Michigan Hockey April 25, 2011

Michigan Hockey michiganhockeyonline.com V.21:I.21 | April 25, 2011 FIRST CLASS

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Table of Contents April 25, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 21 AMATEUR HOCKEY REPORT Livonia Mite Flyers take Rock-N-Roll Cup Canton Victory Honda Mite AA squad wins at Livonia O’Leary Hawks make finals at USA Hockey Women’s Nationals Southgate Capitals win MAHA Midget BB state title Fusco brothers score big at state tournaments Markey wins back-to-back state championships

6 6 6 7 8 12

SPEAKING OF HOCKEY What would you change about girls hockey?

10

STATE OF THE GAME By Lyle Phair The Rise of the Middle Class

12

GET BETTER The Art of Checking, Pt. 2

14

YOU SHOULD KNOW Michigan State’s Torey Krug

16

REEBOK TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

24

HOMETOWN HERO Bowling Green’s Cam Wojtala of Trenton

22

COLLEGE HOCKEY

PAGE 28

Miami’s Andy Miele wins Hobey Baker Memorial Award

33

JUNIOR HOCKEY

2011 Banquet of Champions Bantam AA Trenton Thunder celebrate their MAHA state title.

NAHL Report: Eight teams still alive OHL: Whalers and Spirit knocked out; Draft will have Michigan flavor

34 40

RED WINGS INSIDER Pavel Datsyuk picks it up in playoffs

38

COMING IN OUR NEXT ISSUE TRAINING AND FITNESS GUIDE

PAGES 20-21 20th Anniversary Season MH celebrates 20 years with a look back at 2004

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Michigan Hockey

PAGE 24

PAGE 30

USA Hockey National Champs Michigan teams win big

2011 MH Awards Scholars, coach and more

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

It is the time of year to work on your speed, agility and strength in preparation for next season – and we’ll help with some good exercises and fitness and nutrition advice. We’ll also take a look back at the year 2004 in celebration of our 20th season of Michigan Hockey.

Look for it on arena stands, at michiganhockeyonline.com and in your e-mail on May 20, 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

Another great season

Database Manager Josh Curmi jcurmi@michiganhockeyonline.com

April means Michigan teams wrapping up their seasons at the USA Hockey National Championship tournaments all across the United States.

Congratulations to Michigan’s six national champions – the T-Strong women won the Over 30 title at the Onyx Rochester Ice Arena, the Honeybaked Girls squad won the 16 and Under Tier I title at the Onyx, the Belle Tire Bantam AAA Major team won the 14 and Under Tier I title in Hackensack,N.J., the Summit Plastics Midget A team won the 16 and Under Tier II championship in Reston, VA, and the Honeybaked Midget Minor AAA team brought home the 16 and Under Tier I hardware from Simsbury, CT. (please see page 24-25 for more on their victories). In addition, we’ll have more on the Detroit Raters adult national title in the Full-Check Division in our next issue.

Also, the Keweenaw Storm 16 and Under Tier II team, the Little Caesars Girls 19 and Under Tier I team and the Frozen Asset Women’s Senior B squad lost in the finals of the national tournament, while four other Michigan teams made it to the national tournament semifinals.

All in all a good showing, and win or lose, the trips make for memories that will last a lifetime.

As we do every spring, Michigan Hockey honored all of the MAHA state tournament winners at our 19th Annual Banquet of Champions on April 13 at Novi’s Suburban Collection Showplace. The 23 teams and over 1000 players, coaches, family members, youth hockey supporters and special guests were treated to a big night of video presentations and prizes (please see page 28 for more).

Finally, after pouring through hundreds of nominations across four categories, Michigan Hockey is proud to announce the winners of our 2011 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Hockey Person of the Year and Coach of the Year on pages 30-32.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and congratulation to our winners.

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.

Have a fun spring season,

April doesn’t just bring showers for flowers

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.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY

Women’s U.S. National team in Ann Arbor

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

Cover: Members of the Summit Flames Pee Wee B team read about their MAHA state title at the 2011 Michigan Hockey Banquet of Champions by Bob Bruce/Michigan Hockey.

Photos at left: (from top, L to R): Members of the Trenton Thunder Bantam AA team at the MH Banquet of Champions by Bob Bruce/Michigan Hockey; Honeybaked players hold the USA Hockey U16 National Championship trophy by Dan Swint/pdqphotos. com and Michigan Hockey’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Katey Carey special to Michigan Hockey.

Muskegon Lumberjacks advance; Soo Eagles win NOJHL title

Winner will receive an Easton S19 Helmet ®

Prize winner will be announced April 28th

Cover reprints available email: mh@michiganhockeyonline.com MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Michigan Hockey

5

Amateur Hockey Report

WINNER Congratulations to Taylor Ann Callahan of Novi who won the Michigan Hockey drawing for two tickets to the Detroit Red Wings game on April 3, 2011.

Livonia Flyers Flyers win win Rock-N-Roll Rock-N-Roll Cup Cup Livonia The Livonia Mite Flyers completed their sweep of three tournaments this season with a win at Cleveland’s Rock-nRoll Cup. After winning the Dearborn Thanksgiving Tournament and the Gordon Butler Christmas Tournament in Livonia, the Flyers travelled to Cleveland and opened with an 8-0 win over the Winterhurst Warriors. Livonia tied the Ohio FAHA Select Team, 2-2, and then goalie Luca DiPasquo earned his second shutout in an 8-0 win over the Birmingham (NY) Hurricanes.

The victory earned the Flyers a berth in the title game and a rematch with FAHA. After trailing 2-1 midway through the second period, the Flyers tied the score at 2-2 on a goal by Conner Linsner and assisted by Adam Heard. With 5:30 left to play in the third period, Danny White scored his second goal of the game unassisted to lead the Flyers to a 3-2 win.

Strong defensive play by defensemen Brendon Hunt,

Casey Farren, Tyson Wisner, Logan Compton and Joey Coulter allowed the Flyers to hold off the FAHA team to win their third consecutive tournament championship.

A special thanks to the players unable to travel to Cleveland - Brenden Stroble, Alec McAree, Kerrigan Howdeshell, and Alex Ghareeb. Your hard work and dedication was very much appreciated all year long, you were a big part of the team’s success.

The Flyers are: Conner Linsner, Brendon Hunt, Logan Compton, Jacob Bjertness, Adam Heard, Danny White, Alex Ghareeb, Joey Coulter, Casey Farren, Kerrigan Howdeshell, Alec McAree, Yacoub Haydin, Ethan Hofelich, Tyson Wisner, Brenden Stroble and Goaltender Luca DiPasquo.

The Livonia Mite Flyers are coached by: Dan Hofelich, Asst. coaches: Jason Hofelich, Bob Stroble,TedWhite and goaltending coach Rick DiPasquo.

O’Leary Hawks Hawks make make fifinals nals at at O’Leary USA Hockey HockeyWomen’s Women’s National National USA Tournament in in Rochester Rochester Tournament The O’Leary Hawks women’s team finished second in the B division of the 2011 USA Hockey National Tournament, held April 1-3 in Rochester and Macomb.

The Hawks finished with a 4-2 record - with both of their losses coming at the hands of the national champion East Coast Raiders - and overcame numerous obstacles this season to make the finals.

Early in the year two of the Hawks went down with serious knee injuries. Then a few weeks before the MAHA state tournament one of the injured players was diagnosed with cancer, and the Hawks rallied around her to win the state title for the third year in a row.

In the opening game at Nationals, the Hawks went down 2-0 against the New York Green Gotham, but got seven straight goals from Carrie Sirola (2), Suzy Pocock, Crystal Miotke, Kelly Hamilton, Kelly Cahill and Wendy Stibitz to take a 7-2 win.

The Hawks started game two much better and took a 3-0 lead against the Brew City (WI) Blades and won 5-2 on goals from Pocock (2), Stibitz, Kim Kelemen, and Hamilton. In game three, the Hawks got a goal from Kelly Cahill but lost 3-1.

The Hawks two wins earned them a spot in the quarterfinals against the East Coast Wizards. O’Leary rolled to a 6-1 win over the Wizards behind goals from Cahill (2), Sara Sharp (2)

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Michigan Hockey

and Pocock.

In the Sunday morning semifinal the Hawks took it to the Palm Beach Hurricanes, who had breezed through the round robin with three wins. The Hawks won 7-3 on goals from Pocock (2), Vicki Crimmins, Melanie Beaulieu, Cahill, Crystal Miotke, and Allison Rutledge.

In the rematch against the Raiders in the final, the Hawks fell behind 2-0 before Cahill scored to cut the lead in half late in the opening period. After the Raiders regained the two-goal cushion, a Marcie Walker goal made it 3-2 with five minutes left in the game.

But that was as close as the Hawks would get. With O’Leary taking chances offensively, the Raiders notched three late goals, including an empty netter, to take a 6-2 win.

The O’Leary Hawks are: Crystal Miotke, Kim Kelemen, Dori Borden, Sara Sharp, Vicki Crimmins, Wendy Stibitz, Melanie Beaulieu, Kelly Cahill, Marcie Walker, Carrie Sirola, Kelly Hamilton, Tonya Hazzard, Amy Cauzillo, Nicole Falardeau, Michelle Saunders, Suzy Pocock, Allison Rutledge, Rachel Roach, Lilly Pritula, and Rhonda Carveth.

The Hawks are coached by Andrea Layman, with help from Amy Pattie and Devin Crimmins.

CantonVictory Victory Honda Honda Mite Mite AA AA squad squad Canton wins at at Livonia Livonia Spring Spring Challenge Challenge wins The Mite AA Canton Victory Honda team took the Livonia Spring Challenge Tournament title on April 10 with a 7-3 win over Livonia.

Gavin Klaassen and Caden Pachota each scored twice, and Erika Goleniak, Joe Daniels and Declan O’Hare added single goals in the championship win.

Canton Victory Honda opened the tournament with a 3-3 tie against Livingston, beat Ann Arbor 1-0 behind the shutout goaltending of Ashton Queen, knocked off Livonia, 5-3. In the

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

semifinals the squad shutout Farmington Hills, 7-0, with Queen and Nicholas Galda getting another shutout.

Canton Victory Honda is: Gavin Klaassen, Bobby Valeri, Antonio Valeri, Caden Pachota, Madi Ressler, Erika Goleniak, Jackson Mayer, Joe Daniels, Declan O’Hare, Robert Breach, Nicholas Galda, Ashton Queen, Gavin Hayes, Hadley Hudek, Maxwell Jordan and Michael Polydoras.

The team is coached by Paul Goleniak, Robert Breach, Ryan Goleniak, Matt Ressler, Amerigo Valeri and Robert Valeri.

Amateur Hockey Report

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Southgate holds holds off off Marquette Marquette for for Southgate Midget BB BB state state championship championship Midget

BY JOHN RAFFEL

Southgate picked a fine time to enjoy some revenge over Marquette in the MAHA Midget BB state tournament at Grand Rapids Patterson Ice Center over March 18-20.

After losing to Marquette in the preliminary round, the Capitals prevailed 5-3 in the final to take the state championship honors.

Southgate was 4-1 for the weekend. Overall, the Capitals finished 40-9. “We had a lot of penalties in that first game (against Marquette),� said Southgate coach Chris Kollias. “And we felt if we didn’t have so many penalties we could compete with them and maybe even beat them. “I told my players we’d have to stay out of the penalty box, be very disciplined and make sure all our shots were on net.�

The Capitals listened well – and ended up having just three penalties in the title game. “The key to success was work hard in practice and practice like you play and play hard,�Kollias said.“These boys gave it their all.�

The tournament’s MVP was goaltender Zach Zilch, the Capitals only goalie all season. “Obviously this weekend he was outstanding,� Kollias said. “He let a few in, but overall, he kept the team up and did an awesome job keeping the puck out of the net in the final.

That’s why he was MVP.�

Mike Salyers, Steve Shariak and Jim Saltalamacchia were Kollias’ assistants. “It feels great,� Zilch said. “This is my second year in a row here. I lost in the semifinals last year so it’s a good feeling to win.�

Against Marquette, “we knew we had to stay out of the box since every one of their goals the last time was on the power play,� Zilch said.

Southgate took early control of the title game with two first period goals. Brandon Obourn scored at 13:43, assisted by Matt Salyers and Brian Bokun. Then Zach Chapman converted unassisted at 5:55 of the opening period by beating Marquette goalie Chris Nebel.

Both teams scored three goals in an explosive second period.

Southgate went up 3-0 on an unassisted power play goal by Johnny Guerrero at 14:19.

Marquette came back with an even-strength goal at 13:26

by Hayden Gray, assisted by Jake Robinson to make it 3-1.

Southgate regained the three-goal cushion on a goal at 13:14 from Chris Bujacki, assisted by Chapman.

Marquette then closed the gap with two goals just 1:21 apart. Ian O’Neill made it 4-2 on a goal at 12:18, assisted by

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Chase Genschas. Then Marquette’s Adam Brugman scored unassisted at 10:57 to make it 4-3.

