Rubber Hockey - December 2022

-- Another successful IE Tournament Series event

-- Pacific Ridge High School playing with purpose

-- Colorado product sets record at NCAA D-III school

-- Weekend outdoor hockey in New Mexico

-- USPHL names November players of the month

-- Denver, Colorado College to play Ball Arena

-- Kings team up with Mammoth Lakes rink

: Calabasas native Izzy Krause, playing the 2022-23 season for the Bishop Kearney Selects prep school team located in Rochester, N.Y., will stay in the state of New York for the 2023-23 campaign after she recently committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for Long Island University. See more on Krause’s milestone inside on Page 14. Photo provided

MAKING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

-- California native wins monthly NAHL honors

USPHL Premier, Elite Nationals to be held in Utica, N.Y.

The United States Premier Hockey League and the Utica Jr. Comets organization are proud to announce that the 2023 USPHL Premier and Elite National Championships will be held at the Nexus Center in Utica, N.Y. – the brand-new home of the Jr. Comets’ USPHL teams – between March 23 and March 28, 2023.

The USPHL Elite National Championship Game will be held on March 27, with the USPHL Premier National Championship game being played one day later on March 28.

The event will open with a three-day roundrobin tournament for the USPHL Elite Conference between March 23-25.

Over these same days, the USPHL Premier will open with a two-day seeding round (March 23-24) to determine who moves on to the single-elimination Round of 16 on March 25.

The USPHL Premier Quarterfinals (Round of 8) and USPHL Elite Semifinals will take place on March 26.

The Premier semifinals will be played on March 27, the same day as the Elite National Championship Game.

The Nexus Center is a 169,440-square-foot facility conveniently located off the New York State Thruway in Utica, N.Y.

Newly opened in November of 2022, the Nexus Center will feature state of the art amenities to make it a tournament destination.

The Nexus Center will feature three multi-purpose 200-foot-by-85foot playing surfaces that can be utilized as ice sheets or turf.

The Nexus Center will be connected by a walkway to the historic Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium, which brings the total up to four surfaces for sports tournaments.

“We are thrilled to be able to host the USPHL National Championships at the Nexus Center in 2023,” said Comets president Robert Esche. “The

event, which will showcase the Premier and Elite levels of the league, will add yet another top tier sporting event to Oneida County.”

“The USPHL is excited to bring

ties in each.

There is a full-service bar and restaurant on site, as well as the Utica Coffee Lounge, which offers coffee and other beverages in addition to salads and sandwiches, in addition to a traditional ice rink concession stand.

The brand-new Nexus Center will feature all the most modern technology, in order to facilitate a prime viewing experience for those watching on HockeyTV, the exclusive broadcast partner of the USPHL.

There will also be complimentary WiFi offered throughout the facility in order for players, families and fans to share their new memories from on site.

Utica is conveniently located off of I-90 (known in New York as the Thomas E. Dewey Thruway), 90 minutes driving time from the state capital in Albany, and 50 minutes by highway from Syracuse.

tion services available to get players and their supporters to Utica. There are several brand-name hotels in Utica, many within walking distance of the Nexus Center for the convenience of the teams that reach the National Championships.

Playoffs for the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite Conferences begin in late February and generally run until the final weekend before the beginning of the National Championships as each conference plays down to determine their representative, or representatives, for the National Championships.

The full USPHL Premier and Elite Playoffs and National Championships format will be announced at a later date.

our USPHL Premier and Elite National Championships to the city of Utica and the new state-of-the-art Nexus Center,” added USPHL commissioner Bob Turow. “We have full confidence that Robert Esche and Nicole Kelly will lead their team to produce our best Nationals ever based on the solid foundation the Northern Cyclones and Hampton Roads Whalers have provided.”

Utilizing three sheets will allow for a better travel-friendly schedule for all teams, as well as extra recovery time as the multiple surfaces will eliminate scheduled early morning and late-night start times.

The Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium will be available for use as needed should any schedule issues arise due to overtimes, shootouts or unforeseen circumstances such as injuries.

Along with the three ice sheets at the Nexus Center, players at the USPHL National Championships will have access to a fully functioning pro shop on site, a sport-specific gym and a warmup track that surrounds the ice arenas.

There will be 14 brand-new locker rooms available for teams throughout the facility, with full-service ameni-

Both Albany and Syracuse have full-service airports and several car rental agencies and other transporta-

Apparel with the new 2023 USPHL National Championships at Utica logo will be available online in the weeks prior to the event, online and on site during the event, and for a short time online following the National Championships.

— USPHL Media Staff

new Nexus Center will host two levels of the USPHL National Championships this coming March in Utica, N.Y. Photo provided

The

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Words from the publisher...

The end of another calendar year is but a few short weeks away.

This time of year is always very joyful, what with the holidays and all, plus the thought of starting over with a clean slate once Jan. 1 hits.

It also means that hockey season for youth, junior and college teams is nearing the midway point.

It’s reaslly hard to believe that the older you get, the quicker the days go by. Am I right?

I can remember in my younger days that the weekend meant time with friends and family, and the days seemed to never end.

Now, the weekend arrives and just like that, Monday morning.

It’s crazy.

This time of year, I just wish the

time would slow down.

I read a column not too long ago and it said that the holidays are best enjoyed when we put the “merry” in Christmas and the “happy” back in the new year.

Doesn’t that sound so simple?

by, more are sure to come.

It’s been hard to think about what the future holds, really for all of us, but when it comes to your kids, you always want what’s best for them.

joying ourselves and not compare ourselves to how others portray themselves online?

I digress...

Back to hockey!

They say the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but I think hockey season makes a strong case for that honor.

In any event, please enjoy the latest issue of Rubber Hockey!

Mackinder

I love the holiday season, mostly for the time spent with family. Nothing beats family.

Nothing.

Our oldest is a senior in high school and while college is the plan for next year, his time at home may be a thing of the past.

He’s already had so many “first lasts” this year and as the days go

You always want your kids to be happy and safe. And with society in a negative trend most of the time (in my opinion, due to social media and zero accountability in that realm), it can sometimes be a chore to find positives in everyday life.

Kids live on social media. I’ve seen it firsthand with all three of our kids. They’d rather send a Snapchat message than a good oldfashioned text message.

If something was posted on Instagram, it’s probably true. Not really. Consider the source. Same goes for Facebook and Twitter and even TikTok.

Can’t we just roll through life en-

We’ve got some fun stuff in this edition and we are overjoyed to be back up and running.

Take the time to flip through these pages and let me know what you think - the good and the bad.

