Michigan Hockey February 21, 2011

Michigan Hockey michiganhockeyonline.com V.21:I.16 | February 21, 2011 FIRST CLASS

LCAHL Family and Friends Please join us on Sunday April 10, 2011 for

LCAHL Detroit Tiger Day Celebrating Division Champions 1pm - Comerica Park Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals All kids 14-and-under get to "Run The Bases" post-game (weather permitting), receive free rides on the Carousel and Ferris Wheel.

Tickets are nontransferable and must be used on game day.

30745-AA

LCAHL Detroit Tiger Day Order Form Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals A portion of the proceeds from each ticket will be donated back to LCAHL. Type of Seat*

Full Price Ticket

Discount

Total Cost Per Ticket

Mezzanine

$15.00

$2.00 off

$13.00

$22.00

$2.00 off

$20.00

(sect. 210-219)

Upper Box Inf. (sect. 321-333) Team Name: Name: Address: City: Phone: E-Mail Address: CREDIT CARD#

Grand Totals: State:

TOTAL COST

# of Tickets

+ $3 S&H

$ (U.S. Funds) All LCAHL and Affiliates must purchase their tickets with this form in order to receive the special discount on this game. This offer is NOT available at the Comerica Park Box Office or through any Ticket outlets.

Zip:

MAIL OR FAX ONLY.

(Visa — MasterCard — Amex)

/ / EXP. DATE

Security Code

* Seats are subject to availability. If you would like to sit together as group please order as one group.

Tickets are nontransferable and must be used on game day.

Must receive orders no later than April 6th. A sales representative will contact you when your order is received.

Fax this form to 313-471-2599 or mail form w/ payment to: LCAHL Detroit Tiger Day Detroit Tigers 2100 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48201 Make checks payable to “Detroit Tigers Inc.” (Checks or Credit Card Only) or email Michael.e.ilitch@detroittigers.com

2011

SPRING TRYOUTS Place your tryout ad in Michigan Hockey and reach the most players and parents 3 to 1 over any other hockey publication in Michigan.

Print – Over 8,000 free copies distributed at over 100 arenas Digital – Over 65,000 page views per issue Website – Over 10,000 visitors monthly

ALL PACKAGES INCLUDE A FREE ONLINE AD THRU DURATION OF YOUR TRYOUTS - SINGLE ISSUE ADS ARE ONLINE UNTIL NEXT ISSUE IS POSTED.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY TRYOUT ISSUES FEBRUARY 21 - Ad copy due: February 9 MARCH 7 - Ad copy due: Febuary 23 MARCH 14 - Ad copy due: March 2

MARCH 21 - Ad copy due: March 9 APRIL 11 - Ad copy due: March 30 APRIL 25 - Ad copy due: April 13

ALL ADS IN FULL COLOR Why would you go anywhere else for tryouts – WE HAVE IT ALL! Get more for your money with Michigan Hockey – we reach more players and parents, period!

Call Lucia today at (248) 479-1134 to place your ad or go online to our new website: www.michiganhockeyonline.com

Table of Contents February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16 AMATEUR HOCKEY REPORT

Mite AA Suburban Stars win at Pittsburgh Tournament Allen Park wins International Silver Stick title in Ontario Livonia Knights 16U Girls go undefeated at Midland Rainbow tourney Hometown Midland G-Force 19U Girls win at Rainbow Tournament Grand Rapids Griffins 12U Girls win at Midland Rainbow tourney Grand Rapids Griffins Girls U16 team rolls to Rainbow Tournament title

SPEAKING OF HOCKEY

What do you love most about the game?

STATE OF THE GAME By Lyle Phair

Don’t Blame the Parents

GET BETTER

Playing big in big games

YOUTH LEAGUE STANDINGS

13 14 15

MYHOCKEYRANKINGS.COM: Michigan team rankings

16

YOU SHOULD KNOW

FROM THE CREASE By Steve McKichan

Success Triangle

HOMETOWN HERO

18 22

LA Kings Matt Greene

23

REEBOK TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

24

JUNIOR HOCKEY

Muskegon learning to fight through adversity NAHL Report: Farmington Hills’ Brett Lubanski enjoying Alaska OHL: Whalers and Spirit Notebook

Spring Hockey 3-on-3 picks up steam

12

Tier I Elite Hockey League

Saginaw Spirit’s Brandon Saad

PAGE 28

6 6 8 8 10 10

HIGH SCHOOL REPORTS

East Kentwood, Cranbrook, Port Huron Northern, Pinckney and Lake Orion

RED WINGS INSIDER

Coach Mike Babcock speaks and players respond

31 34 36 32 38

COMING IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

ADM REPORT

4

PAGES 20-21

PAGE 32

20th Anniversary Season MH celebrates 20 years with a look back at 1999

Boy’s High School Hockey Teams get ready for stretch run

Michigan Hockey

PAGE 38 Red Wings Insider Babcock talks, players listen

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

We’ll examine the progress of USA Hockey’s ADM, have a new You Should Know feature and we’ll also take a look back at the year 2000 in celebration of our 20th season of Michigan Hockey.

Look for it on arena stands, at michiganhockeyonline.com and in your e-mail on March 4, 2011.

Contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or lucia@ michiganhockeyonline.com or Philip Colvin at (248) 479-1136 or phil@michiganhockeyonline.com for more information.

From the Editor

FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief Philip D. Colvin

phil@michiganhockeyonline.com

Advertising Lucia Zuzga

lucia@michiganhockeyonline.com

Outstanding achievement

Database Manager Josh Curmi

jcurmi@michiganhockeyonline.com

Design Chuck Stevens Contributing Editor Kevin Allen Josh Curmi Distribution Lucia Zuzga Administrative Director Amy Jones EDITORIAL BOARD: Bob DeSpirt, Christine Szarek, 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. They must be signed and include the writer's full home address and day and evening telephone numbers.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY is published by SUBURBAN SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS, LLC 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829.

Girls Michigan Metro High School Report

When I am in the rink this time of year I hear from parents that are eager to tell me about their player’s experience this season – both good and bad.

I listen politely to the reports of how bratty teammates, overzealous parents and unprepared and ill-mannered coaches have made for what seems like a never-ending season.

But I really pay attention when a parent tells me about Junior’s linemate who does really well in school and how they’ve become best friends. Or how Junior’s coach is “the best he’s ever had” and how he makes the game fun and how they hope Junior can keep playing for him.

Those are the people that I like hearing about – players who enjoy the game and make the effort to get good grades and coaches who help players become the best that they can be.

And that’s where our annual Michigan Hockey Awards come in. We are on the lookout for players who have performed at a high level both in the classroom and on the ice and want to recognize some of the people that make going to the rink every day during a long season an enjoyable experience.

Check out page 15 in this issue – or go to the top of our homepage at our website michiganhockeyonline.com - and take a minute to nominate someone deserving of our Michigan Hockey Awards – the Female and Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year and Hockey Person of the Year.

The deadline to submit your nomination is March 16.

In this issue we introduce you to Saginaw Spirit rookie forward Brandon Saad in You Should Know (page 18), feature Grand Ledge’s Matt Greene as our Hometown Hero (page 23) and take a look at the growth of 3-on-3 Spring Hockey around the state (page 28).

See you at the rink,

CONGRATULATIONS

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MICHIGAN HOCKEY®, 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 483352829. ©2010 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.

KELSEY KUSCH

Boys High School Showcase Reports MICHIGAN HOCKEY 23995 Freeway Park Drive • Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829 (248) 478-2500 • FAX: (248) 478-1601 EMAIL: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com WEBSITE: michiganhockeyonline.com

Kelsey won two tickets to the Red Wings game on March 9

Cover: Cross-Ice action in Grand Rapids by FastPhotoPro.com.

Photos at left: (from top, L to R): Two young players competing in a 3-on-3 Cross-Ice game in Grand Rapids by FastPhotoPro.com; Cranbrook goalie Aaron Alkema by Andy Knapik/Michigan Hockey and Red Wings coach Mike Babcock by Dave Reginek/DRW.

Grand Rapids Cross-Ice Jamboree photo gallery

Cover reprints available email: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Michigan Hockey will be having monthly contests through the year.

Check michiganhockeyonline.com for details on March’s contest.

Michigan Hockey

5

Amateur Hockey Report

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Mite Mite AA AA Suburban Suburban Stars Stars win win at at Pittsburgh PittsburghTournament Tournament

ROCHESTER RATTLER COACHING POSITIONS AVAILABLE.

SQUIRT A RATTLERS MIDGET A RATTLERS

Michigan Hockey

After a hard fought 5-4 loss to the AAA West Seneca Wings, the Stars rebounded with a 3-2 win over the Wings in the championship game.

Contributors on offense were Blake Crimmins, Kate Dawson, Logan Hill, Zach Hollman, Tor Jendrell, Elizabeth Kramp, Tommy Patrick, Ethan Wissink, and Noah Woods.

The defense contributors include Brendan Ebling, Jake Kelbert, Nick Liotino, Stephanie Schmunk, and Joey Vesche.

The netminding was anchored by Remy VanWert.

The Stars head coach is Vicki Crimmins and assistant coaches are: Tom Hollman, Jim Dawson, Tobias Jendrell, Kurt Ebling, Chris VanWert, and Allen Patrick.

Allen Allen Park Park wins wins International International Silver Silver Stick Stick title title in in Ontario Ontario

Please contact Chris Ballach cballach@suburbanice.com for more information 6

The 2002 Suburban Stars traveled to the Pittsburgh tournament and came home with the championship title.

Balanced scoring and playmaking from 11 different players, and solid team defense were keys to the Stars success.

The Stars opened with a 5-2 victory over the Allegheny Badgers as Zach Hollman was credited with three goals, along with Noah Woods and Tommy Patrick.

Remy VanWert then shut out the Gilmour Sabres, 7-0. Tor Jendrell notched his first hat trick and Blake Crimmins tallied three assists. Ethan Wissink, Patrick, and Hollman also scored for the Stars. Assists went to Jake Kelbert, Brendan Ebling, Stephanie Schmunk, and Nick Liotino.

The Allen Park Huskies Midget A squad made it to the Silver Stick regional final in St. Clair Shores and then went 6-0, including a 2-1 OT win over the Newmarket Redmed in the championship game to take the International Silver Stick Midget AA Minor tournament title at the Ray Twinney Complex in Newmarket, Ontario on Jan. 16.

Down 1-0 in the final, Allen Park’s Don McLellan jammed home a rebound to tie the game just before the second period buzzer.

The Huskies kept the puck in the Newmarket zone most of the final period, but there were no goals scored and the game went to 4-on-4 overtime. Just 30 seconds into the extra period the Allen Park bench erupted with jubilation when Mike Chodzko scored on a slap shot that rang off the right post on

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

its way by Newmarket’s screened goalie.

Allen Park opened with a 3-1 win over Newmarket, and then shutout South Florida, 5-0, Arvada, Colorado, 4-0, and Toledo, 5-0, to earn a spot in the semifinals, where they beat the Philadelphia Hatfield Ice Dogs, 4-2.

The Allen Park Huskies are: Brian Bachnak, Luke Brithinee, Andrew Benyo, Mike Chodzko, Tyler Cook, Parker Hack, Zach Jones, Jake Klassa, Aaron Kozuh, Andrew Lindsay, Troy Magier, Nick Mann, Brandon Martin, Wes Matthews, Don McLellan, Brandon Proctor, Zach Quinn, Mark Vyletel, and Mike Williams.

Head coach is John Brithinee and assistants Chris Benyo, Nick Kozuh, Keith Vyletel, and Rik Mann, along with goalie coach Jake Pruss.

( 8 * $ ( / < ( . & 2 + / 2 2 + & + ,* + 6 Varsity & Junior Varsity teams Welcome!

There will be three separate divisions of the Suburban Showdown Spring High School League - Platinum (current seniors), Gold (recommended for varsity teams or current 9th, 10th, 11th graders), Silver (recommended for junior varsity teams or current 8th, 9th, and 10th graders).

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52999 Dequindre Rochester, MI 48307 Phone: (248) 601-6699 Fax: (248) 601-0102 onyxicearena.com

54755 Broughton Macomb, MI 48042 Phone: (586) 992-8600 Fax: (586) 992-8666 suburbanice.com

Amateur Hockey Report

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

SPRING LEAGUES

STARTS IN APRIL

OPEN & HOUSE DIVISIONS Mite Ő Squirt Ő Pee Wee Bantam Ő High School

Livonia Livonia Knights Knights 16U 16U Girls Girls go go undefeated undefeated at at Midland Midland tourney tourney The Livonia 16U Knights went undefeated in four games to win the 14/16U Division of the Midland Rainbow Tournament on Jan. 16.

The Knights opened with a 1-0 win over the Gladwin G-Force on Friday night and then beat the Thessalon Lions of Canada, 4-1. On Saturday evening the girls faced their league rivals, Allen Park, and with a strong team effort ended up winning 3-0, which sent them to the finals.

In the championship game rematch against Allen Park, the Knights came out with two quick goals in the second period and Allen Park answered back with a goal of their own to end the second period 2-1. Midway through the final period the Knights took a few penalties and had to kill off a 5-on-3 for over three minutes. Great goaltending, strong defense and

hardworking forwards helped kill off the penalties and Knights scored again to make the final 3-1.

The Livonia 16U Knights are: McKenzie Ahmet, Lauren Brown, MacKinzie Cole, Morgan Cusumano, Tori Dubuc, Gwen Gadulka, Emily Gillis, Sarah Holt, Sarah Kalvon, Heather Lamoureux, Jamie Mason, Natalie McKenzie, Haley Menzies, Sara Menzies, Jordan Patterson, Brianna Rairigh, Madison Schultz and Jamie Taylor.

The Knights are coached by Tom McKenzie, Jerry Ahmet, Gerry Gillis, Alan Menzies, Bob Patterson and Brian Schultz.