But Southgate’s Obourn got his second goal on the night assisted by Jake Keehn to make it 5-3. The final period was scoreless. “They came out and scored some quick goals early and we were playing catch up the whole game,� said Marquette assistant Jamie Patterson. “We outshot them 41-17. Their goalie just stood on his head. He came up big.�

Zilch made 38 saves in the final. “I stayed with my original game plan,� Zilch said. “Rest in between game helps. My teammates in front of me helped me a lot.�

Marquette fell to 53-4-1.

The Capitals state tournament title capped off a season that also included LCAHL division and playoff titles, and a win at the Motown Cup. “We won a lot this year,�said Kollias. “It was a great season.�

MIDGET BB NOTEBOOK In other action during the weekend, Marquette beat Mount Clemens, 3-1, in a semifinal game with Jake Robinson notching one goal and one assist‌ In the other semifinal, Jason Kollias had two goals to lead Southgate to a 4-3 win over Flint‌ Marquette had a 4-1 win over Southgate earlier in the tournament with Robinson getting a goal and assist‌ Steve Smith scored three goals and had one assist while Kenneth Novak had two goals in Livonia’s 10-4 win over St. Ignace‌.

Grand Rapids lost to Ann Arbor 9-2. Ann Arbor got two goals apiece for Brandon Neeb and Tyler Weng‌ Nick Letizio picked up two assists in Southgate’s 5-3 win over Livonia‌ Kyle Marsh had two goals and Kyle Mundy added a goal and assist in Flint’s 3-1 win over Mount Clemens‌ Mark Ellison had two goals and Jake Robinson had two goals and one assist in Marquette’s 8-0 win over Livonia‌ Grand Rapids had a 4-2 win over Flint, sparked by Keith Howell with two goals and Kam Kilbanek had a goal and two assists‌ Rony Attard had two goals in Southgate’s 5-0 blanking of St. Ignace‌ Michael Graham had a goal and assist for Mount Clemens while Greg Miller had a goal and assist for Ann Arbor in a 3-3 tie‌ Marquette blanked Livonia 8-0 with Mark Ellison and Jake Robinson collecting two goals apiece‌. Mount Clemens netted two goals apiece from Parker Gould and Travis Jacques plus a goal and two assists from Franciso Erace in a 12-1 win over Grand Rapids‌Tony Campbell had three goals and one assist in Flint’s 5-4 win over Ann Arbor.

Michigan Hockey

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Amateur Hockey Report

April 25, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 21

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Fusco Fusco brothers brothers score score MAHA MAHA state state tournament tournament game game winners winners

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SPRING ADULT LEAGUE 2011 2010

Wyandotte’s Angelo (left) and Domenic Fusco scored game winning goals four hours apart in MAHA state championship games this season.

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8

Michigan Hockey

Before this season, Angelo Fusco’s Pee Wee AA Allen Park Huskies had already won two straight MAHA state titles, something he reminded his championship-less older brother Domenic, who plays for the Bantam AA Trenton Thunder.

Both the Thunder and the Huskies made the state finals this season and the two brothers had a short window of family time with parents Tony and Danette prior to their March 13 championship games, and Domenic asked for “words of wisdom� from the two-time champion. “Angelo said he’d been down that road a few times,� mom Danette Fusco said. “He gave a really inspirational speech.�

Then Angelo went out and scored the game winning-goal himself to give the Huskies their third straight state title.

And four hours later, so did his brother.

Angelo’s came first in an afternoon start at the DISC in Dearborn. With two sons in two different state tournaments, Tony Fusco had chauffeur duty for Angelo, and Danette and Domenic rode together to Livonia’s Eddie Edgar Arena for his state final game.

Prior to Allen Park’s faceoff, as is their custom, the parents gathered together for a prayer for the safety of their players.

It was a ritual Danette normally went through, and Tony called her cell phone. “I was on I-96 en route to take Dom,� said Danette. “Dom put the phone on speaker, and put it on the dashboard so we could hear our prayer on the way to Livonia. I felt like I was there. I said, `I’ll be there in spirit.’�

She dropped off Dom at the arena and sat in the parking lot to await text messages from Tony about Angelo’s game. “I was just lying in the car, trying to relax before the big game,� she said. “And praying.�

Her phone sounded, and she checked the message: 1-1 after 2. “Then after a long time, he said, `2-1, Ang scored,’�she said.

Not knowing the time of the game, she waited, at the mercy of text messaging. The next text finally came: “AP just won,� and she jumped out of the car. “I was so giddy, I just ran in. I knew I had to tell Dom,�she said.

Dominic and his teammates were watching the end of the game before theirs, and when Danette told him that Angelo had scored the game winning goal, one of Angelo’s teammates said “Fusco, that means you’re going to do it for us.�

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Just before the Thunder took the ice for their state final game, Domenic, an alternate captain, raised his hand to address the team. “I just found out my brother just won a state for Allen Park.

Three years in a row,� Domenic told the team. “I’m happy for him, but I’m getting sick of hearing about it. It’s our turn.�

Unlike his brother’s Huskies, the Thunder hadn’t played together for long. No one had won a state championship before, and next season the team won’t be the same.

Domenic implored his team to extend the season by two more weeks. He hadn’t planned the speech. “It came from the heart,� he said.

The Thunder cruised to a 3-0 lead, but Farmington Hills caught up, tying the game with five minutes remaining in regulation.

About a minute and a half later, Domenic put the Thunder up a goal, a feat which earned his mother accolades as she stood by the glass. “I had dads come up to me to hug me, saying my two boys had scored winning goals,� Danette said. “I said, ‘Oh, please, oh, please, there’s three-and-a-half minutes left.’�

The wind came out of the Thunder’s sails with 26 seconds remaining when Farmington Hills tied the game again. “I thought we’d lost at that point,� Domenic said. “We thought ‘Oh, man, that’s not good.’�

The game went into overtime and after two scoreless extra periods, Trenton coach Scott Peffer had no inspirational speeches left. “The only motivational thing we got was Gatorade,�Domenic said. “We were tired.�

Then, just 36 seconds into the sixth period and about four hours after his brother capped Allen Park’s win 20 miles away, a Thunder defenseman took a shot and Domenic, camped out at the side of the net, put it in off the goaltender’s left pad.

Game over. “After I scored, I was so exhausted I didn’t really celebrate,�

Domenic said. “I dog-piled on the teammate who shot it.�

Both Fusco brothers basked in their game-winning state championship goals, but in the spirit of brotherly competition, it’s still Angelo 3, Domenic 1. “I am glad for him,� said Domenic. “We both had great seasons. It’s going to be a fun summer.�

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Speaking of Hockey

What would you change about girls hockey?

“There isn’t a women’s pro league.”

Mellissa Channell, 16, Canton, Little Caesars U19

“The rules are not fair.

I think we should be able to check.”

Lindsay Cummings, 16, Southgate, Victory Honda U16

“They don’t let us play physical enough.”

Alex Brinkman, Rochester, Mt. Clemens Wolves

“Not have my friends move up to an older age group.”

Sydney Daversa, 11, Southgate, Belle Tire U12

“We’re all by ourselves on the westside (of the state).

We need to keep promoting the sport to girls.”

Katie O’Brien, Grand Rapids Griffins “I wish it didn’t take up so much time.”

Brianna Pischke, 12, New Baltimore, Belle Tire U12

“We get called for more penalties than guys do.”

Michelle Kerry, 16, Livonia, Victory Honda U16

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Michigan Hockey

“The Tier system – everyone just wants to have the best team.”

Terry Mathews, Mt. Clemens Wolves “The goalie should be able to skate out.”

Destiny Lemay, 12, Taylor, Belle Tire U12

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State of the Game

State Game of the

by Lyle Phair

THE RISE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS Many hockey players - and many more hockey parents - get freaked out when they (or their child) are (is) not one of the better players on a given team or in a given league.

Every player wants to be one of the best. Every parent wants their child to be one of the best. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is an admirable goal, something to shoot for.

But not everybody can be the best. On any given team, in any given league, there will be exceptional players, the ones that most often really make a difference in the game.

There will also be the players on the other end of the spectrum, the ones that struggle to play at that particular level. They can also make an impact on the game but, more often than not, not in a good way.

Then there is the group in the middle, the largest of the three groups, the group whose members could go either way or stay the status quo.

But it’s also the group whose members just might have the opportunity to become the best players of all of them in due time.

The developmental process of a hockey player is a marathon, not a sprint.

It takes years and years of commitment and effort to be one of the best.

It’s not where you start, it’s where you end. What happens in between is what it is all about. That’s where the experience can benefit a player, or not.

Some kids start out strong and continually improve, some kids start out strong and level off, some start out dominant and fall back into the pack while others start out slower and then the light bulb goes on and at some point they rise to the top. Every player is different, every situation is different.

SIZE AND SPEED At the younger age groups, the most dominant players are usually the most dominant because of one of two reasons, size or speed, or both. The bigger, stronger, often most mature and more often than not the earlier birthdates in a calendar year, have the greatest opportunity to be the best players at the younger ages.

The players that are the fastest skaters also have a significant advantage at the younger ages.

Watch any mini mite or mite practice or game and is quickly apparent which players make the difference in the games. Those kids have the puck more, they make plays, they score goals and their confidence is sky-high.

They feel good about what they can do and they love playing the game. The table is set for success moving forward.

But is it always achieved? Are the best players at mite usually the best players at midget? Sometimes, sometimes not. While they were lucky to have the advantage of nature early on, being bigger or faster skaters, nurture starts to play a much bigger role.

Over time everybody grows and matures, some sooner than others, some

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Michigan Hockey

April 25, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 21

grow bigger than others, but every player goes through significant physical changes on the journey.

Coaching and competition become more of a factor in the journey. Both are important. It is critical for both to positively influence a player along the way. Coaches can teach skill technique, knowledge of the game and provide guidance along the way in practices and in games.

RIDING THEIR COATTAILS For the better players, the ones that matured earliest and were more dominant at the youngest ages, coaching is much more important. If coaches choose to just let these players play the game the same way they always have as they as they progress up through the age groups, they are doing them an incredible disservice. In fact, they are not coaching at all.

Instead, they are taking advantage of the players and more or less riding their coattails to win hockey games.

But eventually it will catch up to them. What worked at mite and squirt doesn’t necessarily work at pee wee, bantam and midget. The game changes.

The players change. If the better players don’t evolve, they will quickly get surpassed by the players that do. It is quite common to see players that were“can’t miss”as eight-year olds be“can’t play”as fifteen-year olds. Sorry, that might be harsh, but it’s reality. And at that point it is too late to wonder why. That is where coaches can make the difference.

But the game is also a great teacher. And in many cases it is a much better teacher than the coach. The coach wants to win so will sometimes make sacrifices to give that the best chance of happening. The game doesn’t do that. The game is always teaching if a player is willing to pay attention.

LEADING THE PACK The group of players that has the potential to benefit most from what the game has to teach is the middle class. These are the players who aren’t dominant at the younger ages, they don’t have the puck a lot, they don’t score many of the goals, they don’t make a lot of plays.

But if you really think about the game in terms of an individual player, most of it is played without the puck. If a player has the puck a lot of the time, it can be pretty hard to learn how to play without the puck. Don’t get me wrong, it is great to be able to have the skill set to control the play with the puck. Those skills are extremely important and can always be improved upon no matter what level a player is playing at. When you have the puck you want to make the right play and be productive with it.

The players in that middle group don’t start out with the physical advantages of size or speed that the top players have. They typically don’t have the puck a lot, might not win a lot of races to it or battles for it or have the skills to keep it once they do get it. So they need to learn to survive.

That is what the game can teach.

Skating, puckhandling, passing, pass receiving and shooting are skills that can be improved immensely by coaches who teach and reinforce proper technique in practices. They are very difficult skills to improve in a game situation when there is only one puck on the ice and 10 skaters and the primary focus is on competing to win the game.

But the game creates the perfect environment for players to learn how to play the game. Defensively they learn to read the play and figure out where the puck is going before it gets there. They learn to take away time and space and cover opponents away from the puck to take away options.

Offensively they learn how to read the play, to support the puck, to get in the right place to be a passing option for a teammate, how to find open ice in the offensive zone to create scoring chances and how to interact with their teammates. They have to. If they don’t, they won’t be involved in the game.

And over time, by developing their skating and puck skill base in practice along with their hockey sense in games, by the time the race gets closer to the finish line the players from the middle class often find themselves leading the pack.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Markey wins backto-back state titles For 12-year old Grace Markey of Commerce Township, winning MAHA state titles has become a good habit.

Markey won the Squirt AA state championship with the Novi Ice Cats last season and helped Honeybaked take the Girls 12 and Under Tier I state title this year.

But don’t ask her which one was better, because “they were both exciting,” said Markey, a sixth grader at Walnut Creek Middle School in West Bloomfield.

Before this year’s state tournament, Honeybaked coach Danny Veri pointed out to Markey that if they won, she’d be the first player to win a state title with a boys team and follow it up with a state title with a girls team.