As always, contact me any time at (248) 890-3944 (call/text) and by email at matt@rubberhockey. com. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Nine teams collect championship banners at

BY MATT MACKINDER

The Inland Empire Tournament Series, created and hosted by the Jr. Reign, continued its 2022-23 season Nov. 25-27 with the Fall Classic at Icetown Carlsbad, Icetown Riverside, Ontario Center Ice and Toyota Arena.

A total of nine teams brought home championship banners at the conclusion of the thrilling Thanksgiving weekend.

8U Acorn South Champion: San Diego Saints Runner-up: SDIA Oilers

The Saints brought home the championship by doubling up the Oilers 4-2.

8U Scarecrow South Champion: San Diego Jr. Gulls Runner-up: Jr. Reign

In a tight, competitive contest, the Jr. Gulls took the banner by beating the Jr. Reign 4-3.

8U North Champion: California Wave Runner-up: Jr. Reign Offense was the name of the game as the Wave secured the title with a 10-7 win over the Jr. Reign.

10U BB Champion: Jr. Reign Riverside Runner-up: Jr. Reign Carlsbad

In a battle of Jr. Reign squads, the Riverside group downed the team from Carlsbad 5-2 as Liam NovinKashani collected a hat trick in the win. Tristan zur Nieden and Foster

Quest Foundation

The South Coast Hockey Association DBA “Quest Foundation” is a registered not for profit 501C3 charitable organization dedicated to helping support children with a passion and a dream for the great sport of ice hockey and in becoming the best athletes and people they can be through world class hockey training programs.

The Quest Foundation believes every child deserves a chance to pursue their own Quest for their life.

It is the mission of the Quest Foundation to never allow financial barriers to be the reason that a child cannot pursue their dream to the fullest.

For more information, visit www. jrreign.com/foundation.

Million also scored as Cade Shipley and Andrew Morales shared time between the pipes. For Carlsbad, Nolan Thompson had a goal and an assist, Kaito Marcial scored, and Brian Miller and Kivik Jamack played well in goal.

10U Champion: Jr. Reign Runner-up: Sonoma County Flyers Carter Hubbard’s hat trick plus an assist led the way as the Jr. Reign defeated the Flyers by a 5-3 count. Riley Driscoll, also with an assist, and Grayson Usary added goals as Jacen Mower chipped in two assists. In goal, Liam Kinney was sharp in getting the win. For the Flyers, Michael Pustilnikov notched a pair of goals, Chris Brebric added a goal, and Brynn Godon tacked on a pair of helpers. Oliver Stroba and Aaron Favela shared time in the Flyers’ cage.

12U BB Champion: SDIA Oilers

IE Fall Classic event Thanksgiving weekend

Runner-up: Jr. Reign Riverside

This thriller was tied 1-1 after regulation and overtime before the Oilers won it in a shootout. Max Osborne (SDIA) and Oleksandr Kyrylenko (Jr. Reign) scored in regulation before Giovannie Zuniga Hulzar’s goal was the difference maker in the shootout. Charlie Wood was the winning goalie for the Oilers while Rene Michaels was sharp for the Jr. Reign.

14U A

Champion: Pasadena Maple Leafs

Runner-up: Jr. Reign The Maple Leafs’ Adrian Beaudry potted two goals with an assist as Pasadena toppled the Jr. Reign 5-2 to bring home the banner. Grayson Ackerman, Wilfred Heitritter and Jayson Hurtado also netted goals for the Maple Leafs. Andualem Fisher contributed two assists and Domenic McCoy stood tall in net. For the Jr. Reign, Rivers Chapparosa registered a goal and an assist, Jason Kim scored, and Sam

Buscaglia played strong in the crease.

JV

Champion: Ventura Mariners

Runner-up: Carlsbad United

The Mariners used two goals and an assist from Mikhail Evdokimov to down Carlsbad United 5-3. Logan Furman, Gabriel Aversa and Hayden Bruininga also scored, and Gabriel Gonzalez picked up the win between the pipes. Robert Goldey tallied twice for CU, Dylan Skene scored, and Matthew Day played well in the Carlsbad net.

Varsity Champion: Empire Hockey Club 16U AA

Runner-up: Empire Hockey Club 18U AA

The battle between a pair of Empire teams saw the 16U team get bragging rights after a 6-0 shutout in the championship game. Alexander Wood and Ashton Spector shared the shutout while Ethan Lagasca scored twice and Rafe Armstrong chipped in with a trio of assists. Seth Morris had a goal and an assist, Jake Torgan two assists, and Joshua Jenike, Carson Woolcott, and Liam Guolfoyle added a goal apiece. Ethan Han played goal for the Empire 18U squad.

The next IE Tournament Series event is the MLK Challenge, which is scheduled for Jan. 13-16.

For more information or to register, visit www.jrreign.com/tournaments.

Trio from Arizona, California to represent United States

USA Hockey announced Nov. 16 the first 21 players for the U.S. Junior Select Team that will compete in the 2022 World Junior A Challenge, which is being held from Dec. 11-18 in Cornwall, Ont.

The U.S. has won five of the last eight tournaments (2018, 2016, 201214).

The group includes 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

All players currently compete in the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I junior hockey league in the U.S.

Among the 21 selected are Chicago Steel defenseman Jake Livanav-

age, a Gilbert native who played for DYHA, Arizona Hockey Union, Jr. Coyotes and Arizona Bobcats.

In addition Sioux City Musketeers defenseman and San Jose native Garrett Brown (San Jose Jr. Sharks) and Sioux Falls Stampede forward and San Diego product Sam Harris (San Diego Jr. Gulls) were also named to the team.

The U.S. will play a pre-tournament game against Canada East at 7 p.m. ET on Dec. 9 at the Cornwall Civic Complex in Cornwall, Ont.

Team USA will kick off tournament play at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 11 against Canada West.

--

Hockey Staff Report

This six-week learn-to-play program is for children ages 5-9 and includes head-to-toe equipment. Girls-only sessions offered at select locations. To register or for more information, visit lakings.com/littlekings.

Little Kings 2023 is open for registration!

Rubber

Jake Livanavage

Garrett Brown Sam Harris

O N E H O C K E Y

O N E H O C K E Y

From the Trainer’s Room

Which is better to use? Kettlebells or dumbbells?

No matter what level of athlete or weightlifting you are at, you have most likely asked yourself, “Do I use a kettlebell or dumbbell? Which is better?”

When both are implemented into your training regimen, it’s excellent but in different situations. You have to ask yourself what the goal is in your training. Are you working on strength, hypertrophy, stability, or endurance?

First, let’s start with the design of each:

-A kettlebell’s center of mass is below the handle. In other words, the weight is below the handle, which creates less stability.

-A kettlebell can be held with two hands.

-A dumbbell’s weight is evenly distributed on both sides, creating more stability.