The team is managed by Kerri Ahmet. The Knights sponsors are Standard Die and Fabricating, Allie Lamoureux, Sylvia McKenzie, Steven J. Wood, D.D.S., Cellular and More of Canton, TNT Technical Services and Gregory Elliott, D.D.S.

Teeam aam m Reeg egistration ggis isttra trrraatiioon gistration

STARTS IN APRIL

HOUSE PLAYERS ONLY

Mite Ő Squirt Pee Wee Ő Bantam

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8

Michigan Hockey

42400 Arena Dr. r Novi, MI 48375 (248) 347-1010 noviicearena.com

Hometown Midland HHometown MidlandG-Force G-Force19U 19U Girls Girls win win at at Rainbow RainbowTournament Tournament The host Midland G-Force Girls Under-19 team won the 19U Blue Division title at the 15th annual Rainbow Tournament at the Midland Civic Arena on Jan. 16.

Midland defeated Royal Tire from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, 6-2. On Saturday morning, Midland beat Naper Valley (Ill.) Varsity 4-1. Saturday evening, Belle Tire beat Midland 4-1. But Midland came back on Sunday and defeated Belle Tire 1-0 in the championship game on a goal by Megan Zahn. Erica Hall

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

earned the shutout in goal.

The G-Force are: Emily Ledford, Melinda Zielinski, Amanda Crandell Erica Hall, Alexa Tenwalde, Tina Druskins, Megan Zahn, Pauline Flamion, Macy Schultz, Brooke Dow, Taylor Bourns, Laura Schroeder, Meghan Trombley, Haley Bickham and Bree Kraut. Head coach is Steve Tenwalde and assistant coaches Ken Schroeder, Bob Kraut, Al Dow and manager Doug Schultz.

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Amateur Hockey Report

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Apr 15 –17

Future Stars Tournament

Toronto, ON

Apr 29 – May 1

Spring Showdown

Toronto, ON

Apr 29 – May 1

Lower Mainland Spring Sizzler

Vancouver, BC

May 6 – 8

Toronto Cup

Toronto, ON

May 13 –15

May Madness & Future Stars

Toronto, ON

May 20–22

Indiana Spring Sizzler

Fort Wayne, IN

May 27– 29

Memorial Holiday Classic

Toronto & Oakville, ON

May 27– 29

Canlan Classic Quest for the Cup I

Vancouver, BC

June 3 – 5

East End Showdown & Future Stars

Toronto & Oshawa, ON

June 3 – 5

Canlan Classic Quest for the Cup II

Vancouver, BC

June 10 –12

Bring Your Best

Toronto, ON

June 17–19

Niagara Falls Youth Challenge I

Niagara Falls, ON

June 24 – 26

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Toronto, ON

July 8 –10

Youth Classic & Future Stars

Toronto & Oshawa, ON

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Aug 12 –14

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Toronto, ON

Aug 26 – 28

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Toronto, ON

tournaments@icesports.com

Aug 26 – 28

South Jersey Pre-Season Blast

Vineland, NJ

www.ccthockey.ca

Sept 9 –11

Fort Wayne Pre-Season Blast

Fort Wayne, IN

12U Grand Grand Rapids Rapids Griffi Griffins ns Girls Girls win win 12U at Midland Midland Rainbow Rainbow tourney tourney at The 12U Division of the Midland Rainbow Tournament featured the Traverse City Northstars, Lansing Capitals, Kensington Valley Ravens and the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Griffins beat Traverse City, tied Kensington Valley, 3-3, beat Lansing, 4-3 and defeated the Ravens, 4-2, in the final the division of the tournament.

The 12U Griffins are: Kaci Carlson, Maddie Savage, Claire Corretti, Emma Hall, Brianna Cronk, Malorie Jacobs, Destiny Cain, Riley Homer, Chloe Jacobs, JessieTrube, Mackenzie Boland, Jaiden Forrest, Carina David, Erin Kloostra and Autumn Burgo.

The Griffins coaches are: Lyndsay Laxton, Kenzie Homer, Corey Boland and Rob Trube.

Grand Rapids Griffins Girls U16 team rolls to Rainbow Tournament title The Grand Rapids Griffins girls U16 team travelled to Midland and won four straight games to take home the U19 Blue Division title of the Rainbow Tournament on Jan. 16.

Griffins’ goalie Annah Smiddy earned the shutout and the game MVP in a 4-0 win over Ann Arbor in the final game. The Griffins also knocked off Cheboygan, 6-1, Ann Arbor, 4-1, and the Met-Energy SystemsThunder, 4-1, in the tournament. Other game MVP’s included Sam Reno (1-5-6), Amanda Brunges

10

Michigan Hockey

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

(7-1-8), and Kara Scaturro (5-4-9).

The Griffins 16U girls team is: Sam Reno, Amanda Brunges, Annah Smiddy, Kara Scaturro, Lauren Blasen, Savannah Hainley, Carli Fettig, Victoria Bujala, Brooke Forgar, Emily Kawka, Ashley Reese, Halle Hayes, Allison Singer, Rachel Smiddy, and Josey Crosby. The Griffins head coach is Kathryn O’Brien and team manager is Amy Brunges.

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

GOALTENDING SCHOOLS

The SHS Goaltending School offers two levels of comprehensive training to ensure that goaltenders are taught and challenged to improve at the appropriate pace relative to their age and experience level.

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GOALIE COMBO Take the ice for a second week of hockey school! Goaltending School participants can participate in the Mite, Squirt and Pee Wee/Bantam Hockey School classes, receiving additional instruction in tactical play and game-situation drills while refining skills and concepts learned during Goaltending School. Register early, only four goaltenders are accepted per class.

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200 N. Groesbeck Hwy. t Mount Clemens, MI 48043 586-307-8202 t www.mountclemensicearena.com MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Michigan Hockey

11

Speaking of Hockey

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

What do you love most about the game?

“Shooting and scoring.”

- Brice Luenberger, 12, Freeland, ‘98 Bay County Blizzard

“The intensity.”

- Nick Hart, 14, Traverse City, Best Buy Bantam B

“The speed.” - Ryan Hauger, 12, Bay City, ’98 Bay County Blizzard

“The teamwork.”

- Connor Resendez, 13, Rochester, Troy Sabres Bantam B

“Hitting somebody.”

- Matt Rodriguez, 14, Troy, Troy Sabres, Bantam B

“That it’s a contact sport.”

- Mitchell Kellerman, 12, Bay City, ‘98 Bay County Blizzard

”It’s fun to play.”

- Skylar Miller,13, Lansing Capitals Bantam B “Playing in front of big crowds.”

- Jacob McNamara, 12, Rockford, West Kent Hawks

12

Michigan Hockey

”The excitement of playing games.”

- Kyle Petrykowski, 14, Troy Sabres Bantam B

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State of the Game

YOUTH PS CgAelitM since 1969 e players

Makin

2 AWESOM AWESOME E LOCATIONS Lake Placid, NY

CAN/AM HOCKEY

Guelph, Ontario

State Game of the

by Lyle Phair

DON’T BLAME THE PARENTS

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It’s that time of year again. Playoff time, state tournament time, championship time.

And, while those things definitely make for a fun and exciting time of year, they sometimes can play second fiddle to the other important activity that occurs at this time of year: team-building for next season. For teams that lose and fall out of the hunt for championship hardware, that suddenly becomes the most important task. Oddly enough, even some teams still in the running spend a substantial amount of time looking to make changes for next year.

That one always puzzles me somewhat. You work all year long to prepare as a team to have a chance to win a championship and then at what might be the most important and most fun time of the year you suddenly become pre-occupied with what will happen next.

I guess it is inevitable that people will start to look ahead. Especially those that have little or no playoff hockey remaining this year. But while I do agree that it is time to start putting some plans in place for next year’s team, the focus should still very much be on this year until the season is over. To me, the extent of planning for next year should be limited to setting the tryout dates for next year’s team. Anything beyond that is an unneeded distraction.

But many people take it further than that. For weeks now, there have been e-mails and phone calls flying back and forth between coaches and parents looking to negotiate spots for next season, a flurry of activity that might rival the final 48 hours leading up to the NHL trade deadline before the salary cap era began. Deals get made, positions are taken and current players on some teams are already cut, although they don’t know it yet, from next year’s team long before the first tryouts are advertised.

It’s not right. But it happens.

AGAINST THE RULES So who is to blame? The kids? Definitely not. They are typically not even involved. The parents. Possibly and probably. They definitely are catalysts in the equation. The coaches? Absolutely. They are the ones who have the ability to stop it before it starts.

According to Section XVI, #5 of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association Rules and Regulations,“No coach, manager, or other team official, connected with a rostered team may directly or indirectly entice, influence or contact a player on a rostered team without the written approval of the coach and/ or manager of that team. Violation of this rule will result in a recommended suspension of not less than one year.”

Additionally, according to the USA Hockey Coaching Ethics Code,“Coaches will not recruit a participant who is already a member of another USA Hockey team. Direct contact by a coach or his / her staff or indirect contact through an agent or parent during the playing season with a participant who is a member of another USA Hockey team is considered tampering and is prohibited.”

And the final piece of the puzzle from the MAHA Rules and Regulations,

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

“A player’s obligation to his/her regular season team ends on April 30th of the current season, or when his/her regular season team becomes inactive prior to that date.”

What all of that really means is that coaches are not to talk to parents of players on other teams until the other team’s season is over. Coach your current team. You chose those players to be on it and it is your obligation to coach them all season long. Don’t worry so much about your next team.

WHEN THE SEASON IS OVER The definition of what is the end of that team’s season is sometimes up for debate, although I have been advised that it means any scheduled activities that the team has up through the end of March or April if the team happens to be going to a national tournament.

So if a team has practices or games scheduled through the end of March, technically the players on that team are not to be tampered with unless the coach of that team gives written permission or that team’s season is declared complete and the ice is allocated to the next season’s team activities. Before that occurs, players from an “active” team can attend tryouts for other teams but are supposed to have written permission from the coach of their current team.

Good luck with that. While the intent of the rules make sense, it is virtually impossible to police.

Coaches abuse it. I am sure that there are many who don’t even know what the rule is, although they should. Oddly enough they would be the first to cry foul if they found out their best player was skating with another team.

Yet at this time of year players routinely skate with other teams under the guise of “skating with friends” or “a birthday party hockey practice skate”, whatever that might be. While some coaches will directly contact players they want on their team for next year, others will be a little more sly and have parents from their current team do the deed for them, which of course is not within the intent of the policy.

HERE’S A PLAN Let’s face it. Everybody loves to be wanted and wooed. What parent can’t help but feel good about themselves when their offspring is being asked to go and play for another team? Why would you turn in a coach who was recruiting your child to play on his team? Why would the majority of parents even know the rules? And in that rare case when a parent objects to the unwanted advances, the offending coach is never reported because of that perpetual parental angst of “not wanting to have their child blacklisted”, which really means that the parent doesn’t want to be labeled as a squealer or trouble-maker and have it hurt the player’s opportunities.

At the end of the day, the parents and players are out to cut the best deal that they can for themselves. And why not? They have choices. They should.

If they are happy with the situation with their current team and coach, they can choose to stay. If not, they can test the waters and enjoy or suffer the consequences. Ultimately, they live with their decisions.

Coaches, on the other hand, are the ones that have the opportunity to control or abuse this situation. It’s not on the parents. It’s on them. They are obligated to know the rules and they are obligated to follow the rules.

They are also obligated to the players on their current team.

So coaches, here is a plan. Schedule your tryouts. Advertise them however you choose. Pick your team from the players that show up. Coach them all season long. If parents call, you tell them when your tryouts are and if there might be any openings on the team. If you feel the need to go out and recruit players, you might want to re-think why you are coaching in the first place. If parents on your current team are pressuring you to recruit players from other teams, you might want to educate them on the rules.

I get the “competition” thing and striving to make your team better.

Every team should try to get better. But in my opinion that is the coaches’ role throughout the season. Do a good job coaching and if people like what they see and want to make a change, they can attend your tryouts. If you have to sell out and break rules to make your team better, maybe you are not really a coach.

Michigan Hockey

13

Get Better “PRO AMBITIONS HOCKEY CAMPS is one of the top camps in the country” - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FOR KIDS

Big game success IIn bi big games at the h endd off the h season, more often f than h not the h two teams are often close competitively. In these matchups, the winner is usually the one that handles the pressure better and consistently executes their game plan.

Coaches rely on practice repetition, successful game performances and physical conditioning to prepare their players for big games. The feeling of success, mastery and fitness give players the confidence to perform in pressure-packed games.

But that’s not enough. Players don’t necessarily have 100% trust in their game and their team or are prepared to cope when adversity strikes. It leaves coaches puzzled and thinking, “I thought we were prepared?” It also frustrates players who often question “why can’t I play like I do in practice and why can’t I come up big in the big game?”

In these cases, players need to show mental and emotional toughness. I believe the mindset that most hockey players are trying to achieve in the big game is a confident, in control, focused, prepared, aggressive, and simple mindset.

Finding this “optimal state” will give players an opportunity to play at their best.

However, players frequently try to do too much, play not to lose, and lack the trust in their well-learned skills.

Olympians and professional athletes have learned to not make the big game bigger than it is. Prepare as normal as possible, treat it like another game, and anticipate and prepare for any differences in venue, timing, flow and tasks that you will face.

At the same time, look at this big game as an opportunity to shine. Seize the opportunity - go for it. So many times teams become hesitant, afraid to lose. And, that is what they do - lose.

KEEP IT SIMPLE There is a tendency to overthink things in big games and try to do everything just perfect. There has not been a championship game yet that was perfect.

When players think about not making mistakes they play hesitantly, miss opportunities, and, well, still make mistakes.