“I knew we had a good team and a chance to win, but that really motivated me,” said Markey.

Drawing from last season’s championship experience, Markey“did a little talk” in the locker room before the state tournament.

Honeybaked won five straight games at the Taylor Sportsplex and capped the impressive run with a 5-1 win over Compuware to capture the state title on Feb. 27. Markey scored a goal in the state championship game.

Markey started playing hockey in the Mighty Mite program at Suburban Ice Farmington Hills when she was five-years old. She progressed to Mini Mites and played a season in the Novi Youth Hockey Association house program before making the Ice Cats, where she was the only girl on the team.

Markey is a center, and enjoys the position because “you can go just about anywhere on the ice, do anything and help anyone out,” she said.

Markey won a fastest skater contest at the NYHA Hockey Day and that speed and determination helped her fit in quickly with her Ice Cats teammates.

“She’s a little spark plug and will do anything you ask her to do,” said Jeff Mitchell, who coached her for two seasons with the Ice Cats. “All the kids loved her and she was a big part of our team.”

Markey loved playing on the Ice Cats, but after two seasons at the Squirt level, moving up to Pee Wees meant body checking.

“She was really close with the boys on that team, but it was time to look into girls hockey,” said Grace’s mother Barbara Markey.

After joining Honeybaked, Markey quickly realized how much fun it was to practice, play and hang around with girls who shared her love of the game.

“I got to meet a lot of new girls and I really liked it because our whole team was friends,” she said.

This year, when the buzzer sounded at the end of the state final, Markey and one other teammate who had also played on a boys team before celebrated by taking off their helmets and throwing their gloves in the air.

“We learned that from the boys,” said Markey. “I hope I get to do it again.”

By Philip Colvin

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Get Better

The Art of Checking Because hockey is one of very few sports that allows intentional body contact with Becausehockeyisoneofveryfewsportsthatallowsintentionalbodycontactwith an opponent, it is a very big part of the game. Every player on the team is affected by physical contact, whether it’s a skill player who is willing or unwilling to take a hit to make a play or a “grinder” who is willing to sacrifice his body to eliminate an opponent from the play.

The purpose of body checking is not to physically injure the opponent, but to eliminate or “take him out of the play”and then beat him back into the play, resulting in a manpower advantage for your team.

In The Art of Checking, Pt. 1 in the last issue of Michigan Hockey we looked at body checking in open ice, along the boards and the importance of angling.

This time we focus on receiving and avoiding a check and the importance of not checking from behind.

RECEIVING A CHECK – Being body checked is inevitable and being willing to take a hit to make a play is a very valuable asset. Players should strive to maintain control of the puck or move it to an open teammate when possible. When being checked along the boards, the puck carrier should: • Maintain good knee bend for balance and stability • Try to keep feet moving to power through the check • Skate close to boards and at point of contact, use leg, hip and shoulder to lean against the boards to absorb the force of the hit • Keep stick and elbows down • If pinned along the boards, use arms to “push off ” to create room to escape and beat opponent back into play AVOIDING A CHECK – When handling the puck players should always have their heads up so they are able to recognize situations where they are about to be checked. Many of these situations can be avoided by: • Using a net, a teammate or even a referee or linesman as a “shield,” keeping it between you and the checker • Using stickhandling and head or body fakes to motion one way, get the checker to commit and then move the other way (faking toward the boards and moving toward the middle of the ice usually is the best option) • Using a change of pace to slow down and speed up will affect the checker’s

Training & Fitness Guide

PHOTO BY DAVE REGINEK/DIG PHOTO

Being body checked is inevitable and being willing to take a hit to make a play is a very valuable asset.

timing and control on his approach • Making short, smart passes to move the puck quickly CHECKING FROM BEHIND – A very serious issue that must be addressed with players from a checker and puck carrier perspective. Puck carriers should: • Be aware of potentially dangerous situations where they are picking the puck up along the boards with their back to the play • Look over their shoulder to size up the situation on the way to get the puck and know what they are going to do even before they get it • Whenever possible approach puck on an angle so their back is not to the play and face to the boards when picking up the puck • Because this is not always possible – practice faking one way by dropping the shoulder, then moving the other way while picking puck up along boards. Players should be equally adept at this in both directions and at a high rate of speed When approaching a puck carrier who is facing the boards a checker should: • Approach under control – try to stay about a stick length away from the puck carrier (to eliminate accidental contact that could knock him off balance and into the boards but also to be able to react to whichever way the puck carrier turns with the puck. If checker is too close, a sharp turn would quickly lose him and he would end up chasing the puck carrier) •Be patient and allow puck carrier to turn with the puck. At this point, contact can be made safely and effectively from the side.

Issue Date: May 23, 2011 ad copy due May 11, 2011 Readers

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Michigan Hockey

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LCAHL Family and Friends Please join us on Sunday May 15th, 2011 for

LCAHL Detroit Tiger Day Celebrating Playoff 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 May11th. 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

YOUR FIRST CAR: A 1991 red Cutlass Supreme. I specifically remember the smell of the car. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t smell bad, it was just a unique smell.

FAVORITE BREAKFAST FOOD: Fruity Pebbles

BEST VACATION: I played in a tournament at the Edmonton Mall and literally never left the whole time.

THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD HAVE DINNER WITH: Adam Sandler, President FDR, and Steve Yzerman.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Big Daddy.

MUST SEE TV: I love King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, Two and a Half Men and Family Guy.

IF YOU HAD TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU GRAB: I would grab my dogs.

I have two yorkies that love to play.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY AND HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE IT: Christmas brings all of my brothers and family home and I get to see my dogs. There is nothing more chaotic than the Krug household on December 25th!

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE WISH: Spend more time with my grandparents. That is one thing children seem to take for granted these days.

BEST HOCKEY MEMORY: Scoring my first college goal in a MSU sweater - the game-winner in an OT victory against Bowling Green.

Twenty-year old Michigan State defenseman Torey Krug was named the Spartans first ever sophomore solo captain last summer. The native of Livonia grew up playing for his father, Kyle, and won six MAHA state titles, two USA Hockey national titles (Honeybaked Pee Wee Major in 2003 and Belle Tire Midget Minor in 2006) and a USHL playoff title with the Indiana Ice in 2009. Krug, who graduated from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis with a 4.02 GPA, was named to the CCHA All-Rookie team last season, finished third on the Spartans in scoring this year (11-17-28) and made First-Team All-Conference this year.

Joe Conners / 616-805-9883 joeconners@gmail.com

MH Beat

AAA High Performance Hockey League to begin play in 2011-12 Six AAA organizations in Michigan and Illinois have formed a new tier one amateur hockey league that will begin play in the fall of 2011-12.

The High Performance Hockey League (HPHL) includes the Chicago Mission, Chicago Young Americans, Detroit Compuware, Detroit Honeybaked, Detroit Little Caesars and Team Illinois.

The new league, which will include both boys and girls divisions, was created to bring together organizations of like mindedness - notably a philosophical commitment to USA Hockeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Development Model (ADM) and its Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) recommendations which includes age-specific development of young athletes.

The HPHL member clubs are also connected by history, purpose, and proximity, and are bound by a mutual interest in creating a highly competitive training and developmental environment.

League members also put a focus on core principles that include 1. Minimizing school days missed. 2. Reasonable travel and cost containment. 3. Embrace and implement the ADM and LTAD models to ensure age-specific training, both on and off the ice. 4. Regular measuring and monitoring of individual playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth spurts and the implementation of specific off-ice training depending on the individual playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of growth.

The HPHLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game counts, showcase dates, length of season and post-season competition will reflect this overall commitment. The aim of the new league is to foster the highest levels of sportsmanship and competition, while serving the overall best interests of all the athletes.

The member organizations believe the HPHL will allow their programs and their players to reach new levels of excellence, while reinforcing the philosophies and beliefs that the member organizations maintain and seek to build upon.

The HPHL plans to hire a league commissioner and that process will begin immediately. It is also anticipated that additional clubs with like-minded goals will join the HPHL in the future.

For more information on the High Performance Hockey League and its members, go to hphl.us

SUBURBAN SPORTS GROUP TO MANAGE ROYAL OAK-LINDELL ICE ARENA As of May 1, Suburban Arena Management, a division of the Farmington Hillsbased Suburban Sports Group, will manage operations and programming at the Royal Oak-Lindell Ice Arena.

The city-owned facility, originally built in 1971, features two NHL-sized rinks and is named after John Lindell, who served as Royal Oakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Director of Parks and Recreation for 16 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What made Suburban so attractive is their experience, knowledge, resources and staff,â&#x20AC;? said Tod Gazetti, Superintendent of Recreation for the City of Royal Oak. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Suburban runs great hockey schools and programs we have not offered in the past and we have great confidence this partnership will provide better service to our residents.â&#x20AC;?

Suburban Sports Group is also enthusiastic about managing an arena in a city with a great passion for the sport. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are extremely excited about the opportunity to manage the John Lindell Ice Arena for the city of Royal Oak. It is an excellent facility in the heart of a great city with a rich history and tradition of skating and hockey,â&#x20AC;? said Lyle Phair, President of the Suburban Sports Group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We look forward to using our experience and expertise in programming to develop new programs and to work with the user groups to

enhance the existing programs to increase participation and activity in the building.â&#x20AC;?

The Royal Oak Lindell Ice Arena is home to the Royal Oak Hockey Association, Dragons Youth Hockey Association, New Edge Figure Skating Club and the Royal Oak Ravens High School team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This facility is a great addition to the Suburban family,â&#x20AC;? said Amaan Archer, Royal Oak Lindell Ice Arenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new General Manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a talented staff already in place and I look forward to the challenge of creating new programs and skating opportunities at the arena.â&#x20AC;?

MSWHL GAME TO BENEFIT PLAYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER Two of the top teams in the Michigan Senior Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey League are going to play each other for more than just the competition or the fun of it.

The five-time defending MAHA state champion Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary Hawks will match up against the Detroit Revolution on May 22 to help raise money for a player from the league who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Both the Hawks and the Revolution competed at the 2011 USA Hockey Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Tournament and organizers of the benefit game â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which starts at 12:15 PM at the Troy Sports Center â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hope to raise funds through donations and proceeds from a raffle to benefit the stricken player. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking forward to getting back on the ice and doing whatever we can to help a friend in need,â&#x20AC;? said the Hawksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Marcie Walker.

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18

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HPHL MEMBER 2011 STATE CHAMPS ILLINOIS

UP AND SKATING

DETROIT AND CHICAGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST ORGANIZATIONS FORM NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE LEAGUE HPHL is committed to operating an innovative and elite amateur hockey league with an overriding priority to develop both the hockey skills and life skills of the young men and women who participate in this league. As member clubs, we share a passion for excellence in all that we do and a strong desire to prepare players participating in the HPHL for the highest competitive level of the sport of hockey. We will seek opportunities to develop new skills and showcase talent, while always operating with high integrity and in a cost efficient manner that meet the needs of all our players, their families and our respective hockey clubs.

2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 U16 U18 Girls U12 Girls U14 Girls U16 Girls U19

Mission Mission Mission Mission Mission Team Illinois CYA CYA CYA Mission Mission

MICHIGAN 2001 Honeybaked 2000 Honeybaked 1999 Little Caesars 1998 Little Caesars 1997 Little Caesars Midget Minor Honeybaked Midget Major Honeybaked Girls 12U Honeybaked Girls 14U Honeybaked Girls 16U Little Caesars Girls 19U Little Caesars

Michigan Hockey 20th Season

20 Years/20 Issues Michigan Hockey Headlines USA wins first ever World Junior Championship by beating Canada 4-3. The Americans, led by Michigan native Ryan Kesler (Livonia) along with University of Michigan goaltender Al Montoya who earned tournament MVP honors, erased a 3-1 deficit going into the third period.

Mickey Jesue is named the Michigan Amateur Hockey Associations first female president in the organizations 42-year history. Jesue, won the presidential election over executive vice president Dennis Campbell.

Jesue previously was the District 2 Chairperson and Little Caesars Amateur Hockey Association official. This election came after the unfortunate death of current MAHA president Gerry Conley.

January 7th The Apprentice premieres on NBC

JANUARY

FEBRUARY February 4th Facebook was founded at Cambridge, Mass

January 5th Britney Spears’ marriage to Jason Allen Alexander is annulled January 3rd Britney Spears marries Jason Allen Alexander, a childhood friend, in Las Vegas

20

Michigan Hockey

Hartland and Georgetown arenas open. Hartland arena, covering 90,000 square feet on eight acres has a similar design to its sister rink, Brighton’s Kensington Valley Ice House. Giving Hartalnd, Fenton and Milford schools all a new home. Georgetown Ice Arena, in Hudsonville near Grand Rapids features two NHL sized rinks and nine fully equipped dressing rooms.

