and off the ice. The brotherhood you create with your teammates in hockey is unlike any other sport.”

Bachusz, who played NCAA D-I hockey at Lake Superior State from 1998-2003, reflected on the season and sees no reason why a national runner-up honor is any reason to hang one’s head.

“I’m so proud of this team,” Bachusz said. “We had eight injuries going into nationals and really had a lot of adversity, but sometimes adversity helps. A lot of the freshmen stepped up and some of our seniors did as well. It will definitely be exciting to see what kind of a team we have next year because I know these guys will be hungry.”

“Next season, we want to win one more game,” added Toter. “I’m confident we can.”

Michigan Hockey

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OHL DRAFT PREVIEW

FEELING A DRAFT

OHL Priority Selection should feature plenty

of MICHIGAN TALENT

BY MATT MACKINDER With the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection on tap for April 7, a slew of Michigan talents should see their names come across the computer screen during the 15-round Internet draft process.

Whether or not they choose to play in the OHL is a different story, but over the years, the number of in-state players giving the nod to the league has been on the upswing.

The draft can be followed online starting at 9 a.m. at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

OHL Michigan scout Kevin Hess sees his share of Midget Minor (16U) and high school games over the course of the season and recently sat down with Michigan Hockey to share his comments on who he feels are the top 15 Michigan-based 1996-born players eligible for the draft.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

CAM ASHLEY, LW, CLEVELAND BARONS 16U (SAGINAW NATIVE) “Prototypical power forward that finishes a high percentage of his checks and brings a lot of energy to his team.”

KYLE CONNOR, LC/LW, BELLE TIRE 16U “Shifty and skilled player that can play any of the three forward positions. Plays a smart game and does a lot of little things well.”

JARED GARDNER, RW, BELLE TIRE 16U “Shows willingness to play in high traffic areas and possesses a good shot with a quick release.”

BUTRUS GHAFFARI, LD, COMPUWARE 16U “Solid defender who displays an offensive upside to his game. Extremely poised with the puck on his stick. Makes a very good first pass.”

CODY GIBSON, G, BELLE TIRE 16U “Pure butterfly-style goaltender. Makes the big save when his team needs him the most.”

MARCEL GODBOUT, RW, SHATTUCK-SAINT MARY’S PREP (MINN.) 16U (CENTER LINE NATIVE) “Represented Team USA at the Junior Olympics. Good skating forward that competes at a high level.”

AARON HAYDON, RD, BELLE TIRE 16U “Physical, in-your-face stay-at-home defenseman. Has steadily improved every aspect of his game throughout the course of the season.”

GORDIE HELMUTH, LW, LITTLE CAESARS 16U “Plays a gritty, in-your-face game and finishes a good percentage of his checks. Plays in the tough areas of the ice. Has good hands, especially in tight spaces.”

JOSH JACOBS, D, HONEYBAKED 16U “Represented Team USA at the Junior Olympics. Elite puck-moving offensive-style defenseman. Poised and patient with the puck. Possesses good feet and speed.”

AUSTIN KAMER, RW, BELLE TIRE 16U “Plays an honest, two-way game with a lot of passion.

Possesses good vision and plays a very unselfish game. Has a pro-like shot.”

DYLAN LARKIN, LC, BELLE TIRE 16U “Highly-skilled center with a good touch around the net. Possesses a fifth gear that separates himself from his peers. Does everything with his feet moving. Suffered a fairly serious ankle injury at Silver Sticks and has not played since Thanksgiving.”

DARBY LLEWELLYN, LC, HONEYBAKED 16U “Makes everyone on the ice a better player. Skill level and hockey sense are strengths.”

RYAN MANTHA, RW/RD, BELLE TIRE 16U “Big-bodied forward that has played both forward and defense this season. Possesses good hockey sense and a pro-like shot. Another player that has improved his game throughout the course of the season.”

CODY MILAN, RC, ORCHARD LAKE SAINT MARY’S PREP “Big-bodied center who has bounced back well from an injury that he suffered at the USA Select 15 Festival. Good skill set and has good touch around the net. Plays his best in big games.”