-A dumbbell is typically held with one hand.

Now that we know some of the design differences between the two, let’s talk about when to use them for each goal (strength, hypertrophy, power, stability, etc).

For strength, I personally use dumbbells, more than kettlebells. To build strength, we need stability, so using dumbbells would be beneficial since the weight is more evenly distributed. Dumbbells are also easier to grip, which is needed for strength movements.

For hypertrophy, use both!

Hypertrophy is driven mostly by volume (sets and reps). So as long as you’re focusing on volume, both can be used. Muscle activation can also

play a role. The article below talks about muscle activation between both implements and the biomechanics behind them. For power, both can also be used.

However, for dynamic movements (cleans, snatch, and other Olympic style movements), kettlebells would be more useful since you can grip them with both hands and are easier to use overall. You can also control the rotation of the kettlebell (ex: having to rotate the kettlebell around the wrist for a snatch).

To improve power in most closed chain movements (think of squat, bench, and deadlift), I believe dumbbells are more useful. For metabolic conditioning circuits, kettlebells are better since metabolic conditioning circuits typically have a lot of dynamic movements. A popular movement for a metabolic conditioning circuit is the overhead farmer walk. The farmer walk can not only improve your conditioning, but the overhead position with a kettlebell can challenge an athlete’s shoulder stability as well, which is why I like using a kettlebell more than a dumbbell in this situation.

However, if you’re trying to get a “pump” and are doing something like Escalating Density Training, dumbbells are a better option due to the muscle activation, biomechanics, and more stability.

In conclusion, both of them have their uses. It depends on the goal and context of what you are trying to accomplish.

— Alex Wakely/Compete Sports Performance & Rehab

Shoulder injuries in hockey

At our sports performance and rehabilitation facilities, we see many hockey athletes with injuries to their shoulders.

This is not surprising due to the speed and the physical nature of the sport. Injuries can vary from simple muscle strains to full joint dislocations.

Today, we will go over a brief discussion of a couple of the more common injuries that occur throughout the year.

During offseason training, athletes can develop shoulder impingement. Soreness develops on the front of the shoulder joint and towards the top. Movements of the arms overhead generally cause the most discomfort. This is a chronic injury developed from overuse and fatigue which causes muscle tendonitis. Modification of the strength training program and treatment for inflammation in the shoulder can usually rectify this issue with minimal time lost.

If pain continues to persist, see a healthcare professional to guide you in a proper treatment plan. Shoulder dislocations are exactly that. The “ball” of the glenohumeral joint comes out of the “socket.” This can occur from and body check, falling on an outstretched arm, or collision with the dasher boards. Once the joint is reduced (put back in place), the athlete should see an orthopedic physician to rule out any additional damage to the joint.

A rehabilitation program that focuses on rotator cuff strengthening should be followed prior to the

athlete’s return to play. This protocol may last several weeks depending on the individual’s symptoms. In some cases, a shoulder brace may be suggested to help support the joint as the hockey player begins to resume normal hockey activities such as body contact.

A shoulder separation is also known as an AC separation. The “AC” stands for acromioclavicular joint. This is a smaller joint that helps support the glenohumeral joint. The AC joint is formed by the tip of the collar bone (clavicle) and a portion of the shoulder blade (acromion process).

The most common mechanism of injury is receiving a body check from an opposing player. The severity of the injury can be graded based on the amount of damage done to the ligaments of the joint and how far the two bones have become separated. When the ligaments are fully torn, the athlete will have the classic bump on the top of their shoulder at the end of their collar bone.

Once evaluated for severity by an appropriate medical professional, a return-to-play protocol involving progressive resistive exercises to increase the strength and stability of the shoulder complex should be initiated. This process may last several weeks before the symptoms are resolved.

Return to play from a shoulder injury is not something that should be rushed. See a medical professional such as a certified athletic trainer to guide you on an appropriate rehabilitation program. Due to the multiple

Discussing shoulder injuries, hockey game-day preparation

Continued from page 8

impacts and collisions hockey players incur over the course of a season, it is vitally important the athlete be able to demonstrate full strength and stability of the shoulder joint complex prior to returning to games.

The rehab process does not have shortcuts and should not be rushed.

Game-day prep in hockey

Whether they admit it or not, every player has a pre-game routine.

All athletes perform their best when they feel their best. Having the good habits to prepare yourself properly prior to your game goes a long way in improving performance and preventing injuries.

The sequence and timing of the steps that go into a pre-game preparation routine are just as important as the routine itself.

Here is a framework that you can use to prepare for your next game.

Proper nutrition and rest are the cornerstones to a good pre-game preparation plan. Adequate hydration and carbohydrate intake should be practiced every day to keep your tanks topped off after a

week’s worth of practice and dryland training. Every player will benefit from minimally processed whole foods as well as a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Going to bed and getting a solid night’s sleep the night before game day is also important. This is the vital time your body uses to repair itself and recover for the upcoming game.

The specifics of a nutrition and sleep plan will vary from player to player due to variables such as age, weight, body type, and biological sex. Seek out a medical professional, such as a certified athletic trainer, for some guidance on these plans.

On game day, there are a few steps to take to prepare for competition:

1. First is myofascial release.

Basically, use a foam roll or other self-massage tool to provide some relief.

Emphasis should be placed on the skating muscles of the legs and lower back.

You only need about 30 seconds per muscle group during this routine.

2. The second step is your static stretch. After the release, our muscles are now ready for a gentle stretch to increase the mobility of the joints. Hip and ankle joint mobility should be the focus here.

This helps us get into a good skating position in the game that is about to take place.

3. The third step in this routine is the active warm-up.

Allow 10-15 minutes to get the body moving with a few drills to wake up the body’s neuromuscular system.

Some exercises such as lunges, lateral lunges, walking knee hugs, walking SL RDLs, hip circles, and high kicks can be included. Follow that up with a few skipping drills and short sprints. Use a distance of about 10 yards.

Again, everyone has a slight variation to this plan so work with your coach or athletic trainer as to what is best for you and your team.

4. Lastly, add a little skill work to your pre-game routine. The actual pre-game warmup only lasts a few

minutes, and you really only get a few seconds of actual time with the puck on your stick. Take some time during your pre-game routine to do some dryland stickhandling. Get a feel for the stick and puck while getting your hands moving. This also helps get your mind into the game.

And now that your body has been warmed up both physically and mentally, you are ready to perform at your best for every game.

Mike Hannegan is an athletic trainer and strength coach with 10 years of experience in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues. He is currently the director of the Compete Sports Performance and Rehabilitation facility inside The Rinks-Yorba Linda Ice, located in beautiful Orange County. He can be reached at mike@competeperformance.com.