April 22nd Pat Tillman, American football player and U.S. Army Ranger dies in combat due to friendly fire

February 3rd The CIA admits that there was no imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion of Iraq February 12th San Francisco, CA begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in an act of disobedience

The Oakland University Grizzlies win their first ever American Collegiate Hockey Association National title. The Grizzlies won five straight games, including a 5-1 victory over NewYork University to claim the championship.

The Grizzlies season also included a first place finish in the Great Midwest Hockey League.

May 6th Friends airs last episode June 10th Legendary blues and soul pianist and singer Ray Charles dies at the age of 73

March 23rd Usher releases his ‘Confessions’ ablum selling 1.1 million copies in the first week

MARCH March 13th Luciano Pavarotti gives his last performance in an opera, in Tosca at the New York Metropolitan Opera

APRIL April 6th A previously unreleased Johnny Cash album called ‘My Mother’s Hymn Book’ is released less than a year after his death on Sept. 12, 2003

February 1st Janet Jackson onstage at Super Bowl XXXVIII ends performance with her left breast exposed.

MAY May 13th Frasier ends

May 30th Blender magazine issues ‘50 Worst Songs Ever!’ list and “We Built This City” by Starship is rated worst.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

JUNE

June 5th Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989), the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975) and prior to that, an actor, passes away

Michigan Hockey 20th Season

April 25, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 21

Flashback: MLB Champion Boston Red Sox NFL Superbowl winner New England Patriots NBA Champion Detroit Pistons NHL Stanley Cup winner Tampa Bay Lightning OHL Champion Guelph Storm Memorial Cup Champion Kelowna Rockets CCHA Champion Michigan NCAA Champion Denver Jack Adams awardTop NHL Coach John Tortorella-- Tampa Bay Ross trophy - Top NHL scorer Martin St. Louis- Tampa Bay

NHL LOCKOUT WAS A SORRY MESS

#1 NHL Draft Pick Alexander OvechkinWashington Capitals Vezina trophy Best NHL Goaltender Martin Brodeur- New Jersey Hart trophy - NHL MVP Martin St. Louis- Tampa Bay Cost of a U.S. Stamp $0.37 Cost of a dozen Eggs $0.90 Cost of a gallon of Milk $3.57 Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.49 Top Television Show American Idol Academy Award’s Top Movie Million Dollar Baby #1 Song Daughters-John Mayer

JULY

Devellano said the Wings had to raise ticket prices for 12 straight years until it was felt they had topped out on prices three seasons ago.

With television revenue from the new deal with NBC only expected to generate $2.5-million per team, ticket prices were again under pressure around the league.

“The fans have been the ones that have had to pay,” said Devellano. “We can’t have a $100 million payroll. We’d have to charge $150 a ticket and nobody is going to pay that much to see the Carolina Hurricanes on a Monday night.”

“It’s not just about Detroit, you have to think of the health of the whole league,” Devellano said. “This is the only way we have to fix it. (A salary cap) will be better for the league and for the fans. We can’t have unfettered salaries.”

After resuming talks in June, the NHL Players Association voted on July 21 to ratify the proposed CBA that included an adjustable salary cap that guaranteed players 54% of total NHL revenues ($39 million in the first year) and revenue sharing for the bottom 15 grossing teams in the league. The owners unanimously approved the CBA the following day to end the 310-day lockout.

November 14th United States Secretary of State Colin Powell submits his resignation. He is replaced by Condoleezza Rice

July 4th Groundbreaking for the Freedom Tower begins at Ground Zero in New York City

July 18th Entourage premieres on HBO

In the year 2004, the National Hockey League became a sport about nothing.

Oh, there was an interesting Stanley Cup playoff run that culminated with the Tampa Bay Lightning downing the Calgary Flames in an entertaining seven-game final for their first championship, but as only the NHL can, it managed to make its premier event a sideshow.

The only thing on the radar screen of fans, media and for those directly involved in the league itself was the impending doom of a labor relations Armageddon.

And the day after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) expired, September 16, 2004, the NHL lockout began.

At issue was the attempt of NHL owners and commissioner Gary Bettman to convince players to accept a salary structure linking player salaries to league revenues. What owners called “cost certainty”, players saw as a salary cap.

“We want to pay salaries in relation to a percentage of revenues. We want a system similar to the NFL preferably, but even an NBA-type cap would be acceptable,”said Detroit Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano.“That’s the system our league needs to continue to grow.”

Discussions took place on both sides, but negotiations stalled and what would have been the NHL’s 88th season was cancelled on February 16, 2005.

It was the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded since 1919, and the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled a complete season – all because of a labor dispute between the millionaires and billionaires that dominate the game and who couldn’t figure out how to fairly divide up a pie worth over $2 billion.

The Detroit franchise was a case in point for NHL owners. Despite a never-ending string of sellouts, the ability to generate additional revenue through merchandising and suites, the Red Wings reportedly lost money in each of the last two seasons.

To keep their bottom line healthy and their championship clubs together,

September 22nd Lost premieres on ABC August 12th New Jersey Governor James McGreevey announces that he is ‘a gay American’ and will resign November 15, 2004

AUGUST

October 10th Christopher Reeve dies at the age of 52

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

September 18th Britney Spears gets married to Kevin Federline

July 25th Lance Armstrong of Austin Texas wins an unprecedented 6th consecutive Tour de France cycling title

August 13th - 29th The 2004 Summer Olympics are held in Athens where swimmer Michael Phelps wins 8 medals

September 8th In the ‘Rathergate’ affair, the first internet posts appear pointing out that documents claimed by CBS News to be typewritten memos from the early ‘70s appear instead to have been produced using modern word processing systems

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

December 26th 9.3 magnitude earth quake off the west coast of Sumatra generates an enormous tsunami creating the worst natural disasters in recorded history

DECEMBER

November 19th The NBA’s Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons engage in a brawl that involves fans and players October 23rd Ashlee Simpson is accused of lip-synching after an abortive live performance on the television show Saturday Night Live

December 26th Football hall of famer Reggie White passes away

Michigan Hockey

21

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Full name Camden Ray Wojtala…Prefers to be called “Cam”… Last name pronounced Whoa-tahl-uh …Played for Compuware squirt – bantam…

Spent the 2009-10 season with the Omaha Lancers (USHL) where he played in 59 contests, scoring eight goals and 11 assists (19 points)…in eight post-season games with the Lancers he scored one goal and had three assists…helped his team to a 42-12-0-6 overall record…played three years of varsity hockey at Trenton High School (2006-2009)… part of two state champion teams (2008, 2009)…was named allstate for hockey in 2007-08 and 2008-09…named Michigan High School Mr. Hockey in 2009 …fourth Mr. Hockey from Trenton…was captain of the 2008-09 state championship team…had a career high school record of 63-14-7 overall record, including a 25-1-4 junior season…scored 63-94154 in three year career with the Trojans…son of Wally and Colleen Wojtala…has a brother, Blake (16)...was the captain of the Trojans baseball team junior and senior years…favorite player growing up was Steve Yzerman…was on the National Honors Society for academics… majoring in biology at BGSU.

nce Finding the right insura . program just got easier

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23

National Champions

Honeybaked Girls win 16U Tier I National Title The Honeybaked Girls 16 and Under team went 6-0 to claim the 2011 USA Hockey Tier 1 National Championship at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester on April 10.

Honeybaked capped off a 52-3-5 season with a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Mission in the final. Andie Anastos netted her third hat trick and Alexis Shaw earned her third shutout of the tournament.

“It was a great year, the girls competed so hard,” said Honeybaked head coach Rob Robinson.“I am so proud of them.”

During the undefeated championship run, Honeybaked won two games in overtime, including one in a shootout.

Both were against the Connecticut Polar Bears, winning (2-1) in preliminary round play in a shootout and an overtime win (4-3) in the semifinals.

“In the shootout against Connecticut all three of our goals were highlight type goals and in the semis Haley McLean made a great shot to win the game,” Robinson said.

To reach the championship game, Honeybaked also beat the Washington Jr. Pride (8-0) and the Anaheim Lady Ducks (5-2) in regulation play, and the New Jersey Colonials (2-0) in the quarterfinals.

Anastos led the tournament in scoring with 12 points (10 goals, 2 assists). The Honeybaked squad also includes Megan Keller, Megan Kaster, Christa Moody, Tori Sullivan, Michelle Manning, Taylor Ann Callahan, Eleanor Chalifoux, Kirsten Padalis, Natalie Pattison, Nicole Russell, Ally Shrader, Logan Taylor, Alexis Tzafaroglou and Kristi Zink.

T-Strong women take Senior B National Championship For Michigan’s T-Strong women’s squad being able to sleep in their own beds and eat home cooking really paid off.

T-Strong rolled through the competition at the USA Hockey National Tournament, held April 1-3 at the Onyx Rochester Ice Arena and Suburban Ice Macomb. The team won four straight games, outscored opponents 28-8, and took the title with an 8-3 win over the Illinois Stars on April 3 at the Onyx.

After opening the competition with a 6-0 shutout of the Florida Gators, T-Strong blew out Green Mountain 10-4 in game two. Holly Giangrande stopped 16 shots and Jenna Felice and Heather Ramsey each had two goals in the whitewash of the Gators. Cheryl Buchs and Dawn Lyman added single goals in

24

Michigan Hockey

the win. Felice had nine goals in game two, while Jennifer Wellman added a single goal in the game.

Felice, Buchs, Becky Brown and Ramsey scored in a 4-1 win over Frozen Asset to send T-Strong to the final. Against the Stars, Buchs scored twice and Felice added a single goal as T-Strong took a 3-1 first period lead. Buchs completed her hat trick in the middle period, and Brown (1) and Felice (3) finished the scoring the third period.

T-Strong also includes Kelli Carrier, Cheryl Miller, Theresa Fulgenzi and Rhiannon Gajecki, and are coached by Karen Donnelly.

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

Tallon Brehmer

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

Shane Cuckovich

Farmington Hills 11 4'8" 70 Novi Predators Left Wing Pete Finn Warner Upper Elementary 5th Red Wings Pavel Datsuyk

Rochester 16 6'1" 180 Honeybaked Midget Minor Defense/Forward Mike Hamilton Stoney Creek H. S. 11th Detroit Red Wings Nicklas Lidstrom

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National Champions

Honeybaked comes from Belle Tire beats Chicago behind for National for 14U Tier I National Title Championship

The high-scoring Belle Tire Bantam AAA Major squad won six straight games, including an exciting 6-5 victory over archrival Chicago Mission, to win the USA Hockey 14U Tier I National Title on April 3 in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Anthony Petrella scored what proved to be the gamewinning goal for Belle Tire with 3:36 left in the third period when his shot from the left faceoff circle deflected off Mission goaltender Trey Jones for a 6-4 lead.

Chicago scored just 17 seconds later, but Belle Tire was able to hold the Mission off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Darby Llewllyn, who tied Dylan Larkin for the team lead in goals with six, scored twice and Cody Gibson made 19 saves in the final.

Belle Tire, coached by Joe Smaza, defeated Chicago, 6-2, in the preliminary round and also had two wins in overtime during the tournament, a 2-1 win over Team Comcast in the preliminary round and a 5-4 victory over Cleveland in the semifinals. Belle Tire opened the tournament with a 3-2 win over Long Island (NY) and also beat Tampa Bay, 9-2.

Other members of Bell Tire include Dylan Pavelek, Kyle Connor, Brendan Perlini, Austin Kamer, Evan Gizinski, Zachary Werenski, Joshua Jacobs, Aaron Haydon, Braden Brown, Jared Gardner, Damian Chrcek, Nathan Billiter, Andrew Wagner and Cooper Stahl.

The Honeybaked Midget AAA Minor squad scored three third period goals to come from behind and beat Shattuck-St. Mary’s, 3-2, in the final of the USA Hockey 16-Under Tier I National Championship on April 3 in Simsbury, Conn.

Honeybaked finished the season with a 73-3-3 record and a second straight national title.

“We had a great run and I couldn’t be more proud of the guys,” said Honeybaked coach Mike Hamilton.

Down 1-0 in the final, Honeybaked tied the game with 13:15 left in the third period on a goal from Evan Allen, assisted by Trevor Hamilton. After Shattuck took the lead again with 8:41 left in the game, Honeybaked’s Tyler Motte scored both the game-tying goal and game-winning goal (with 1:50 left in

the game). Jon Pierret drew the assist on the first goal, while Hamilton assisted on the game winner. Hamilton made 36 saves in the win.

Honeybaked opened the tournament with a 3-2 overtime win against the New Jersey Avalanche and also needed the extra period in their third game, a 4-3 win over Team Illinois. The squad also beat the Buffalo Regals, 5-3, the Atlanta Thunder, 5-0, and the Pittsburgh Hornets, 4-2, in the semifinals.

Honeybaked also includes David Parrottino, Brandon Kearney, Mitch Maloney, Adam Ulfsax, Cameron Yarwood, Alex Robert, Mike Sabatini, Eric Israel, Cam Gibson, Donovan Bewick, Ryan Dougherty, Shane Cuckovich, Ian Fish, Jared Sauve, Mitch Jones and Nick Michels.

