California Rubber Magazine - March 2019

VOLUME 12

ISSUE 7

MARCH 2019

FIRST ST. MARY’S GRADUATE GUNNOE MOVING ON TO JUNIOR HOCKEY LAS VEGAS THUNDERBIRDS TO JOIN WSHL FOR 2019-20 SEASON LADY DUCKS GRADUATE PANKOWSKI ENDING NCAA CAREER ON HIGH NOTE JR. KINGS’ PEE WEES WIN PRESTIGIOUS QUEBEC YOUTH TOURNAMENT

With a slew of programs for players of all ages and skill levels, in addition to providing a positive culture and atmosphere, San Diego Ice Arena is quickly becoming a developmental hotbed in Southern California

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FROM THE EDITOR With some seasons over, take time to relax, recharge, refocus

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Matt Mackinder

s we enter the end of most teams’ seasons, I can’t help but get a bittersweet feeling.

I mean, yeah, the hockey season is always a grind (even for us in the media business!) and to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Getting the opportunity to work in hockey and converse with so many quality, genuine people is a treat that I certainly don’t take for granted.

Like many hockey players, especially around this time of year, a break and time to relax is more than welcome. Just that time to recharge and get back at it is something I look forward to every spring.

This job is far from the average 9-5 gig and most days, time with my family is limited. It’s just the nature of the business, and we all understand that. I’m bless-

ed in that regard.

I just can’t stress enough that this time of year - as many teams travel across the country for district and national tournaments - remember to take advantage of this time with the kids. Special moments will be created, and memories forever etched in your minds and on your phones.

Seeing kids playing, experiencing and loving this great game is what makes me get up every morning and get to work. Hockey is the greatest game on the planet. Let’s keep enjoying it for the rest of the season, however long that may be.

Live in the moment.

And good luck to everyone the rest of the way!

Lots of girls and women’s news to speak of as the LA Lions recently announced their first two college commitments as Hannah Haas (ACHA Utah Valley University) and Alethea “Ace” Perez (NCAA D-III Stevenson University) have made history for the Lions!

In addition, USA Hockey announced the roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team that will compete in the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship, April 4-14 at the Metro Areena in Finland, and defenseman Cayla Barnes (Eastvale) and forward Annie Pankowski (Laguna Hills) made the cut!

Not to be outdone, the Tri Valley Lady Blue Devils have become a member of the Jr. NWHL! Much to be proud of, ladies!

California Rubber Magazine is published by: Mackinder Media, LLC, P.O. Box 373 Goodrich, MI 48438, 10 times a year, once monthly September through May and once in the summer.

Postmaster: send address changes to: P.O. Box 373 Goodrich, MI 48438 Ph. (248) 890-3944 Email: matt@rubberhockey.com Subscription Rates: $49.95 USD * Single Copy: $3.95 USD Mail subscriptions to: P.O. Box 373 Goodrich, MI 48438 Subscriptions are non-refundable REPORT AN ERROR IMMEDIATELY California Rubber Magazine will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion Visit our Web site at: www.CARubberHockey.com Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/californiarubber Follow us on Twitter: @CARubberHockey

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Publisher/editor: Matt Mackinder senior designer: Julie Rippy

SIBLING SUCCESS

USA Hockey and the North American Hockey League (NAHL) recently announced an enhanced long-term partnership.

“The North American Hockey League has been, and continues to be, an important part of the ladder of development in our country,” said USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher.

“The NAHL is where it is today because of our committed ownership and their focus on providing players top-quality coaching, skill development and community-supported teams in stable markets, and one-of-a-kind events that provide unparalleled exposure,” added NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld.

Congratulations to all the California teams that have won CAHA state and Pacific District championships in recent weeks!

For the Pacific Districts, see more on Pages 13 and 17.

The Tier I champs include the Anaheim Jr. Ducks (18U, 14U), Los Angeles Jr. Kings (16U, 13U, 12U, 11U) and San Jose Jr. Sharks (15 Only).

At Tier II, the Jr. Ducks won the 18U and 16U titles, the California Golden Bears won at 14U, and the Jr. Ice Dogs nabbed the 12U title.

In high school play, JSerra won the Division 1A title and St. John Bosco captured Division 2A. The Division 1B and Division 2B playoffs run March 22-24.

NorCal playoff champions: Oakland Bears (10U A, 10U B), Tri Valley Blue Devils (12U A, 16U A), Capital Thunder (10U BB), Fresno Jr. Monsters (12U BB), Redwood City Black Stars (12U B), Santa Clara Blackhawks (14U A), Lake Tahoe Grizzlies (14U B) and Vacaville Jets (18U A).

The SCAHA final round is March 23-24, while CAHA A, BB and B state playoffs are March 29-31.

Well done and congratulations, everyone!

Contact Matt Mackinder at matt@rubberhockey.com 4

California Rubber Hockey Magazine

Michael Leone (UC Berkeley) and John Leone (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), pictured with their mother, Dorothy, helped lead their respective teams to Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League division titles at the league’s regional championship tournament March 2-3 at The Rinks-Corona Inline. More on Page 20.

Photo/WCRHL

ON THE COVER Players from the San Diego Ice Arena programs gathered recently at their home rink. Pictured top row, from left to right, are Miles Phillippi (Varsity Jets), Shane West (JV Jets) and Patty Miller (JV Jets). Middle row, at left, is Eli Hough (Squirt B). Pictured bottom row, from left to right, are Waylon Lyons (Mite B), Braden Hough (Mite B), London Arel (Mite A) and Jackson Felder (Squirt BB). Photo/Nicole Langton

– m a r g o r p r u o t u You’ve heard abo ! t u o b a l l a e r ’ e w t a now see wh

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Building A Foundation SDIA places extra emphasis on its Mites as a way to keep growing, developing its overall program “We always try to have our SCAHA teams and our tournament teams play in the same tournaments at as many age levels as possible,” Sterling explained, adding alk into the rink at San Diego Ice Arena (SDIA) in the suburbs of America’s that players and parents from different teams can’t help but get to know each other Finest City on any given day, and there’s a good chance you’ll see the place and build camaraderie. “We’ll get all the families together for various events like overrun by seven- and eight-year-olds wearing the Oilers’ distinctive navy blue, barbeques. We’ll get the high school kids cheering on the Mites, and then red and white sweaters. the Mites are looking up to the players on the high school team. All That’s because the program places a heavy emphasis on develthe kids are hanging out, and everyone gets to know each other. oping young players, and hockey director Craig Sterling knows Once kids start playing with us, they don’t leave, and they grow the Mite age group holds the keys to creating kids who love the up with SDIA. It’s a competitive environment, but it’s also a fun game enough to continue playing as they grow up. environment.”

“We probably have 80 Mite players and 75 Aquirts this This winter, SDIA has approximately 350 adult hockey season, and there’s more coming,” Sterling said. “We don’t players registered, including divisions for military and womhave those kids playing SCAHA (Southern California Amaen, and there are about the same amount playing youth teur Hockey Association) yet, but our Mite teams played a lot travel and in-house hockey for the 2018-19 season. There locally and won eight tournaments this year. Once kids see are seven Oilers travel teams at all levels as well as 14 recthe levels of success we’re reaching, they want to be a part reational teams playing at San Diego Ice Arena. The proof it. They want to be on a wingram’s Pee Wee BB team and ning team, and we get them in the Bantam A and B squads to start teaching them the skills all enjoyed deep runs in the they’ll need as well as the life SCAHA playoffs this season. lessons that hockey can pro“Our overall numbers are vide for them.” the highest they have been One of the keys to SDIA’s in about eight years,” Sterling success has been its emphasaid, adding that the developsis on developing players at the ment of a massive residential lower levels so they will learn complex within spitting disto love hockey and continue to tance of the rink has helped play as they get older. Sterling bring out more families in a has placed a particularly heavy big way. “More and more peoemphasis on the program’s ple are getting involved. They Mite teams and has dedicated see the game on TV, and if we Dan Arel to not only coach the can get them out to the rink, Mites, but to oversee the rink’s they’re eager to sign up for entire Mite offerings, from its learn-to-play programs or to travel teams down to the inget back on the ice as adults.” house and developmental ofOne of the things that’s ferings. a new emphasis for Sterling Arel coaches a Squirt levand his colleagues at the rink el in-house team and SDIA’s is attracting military members Mite A tournament team, while and their families. SDIA is also overseeing the program’s within a short drive of Marine three travel squads and four Corps Air Station Miramar in-house groups. He’s in his and not far away from a numfourth season with the Oilers ber of other military bases, so and has an eight-year-old son the Oilers have taken extra in the program. steps to cater to those fam“For me, at this age it’s all Players from the San Diego Ice Arena programs enjoy some off-ice shenanigans recently, showcasing that it’s easy to ilies. That means they often about helping these kids love have fun, both on and off the ice with the Oilers. Photo/Nicole Langton have a fair amount of turnthe game,” Arel said. “A lot of parents come in and want to see their kid out on the over because military families tend to relocate often, but it also gives them the opice looking like Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby, but when I look at it, I just portunity to bring in a lot of people from different parts of the country, and their adult want them to smile the whole time they’re out there. I want them to have the puck on hockey program serves as a recreational outlet for Marines stationed nearby, some their stick and see what happens. of whom use the physical activity as a way to cope with symptoms of post-traumatic “They have so many years to develop the skills they need if they want to continue stress disorder. playing, but they’re never going to get there if they don’t have fun now. They won’t “We’re trying to make sure we show these military members that there is great want to go to practice or games if they’re not having fun the whole time - that’s going hockey here in San Diego because a lot of them come from other parts of the to drive them to get better. And as they reach age-appropriate levels, we’ll introduce country where hockey is a big part of the culture and they might not expect that in the skills that are right for them at those times.”

Southern California,” Sterling said. “We have a lot of military families here at SDIA, The Oilers have experienced plenty of success over the years but wins and loss- and we put on a couple charity games every year to benefit the military because we es aren’t what truly drive Sterling to dedicate the approximately 50 hours a week he know that’s an important element of our community and we want to welcome them spends at the rink - not to mention the time put in at home to keep things running being so close to Miramar.” smoothly. Over the last decade, he has strived to create a family atmosphere within Arel said he loves the way Sterling runs the SDIA program, and it’s the reason he the SDIA program that extends from the youngest players trying the learn-to-skate has stuck around as a coach and has kept his son playing for the Oilers. sessions to the oldest players at the Midget level.

“I knew Craig a little bit before I started, and it was awesome, so he got me inSterling’s goal ever since he started has been to create a family environment volved right from the start,” Arel explained. “He wanted to know if I had played and that keeps kids and their parents wanting to come to the rink and spend time there. asked if I wanted to be involved. That’s how we approach things - if a parent wants From post-game meals in the expansive picnic area just outside the rink to team to be engaged, we help them go through the process to make sure they’re prepared outings and other social events, he and his fellow coaches have developed a true so they have the opportunity to not only build memories with their kids but help us community at their facility. build a great program.”

By Greg Ball

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CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS

CGBHockey.com

Accolades rolling in for Lady Ducks graduate Pankowski

By Chris Bayee

every goal matters,” Pankowski said. “When you get to play in three NCAA quarterfinals and three Frozen Fours, you know the intensity, you know the pressure.”

Pankowski’s postseason push is impressive, but it shouldn’t overshadow her off-ice work.

In early February, Pankowski was selected as one of five finalists for the 2019 Hockey Humanitarian

“My parents are vets, so we always had a ton of animals,” Pankowski said. “I looked into service irst the WCHA, next the NCAA? dogs and found OccuPaws, which is a charity in That’s overstating things a bit, but Annie PanMadison that gives seeing-eye dogs to people who kowski is putting together a season for the ages. need them.”

The former Anaheim Lady Ducks forward capThe more she immersed herself in it, she grasped tained Wisconsin to the WCHA playoff championhow much of an impact it could have. ship, knocking off then-No. 1 Minnesota in the Land “When you meet people who are affected by the of 10,000 Lakes to complete a weekend in which dogs and their lives change, it’s really powerful – it she was selected the WCHA’s player of the year hooks you in,” she said. “You realize things I can and surpassed 200 career points. She became offer can be so important to help one person just just the sixth Badgers women’s player to pass by taking care of a dog for a while, teaching him that milestone. how to ride the bus, how to act in public, how to Pankowski, a Laguna Hills native who tied for not freak out when they hear a goal horn.” the WCHA’s scoring lead with 30 points, had 45 Her four-legged friends have accompanied her overall in 36 games entering the NCAA Tournaeverywhere on campus, and her responsibilities ment. Her efforts this season have vaulted her into have grown with OccuPaws, to the point she’s the conversation for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial helped organize fundraisers for the organization Award (the Heisman Trophy of NCAA women’s and has mentored other Wisconsin students. hockey), of which she is a finalist. She was a topShe’s also participated in several other elementary 10 finalist for the award twice before. school-based outreach projects.