Players should focus on keeping their mind quiet and simple. There is no need to control everything and overthink it. Instead, focus on your game plan and what

PREPARE FOR

Preparation, keeping things simple, handling adversity and focusing on specific goals can help players excel in big games.

you need to do to be successful. Focusing on the process is a powerful method for playing big in big games. Have process or “how to” goals that focus on how you will play - aggressive, in control, confident, fast, quick, powerful, elusive, dominating and relentless.

You can also focus on tactical goals such as driving the net, backchecking, forechecking, being first on the puck or getting the puck deep. These kinds of “feeling” and tactical cues create a mindset of positive action versus worries about the result.

This process focus will allow you to play hard, fast, and loose in pressure moments.

HANDLE ADVERSITY WELL You will get ahead and lose the lead, or get behind and then have to comeback.

This is to be expected. The victor is able to bounce back from negative things that happen in the game. The winner is resilient and does not panic. The hockey player that bounces back quickly lets the bad things go and puts the focus back on what matters - the play and performing your role.

Focus also on the “3 R’s” – respond positively to a negative feeling or situation, relax by taking a few deep breathes to slow your mind, heart and breathing down and think about your situation clearly. Finally, refocus on playing your game and give yourself a chance to comeback by thinking positively and productively.

Adapted from Mental Toughness: Playing big in big games by Larry Lauer, Ph D, Director of Coaching Education & Development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University

Gretzky Game

COURTESY: WEISS TECH HOCKEY

1. Place two nets on the goal line in front of each face-off dot.

2. Players are split into two groups.

3. Place a player (the “Gretzky”) behind each net. Send in players to play 2v2 or 3v3 and make sure they pass to their Gretzky before they shoot on net. Each Gretzky behind the net cannot come to the front of the net but can roam around behind the goal line. The Gretzky can also score by standing on the back door, thus when your team has the puck you always have a man advantage situation.

4. Play for 45-60 seconds and change groups on coaches’ command.

14

Michigan Hockey

BATTLE

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Tier 1 Elite Standings

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

Make Your Nominations NOW for the...

Hockey Person of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Michigan as a coach, parent, manager, association volunteer, official, or league administrator.”

Coach of the Year

Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a male student-athlete born in 1992 or later who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.”

Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a female student-athlete born in 1992 or later who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.”

HOW TO NOMINATE SOMEONE

Make your nominations at michiganhockeyonline.com or e-mail them to: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com Please include name of nominee, reason for nominating him/her, biographical information about your nominee, your name and your daytime and evening telephone numbers.

Would you like to become a sponsor of this unique event?

Please contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or lucia@michiganhockeyonline.com.

FOLLOW THE ROAD TO THE STATE CHAMPIONS ON WWW.MICHIGANHOCKEYONLINE.COM

MIDGET MAJOR

CHICAGO CYA Chicago Fury Team Illinois Chicago Mission Cleveland

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM 36 36 36 36 36

19 15 17 13 13

12 12 16 15 17

5 9 3 8 6

43 39 37 34 32

114 84 134 116 102 97 101 100 87 118

887 442 444 539 507

DETROIT Honeybaked Compuware Victory Honda Belle Tire Little Caesars

38 38 38 38 36

23 19 19 17 16

7 8 8 11 10 9 17 4 15 5

54 49 47 38 37

155 96 111 72 139 98 149 124 100 110

571 602 611 662 628

EAST Buffalo Regals Pittsburgh Hornets Team Comcast Boston Advantage Philadelphia Jr Flyers

34 36 36 34 36

18 17 14 9 7

9 10 14 17 22

7 9 8 8 7

43 43 36 26 21

94 82 118 98 117 137 68 96 76 113

607 525 598 468 347

MIDAM St. Louis Amateur Blues Dallas Stars Russell Stover Madison Capitols Ohio Blue Jackets

36 36 36 36 36

26 18 12 6 6

2 12 16 23 26

8 6 8 7 4

60 42 32 19 16

144 73 110 89 118 130 72 140 91 134

438 659 388 658 499

WEST Colorado Thunderbirds Colorado Rampage LA Kings Phoenix Jr Coyotes LA Selects Hockey Club

36 36 35 35 36

26 13 10 8 2

3 7 15 8 16 9 17 10 32 2

59 34 29 26 6

132 60 93 98 81 110 87 108 55 165

479 509 534 572 473

MIDGET MINOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

CHICAGO Team Illinois 30 23 Chicago Mission 32 20 Chicago Young Americans 33 11 Chicago Fury 33 7 Cleveland Barons 30 5

3 9 20 21 23

4 3 2 5 2

50 43 24 19 12

150 57 106 68 92 120 59 101 53 128

556 428 508 530 417

DETROIT Honeybaked Little Caesars Belle Tire Compuware Victory Honda

31 33 33 34 33

27 26 15 17 13

2 2 6 1 8 10 15 2 13 7

56 53 40 36 33

140 47 132 49 108 88 106 96 100 113

377 471 923 460 696

EAST Pittsburgh Hornets Philadelphia Jr Flyers Buffalo Regals Team Comcast Boston Advantage

31 32 30 30 32

19 14 10 7 2

10 14 15 14 24

2 4 5 9 6

40 32 25 23 10

107 77 77 79 83 108 88 102 35 125

303 304 281 301 414

MIDAM Russell Stover Dallas Stars St Louis AAA Blues Ohio Blue Jackets Madison Capitols

32 32 33 33 32

12 13 11 8 3

9 11 15 4 15 7 22 3 26 3

35 30 29 19 9

94 83 98 77 41

74 96 101 123 136

385 318 328 466 308

WEST LA Selects Hockey Club Colorado Thunderbirds Phoenix Jr Coyotes LA Kings Colorado Rampage

30 31 32 31 31

27 17 14 11 9

3 9 13 14 18

54 39 33 28 22

125 49 101 65 99 104 82 90 68 108

512 352 266 642 253

BANTAM MAJOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

Belle Tire 27 24 Chicago Mission 28 22 Cleveland Barons 31 16 Little Caesars 29 14 Chicago Young Americans 28 10 Honeybaked 28 11 Chicago Fury 31 8 Victory Honda 28 5 Team Illinois 27 5 Compuware 29 3

BANTAM MINOR

2 1 3 3 11 4 12 3 10 8 13 4 13 10 16 7 17 5 21 5

49 47 36 31 28 26 26 17 15 11

141 39 138 62 85 63 81 78 69 72 69 84 60 90 50 94 49 85 54 129

316 202 418 378 326 355 528 238 394 248

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

Compuware 31 24 Chicago Mission 31 21 Little Caesars 31 19 Honeybaked 31 18 Chicago Young Americans 31 17 Belle Tire 31 16 Cleveland Barons 31 5 Victory Honda 31 5 Team Illinois 31 5 Chicago Fury 31 4

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

0 5 5 6 4

2 4 8 8 8 7 23 23 25 26

5 6 4 5 6 8 3 3 1 1

53 48 42 41 40 40 13 13 11 9

187 58 136 41 129 68 129 58 112 66 126 67 53 134 52 161 42 180 43 176

535 411 299 232 364 480 575 343 292 628

PEE WEE MAJOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

PEE WEE MINOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

SQUIRT MAJOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

SQUIRT MINOR

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

GIRLS 19U

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

GIRLS 16U

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

GIRLS 14U

GP W L T PTS GF GA PIM

Little Caesars Honeybaked Chicago Mission Compuware Team Illinois Cleveland Belle Tire Victory Honda CYA Chicago Fury

31 28 29 29 28 31 30 31 29 28

26 22 21 17 12 11 9 9 3 0

Chicago Mission 31 31 Little Caesars 27 22 Team Illinois 31 19 Honeybaked 30 16 Compuware 30 15 Chicago Fury 31 13 Belle Tire 29 10 Victory Honda 29 6 Chicago Young Americans 31 5 Cleveland Barons 29 0 Little Caesars Chicago Mission Honeybaked Cleveland Barons Compuware Victory Honda Belle Tire CYA Team Illinois Chicago Fury Little Caesars Honeybaked Belle Tire Compuware Cleveland Barons Victory Honda

Belle Tire Chicago Mission Little Caesars Pittsburgh Penguins Elite CYA Madison Capitols Victory Honda New Jersey Rockets Honeybaked Ohio Flames St Louis Lady Blues Team Illinois Honeybaked Little Caesars Chicago Mission Madison Capitols Pittsburgh Penguins Elite CYA St Louis Lady Blues Wisconsin Wild Team Illinois Victory Honda Compuware Ohio Flames Chicago Fury Belle Tire Chicago Mission CYA Little Caesars Honeybaked Chicago Fury Ohio Flames St Louis Lady Blues Pittsburgh Pens Elite Wisconsin Wild Compuware Victory Honda Team Illinois

30 31 30 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 18 18 17 19 15 19

17 17 15 15 17 14 17 15 17 13 15 16 22 22 22 21 16 21 17 17 22 22 22 16 22 22 18 18 18 18 18 17 17 17 17 18 18 18

28 23 19 16 16 12 5 6 6 4 15 15 8 7 2 2

14 13 11 7 5 7 4 5 4 4 4 0

20 17 16 14 12 12 9 6 4 4 4 2 2 1 16 15 10 9 9 7 7 7 7 3 2 1

0 2 4 6 12 18 18 20 23 27

0 4 8 13 13 15 14 16 25 29

0 4 4 10 13 18 19 21 22 24

2 3 7 11 11 15 1 4 3 5 6 6 6 6 9 6 10 16

0 3 4 6 2 7 4 10 13 15 16 10 17 16 1 2 4 4 8 7 8 8 9 12 15 15

5 4 4 6 4 2 3 2 3 1 0 1 4 1 2 3 5 7 1 0 2 4 7 5 2 1 7 4 3 3 1 0 2 1 2 2

2 0 1 3 6 1 7 4 4 3 1 0 2 2 2 1 2 2 4 1 5 3 2 4 3 5 1 1 4 5 1 3 2 2 1 3 1 2

57 48 46 40 28 24 21 20 9 1 62 45 42 33 32 29 25 19 11 0 58 50 45 37 34 25 17 16 15 11 31 30 18 15 6 6

30 26 23 17 16 15 15 14 12 11 9 0 42 36 34 29 26 26 22 13 13 11 10 8 7 7 33 31 24 23 19 17 16 16 15 9 5 4

234 55 171 52 161 53 142 60 75 93 99 129 86 138 92 126 53 145 23 285

241 36 210 47 119 69 108 87 129 98 89 112 86 110 64 144 66 214 29 224 174 49 149 53 124 59 115 88 91 94 79 117 63 110 86 151 42 100 81 183 134 26 85 39 69 62 44 80 41 85 30 111 77 61 54 39 39 30 33 52 19 42 27 12

18 19 19 32 33 26 40 44 42 38 65 109

122 13 83 21 97 18 73 28 52 13 56 38 32 23 33 52 30 81 29 73 25 94 15 45 24 91 22 103 86 79 58 41 71 55 44 40 49 30 30 12

20 21 32 34 49 45 55 53 61 59 106 60

330 196 214 319 390 345 260 286 378 164 332 393 298 276 553 308 232 402 351 372 353 276 299 250 338 312 257 289 297 307 150 139 122 162 58 158

172 117 134 94 176 128 154 118 147 56 108 82

Standings by Pointstreak

This award is presented annually “to a head coach from Michigan who is widely regarded as an excellent teacher, role model, and tactician and whose players are regarded to be well-disciplined and reach their full potential under the coach’s guidance.”

Tier 1 Elite Standings (February 14, 2011)

120 219 165 128 114 151 76 182 171 330 185 134 114 173 136 156 148 106 148 130 108 152 112 186 164 134

Michigan Hockey

15

MyHockeyRankings.com

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

MICHIGAN TEAM RANKINGS AS OF FEBRUARY 16, 2011

16

Rank Midget Major 1.............Honeybaked 18U AAA 2.............Compuware 18U AAA 3.............Belle Tire 18U AAA 4.............Victory Honda 18U AAA 5.............Lansing Capitals 18U AAA 6.............Little Caesars 18U AAA 7.............Detroit Falcons 18U AAA 8.............Lansing CC Pride 18U AAA 9.............Marquette Electricians 18U AAA 10...........West Michigan Hounds 18U AAA

Record 34-12-12 31-12-17 29-22-7 31-15-14 32-13-3 28-21-8 24-16-2 27-16-4 14-31-8 26-22-3

Rank Midget Minor 1.............Honeybaked 16U AAA 2.............Little Caesars 16U AAA 3.............Belle Tire 16U AAA 4.............Motor City Metal Jackets 16U AAA 5.............Compuware 16U AAA 6.............Victory Honda 16U AAA 7.............Detroit Falcons 16U AAA 8.............Lansing Capitals 16U AAA 9.............West Michigan Hounds 16U AAA 10...........Belle Tire Selects 16U AAA

Record 47-2-2 33-8-2 25-19-11 35-9-5 28-23-3 25-22-10 13-16-1 3-31-1 7-25-2 7-25-3

Rank Bantam Major 1.............Belle Tire 96 AAA 2.............Little Caesars 96 AAA 3.............Honeybaked 96 AAA 4.............Victory Honda 96 AAA 5.............Compuware 96 AAA 6.............MC Metal Jackets Grizzlies 96 AAA 7.............West Michigan Hounds 96 AAA 8.............Lansing Capitals 96 AAA

Record 41-5-3 32-20-2 23-22-6 19-21-10 17-25-7 27-9-1 6-27-2 4-34-2

Rank Bantam Minor 1.............Compuware 97 AAA 2.............Honeybaked 97 AAA 3.............Little Caesars 97 AAA 4.............Belle Tire 97 AAA 5.............PK Warriors 97 AAA 6.............Victory Honda 97 AAA