LCAHL 2011 Playoff Champions

Summit Plastics wins 16 Tier II national championship The Fraser-based Summit Plastics Midget A team traveled to Reston, Virginia and took the USA Hockey 16 and Under Tier II national title with a 2-1 victory over the Texas Tornado on April 3.

Summit, coached by Steve Glover, killed six penalties in a physical, fast paced final game and captain Jake Howie scored a goal and added an assist in the second period to help lead his team back from a 1-0 deficit.

Early in the second period with Summit on the powerplay, Howie slid a cross-ice pass in front of the net to Sly Sutter, who buried it to tie the game with 14:31 left in the period. Then six minutes later, Howie intercepted a clearing pass in the neutral zone, skated in and scored five-hole to take a 2-1 lead.

Traverse City won the 2011 Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League Girls 19 and Under playoff title. For more LCAHL Playoff Champion team photos go to michiganhockeyonline.com.

Summit opened with an 11-1 win over St. Lawrence (NY), shut out the NW Chargers (IL), 2-0, beat the Igloo Jaguars (NJ), 5-2, routed the Littleton Hawks (CO), 10-2, in the quarterfinals and shutout the LA Hockey Club, 5-0, in the semifinals.

Howie (4-9-13) and teammate Brandon Hawkins (6-7-13) led the tournament in scoring and teammate Cameron Johnson allowed just one goal on 85 shots in 204 minutes over five games.

Other members of Summit Plastics include James Smith, MatthewTaylor, QuinWarnack, Cameron Cooper, Gabriel Comos, Trevor Knight, Patrick Giles, Brian Ziola, Noah Lancucki, Tyler Belfy, Lucas Schomer, Jack Aliotta, Joseph Bono, Noah Turkaly, Anthony Davey and Kyle Cosens.

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25

National Champions

Michigan teams do well at National Tournaments Hosted by the Honeybaked Hockey Club, the 2011 USA Hockey Tier I Girls and Women’s National Tournament drew 88 teams and over 1,300 players over two weekends, April 1-10, to the Onyx Rochester Ice Arena and Suburban Ice Macomb.

Seven women’s teams from Michigan - Top Gun and Detroit Revolution (Sr. C), O’Leary Hawks and Team Ices (Sr. B), Honeybaked (Sr. A) and T-Strong and Frozen Assets (Over 30) - competed in the Women’s Nationals. T-Strong won the National Title (see page 24 for details).

The Girls Tier I National Tournament included eight Michigan-based squads, Honeybaked and Compuware in the 12U Division, Honeybaked and Little Caesars (14U), Little Caesars and Honeybaked (16U) and Little Caesars and Honeybaked at the 19 and Under level. Honeybaked won the 16U National Title (see page 24 for details).

(3-2-5), while Alison Malty went 1-3-4 in the four games.

In the Senior B Division, the O’Leary Hawks the finals (see page 6 for details), while Team Ices won twice and made it to the quarterfinals before losing to 4-0 to the Minnesota Blue Jay Hawks.

In the Senior C Division, the Detroit Revolution opened with two losses before rebounding with a 5-1 win over Bridgewater Wings to make the quarterfinals, where they lost 5-1 to Lady Monarches. Ann Locke led the team in scoring (2-1-3). Top Gun lost all three of their games, with Megan Rayburn scoring the team’s only goal.

While T-Strong won the Over 30 Division, Frozen Asset had it all: a win, a loss and an overtime loss to make it to the semifinal, where they lost to eventual champion T-Strong, 4-1. Lisa Waldock led the team with three goals, and Angela Bernath and Flannery Campbell each added single goals in the tournament.

12U DIVISION State champion and host Honeybaked opened with a 2-1 win over the Connecticut Polar Bears on April 6 in Macomb. Goals came from Brooke Schembri and Abigail Chapman, while StephanieTenerelli stopped 18 shots in goal. In game two Honeybaked fell behind Anahiem, 2-0, before getting goals from Katie Krumm, Schembri and Grace Markey for a come-from-behind 3-2 win over the Lady Ducks. Lauren Rippy and Tenerelli played goal. Honeybaked then beat Fairfield Stars, 2-1, in a shootout with goals coming from Krumm in regulation and Breanna Scarpaci in the shootout.

In the quarterfinals, Honeybaked lost 2-1 to the N.J. Colonials, with their only goal coming from Chapman.

Compuware opened with a 4-3 overtime win over Syracuse on a game winning goal from Julia Lutz, her third of the game. Brianna Buchanan also scored for Compuware.

The squad them dropped their next two games, 2-1, to Chicago and 3-1 to New Jersey Colonials. Buchanan scored against Chicago and Sydney Pollak scored against N.J. Sydney Marzac was in net for all three games.

14U DIVISION The state champion Honeybaked squad got goals from seven different players – Jenna Marotta, Lea Boreland, Taylor Babcock, Kortney Diaz, Rylie Murray, Alyssa Genette and Kaleigh Beauregard - in a 7-0 shutout of Montgomery. Emmy Cooper made two saves in net. The next day Boreland had a hat trick and Caroline Campbell scored once in a 4-2 win over Anaheim. Honeybaked then lost 5-0 to eventual national champion Mid-Fairfield Stars and 4-0 to the Buffalo Bisons in the quarterfinals.

Little Caesars opened with an 11-1 loss to Buffalo, with Bridget Sills scoring their only goal. After getting shutout, 3-0, by the Chicago Young Americans, Little Caesars took the N.J. Colonials to a shootout before losing 4-3, on goals from Mia Apruzzese, Sills and Hannah Potrykus.

16U DIVISION While the host Honeybaked won the national title with six straight wins, state champion Little Caesars made it to the semifinals before losing, 2-1 in overtime, to the Chicago Mission. Morgann Madill scored the lone goal for Little Caesars in the loss. The team opened with a 4-3 win over the Rochester (NY) Edge behind a hat trick from Kelly Harris and a single goal from Cassidy Tucker. Little Caesars also lost to Chicago, 2-1, in game two with the goal coming from Rachael Booth. Despite losing, 2-1, to New Jersey on a goal from Whitney Renn, Little Caesars made it to the quarterfinals were they beat Team Pittsburgh, 3-2, in overtime on a goal from Renn, her second of the game. Jenna Trubiano also scored in the win and Lauren Bailey was in goal for all five games.

19U DIVISION State champion Little Caesars won five straight games before losing, 4-2, to Shattuck St. Mary’s in the national tournament final. Down 2-0 in the final, Little Caesars got on the board with a goal from Nicole Renault, but Shattuck scored twice to take a 4-1 lead. Caitlyn Post closed out the scoring with a goal with 22 seconds left in the game.

Maryanne Menefee had a hat trick as Little Caesars opened the tournament with an 8-3 win over the Buffalo Bison. The squad then rolled to wins over the Madison Capitols (7-2), New Jersey Rockets (6-2), San Jose Jr. Sharks (9-1) and the Connecticut Polar Bears (3-0) in the semifinals. Post finished with a team high five goals, while Menefee led the team with four goals and 13 points.

ADULT WOMEN In the Senior A Division, Honeybaked won three straight games before losing, 3-1, to the Rochester Edge in the semifinals. Emily Berzins led the team in scoring

26

Michigan Hockey

PHOTOS BY PDQPHOTOS.COM

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Since its inception, the Honeybaked Hockey Club has always set tremendously high goals. In very short time, excellence became the standard, and the HBHC has maintained that standard over the past 16 years, becoming one of the most respected and recognized organizations in all of amateur hockey.

The 2010-11 season was another crown jewel for Honeybaked, and raised the standard of excellence even further. The Honeybaked Hockey Club won 2 National Championships, 6 Michigan Amateur Hockey Association State Championships, and were Finalists in 4 other divisions. The achievements of our club this season have been extraordinary, and they build upon the strong foundation built by the Honeybaked teams of the past.

For our Midget Minor team, success is nothing new. For many of the 95 birthyears, this year was the 3rd time playing in a National Championship game, and the 2nd time emerging victorious.

The 16U Girls team won the first national title for a Michigan team in over a decade. Not only did they win a National Championship, they won it by doing things the right way, making victory even more satisfying. In addition, our Squirt Minor, Squirt Major, Midget Major, Girls 12U, and Girls 14U teams all won MAHA State titles, making the 2010-11 season one to remember for years to come.

As we move forward, the commitment of the Honeybaked Hockey club has never been stronger. We are proud to be part of the newly created High Performance Hockey League, and are confident this league enhances the player development opportunities for all of our players and demonstrates our leadership in the sport of hockey. We have just finalized a new sponsorship agreement with Warrior, and are extremely excited to have them working with the HBHC. We also just hosted the 2011 Womens and Girls Tier 1 National Championships, and the event was tremendously successful. Participants, college coaches, and USA Hockey were ebullient in their praise of the job our club did, and we are confident that we will host similar events in the coming years. Our future continues to be bright, and as we look towards the 2011-12 season, we do so with anticipation and excitement for even greater achievements.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all of the coaches, players, and families of the Honeybaked Hockey Club.

Without you, none of these accomplishments would have been possible. You can take great pride in knowing that your efforts have made a lasting mark in the history of Honeybaked, and many other players in the future will use this season as the benchmark for success. Good luck to all, and have a great summer!

Michigan Hockey’s Banquet of Champions

19th Annual Banquet of Champions a big night for amateur hockey in Michigan

that included apparel, gift certificates, and equipment, including new Warrior sticks and sticks and jerseys signed by Red Wings players. In addition, coaches were presented with plaques to commemorate their team’s outstanding season.

Interim CCHA commissioner and hockey analyst Fred Pletsch served as the Master of Ceremonies and helped honor Michigan’s most successful youth hockey teams.

“You have all earned those state titles,” Pletsch told the players in attendance.

“And you’ll have a special bond with your teammates and memories for the rest of your lives.”

During the social hour, guests had a chance to catch up with teammates and friends and view some of Warrior Hockey’s newest products at the equipment

The 19th annual Michigan Hockey Banquet of Champions, held at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi on April 13, 2011, was another big night for amateur hockey in Michigan.

This year’s Banquet of Champions featured 23 MAHA state championship teams, including boys teams in the squirt, pee wee, bantam and midget age groups at the BB, B, A, AA, AAA and JV Prep levels, along with girls teams from the 12 and Under, 14 and Under, 16 and Under and 19 and Under Tier I and II levels.

More than 1000 Michigan state championship players, coaches, family members, amateur hockey supporters and special guests were on hand for the 2011 Michigan Hockey Banquet of Champions.

“Everyone at Michigan Hockey is proud to honor all of the MAHA state champions,” said Philip Colvin, Michigan Hockey Editor in Chief. “The Banquet of Champions gives the players, coaches and their families some recognition for their terrific seasons. It’s always great to see all the smiling faces of teammates enjoying the event together.”

After the social hour, Banquet of Champions guests were treated to a program of dinner, action-packed team videos and a Super Drawing of great hockey prizes

manufacturer’s display. Warrior Hockey’s Christine Szarek, Steve Silver, Lorrie Owen Turner, Neil Wensley, Eric Marvin and Andy Rymsha brought sticks, pads and gloves and were on hand to talk about the new products with players.

There were 10 teams and 300 people at the first Michigan Hockey Banquet of Champions at the Dearborn Holiday Inn in 1993. And this one-of-a-kind event has grown every year but wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of sponsors that include presenting sponsor Warrior Hockey, Contemporary Industries, the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association, Buffalo Wild Wings, Perani’s Hockey World, Plymouth Whalers and Compuware, Honeybaked Hockey Club, Detroit Red Wings, Little Caesars Enterprises and Suburban Collection Showplace.

“We appreciate all of their tremendous support, because we couldn’t do this Banquet without the commitment of our sponsors,” said Colvin. “On behalf of our sponsors, congratulations again to all the teams on a great season from Michigan Hockey.”

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Your hard work, dedication and determination paid off BIG! Love – Mom, Dad, Natalie, Melanie, Kirstie, Grandma, Grandpa and Papa “It’s a GREAT DAY for Hockey!”

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29

Michigan Hockey Awards

BY LINLEY WARTENBERG

U.P. scholar-athlete winner Carey epitomizes `sisu’

Wikipedia defines “sisu” as a Finnish term that translates to “will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity.”

Upper Peninsula residents use the term to describe the ability to finish a job, to have spunk or the willingness to overcome challenges.

Larry Carey’s dictionary says “See Katey Carey.”

“I have no doubt that she has sisu,” Carey said about his daughter. “She’s got a lot of strengths.”

For her efforts Katey Carey, a sophomore at Marquette Senior High School and a defenseman with the Marquette Sentinels 16U team, was named Michigan Hockey’s 2011 Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Carey, who’s 16, also plays volleyball and has run track. She’s a member of the student council, National Honor Society and the school’s chorus group, which traveled to Germany over spring break for a series of concerts. She’s even been tapped to sing the national anthem prior to her high school’s basketball games.

“She’s always in the mix. She sticks out. She shines,”said her coach, Tony Rabittaile.