BRENDAN PERLINI, LW, BELLE TIRE 16U “Possesses tremendous hockey sense. He has the uncanny ability to see the play develop 2-3 steps before most players in his age group. Terrific vision and playmaking ability.”

WHO GOES NO. 1 OVERALL? While there is still no consensus No. 1 overall pick for the OHL draft, that may soon not be an issue as reports surfaced last week that 15-year-old forward Connor McDavid may be granted “exceptional player status” by the OHL and will be allowed to be drafted a full year before other players his age.

Last year, defenseman Aaron Ekblad went No. 1 to Barrie after earning this distinction and in 2005, John Tavares was the top choice by Oshawa when he was just 14 (he turned 15 when the season started).

Before the rule change, forwards Rico Fata (1995-96 with Sault Ste. Marie) and Jason Spezza (1998-99 with Brampton) played in the league as 15-year-olds with their hometown teams and had to enter the actual draft the following spring. Fata was taken No. 1 by London in 1996 and Spezza was taken with the top pick by Mississauga in 1999.

McDavid is playing with the Toronto Marlboro Minor Midget team in the Greater Toronto Hockey League this year.

Hockey Canada’s deadline for “exceptional player status” applications was Feb. 15 and a decision on whether McDavid will enter the draft (if his camp filed an application) on April 7 could be revealed any day.

ALL-TIME DETROIT/PLYMOUTH FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS — 1990 – 2011 1990 – Pat Peake, F 1991 – Todd Harvey, F 1992 – Bill McCauley, F 1993 – Robin LaCour, D 1994 – Bryan Berard, D 1995 – Jesse Boulerice, F 1996 – Harold Druken, F 1997 – David Legwand, F 1998 – Kris Vernarsky, F 1999 – Stephen Weiss, F 1999 – Tony Williams, F (2nd-day bantam draft) 2000 – James Wisniewski, D 2001 – John Mitchell, F 2002 – Taylor Raszka, F 2003 – Mike Lombardi, F 2004 – John Armstrong, F 2005 – Nick Petrecki, D * 2006 – Vern Cooper, F 2007 – Beau Schmitz, D 2008 – Tyler Seguin, F 2009 – Garrett Meurs, F 2010 – Max Iafrate, D 2011 – Mitchell Dempsey, F *Petrecki never reported to the Whalers and instead played two seasons with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers before going to Boston College. Every other first-rounder played for the Detroit/Plymouth franchise.

ALL-TIME SAGINAW FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS — 2002–2011 2002 – Jean-Michel Rizk, F 2003 – Patrick McNeill, D 2004 – Matt Corrente, D 2005 – Zack Torquato, F 2006 – Nick Crawford, D 2007 – Daniel Pachis, F 2008 – Brandon Saad, F 2009 – Anthony Camara, F 2010 – Justin Kea, F 2011 – Nick Moutry, F

Battle Creek’s Jared Knight skated with Compuware in 2007-08 and then joined London in 2008 after being the Knights’ third-round pick that May. Photo by Walt Dmoch 44

Michigan Hockey

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MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

GRIFFINS’ SEASON ONE FOR THE

RECORD BOOKS

BY KYLE KUJAWA The older a franchise gets, the more special it becomes to have your name etched in its history.

Although the Grand Rapids Griffins don’t have the history of a team like the Hershey Bears, who have more AHL conference championships (22) than the Griffins have years in the league, the 16-year history of the franchise makes them one of the 10 oldest in the AHL, among franchises that have stayed in one city.

For players like Gustav Nyquist, Francis Pare, Joey MacDonald and Ty Conklin, that makes their 2011-12 accomplishments with the Griffins very significant.

Only injuries with the Detroit Red Wings could keep the 22-year-old Nyquist from becoming the top rookie in franchise history. Nyquist recorded 55 points (20-35—55) in 54 games before being recalled to the NHL on March 12.