Yet Pankowski doesn’t spend a lot of mental Pankowski’s play has continued to draw the capital on points or individual honors. attention of USA Hockey, which selected her to “It’s really easy to get caught up in those numplay for the Women’s World Championship in bers, and I try not to look at that because the more Laguna Hills native and Anaheim Lady Ducks alum Annie Pankowski early April. Pankowski previously played in World you want it, the harder it becomes,” she said. “I’m has a shot at an NCAA national championship, in addition to a slew of Championships in 2015 and ’16. trying to focus on the team goals. When I focus individual awards this season. Photo/UW Athletics After that, she has plenty more options. In Deon the team and other people, that’s when I play my Award, which is presented to college hockey’s fin- cember, she was the first overall pick in the NWHL best.” est citizen – a student-athlete who makes significant Draft by the Metropolitan Riveters.

She’s led by example as she heads toward the contributions not only to his or her team but also to However, the zoology major – and three-time conclusion of her illustrious college career, scoring the community at-large through their leadership in WCHA Scholar-Athlete - has her sights set on gradsix goals in the four games leading up to the NCAAs. volunteer work. uate school and pursuing becoming a veterinarian.

She wants her younger teammates to see what winShe’s an active volunteer with OccuPaws, an or“It kind of depends on if I’m going to keep playning it all requires. ganization that trains and pairs service dogs with the ing hockey,” said Pankowski. “I know I can’t play “It’s intensity. Every game, every practice matters, visually impaired in the Upper Midwest. forever.”

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SAN DIEGO JR. GULLS Riley key component to keeping Jr. Gulls firing on all cylinders

By Matt Mackinder

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s the San Diego Jr. Gulls’ registrar and treasurer, Tori Riley keeps a low profile behind the scenes.

But she’s hardly one to be overlooked when it comes to the day-to-day operations of the program.

“The role of a registrar is an important one to any hockey club,” Riley said. “My role is to make sure all the coaches, players and volunteers meet all the CAHA, SCAHA and USA Hockey credentialing requirements, and I also create team rosters. This is not a 9-5 job, but it’s one that is rewarding, and I get to meet great people along the way.”

Riley, who grew up in Montreal surrounded by hockey, has been involved with the Jr. Gulls since 2005. She started as a hockey mom and that evolved into a team manager role. In 2011, she took over in her current roles.

Tori Riley “When I first moved here and was looking for a club for my son to join, the Jr. Gulls were welcoming, offered competitive teams and great coaching,” said Riley. “Once my family became part of the Jr. Gulls family, I never looked back. My son has moved on from his hockey days, but I stick around because the atmosphere is fun and keeps me involved in a hockey community that I have watched grow from an eight-team club to over 19 teams, four of which are all-girls teams.”

As for being a Jr. Gulls lifer, Riley said that is a very distinct possibility.

“We like to say our Jr. Gulls family bleeds blue and orange,” Riley said. “The Jr. Gulls offer a great hockey program that is built on integrity, success and most importantly, provides a fun, safe environment for players to excel.”

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ST. MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL

Lone St. Mary’s senior Gunnoe set to play ’19-20 in EHL

By Matt Mackinder

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s the only graduating senior on the St. Mary’s High School hockey team this year, Alex Gunnoe may be done playing for the school, but he’s far from done playing hockey.

Gunnoe will head east in the fall to play junior hockey for the New York Apple Core program in the Eastern Hockey League.

Apple Core is based in Brewster, N.Y., about an hour northeast of New York City. Established in 1992, the program routinely sends numerous players each season to NCAA teams and has had several alumni crack NHL rosters.

“This opportunity came about because (St. Mary’s) coach (Derek Eisler) has a connection to the coach (Brian Fahey) and talked to him about me,” said Gunnoe. “Playing at St. Mary’s helped me to understand how to use my teammates better and use my skill in a way that will help me be more successful. I think St. Mary’s is very good program because of the coaching. Both coaches (Eisler, Zac Lytle) are caring and knowledgeable and seem to care a lot about the success for the team as well as us as individuals.”

In looking back on the 2018-19 season, the inaugural season for the Rams, Gunnoe has nothing but positives to say about the program, which played in the NAHL Prep League and Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League.

“The season was a very fun season and I enjoyed get-

ting to know all of my teammates,” Gunnoe said. “I think succeed. Having practice every day makes it a lot easier the season could have gone better but for the inaugural to work on the little things you need to get better at, so I season, I’d say it went pretty well. The things that stand think it made me a much better hockey player overall. The out to me are the times when we traveled out of state. combination of hockey and academics make for a pretty busy schedule, but it really helped Travel with my teammates and bondme with time management.” ing with them was really enjoyable.

Playing for Eisler paid immediate “I will miss making all the memodividends for Gunnoe. ries with my teammates and going to “I love playing for Coach Derek school with because he really understands what them, too.”

I need to do to get better and pushJoining es me every practice to make sure a new team and going to I’m at the top of my game,” Gunnoe a new high said.

Now with the offseason here, school for Gunnoe is ready to relax – but not his senior too much – all while keeping his year, Gunhockey and school goals in focus. noe came in “My goals in hockey are to play with realistic junior and try to move on college aspirations. hockey at some point,” said Gun“My expectations coming into noe. “My plans are just to hang out this season were that it was going to be difficult and it will be a lot more Alex Gunnoe is the first graduate of the St. with my friends and train to make sure Mary’s hockey program and is off to play junior hockey than we are all used to,” hockey next fall in the Eastern Hockey League. I’m ready for next season.” said Gunnoe. “Academically, I think Gunnoe also offered advice for it was more difficult than my previous school. It gets a incoming St. Mary’s freshmen students and those that little bit challenging to keep up good grades with all the want to play on the hockey team. hockey but it’s definitely doable.

“I would tell them to make sure to stay on top of the “The school obviously expects a lot from the students, school work and to stay motivated throughout the whole but the teachers are good at helping to make sure you year because it will be well worth it,” said Gunnoe.

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L.A. KINGS HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Senior Night proves bittersweet for East County Outlaws

By Greg Ball

T

he day of Saturday, March 2 was a bittersweet day for eight members of the East County Outlaws.

That’s because the team bid farewell to a group of players that will be graduating this spring and would soon wear the team’s blue and orange sweaters for the last time.

Seniors honored by the Outlaws in a brief ceremony after their 4-1 victory over the Burbank Cougars included Nathan Donovan, Ryan Delichte, Dylan Freed, Aaron Garcia, Alastair Ong, Jay Pacheco, Jake Shapiro and Cole Smith.

The Panthers also took time to recognize graduating seniors from a fellow L.A. Kings High School Hockey League (LAKHSHL) squad, the Newbury Park Panthers, as the teams play at the same home rink (Iceoplex Simi Valley, where the Panthers played March 2 following the Outlaws game) and are interconnected in many other ways.

Many grew up playing together, and a handful of players from the Outlaws’ league- and state-championship winning team from a year ago played for the Panthers this season. The Panthers players honored included Grant Belter, Ryan Doane, Jacob Landesburg, Sean Laveau, Peter Lototsky, Evan Marnell, Christian Miller, Roman Murray, Jack Shea and Skye Sholty.

Senior players and their families were recognized on the ice, and each family was presented with an action photo of their son from this season.

“For many of the seniors, this is likely their last year especially since I was there as the team and the league playing competitive hockey,” said Tanya Shapiro, first started.”

Freed said he has so many great memories of his time whose son, Jake, is a graduating senior and who serves as a team manager alongside Ann Juengermann. “We with the Outlaws that it would be impossible to single out one favorite. wanted to honor them at the end of “I got to play on a line with my the season for all the time and effort brother during my freshman year, they put in. It was also to honor the which was really awesome,” he parents, who over the years have said. “We weren’t very good that put in countless miles driving, hours first season, but each year this team at the rink and early mornings to has improved a huge amount, which support their kids.”

Freed was the Outlaws’ lone has been amazing to be part of. It senior who had played for the team has been great to meet new people since his freshman year, which coand make new friends, knowing that incided with the first season for the those are going to be long-lasting LAKHSHL. He served as an assisrelationships.” tant captain this season and was Tanya Shapiro said she’ll miss among the team leaders with 22 watching her son Jake play, though points (10 goals and 12 assists). she’ll continue to be involved as her He attends Simi Valley High younger son plays for the Outlaws.

School, where he has maintained “We had a great group of kids,” she said. “A lot of them had played a 4.0 grade point average. After East County Outlaws senior Dylan Freed together going back to their Mite graduation, he plans to attend Cal takes time during Senior Night to be recogState Fullerton and study business nized with his father in a post-game ceremo- days with the Mariners program.

“It was a really nice event to mark and entrepreneurship, and he said ny on March 2. Photo/Tanya Shapiro the ceremony put on by the Outlaws was a nice way to the end of these kids’ high school hockey careers. As a tie a bow on one chapter of his life before he moves on parent, it’s sad to think it’s over, although I’m hopeful that they’ll continue to play the game that they’ve loved for so to college.

“Senior Night was really special,” Freed said. “The long in some capacity. The other parents seemed to really Outlaws have been like a family for the last four years, enjoy the ceremony.”

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Birth years 2004-2010 July 15 - 19 | Santa Barbara

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TOYOTA SPORTS CENTER

Jr. Kings’ 12U AAA team reigns supreme in Quebec

By Brian McDonough

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t’s tough to win them all at the Quebec Pee Wee International Tournament, but that didn’t matter for this year’s Los Angeles Jr. Kings’ 12U AAA team; it just won the five that counted most.

After opening the famed event, which regularly attracts the best Pee Wee-aged teams from around the globe, with a 5-2 loss to the Middlesex Islanders in the double-elimination tournament, the Jr. Kings were forced to win all of their remaining games if they were to become only the second California-based team in history to take home the top prize in the highest level of the 60-year-old tournament.

Check.

“Obviously, I’m super-excited for the kids,” said Jr. Kings head coach Brett Beebe. “This was a total 17-player buy-in from everyone involved start to finish and I couldn’t be happier for them and the work they put in and obviously the families for everything they’ve done to help make this an amazing season.”

Despite falling to Middlesex - the No. 2-ranked team in the country - the resilient 2006 birth year group kept its focus the rest of the journey beginning with a pair of victories over the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers (5-1) and Whitby (Ontario) Wildcats (4-2) in its remaining pool-play games.

In the quarters, L.A. snuck out a 7-6 overtime victory over Russia’s SKA-Strelna St. Petersburg before taking down Team Minnesota in the semis 3-2 in another tightly-contested game later that day.

That culminated in a championship matchup with the Czech (Republic) Knights at the 18,000-seat Centre Video-

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tron, which the Jr. Kings won 4-1.

And while losing the first game of the tournament, which ran from Feb. 13-24, instantly puts the team’s back up against the wall, the Middlesex defeat didn’t rattle the focused group of Jr. Kings, who finished the season ranked No. 3 in the country.

“Honestly, it was an easy thing to rally around,” Beebe

Despite losing its first game of the double-elimination Quebec Pee Wee International Tournament, the Los Angeles Jr. Kings’ 12U AAA team persevered to rattle off five straight wins on its way to the championship.

said of the loss to the Massachusetts-based team (the Jr. Kings conceded a pair of empty-net goals in the contest). “It was like, ‘Hey, if you guys play your game, you can compete with anybody.’

“We got down multiple times in multiple games and there was never any panic from the kids. We had this mentality all season where we know we have a specific style of hockey we play and when we play it, we can beat anybody. And the kids believed in that and it honestly was huge for us.”

ToyotaSportsCenter.com

That unwavering confidence led right up to the finale against the Czechs, which was undeniably the biggest game of the players’ young hockey careers to date.

“The focus was unreal,” said Beebe, who was assisted behind the bench by Kyle Calder and Chase Souto.

“We walked into the locker room before the championship game and it was like they’ve done this 100 times.

“And truly, the message before that game wasn’t, ‘Hey, this the Quebec championship;’ it was, ‘Hey, this is the next game of your season,’ and they all treated it that way.”

Members of the team, which went on to celebrate the California Amateur Hockey Association 12U AAA state championship the very next weekend, included: forwards Nolan Caffey, Tyler Chiovetti, David Ehrhard, Pat Fortune, Colin Frank, Braeden Hoffman, Oliver Morris, Aidan Park and Ethan Weber; defensemen Quentin Bourne, Kenny McIlwain, Drake Murray, Tory Pitner, Connolly Stice and Hunter Toms; and goaltenders Justin Bayers and Jackson Silverberg.

“They’re such a good group of kids,” said Beebe, whose team finished the season with a 54-8-2 record overall.

The 1999 birth year LA Selects, under the direction of now-Jr. Kings head coach Shawn Pitcher, celebrated the only other California title in the top division in 2012 (Pitcher also led the Jr. Kings’ 2004 AAA team to the championship game in 2017).

Two other Jr. Kings teams have taken home titles from Quebec, both in the International B division - in 1998 (a 1984 birth year team) and again in 2000 (1986 birth year).

“It’s so gratifying,” said Beebe. “What a cool experience.”

SAN JOSE JR. SHARKS

Jr. Sharks’ 19U AAA girls win Districts, Nationals-bound

By Matt Mackinder

T

he San Jose Jr. Sharks’ 19U AAA girls team won’t have to go far to compete for a USA Hockey national championship.