“With Katy, you see an outgoing, well-rounded kid, a young lady that is headed in the right direction. She speaks her mind, sets goals and works hard to get there.”

Carey maintains a 4.0 GPA with classes such as biology, Spanish II, American literature and history and travelled to Grand Rapids for the Girls development camp.

“When I know there’s something I need to do, I do it. I work hard,” she said.

High school athletic director Jamie Tama has known Carey since elementary school and said Carey is a strong supporter of her teammates.

“She has lots of energy and is always positive,” she said. “She’s just always been one of those kids who have a spark to their personality.

“She is always a part of things that are going on, and if she’s a part of it, she is a leader of it.”

That’s something she learned at home, both from her parents and her older brother and sister.

“She puts her heart into all she does,” said her mom, Sharon. “Her love for hockey is phenomenal. She really did find her own track.”

BY LINLEY WARTENBERG

Cimmarrusti earns Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Award 30

Michigan Hockey

Grosse Pointe South two-sport athlete Wesley Cimmarrusti’s junior year started with a bang.

A wide receiver and defensive back on the Blue Devils football team and a secondyear forward on the hockey team, Cimmarrusti played in the state semifinals on the gridiron in the afternoon and then scored a hat trick in the opening game of the hockey season against Saline that night.

“That was quite a night,” recalled his father, Tony Cimmarrusti.

Wesley Cimmarrusti finished the hockey season as the team’s leading scorer for the second year in a row while taking classes like honors physics, pre-calculus, Italian III and AP classes. His junior-year GPA of 4.0 raised his overall grade-point average to 3.8.

“I did better this year than I have my other years,”he said. “Which is weird because everyone says your junior year is hardest.”

For his efforts, Cimmarrusti earned Michigan Hockey’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

“I do not take any of the credit for anything I’ve done on the teams this season,” Cimmarrusti says humbly. “I give all the glory to God. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without Him.” He can’t say which sport he likes to play more, but he loves watching hockey.

“I watch a ton of Red Wings games,” he said. “I love hockey, how fast it is and how there’s no break when you’re on the ice.”

Still, playing football in front of thousands of people is also exciting.

“There’s no comparable feeling, there’s so much emotion and passion,” he said.

Playing high school football led Cimmarrusti to play high school hockey. He played AAA hockey during his freshman year, but the schedule overlapped with football.

“My dad and I decided if I wanted to continue with AAA, I had to give up football,” he said. “And that wasn’t going to happen.”

He has worked to bring the football-like camaraderie to the Blue Devils hockey squad. sq “He’s tried to create on the hockey team something he has on the football team – kind of an everybody-loves-everybody mentality,” said his mother, Martha tea Cimmarrusti.

Cim Cimmarrusti loves playing for his school and it shows.

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Whatever track the three Carey children chose, both Sharon and Larry encouraged them. Their only rule was if they chose to start something, they had to finish the season.

“If you didn’t want to do it again, that was OK,” her mom explained. “But first you had to fulfill the commitment to yourself and your team.”

Rabitaille named Carey assistant captain this season and praised her leadership abilities as well as her overall attitude.

“Whenever there’s adversity, she doesn’t have any problem taking the leadership role,” he said. “She is always encouraging and very supportive. I have never heard her say an unkind word.”

As a second-year player, Carey took her role as captain seriously and worked to be more vocal on the ice.

“With guys, you can always hear them, but the girls are usually quiet,” Larry Carey said. “This year, you could hear her talking to her defensive partner or calling for the puck.”

Michigan Hockey Female Scholar Athlete of the Year winner also quietly set an example for her teammates, even when she didn’t intend to.

Rabitaille said this past season, in an effort to improve in area she felt she was lacking, Carey started staying after practice for 15-20 minutes extra, working on her own.

“Later, another player who needed to work on something started doing the same thing,” he said. “She followed her example.”

Her father, who is also Marquette’s defensive coach, nominated her for the award.

As a coach, he’d read the nomination form and then forwarded it to his wife.

“I read the criteria and what they were looking for. I sent it to my wife and asked if she knew anyone,”he said.“She said Katey, and I said,‘That’s what I was thinking, too.’”

His daughter had no inclination that she’d been nominated, and was surprised to receive a call from “a random number” and find out she’d won.

“I never expected to win something like this,”she said. “I come from a small town.”

Her father said he was glad to have nominated her, because she deserves the honor.

“I’m pretty proud of Katey’s accomplishments,”he said.“She might not be the best hockey player, but when you factor in the other criteria, she really shines.”

“Wes is very coachable and has a work ethic that is contagious,” said Blue Devils’ coach, James Bufalino. “He excels both on and off the ice.”

And he has more free time to pursue his other passions, which include writing, martial arts and being active at Grace Community Church, where he is a youth leader.

“Part of the reason Wes does so well is because he fits in with many different groups at this school,” AP journalism teacher Jeff Nardone said. “He gets along very well with those interested in sports, with those who work hard on academics, and with those who are involved in our community.”

Homeschooled through sixth grade, Cimmarrusti’s an avid reader – his current favorite book is Malcolm Gladwells’ Outliers – and a strong writer. He’s studying AP journalism and writes for the weekly Grosse Point school newspaper.

“He has taken on news, feature and sports stories,” his journalism teacher, Jeff Nardone, said in an e-mail. “He handles all of them with great skill, which is rare for a first-year writer on our staff.”

One of Cimmarrusti’s latest stories was a piece on “bros” culture, and Nardone said it was one of the most-read stories this year.

“I just wanted to write a fun and funny story,” Cimmarrusti said. “It ended up getting published, and it was just funny to see the school’s reaction. About 100 people came up to me at school.”

His talents aren’t limited to athletics and academics. He’s taken piano when he was younger and had an aptitude for it, but a busy hockey schedule left little time.

Now, he’s back at it.

“He loves to play classical music because it’s complicated,” Martha Cimmarrusti said. “He works at it like it’s a puzzle.”

In the future, Wes Cimmarrusti plan on attending Northwestern, Notre Dame or perhaps Wheaton, where his older brother currently studies and plays hockey.

But should the opportunity to play hockey emerge, he says, “all bets are off.”

He’s keeping his options open, both for college and future careers. He said while writing for magazines would be interesting, he also likes the business model of his father’s business, hedge fund planning.

“There are a lot of get-rich-quick things out there and people looking to make a quick buck,”he said. “I think what he does is admirable and definitely safer than that.”

CONGRATULATIONS CHASE PLETZKE

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR COMPLETE and UP-TO-DATE TOURNAMENT LISTING ON WEBSITE

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we are so proud of you State Champions and MVP for 2011!

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Love, Nana & Papa P.

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Dear Parker We couldn’t be more proud of you!

Keep your eye on the real goal…

Jesus!

OUT OF STATE Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 10-17 or 13-17, 2011 Florida Cup Ft. Lauderdale, Florida ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com

Love, Nana & Papa

Parker, You have courage to stand proud – you find strength to stay positive and your humble attitude melts our hearts!

We love you Mom, Dad, Logan & Ryleigh

Chicago Wolves Windy City Challenge Series Spring Fever Challenge West Dundee, IL April 28-May 1, 2011 Mite-Midget B, A & AA 847-844-8700 Ext. 224 glapato@clubsportconsulting.com www.leafsicecentre.com North American Holiday Hockey Hartford, CT March 18-20, 2011 Adult and Youth Leagues 800-322-NAHH NAHHTOURS@AOL.COM Canadian Hockey Enterprises April 14 - 17, 2011 Gamblers Cup Las Vegas, Nevada ADULT TOURNAMENT Over 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 www.chehockey.com goals@chehockey.com Advanced Tournaments

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April 29-May 1, 2011 Chicago, IL CHICAGO CUP Tournament Series: Chicago Spring Classic Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com Hockey Time Productions Rock ‘n Roll Cup Tournament Cleveland, OH May 13-15, 2011 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 www.itshockeytime.com Chicago Wolves Windy City Challenge Series May Madness Challenge West Dundee, IL May 19-22, 2011 Mite-Midget B, A & AA 847-844-8700 Ext. 224 glapato@clubsportconsulting.com www.leafsicecentre.com Canlan Classic Tournaments Indiana May Sizzler Fort Wayne, IN March 26 -28, 2011 Youth Boys 1-888-422-6526 tournaments@icesports.com canlanclassictournaments.com Advanced Tournaments May 20-22, 2011 Chicago, IL CHICAGO CUP Tournament Series: Seven Bridges Spring Classic Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV Contact Advanced Tournaments 847-277-7343 advancedtournaments.com OneHockey International 8th Summer Challenge June 30-July 3, 2011 Philadelphia, PA 1993-98’s info@onehockey.com www.onehockey.com OneHockey International 8th Summer Challenge June 30-July 3, 2011 Philadelphia, PA 1999-2003’s info@onehockey.com www.onehockey.com

CANADA 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 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.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 www.chehockey.com email: goals@chehockey.com North American Holiday Hockey Montreal, QC April 29-May 1, 2011 Adult and Youth Leagues 800-322-NAHH NAHHTOURS@AOL.COM Bluewater Sharks Tournaments Sarnia, ON April 29-May 1, 2011 Boys AAA Bantam Minor 1997 & Major 1996, Ladies 19 & Over Rec www.sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca OneHockey International 1st Spring Challenge Edmonton, AB May 6-8, 2011 1995-2003’s (no 2001’s) info@onehockey.com www.onehockey.com Bluewater Sharks Tournaments Sarnia, ON May 6-8, 2011 Boys AAA Midget Minor 199596 & Major 1993-94, Girls 19 & Under Competitive www.sarnia.com/groups/ bluewatersharks emarcy@sympatico.ca

Michigan Hockey

31

Michigan Hockey Awards

BY LINLEY WARTENBERG

Krumpschmid focuses on having fun and getting better

When Marty Goeree moved to Michigan after playing pro hockey in the Czech Republic, he had a pretty good idea of who he wanted to coach his son: Norm Krumpschmid.

Although they’d never been formally introduced, Goeree knew about Krumpschmid.

They’d grown up in Ontario, played in Europe on different teams and had several teammates in common. In Grand Rapids, they both not only coached the same age levels but also played in the same men’s hockey league. That’s where Goeree overheard Krumpschmid discussing youth hockey with the director of the arena.

“They were talking about how it should be run and about the development of kids and the sport,” Goeree recalled. “I wanted my son to play on Norm’s team because of that.”

Krumpschmid, the coach of the Bantam A West Kent Hawks, is Michigan Hockey 2011 Coach of the Year.

After playing together as squirts, Krumpschmid’s team has continually improved as they moved up.

“We started basically a house program,” Krumpschmid said. “Overall it was the same kids, the same core group.”

Marty Goeree’s son, Matthew, joined the team in 2009 after his family returned from the Czech Republic.

“Everyone was telling me how great a coach he was and how they wanted to stay on his team,” the forward said. “I think he’s the best coach I’ve ever had.”

Matthew Goeree hopes to follow Krumpschmid to his next move: the new Michigan Nationals AAA program at Grand Rapids Edge Ice Arena.

Krumpschmid, who played professional hockey in Europe and represented Austria at the Olympics in Nagano (he has tri-country citizenship: U.S., Canada and Austria), likes to challenge his players to compete at the highest level. As a coach, he’s doing the same thing for himself by moving to the AAA team.

“I’ve always hoped to have an organization in west Michigan that had all levels of hockey,” Krumpschmid said. “With the ’97 age group we felt like we definitely had a team that could compete at that level, if we had the right people committed to it. I think we do.”

Asking Krumpschmid to coach the AAA team was an easy decision for Mike

BY LINLEY WARTENBERG

MAHA’s Schwanger raises profile of disabled players 32

Michigan Hockey

In her hockey career, Carol Schwanger has held many titles, including hockey mom, house director and vice president of the Michigan Women’s Senior League.

But it’s her work as the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association’s disabled hockey director that’s earned her the title of Michigan Hockey’s 2011 Hockey Person of the Year, awarded for outstanding contribution to the sport in Michigan.

Schwanger has raised the profile and expanded the disabled program in Michigan, forming more teams and getting more players involved.

“My primary job in hockey now is disabled hockey,” Schwanger said. “It’s starting to really blossom.”

Schwanger first got involved in disabled hockey when she chaired the first-ever USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival at Fraser’s Great Lakes Sports City in 2005.

After disabled director Charlene Trick retired, Schwanger took the position in 2009.

“Carol has really worked hard to expand it,” said MAHA Adult VP Ray Kraemer.

“She’s making it grow in Michigan.”

Schwanger attends demonstrations to show people how the sleds work and to illustrate what disabled athletes can do.

“Most of them didn’t play hockey originally, but there’s wheelchair basketball, so why not?” Kraemer said. “It’s probably the best thing for them.”

Schwanger agrees, citing Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Hospital, as an example “Walter Reed has started a program and they now recognize hockey as legitimate therapy,” she said. “They use hockey to rehab soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Schwanger’s started in hockey in 1992, when her own kids played. She’s currently the secretary for the Royal Oak Hockey Association, plays on a women’s team, works with MAHA District 3 and serves as an instructor in USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program.