Record 50-6-8 29-10-5 36-14-7 23-15-10 15-20-0 7-32-5

Rank Pee Wee Major 1.............Little Caesars 98 AAA 2.............Honeybaked 98 AAA 3.............Compuware 98 AAA 4.............Victory Honda 98 AAA 5.............Belle Tire 98 AAA

Record 41-3-5 38-6-5 29-11-6 21-28-3 13-24-6

Rank Pee Wee Minor 1.............Little Caesars 99 AAA 2.............Compuware 99 AAA 3.............Honeybaked 99 AAA 4.............Belle Tire 99 AAA 5.............Victory Honda 99 AAA

Record 39-8-2 35-20-4 29-19-3 18-24-7 14-27-9

Rank Squirt Major 1.............Little Caesars 00 AAA 2.............Honeybaked 00 AAA 3.............Compuware 00 AAA 4.............Victory Honda 00 AAA 5.............Belle Tire 00 AAA

Record 44-1-2 38-11-8 26-22-4 17-25-6 5-29-9

Michigan Hockey

Rank Squirt Minor 1.............Little Caesars (North) 01 AAA 2.............Honeybaked 01 AAA 3.............Belle Tire 01 AAA 4.............Little Caesars (South) 01 AAA 5.............Compuware 01 AAA 6.............Victory Honda 01 AAA

Record 44-5-4 32-10-2 19-14-3 18-16-4 17-25-4 7-26-3

Rank Midget AA 1.............St Clair Shores Saints 18U AA 2.............Troy Sting 18U AA 3.............Michigan Blues 18U AA 4.............USA Eagles 18U AA 5.............Westland Warriors 18U AA 6.............Battle Creek Bruins 18U AA 7.............Plymouth Stingrays 18U AA 8.............Rochester Rattlers 18U AA 9.............Alpena Flyers 18U AA 10...........St Ignace Firehawks 18U AA

Record 43-6-3 28-12-7 18-13-6 19-24-4 3-8-1 17-5-3 18-7-2 8-23-2 10-16-3 14-12-4

Rank Midget A 1.............Allen Park Huskies 16U A 2.............Summit Plastics 16U A 3.............West Kent Hawks 16U A 4.............Oakland Jr Grizzlies 16U A 5.............Mt Clemens Wolves 16U A 6.............Lansing CC Pride 16U A 7.............Flint Phantoms 16U A 8.............Belle Tire Taylor 16U A 9.............Kensington Valley Rebels 16U A 10...........Rochester Rattlers 16U A

Record 55-5-2 45-7-4 31-13-4 19-17-8 25-18-4 23-19-7 21-13-7 10-23-3 30-11-3 19-11-4

Rank Bantam AA Record 1.............Rochester Rattlers 96 AA 32-8-7 2.............St Clair Shores Saints 96 AA 30-14-5 3.............Trenton Thunder 96 AA 31-12-4 4.............Farmington Hills Fire 96 AA 23-14-5 5.............Midland North Stars 96 AA 24-19-4 6.............Oakland Jr Grizzlies 96 AA 21-15-4 7.............Livonia Knights 96 AA 23-13-2 8.............Kensington Valley Renegades 96 AA 18-17-8 9.............Kentwood Falcons 96 AA 29-14-4 10...........Lakeland Hawks 96 AA 22-16-4 Rank Bantam A 1.............Farmington Hills Flames 97 A 2.............Suburban Stars 97 A 3.............West Kent Hawks 97 A 4.............Belle Tire South 97 A 5.............Rochester Rattlers 97 A 6.............Trenton 97 A 7.............Michigan Ice Hawks 97 A 8.............Grand Rapids Griffins 97 A 9.............Oakland Jr Grizzlies 97 A 10...........Fraser Falcons 97 A

Record 40-6-3 29-12-5 28-18-3 30-18-6 30-14-2 25-14-7 32-18-8 25-18-9 13-24-6 22-19-5

Rank Pee Wee AA 1.............Holland Ice Dogs 98 AA 2.............Novi Ice Cats 98 AA 3.............Allen Park Huskies 98 AA 4.............Plymouth Stingrays 98 AA 5.............Grosse Pointe Bulldogs 98 AA 6.............Midland North Stars 98 AA 7.............Traverse City Dave Harveys 98 AA 8.............Grand Rapids Griffins 98 AA 9.............Soo Jr Lakers 98 AA 10...........Trenton Trojans 98 AA

Record 38-6-2 33-11-5 37-11-5 44-11-7 23-15-5 32-14-4 27-6-2 33-17-1 12-5-2 23-14-8

Rank Pee Wee A 1.............USA Eagles 99 A 2.............Troy Sting 99 A 3.............Grand Rapids Griffins 99 A 4.............Livonia Knights 99 A 5.............Ann Arbor Wolves 99 A 6.............Suburban Stars 99 A 7.............Kensington Valley Rebels 99 A 8.............St Clair Shores Saints 99 A 9.............Holland Ice Dogs 99 A 10...........Oakland Jr Grizzlies 99 A

Record 39-7-6 36-13-5 31-14-7 23-12-6 30-14-7 22-14-4 27-17-4 21-10-8 30-17-3 15-19-10

Rank Squirt AA 1.............Midland North Stars 00 AA 2.............Novi Ice Cats 00 AA 3.............Plymouth Stingrays 00 AA 4.............Grosse Ile Islanders 00 AA 5.............Birmingham Rangers 00 AA 6.............Grand Rapids Griffins 00 AA 7.............PK Warriors 00 AA 8.............Oakland Jr Grizzlies 00 AA 9.............Livonia Knights 00 AA 10...........Kensington Valley Rebels 00 AA

Record 38-10-2 27-19-5 32-11-6 31-7-6 23-13-3 27-8-5 16-20-3 33-11-5 12-19-7 15-14-8

Rank Squirt A 1.............Kensington Valley Rebels 01 A 2.............Troy Sting 01 A 3.............Macomb Mavericks 01 A 4.............Ann Arbor Wolves 01 A 5.............Bay County Blizzard 01 A 6.............Suburban Stars 01 A 7.............Bluewater Stars 01 A 8.............USA Eagles 01 A 9.............Oakland Jr Grizzlies 01 A 10...........Rochester Rattlers 01 A

Record 42-6-5 35-8-4 27-11-4 26-13-3 26-13-4 18-20-3 22-12-6 16-10-6 14-16-2 21-16-7

Rank Girls 19U Tier I 1.............Belle Tire 19U 2.............Little Caesars 19U 3.............Victory Honda 19U 4.............Honeybaked 19U

Record 31-10-6 33-18-4 4-11-10 7-21-4

Rank Girls 16U Tier I 1.............Honeybaked 16U 2.............Little Caesars 16U 3.............Victory Honda 16U 4.............Belle Tire 16U 5.............Compuware 16U

Record 36-2-4 42-14-7 3-31-5 2-12-3 3-27-2

Rank Girls 14U Tier I 1.............Little Caesars 14U 2.............Honeybaked 14U 3.............Compuware 14U 4.............Victory Honda 14U

Record 18-20-8 18-13-9 4-25-6 2-15-1

Rank Girls 12U Tier I 1.............Honeybaked 12U 2.............Compuware 12U 3.............Belle Tire 12U 4.............Little Caesars 12U

Record 18-10-5 17-16-7 11-18-5 3-28-0

CHECK OUT

MYHOCKEYRANKINGS.COM FOR NATIONAL RANKINGS

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Fast Meals for

Hockey Moms MAPLE-GLA ZED STUFFED ROAST PORK

2 Tbsp. butter 1 apple, chopped 1-1/2 cups hot water 1 pkg. (6 oz.) stuffing mix for chicken 1 pork loin (2 lb.), butterflied 2 Tbsp. maple-flavored or pancake syrup 2 Tbsp. hearty spicy brown mustard 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary Heat oven to 350ºF. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat.

Add apples; cook and stir 3 min. or until crisp-tender.

Add water and stuffing mix; cover.

Let stand 5 min.; mix lightly.

Spoon stuffing mixture onto cut-side of meat to within 1/2 inch of edge. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion, starting at one short end. Place seam-side down, in roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 1 hour. Mix syrup, mustard and rosemary; spread over meat. Bake 20 min. or until meat is done (160°F). Let stand 15 min. before slicing to serve.

Submit your recipe & photo to: lucia@michiganhockeyonline.com Contact Lucia @ 248-479-1134 if you would like to sponsor this unique program.

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SUBURBAN ICE - MACOMB 6:15-8:05 PM, TUESDAY, MARCH 29

SUBURBAN ICE - MACOMB

NOVI ICE ARENA

5:30-7:20 PM, TUESDAY, APRIL 5

ICE BOX SPORTS CENTER 6:40-8:30 PM, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Hockey Player Hometown Age Height Weight Team Position Coach School Grade Favorite Team Favorite Player

Nicholas Meyering

Hockey Player Hometown Age Height Weight Team Position Coach School Grade Favorite Team Favorite Player

Blake Crimmins

North Muskegon 9 4โ 5โ 55 lbs Muskegon Chiefs Forward Mick Latsch North Muskegon Elementary 3rd Grade Phoenix Coyotes Taylor Pyatt

BIRMINGHAM ICE ARENA

5:00-6:50 PM, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30

LAKELAND ARENA

5:50-7:40 PM, THURSDAY, MARCH 31

ST. CLAIR SHORES CIVIC ARENA

5:30-7:20 PM, THURSDAY, APRIL 7

NOVI ICE ARENA

6:00-7:50 PM, MONDAY, APRIL 11

SUBURBAN ICE FARMINGTON HILLS 5:30-7:20 PM, THURSDAY, APRIL 14

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Commerce Twp. 8 4โ -3โ 61 lbs.

2002 Suburban Stars Center Mom Vicki Crimmins Oakley Park Elementary 3rd Grade Detroit Red Wings Nick Lidstrom

Make your player a "Star of Tomorrow" Every player appearing on Reebok's Stars of Tomorrow will win a new Reebok hockey stick!

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Michigan Hockey

17

FAVORITE SPORTING EVENT:

The Stanley Cup Finals – I got to go when the Penguins lost to the Red Wings in 2008.

BEST MEAL YOU’VE EVER HAD:

My mom’s chicken parmesan or a filet mignon.

BREAKFAST YOU CRAVE:

I’m not really a big breakfast guy. I like an omelet sandwich or raisin bran or Special K with strawberries.

COOLEST DINNER COMPANIONS:

I’d have to say Sidney Crosby and Adam Sandler, he’s funny and one of my favorite actors.

MUST SEE TV:

I watch Friends and Entourage and pop in a DVD of Kings of Queens once in a while, that’s pretty funny.

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO MOST ON YOUR IPOD:

Usually it’s a mix of all kinds of things, Jack Johnson and soul singers, and I just let it play.

FAVORITE MOVIE:

The Holiday.

PRE-GAME ROUTINE:

I usually eat some pasta four or five hours before the game. Then I take care of my sticks and get a stretch in with the guys. I’m not really superstitious or have to have things the same every time.

BEST HOCKEY MEMORY:

Winning the gold medal last year at the World Under 18 Tournament in Belarus with the U.S. National Team. We had a close group of guys, we played really well together and we were focused on one thing.

WHAT HAS HOCKEY TAUGHT YOU:

Hockey is a game of discipline and character and I try to carry that from the ice into life.

Born and raised in suburban Pittsburgh, 18-year old left wing Brandon Saad left home to play in Ann Arbor for the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) last season.

He signed with Saginaw (OHL) last summer and is a senior at Heritage High School. Saad was named the league’s Academic Player of the Month for November, played in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on January 19 in Toronto and is projected to be a Top 10 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

2011 SPRING ADULT HOCKEY LEAGUE

Season begins the week of April 10

Leagues Offered 18+ D Tuesdays

40+ Open

18+ Open Wednesdays

18+ B Saturdays

30+ C Thursdays

30+ D Sundays

18+ C Sundays

League Features No-check leagues Team and individual registrations Three 15-minute running time periods No hidden costs! Referee Fees and Scorekeepers Included!

TM

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

42400 Arena Drive Novi (248) 347-1010 noviicearena.com

Michigan Hockey

19

Michigan Hockey 20th Season

February 21, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 16

20 Years/20 Issues Michigan Hockey Headlines Wayne Gretzky retires after 20 seasons. Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers. Upon retirement, Gretzky owned forty regular-season and fifteen playoff records respectively. Also, Gretzky is the only player to score more than 200 points in one season, which he accomplished four times. Gretzky’s career stats were (894, 1,963) for 2,857 points in 1,487 games played.

Steve Yzerman scores his 600th career goal against the Edmonton Oilers, becoming the 11th player to reach 600. Yzerman would finish his career with 692 career goals in 1,514 games. Scotty Bowman also records his 1,100th career regular season win.

January 24th Susan B. Anthony dollar re-released.

JANUARY January 7th Senate begins to try President Clilnton on lying under oath.

January 27th Ford says it will buy the auto operations of Sweden’s Volvo for $6.45 billion.

February 25th Lauryn Hill sets grammy record with 10 nominations.

FEBRUARY

Michigan Hockey

Nicklas Lidstrom re-signs with the Detroit Red Wings.

Lidstrom had been deciding between staying in Detroit and returning to his native Sweden to raise his family.

Lidstrom would go on to win four Stanley Cups and six Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman and has worn the “C” for the Red Wings since the 2006-07 season.

May 19th Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

June 20th Payne Stewart wins the 99th U.S. Open.

He would die in a plane accident later in the year.

April 18th Wayne Gretzky plays his final game.

MARCH

February 15th Gene Siskel, half the famed movie critic team of Siskel and Ebert, passes away.

February 12th Bill Clinton acquitted

by U.S. Senate in impeachment proceedings.

20

March 22nd After four years, it’s goodbye to “The Late Late Show” with Tom Snyder on CBS.

Wayne State University announces it will bring Division I hockey to Detroit. The Warriors will have both a men’s and women’s program beginning in the 1999-2000 season.