After winning a Pacific District title earlier this month in Alaska, the Jr. Sharks will head down to Irvine to play in the national tournament April 4-8. It’s the third straight year going to Nationals for the club.

“There are a number of things that have contributed to our club’s success, but I really have to put a big emphasis on the people,” said Amanda Long, the Sharks girls and women’s hockey coordinator. “The commitment that the parents and players have to make in order to compete at this level is very demanding and without them, we would not be this far along. We also owe a lot of credit to many of the coaches who have developed these players throughout their time in our program. And specifically, this season, our 19U AAA coaching staff has really done a great job of pushing these players past their comfort zones and has prepared them to be competitive at the national level.

“After two consecutive years of advancing to the national tournament at the Tier II level, we knew how important it would be to push to compete at the Tier I level. Obviously, competing at the Tier I level, it’s another step up, but I think this team was ready to face those challenges.”

This season’s Jr. Sharks’ 19U AAA girls team is comprised of skaters Evelyne Blais-Savoie, Elizabeth Burke, Sydney Merritt, Juliette Blais-

Savoie, Marisa Trevino, Claire Peterson, Maxx Goodman, Victoria Scurto, Kenzie Fogarty, Evelyn Andrade, Ella Hedman, Ria Stevens and Sarah Smails and goalies Olivia Colgan, Soleil Archambeault and Megan Warren.

Bobby Long is the head coach and joining him as assistant coaches are Robert Savoie, Rick Burke, Danielle Kozlowski and Liana Bonanno. The team manager is Karen Hackett.

After winning a Pacific District championship earlier this month in Alaska, the San Jose Jr. Sharks’ 19U AAA girls team will play for a national title next month in Irvine.

“The thing I like most about this team is that each player has done a great job of determining how they can contribute to the team,” said Amanda Long. “They have learned how to play off each other’s strengths and have pulled together in a big way. I think, overall, the season has been a success. One of the biggest challenges this team faces is the ability to perform at

the highest level in every game. Their travel schedule is very demanding and at times throughout the season, it has impacted their performance. These players have limited opportunities of exposure to college scouts so it’s extremely important to them to maintain a level of consistency.”

Team chemistry is a major focal point to the team’s success this season, according to Long.

“Many of these players have been playing together for quite a long time, so the chemistry is good,” she said.

“Most of the players all have the same common goal, and that is to continue to develop at a competitive level and to advance to the collegiate level. With a common goal in place, it often eliminates the impact of any extra differences that might exist amongst the players.

“As a program, our focus has always been about long-term development and this team is a true reflection of that process. Many high-level players often consider leaving San Jose to other hockey hotbed areas in order to advance to the collegiate level. These players believed in what we are doing as a program and in turn, it has paid off for them.”

In Irvine, Long is looking for the team’s positive play to continue.

“This team exceeded our expectations during the regular season so heading into Nationals, the goal is to continue to be competitive and just take it one game at a time,” Long said. “Even though the tournament is in California, it is far enough away from home where it requires travel, which I believe will actually bring a bit of normalcy to their routine.

SJJrSharks.com

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TAHOE PREP HOCKEY ACADEMY

Onward and Upward Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy student-athletes surging toward continued success

By Greg Ball

D

aylight savings time has already begun, and temperatures are starting to warm up at the base of the mountains in Lake Tahoe.

As the 2018-19 hockey season winds down and the final few months of the academic year are upon us, there’s plenty to be excited about at Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy.

Here are a half-dozen players who have made a significant impact with Tahoe Prep this season.

Pavel Pustovoy Pustovoy’s journey to Tahoe Prep started in Russia, took him through Sacramento and eventually landed him along the emerald green shores of the lake bordering California and Nevada.

He moved from his home country to California’s capital when he was four and played travel hockey with the Capital Thunder in nearby Roseville. The 18-yearold forward on Tahoe’s prep team is in his second year at the school. A postgraduate player, Pustovoy said his experience traveling around the United States and playing against top teams has helped not only his hockey skills, but also with preparation for his next move. He is in the process of choosing a college.

“I’ve been accepted to Arizona State and Cal State Long Beach so far,” Pustovoy said. “It would be fun to go to a college with a club team so I can keep playing.”

He said his travel hockey experience at home was nothing but positive. However, he reached a point where his coaches encouraged him to seek opportunities to play at a higher level.

“Tahoe was close to home and offered the chance to travel around the U.S. and get experience playing against top teams,” Pustovoy said. “It was a great decision. It took a lot for my parents to send me here, but they’re happy that it opened up doors for me.”

Pustovoy said there will be games from his time at Tahoe Prep that he will never forget, like when the squad beat International Hockey Academy 3-2 in overtime this season.

Nikko Escobar A 16-year-old defenseman on Tahoe’s varsity team, Escobar is in his first year as a student-athlete in Tahoe after relocating from Ventura. He most recently played at the AA level for the Valencia Jr. Flyers, but his home rink was more than an hour’s drive each direction, and the time required was more than really made sense.

“Playing AA hockey in Southern California be-

came so much you couldn’t make it work,” Escobar explained. “All the traveling to practice and

Pavel Pustovoy

Nikko Escobar

Caden Bennett

Tyler Kitchen

Kaden Krueger

Holt Schwarm

games, and you still had homework. At TPHA, you can make the hockey work and not be overwhelmed with homework. The blended academic schedule of

online learning and face-to-face classes is better, and I had a 3.8 grade point average last semester.”

Escobar is also doing well on the ice, having totaled 11 points in the regular season in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League (ADHSHL), with five goals and six assists. He said that after graduating from Tahoe Prep, he wants to play either junior or college hockey.

“No one in my family had ever played hockey,” Escobar said. “I just did it once and I loved it. I want to play competitively as long as I can.”

He said his time at Tahoe Prep has resulted in noticeable changes in his game.

“I’m a better positional player, and my speed has increased,” he said. “I just want to keep developing – getting better as player, person, and as a student.”

When his hockey career is over, Escobar said he would like to follow in his father’s footsteps and study fire science to become a firefighter.

Caden Bennett A sophomore on Tahoe’s varsity team, Bennett comes to TPHA by way of Salt Lake City, Utah. The 15-year-old is in his first academic year and hockey season at Tahoe Prep, and made the decision to leave his hometown behind to help him pursue his dreams of playing college hockey.

“I came to improve my skills and hockey IQ,” Bennett explained. “This first season has really been a breaking point for me. It’s shown me where I should be in my hockey career and where I could be.

The game is a lot faster than what I was used to. It took me from one practice a week to five days on the ice. We have more time on the ice, and all the coaches bring certain skill sets. It’s nice to hear from different perspectives. The coaching staff is really supportive. When I came here it really felt like home.”

Despite a tough 4-2 loss to the Santa Margarita Eagles in the playoffs, Bennett said he felt it was one of the varsity team’s better games of the season.

“Even though it stinks losing, we kind of all stayed together as a family and worked until the final buzzer. We never let off the gas,” Bennett said, adding that he’s already thinking of next season. “Next year, I really want to step up my game and make my skills faster and better.”

He said that he is also improving academically.

“Moving away from home has made me more mature,” Bennett said. “School is now the No. 1 priority, and the online classes have been better for me in understanding the material.”

Continued on Page 24

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ANAHEIM DUCKS

Irvine’s Great Park Ice facility truly a sight to behold

By Anaheim Ducks Staff

I

t was a mission that began in 2005 when Henry and Susan Samueli purchased the Anaheim Ducks from the Walt Disney Company - to grow the sport of hockey and build a community around it at a grassroots level.

But at the time, the demand for ice far exceeded the resources.

Over the years, ice and inline facilities across Orange County were developed and acquired to meet the overwhelming demand, but still, resources were stretched thin. Now, 14 years later, the Samuelis are seeing their dreams come true.

On March 7, Irvine Ice Foundation showcased Great Park Ice - a dazzling state-of-the-art public ice facility at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. The massive 280,000 square-foot facility is the largest in California and one of the nation’s most expansive ice facilities. It’s estimated that the $110-million Great Park Ice facility will welcome one million participants and visitors in its first year of operation. It’s financially supported by the Samueli Foundation and Anaheim Ducks Foundation with zero taxpayer dollars.

“This is a milestone day for the Great Park and the residents of Orange County,” Henry Samueli said in his welcoming message to special guests, media members and the facility’s founding partners attending the showcase event. “Great Park Ice will be a beacon of

community activities, such as hockey, public recreational skating, competitive and recreational figure skating, sled hockey, curling, broomball and much more. As part of Irvine Ice Foundation’s mandate, all proceeds generated from Great Park Ice will go to further the growth of ice sports and activities locally.”

The facility includes four sheets of ice, including FivePoint Arena, which features seating for 2,500 spectators, giving the area’s rapidly increasing high school hockey league an appropriate location to host highly-attend-

ed games as well as highly-anticipated figure skating competitions and other events that require additional seating. There is also a 7,000 square-foot dryland training center on the premises, two snack bars, an 800 squarefoot Ducks team store, 1,900 square-foot pro shop, a full-service sports-themed restaurant overlooking two sheets of ice and more than 1,000 free parking spots.

“When we bought the Ducks in 2005, one of the biggest issues was we wanted to build a community around ice hockey,” Samueli said. “Get kids involved

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California Rubber Hockey Magazine

and create learn-to-skate programs, but there just wasn’t enough ice around to do it. We started that mission back then of ‘How do we grow more ice in the community and build more facilities?’ That’s when we started thinking about doing a major project like this.”

Originally, the plan was for this to be a three-sheet facility with the potential of adding a fourth sheet if necessary, but after further discussions, the decision was made to go big.

The Samuelis have always understood the importance of growing the sport of hockey at the grassroots level. The highly successful Learn to Play hockey program, funded by the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, offers first-time hockey players between the ages of four and 10 the chance to learn to play for free, and is offered at ice and inline facilities around the area. There is also an adult version of the program.

“We felt that if you want to grow the sport, you need to start with the kids,” Samueli said. “You just don’t magically turn an adult into a fan of hockey overnight.

But when you’re a kid, and you start skating and you can see how much fun it is to get on the ice and play hockey, that naturally grows up with them. When they become adults, they’re hockey fans. It’s a multi-decade effort. It’s not something you do in a year or two.”

In addition to Learn to Play and Learn to Skate programs, Great Park Ice will host the Jr. Ducks and Lady Ducks, the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League, sled hockey and a Top Flight hockey program designed for participants with special needs.

ANAHEIM JR. DUCKS Jr. Ducks teams capture trio of Tier I Pacific District titles

By Chris Bayee

E

ven by Anaheim Jr. Ducks’ standards, this was quite a successful weekend.

Three of the club’s Tier I boys teams – the Bantams, 16Us and 18Us – qualified for the USA Youth Hockey Nationals with triumphs at various Pacific District tournaments from March 7-10.

“When you start the season, the goal is to get to Nationals,” said Craig Johnson, the club’s director of coaches. “To have three is a testament to the players, the coaches and the parents for all of their sacrifices.”

The Bantams and 18Us won their titles in Las Vegas, and each team went undefeated. The 16Us defeated the rival LA Jr. Kings in an elimination game before going on to win the first Jr. Ducks District title at the new Great Park ICE facility in Irvine.

Tier I Nationals will be held April 3-8 at various sites. The Bantams will travel to Pittsburgh, while the 16Us and 18Us will play in Grand Rapids, Mich.

In addition, the Lady Ducks will play host to the girls Tier I Nationals at Great Park ICE and the Women’s Senior Nationals at The Rinks-Anaheim ICE. As hosts, the Lady Ducks’ 14U, 16U and 19U teams will compete in Irvine and its Women’s C team will play in Anaheim.

The Bantams went 5-0 and outscored their opponents by a combined 48-5 in the process.

After defeating Wenatchee 13-0 and Alaska 15-1, the team found itself in a battle with the Jr. Kings, ultimately winning 2-1.

From there, the Jr. Ducks routed Seattle 13-0 in the semifinals before topping the Jr. Kings 5-3 for the title.

The 16s started with a 7-1 victory against Everett before losing to Alaska 5-4 in overtime.

That set up a win-or-go-home game against the Jr. Kings, which the Jr. Ducks won 2-1.

The Jr. Ducks then gained revenge on Alaska with a 2-1 victory for the championship in a game that saw Brendan Williams score both.

The 18Us won their four games by a combined 32-6 count.

JrDucks.com

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HOCKEYSHOT

Own the Moment – On the Ice

By John Haime/Hockey Mind Coach

P

lay in the moment There are three potential places your mind could be when you are on the ice – the past, the present or the future.

Of these three places, there is only one place where you can absolutely control performance – the present. This is exactly where noted psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in his best-selling book “Flow,” made his mark as a researcher. His research demonstrates that people are happiest and most productive when in a state of flow – when they are totally absorbed in the task at hand, and the challenge of the situation is equal to (or just above) their skill level. This is where you must strive to be when playing the game.