TCS Hockey invites your team to register now for The Last Frontier Cup!

Scheduled for May 5-7, 2023, the event will be played at the O’Malley Ice Center in Anchorage, Alaska!

For more information and to register, visit www.tcshockey.com/events/the-last-frontier-cup

Mike Hannegan

Arizona, California, Colorado players on preliminary World Junior roster

USA Hockey has named 32 players to the preliminary roster of its 2023 U.S. National Junior Team.

The group, which includes eight members of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team, will gather for a training camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., from Dec. 12-17.

Players are auditioning for a spot on the final 23-player roster that will represent the United States in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26-Jan. 5, in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Halifax, N.S. The United States has medaled in five of the last seven tournaments.

“It’s amazing to see the talent we have around the country, and, as always, we’ll have some difficult decisions to make to get to our final roster,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2023 U.S. National Junior Team and also the

assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “When we get into selecting players for any of our national teams, I’m always reminded of the thousands of volunteers at the grassroots level who have played a big part in helping our players reach their potential during their youth hockey years and we’re thankful to all of them.”

Included in the 32 players are Arizona natives Cutter Gauthier and Red Savage, both of Scottsdale, California natives Shai Buium (San Diego) and Aidan Hreschuk (Long Beach), and Colorado native Kaidan Mbereko (Aspen).

Team USA will play its preliminary round games in Moncton against Group B opponents Finland, Latvia, Slovakia and Switzerland.

Group A includes Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Germany and Austria.

Shai Buium is currently in his sophomore season with Denver, the defending NCAA champs. Photo: Justin Tafoya/Clarkson Creative Photography

Hockey Union still has TWO more tournaments left on the schedule for the rest of the 2022-23 season!

As the calendar gets set to flip to 2023, the Arizona

Interested in playing junior hockey

for the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild?

Pacific Ridge Hockey Club: New season, new goals, new challenges

The Pacific Ridge Hockey Club went into the 2022-23 season with many changes.

First, their longtime head coach Juan Trevino moved out to Nashville, opening the door for assistant coach Ben Upham to step in and take over the reins. Upham has been with the program for several years, and the club will see little change in their competitiveness.

Next, the team has gotten young – very young. Last year’s team was already light with only three seniors graduating, and this year will once again be light on the seasoned side with only three seniors hitting the ice. However, what the club lost in statesmen, they more than made up for it in additions of skilled younger players like Torrey Man and Nate Skawinski, and returning juniors David Han, Hayden Labovitch, and goalie Spencer Lyon.

The club has done well for the first half of the ADHSHL season, attaining a record of 5-3-0, with two of those loses by a one-goal differentiation. What’s more exciting is the PRHC was able to field two teams once again, as COVID kept them from having enough players for the 2021-22 season. The program’s health was further enhanced by being able to move the second team from JV status to D3/lower-level varsity status. Raising the competition level for those young freshmen and sophomore players is exciting for them and the program; many of them will be ready for the D1 Varsity next season. Currently, the D3 team has a record of 3-3-0.

The future looks solid.

The Firebirds will be playing once again in the NAPHL, participating in the 18U Show Division American Conference, with games being played in Dallas, Minnesota, and Michigan.

The first of these three contests was in Dallas (Nov. 11-13) where the Firebirds went a respectable 2-2. With two wins on the first day, 5-0 against New Mexico and 5-2 against Monument Academy, things were looking good, but Saturday the level of competition stepped up, and PRHC faced off once again against Denver East, and lost a tight game 3-0. Now, the score does not really show the actual even level of competition, as the first goal was a little suspect with a Denver player charging through Lyon in net, and the third goal was an empty-netter.

Bottom line, Denver is a tough team, and the boys need to put in a little more effort. During the Monument Academy game, Andy Kim had a big hit, which in the end kept him from participating any further, and from the beginning, a flu bug was going through the team. They lost Han for the third and fourth games. The fourth game was against the McKinney North Stars. While the boys came out holding their own, in the end with limited players and with half the squad suffering from the flu, they fell to a solid Dallas team, 6 -1.

So, with that, the first of three NAPHL trips was complete. The boys now know what to expect in Minnesota. Let’s hope they can compete without being sick.

With as much excitement and posi-

tive momentum this year, not all the news is good. The program is focusing and supporting one its most recent alumni, Patrick O’Donnell, with the challenge of a lifetime.

O’Donnell, the No. 1 goalie for the 2018-19, and 2019-20 seasons, and winner of the ADHSHL Schuman Cup in 2019-20, was diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year. He had moved on and had played a season with the Utah Utes in the ACHA Division II league, but prior to returning to school this fall, he fell ill. O’Donnell has since battled through brain surgery and chemo and radiation treatment and is currently recovering and continues the fight.

With November being Hockey Fights Cancer month, PRHC wanted to support the American Cancer Society and do a fundraiser in his name. On Nov. 5, the Firebirds played the Damien Spartans at Carlsbad Icetown. While the D3 Varsity team went down 4-1 to the Spartans’ lower-level team, the D1 team pulled

through with a 2-1 win in a tight game.

But the real winner was the throngs of folks who came out to cheer on the club, donate to the bake sale, and see the man himself, Patrick. The donation and the generosity of the community was huge, and as of this writing, this event had raised nearly $4000 for the American Cancer Society. It was good to see O’Donnell at the big game which filled the building (don’t tell the fire marshal).

For the month of November in honor of Patrick, the goalies for both teams will be sporting lavender No. 31 jerseys (Patrick’s original number with PRHC).

If you’re interested in PRHC hockey, send an email to PRHC@ pacificridge.org or check the team out on Facebook and Instagram. The program continues to thrive. PRHC is excited to be growing and building momentum.

Until next time, GO FIREBIRDS!

PRHC Staff

TOP PHOTO: From left, PRHC assistant coach Hugh O’Donnell, Simon Hall, Patrick O’Donnell, Spencer Lyon, and PRHC goalie coach Reed Kinsey. BOTTOM PHOTO: The Firebirds gather at the bench during an early-season NAPHL game in Dallas. Photos: Tracy Elmer

Calabasas native Krause decides on future with commitment to NCAA D-I LIU

BY MATT MACKINDER

Izzy Krause is from Calabasas but has played prep school hockey for the Bishop Kearney Selects the past few seasons in Rochester, N.Y.

Next season, Krause will stay in New York, starting her NCAA Division I career at Long Island University.

“This opportunity came up when I went to a showcase in Vegas,” said Krause. “Coach Kelly (Nash) saw me play and after the showcase was over, I contacted her. From there, we started communicating and I committed about three months later.