“Women are workers. You wonder how they do it,” said women’s hockey administrator Michelle Monson.“They raise their families, do their jobs and volunteer the whole time. “ Schwanger gave Monson a hand in starting the annual Dirty 30 women’s tournament in Brighton.

“I couldn’t have done it without her,” Monson said. “She just jumps in there and says, `How can I help?’”

“It’s not like she doesn’t already have a bunch of stuff to do. She’s always working

MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Slobodnik, an old friend of Krumpschmid’s who is running the new program.

“He had this successful Tier II team, a measuring bracket,” he said. “They went to some AAA tournaments and had some success. He was the first person I felt comfortable talking to about the position.”

The AAA team’s focus will likely be the same as every other team that Krumpschmid’ has coached: individual and team improvement.

“He focuses on developing kids into becoming the best players they can be,”Goeree said, “But he also teaches respect for others, both on and off the ice.”

Goeree gave an example of a Detroit tournament, where, off the ice, the West Kent players wore blue shirts.

“One of the organizers said, `Those kids in blue shirts, they are the most respectful of all the kids,’” Goeree said. “That’s what Norm believes.”

Competing at a high level is a goal, but so is staying positive, having fun and enjoying the sport.

“I try to teach them is that you can never be too high or too low,” Krumpschmid said. “It’s never as good as it seems and it’s never as bad as it seems.”

Just like their coach, the Hawks remained a hard-working team all season.

“If you talk to most teams we played they would say we were a difficult team to play against,” he said, adding, “I never had to coach effort.”

That’s an example he’s set for his team, said Goeree, who said the coach’s energy and passion impressed him.

“When you start coaching kids, they’re just out there skating and having fun,” Krumpschmid said. “That’s what you want them to do. One of the payoffs for the coach is when they start to understand the game.”

“They grasp the little things of the game – the difference between having success and not having success. They learn how to be young men and young women, and they respect the game.”

Krumpschmid’s team shoots for wins, but learns from the inevitable losses.

“People put too much emphasis on winning and losing at the youth level,” said Slobodnik. “We lose the perspective of development.”

That’s Krumpschmid’s focus: for every player on the team to improve.

“I see what he’s done not only the two years we’ve been working with him but the two years before that,” said Goeree. and fund-raising. But when our league needed something done, she jumped in and organized it.”

Disabled hockey includes sled players, standing amputees and special players, which includes players with both mental and physical disabilities.

Sled and special players compete on their own teams, but standing amputees currently compete on able-body teams and come together for camps and international competitions.

Right now, there are five standing amputee players: Cris Cutter (Lansing), Tony Antonucci (Canton), Todd Paswick (Downriver), Josh Pobursky (Allen Park) and Joe Rodgers (Marysville), a goaltender at Notre Dame.

Schwanger hopes to eventually find more hearing impaired players, whom she speculates are now competing on teams with hearing players. She’d like to identify them, and perhaps have events exclusively for the hearing impaired.

“To have camps for people with the same disability – I wish I could do that,”she said.

Michigan currently has three sled programs: the Fraser Sled Dogs adult team and adult and youth Grand Rapids Sled Wings teams. Both the adult teams compete in the Mid American Great Lakes Sled Hockey League with Ft. Wayne, IN; Pittsburgh, PA and Ohio United.

There are 130 special players in three current programs: the FAR Flyers, the longesttenured team that plays out of Hazel Park; the MORC Stars, the largest program that uses three rinks in Livonia, Farmington Hills and Great Lakes Sports City; and the newest program, the Ann Arbor Rockets. In addition, Schwanger is working to establish programs in Chelsea, Kalamazoo and Gaylord.

When Michigan Hockey first tried to contact Schwanger to tell her she’d been named Hockey Person of the Year, it took a few days to track her down, as she’d been promoting disabled hockey.

Schwanger had been in Blaine, Minn., the site of this year’s USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival. Forty-one teams attended, and the event featured the first-ever national tournament for Tier I and Tier II sled hockey, in which Fraser’s Sled Dogs competed.

“Some players have never really been away from their families. They are gaining independence,” Schwanger said, adding, “As the sport is growing, it’s getting more and more organized.

That growth, in part, is due to Schwanger’s tireless promotion.

“She’s a worker bee. She’s one of these people,” Monson said. “How the heck do you have time for all this?”

College Hockey

Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miele wins Hobey Baker Award Grosse Pointe Woods native and Miami University senior forward Andy Miele made history on April 8 when he became the first RedHawk to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to the top player in college hockey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so honored to receive this award on behalf of Miami University,â&#x20AC;? Miele said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As any player knows there are many people to thank with any success that comes their way.â&#x20AC;?

Miele recognized Miami President Dr. David Hodge, Athletic Director Brad Bates and the athletic department staff, the hockey support staff, his coaches and teammates and his family in his acceptance speech.

After leading the country in scoring with 24 goals and 71 points in 39 games this season, Miele earned AHCA First-Team West All-America, CCHA Player of the Year, First-Team All-CCHA, All-CCHA Tournament Team and CCHA Tournament MVP honors after leading the RedHawks to their first Mason Cup in school history.

A Miami assistant captain, Miele won the CCHA scoring title in a landslide (1640-56), and his 40 assists were more than anyone else had points. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At Miami we are known as The Brotherhood,â&#x20AC;? said Miele. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just a slogan but a way of life. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our culture. I wish I could have 24 copies of this trophy because all my brothers watching on TV deserve to share in this award equally. You know how much I love you to have that special bond we share.â&#x20AC;?

For his career, Miele finished sixth on Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scoring list (159), seventh in career

Miami senior forward Andy Miele of Grosse Pointe Woods is the 2011 Hobey Baker Award winner.

PHOTO BY BRAD REMPEL

assistswith99andissecondinschoolhistorywith12game winninggoals assists with 99 and is second in school history with 12 game-winning goals, including a team-best four this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Andy is a special player and a special person,â&#x20AC;? RedHawks head coach Enrico Blasi said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His teammates are a special group of guys. When Andy says he wants to share it with his teammates, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the truth. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the way weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created our culture and our program.â&#x20AC;?

Miele, an American studies major with a coaching minor, was also active in the community by helping build a house for Habitat for Humanity and spending time with local elementary school students. He and his teammates have also engaged with hockey fans and supporters on Skate with the `Hawks Night, provided instruction to members of the Junior RedHawks Kids Club and skated with the handicapped.

This year, he was also involved with underprivileged children through the One Way Farm Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home in Fairfield, Ohio.

Criteria for the Hobey Baker Award includes strength of character on and off the ice, displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, sportsmanship and scholastic achievements.

The winner was determined by the 23-member selection committee of coaches, media, NHL scouts and officials, and fan balloting, which counted for one percent of the final vote.

Miele signed an entry-level contract with the NHLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phoenix Coyotes on April 9.

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Michigan Hockey

33

NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE 2010-11 NAHL Standings (FINAL) CENTRAL yAlexandria xCoulee Region xOwatonna xBismarck Austin Aberdeen

GP 58 58 58 58 58 58

W 33 33 32 31 23 20

L OTL PTS 19 6 72 20 5 71 19 7 71 22 5 67 31 4 50 34 4 44

PCT 0.621 0.612 0.612 0.578 0.431 0.379

GF 208 204 175 179 151 166

GA 177 180 179 156 186 219

PIM 923 982 985 1100 1233 829

NORTH ySt. Louis xTraverse City xMichigan xJanesville Springfield Motor City Chicago Port Huron

GP 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 58

W 41 40 35 35 31 31 9 6

L OTL PTS 13 4 86 17 1 81 17 6 76 19 4 74 24 3 65 25 2 64 45 4 22 46 6 18

PCT 0.741 0.698 0.655 0.638 0.560 0.552 0.190 0.155

GF 215 211 202 170 191 228 132 127

GA 120 159 141 121 170 188 286 312

PIM 764 952 899 938 976 1377 883 1408

SOUTH zTopeka xAmarillo xTexas xWichita Falls Corpus Christi New Mexico

GP 58 58 58 58 58 58

W 43 36 35 26 19 19

L OTL PTS 12 3 89 16 6 78 15 8 78 27 5 57 34 5 43 35 4 42

PCT 0.767 0.672 0.672 0.491 0.371 0.362

GF 237 209 213 189 158 141

GA 146 171 164 190 238 220

PIM 1706 1637 1321 1527 2079 1268

WEST GP W L OTL PTS PCT GF GA PIM yFairbanks 58 40 15 3 83 0.716 245 171 1219 xWenatchee 58 34 21 3 71 0.612 207 148 1208 xAlaska 58 32 22 4 68 0.586 193 173 1479 xKenai River 58 27 24 7 61 0.526 189 191 1076 Dawson Creek 58 24 31 3 51 0.440 160 209 1669 Fresno 58 19 34 5 43 0.371 158 243 1635 x - clinched playoff berth; y - clinched division title; z - clinched league title TOP SCORERS TEAM POS GP G A Wydo, Cody MCM F 58 40 51 Nagtzaam, Nardo ALX F 58 36 51 Brancheau, Steve MCM F 55 28 43 Kleiman, RJ STL F 50 28 41 Ciotti, Chris STL F 57 31 37 Hussar, Justin TOP F 58 33 33 Hill, Michael TOP F 43 37 29 Linnell, Jared FAI F 58 34 31 Frischmon, Zac COU F 58 31 34 Kolb, Andrew MIC F 44 31 34 Beck, Doug KNR F 55 28 36 Lubanski, Brett KNR F 57 15 48 Nauman, Ethan SPR F 58 23 39 Osborn, JT FAI F 56 37 25 Walker, Beau COR F 56 21 41 Gaarder, Connor COU F 58 24 37 Smoot, Zack AMA F 58 24 37 Opie, Tim TVC F 58 24 36 Prince, Jack TEX F 51 26 34 Leef, Jackson TEX F 57 22 37 Altenbernd, Alex ALX F 57 26 33 Fallon, Mike SPR F 58 17 41 Mauermann, Ross JNE F 56 26 32 Gates, Matthew BIS F 56 27 31 Zierke, Steve ALX F 56 26 32 Levin, Gabe FAI F 55 16 42 Ward, Cory ABD F 58 32 25 Christie, Brian TOP F 57 20 37 Barber, Jacob WEN F 59 34 22 Vandercook, DJ WEN F 52 22 34

PTS 91 87 71 69 68 66 66 65 65 65 64 63 62 62 62 61 61 60 60 59 59 58 58 58 58 58 57 57 56 56

TOP GOALIES Comunale, Tom Tadazak, Robert Green, Matt Jacobson, David Bolton, Steve Jaeger, Brandon Kruger, Jimmy Tirronen, Rasmus Faragher, Ryan

GA 41 74 45 88 47 86 89 79 124

TEAM STL MIC STL JNE TVC WEN TEX TOP BIS

GP 25 45 23 43 22 39 40 36 52

MIN 1403:42 2508:39 1321:52 2555:00 1252:36 2258:31 2267:35 1962:49 3049:59

SO 6 9 3 8 2 5 3 4 3

PIM 47 59 76 34 56 20 109 58 39 34 83 26 52 27 30 75 75 22 21 17 20 20 12 51 105 28 44 80 26 25 GAA 1.75 1.77 2.04 2.07 2.25 2.28 2.35 2.41 2.44

PPG 14 13 10 12 7 13 14 11 8 8 13 5 4 10 7 9 4 7 13 8 7 3 8 9 8 4 13 4 13 9 SV 503 1244 443 988 545 822 948 776 1392

SHG 1 3 4 0 3 0 0 2 4 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 2 0 2 1 2 1 0 2 4 1 SV% 0.925 0.944 0.908 0.918 0.921 0.905 0.914 0.908 0.918

NAHL playoffs: Warriors split first two in St. Louis

BY MATT MACKINDER

looking forward to working out hard over the summer and competing for a spot The St. Louis Bandits are shooting for their fifth straight trip to the Robertson Cup in the RMU lineup.” tournament, but the Michigan Warriors are looking to end that streak.

Wydo is the first player from this year’s Motor City team to commit to a Division After advancing through the first round by I program. eliminating the Traverse City North Stars, the first-year Warriors ventured down to St. Louis and NAHL NOTEBOOK came away with a split against the three-time Utica native Brent Agrusa has been named champs, who last won it all in 2009. the Chicago Hitmen’s new head coach, replacing The Bandits took Game 1, 2-0, and then the Steve Pronger, who guided the club during its Flint-based Warriors rebounded with a 3-2 win inaugural 2010-11 season … Austin Bruins last Friday night. goaltender Keegan Asmundson has committed “(Game 1) was a see-saw battle and the to Canisius College for this coming fall … The Bandits came out on top,” Warriors coach Moe Wichita Falls Wildcats announced that they will Mantha said. “The boys came to play (in Game not renew the contract of head coach Mark LeRose 2). We have to keep up the same intensity going for next season … The annual league draft is set forward.” for Thursday, May 26 … Ben Johnson will be the Game 3 is this Friday in Flint at 7:30 p.m., while expansion Minot Minotauros head coach when Game 4 is Saturday night at 7 p.m. If a deciding the team takes the ice this fall … The Port Huron Game 5 is needed, it will be Monday night (April Fighting Falcons raised over $800 in the “Saves 25) in St. Louis. for Charity” program with E&A Credit Union.