The past and future are distractions to performance in the here and now. The past has happened, so dwelling on it is not productive. The future has not happened, so being fearful about what might happen is not productive.

At every opportunity, pull yourself back into the moment you are playing in.

Fall in love with the process; results will follow To help you further with “playing in the moment,”

being focused on your playing process can be a key for you. The key to every plan is not necessarily the ultimate goal or target – but the small steps needed to take you there.

These small steps, often focused on a technique or strategy that you have worked on and tested in practice this year,

keep your mind on your execution on the and not on outcomes like winning – that you have no control over.

In order for you to “own the moment” and stay in the moment, put all of your attention on what’s important to play your best in the moment – great positional play, an aggressive, proactive approach, your best effort on each shift or whatever “your” focuses in practice might

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California Rubber Hockey Magazine

be. Fall in love with your process and let the outcomes fall where they may.

This is my time – no one else’s It all comes down to you.

You are the one who can make a difference in the game – or help teammates to make a difference. You accept feedback and instructions from coaches, but ultimately decide how you will use it. You are responsible for your own enjoyment in the game of hockey and determine who impacts that joy.

Will you allow the many distractions in the game to dampen the reasons you play in the first place – because you love it. Owning the moment is about taking responsibility for your playing experience and your performances. Each moment on the ice, whether practicing or playing, is yours – no one else’s.

These are three simple keys to help you own your play. Each “moment” for you on the ice is an opportunity to shine and express your potential, so embrace each opportunity and own it!

Enjoy this article? Then be sure to visit HockeyShot.com for the latest tips, tricks and THE best hockey training products in the world!

NEVADA REPORT

WSHL returning to Las Vegas with Thunderbirds franchise

By Matt Mackinder

J

unior hockey is coming back to Nevada.

Beginning with the 2019-20 season, the Las Vegas Thunderbirds will join the Western States Hockey League (WSHL), calling the SoBe Ice Arena its home rink.

The Las Vegas Storm played in the WSHL during the 2014-15 season, while the Nevada Gamblers (1997-99) and Nevada Rattlers (2001-03) also called the WSHL home at one point in the league’s 25-year history.

John Marks is the president of the Thunderbirds organization and is elated to be a part of the league.

“The WSHL is a very competitive and opportunistic junior hockey league for players to showcase their skills to the next level,” said Marks. “The ownership group, headed by Corey St. Germain, is very excited about the 2019-20 season. Our relationship that has been formed with the Fiesta Rancho Hotel and Casino, along with the adjoining SoBe Ice Arena, will assure our team an exciting experience for both players and fans.

“I know that the hockey fans in Las Vegas will truly enjoy supporting and watching the team we put on the ice.”

Bill Modrich heads up the Thunderbirds’ hockey operations and had a big hand in getting the franchise a spot in the WSHL, where it will play in the Western Division.

“The conversation began with the WSHL to start a new team in the Phoenix area,” Modrich said. “The chal-

lenge became finding ice for eight homestand weekends. After attempting to make it work with a couple facilities in the Valley, the ownership group decided to shelve the idea for a season to see what we could do next year. A few weeks went by and we were contacted about whether or not we would be interested in starting a team in Las Vegas. With all that has been going on with the growth of hockey in Las Vegas, this was an attractive offer.

“There is tremendous excitement with the game of hockey in Las Vegas right now. It is great to see how the community has supported that franchise thus far.”

What will make the Thunderbirds sustainable in Vegas?

“We feel that with hockey now on the radar of many in that community, that until the NHL came to town it may not have been the case,” said Modrich. “Not everyone can afford to take the time or spend the dollars it takes to go to an NHL game. We plan to bring a product to town Day 1 that the community will enjoy coming out to support.”

WSHL commissioner Ron White loves the addition of the Thunderbirds.

“We are excited that the team will be playing at SoBe Ice Arena located within the Fiesta Rancho Hotel

and Casino,” White said. “SoBe Ice Arena has played a big part in our annual college showcase held in December which over the last few years has brought over 125 college hockey coaches annually to Las Vegas to recruit players from the WSHL to colleges and universities in Canada and the United States.”

The Thunderbirds will have a vastly knowledgeable staff on board to get things going.

Marks, played for the Chicago Blackhawks for 11 seasons, played and coached NCAA Division I college hockey at the University of North Dakota, and spent many years coaching in the ECHL, USHL, SPHL and IHL. The team’s coach, Dave Hyrsky, spent time as a player and coach in Canada and then went overseas where he coached at numerous levels of international play.

For the inaugural season, Modrich has realistic goals in mind for the Thunderbirds.

“With the staff we have in place, we plan to be a competitive team Day 1, Year 1 for sure,” Modrich said.

“We have had a lot of interest from prospects all over the globe, including Serbia, Arizona and Las Vegas, just to name a few.”

FROM THE TRAINER’S ROOM Looking at strength training: When is a safe time to start?

I

t’s the age-old question: When is it safe to start strength training?

Let’s start with the difference between strength training and weightlifting. In my opinion, weightlifting is just one aspect of strength training. Weightlifting can mean a wide variety of things but is typically associated with lifting free weights to increase muscle size.

The Mayo Clinic states, “when done properly, strength training offers many benefits to young athletes, but lifting heavier Chris Phillips weights can put too much strain on young muscles, tendons, and areas of cartilage that has yet to turn to bone (growth plates).”

Strength training is simply any exercise that improves strength allowing an athlete to move faster and more powerfully.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association states that there is no specific age to begin strength training. In my opinion, athletes need to be able to perform an exercise properly with good mechanics at a low load, such as body weight, when beginning a strength program.

I feel it is safe to begin strengthening exercises in the 8-12-year-old range as long as they can follow directions and use proper mechanics, setting a solid foundation for when they get older and heavier weights at lower reps are required. It is always easier to teach proper mechanics at an earlier age than fixing a bad habit at an older age.

That all being said, it is also important for the teenage athlete to follow the same progression. Many teenage athletes do not have the flexibility, control and strength to perform a body weight squat correctly. These athletes, though they may be upperclassmen in high school, still need to work on mechanics before adding light resistance and progressing to heavier weights.

Chris Phillips is an athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist and sports safety specialist with over 25 years’ experience in professional hockey, football and soccer. He owns Compete Sports Performance and Rehab in Orange County.

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Mustangs, Bears claim championships at WCRHL regionals while teammate Alex Waddel contributed a goal and three assists.

Goaltender Nic Leacox, the regular-season division leader with a 2.80 goals-against average and .847 save percentage, stopped 17 of 18 shots (.944 save percentage) to post the win for the Mustangs.

“The boys came together to play one of the best games we’ve played all season to win the championship, and we’re ready to carry this momentum into nationals,” Kumata said.

Fullerton, which posted an 11-2 semifinal win over Chico State, finished the regional tournament with a 4-1 record. Dylan Kammer (four goals, two assists), Matthew Bodge (three goals, one assist) and Ethan

Division III standings but chilled the competition at the WCRHL regionals with a 5-0 record, despite ending he Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League regular season play with a four-game losing streak.

(WCRHL) wrapped up its 2019 regional The Bears won all three of their round-robin games, championship tournament March 2-3 at The Rinksincluding a 6-5 thriller over Pomona, to earn the No. 1 Corona Inline. seed in the playoffs. Cal then eliminated fourth-seeded Overall, the four division championship games were Long Beach State 10-5 in the semifinals before topping evenly split between teams representing California and Pomona in the championship game.

Arizona.

Pomona, which earned the No. 2 playoff seed with a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo defeated CSU Fullerton 2-1 pool record, sped past third-seeded UC Irvine 9-1 7-1 to capture the Division II championship while UC in the semifinals to meet the Bears.

California Berkeley topped Cal Poly Pomona 6-2 to win Cal swept the three star awards in the championship the Division III title in a pair of all-California matchups. game, with Michael Leone (two goals, three assists) Arizona State University rolled to regional earning the top star, Cal McCleery (one goal, two championships in both the Division I and assists) earning second star and Sean Division IV tiers, repeating as champions at Butler (one goal, two assists) receiving both the varsity (Division I) and secondary the third star. development team (Division IV) levels.

Cal’s Delfino Varela and Pomona’s ASU defeated UC Santa Barbara two Derick Rosas finished first and second games to one to capture the teams’ best-ofin pool scoring with 11 and 10 points, three Division I championship series, capping respectively, while Bears netminder Devin the hard-fought matchup with a 3-2 victory.

Cox posted a 3-0 record, 3.00 GAA and In an all-Arizona Division IV final, the .847 save percentage. top-seeded Sun Devils rolled past Northern Cox stopped 20 of 22 Pomona shots Arizona University by an 11-1 score. in the final.

Pool play determined semifinal pairings Leone and Varela ranked first and third, in the Division II, Division III and Division IV respectively, in scoring on the school’s elimination brackets.

ACHA Division II ice hockey team that The tournament proved extremely finished runner-up at February’s Pac-8 competitive. Three of the six Division II pool championship tournament in South Lake games ended in overtime verdicts.

Tahoe.

Varela paced the Bears with four goals Horse power and three assists in the WCRHL semifinal Cal Poly SLO and Fullerton finished while Leone had three goals and three regular season play with identical 11-3-0-1 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo captured the Division II championship at this year’s Western Colle- assists. records to top the Division II standings, so giate Roller Hockey League championship tournament in Corona.

Cal finished regular-season play 7-8 it was no surprise the teams would meet in the regional Flores (one goal, four assists) provided the firepower while Pomona finished 14-1. championship game. in the semifinal victory.

CSU Fullerton secured the No. 1 semifinal seed with Kammer finished as the regular-season division Runner-up a 3-0 round-robin record that included two overtime scoring leader with 50 points.

UC Santa Barbara forced a deciding game in the wins, including one over Cal Poly.

San Jose State’s Jacob Hickey and Chico State’s Division I finals by winning Game 2 by a 4-2 score.

Cal Poly SLO finished 2-0-0-1 in the pool round Connor Melton tied for the division lead in pool Regular-season division scoring leader Kevin Mooney to earn the No. 2 seed. The Mustangs took care of scoring at the regional tournament with nine points (63 points) scored the last two goals in the game, business in the elimination bracket with a 3-2 win over while Fullerton’s Ron Best notched a 3-0-0 pool including an empty-net goal, to snap a 2-2 tie between third-seeded San Jose State University in the semifinals record with a 2.31 GAA and a .875 save percentage. the teams. before topping Fullerton in the final.

Alex Paquet led UCSB with three goals and three Division MVP Daniel Kumata led Cal Poly with Golden Bears assists in the series while Mooney collected two goals three goals and one assist in the championship game UC Berkeley finished third in the regular-season and three assists.

By Phillip Brents

T

WCRHL teams receive bids to national championship event

A

total of 13 teams from the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League, plus four alternates, have received bids to compete in the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association’s 2019 national championship tournament April 10-14 in Rochester, N.Y. Bids were announced March 4 following the conclusion of the league’s regional championship tournament March 2-3 at The Rinks-Corona Inline.

Arizona State University and the University of California-Santa Barbara both received bids in the Division I tier while Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California State University-Fullerton and San Joe State University received bids in the Division II tier.

Cal Poly Pomona, CSU-Long Beach and the UCBerkeley all received bids in the Division III tier.

Arizona State, Cal Poly SLO and UC Santa Barbara received bids in the Division IV tier while Saddleback College and West Valley College received bids in the Junior College Division.

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Teams receiving bids as alternates include the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University in Division II, UCLA in Division III and NAU in Division IV. With the divisional realignment for the 2018-19 season, there are some significant changes in the structure of this year’s national championship tournament.

The Division I field has been reduced to eight teams (from 17 at last year’s tournament).

Joining ASU and Santa Barbara in this year’s more intimate Division I field are defending national champion Farmingdale State College and runner-up Lindenwood University.

The field has been reduced from 20 teams to 16 teams in the Division II field that includes

defending national champion Rochester Institute of Technology and runner-up Northeastern University.

The newly-branded Division III field will include 20 teams and will crown an inaugural champion.

The renamed Division IV tier continues to serve secondary development teams, and will feature 12 teams in 2019.

Saddleback College defeated California rival West Valley College in last year’s Junior College Division national championship game.

Henry Ford College and St. Louis Community College also received JC Division bids this year.

- Phillip Brents

Puck to drop on Casey’s Cup 2019 at new Great Park Ice

By Phillip Brents

A

fter a one-year absence from the ice, Casey’s Cup 2019 will make its debut April 13 at the new Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena facility in Irvine.

The charity three-on-three ironman cross-ice hockey tournament is named in memory of Casey Strale, an avid ice and roller youth hockey player who captured the hearts of the Southern California’s hockey community during his four-year battle with adrenal cortical carcinoma, a rare form of cancer that ultimately took his life at age 16 in 2013.

The Casey’s Cup event, which was started by his parents Traci and Chris Strale in 2015, celebrates both their son’s outsized love of life and hockey as well as serving as an important fundraiser for cancer research, treatment and quality of life for patients.

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, is the primary beneficiary.