The Halmstad, Sweden, native is currently tied with Glen Metropolit (who tallied 20-35—55 in 79 games during the 1997-98 season) for the most points ever by a Griffins rookie.

Nyquist has already tied Metropolit’s single-season rookie assists record, and he sits four goals away from the rookie goals record, as one of just seven rookies to ever score 20 goals. That record is shared by Justin Abdelkader and Pare, who each scored 24 in the 2008-09 season.

Four seasons after his own record-setting rookie year, Pare is watching his name rise up the Griffins’ all-time top 10 in several categories. He has already become one of the team’s all-time top goal scorers, sitting in a third-place tie with Kip Miller at 75 career tallies. The 24-year-old forward is also four goals away from overtaking former teammate Jamie Tardif for second (78). Michel Picard’s

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158 career goals appear safe at the top of the list, for the moment.

With another year to go on his contract, it seems likely that Pare, who has only missed four games over the past three seasons, will continue to climb up the charts. The former QMJHL MVP also ranks in the top 10 with 278 games played (9th), 97 assists (6th) and 172 points (6th).

Although his time in Grand Rapids was cut short, MacDonald’s 26 games with the Griffins this season will be remembered. The 32-year-old goaltender rejoined the Griffins last season and reclaimed many of the franchise’s goaltending records that he set in his first stint with the team (2002-07) before ultimately earning the backup job in Detroit.

MacDonald overtook former Grand Rapids teammate and current Detroit teammate Jimmy Howard in games played, wins, minutes and saves, sitting first in franchise history with 210 games played, 109 wins, 11,784:31 minutes, 5,362 saves and 20 shutouts. His three shutouts give him 24 for his AHL career, tying Alfie Moore, Gilles Villemure and Frederic Cassivi for ninth place in league history. He’s also four victories shy of tying former Red Wings backup goaltender Norm Maracle and current Red Wings general manager Ken Holland for 20th place in AHL history.

The goaltender who replaced MacDonald in the AHL, Conklin, gave the Griffins the spark they needed to jump back into the playoff race. Conklin became just the second goalie in franchise history to win his first five decisions, joining Mathieu Chouinard, who started 5-0 in 2000-01.

In his bid to become the first goalie to win his first six, Conklin was nearly flawless. He surrendered just one goal in the team’s 1-0 loss to the Hamilton Bulldogs on March 4. The veteran NHL netminder showed a 5-1 record, a 1.81 GAA and a 0.936 save percentage in his first six starts.

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Top-left: Joey MacDonald Above: Francis Pare (Photos by Mark Newman/ Grand Rapids Griffins)

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

YOUTH ICE HOCKEY JUNE 21-24, 2012 Grand Rapids, MI

Thousands of athletes representing multiple sports and all corners of the State of Michigan will gather on Michigan's West Coast to compete in the Meijer State Games of Michigan.

Tournament Directors: Andrew Hall - hallstategameshockey@gmail.com Brian Bellgraph - bellgraphstategameshockey@gmail.com Tryout Fee - $40.00 (includes jersey)

Registration Now Open!

Eligible Players:

Scan for 12U Info

Tryouts are open to any player with a 1998 birth year or younger (for 14U) or 2000 birth year or younger (for 12U) who did NOT play AAA/Tier I during the 2011-12 Winter Season. All players must tryout for the team in the MAHA district in which they live. See the website for more information.

Scan for 14U Info

For more information or to register, visit www.stategamesofmichigan.com

&GVTQKV /+ Ĺ&#x2013; /C[ VJ VJ 20

18u thru squirt major

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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Michigan Hockey

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JUNIORS PREVIEW RED WINGS INSIDER Photos by Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins

GUSTAV NYQUIST IS MAKING THE MOST OF HIS OPPORTUNITIES

BY DAVE WADDELL

W

ith six regulars out of the line-up with injuries over the past couple of weeks, the Detroit Red Wings are getting a glimpse of their future.