In the other NAHL playoff series, Bismarck E&A made a $1 donation for each save made and Coulee Region are tied at one game apiece, in 2010-11 home games. Tyler Last led the way Robertson Cup tournament host Topeka and with 299 saves in 11 home appearances, while Amarillo are also deadlocked, 1-1, and Fairbanks Peter Megariotis was second with 198 saves in Muskegon native Brock Carlston’s Fairbanks Ice is up 2-0 on Wenatchee. his seven starts…Seven former NAHL players Dogs have a 2-1 lead on Wenatchee in the NAHL’s West Division finals. were among the first 16 chosen by USA Hockey TOP SCORER WYDO PICKS COLONIALS to compete for the 2011 U.S. Men’s National Motor City Metal Jackets forward Cody Wydo said just a few months ago that Team at the IIHF World Championship, which will take place from April 29-May 15 he was surprised at his offensive outburst this season and hoped he would land a in Kosice and Bratislava, Slovakia. Former Texas Tornado goaltender Al Montoya, Division I college opportunity for next season. who recently finished his season with the NHL’s New York Islanders, and former College is now squared away as the 20-year-old Wyandotte native has committed St. Louis Sting forward Yan Stastny, who recently completed his season with CSKA to Robert Morris University and will suit up for the Colonials starting this fall.

Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League join forwards Mike Brown (Toronto Wydo won the NAHL’s regular-season scoring title with 91 points (40 goals, 51 Maple Leafs) and Jack Skille (Florida Panthers) and defensemen Mike Komisarek assists) playing in all 58 games and was also a plus-26.

(Toronto), Kevin Shattenkirk (St. Louis Blues) and Mark Stuart (Atlanta Thrashers), “I chose Robert Morris because of its commitment to its hockey program and all of whom competed in the NAHL as members of the USA Hockey National Team how I’ll fit in over the next four years,” said Wydo. “I’m also excited to attend its Development Program. highly-ranked business program.”

“Cody’s commitment to the game, on and off the ice, is exemplary,” said Metal HE SAID IT Jackets head coach David Cole. “It’s great to see a young player rewarded for his “I really don’t remember much about the goal. I kind of blacked out. I remember work ethic.” working my way into the corner, battling for the puck, getting it out and taking a Wydo believes playing in the NAHL primed him and prepared him for the NCAA shot. It hit a few things, kicked around and ended up back on my stick. I shot it into level. an empty net and that was all she wrote.” – Amarillo forward Cody Freeman, on his “The competition in the North Division challenged me and my teammates to series-winning overtime goal that eliminated Texas in four games in the divisional be on our game each night,” Wydo said. “It was an exciting two years and now I’m semi-finals, to the Amarillo Globe-News

2011 NAHL PLAYOFFS CENTRAL DIVISION (2) Coulee vs. (4) Bismarck Series tied 1-1 1. BIS 6 at COU 4 2. BIS 3 at COU 6 3. COU at BIS Apr 22, 7:15pm 4. COU at BIS Apr 23, 7:15pm *5. BIS at COU Apr 25, 7:00pm

NORTH DIVISION (1) St. Louis vs. (3) Michigan Series tied 1-1 1. Mich 0 at STL 2 2. Mich 3 at STL 2 3. STL at Mich Apr 22, 7:30pm 4. STL at Mich Apr 23, 7:00pm *5. Mich at STL Apr 25, 7:05pm

SOUTH DIVISION (1) Topeka vs. (2) Amarillo Series tied 1-1 1. AMA 2 at TOP 3 OT 2. AMA 4 at TOP 3 3. TOP at AMA Apr 21, 7:00pm 4. TOP at AMA Apr 22, 7:00pm *5. AMA at TOP Apr 25, 7:00pm

WEST DIVISION (1) Fairbanks vs. (2) Wenatchee Fairbanks eads series 2-1 1. WEN 3 at FAI 4 OT 2. WEN 3 at FAI 6 3. FAI 1 at WEN 2 4. FAI at WEN Apr 21, 7:05pm *5. WEN at FAI Apr 23, 7:05pm

* IF NECESSARY

* IF NECESSARY

* IF NECESSARY

* IF NECESSARY

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Junior Hockey PHOTO BY AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES

April 25, 2011 Volume 21 : Issue 21

L draft should sho have OHL a Michigan flavor avor

BY MATT MACKINDER

The annual Ontario Hockey League draft is on tap for May 7 and, as in past years, there is no shortage of Michigan talent for the taking.

Of course, the OHL is just one option for many of the talented Michigan players as many have colleges and the United States National Team Development Program on their heels.

That said, expect many a Michigan player born in 1995 to see his name pop up on the computer screen during the online draft that goes 15 rounds and lasts nearly eight hours.

OHL Michigan scout Kevin Hess sat down with Michigan Hockey recently to assess some of the top in-state players at each position:

FORWARDS

Ian Jenkins, Belle Tire U16 – “Very athletic and never gives up on a puck. Has quick reflexes and does a nice job of controlling rebounds.”

Devin Williams, Motor City Metal Jackets U16 – “Fundamentally-sound butterfly goaltender with good rebound control.”

HONORABLE MENTION Defenseman Max Iafrate was Plymouth’s first round pick in the 2010 OHL draft.

Michael Sabatini, Honeybaked U16 – “Good skater with high-end speed.

Dangerous both as a passer and a shooter in the goal-scoring area.”

Dawson Cook, Cadillac High School –“Prototypical power forward. Good north/ south skater. Has a heavy shot and the physical tools to be effective at the next level.”

Brendan Smith, Compuware U16 – “Very good skater with exceptional top-end speed. Plays the game at full speed at all times. Has a very good shot with a quick release.”

Zach Diamantoni, Compuware U16 –“Skilled center and a great set-up man.”

Michael McCarron, Honeybaked Midget Major –“Big-bodied power forward with high-end skill. Uses his size and skill to make everyone on the ice better. Playing up this season helped him elevate his overall game.”

Alex Talcott, Honeybaked Major Midget – “Good north/south skater with excellent acceleration. Not afraid to go to the tough areas to score. Improved his overall game by playing Midget Major this season.”

Christian Wolanin, Little Caesars U16 – “Versatile prospect that can play both forward and defense. Plays a very smart two-way game.”

DEFENSEMEN Tyler Motte, Honeybaked U16 – “Reads the play in the offensive zone well.

Extremely dangerous in the goal scoring area. If my team needed a goal, this is the guy I want with the puck on his stick.”

Jacob Pritchard, Little Caesars U16 – “Speedy, shifty, and skilled forward who steadily improved throughout the season.”

Samuel Rennaker, Forest Hills North/East HS –“Competes at a high level in all three zones. Has a good shot and converts on a high percentage of his scoring chances.”

Alexander Smith, Honeybaked Midget Major –“Primarily offensive-minded, but playing Major Midget has helped him get better in his own zone. Powerful skater who is very light on his feet and possesses great mobility.”

GOALTENDERS

Even Allen, Honeybaked U16 – “Speedy and competes. Has a very good shot with a pro-style release.”

Joel Lesperance, Compuware U16 – “Plays a solid two-way game and has very good hockey sense. Plays in every situation.”

Cory Schueneman, Little Caesar’s U16 – “Smooth skating defenseman who takes care of his own end first before joining the offense. Has the skating and skill to take the puck end to end.”

Michael Downing, Novi Catholic Central HS – “Very good skating defender with high-end offensive capabilities.”

Trevor Hamilton, Honeybaked U16 – “Physical defender who is not afraid to jump into the rush.”

Mitch Jones, Honeybaked U16 –“Stay-at-home defenseman with an offensive upside. Makes a very good first pass.”

Alex Roberts, Honeybaked U16 – “Very mobile and plays both ends of the rink effectively.”

Bryan Basillico, F, Belle Tire U16; Taylor Fernandez, F, Little Caesars U16; Troy Saunders, D, Compuware U16; Reed Whiteside, D, Trenton High School; Michael Yuhasz, F, Little Caesars U16.

WHALERS NOTEBOOK The Plymouth Whalers were bounced in four straight by the top-seeded Owen Sound Attack in the Western Conference semifinals on April 13.“They’re the No. 1 seed for a reason,”said Plymouth coach Mike Vellucci … Five Whalers were ranked on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings released April 12 – forward Rickard Rakell is rated 30th overall, followed by forward Stefan Noesen (35), forward Garrett Meurs (79) and defenseman Dario Trutmann (194) among North American prospects. Matt Mahalak is rated eighth overall among North American goaltenders … Awards handed out at the Whalers banquet on April 15 – Regular Season MVP and Most Improved: Noesen; Playoff MVP: forward Tyler Brown; Best Defenseman: Beau Schmitz; Unsung Hero: defenseman Colin MacDonald; Blue Collar Award: R.J. Mahalak; Rookie of the Year: forward Rickard Rakell; Humanitarian of the Year: forward Mitchell Heard; Academic Players of the Year: goaltender Matt Mahalak and forward Tom Wilson; Alice Iafrate Award (top overage player): forward Robbie Czarnik; Booster Club awards – Barbara Mohrlock Award (fan favorite): goaltender Scott Wedgewood; Scholastic Player of the Year: Czarnik and Grinder of the Year: forward James Livingston.

SAGINAW NOTEBOOK The Spirit lost in six games to Windsor in the other Western Conference semifinal.

Sagainw. The loss to the Spitfires wraps up the Spirit’s most successful post season ever and follows the team’s best regular season record (40-22-4-2). The Spirit held a 2-1 games lead in the best of seven series, before losing the last three to the defending Memorial Cup champions. Port Huron’s Jack Campbell made 25 saves in the Spitfires 5-0 win on April 17 that clinched the series.

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Datsyuk picks it up for playoffs

BY DAVE WADDELL

With his bow-legged swagger, Pavel Datsyuk looks more like a cowboy than an artist with the puck.

In Detroit’s playoff series against the Phoenix Coyotes, the slick center has been a bit of both. He’s shooting first and asked questions later.

“Now it’s more confidence,” said Datsyuk, who had three goals and five points in the first three games of the series. “I go one-on-one, sometimes. I like to use it sometimes between the legs. Maybe next time, I try more easy way to score.”

Labeled early in his career as not-a-prime-time player, those critics have been silenced in recent seasons as Datsyuk now has 31 goals and 81 points in 113 playoff games.

Against the Coyotes, Datsyuk simply has been the most dominant player on either team, looking dangerous on virtually every shift.

“I just know when Pav has the puck lots, we’re a better team,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “When he has the puck, we’re not playing defense and we feel better about ourselves.

“Anytime a guy gets eight shots on net, he must have done something right.

He’s an elite, elite player.”

Few players in the NHL can get fans to the edge of their seats the way Datsyuk can. The 32-year-old has built a reputation of perhaps the league’s best escape artist from impossible situations.

“He amazes us every single game,”said Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, who admits to being embarrassed many times by Datsyuk.“He does it in practice. He does it in games.

“The other night in Chicago, he stickhandled through four guys. You’re standing down the other end and it’s, ‘Wow. Thank you that he’s on my side.’

Having only played 63 games this season due to injuries, Datsyuk enters the playoffs fresh. The Wings will need the impressive energy-level he’s displayed recently with Henrik Zetterberg sidelined with a knee injury. By winning the first three games to take a commanding lead in the series, the Wings have eased the pressure on Zetterberg to get back quicker than he needs to.

If he feels pressure, Datsyuk doesn’t admit it when asked about the questions regarding the Wings’ chances without Zetterberg in the short term.

“Lots of guys saying that, talking about that,” Datsyuk said. “Maybe I don’t hear because I don’t speak English.

“I feel I miss him (Zetterberg) a lot. This is for sure. Hopefully, he comes back soon and helps us. He had a good season. I need his help.”

The Coyotes had a major problem trying to get the puck from player voted by his peers as the hardest to separate from the puck.

“He’s very strong,”Wings defenseman Nick Lidstrom said.“He can lean on guys and have one hand on his stick to fight them off for the puck. And his determination, they (other players) might hang onto the puck, but they won’t make that next play. He will.”

How the Coyotes deal with defending Datsyuk, who centered a line with Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen, could well decide the series.

“He’s such a dynamic player,” said Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski. “He’s strong on his skates and he’s got more moves than a lot of guys in this league. You have to pay attention to where he is at all times. Our job is to limit his time and space the best we can.”

Phoenix defenseman Keith Yandle counts himself among the legion of Datsyuk’s admirers. However, he’s not enjoying the show quite as much these days.

“The guy’s disgusting,” Yandle said in admiration. “Fun to watch but not fun to play against him.”

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