“The most appealing factor was probably how many options I have to study at LIU and just how welcoming the team was when I visited made me really feel like it was the right decision. The campus is also beautiful.”

Krause said that while she doesn’t have a concrete idea yet on a major at LIU, she is leaning towards some-

thing possibly in business.

On the ice, Krause wants to find her niche as a freshman.

“I want to go in with a hard-working mindset,” Krause said. “Nothing has been handed to me in my hockey career and I don’t expect that to change. I want to just continue to grow as a hockey player and be an impact player on the team.”

Playing for Bishop Kearney has been a turning point in Krause’s career. She is expecting big things this season.

“This season has helped me develop not only as a player but as a person to set myself up for success in college,” said Krause. “I believe that our team is filled with skill, but everyone is always willing to bring their best to practice and lifts every day. We push each other to be the best possible players we can, and I think that going into college, it will help my compete level be ready and make the transition easier.”

San Diego native, top scorer Moskal garners monthly honors from FPHL

The Federal Prospects Hockey League has announced that Elmira Mammoth forward Parker Moskal has been named the Player of the Month for October/November.

Moskal played in 13 games for the Mammoth during the first two months and recorded 13 goals with 18 assists for 31 points to lead the league in scoring, putting together a late surge the last week of November to take the scoring lead.

In his last three games, Moskal had a hat trick and an assist against Delaware on Nov. 23.

In the Nov. 25 game versus the Danbury Hat Tricks, he came up with four assists. Moskal then closed out

November on the 26th against Watertown by recording a hat trick to gain the scoring lead.

The 25-year-old native of San Diego began his professional career with the former Elmira Enforcers (2018-19) and has also played with other FPHL teams in his career, including the Mentor Ice Breakers (2018-20), Columbus River Dragons (2019-22) and the Delaware Thunder (2019-20).

This is the second time that Moskal has been named a monthly league award winner after picking up the FPHL Rookie of the Month back in March 2019.

-- Rubber Hockey Staff Report

Izzy Krause looks for the play during a recent game with the Bishop Kearney Selects. Photo provided

Parker Moskal is spending the ‘22-23 season with the Elmira Mammoth.

Fort Collins product Corser-James helping put Chatham NCAA women’s program on national map

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

This season at NCAA Division III Chatham University, Allison CorserJames entered the school’s record books as the team’s career leading scorer.

Not bad for the Fort Collins native, who has the rest of this season and 2023-24 to add to her totals that stood at 67 going into December.

“It means that we are, hopefully, helping Chatham progress its women’s ice hockey program to bigger and better things,” Corser-James said. “I am glad we are getting to a point where we are exceeding the standards set by those before us and, like them, paving a way forward for the next generation of women hockey players at this school.”

Going back a couple years, CorserJames said when the Chatham opportunity presented itself, the school had everything she was looking for, on and off the ice.

“The opportunity to play for Chatham came to me my senior year of high school,” explained CorserJames. “I had known the Chatham coach, Mike O’Grady, for a couple years through various showcases and tournaments I attended. He actually offered me to join his team at a different university, but the school was not the right fit for me. By a stroke of luck, it would seem, he would pick up a coaching position at Chatham my senior year. I immediately checked out the school and fell in

love with it. Chatham offered most importantly my major, but also its amazing location right in the heart of Pittsburgh. The team at Chatham also had a massive appeal to me.

“When I toured the school, two of the girls on the team took me out for lunch and showed me all the cool places they had already found while attending Chatham. Chatham checked all my boxes for what I wanted for a team, but most importantly what I wanted for a college experience.”

Corser-James is a Media Arts major with a concentration in Film and Digital Technology.

“So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the team and at the school,” Corser-James said. “Some of

my closest friends are the girls on the team. On a personal level, my time at Chatham has brought me connections that I know will last a lifetime. I’ve met some amazing people not only on the team but at the school. From friends, teammates, coaches, and professors, Chatham has brought me a close-knit group of people who positively impact all aspects of my life.”

She has also grown to admire the city of Pittsburgh, calling it a “super interesting place to live.”

“I knew nothing about Pittsburgh before I came to Chatham and I was pleasantly surprised,” said CorserJames. “It offers all the perks of living in a city-type area while not losing any of its steel city charm. The city itself is filled with a beautiful

blend of old and new. All the buildings, streets, etc., in Pittsburgh are packaged so chaotically yet beautifully together. I sometimes think I am looking at the craftsmanship of a miniature model maker when looking at the sprawling houses, bridges, and churches along the hills of Pittsburgh.

“There are so many nooks and crannies to discover throughout Pittsburgh and so many close-knit communities to explore.”

During her youth, Corser-James started playing hockey at the NoCo Ice Center which is literally right across the street from her house.

“I started off as a figure skater and made the move to hockey after watching my younger brother start to play,” Corser-James said. “I enjoyed the jumps of figure skating, but not so much the grace and pose it entailed. Hockey seemed like all the fun parts of figure skating to me. It also was a team sport, which I have always preferred. I played for NoCo’s youth teams until I made the switch to women’s ice hockey and played for the Lady RoughRiders in Denver. At that point in time, there were no AAA women’s ice hockey teams in Colorado, so I moved on to play travel for the Lady Blues in St. Louis. From there, I moved to women’s prep hockey at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., until I found myself at Chatham.”

Those formative years yielded positive coaches and influences for

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Allison Corser-James has been an offensive catalyst for Chatham, setting school records in the process. Photo: Jeanine Leech

Corser-James lighting up scoresheets as junior at NCAA D-III Chatham

Continued from Page 17

Corser-James.

“To me, my boys coach Rhett Gordon and my Hill School coach Ari Baum had major impacts on me as a player,” she said. “Rhett coached me while I was practicing with the local high school team and playing for the Lady Blues in St. Louis. I feel like a lot of my hockey knowledge comes from him. This is because of how he harnessed a constructive learning

Erie native, Bison,

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

environment. He did this through making fun of us for making dumb hockey plays, often in a hilarious fashion, and knowing when it was time to teach. His outlandish visuals and comments, while very funny, gave me the majority of the knowledge I possess about hockey today.

“Ari Baum was a great coach, but more so a great person to get any kind of advice from. He somehow knows everything and everyone even

RoughRiders product

Trace Norwell grew up in Colorado and after playing his formative years for the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders, has found his groove in the USPHL with the NCDC’s Twin City Thunder, a team based in Maine.

This season, the Erie native is averaging a point per game for the Thunder and said the league has been a turning point in his career.

“The league overall is a good skilled league that I thought my style of play would fit in well,” Norwell said. “The Thunder as an organization is led by great coaches, have loyalty to their players and help player development. This made me want to play for them (for the 2021-22 season).