Detroit’s roster looks more like the Grand Rapids line-up these days and several players are bolstering their case for sticking with the NHL club sooner rather than later.

Among those who look like they’re ready for the big leagues is left winger Gustav Nyquist.

Nyquist is enjoying his second call-up this season and looks much more comfortable.

“I don’t feel quite as nervous as I did before,” said Nyquist, who has collected two assists and was plus-one during in his first two games on this second recall.

“It’s a lot more comfortable now. You’ve met the guys and it’s a lot of fun to come up here.”

Perhaps one of the reasons for this new-found comfort level has little to do with recognizing the inside of the dressing room at the Joe Louis Arena.

“This is like being with the Griffins right now, which is kind of funny,” Nyquist said.

“But you never want to see guys get hurt, but it’s obviously a good opportunity for some of us younger players to come up and try to show what we’ve got.”

Nyquist admits one of the challenges of making the jump to the show is dealing with the many emotions you experience as you try to grab a permanent spot on the top rung of hockey’s ladder.

“I think everyone is a little nervous and there’s some happiness,” Nyquist said.

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“It’s a lot of mixed emotions, but it’s a special feeling with playing in your first NHL game. I think for everyone it’s something that you’ve looked forward to your whole life. It’s something that you’ve worked hard for and it’s some mixed feelings when you get out there.

“I don’t think anyone is nervous when you get out there on your first shift. It’s what you do and just a lot of fun to play.”

For the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Nyquist, the most nervous time is the waiting through the day for the game to arrive.

“A lot more people, friends, want to talk to you during the day (now that I’m in Detroit),” Nyquist said. “It’s kind of building up.”

The former Hobey Baker Award nominee out of Maine certainly seems to be handling it well.

By Red Wings’ standards the native of Halmstad, Sweden is on the express elevator to the NHL. Nyquist hasn’t even played a full season of professional hockey yet, but is ripping up the AHL in a way that screams he’ll be in Detroit very soon.

The 22-year-old has 54 points in 53 games at Grand Rapids, one point short of the club rookie scoring record.

He’s already set a new club mark for assists by a rookie with 35 to go with his 19 goals.

He also was in the AHL’s top 10 in scoring when he got called up by Detroit, but most importantly he’s caught the eye of his future boss.

“I like him,” Wings’ coach Mike Babcock said.

“I think he’s a real good player. I think he’s going to be a top-six NHL forward.

“He’s really good without the puck, which allows you to play him more. A lot of people that generate offence in our league, you’re scared to death of them without the puck, so a coach can’t get them on until they’re about 27 years of age.

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“This kid seems to know how to play without the puck, so he gives you confidence.”

Indeed, Nyquist is a plus-five in the AHL as well as being a plus-player with the Wings.

Nyquist will play on a line with Justin Abdelkader and Dan Cleary and enjoys the challenge of playing at a much faster tempo. In some ways, he’s finding playing with the best players in the world an easier adjustment than he anticipated.

“Everything is faster, but at the same time, everyone is a better player too,” Nyquist said.

“That makes it easier to play out there. You’re playing with the best players in the world and that helps a lot.”

Hearing Nyquist talk of his increased comfort level is exactly what the Wings want to hear.

“That’s what we’re hopeful for, that he’s spent enough time in the minors,” Babcock said.

“He’s been a dominant player as a rookie in the minors.

Most teams would have that guy on their team already.

“We’re going to go the other way. If he’s ready, he’ll show he’s ready with his confidence in his puck play.

“If he’s not ready, then that’s fine, too. We’ll give him all the time he needs.”

A fourth-round pick (121st overall) in the 2008 NHL draft, the Wings look like they may have unearthed another gem in the mid-level rounds.

Certainly, the Wings players think so.

“He’s going to be a great player,” said Wings’ goalie Joey MacDonald, who saw a lot of Nyquist in Grand Rapids before being recalled himself.

“He’s got some great hands, got some good poise with the puck.

“Sometimes he should shoot, but he’ll learn with the game once he gets playing (here). He holds onto the puck, slows the play down.