The Casey Strale Foundation, formed by Casey’s parents in his memory, has raised more than $150,000 for TGen’s ACC research in the past four years.

No ice tournament took place last year, though the foundation raised more than $11,000 from a tasting it forward event at the Orange Coast Winery.

This year’s event sold out three weeks prior to the entry deadline. More than 70 teams are entered. Competition is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

April 13 was chosen because 13 was Casey’s jersey number.

The Strales said the new rink should provide a significantly upgraded experience for all players and spectators.

“Ours will be the first charity event hosted at the new venue, so we’re very honored,” Chris Strale said. “We are slated to run our three-on-three cross-ice games on two rinks. One of the rinks is the grand FivePoint Arena with the look and feel of a mini-Honda Center. Our other rink is the Anaheim Ducks’ practice rink.

“We’ve

already received a lot of positive feedback from players and fans looking forward to experiencing the new rinks and playing on them.

“The support from hockey community has always been awesome, but especially this year.”

The Strales noted that an exciting addition to this year’s event in an alumni division comprised of four teams of former NHL players.

Wild Wing, the Anaheim Ducks mascot, the Ducks street team and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams street team will all be making appearances.

Other fun events to enjoy on site are a silent auction and raffle, bake sale and live music.

Auction and raffle items include signed memorabilia as well as a new Casey’s Cup jersey autographed by Ducks players.

During the day, a ceremony is planned to specifically honor Casey and celebrate the positive impact his legacy continues to have inside and outside of the local hockey community.

“We’ll showcase the tournament’s purpose, share news regarding the incredible research being performed at TGen and hear words from Jim Everett, former Rams quarterback and a huge TGen supporter,” Chris Strale said.

The Casey’s Cup tournament has been an obvious labor of love for the entire Strale family, family friends and the whole hockey community.

“It’s amazing to our family that our little hockey playing kid could be the catalyst, prompting people from all walks of life to pause, reflect, learn and donate,” Chris Strale said. “Along with all the smiles and good times at the event, our family delights in the fact that funds are being raised to support valuable research that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

“Our goal is help other families avoid what we had to endure. An exciting sidebar is that since ACC is so rare and formidable, finding successful treatments for it will also provide effective treatments for more common forms of cancer. Casey’s drop in the water will create a ripple effect.”

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2018-19 CALIFORNIA/NEVADA ALUMNI E-mail all additions, deletions and corrections to alumni@rubberhockey.com

CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Pheonix Copley – Washington Capitals + Collin Delia (Rancho Cucamonga) – Chicago Blackhawks Thatcher Demko (San Diego) – Vancouver Canucks Adam Erne – Tampa Bay Lightning * Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmoor) – Nashville Predators Alec Martinez (Santa Clara) – Los Angeles Kings Kevan Miller (Los Angeles) – Boston Bruins Matt Nieto (Long Beach) – Colorado Avalanche Brooks Orpik (San Francisco) – Washington Capitals Chad Ruhwedel (San Diego) – Pittsburgh Penguins Bobby Ryan (El Segundo) – Ottawa Senators Kailer Yamamoto – Edmonton Oilers % Jason Zucker – Minnesota Wild * AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE Chase Balisy (Fullerton) – Belleville Senators Mitch Callahan (Whittier) – Bakersfield Condors Eric Comrie (Newport Beach) – Manitoba Moose Chase De Leo (La Mirada) – San Diego Gulls Emerson Etem (Long Beach) – Ontario Reign Matthew Ford (West Hills) – Grand Rapids Griffins Nic Kerdiles (Irvine) – Manitoba Moose Stefan Matteau – Chicago Wolves !

Tyler Moy (San Diego) – Milwaukee Admirals Andrew Oglevie (Fullerton) – Rochester Americans Gustav Olofsson – Laval Rocket !

Nolan Stevens – San Antonio Rampage % Matt Tennyson (Pleasanton) – Rochester Americans Evan Weinger (Los Angeles) – San Jose Barracuda ECHL Arthur Brey (Yorba Linda) – Adirondack Thunder Taylor Crunk (San Jacinto) – Fort Wayne Komets Chase Golightly (Temecula) – Brampton Beast Dennis Kravchenko (Laguna Niguel) – Adirondack Thunder Merrick Madsen (Acton) – Norfolk Admirals Brandon Marino (Riverside) – Brampton Beast Nikolas Olsson (Escondido) – Adirondack Thunder Zach Pochiro – Allen Americans % Matt Robertson (Rohnert Park) – Kansas City Mavericks Scott Savage (San Clemente) – Maine Mariners Tomas Sholl (Hermosa Beach) – Idaho Steelheads Keoni Texeira (Fontana) – Wichita Thunder Dylan Vander Esch (San Jose) – Greenville Swamp Rabbits Justin Woods – Jacksonville IceMen + SOUTHERN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Stefan Brucato (Riverside) – Knoxville Ice Bears Paul Fregeau (Sylmar) – Fayetteville Marksmen Josh Harris (Torrance) – Birmingham Bulls Mitchell Mueller (Bakersfield) – Quad City Storm Brantley Sherwood (San Anselmo) – Pensacola Ice Flyers John Siemer (Baldwin Park) – Macon Mayhem Zac Sikich (Oak Park) – Knoxville Ice Bears FEDERAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Daniel Chang (Woodland Hills) – Port Huron Prowlers Josh Colten (Los Angeles) – Port Huron Prowlers Matt Graham (Rancho Cucamonga) – Port Huron Prowlers Taylor Love (Mission Viejo) – Carolina Thunderbirds Sean Reynolds (Covina) – Elmira Enforcers Jacob Walters (San Diego) – Carolina Thunderbirds OVERSEAS Sena Acolatse (Hayward) – Germany Taylor Aronson (Placentia) – Germany Beau Bennett (Gardena) – Belarus Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita) - Russia Matt Caito (Coto de Caza) – Austria Robbie Earl (Los Angeles) – Switzerland Shane Harper (Valencia) – Sweden Cory Kane (Irvine) – Russia Miles Koules (Los Angeles) – Finland Brandon Kozun (Los Angeles) – Russia Ryan Lasch (Lake Forest) – Sweden Colin Long (Santa Ana) – Italy Tyler Moy (La Jolla) – Switzerland Darren Nowick (Long Beach) - Sweden Austin Ortega (Escondido) – Sweden Rhett Rakhshani (Huntington Beach) – Sweden Liam Stewart – United Kingdom % * C.J. Stretch (Irvine) – Austria Mitch Wahl (Seal Beach) – Austria Casey Wellman (Brentwood) – Switzerland Matt White (Whittier) – Germany NATIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE Kaliya Johnson – Boston Pride $ Kelly Nash (Bonita) – Metropolitan Riveters Elena Orlando (Chico) – Connecticut Whale Brooke White-Lancette (Berkeley) – Minnesota WhitecapsCANADIAN

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California Rubber Hockey Magazine

CANADIAN WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE Lizzie Aveson (West Covina) – Worcester Blades Chelsea Goldberg (Agoura Hills) – Worcester Blades Rachel Llanes (San Jose) – Shenzen KRS Vanke Rays COLLEGE HOCKEY NCAA DIVISION I – MEN ATLANTIC HOCKEY Elijiah Barriga (West Covina) – American International College Jake Hamacher (Corona) – Rochester Institute of Technology Trevin Kozlowski (Valencia) – Army West Point Tayor Maruya (Westchester) – Army West Point Jared Pike – American International College % Evan Plotnik (Capistrano Beach) – American International College Blake Weyrick (Los Angeles) – Canisius College BIG TEN Nathan Burke – University of Minnesota % Will Johnson (Santa Barbara) – University of Wisconsin Patrick Khodorenko (Walnut Creek) – Michigan State University Brannon McManus (Newport Beach) – University of Minnesota Dakota Raabe (Capistrano Beach) – University of Michigan Jake Slaker (San Diego) – University of Michigan ECAC HOCKEY Alec McCrea (El Cajon) – Cornell University Alec Mehr (Los Angeles) – Brown University Sam Morton (Benicia) – Union College Gavin Nieto (Yorba Linda) – Brown University Jack St. Ivany (Manhattan Beach) – Yale University HOCKEY EAST Niko Hildenbrand (Vacaville) – University of Massachusetts Matt O’Donnell (Fountain Valley) – University of Vermont Ryan Ruck (Coto de Caza) – Northeastern University Eetu Selanne (Coto de Caza) – Northeastern University Ryan Tait (Santa Clarita) – Providence College Josh Wilkins – Providence College % NCHC Devin Cooley (Los Gatos) – University of Denver Lawton Courtnall (Westlake Village) – Western Michigan University Slava Demin (Cypress) – University of Denver Jake Durflinger (Walnut Creek) – University of Denver Jack Gates (Oceanside) – Colorado College Cole Guttman (Los Angeles) – University of Denver Robby Jackson (Alameda) – St. Cloud State University Ben Lown (Newport Coast) – Miami University Kyle Mayhew (Anaheim Hills) – University of Denver Tyson McLellan (San Jose) – University of Denver Erik Middendorf – Colorado College % Patrick Newell (Thousand Oaks) – St. Cloud State University Ryan Orgel (Los Angeles) – University of Denver Jake Rosenbaum (Trabuco Canyon) – University of Minnesota Duluth Rourke Russell (Long Beach) – Miami University Ryan Siroky (Manhattan Beach) – Miami University Brian Williams (San Diego) – Colorado College WCHA Vincent de Mey (Los Angeles) – Northern Michigan University Niko DellaMaggiore (Gilroy) – University of Alaska-Fairbanks Zak Galambos (Walnut Creek) – Minnesota State University Brendan Harris – Bemidji State University + Nate Kallen (San Diego) – Ferris State University Troy Loggins (Huntington Beach) – Northern Michigan University Shane McMahan (Irvine) – Minnesota State University Nicholas Rivera (Pacific Palisades) – Minnesota State University Tyler Rockwell (San Jose) – Michigan Tech University Ethan Somoza (Simi Valley) – Bemidji State University NCAA DIVISION I – WOMEN CHA Lillian Marchant (Tustin) – Lindenwood University Leah Marino (South Lake Tahoe) – Robert Morris University Baylee Trani (Huntington Beach) – Rochester Institute of Technology ECAC HOCKEY Katherine Beaumier – Clarkson University $ Bailey Bennett (Gardena) – Colgate University Keiko DeClerck (San Jose) – Princeton University Kendra Farole (Irvine) – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Tanner Gates (Oceanside) – Colgate University Lydia Grauer – St. Lawrence University $ Bella Kang (Los Gatos) – Cornell University Vivian Lu (Studio City) – Brown University Keely Moy (San Diego) – Harvard University Kayla Nielsen (Laguna Hills) – St. Lawrence University Dominique Petrie (Hermosa Beach) – Harvard University Justine Reyes (Chino Hills) – St. Lawrence University Tia Stoddard (La Mesa) – Clarkson University HOCKEY EAST Cayla Barnes (Eastvale) – Boston College Nicole Dunbar (Coto de Caza) – University of New Hampshire Joo Hyung (Las Crescenta) – Boston University

NEWHA Anna Estes (Whittier) – Post University Gabby Monaco (La Verne) – St. Anselm College Kalena Mueller (San Ramon) – Post University Frankie Sanchez (Lake Elsinore) – Sacred Heart University WCHA Lauren Boyle (Los Gatos) – Ohio State University Brooke Bryant (Linden) – Minnesota State University Tatum Coats (Lakewood) – St. Cloud State University Leila Kilduff (San Jose) – Minnesota State University Annie Pankowski (Laguna Hills) – University of Wisconsin NCAA DIVISION II – MEN NORTHEAST-10 Khalil East (Los Angeles) – Assumption College Matthew Toombs (Pleasanton) – Franklin Pierce University D-II INDEPENDENT Niko Grollman (Laguna Niguel) – Post University NCAA DIVISION III – MEN CCC Aaron Aragon (Whittier) – University of New England Paul Boutoussov (Dana Point) – Salve Regina University Adam Canepa (Santa Cruz) – University of New England Justin Dixson (Sunnyvale) – University of New England Tyler Forest (Simi Valley) – Becker College Cody Foster (Saugus) – Becker College Carter Horwitz (Tustin) – Endicott College Evan Nyhus (Dove Canyon) – Nichols College Evan Schmidbauer (San Diego) – Salve Regina University Joseph Thielen (Huntington Beach) – Curry College MASCAC Connor Cooley (Simi Valley) – University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Drake Longaker (San Jose) – Plymouth State University Cameron Mack (Long Beach) – University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Connor McPherson (Lancaster) – Fitchburg State University Kyle Orgel (Los Angeles) – Plymouth State University Josh Reinstein (Woodland Hills) – Worcester State Univeersity Nicholas Short (Los Angeles) – University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth MIAC Don Carter (Antioch) – Hamline University Carter Dahl (Fresno) – St. Mary’s University Chase Di Bari (Ladera Ranch) – Bethel University Nick Klishko (San Diego) – Gustavus Adolphus College Chandler Madry (Bakersfield) – Augsburg College Dallas Marvin (Newbury Park) – Bethel University Nick Nast (Oxnard) – St. Mary’s University Kyle Rimbach (Encinitas) – St. Olaf College Cole Souto (Yorba Linda) – St. John’s University Alex Stoley (Manteca) – Concordia University (Minn.)