“Overall, our team has been playing well this season. We’re a little bit of a younger team so the second half

though he won’t admit to it. I feel more than anything I learned a lot of life skills from him, especially through his legendary pre-game, post-game, and random times on extremely late bus rides back from games speeches he delivered.”

Going forward, Corser-James has plans to keep making an impact at the rink and in the classroom.

“This season, I hope our team can make it to the final round of the

UCHC playoffs and move on to the NCAA tournament,” said CorserJames. “As for school this year, I’m hoping to finish my current short film and hopefully enter it into some film festivals. I hope that I can continue to play hockey throughout college and continue to help grow our program. School-wise, I hope I can continue to get great opportunities to make films and build up my experience in the professional world.”

Norwell taking advantage of NCDC opportunity

of the season looks even more promising. Personally, I’ve been playing well. Been fortunate to play in many types of situations and do what I can to help the team succeed.”

Through 21 games, Norwell has posted 12 goals and nine assists. He’s on pace for 27 goals and 21 assists. Last season, Norwell recorded 13 goals and 32 points in 48 games for Twin City.

“Just being in the right place,” Norwell said of his scoring prowess.

“I’ve got two great linemates who have been able to find me in soft ice and leave the rest to me. I’ve also done a great job getting to the net and most of the time, you can be lucky and have the puck find you.”

Prior to the RoughRiders, Norwell skated for the Boulder Bison.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play under many great coaches, but Coach (Doug) Smail of my 18U years

helped me prepare well for junior hockey,” said Norwell.

Aging out of junior hockey after this season, Norwell already has his eyes on potential future plans.

“My short-term goals are to con-

tinue my development and success during this season,” Norwell said. “My long-term goals are to play hockey in college for a school with great academics, helping set me up after school.”

Aspen’s Mbereko takes home monthly NCHC accolades

Colorado College freshman Kaidan Mbereko has been named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month.

Mbereko was a rock in net for the Tigers in November, starting all six games as CC began conference play.

He earned two wins and a tie, going 2-3-1 in NCHC action, while compiling a .945 save percentage, which is second in the NCHC in November.

Mbereko’s 1.68 goals-against average is also second among NCHC netminders this month. He racked up 155 saves in November, tying for

third in the NCHC, averaging 25.83 saves per game.

The Aspen native opened November with his first collegiate shutout, making a career high 34 saves on

Kaidan Mbereko, a freshman goalie at Colorado College, played solid in goal last month for the Tigers and was rewarded with monthly honors from the NCHC.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Nov. 4 in a 5-0 win over then-No. 19 Minnesota Duluth. He matched his 34-save total the following weekend in a 2-1 win at Miami on Nov. 12. Mbereko also stopped 32 shots on Nov. 5 in the series finale with the Bulldogs, giving up only two goals. He was twice named the NCHC

Goaltender of the Week in November, earning it for his performance in the split with UMD Nov. 4-5 and for his win and tie at Miami the next weekend.

On the season, Mbereko improved to 3-5-1, while boasting a .920 save percentage, which is third in the NCHC. He also lowered his GAA to 2.38 on the year, tied for fifth in the NCHC.

During his youth hockey days back home, Mbereko played for the Aspen Leafs and Rocky Mountain Snow Kings.

Trace Norwell has been a key cog in the Twin City offense during the first half of the 2022-23 NCDC season. Photo: Mike “Ram” McDonough

Kings announce historic new ice rink partnership in Mammoth Lakes

The town of Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Lakes Tourism and Mammoth Lakes Recreation have launched an historic new, community-driven partnership with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

As part of the expansive, multiyear partnership, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, the partners have teamed up to launch LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes – the town’s first indoor Olympic-sized ice rink.

The forthcoming LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes will operate within a newly constructed, multi-use community recreation center that is set to open to the public in 2023. Additionally, as part of the agreement, MLT will continue its longstanding relationship as an official partner of the Kings.

For more than 20 years, Mammoth Lakes has been actively searching for a permanent home for an indoor ice rink and multi-use facility – one that would enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors with year-round access to high-quality and innovative indoor recreational program offerings and activities. This transformational partnership will bring the town’s long-awaited vision to life and is a demonstration of the partners’ mutual support and commitment to the health and well-being of the community as well as the growth of hockey and ice sports in the region.

“We could not be prouder to be working in partnership with Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Mammoth Lakes Recreation and the town of Mammoth Lakes to bring LA Kings Ice to Mammoth Lakes,” said Kings president and Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille. “We know this project will have a lasting and positive effect on the Mammoth Lakes community and we are delighted to help elevate the quality and experience of ice sports for its residents and visitors, many of whom are also avid hockey fans and players.”

The CRC, located at Mammoth Creek Park, will be a 40,000 squarefoot sprung performance arena enclosing the brand new LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes. The CRC will be open and available to the public year-round, with the new ice rink op-

erating annually each winter season between the months of October and April. During the summer months, the Olympic-sized rink will be transformed into a fully programmable, multi-use RecZone, which will serve as the hub for the expanding Parks and Recreation Department’s summer camps and programs.

To maximize operational efficiencies and to assist in the development of year-round programming, American Sports Entertainment Company, LLC, one of the largest independent owner/operators of ice rink facilities in the United States, have been contracted by the town to deliver year-round technical and operational consulting services for the facility.

Broad community input from local residents and industry experts alike helped inform and build the programming playbook for LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes. Based on this feedback, daily drop-in or frequently programmed on-ice activities at the facility will include public skating, youth and adult hockey, figure skat-

ing, and learn to skate lessons as well as the expanding curling program. The rink will also serve as the home of Mammoth Lakes Youth Hockey and the Mammoth Stars. Mammoth Lakes Youth Hockey is an all-volunteer and USA Hockey-sanctioned program providing in-house and travel hockey for the youth of the greater Eastern Sierra region. Residents and visitors of Mammoth Lakes will also be able to enjoy a multitude of court sports, community events and recreational activities programmed throughout summer delivering all recreation, all the time.

“This partnership with the LA Kings, an iconic NHL franchise, represents an incredible opportunity for the community of Mammoth Lakes,” said Daniel C. Holler, town manager. “The powerful collaboration with Mammoth Lakes Tourism and Mammoth Lakes Recreation to bring the LA Kings to Mammoth Lakes reflects the Town’s commitment to deliver world-class recreation amenities for both residents and visitors by strate-

gically partnering with the best of the best.”

Under the agreement, the LA Kings brand will be prominently featured at LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes including distinctive signage throughout the facility and at center ice.

The LA Kings will also advance its youth hockey development initiatives via LA Kings Youth Hockey camps hosted at the rink as well as unique on-site programming designed to promote hockey and increase accessibility of the sport amongst local youth.