Former CCHA Coach of the Year Bill Wilkinson is named to coach the men and Tom O’Malley for the women.

Currently, Wayne State fields the only Division I women’s program in the state.

APRIL April 8th Jose Maria Olazabal wins his second Masters at Augusta.

March 8th Joe DiMaggio dies.

May 6th Peter Merholz coins the term ‘Blog’.

MAY

JUNE May 21st Susan Lucci finally receives an Emmy - after being nominated 19 times in as many years.

June 22nd George W. Bush announces he’ll be a presidential candidate.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Michigan Hockey 20th Season

Flashback: MLB Champion New York Yankees

Cost of a U.S. Stamp $0.33

NFL Superbowl winner Denver Broncos

Hart trophy - NHL MVP Jaromir Jagr-Pittsburgh

NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs

Cost of a dozen Eggs $1.08

NHL Stanley Cup winner Dallas Stars

Cost of a gallon of Milk $3.32

AMBASSADORS WIN GOLD CUP

Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.17

OHL Champion Belleville Bulls Memorial Cup Champion Ottawa 67’s

#1 Song Smooth, Santana

NCAA Champion Maine

Ross trophy - Top NHL scorer Jaromir Jagr-Pittsburgh

Academy Award’s Top Movie American Beauty

#1 NHL Draft Pick Patrik Stefan-Atlanta

Top Television Show Who Wants to be a Millionaire

CCHA Reg. Season Champion Michigan State

Jack Adams awardTop NHL Coach Jacques Martin-Ottawa

Vezina trophy Best NHL Goaltender Dominik Hasek-Buffalo

The Compuware Ambassadors earned a trip to the 1999 USA Hockey Tier II National Tournament by winning the North American Hockey League’s regular season title with a 39-11-6 record.

But just for good measure the Ambassadors ran off seven straight postseason victories, including a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Sting in the playoff final, to take their second straight NAHL playoff championship and the league’s championship trophy, the Robertson Cup. Compuware clinched the playoff title with a 4-0 shutout of the Sting on April 23, 1999 at the Compuware Sports Arena. Captain John Shouneyia (at right), who finished second in the league in scoring (23-57-80) during the regular season and tied for first in playoff scoring (2-11-13) scored once and added two assists in the game.

Pete Broccoli, Steve Jackson and Josh Bowers also scored and Craig Kowalski,the league’s leading goaltender, stopped 15 shots for the shutout.

While getting ready for the National Tournament, Compuware knew all about the United States Hockey League’s Des Moines Buccaneers. It was hard not no – everyone at tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska was talking about them.

The Bucs were unbeatable. Another USHL powerhouse. Maybe the best team in junior hockey.

Des Moines, led by coach Scott Owens, led the USHL with a 48-6 record, and featured top scorers Peter Fregoe and Peter Sejna, along with Jackson native Nick Field and future NHLer Noah Clarke.

Well, so much for that. Compuware avenged an earlier 3-0 round robin loss to Des Moines by beating the Buccaneers, 3-1, in the national championship final on May 5. Jack Redwood scored two second period goals and Bowers added a third-period marker in the win.

The victory clinched Compuware’s second Gold Cup title in five seasons and put a cap on Ambassadors’ coach Mike Vellucci’s NAHL career. Vellucci took over the Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers for the 2001-02 season.

July 16th JFK Jr. dies in a plane crash.

July 23rd Woodstock 99 took place in New York.

JULY

April 15th Tiger Woods wins his first PGA Championship.

AUGUST

September 1st Tyco announces that all Beanies will be retired.

SEPTEMBER

October 15th Fight Club film released.

OCTOBER

“I never doubted this team at all,” said Vellucci. “We feel this could be the best Junior A team ever.”

The Ambassadors finished with a 5-12-6 overall record and ended the season with 18 wins in 19 games – and a triple crown of championships.

“We won our league, our playoffs and now this,” said Kowalski, who went to play four years at Northern Michigan and is in his seventh season of pro hockey.

“This just tops it off. All week long we heard how Des Moines was the best team here, but I think we proved we were.”

November 22nd Wayne Gretzky is inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, his number 99 permanently retired by the NHL.

NOVEMBER

December 31st Albert Einstein named person of the Century by Time.

DECEMBER

October 12th Eddie Timanus, first blind contestant, wins on Jeopardy.

July 10th Women’s soccer team wins World Cup.

September 7th Viacom and CBS merge.

August 31st Apple releases Power Mac G4.

November 22nd Elian Gonzales custody battle begins.

November 24th Toy Story 2 released.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

December 31st The London Eye, the world’s largest ferris wheel, opens by the banks of the Thames.

Michigan Hockey

21

From the Crease

STEVE McKICHAN From the crease The Success Triangle To make it to the big leagues you need to have a well-balanced life.

The balance that I am describing involves three areas: school, social life and hockey. If you can visualize these three items as points on a triangle it will help understand the discussion.

If you spend all of your waking moments on any single element of this triangle your life will quickly fall short of your goals. You need balance and it is important to treat each of the points as important as the other.

THE BALANCE IS KEY It could be argued that you can be successful by really throwing yourself into two of the three elements. For example, if you never go out with your buddies, never hang out with a girlfriend or boyfriend and never spend any time on the Internet you will have a ton of time to perfect your goaltending skills and post some pretty decent grades.

But at what cost? You need to have a social life and you need to have friends outside of hockey. What fun would it be to go through high school without going to a dance or hanging out with your buddies on a Play Station?

I believe a properly balanced social life in fact helps you have success in school and in your hockey. By not feeling like your giving up your social life, you can in fact put more into your hockey efforts and your schooling. The key is balance.

22

Michigan Hockey

DON’T MAKE IT DRUDGERY Of course we can all name athletes who had it all but spent too much time on the social part of their life. They put too much time into the parties and hanging out.

Their grades suffered and their hockey skills never realized their full potential.

I met a former NHL goaltender when I was 13-years old and he made a big impact on my life. Marv Edwards was a quality goaltender who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1970’s. He told me many valuable things but one thing really stood out. To become an elite athlete doesn’t have to be drudgery.

“You need to pick your spots,” he said.

By that he meant that you can have a life outside of hockey. Keep your grades up, work hard at your game and spend time with your friends.

Steve McKichan is the owner of Future Pro goalie school and the former goaltending coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Spending time on all three parts of the Success Triangle can help you reach your potential.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

ATTENTION

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

2011 HOCKEY CAMP

where...

MICHIGAN STATE ATE UNIVERSITY Y

when...

June 19 too 233 July 10 to 14 July 17 to 21 July 24 too 28

For a FREE brochure, complete information and mail to: M.S.U. SPORTS CAMP, 400 E. Jenison Field House, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1025 or phone (517) 432-0730.

www.sportcamps.msu.edu/ email: hockey@msu.edu

HOCKEY CAMP Name___________________________ Age ______ Address _____________________________________ City/Town ___________________________________ State ______________ Zip _____________________ Telephone____________________________________ Position Playing________________________________

Defense Born: May 13, 1983 Hometown: Grand Ledge, MI Height/Weight: 6-3/231 Shoots: R Season Team 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2 20 05 0 5 5-06 2005-06 2005 5-0 06 2005-06 2 006 06-0 -0 07 2006-07 20 007 7-0 08 2007-08 2007 07-0 07 -0 08 2007-08 2 20 08-0 09 2008-09 2009 0 -1 09 -10 2009-10 2 010 10-1 -11 1 2010-11

U.S. Nat. Team Green Bay Gamblers North Dakota North Dakota North Dakota Iow Stars Io Iowa Edm Edmonton Oilers Ed dm Edmonton Oilers Edm Edmonton Oilers Sp pri r Springfi eld Falcons Loss Angeles Kings Los Loss Angeles Kings Loss Angeles Kings

NHL NH H Totals

League GP USHL USHL WCHA WCHA WCHA AHL NHL NHL NHL AHL NHL NHL NHL

20 55 39 40 41 26 27 78 46 1 82 75 45 353

G

A

Pts

PIM

0 4 0 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 5

1 20 4 16 7 5 2 9 1 0 12 7 5 36

1 24 4 17 9 7 2 10 1 0 14 9 5 41

51 150 135 86 116 47 43 109 53 0 111 83 46 445

Selected by Edmonton in the second round (44th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft… Acquired From Edmonton with Jarret Stoll for Lubomir Visnovsky on June 29, 2008…Nickname is Greener…

Off-season home is in Los Angeles…Girlfriend’s name is Alyssa…

Has a pet bulldog named Mickey Rourke…Favorite movie is The Usual Suspects…Favorite TV show is Tosh.0…Favorite actor is Mickey Rourke…Favorite band: Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band…Favorite NHL city, other than Los Angeles is Chicago…

Favorite book is The Alchemist…Favorite sport other than hockey: wiffleball…Favorite hockey moment: Stanley Cup run in 2006…Favorite pro athlete: Alan Trammell…Favorite hockey player growing up was Bob Rouse…Favorite arena on the road is Edmonton’s Rexall Place…Favorite food is sushi…Favorite holiday is Halloween…Favorite website, other than LAKings. com youtube.com…Favorite vacation spot is Grand Ledge…

First job was at a tire store…If not a hockey player he would be a fireman… Played in 160 consecutive games from Jan. 20, 2008 to Jan. 9, 2010 before being sidelined with a lower body injury… Signed to five-year contract extension Oct. 17, 2008...

Named an alternate captain Oct. 8, 2008.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR Advanced Tournaments February 25-27, 2011 Holland, MI Great Lakes Tournament Series Pee Wee House, Pee Wee A, Midget House Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI February 25-27, 2011 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Mt. Pleasant Patriots Get Into the Cold Tournaments February 25-27, 2011 Mt. Pleasant, MI Mite Jamboree mtpleasanthockey.com Hockey Time Productions K-Zoo Cup Tournament Series Kalamazoo, MI February 25-27, 2011 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Big Rapids Hockey Association Midget B/BB Weekend Big Rapids, MI February 25-27, 2011 Midget B/BB 231-591-2881 bigrapidshockey.org Hockey Cares Weekend Benefit for the American Cancer Society March 4-6, 2011 Kalamazoo, MI House-B Squirt-Midget 269-345-5369 mstommen@arenamaps.com tournaments.arenamaps.com/ series Advanced Tournaments March 4-6, 2011 Holland, MI Great Lakes Tournament Series Mite AA, Squirt House, Bantam House Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com Mt. Pleasant Patriots Get Into the Cold Tournaments March 4-6, 2011 Mt. Pleasant, MI Squirt B mtpleasanthockey.com St. Paddy’s Tournament Mt. Pleasant, MI March 11-13, 2011 Pee Wee and Bantam B (989) 772-9623 mpicearena.org Girls Go Pink Tournament Marquette, MI March 11-13. 2011 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 19U House/Rec, 19U Tier II Comp., College/Senior Women Mqthockey.org (906) 228-9193 Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI March 11-13, 2011

Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com CCHA Kids College Classic Farmington Hills, Novi, Detroit, MI March 18-20, 2011 Squirt and Pee Wee House, A & AA 248-479-1139 jjones@suburbanice.com ccha.com Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI March 25-27, 2011 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Top Shelf Spring Classic Brighton, MI April 1-4, 2011 Adult – Men 18&Up (open) 21&Up & 30&Up Women’s Competitive Rec Recreational/Novice/Beginner COED - Competitive Novice/ Competitive Rec 810-494-555x5 afinkbeiner@ kensingtonvalleyicehouse.com Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI April 8-10, 2011 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com McCann Ice Arena 8th Annual Travel Tune-Up Tournament Grosse Pointe Woods, MI April 14-17, 2011 Mite-Midget Travel 313-343-0947 Big Dog Invitational Troy, MI May 4-8, 2011 Squirt Major-18U 248-674-2913 bigdoginvitational.com larrybthompson@yahoo.com

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March 4-6, 2011 Chicago, IL Tournament of Champions Invitational Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com Gene Harrington Invitational The Falls Classic Niagra Falls, NY March 4-6 2011 781-710-6560 nahockey.com Advanced Tournaments March 11-12, 2011 Pittsburgh, PA Steel City Tournament Series: Pittsburgh Spring Classic Mite through Midget: B, A, AA Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com Advanced Tournaments March 11-13, 2011 Rochester, NY Empire State Tournament Series: Rochester Rumble Mite through Midget: B, A, AA Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com

CANADA CANADIAN CUP – Family Day Weekend Montreal, Quebec February 18-20, 2011 Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School Boys AA, A, B, House Select -Minor/ Major Mixed division Canadian Hockey Ent. 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com North American Holiday Hockey Toronto, ON March 11-13, 2011 Adult and Youth Leagues 800-322-NAHH NAHHTOURS@AOL.COM CANADIAN CUP Montreal, Quebec March 18-20, 2011 Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget AA, A, B, House Select - Minor/ Major/Mixed divisions Canadian Hockey Ent. 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises March 31/April 1-3, 2011 Banff Cup Banff, Alberta ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com

Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 1-3, 2011 Vancouver Cup Vancouver, BC ADULT TOURNAMENT Includes Canucks vs Oilers tickets Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises .1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 1-3, 2011 Capital Cup Ottawa, ON ADULT TOURNAMENT Includes Senators vs Leafs tickets Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 7/8 - 10, 2011 Banff Cup Banff, Alberta ADULT TOURNAMENTS Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 8-10, 2011 Motor City Cup Windsor, Ontario ADULT TOURNAMENT Includes Red Wings vs Blackhawks tickets Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises...1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 8 -10, 2011 Niagara Cup Niagara Falls, Ontario ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 8 – 10, 2011 Montreal Adult & Old-timer Tournament Montreal, Quebec ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com