NCHA Andrew Behsid (Los Angeles) – Lake Forest College Rock Boynton (Lomita) – Milwaukee School of Engineering Connor Chilton (Oak Park) – Aurora University Lonnie Clary (Riverside) – Marian University Tanner Dalton (Bakersfield) – Milwaukee School of Engineering Dakota Delbridge (Tracy) – Concordia University (Wis.) Zach Feldman (San Diego) – Lake Forest College Kyle Gonzalez (Chino Hills) – Northland College David Marabella (Clovis) – Milwaukee School of Engineering James Mathias (Ontario) – Marian University Connor Melton (Chico) – Northland College Danny O’Donnell (Ventura) – Aurora University Liam Stirtzinger (Simi Valley) – Aurora University Chris Timm (Dublin) – Trine University Nick Trefry (Upland) – Northland College Taylor Urch (Anaheim) – Lawrence University Quinton Wunder (Simi Valley) – Lake Forest College NEHC Coby Downs (Montclair) – Norwich University Conor Ferrera (Trabuco Canyon) – Southern Maine University John Garrity (Dublin) – Suffolk University Keenan Haase (Mission Viejo) – New England College David MacGregor (Azusa) – University of Massachusetts-Boston Ryan Ng (Manhattan Beach) – Castleton State University Adam Papayoanou (Valencia) – Southern Maine University Will Platt (San Francisco) – New England College Mark Shroyer (Fresno) – Castleton State University Corey Sikich (Hermosa Beach) – Castleton State University Nick Wardstrom (Discovery Bay) – Suffolk University Matt Wiesner (Newport Beach) – Babson College Eric Wright (Poway) – Suffolk University NESCAC Jake Camel (Palos Verdes) – Hamilton College Evan Johnson (Huntington Beach) – Williams College Tyler Levine (Laguna Beach) – Wesleyan University Marcus Mollica (Dove Canyon) – Williams College Sean Ross (San Diego) – Wesleyan University Nick Schultze (San Diego) – Tufts University

SUNYAC Max Blitz (Chino Hills) – Fredonia State University Mike Freeman (Rancho Cucamonga) – Fredonia State University Doc Gentzler (Manhattan Beach) – Brockport State University Jasper Korican-Barlay (Oakland) – Fredonia State University Sean Lincoln (Rancho Santa Margarita) – Brockport State University Luke Rivera (Pacific Palisades) – Fredonia State University UCHC Cory Anderson (Bakersfield) – Manhattanville College Sean Dickson (Millbrae) – Utica College Tyler Dill (South Lake Tahoe) – Utica College Andrew Frojelin (San Jose) – Nazareth College Brian Hodges (Yorba Linda) – Stevenson University Aaron Murray (Chino) – Stevenson University T.J. Sneath (Chino) – Lebanon Valley College Felix Takacsi-Nagy (Los Gatos) – Lebanon Valley College Chad Watt (Riverside) – Stevenson University Colin Woods (Yorba Linda) – Stevenson University D-III INDEPENDENT Alec Grollman (Laguna Niguel) – Bryn Athyn College William Ma (Anaheim) – Canton State University Jack Sitzman (Redondo Beach) – Anna Maria College NCAA DIVISION III – WOMEN COLONIAL HOCKEY Lexie Anderson (San Francisco) – Salve Regina University Taylor Chisholm (Discovery Bay) – Salve Regina University Madison Maloney (Clovis) – Becker College Cameron Payne (Rancho Cucamonga) – Becker College Ally Stout (Stockton) – Canton State University Anastasia Thompson (Riverside) – Becker College Jensen Wurm (Arvada) – Nichols College MIAC Valerie Brown (San Martin) – St. Thomas University Jessica Jones (El Cajon) – St. Mary’s University NCHA Abby Kolek (San Marcos) – Finlandia University Julieana Tarantino (San Diego) – Lake Forest College Jordyn Tomaszewski (Daly City) – Aurora University NEHC Sierra Donahue (San Jose) – Suffolk University Mackenzie Kennedy (Brea) – Plymouth State University Brooke Maggy (Alhambra) – Plymouth State University Cortney Reyes (Chino Hills) – New England College Kiley Searles (San Jose) – Suffolk University Maisie Tatum-Borich (Newport Beach) – New England College Morgan Tefft (Redwood City) – Norwich University Tara Turcotte (Huntington Beach) – New England College NESCAC Michelle Behshid (Saugus) – Bowdoin College Colleen Castro (Redwood City) – Wesleyan University Kai-Lilly Karpman (Playa del Rey) – Trinity College Danielle Marquez (Long Beach) – Bowdoin College Alicia Nickolenko (Encinitas) – Wesleyan University Cierra San Roman (Orange) – Colby College Sarah Takahashi (Pleasanton) – Wesleyan University Kiara Vazquez (La Quinta) – Middlebury College Emily Williams (Fallbrook) – Hamilton College NEWHL Emily Burke (San Jose) – Potsdam State University Angelina Cruzal (Campbell) – Buffalo State University Lindsay Reyes (Chino Hills) – Cortland State University Samantha White (Oceanside) – Potsdam State University Olivia Wilburn (Stockton) – Cortland State University UCHC Mary Deyell (Glendale) – King’s College Devyn Gilman (Yorba Linda) – Elmira College Savannah Gutierrez (Huntington Beach) – Utica College Bella Hanson – Elmira College $ Victoria Lahey (Fairfield) – Lebanon Valley College Ashley Marchant (Orange County) – Chatham University Amy Templeman (Rancho Santa Margarita) – Lebanon Valley College Tristen Tolan – Elmira College $ CANADIAN UNIVERSITY Keanu Yamamoto – McGill University % JUNIOR HOCKEY ALBERTA JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Tyler Browning (Huntington Beach) – Drayton Valley Thunder Stewart Pond (San Diego) – Lloydminster Bobcats Jackson Wozniak (Cypress) – Grand Prairie Storm BRITISH COLUMBIA HOCKEY LEAGUE Brian Adams (San Ramon) – Wenatchee Wild Blake Bargar (Torrance) – Wenatchee Wild Ryan Fischer (Anaheim Hills) – Victoria Grizzlies P.J. Fletcher (Dana Point) – Wenatchee Wild Andre Ghantous (Glendale) – Penticton Vees Jacob Modry (El Segundo) – Wenatchee Wild Landon Pavlisin (Orange) – Nanaimo Clippers

Brett Roloson (Newport Beach) – Merritt Centennials Henri Schreifels (Agoura Hills) – Victoria Grizzlies Chad Sasaki (Cypress) – Wenatchee Wild Paul Selleck (Laguna Hills) – Cowichan Valley Capitals Murphy Stratton (Los Angeles) – Wenatchee Wild Drake Usher (Upland) – Wenatchee Wild Ryan Wilson (San Diego) – Wenatchee Wild CENTRAL CANADA HOCKEY LEAGUE Jesse Lycan (San Diego) – Navan Grads Lucas Yovetich (Beverly Hills) – Hawkesbury Hawks CANADIAN PREMIER JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Dante Petrini (Bakersfield) - Scarborough Wexford Raiders EASTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE Jonathan Aguilar (Pasadena) – Valley Jr. Warriors Quinn Baker (Santa Monica) – Philadelphia Little Flyers Hayden Dalton (Bakersfield) – New York Applecore Isaac Espinosa (Roseville) – Valley Jr. Warriors (Premier) Brad Estrada (Chino Hills) – Valley Jr. Warriors Ethan Gill (Santa Clarita) – Connecticut Chiefs (Premier) John Grealish (Bakersfield) – Boston Jr. Rangers Jake Humble (San Ramon) – North Carolina Golden Bears Christian Kazoleas (Irvine) – Valley Jr. Warriors (Premier) Wiggle Kerbrat (Laguna Niguel) – New Hampshire Avalanche Cole Madzey (Alamo) – Connecticut Chiefs Dakota Pitts (Rancho Cucamonga) – Valley Jr. Warriors (Premier) Bryan Verna (Lake Forest) – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights Justin Vickers (Orange County) – New Jersey 87’s GREATER METRO HOCKEY LEAGUE Austin Kane (Milpitas) – Bradford Rattlers Luis Mendoza (Newark) – Tottenham Steam KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Logan Berggren (Cypress) – Creston Valley Thunder Cats MANITOBA JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Jakob Besnilian (Whittier) – Swan Valley Stampeders Michael Boutoussov (Dana Point) – Neepawa Natives Parker Brakebill (Yorba Linda) – Virden Oil Capitals Greg Lee (Aliso Viejo) – Waywayseecappo Wolverines Zach Pires (Orange) – Neepawa Natives NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE Sam Anzai (Los Angeles) – Jamestown Rebels Brandon Bergado (San Jose) – Maryland Black Bears Daniel Chladek (Anaheim) – Bismarck Bobcats Jared Christy (Cypress) – Austin Bruins Andrew DeCarlo (Huntington Beach) – Lone Star Brahmas Josh Fricks (Laguna Niguel) – Odessa Jackalopes Joseph Harguindeguy (La Habra) – Minot Minotauros Colton Huard (Foothill Ranch) – Aberdeen Wings Noah Kim (Fullerton) – Austin Bruins Mason Kohn (San Diego) – Corpus Christi IceRays Austin Koss (Huntington Beach) – Janesville Jets Ethan Lahmon (Yorba Linda) - Fairbanks Ice Dogs Daylon Mannon (Fresno) – Maryland Black Bears Garrett Nieto (Yorba Linda) – Janesville Jets Luc Salem (Los Angeles) – Maryland Black Bears Mattias Sholl (Hermosa Beach) – Fairbanks Ice Dogs Connor Smith (Rancho Santa Margarita) – Topeka Pilots Jake Sujishi (Lake Forest) – Maryland Black Bears Julian Timba (Oceanside) – Bismarck Bobcats Lukas Uhler (Upland) – Jamestown Rebels Matt Vernon (San Jose) – Aberdeen Wings Dante Zapata (Huntington Beach) – Austin Bruins NORTH AMERICAN 3 HOCKEY LEAGUE Ian Acuna (Glendora) – Peoria Mustangs Chance Anderson (Poway) – Peoria Mustangs Riley Anderson (Malibu) – Missoula Jr. Bruins Trevor Arsenault (Huntington Beach) – New England Stars Tyler Blanchard (San Jose) – Texas Brahmas Nick Castro (Redondo Beach) – Yellowstone Quake Nolan Conrad (Corona) – Gillette Wild Jack Cooper (Santa Cruz) – Texas Brahmas McKenna Cooper (Thousand Oaks) – Atlanta Capitals Ryan Cortez (Norco) – Long Beach Sharks Trent Cowden (Simi Valley) – Great Falls Americans Luc Cross (Anaheim) – Helena Bighorns Dylan Davenport – Milwaukee Power % Mason Evans (Danville) – Milwaukee Power Cherokee Fox (Perris) – Oswego Stampede Ryan Gridley (Santa Monica) – Long Beach Sharks Kellen Ireland (Turlock) – Texas Brahmas Wayne Jones (Simi Valley) – Atlanta Capitals Brad Larson (San Diego) – Peoria Mustangs Michael Lempiainen (Corona) – New England Stars Tyler Nelson (Pleasanton) – New Ulm Steel Hunter Norris (Mission Viejo) – New England Stars Jake Pisarcik (Oak Park) – Atlanta Capitals Jack Radley (San Diego) – Peoria Mustangs Luke Richesin (Clovis) – Great Falls Americans Alexander Rogers (Anaheim) – Helena Bighorns Connor Rollo (Camarillo) – Willmar WarHawks Enzo Rolon (Huntington Beach) – Yellowstone Quake Bryce Runyan (Riverside) – Texas Brahmas Nate Simpson (Claremont) – Great Falls Americans Jared Slay (Ventura) – College Station Spirit James Spaargaren (San Diego) – New Ulm Steel Riley Stern (Simi Valley) – Atlanta Capitals Stanislav Struthers (Shadow Hills) – Louisiana Drillers Jake Sumner (Alta Loma) – Willmar WarHawks