“Combined with community driven and professionally branded programming, the new ‘LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes’ operated by the Parks and Recreation Department and supported by ASEC, will be a gamechanger for recreation in Mammoth Lakes,” stated Stuart Brown, Parks and Recreation director for the town. “We are thrilled to welcome the LA Kings and ASEC to our community to help us infuse a lifelong love of hockey and ice sports for youth, adults and the young at heart.”

As an official partner of the Kings, MLT will have prominent brand exposure during March and April Kings home games at Crypto.com Arena, and across the team’s digital channels.

The partnership also provides a significant opportunity for MLT to introduce visitors from Los Angeles and around the world to the town, along with some of its best sights and attractions. Mammoth Lakes is known for its year-round natural beauty and this partnership further promotes MLT’s new “The Real Unreal” marketing campaign and reinforces the town’s position as a world-class travel destination.

“We are honored to be a part of the team helping to bring LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes to life,” said Scott Emery, vice president, AEG Global Partnerships. “This project and partnership has been many years in the making and will be an invaluable resource for so many.

“We look forward to the positive impact it will have on the community for years to come.”

-- LA Kings PR Staff

LA Kings at Mammoth Lakes will soon be the town’s first indoor Olympicsized ice rink. Photo: LA Kings

Inaugural Los Alamos Winter Classic hockey event coming to outdoor rink

Los Alamos County Community Services Department has partnered with the Los Alamos Hockey Association (LAHA) to bring a threeday hockey event to the Los Alamos County outdoor ice rink: The Los Alamos Winter Classic, Dec. 9-11, 2022.

The Los Alamos Winter Classic will host teams from El Paso, Amarillo, and Alamosa, ranging in age from Pee Wee to high school. High school varsity games are scheduled for each day during the event.

The capstone event for the Los Alamos Winter Classic is the NAHL hockey game featuring the New Mexico Ice Wolves against the El Paso Rhinos. This is a sanctioned NAHL game and is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 11. The game will also be televised on the subscription service HockeyTV at www.hockeytv. com and locally on PAC8 in Los Alamos.

While the Los Alamos Winter Classic is a free event, the NAHL game is a ticketed event and tickets are currently sold out. Gates open at 1 p.m. on Dec. 11 for the NAHL game. Handicapped parking will be available at the ice rink. However, due to parking limitations, attendees will need to park at Sullivan Field and then board a shuttle for the game. All ticket sales are to benefit the Los Alamos Hockey Association.

The Ice Wolves are building on their record-setting 2021-22 season that saw the team earn its first-ever NAHL South Division playoff championship title along with NAHL

The NAHL has announced that Oklahoma Warriors forward Brendan Williams is the NAHL Forward of the Month.

Williams, 20, had a big month of November to help his team move into first place in the South Division.

The native of San Juan Capistrano appeared in nine games during November and recorded 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) along with a plus-8 rating. Williams had three game-winning goals during the month and recorded at least a point in

season honors in which head coach Phil Fox was named 2021-22 NAHL Coach of the Year and team owner Stan Hubbard was named 2021-22 NAHL Executive of the Year.

“We are honored to be a part of the Los Alamos Winter Classic and are tremendously grateful to our partners in Los Alamos for their efforts to work with us to grow the game of hockey in New Mexico,” said Hubbard. “This is a mighty and exciting undertaking as we are moving our entire hockey operation to Los Alamos including all that is required for the youth clinics and professional eight-camera broadcasts to help create an important and fun weekend of hockey in our state.”

“We have great owners in the NAHL that love to do unique and

new things for the players and their respective communities,” added Mark Frankenfeld, president and commissioner of the NAHL. “The New Mexico Ice Wolves have been leaders in this category, and this is another great example of a great organization being really creative to create a unique experience in their marketplace to bring more awareness to the great sport of ice hockey.”

Below is the weekend schedule: Dec. 9, 2022 (Friday):

6:45pm – 8:45pm LAHA Varsity Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs Santa Fe

Dec. 10, 2022 (Saturday):

7:45am – 8:45am LAHA Bantam Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El Paso

9:00am – 10:00am LAHA Pee Wee

Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El paso

10:15am – 11:15am LAHA Squirt Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El Paso

12:00pm -1:15pm Hockey Clinic w/ NM Ice Wolves for Youth Teams, U8 – U10 (ages 7-10)

1:30pm – 2:45pm Hockey Clinic w/ NM Ice Wolves for Youth Teams, U12 – U14 (ages 11-14)

3:00pm – 4:00pm LAHA Bantam Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El Paso

4:15pm – 5:15pm LAHA Pee Wee Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El Paso

5:30pm – 6:30pm LAHA Squirt Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs El Paso

6:45pm – 8:45pm LAHA Varsity Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs Amarillo

9:15pm – 10:45pm LAHA JV Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs Alamosa

Dec. 11, 2022 (Sunday):

7:30am – 9:30am LAHA Varsity Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs Amarillo

9:45am – 11:15am LAHA JV Hockey Game: Los Alamos vs Alamosa

11:30am – 1:00pm NAHL Game Setup

1:00pm – 1:25pm Warm-ups

1:30pm – 1:45pm Ice Resurfacing

2:00pm – 2:10pm Ceremony Items

2:15pm – 5:00pm NAHL Hockey Game: NM Ice Wolves vs. El Paso Rhinos

eight of the nine contests and had five multi-point games. For the season, Williams is currently second in team scoring with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in just 17 games played.

“As a team, we had a nice month of November and Brendan led the way offensively for us,” said Warriors head coach Garrett Roth. “We couldn’t be happier for Brendan with how hard he has worked and his commitment to our team’s success.”

“I’d say what made our team able to have such a great month is how

close our team has become on and off the ice,” added Williams. “Every game, we know we’re battling for the guy sitting right next to us in the locker room, so I think that has kept everyone motivated to leave it all out there every game.”

Back home, Williams won two USA Hockey high school national championships with Santa Margarita Catholic High School.

Williams also played youth hockey for OC Hockey Club, LA Hockey Club and Anaheim Jr. Ducks.

-- Rubber Hockey Staff Report

The New Mexico Ice Wolves played an intrasquad scrimmage outdoors in Los Alamos prior to the 2021-22 NAHL season. Photo: NM Ice Wolves

Two-time SMCHS national champ, longtime Jr. Ducks standout Williams nabs monthly NAHL honors

Brendan Williams has been a a go-to player up front this season for the NAHL’s Oklahoma Warriors. Photo: C. Coffey Photography

USPHL spotlights Arizona, California, Colorado connections with monthly awards

The USPHL has announced its monthly player awards for November, featuring a handful of Arizona, California and Colorado products.