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michiganhockeyonline.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 8-10, 2011 Okanagan Cup Kelowna, British Columbia ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 14/15-17, 2011 Banff Cup Banff, Alberta ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions (also Women’s divisions) Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Canlan Classic Tournaments Future Stars Tournament Toronto, ON April 15 -17, 2011 Youth Boys-Girls 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 15-17, 2011 Niagara Cup Niagara Falls, Ontario ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions (also Women’s divisions) Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com

OneHockey International 1st Spring Challenge Edmonton, AB May 6-8, 2011 1995-2003’s (no 2001’s) info@onehockey.com onehockey.com 23rd Annual Bluewater Sharks Tournament Series Sarnia, ON May 6-8, 2011 Midget Minor & Major, Girls 19 & Under Competitive (519)344-8624 sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca Canlan Classic Tournaments Toronto Cup Toronto, ON May 6 - 8, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com Canlan Classic Tournaments May Madness & Future Stars Toronto, ON May 13 - 15, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com 23rd Annual Bluewater Sharks Tournament Series Sarnia, ON May 20-22, 2011 Pee Wee Minor & Major, Girls 16 & Under Competitive (519)344-8624 sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca

North American Holiday Hockey Montreal, QC April 29-May 1, 2011 Adult and Youth Leagues 800-322-NAHH NAHHTOURS@AOL.COM

Canlan Classic Tournaments Memorial Holiday Classic Toronto & Oakville, ON May 27 - 29, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com

23rd Annual Bluewater Sharks Tournament Series Sarnia, ON April 29-May 1, 2011 Bantam Minor & Major, Ladies 19 & Over Rec (519)344-8624 sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca

23rd Annual Bluewater Sharks Tournament Series Sarnia, ON May 27-29, 2011 Squirt Minor & Major (519)344-8624 sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca

Canlan Classic Tournaments Spring Showdown Toronto, ON April 29 -May 1, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com Canlan Classic Tournaments Lower Mainland Spring Sizzler Vancouver, BC April 29 - May 1, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com

Canlan Classic Tournaments Canlan Classic Quest for the Cup I Vancouver, BC May 6 - 8, 2011 Youth Boys-Girls 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com 23rd Annual Bluewater Sharks Tournament Series Sarnia, ON June 3-5, 2011 Mite Minor & Major, Novice (519)344-8624 sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY "The Original"

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EASY AS 1 - 2 - 3 HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOW IT WORKS:

1. Go online at Michiganhockeyonline.com to the MH AWARD button. There will be a Ă&#x20AC;OODEOH IRUP RQ WKH WINNERS CIRCLE page.

2. 2QFH RQOLQH IRUP LV Ă&#x20AC;OOHG RXW DQG VXEPLWWHG WKH QDPHV RI DFKLHYHPHQW DZDUG ZLQQHUV ZLOO EH OLVWHG KHUH LQ WKH ´WINNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CIRCLEâ&#x20AC;?

VHFWLRQ RI 0LFKLJDQ +RFNH\ <RX ZLOO UHFHLYH DQ HPDLO QRWLI\LQJ \RX ZKHQ WKH SOD\HU ZLOO EH OLVWHG LQ 0LFKLJDQ +RFNH\ 3. 3OD\HUV ZLOO UHFHLYH D FHUWLĂ&#x20AC;FDWH LQGLFDWLQJ WKHLU RXWVWDQGLQJ DFKLHYHPHQW /LPLW RQH DZDUG SHU FDWHJRU\ SHU SOD\HU SHU \HDU

See website www.ferris.edu/icearena for application About 3-on-3 Hockey: 3-on-3 Hockey is a unique brand of ice hockey developed to enhance your LQGLYLGXDO KRFNH\ VNLOOV LQ D IXQ ÂżOOHG HQYLURQPHQW *DPHV DUH IRXU IRXU PLQXWH SHULRGV 7KUHH VHSDUDWH RQ ULQNV ZLOO EH VHW XS LQ WKH IDFLOLW\ 7KUHH ULQNV PHDVXULQJ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ IHHW ORQJ E\ IHHW ZLGH ZLWK IRRW KLJK ERDUGV DGG D QHZ DQG TXLFNHU ZD\ WR SOD\ WKH JDPH

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Team entry form MUST be received 3 weeks before tournament date.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

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Michigan Hockey

25

MH Beat

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

BY PHILIP COLVIN

With five weeks left in the NAHL regular season, the league’s playoff fever will take a short break for the 2011 Top Prospects Tournament, Feb. 20-22 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor.

The event features teams from each of the NAHL’s four divisions and two games each day will give college coaches a good look at the league’s top uncommitted players.

When league play resumes three Michigan teams will be in a fight for the last two playoff spots in the Junior A circuit’s North Division.

The Michigan Warriors are in third place (54 points) and the Motor City Metal Jackets and Traverse City North Stars are tied for fourth place (53 points).

“It sounds cliché, but on any given night any team in the North Division can beat one another,” said Metal Jackets head coach David Cole.

The Metal Jackets have two of league’s top three scorers in Cody Wydo (36-43-79) and Steve Brancheau (22-39-61) and Mike Monfredo leads all defenseman in scoring (11-30-41). Monfredo was named Motor City captain after R.J. Kleiman was traded to St. Louis and plays almost 40 minutes a night and has 156 PIMs. Wydo (Wyandotte) and Brancheau (River Rouge) will play for Team North at the 2011 Top Prospects Tournament. Other players with Michigan ties playing for Team North include the Warriors’ Scott Henegar (Trenton), Justin Hoomaian (Novi) and Ryan Trenz, the North Stars Mike Szmatula (Commerce Twp.), Tim Opie (Troy) and Travis White (Sterling Heights), St. Louis’ Kleiman (DeWitt) and Janesville’s Alex Brooks (Grand Rapids).

Team Central includes Bismarck’s Emerson Auvenshine (Eaton Rapids) and Port Huron’s Mitch Sand and Nils-Erik Soderlund. Team West includes Kenai River’s Brett Lubanski (Farmington Hills) and Ryan Walker (Southfield) and Wenatchee’s DJ Vandercook (Farmington Hills).

Finally, Team South has six players from Michigan – Wichita Falls’ Dakota Klecha

26

Michigan Hockey

(Taylor), Mac Olson (Grosse Pointe), and Chris Leone (Dearborn Heights), Topeka’s Eric Rohrkemper (Grosse Pointe Woods) and Nathan Milam (Westland) and New Mexico’s Adam Chapie (Oxford).

With a file from Alex Kyrias/nahl.com

DETROIT’S HOCKEY IN THE HOOD IS FEB. 18-20 The Hockey in the Hood Tournament is returning to Detroit with a diverse group of teams – some new, some familiar - participating.

The seventh annual event will be held Feb. 18-20 at Detroit’s Jack Adams Arena and Clark Park on the city’s southwest side.

Hockey in the Hood was started in 2005 by Detroit Hockey Association president Will McCants and Fort Dupont, Washington D.C.-based hockey club president Neil Henderson to give minority-based associations from around the U.S. an opportunity to compete against each other during a weekend that celebrated the game’s diversity.

This year, teams from Detroit’s Clark Park Coalition, Fort Dupont, Wasilla (AK) and Columbus (OH) will compete against St. Clair Shores, Garden City, Royal Oak, Monroe Ice Hawks, Westland Warriors, Novi Bulldogs, Farmington Renegades and the Wayne Bulldogs for the Willie O’Ree Cup, named after the player who broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958.

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BY LARRY Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CONNOR

Forget spring fever. The bug going around ice rinks in the waning months of the winter campaign is a virulent strain of 3-on-3 hockey.

Several arenas are augmenting traditional six-on-six leagues, or eschewing them altogether, with 3-on-3 tournaments and leagues this spring. Like other sports â&#x20AC;&#x201C; notably basketballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular 3-on-3 challenges and soccerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proliferation of 3-on-3 tourneys â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn to embrace a scaled down version of the game.

The spring season offers the optimum time frame as players and teams have just completed a grueling regular season complete with league, district and, in some cases, state playoffs, if not a national tournament.

The thought of strapping on the gear for another shift canvassing a 200-foot by 85-foot ice surface might be too much to bear for even the most rabid devotee. A quick injection of 3-on-3 action might be an antidote for the most weary-legged player. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for kids to think differently on the ice and to be exposed to something a little different,â&#x20AC;?says Steve Greenberg, hockey director at the Summit in Dimondale.â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get more touches of the puck and everything happens more frequently in a small area.â&#x20AC;?

The Summit, Suburban Ice Macomb, Novi Ice Arena and the Grand Traverse Hockey Association are among those rinks and associations planning forays into the 3-on-3 realm this spring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; be it one-off tournaments and fully-fledged leagues.

Some operations, like Suburban Ice Macomb and the Rochester Onyx, were buoyed by the interest in their recent 3-on-3 New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve tournaments.

In many cases, 3-on-3 is a no-brainer in the spring as the shrunk-down version is less expensive to run while players get more ice time and handle the puck with added frequency.

Registration fees usually reflect the fact that two to three games can run simultaneously and the personnel needed to oversee action is less, compared to a full-ice league.

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Michigan Hockey

Not lost in this emerging trend is how it fits in with USA Hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Development Model, which calls for an increase in small-ice games at the youth level to encourage overall skill development. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quicker moving,â&#x20AC;? Kris Barnes, Novi Ice Arena general manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to move a lot more without the puck in a smaller (area). So, you should be getting more touches and more skill development.â&#x20AC;?

Grand Traverse Hockey Association debuts a five-week 3-on-3 spring league for mites through bantams this April. Registration doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t open until March, but there already is a buzz, says Dallas Drake, GTHA hockey director who played in the NHL for 17 seasons, including three with the Detroit Red Wings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted the 3-on-3 format because it gives the kids a chance to get away from being coached,â&#x20AC;? Drake says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great opportunity for them to work on a lot of different skills. They have the puck a lot, obviously, and they are working in a very small area. They have to be quick in their decisions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And, the kids love it.â&#x20AC;?

The Spring Training Program at Suburban Ice East Lansing includes a skill-based practice session each week and a cross-ice 3-on-3 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Game Day Saturday.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work on skating, puckhandling, passing and shooting during the week and the parents wanted a little more so we added the 3-on-3 games on Saturday,â&#x20AC;? said general manager Jeff Mitchell.

And, while each Saturday has a set schedule of games, the play is decidedly

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unstructured and fun. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This gets kids handling the puck more in traffic, making plays with less time and doing things at a quicker pace,â&#x20AC;? said Mitchell, who played nine seasons of pro hockey.

THE ORIGINAL While many are taking their first dip into the 3-on-3 arena, the practice is rather old hat at Ferris State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ewigleben Ice Arena, which has been running small-side games for 18 years.

Scaled-down hockey games were tailor-made for the arenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second â&#x20AC;&#x153;studio rinkâ&#x20AC;? surface, which measures 100-by-85 feet. Due to its popularity, 3-on-3 games have migrated to the Big Rapids arenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main 200-by-85 foot rink, which is divided into two cross-ice surfaces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We call it the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;original,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; but it has gone on for a while,â&#x20AC;? says Tim Blashill, FSU program coordinator.

A former manager designed and made portable eight-foot high boards, which incorporate a rinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional contours. Protective netting runs from the top of the boards to the ceiling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is some pretty unique engineering going on with that,â&#x20AC;?Blashill says.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy to put up, but (the boards) are very solid and it does give it a very good rink feel.â&#x20AC;?

This April, FSU will run three weekend 3-on-3 tournaments ranging from mites to adults. Fun is fueling the growth, Blashill says. Coaching is restricted during play and kids are allowed to simply play and learn for themselves.

Big Rapids is part of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s District 6, which has been designated as an American Development Model area. As a result, mini-mite and mites there have played cross-ice games.

A few weeks ago, the FSU facility hosted a mite jamboree on its studio rink. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was great,â&#x20AC;? Blashill says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that it gives kids and parents a little more of a feel that it is a real game â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not that cross-ice isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very comparable to Little League baseball where there is a smaller diamond.â&#x20AC;?

THEIR OWN SPIN Each rink and association puts their own twist on how 3-on-3 games are conducted.

Teams will play back-to-back, two 10-minute period games a week in Suburban Ice Macombâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3-on-3 spring league. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So you only have to make one trip to the rink a week,â&#x20AC;?says Julie Pardoski, Suburban Ice Macomb general manager.

By contrast, teams in the Ferris State tournaments play four periods of four minutes each. After each a period, squads switch sides but goaliesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who are registered separately - stay put to give shooters a chance to face two different netminders.

The Summit uses two-foot high padded boards to separate its cross-ice games, which take place in what are otherwise the rinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two offensive zones. The neutral ice area is used for benches and a warm-up area.

The 3-on-3 version has some universal features, which are employed to speed up the game. Instead of a having a face-off after every goal, the scored-upon team simply restarts play by carrying the puck from their defensive zone. Games are also non-checking.

Despite a smaller ice surface, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not much congestion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even among adults who have also taken a shine to the boiled down game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you take a couple of guys off each team, plus you take an additional ref off the ice, they do a pretty good job of getting out of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way,â&#x20AC;? Barnes says.

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2000 Stars Contact = Cal McGowan cmcgowan@suburnbanice.com 99 Stars Coach = Mike McCullough mjmcc123@msn.com 98 Stars Coach = Steve Wood swood@cooperstandard.com 3-13-11 = 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM 3-15-11 = 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM (invite only) 97 Stars Coach = Joe Jones jjones@suburbanice.com 96/95 Stars Coach = Scott Wolter afpi_sgw@ameritech.net

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Junior Hockey

Muskegon fights through adversity

BY PHILIP COLVIN

“Matt has a lot of high-end skill and has adapted well offensively to the league,” First-year expansion teams are usually plagued with up and down performances. said Patrick.

But in their first season in the United States Hockey League, Despite the rough stretch, Patrick told the Muskegon Lumberjacks have been remarkably consistent. his players to keep it all in perspective.