Nick Torres (Long Beach) – Great Falls Americans Nick Vardon (Long Beach) – Maine Wild ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE Sasha Chmelevski (Huntington Beach) – Ottawa 67’s Ivan Lodnia (Anaheim) – Niagara IceDogs Sahil Panwar (Cerritos) – London Knights Jason Robertson (Arcadia) – Kingston Frontenacs Nick Robertson (Arcadia) – Peterborough Petes ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Nick Kent (Ladera Ranch) – Buffalo Jr. Sabres SASKATCHEWAN JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Ryan Gil (Huntington Beach) – Battlefords North Stars Patrick Pugliese (Pasadena) – Nipawin Hawks Wyatt Wong (Glendale) – Melville Millionaires SASKATCHEWAN JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Tyler Leibl (Del Mar) - Weyburn Red Wings SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Mason McIntosh (Los Angeles) – Thief River Falls Norskies Carson Murison (Half Moon Bay) – Dryden GM Ice Dogs UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE Joe Cassetti (Pleasanton) – Waterloo Black Hawks Josh Groll (San Diego) – Chicago Steel Cooper Haar (Huntington Beach) – Dubuque Fighting Saints Rory Herrman (Poway) – Green Bay Gamblers Ryan Johnson (Irvine) – Sioux Falls Stampede Jonathan Panisa (Irvine) – Central Illinois Flying Aces Dylan Peterson (Roseville) – U.S. NTDP Under-17 Team Ryan Savage (Scottsdale) – Omaha Lancers Kaelan Taylor (Oceanside) – Dubuque Fighting Saints Ethan Wolthers (Valencia) – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Cam York (Anaheim Hills) – U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team UNITED STATES PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE Matthew Ayers (Calabasas) – New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (Elite) Nareg Balian (Tustin) – Decatur Blaze (Premier) Guillaume Bose (San Jose) – Northern Cyclones (Premier) Luke Bowman (Los Gatos) – Islanders Hockey Club (Elite) Matthew Brown (Los Angeles) – Connecticut Jr. Rangers (Premier) Anthony Capraro (Hacienda Heights) – Northern Cyclones (Premier) Dean Carden (Costa Mesa) – Northern Cyclones (Elite) Jack Carter (San Diego) – Islanders Hockey Club (Elite) Kenny Cavers (San Jose) – Connecticut Jr. Rangers (Premier) Halen Cookston (Santa Clarita) – Philadelphia Hockey Club (Premier) Takato Cox (Redondo Beach) – Connecticut Jr. Rangers (NCDC) Cole Demchuk (Murrieta) – Islanders Hockey Club (Elite) Joe DiGiulio (San Jose) – Hampton Roads Whalers (Premier) Dante DiNapoli (Moss Beach) – New Jersey Rockets (Premier) Raymond Fleming (Palo Alto) – Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings (Premier) Luc Fox (Valencia) – Charlotte Rush (Elite) James Gagan (Mission Viejo) – Boston Bandits (Premier) Donovan Garcia (San Jose) – Islanders Hockey Club (Premier) Weston Goodman (San Jose) – Northern Cyclones (Premier) Mason Hackel (San Jose) – Philadelphia Hockey Club (Premier) Anthony Hagiu (Riverside) – New York Aviators (Elite) Hunter Hansen (Vacaville) – Minnesota Blue Ox (Premier) Dylan Hernandez-Ramirez (Costa Mesa) – Islanders Hockey Club (Elite) Timothy Kovacevic (Huntington Beach) – New York Aviators (Premier) Jordan Labbe (Pasadena) – Jersey Hitmen (Premier) Georg Landro (Riverside) – Potomac Patriots (Premier) Ryan Lanpheer (San Diego) – Atlanta Jr. Kings (Premier) Erik Larson (San Jose) – Boston Bandits (NCDC) Justin Lebouef (Canyon Country) – Boston Bandits (Premier) Jason Lee (Thousand Oaks) – Boston Bandits (Premier) Cullen MacNicoll (El Segundo) – New York Aviators (Elite) Collin Madrid (Los Angeles) – New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (Premier) Cam Manory (Simi Valley) – Boston Bandits (Premier) Connor Matthews (Redondo Beach) – Boston Bandits (Elite) Adam Mazurowski (Modesto) – Boston Bandits (Elite) Adam McGill (Santa Margarita) – Boston Bandits (Premier) John Moffat (South Lake Tahoe) – Hartford Jr. Wolfpack (Premier) Collin Moore (Orange County) – Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings (Premier) Josh Morrison (San Diego) – Minnesota Moose (Premier) Ryan Newman (Bakersfield) – Charlotte Rush (Premier) Bryan Pan (Fremont) – New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (Elite) Simon Perkic (Riverside) – Boston Bandits (Elite) Nicolas Privitera (Sun Valley) – Rochester Monarchs (Premier) Ismael Ralsten (Huntington Beach) – Islanders Hockey Club (NCDC) Casey Rhodes (Huntington Beach) – Jersey Hitmen (NCDC) Mitch Rickert (Santa Rosa) – New Jersey Rockets (NCDC) Hunter Rogers (Simi Valley) – Philadelphia Hockey Club (Premier) James Sandberg (Thousand Oaks) – Jersey Hitmen (Elite) Brendan Schulte (Fullerton) – Northern Cyclones (Premier) Phillip Shemyakin (Mission Viejo) – Charlotte Rush (Premier) Ryan Sheridan (Orange County) – Northern Cyclones (Elite) Jered Stevenson (Stockton) – Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings (Premier) Mischa Subotin (San Jose) – Northern Cyclones (Premier) Spencer Taylor (Venice) – Richmond Generals (Elite) Egan Wolford (San Jose) - New York Aviators (Premier) VANCOUVER ISLAND JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Grady Birk (Carlsbad) – Victoria Cougars WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE Hunter Campbell – Calgary Hitmen % Jake McGrew (Orange) – Spokane Chiefs Luke Ormsby – Moose Jaw Warriors % Carl Stankowski (Laguna Hills) – Calgary Hitmen Brayden Watts (Bakersfield) – Vancouver Giants Dustin Wolf (Tustin) – Everett Silvertips

WESTERN STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE Joseph Aguirre (West Covina) – Ontario Avalanche Tristan Baker (Fresno) – Fresno Monsters Ethan Bock (Los Angeles) – Ontario Avalanche Dominic Bosetti (Long Beach) – Long Beach Bombers Ryan Brown (South Lake Tahoe) – Steamboat Wranglers Christian Bundschuh (Newport Coast) – Utah Outliers Christopher Cantillo (Covina) – Ontario Avalanche Gabe Cognac (Orange County) – Fresno Monsters Riley Cryan (Carlsbad) – San Diego Sabers Declan Curtis (Fontana) – Ontario Avalanche Lucas Demsar (South Lake Tahoe) – Valencia Flyers Quinn Deshler (Torrance) – Ontario Avalanche Sean Devaney (San Diego) – San Diego Sabers Cole Diamond (Hesperia) – Seattle Totems Dylan Dix (Scotts Valley) – Utah Outliers Connor Duffy (Orange County) – Ontario Avalanche Eric Easterson (Canyon Country) – Valencia Flyers Matthew Genter (Midway City) – Long Beach Bombers Shane Gilbert (Huntington Beach) – Ogden Mustangs Michael Gomez (Visalia) – Fresno Monsters David Grindstaff (Sacramento) – San Diego Sabers Samuel Hernandez (Fontana) – Ontario Avalanche Taylor Hiatt (Fresno) – Fresno Monsters Jonathan Holguin (Fresno) – Fresno Monsters Hayden Hoyt (Yorba Linda) – Ontario Avalanche Max Kamper (Aliso Viejo) – El Paso Rhinos Mason Kaprelyan (Yorba Linda) – Long Beach Bombers Samuel Kapusta (Irvine) – San Diego Sabers Jacob Mabaquaio (San Diego) – Bellingham Blazers Christopher Maghakian (Santa Clarita) – West Sound Admirals Tate Martishius (Valencia) – Valencia Flyers Cameron Maycock (Claremont) – Ontario Avalanche John McNamara (Valencia) – Valencia Flyers Alex Neverve (San Jose) – Ogden Mustangs Nicklas Oda (Yorba Linda) – Steamboat Wranglers Michael Onda (Saugus) – Valencia Flyers Ethan Racz (Carlsbad) – Ogden Mustangs Adam Rousselo (Santa Clarita) – West Sound Admirals Brett Ruiz (Rancho Cucamonga) – Ontario Avalanche Emmett Rupert (Santa Barbara) – Fresno Monsters Dylan San Agustin (Santa Clarita) – Valencia Flyers Joel Short (Long Beach) – Long Beach Bombers Todd Thompson, Jr. (San Jose) – Dallas Snipers Jarrett Townsend (Rancho Santa Margarita) – Valencia Flyers Tanner Turcotte (Huntington Beach) – Ontario Avalanche Jeremy Van Dyke (Corona) – Ontario Avalanche Jack Walsh (Oceanside) – Utah Outliers Tristan Warr (Valencia) – Valencia Flyers

Zane Parker (Hawthorne) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Luke Peterson (Moorpark) – The Gunnery John Pratt (Laguna Niguel) – Berkshire School Jayden Price (Coto de Caza) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s Quinn Proctor (South Lake Tahoe) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Alexander Rogers (Anaheim) – Williston Northampton Ross Roloson (Newport Beach) – Shawnigan Lake School Hunter Sansbury (Lomita) – The Gunnery Chase Sechrist (Santa Rosa) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Andrey Shemaykin (South Lake Tahoe) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Jordan Skahill (San Dimas) – South Kent Steven Soos (Pasadena) – The Winchendon School Daniel Thomas (Irvine) – Hotchkiss School Simon Thue (San Jose) – Millbrook School Daniel Ton-That (Laguna Hills) – Tilton School Weston Turner (Granite Bay) - The Groton School Lukas Uhler (Upland) – New Hampton School Brent Valentine (Newport Beach) – Choate Rosemary Hall Bradley Wang (Arcadia) – Choate Rosemary Hall Ryan Wilson (San Diego) – Milton Academy Eric Yagubyan (Glendale) – Tilton School Billy Zegras (San Diego) – The Berkshire School

PREP SCHOOL Max Abramson (Pacific Palisades) – Kent School Chris Alexander (Valencia) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s John Alexander (Valencia) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s Leon Biller (Valencia) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Jordan Bonner (Huntington Beach) – Albany Academy Alexander Boyko (Rocklin) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Brendan Brisson (Manhattan Beach) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s Miles Brodey (Pasadena) – The Lawrenceville School Noah Dahlen (Orange) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Jared Day (Orange) – Brooks School Cameron Dunnigan (Bakersfield) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Corey Eaton (San Marcos) – Tilton School Tanner Ensign (Tustin) – Holderness School Nikko Escobar (Ventura) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Dennis L. Y. Franklin (Oakland) – The Taft School Ezra Gale (Pomona) – Hoosac School Aidan Garcia (Burbank) – The Groton School Michael Gilerman (Encino) – Proctor Academy Jonah Gold (Rolling Hills Estates) – The Groton School Jacob Gunderson (Valencia) – Lakeville South J.T. Halliday (Valencia) – St. Paul’s Tyler Herr (Huntington Beach) – Culver Academy Pablo Honda (Bishop) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Lily Humphrey (Huntington Beach) – New Hampton School Grant Kaplan (Sherman Oaks) – Brooks School Leo Kaplan (Sherman Oaks) – Brooks School Huston Karpman (Manhattan Beach) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s Nathan Katzaroff (Anaheim) – Milton Academy Jaxon Kennedy (South Lake Tahoe) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Tyler Kitchen (Bakersfield) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Matt Kors (Los Angeles) – Shawnigan Lake School Alexander Krause (Calabasas) – Loomis Chaffee Ty Krivtsov (Valencia) – Shattuck-St. Mary’s Tristan Lam (Arcadia) – Bishop’s College School Jeffrey Lee (San Jose) - Milton Academy Nicholas Lee (Los Angeles) – Salisbury School Noah Lee (Los Angeles) – Salisbury School Tae Lee (Irvine) – The Governor’s Academy Koby Leeman (Napa) – Culver Academy Tyler Leibl (Del Mar) – Shawnigan Lake School Cobi Lennex (Valencia) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Mathias Long (Marina del Rey) – Lake Forest Academy Brett MacNicoll (El Segundo) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Brandon McDonald (Los Angeles) – Vermont Academy Kyle McElhaney (Yorba Linda) – Tilton School Nolan McElhaney (Yorba Linda) – Cushing Academy Seth McKenna (Moorpark) – Tilton School Tyler McNeil (Santa Clarita) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Ryan Meaney (Santa Clarita) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Nathan Moffat (Lake Tahoe) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Zach Mojarro (Bishop) – The Gunnery Brian Morse (Fresno) – The Gunnery Jacob Nordorf (Gardena) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy Ellis O’Dowd (Santa Barbara) – Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy

COLLEGE HOCKEY

NEVADA PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Jason Zucker (Las Vegas) – Minnesota Wild AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE Gage Quinney (Las Vegas) – Chicago Wolves ECHL Chris Francis (Las Vegas) – Tulsa Oilers Zach Pochiro (Las Vegas) – Allen Americans Joey Raats (Las Vegas) – Utah Grizzlies Joe Sullivan (Las Vegas) – Manchester Monarchs Cory Ward (Las Vegas) – Manchester Monarchs SOUTHERN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Derek Sutliffe (Las Vegas) – Macon Mayhem OVERSEAS Bryce Reddick (Las Vegas) – United Kingdom CANADIAN WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE Megan Myers (Las Vegas) – Worcester Bladess