“He reads the game well. He’s a great passer, he sees the whole ice.

“That’s why he’s a top prospect. It won’t be too long before he’s here for good.”

More impressively, Henrik Zetterberg sees that same skill set already emerging at the NHL level.

“You see every time he comes up here, once he gets the puck, he makes something good out of it,” Zetterberg said.

“He has a lot of confidence to make plays. He’s a good player.

“He’s going to be good for many years.”

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

JUNIORS THE LAST PREVIEW LINE What a rollercoaster of a season for our Detroit Red Wings. Early on, the team went through a 0-5-1 skid with Pavel Datsyuk struggling to find the net. He found his form and throughout the middle portion of the season looked like a legitimate Hart Trophy candidate. All the while, the Red Wings piled up points at the Joe in what turned into a record setting streak of an amazing 23 straight wins at home.

Goaltender Jimmy Howard was the constant, playing at a consistently high level, earning All-Star accolades while leading the NHL in the most important category of all – wins. Even when Howard went out of the lineup for nearly three weeks with a broken finger, the team continued to rack up points, as journeyman Joey MacDonald stepped into the breach and performed admirably. Howard returned, but wins were harder to come by, as he lost his first three starts upon re-entering the fray. A shutout effort seemed to point to a return to expected results, but a groin injury in the next outing and suddenly what had been stability in goal has become a struggle for Howard to reestablish his top-flight form.

Meanwhile, Datsyuk and captain Nick Lidstrom both are out of the lineup, which partly explains the Wings’ inability to string together wins. Datsyuk and Lidstrom are both skating, but neither is set to return before the team gets back from its final four-game western swing of the campaign. Datsyuk is recovering from a knee surgery that the organization deemed better addressed in the moment and Lidstrom has a deep bone bruise on his ankle, compromising his mobility. It is a pain-threshold dilemma that the captain, who was having a spectacular season in his own right, might have to deal with for the remainder of the season and playoffs.

Yes, the Red Wings’ mostly-up-but-sometimes-down season will lead to the playoffs for the 21st consecutive season. That’s not in jeopardy. What has come into question is the starting position for the race to the Stanley Cup. Before ‘March Flatness’ hit Hockeytown, the Red Wings held the pole position, vying for the Presidents’ Trophy and home ice throughout the playoffs. Now, they look up at the St. Louis Blues – who continue to amaze and ascend, as they now have the best record in all of hockey – and have the Nashville Predators right behind them in the Central Division. In a matter of weeks, the Red Wings – dominant at home with a 28-4-2 record – have gone from home ice throughout to possibly not even having that advantage in a first-round No. 4 versus No. 5 battle with the surging and getting-better-by-the-day Predators.

OK, we could expect a little let down once the homeice streak ended at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 23. Compound that natural emotional sag with the physical injuries endured by the top three players at the same time and it adds up to a mediocre record since, proving how competitive the NHL truly is and shows the merit in coach Mike Babcock’s mindset that every two point opportunity is vital. Every slip, dip and blip during the season has consequences – thus the coach’s perpetually stern countenance - and conceivably compromises what this organization sets out to do annually – compete for the Stanley Cup. With just a few weeks remaining, then, what are we to make of the home team? The reality is that adding

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THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS THE NEXT TWO POINTS AVAILABLE

BY DARREN ELIOT back Howard and eventually Lidstrom and Datsyuk will restore order and with that, confidence. They have time to get back to their game that carried them to the top of the league not so long ago. If we acknowledge that as truth, then we cannot ignore the numbers that have the special teams ranked in the lower third of league and a road record that shows more losses than wins. Not to

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@Darren_Eliot jump three weeks into the future, but for reference sake, the Predators are second on the power play, just outside the top ten on the PK and have a solid 18-13-2 road record.

Before the second week in April arrives, though, the most important consideration is the next two points available. You can see it etched in Mike Babcock’s steely stare.

MARCH 19, 2012 V.22 : I.18

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