Two losses at home to Fargo and Chicago, Feb. 12-13, left the “We didn’t lose any championships and Lumberjacks in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a we’ve still got 18 games to keep working 17-18-7 record, the first time the team has dropped below the and get better,” he said. .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 5.

Muskegon gave up leads late in both losses to the Force and MIDGET AAA SHOWCASE COMING TO TOWN Steel and, coupled with a 5-2 loss to Lincoln on Feb. 9, it’s the The Lumberjacks will play host to first time all season that the Lumberjacks didn’t pick up at least 10 Midget AAA teams at the Muskegon a point in a three-game stretch.

Showcase, Feb. 25-27, at the L.C. Walker “We haven’t had any long winning streaks, but we haven’t had Arena and Lakeshore Centre. any long losing streaks either,”said Muskegon coach Kevin Patrick.

Belle Tire, Compuware, Honeybaked, Muskegon played without injured veteran forwards John Little Caesars, Victory Honda, Philadelphia Parker and Chris Lochner and missed their leadership when the Revolution, Lansing Capitals,TPHThunder, Lumberjacks were fighting off the comebacks.

Ontario’s Hill Academy and the Capital City “They are a calming influence and help us handle that Pride will take part in the three-day event, adversity,” said Patrick. which coincides with the Lumberjacks’ Parker is expected back for the Lumberjacks trip to Ann Arbor home games against the Dubuque (Feb. 18) and Youngstown (Feb. 19). Winger Brendan Woods Canton’s Matt Berry leads the Muskegon Fighting Saints and Chicago Steel. could move into Lochner’s spot in the middle.

Lumberjacks with 20 goals this year.

“We’re pleased and excited to host a Muskegon’s Casey Thrush and rookie Charlie Taft (12 goals) showcase like this, with so many quality have been top-notch penalty killers all season, and Carter Foguth players looking to take the next step,” (Fenton) has been solid on the Lumberjacks blueline.

Lumberjacks President Tim Taylor said.

ShelbyTownship’s Ryan Misiak, who is headed to Mercyhurst next season, continues Each team plays once on Friday, twice on Saturday and once on Sunday. to lead Muskegon in scoring (13-36-49). Canton’s Matt Berry has five goals in his last “I am honored and pleased that so many top programs would want to come play six games and leads the Lumberjacks with 20 goals this season. Berry signed with Michigan State and his production in his rookie season in the USHL should make in Muskegon,” Lumberjacks Owner and CEO Josh Mervis said. “It tells us that people see and appreciate what we are building here.” whoever is named the Spartans new coach take notice.

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Michigan Hockey

31

High School Boys

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

Defensive play will be key for East Kentwood

BY ALEX DIFILIPPO AND CARL CHIMENTI

Despite having five of their seven seniors manning the blueline, East Kentwood’s defense hasn’t been their strong suit this season.

The Falcons, who lost both of their games (to Salem and Clarkston) at the Harrow Public School Invitational Showcase on Feb. 11-12 at Chelsea Arctic Coliseum.

“We definitely have to work on our defense to keep the other team off the board,” senior defenseman and two-time all-stater Jimmy Davis said. “They’ve been scoring a lot of goals against us. We can’t have that anymore.”

The Falcons own a 13-7-1 record but coach Todd Bell believes his team has plenty of room for improvement, especially in the defensive zone.

“We are progressing,”Bell said.“But I still think we are playing mediocre, as well. Something needs to happen. We need to click and get something going down the stretch going into the playoffs.”

CRANBROOK BACK ON TRACK TOWARDS THREE-PEAT After winning just one game in January, two-time defending Division 3 state champion Cranbrook is riding a four-game winning streak after knocking off Grosse Pointe North and top-ranked Warren De La Salle at the MIHL Showcase inTrenton on Feb. 11-12.

The speedy Cranes brought back ten players, including nine seniors from last year’s team. Senior captain Jarrett Friedland leads a talented group of forwards with nine goals and 16 points and is in the top five in league scoring while on defense captain Spencer Tamler, Mack Gembis, Ryan Murray and Jonathon Winegarden add veteran savvy at the back end. The Cranes have a pair of junior goaltenders in Aaron Alkema and Justin Kirk who have shared time this season.

“Our record in the second half of the season maybe doesn’t look that great on paper, but we did tie Novi Catholic Central (January 15) and De La Salle earlier on,” said Cranes coach Andy Weidenbach. “Most of the games we’ve lost have been by one or two goals, so I think we have been for the most part playing competitive hockey.”

E SHOWCAS REPORTS

INCONSISTENCY HURTS PORT HURON NORTHERN With only six seniors, a young Port Huron Northern squad has suffered through an up-and-down campaign.

“Right now our definition of Northern hockey is we get beat when we make mistakes,” said Huskies coach Daryel McCarrel.

“When one thing goes wrong on the ice, by the time we get our heads back up and start playing there are multiple goals in our net.”

The Huskies’ goaltending has been a bright spot as both senior Wade W Holcomb and sophomore Matt Frenandez have played well.

Junior forwards Dillon Pfeifer and sophomore Bobby King have made progress and the blueline has four seniors - Adam Rose, Jared Smith, Eric Dombrowski and Trent Beebe.

But Northern – who is winless in MIHL play, but has six wins and two ties in games outside their league – has struggled to score all season.

“I can keep saying were a young team or were going to have lots of guys back next year,” states McCarrel. “Sooner or later we have got to start putting pucks in the net and scoring on our opportunities.”

PHOTO BY ANDY GROSSMAN/MICHIGAN HOCKEY

East Kentwood junior forward Brett White and his Falcon teammates will be focusing on defense down the stretch.

32

Michigan Hockey

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

BLOOMFIELD HILLS UNIFIED: STAYING COMPETITIVE The race for the Oakland Activities Association White Division title is going to come down to the wire.

Bloomfield Hills Unified is in second place, one point behind Oxford and tied with West Bloomfield. The Chargers have one more game before the regular season finale against West Bloomfield, which could be for the league championship.

“We set a goal to win the conference,” second-year head coach Rick Reed said.

“And with two weeks left it’s anybody’s game. We’ve seen a big improvement from last year to this year.”

The Chargers (10-6-3) dropped games against Davison, 4-2, and Lake Orion, 3-2 in overtime, at the Harrow Public School Invitational.

“We’ve been competitive with everyone we’ve played,” Reed said. “We’ve lost some one goal games and we’ve won some one goal games. We haven’t been blown out by anybody. It’s just been a really great year.”

Reed hopes the newly formed Bloomfield Hills Unified junior varsity team will be a strong feeder for the program and help the team pull out more of the close games in the future.

“We’ve been able to pull up five kids for 11 different games to give them a taste,” Reed said. “Because of that, I think our team is starting to drive deeper into our community. We are reaching out to them and they are reaching out back.”

PINCKNEY EYES REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Even in the midst of a three-game losing streak, Pinckney head coach Mike Kroll isn’t worried.

Kroll believes the Pirates are better after two tough losses to Brighton (3-0) and Northville (1-0) at the Harrow Public School Showcase.

“The boys knew what they were up against,” Kroll said. “They learn from their mistakes. It’s good to play these good, competitive teams. If they lose, they learn from it. It’s not like going out there against a team where they know they are going to rack up the score.”

The Pirates graduated 12 seniors from last year’s squd, which was the most successful in program history. With seven seniors, Kroll thought this season might be a rebuilding year.

However, he’s been impressed with his team thus far, which owns a 14-6-0 record.

“Last year’s juniors and sophomores have really stepped up this season,” Kroll said. “They are in a little slump, but they will come out of it. They have the heart and the passion.”

Pinckney will host the regional tournament starting February 28. The Pirates are hoping to bag its first title this season.

“We should have won it last year,” senior forward Scott Johnson said. “This year we need to win it.”

LAKE ORION LOOKING FOR COMPLETE GAME After opening the Harrow Public School Showcase with a 2-1 loss to Canton and a big 3-2 win over Marquette, Lake Orion came out flat for its third game in four days.

The Dragons needed overtime to beat Bloomfield Hills United, 3-2, on Feb. 11.

“We had a little bit of a hangover against Bloomfield because of all the emotions we put out there in the first two games,” senior forward Brett Reed said. “But those first two games really showed us we can play with anybody.”

The Dragons (13-7-1) will square off against Rochester United on February 18 in the first game of the OAA playoffs.

“We have to put three periods together every time we go out,” said co-coach Clint Robert. “We’ve only done that a handful of times this season. Now the OAA playoffs start this week. Anything can happen in one game and we have to put it all together.”

Lake Orion started the season with high expectations and still plan to make a long playoff run.

“We had a bunch of hype early in the season then we didn’t do much,” Reed said. “Now teams are underestimating us, and that’s exactly where we want them.”

CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT WEEK

THE ROAD TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT STARTS HERE FRIDAY, MARCH 18 4:30 PM SEMI FINAL GAME #1 8:00 PM SEMI FINAL GAME #2

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NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE 2010-11 NAHL Standings (as of Feb 14) CENTRAL Owatonna Coulee Region Bismarck Alexandria Austin Aberdeen

GP 47 45 43 42 41 44

W 26 26 25 21 15 15

L OTL PTS 16 5 57 15 4 56 14 4 54 16 5 47 23 3 33 26 3 33

PCT 0.606 0.622 0.628 0.56 0.402 0.375

GF 136 159 135 148 103 127

GA 144 137 104 137 132 172

PIM 847 817 885 695 961 663

NORTH St. Louis Janesville Michigan Motor City Traverse City Springfield Chicago Port Huron

GP 48 44 41 43 41 44 44 43

W 33 28 25 26 26 21 8 4

L OTL PTS 11 4 70 13 3 59 12 4 54 16 1 53 14 1 53 20 3 45 32 4 20 36 3 11

PCT 0.729 0.67 0.659 0.616 0.646 0.511 0.227 0.128

GF 184 139 156 183 158 134 115 98

GA 106 93 112 136 123 133 222 260

PIM 671 720 638 991 704 731 712 1145

SOUTH xTopeka xAmarillo xTexas Wichita Falls Corpus Christi New Mexico

GP 45 43 45 44 47 46

W 33 28 27 21 17 13

L OTL PTS 9 3 69 11 4 60 12 6 60 19 4 46 27 3 37 30 3 29

PCT 0.767 0.698 0.667 0.523 0.394 0.315

GF 186 158 159 148 126 111

GA 111 121 129 140 190 183

PIM 1416 1205 1054 1184 1810 1076

WEST Fairbanks Wenatchee Alaska Kenai River Dawson Creek Fresno

GP 44 46 47 47 47 45

W 30 26 26 22 19 17

L OTL PTS PCT 12 2 62 0.705 17 3 55 0.598 18 3 55 0.585 20 5 49 0.521 26 2 40 0.426 24 4 38 0.422 x - clinched playoff berth

GF 185 167 153 154 126 131

GA 140 121 140 154 165 174

PIM 940 1022 1235 920 1348 1242

PIM 26 34 26 49 46 100 26 59 28 67 19 14 33 12 22 34 28 8 31 45 4 64 16 75 42 37 34 79 24 21

PPG 12 12 8 11 7 11 5 7 7 11 9 12 8 7 11 10 8 4 5 6 6 3 6 8 4 2 5 7 10 8

SHG 1 0 4 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 3 2 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 4 2 1 0 1 0 1 0

TOP SCORERS TEAM POS GP G A Wydo, Cody MCM F 43 36 43 Kleiman, RJ STL F 42 27 36 Brancheau, Steve MCM F 43 22 39 Nagtzaam, Nardo ALX F 42 23 37 Ciotti, Chris STL F 47 25 34 Hill, Michael TOP F 36 32 23 Lubanski, Brett KNR F 47 14 38 Gaarder, Connor COU F 45 19 31 Walker, Beau COR F 45 17 33 Beck, Doug KNR F 44 23 27 Osborn, JT FAI F 42 29 21 Hussar, Justin TOP F 45 25 24 Frischmon, Zac COU F 45 25 24 Mauermann, Ross JNE F 44 22 27 Barber, Jacob WEN F 47 28 19 Ward, Cory ABD F 44 27 20 Kolb, Andrew MIC F 29 23 24 Smith, Brad STL F 48 16 29 Mason, Dakota DAW F 43 24 21 Gates, Matthew BIS F 41 19 26 Leef, Jackson TEX F 45 18 26 Christie, Brian TOP F 44 18 26 Opie, Tim TVC F 41 19 25 Zierke, Steve ALX F 41 24 20 Linnell, Jared FAI F 44 23 20 Nauman, Ethan SPR F 44 15 28 Freeman, Cody AMA F 42 22 21 Einersen, Rock ALX F 38 21 22 Educate, Louis ABD F 44 19 23 Prince, Jack TEX F 42 17 25

PTS 79 63 61 60 59 55 52 50 50 50 50 49 49 49 47 47 47 45 45 45 44 44 44 44 43 43 43 43 42 42

TOP GOALIES Green, Matt Tadazak, Robert Jacobson, David Comunale, Tom Faragher, Ryan Szczerba, Nikifor Tirronen, Rasmus Jaeger, Brandon

GA 36 54 72 36 81 72 60 73

TEAM STL MIC JNE STL BIS AMA TOP WEN

GP 19 30 36 18 38 33 28 32

MIN 1108:55 1600:02 2129:34 1017:58 2213:39 1892:52 1553:20 1857:12

SO 3 5 8 4 3 4 3 5

GAA 1.95 2.02 2.03 2.12 2.20 2.28 2.32 2.36

SV 387 810 816 347 953 907 624 692

SV% 0.915 0.938 0.919 0.906 0.922 0.926 0.912 0.905

Lubanski enjoying life in beautiful Alaska

BY MATT MACKINDER

with getting noticed by Division I college programs.