NCAA DIVISION I – MEN WCHA Brendan Harris (Henderson) – Bemidji State University D-I INDEPENDENT Dominic Garcia (Las Vegas) – Arizona State University NCAA DIVISION III – MEN NESCAC Brenden Russ (Las Vegas) – Connecticut College JUNIOR HOCKEY GREATER METRO HOCKEY LEAGUE Nathan Skala (Las Vegas) – Northumberland Stars MARITIME HOCKEY LEAGUE Landon Quinney (Las Vegas) – Valley Wildcats NORTH AMERICAN 3 HOCKEY LEAGUE Vito Carlo (Las Vegas) – Atlanta Capitals Dylan Davenport – Milwaukee Power @ Caleb Day (Las Vegas) – Gillette Wild Brenden Fehlig (Las Vegas) – College Station Spirit Bryce Gould (Las Vegas) – Butte Cobras Gunner Moore (Las Vegas) – Atlanta Capitals Danny Ramos (Las Vegas) – Gillette Wild Gabriel Testa (Las Vegas) – Long Beach Sharks SASKATCHEWAN JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE Steven Avalone (Las Vegas) – Kindersley Klippers UNITED STATES PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE Ty Gartzke (Las Vegas) – Decatur Blaze (Premier) Deric Prier (Las Vegas) – Florida Jr. Blades (Elite) Gage Roberts (Las Vegas) – Carolina Eagles (Premier) Cameron Sylvester (Las Vegas) – Hampton Roads Whalers (Elite) Ethan Van Muyden (Henderson) – Boston Bandits (Elite) WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE Erik Atchison (Las Vegas) – Spokane Chiefs WESTERN STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE Cody Printzen (Las Vegas) – Fresno Monsters Anthony Rodriguez (Henderson) – Long Beach Bombers % former Los Angeles Jr. King + former California Titan * former LA Select

! former San Jose Jr. Shark $ former Anaheim Lady Duck @ former Nevada Storm

CARubberHockey.com

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UNITED STATES PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE

San Jose’s DiGiulio wraps up second title with Whalers

By Joshua Boyd/USPHL.com

I

t’s time for an NCAA Division I hockey team in California, according to San Jose native Joe DiGiulio.

“California hockey is growing - there are good players there,” said DiGiulio, who has split his first almost 20 years of life between California and Arizona. “We have one at Arizona State, now we need one in California.”

DiGiulio was speaking just about an hour after his Hampton Roads Whalers won their second straight USPHL Premier championship. They defeated the Metro Jets, a team that itself was trying to repeat as a league champion, having moved to the USPHL after winning the NA3HL title a year earlier.

DiGiulio, who played with the San Jose Jr. Sharks as a youth player, has been a regular playmaker and grinding forward who helps make room for the scoring heroics of linemate John Moncovich.

“We all have our roles, but we all contribute at the end of the day,” said DiGiulio. “Honestly, I’m more the guy who passes to ‘Monc.’ I let him score.”

He’s certainly happy live up to this role, if it means bringing home two championships in two years. He is endlessly loyal to the Whalers for bringing him into such a storied junior franchise, which also won the Premier title in 2018.

“I love this organization, I love everything about it - the coaches, the players, the staff, everything about it is awesome,” said DiGiulio.

DiGiulio started out skating in San Jose. Several San Jose natives played in the USPHL Premier Division, most of them suiting up for the Hudson,

N.H.-based Northern Cyclones. DiGiulio knew those players back home - including Guillaume Bose and Mischa Subotin but they were typically on different teams being a year older.

He played in the Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament - the largest international tournament for that age group in the world - in 2012 with the Jr. Sharks. Suiting up alongside him on that Pee Wee

International team were current Merrimack College recruit Joe Cassetti and Grace Scholz, who just completed her first season for Suffolk University’s women’s hockey team.

When he was 14, the DiGiulio family moved to Arizona, where several fateful events occurred in his hockey career and life.

“I used to play summer hockey with Ron Filion and he asked me to come try out for the Arizona Bobcats, so I did,” said DiGiulio.

Bobcats teammates during his four years there included future Whalers teammates Jared Sanchez, Kohl Hedquist and Blake Bjella, all of whom lifted the Premier championship trophy with DiGiulio on March 12 at Merrimack College.

“There was a development and exposure camp in Arizona, and that’s where I met Pat (Cavanagh, owner of the Whalers),” said DiGiulio. “He wanted me to come out to Hampton Roads, and that was three years ago. The rest is history.”

The Whalers have certainly made history, becoming one of the most successful junior franchises at any level over this past decade. In addition to three Premier titles in their last four years, the Whalers organization also won the USPHL Elite title in 2018.

Many roads led DiGiulio to where he is now, but you won’t find a happier traveler.

USPHL.com

TPHA focused on developing the entire student-athlete Continued from Page 15 Tyler Kitchen An 18-year-old senior goalie, Kitchen recently completed his second season on the varsity team at Tahoe Prep. Originally from Anaheim, he was familiar with the ADHSHL as he had played in the league during his time at Orange Lutheran High School.

Kitchen said his decision to move to Tahoe was all about pursuing a career in Junior A hockey, which he hopes to use as a stepping stone to playing college hockey. An only child, Kitchen admitted that moving into the dorms was a challenge at first.

“Having to share, having a roommate, it was all very different,” he said. “But then you get used to it.”

His performance on the ice hasn’t showed any signs of homesickness, though. In 14 games in the ADHSHL, he compiled an .827 save percentage, facing 202 shots on goal.

Kaden Krueger Moving to Tahoe prep was easier for Krueger, a 17-year-old senior defenseman on Tahoe’s prep team because a former teammate of his with the Arizona-based DYHA Jr. Sun Devils, Austin Chesworth, also made the move north for the 2018-19 school year and hockey season. Krueger said hav24

California Rubber Hockey Magazine

ing a close friend by his side made the move easier, it also helped that he started his season off contributing to some big wins.

“In my first game with the team in Minnesota, I got my first goal for the season, and then the next game, I got the game-winning goal in overtime. Everyone thought I was god after that,” Krueger joked.

“But they would soon learn I really wasn’t.”

The Boise, Idaho, native said he learned about Tahoe Prep Hockey Academy during a camp in Las Vegas.

“Coach (Chris) Collins was the first one to see me,” Krueger recalled.

“I really liked what they were telling me about being on the ice every day, and strength conditioning every day.

The structure of it appealed to me.

My goals were to get smarter with the game and learn the positioning more.

The THA coaches have helped me a lot with that. I also wanted to get bigger in the gym, and I’ve gained quite a few pounds.”

Krueger said he would like to play juniors, college, and then, if possible, in the NHL. He is interested in commercial aviation and firefighting, and right now, he is focused on laying the groundwork for his future.

“I used to struggle with school, but this year I went up to a 3.5 GPA,” he said. “I think the structure of the academy has helped me a lot. You definitely have a lot more responsibility and you just have to be more on top of things.”

Holt Schwarm After two seasons playing at Tahoe Prep, Schwarm has punched his ticket to the next level of hockey. The 18-year-old senior forward on Tahoe’s prep team recently committed to play for the New England Wolves, a Tier III junior team based in Laconia, N.H., in the Eastern Hockey League.

Schwarm moved to Tahoe from Westerville, Ohio, and before Tahoe, he attended and played hockey for St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio.

“When we came to visit Tahoe, it was unbelievable to see what THA had built, and Tahoe is amazing,” Schwarm recalled. “The selling point for me was how the academy could help me get better with the ice time and exposure to better competition. And the competition level was just as they promised.”

Schwarm comes from a family of athletes. His mother played college golf, and his father was a rugby athlete at Ohio University. Schwarm would like to play hockey at the college level and study sports management and law.

“I’m a good corner player and passer. I have good passing IQ,” Schwarm said, when asked to describe his strengths. “Coach Mike (Lewis) has really helped push me. The coaches help you see where you can rise - especially when I was down and I wasn’t playing well. Coach Chris helped with my hands and improving my skills. The result was I definitely accomplished my goals this year. I got signed by a team and improved my game.”

Laguna Niguel product Kerbrat decides on NCAA D-III Wesleyan

By Matt Mackinder

E

as tern Hockey League (EHL) scorer Wiggle Kerbrat will move on next season as the Laguna Niguel native recently committed to play NCAA Division III hockey at Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan is located in Middletown, Conn., and plays in the NESCAC conference.

This season, K erbrat, an Anaheim Jr. Ducks graduate, leads the New Hampshire Avalanche in scoring (as of mid-March) with 29 goals and 73 points. He also played in the EHL All-Star Games against Division III schools UMass Boston and Plymouth State. It was there that Kerbrat caught the eyes of many college hockey coaches.

“Wiggle has been great this season, not only for us, but for the EHL,” said Avalanche coach Chris Cerrella. “He is an outstanding young man and a very good student, and his goal was to play in the NESCAC – just figuring out where was the key. After visiting Wesleyan, it became a top choice for Wiggle as he wanted to go to a school not only with a strong hockey program but also high-end academics.

“He achieved both of his goals choosing Wesleyan. Wiggle is going to be a great addition to the Wesleyan community. I could not be happi er for him and his family and wish them nothing but the best.”

Kerbrat is excited about defending the EHL title he helped the Avs win during the 2017-18 season and also said he is thankful for the opportunity both on the ice and in the clas sroom next fall at Wesleyan.

“I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, mentors and Coach Cerrella and the New Hampshire Avalanche organization for helping me achieve my goal of playing college hockey,” said Kerbrat. “I would also like to thank my parents for all of their support through this process. It has been a long road.

“I am excited to attend Wesleyan University with its rigorous academic standards and to be a part of its competitive hockey program.”

2ND ANNUAL CAPITAL CLASSIC 4 GAME GUARANTEE Levels 10U A/BB/B - 12U A/BB/B - 14U A/BB/B 16/18 A - High School JV / Varsity $1650 Per Team REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Ask About A Multiple Team Discount! www.capitalthunder.org/Tournaments/ MAY 24-27, 2019 SKATETOWN ICE ARENA 1009 Orlando Ave., Roseville, CA 95661 USAH # 18-19-NC-5 2019-20 USAH Age Specification will be used This is a play and stay tournament.

CARubberHockey.com

25

CHASE GOLIGHTLY

Position: Defenseman, Brampton Beast (ECHL) Hometown: Temecula Last Amateur Team: Robert Morris University (Atlantic Hockey, NCAA D-I) Youth Teams: LA Selects, California Wave, LA Jr. Kings California Rubber: What’s your favorite hockey memory growing up?

Chase Golightly: My favorite was playing with Mike Lewis and going to Nationals at 16U AAA with the Wave. We didn’t have the team that was supposed to make it that far. Everyone bought in, and he coached us the right way. We lost in either the semis or quarters. Just making it there was huge.

It was a fun year of hockey.

CR: What is your favorite memory in the game since leaving California?

CG: It’s always fun to win, so my other one would be winning the Atlantic Hockey championship my sophomore year. We weren’t really expected to do that well and didn’t have a big group of upperclassmen. We ended up going to the conference finals and winning and going to the NCAA Tournament after that. We took a private jet to Minnesota and played the Gophers. I don’t think we had our best team that year, but it was a cool experience.

CR: Who have been the biggest influences on you on and off the ice?

CG: I grew up playing with a lot of successful players, like Matt Nieto and Beau Bennett, when I was young. When I went to Mike, he helped me identify what type of player I would be and identify the nuances of being a puck-rushing defenseman. Off the ice, my parents (John and Holly). They didn’t know anything about hockey growing up. We never watched it when I was younger. Their work ethic and the sacrifices they made were incredible. They were a great example.

CR: Are there are any pieces of gear you’re particular about?

CG: I wouldn’t say I’m superstitious, but I’m fussy about my skates. I take forever to break in new skates and I’m particular about the height of the steel. When I was younger, I used to be superstitious, but when you play as many games as we play, it’s harder because you don’t have the time to get hung up on something.

CR: What are essential items to take on a road trip?

CG: The necessities would be your passport and a suit. It’s nice to have something like a tablet or a book to kill the hours on the bus or hanging in the room. It’s nice to see new places and explore new cities, and we have time to do that sometimes.

CR: When you’re back in California, do you have a favorite meal or restaurant?

CG: In-N-Out’s always hard to beat. It’s pretty simple. I love it. It always reminds me of home. And my mom makes a pretty good Shepherd’s Pie. CR: Did you have a favorite player growing up?

CG: When I was younger, my favorite player was Scott Stevens. I was pretty aggressive as a kid. I always loved what a savage he was. It didn’t hurt that the Devils were always Cup contenders then. I also really liked watching Scott Niedermayer when he was on the Ducks, how he read the plays and was such a smooth skater.

CR: What is the most challenging aspect of playing pro hockey?

CG: One thing is you get to play a game, which is incredible for work. You’re not in the office from 9 to 5. But the thing people don’t understand is you don’t have a lot of off time. It’s tough to make a lot of plans when you could get traded or there is a trip coming up. The other thing is going through a season, you’re usually not ever 100 percent healthy. Just because you’re not on the IR doesn’t mean you’re fully healthy.

Photo/George Magee

26

California Rubber Hockey Magazine

- Compiled by Chris Bayee

www.WSHL.org