Michigan has its share of picturesque landscapes, but ask Brett Lubanski what “A goal of mine entering the year was to commit he’s seen the past two years playing for the Kenai to a Division I school and play next year,” said River Brown Bears and he’ll tell you Alaska’s views Lubanski, who signed a tender to play in Kenai are second to none.

River in 2009 and is now seventh in the NAHL “Alaska is hands down the most beautiful scoring race.“There are so many great programs out place I have ever seen in my life,” said Lubanski, there that it’s really hard to pick an ideal situation. a 19-year-old Farmington Hills native who is also I guess if I had to pick one, it would be any Division Kenai River’s captain. “I always tell everyone that I school whose location allowed for my family to asks that they should make it a priority to visit at attend games as much as possible, but there are least once in their life.” so many prestigious schools across the country Lubanski’s daily routine includes a trip over where I would be lucky to end up.” the Kenai River with mountains to the left and an Being named Kenai River’s captain was inactive volcano on the right. unexpected, according to Lubanski, and he didn’t “Not many people can say that they are able to find out about the honor until the bus ride to the see such sites on their way to do what they love in Brown Bears’ season opener. life and for that, I consider myself forever blessed,” ”Coming into this season, I really wanted to said Lubanski.“On our bus trips to Fairbanks, we are take on a firm leadership role and I felt that I really able to see the landscape. It doesn’t matter could really contribute to the team in a big way in if it’s your first trip or your tenth, your eyes are that department,” Lubanski said. “Being captain, always glued to the window because the views I believe, has certainly contributed to my game are breathtaking.” elevating. I have really come to understand that Growing up, Lubanski played six years with the I represent my team, organization, and city at all Honeybaked organization on teams that included times. Therefore, it is critical that I make the right Anaheim rookie Cam Fowler, University of Michigan decisions on and off the ice in order to represent rising stars Chris Brown and Kevin Lynch and Farmington Hills native Brett Lubanski is captain the team in the best way possible so that there are Memorial Cup champion Kenny Ryan. only positive things to say about us.” of the Kenai River Brown Bears.

“There certainly isn’t the fast-paced, on the go NAHL NOTEBOOK feeling that you get sometimes living in Michigan,” Topeka RoadRunners’ forwards Brian Christie and Justin Hussar have committed said Lubanski. “The city of Kenai has a population of about 8,000, there are only a few stoplights, there is never traffic and it is not uncommon to encounter a moose to Merrimack College. Hussar will begin in the fall of 2012 and Christie will join the Warriors in the fall of 2013 … Kenai River forward Doug Beck, a Plymouth native, at any point on your daily travels.”

Now in his second year with the Brown Bears, Lubanski feels he started out a bit has committed to Canisius College for next season. Beck is currently tied for eighth slow last season, but is now playing with the skyrocketing confidence that comes in NAHL scoring with 23 goals and 50 points through 44 games.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 13)

NORTH DIVISION Michigan defenseman Kevin Gibson struck for two goals and an assist as the Warriors celebrated a two-game sweep over Chicago. On Feb.11, the Grosse Pointe native recorded an assist in a 4-0 victory. The next night, the 21-year-old notched a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Warriors bested the Hitmen, 7-2.

He was also a plus-3 on the weekend.

HONORABLE MENTION: Janesville forward John Olen; Motor City forward Petus Sipila SOUTH DIVISION Texas forward Nathan Sliwinski rang up a goal and three assists as the Tornado put together a 2-0-1 mark last weekend. On Feb. 10, the Castle Rock, Colo., native notched the game-winning goal (shorthanded) and a pair of assists in a 6-3 victory over Corpus Christi. The next night, the 20-year-old recorded another assist as the Tornado downed the IceRays in overtime,

CHECK IT OUT

4-3. An NAHL Top Prospects Tournament selection, Sliwinski, who was held scoreless in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Amarillo Bulls on Saturday, was a plus-1 on the weekend.

HONORABLE MENTION: Amarillo forwards Cody Freeman and Zach Smoot; Topeka forwards Justin Hussar and Michael Hill

and assisted on Blake Saylor’s game-winning goal in the Wild’s 6-0 triumph over Fresno on Feb 10. The 19-year-old from Dardenne Prairie, Mo., who was held scoreless the next night - a 2-1 loss to the Monsters - was also a plus-2 on the weekend.

HONORABLE MENTION: Fairbanks forward John Stampohar

CENTRAL DIVISION Alexandria forward Alex Altenbernd connected for four goals and an assist as the Blizzard split a two-game series with Aberdeen. On Feb. 11, the Moorhead, Minn., native struck for four goals in a 6-3 victory. The next night, the 20-year-old picked up an assist as the Blizzard fell to the Wings, 5-3. He was also a plus-2 on the weekend.

GOALTENDER Motor City goaltender Jimmy Hamby backstopped the Metal Jackets to a two-game sweep over Port Huron, turning aside 58 of 60 shots. On Feb.11, the Ann Arbor native made 29 saves in a 4-1 triumph. The next night, the 20-year-old put forth another 29-save effort as the Metal Jackets again bested the Fighting Falcons, 4-1.

HONORABLE MENTION: Amarillo’s Nikifor Szczerba; Janesville’s Tony Kujava; Texas’ Jimmy Kruger; Topeka’s Eric Rohrkemper

WEST DIVISION Wenatchee forward Jacob Barber recorded a hat trick

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MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Michigan Hockey

35

Junior Hockey

February 21, 2011, Volume 21 : Issue 16

Younger Czarnik could also end up with Whalers next season

BY MATT MACKINDER

Perhaps lost amidst the Ontario Hockey League’s January trade deadline activity was the Plymouth Whalers acquiring the rights to Cory Czarnik from Barrie.

Czarnik, the younger brother of current Plymouth overage forward Robbie Czarnik, is a 17-year-old forward playing for the Compuware major midget team who Barrie drafted in the 2009 OHL draft. He began this season with Tri-City of the United States Hockey League and now has an OHL option on his plate for next season.

“Now that my rights are with Plymouth, I would really love to see that be an option for me to play next year,” said Czarnik, a Washington native. “I am just keeping my options open and just staying focused on this season and developing as much as possible. I’d say probably at the end of the season toward the beginning of summer I would love to know where I was going to play next year.”

This year has been a season of change for Czarnik, and one he hopes will be a springboard to the next level, whatever that may be. If he winds up with the Whalers, at least his home rink won’t change.

“The season has been pretty different from what I have been used to,” Czarnik explained. “Being at Tri-City was great for my hockey improvement and showed me what hard work was. I really believe being there helped me mature and grow as a person and as a player and now seeing that I’m down at Compuware helps me realize exactly what I got out of being at Tri-City. At first, being back at midgets was a transition, but

36

Michigan Hockey

Cory Czarnik

“Robbie has never been happier playing in the OHL,” said Cory. “He loves it and he thinks (Plymouth head coach and general manager Mike) Vellucci is an outstanding coach.

Robbie doesn’t really tell me what to do, but he tells me what the benefits are and how he thinks I would be a much better player going to Plymouth.”

Robbie played two years with the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor and then a year-and-a-half at the University of Michigan before coming to the Whalers after his rights were obtained from Oshawa in November 2009.

Cory grew up playing for the Honeybaked and Compuware AAA organizations and while he hasn’t received any college interest on the level his brother received, he still wants to leave that option open as well.

Older cousin Austin Czarnik also played for the NTDP, is with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers this season and will be off to Miami University next year.

The trio of Czarniks has always been close and has always been supportive of one another over the years.

“The three of us are always doing things together,” Czarnik said.“Our two families live within walking distance, so we have always been together. All of us have always supported each other with hockey whether it was about how to play better, or what team we thought would be best for us, or just how we think we are playing all together.”

SAGINAW BACK WINNING

now since I have had time to adjust, I’m playing a lot better and producing points like I’m used to.”

Having Robbie as a sounding board for any questions surrounding the OHL has been a positive situation for Cory, but the elder Czarnik hasn’t tried to force his younger brother into picking the OHL.

After dropping five straight games and falling out of first place in the OHL’s Western Conference standings, the Saginaw Spirit just needed some time at home.

The Spirit returned to the Dow Events Center and rebounded with two straight wins over the top two teams in the Western Conference. Saginaw picked up a big come-from-behind, 4-3, overtime win over conference leader Owen Sound on Feb. 11.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Down 3-1 to start the third period, Saginaw got goals from defenseman Ryan O’Connor and Ivan Telegin to send the game into extra time, and O’Connor ended it with his second goal of the night. Spirit goaltender Mavric Parks made 31 saves in the win.

The next night Saginaw beat the Kitchener Rangers, 3-2, in a shootout. Anthony Camera and Vincent Trocheck scored in regulation for the Spirit and John McFarland scored the game-winning goal in the shootout. Parks made 30 saves and the victory moved the West Division leading Spirit (34-16-3-1) into second place in the Western Conference.

U.S. NATION TEAMS WIN BIG IN EUROPE The U.S National Under-17 and Under-18 Teams combined for seven wins and two tournament titles in their trips to Eastern Europe.

The U-17 Team beat Switzerland, Germany and Slovakia to take the 2011 Vlad Dzurilla Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia on Feb. 13. Jared Rutledge stopped 24 shots and Cameron Darcy and Ryan Hartman scored for the U.S. in the 2-1 win over the host that clinched the title.

“We competed extremely hard today,” said Danton Cole, head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team. “I’m proud of our team and how they played this tournament.”

In Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic the U-18 Team rolled to four straight wins over Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic and Finland to win the Five-Nations Tournament. Michigan natives Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge) had a hat trick and Blake Pietila (Brighton) scored twice in a 7-4 win over Finland to complete the sweep.

“I’m so proud of our guys,” said U-18 coach Ron Rolston.

“The experience that these players gain at these international tournaments will stay with them throughout their hockey careers and lives.”

Contributing: Philip Colvin

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Red Wings Insider

Babcock speaks, players respond

BY DAVE WADDELL

Contrary to what many fans think, Detroit coach Mike Babcock doesn’t spend a whole lot of time hanging around chit-chatting with players in the dressing room.

Babcock is frequently a man of few, but very calculated, words when required in sorting out his team’s issues. Fortunately for the Wings those occasions are rare, but recently it was Babcock who did the talking.

Tired of hearing his team talk about their inability to sort out their inconsistent play over the last month, Babcock spoke loud and clear, first to the media after a dreadful performance in a 3-0 loss against Nashville (Feb. 9) then privately in more detail to the players.

Embarrassed isn’t a word often associated with the Wings over the past 15 years, but it was the only one that described the goings on of the last month.

“We think we’ve got a good team and we weren’t playing like a good team,”Babcock told Detroit reporters.“It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you don’t work, you’ve got no chance to be successful. We talked about it, said we can’t let this happen.”

Apparently, it was a message received after Detroit turned around the ship in what may turn out to be the most important weekend of the regular season by sweeping the Boston Bruins.

Boston is team that is supposed to be the antithesis of the Wings’ finesse game.

The Bruins are big and physical, have the NHL’s fewest goals against and the best goalie in the league in Tim Thomas this season.

However, the Wings dominated the B’s by a score of 10-3 in two wins. It’s not that these two games are more important than any other four points, it’s the way it was done and the message it sends.

“What I’ve done with this group over the years is, normally, I let them solve their own problems, let them take control,” Babcock said following the first half of the home-and-home series in Boston. “They normally do it all. Nick’s an unbelievable

38

Michigan Hockey

leader, (Kris) Draper, Zetterberg, (Pavel) Datsyuk. This is first time in a long time we actually talked about stuff like we did the other day. I thought they really responded.”

A FOCUS ON WINNING Though his steely-eyed stare and granite jaw have helped Babcock build a reputation as tough, demanding coach, he’s actually adjusted his style considerably since arriving in Detroit.

He remains demanding, but he’s learned to trust his leadership group. He’s not quite the micro-manager he was his first season in Motown.

As one player described it, when the players have an issue the approach is very straightforward.

“No. 5 (Nick Lidstrom) goes into Mike’s office and closes the door,” the player said.

“Five minutes later the problem is sorted out.”

The one thing that hasn’t changed is Babcock’s demand for accountability and more importantly his attention to detail that keeps his team focused on winning.

As desperately as he wanted to skate his team into the ice following the Nashville debacle, Babcock resisted going overboard.

“We earned the right to skate for a long time,” said Babcock, who normally isn’t much of a believer in punishing his club with abnormally harsh practices.

“We only went for 30 minutes. The reason we did that is because we play (Friday and Sunday) and wins are what it’s about. I think everyone got the message.”

Lidstrom was also unusually frank about his team’s refusal to accept the reality of their situation the past month.

“We’re not happy with the way we’re playing,” Lidstrom said. “We have to accept that challenge. I don’t think we’d done that yet. We hadn’t responded with the desperation you have to play with.”

When he talked about the specifics of that challenge, Lidstrom sounded like an

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

exasperated coach. Understandably so given the fact he’s had to discuss the Wings committing the same mistakes for weeks and not turning the talk into corrective action.

“We’re doing each other’s job, where you try to help out somebody and you’re hurting the team by not trusting your teammate. We were seeing the same mistakes, especially turnovers early on. We’re spending 20-25 seconds in our own zone and that’s been hurting us.”

The unpleasant few days around Joe Louis Arena was worth it, according to goalie Jimmy Howard.

“It’s up to us to be mentally ready,” Howard said. “It shouldn’t be up to coach Babcock getting a fire lit under us. As soon as the puck is dropped, we’re on top of them and not waiting until we’re down a goal to start playing.”

However, Babcock is under no illusions that a few periods of good hockey means the problems have all gone been fixed.

The Wings work ethic has seeped away in gradual fashion and the cure for the ills in their game is going to require patience to re-establish it.

“Anytime you dig yourself into a mess, it takes time to dig yourself out,” Babcock said. “I can tell you that our work ethic has got to get better.”

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