At the Premier level Californiawise, Antonio Tarantino (Vernal Oilers) is the Northwest Division Goaltender of the Month and Dimitri Voyatzis (Ogden Mustangs) is the Mountain Division Forward of the Month, while Josh Bruno (Northern Cyclones) picks up Elite North Division Forward of the Month accolades.

A USPHL veteran and Fremont native, the 2002-born Tarantino was tapped for four of the Oilers’ seven games in November and was equal to the task every time out, stopping all but six of 145 shots faced for a .959 save percentage, third best for Premier goalies with at least 180 minutes played last month.

He never gave up more than two goals in any of these four games, including stopping 37 of 38 against Seattle and 43 of 44 against Rock Springs.

Overall, the second-year Premier goalie is second in wins (11) and sixth in save percentage (.945).

Tarantino’s .943 save percentage since the start of 2021-22 is currently the best among all active two-year USPHL Premier goaltenders. The Boston Jr. Bruins’ Dominik Bovan is a close second at .941 since last season.

In California, Tarantino played for the Golden State Elite Eagles and San Jose Jr. Sharks.

Voyatzis, a 2003 birth year out of Fountain Valley, started November with a career-long seven-game point streak and three multi-point games to continue climbing the Mountain Division scoring charts.

He finished the month with 12 points (6-6-12) in eight games, including a goal in the ‘Stangs’ 3-2 win over archrival Utah on Nov. 25.

Voyatzis has been Ogden’s most consistent scorer as he’s now recorded a point in 19 of Ogden’s 22 games.

Back home, Voyatzis skated for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks.

Bruno, an ‘04 out of Los Angeles, remained with the Cyclones organization after experiencing success last

year with Northern’s USPHL 18U squad.

This year, Bruno has posted 26 points in 17 games this year with the Elite team, including the 11 points he put up in six games of November (5-6-11).

His November points are joined with a 1-2-3 line on Oct. 30 to give him a seven-game point streak of 20 points, nearly a 3.00 points-per-game average.

Prior to coming to the Cyclones, Bruno played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings, Orange County Hockey Club and Empire Hockey Club.

Las Vegas Thunderbirds’ blueliner Nick Bonaldi is the Pacific Division

off his offensive skills.

In November he picked up 15 points with four goals and 11 assists putting him in the No. 3 spot for points on the T-Birds.

He currently has 30 points with five goals and 25 assists and is a crucial part of Las Vegas getting the puck in the net.

Prior to junior hockey, Bonaldi skated for the Las Vegas Storm and Arizona Bobcats.

Spotlighting Arizona alumni, Springfield Pics netminder Chase Ebeyer is the North Division Elite Goaltender of the Month.

For the Pics to begin to pick up steam and move up the standings,

save percentage was just about the same, at .927 off of 102 saves on 110 shots in three appearances.

Ebeyer was the only goalie in the North Division to face more than 100 shots and come out with a betterthan-.900 save percentage in November.

He earned his first win of the season on Nov. 12 against the Boston Jr. Bruins. He also helped his team register points in shootout losses against the Islanders Hockey Club (stopping 46 of 49 shots over 65 minutes) and the New York Aviators (17 of 20 in team play, plus two of four in the shootout).

Back home, Ebeyer played for the DYHA Jr. Sun Devils and Pinnacle High School.

Boston Jr. Bruins blueliner and Colorado product Cameron Craig is the New England Premier Division Defenseman of the Month.

The Post University recruit continues to impress, helping to be a key to the Jr. Bruins’ undefeated November and streak of 11 games that went from Oct. 11 through Dec. 1, and encompassed all six games they played last month.

A 2002 birth year from Larkspur, Craig put up four points over the course of the month and a plus-5 rating.

A third-year Premier defenseman already preparing for his known NCAA hockey destination, Craig now has nine points in 17 games this year and 24 points in 96 career contests.

Back home, Craig played for the Littleton Hockey Association.

-- Joshua Boyd, Britt Hart, Grace Mello & Brendan Price/USPHL.com

Not only did he show stellar defense in the month of November as a plus-9 with 11 blocked shots and five hits, but Bonaldi, a 2003-born Las Vegas native, was also able to show

any improvement will likely have to do with the play of Ebeyer, a 2004 Scottsdale native.

His play in November has placed him seventh overall in the league in save percentage at .926. His monthly

Antonio Tarantino Dimitri Voyatzis Josh Bruno

Nick Bonaldi

Chase Ebeyer

Defenseman of the Month.

Cameron Craig

Pioneers, Tigers heading to Ball Arena next month

Due to record ticket demand for Denver hockey games and in furtherance of the Hockey Capital USA campaign, the Gold Pan series is heading to the NHL.

The Pioneers’ series-opening game on Friday, Jan. 27 against in-state foe Colorado College has been moved from Magness Arena on the campus of DU to downtown Denver’s Ball Arena, home of the Colorado Avalanche.

Puck drop for the game remains at 7 p.m. MT.

“The Denver-Colorado College rivalry is one of the most-played series in college hockey, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our two historic programs at the home of the Avalanche,” said Denver coach David Carle. “We are thrilled to host this game at Ball Arena to give the great hockey fans of Denver and our program an opportunity to see us in an NHL venue. The goal is to provide our players with an experience that will be similar to the ‘Battle on Blake’ in 2016, the Loveland Regional last season, and ultimately a taste of what the Frozen Four in Tampa this April will be like.”

“We are excited to take one of the best rivalries in college hockey to Ball Arena,” added Colorado College coach Kris Mayotte. “It shows the tremendous appetite for hockey in Colorado. We are looking forward to an incredible atmosphere and event.”

The move to the downtown Denver arena comes on the heels of the city earning the moniker of Hockey Capital USA following the Avalanche (NHL), Pioneers (NCAA D-I), Denver East High School (Tier II national championship) and Avalanche Pee Wee Team (Quebec International PeeWee Hockey Tournament) winning championships in 2022. Last season marked the first time in 50 years that the champion of the NHL and college hockey both called the same city home (Boston, 1972).

“Denver has always been a great hub for hockey and this matchup between two of college hockey’s long-standing rivals in a setting like this only further validates that,” said

Denver athletics director Josh Berlo. “This game will not only showcase Denver and Colorado College’s programs, but NCAA Division I hockey on a larger scale in our state, region, and beyond. I would like to thank the staff of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and Colorado College for all their help and support to make this game a possibility.”

“Colorado College is excited to participate in this exciting event that will showcase college hockey in Colorado and provide an exciting experience for our student-athletes, community and fans,” CC’s vice president and director of athletics Lesley Irvine said.

Fans who currently have tickets for the Jan. 27 game against Colorado College at Magness Arena should have already received information prior to the announcement from the DU ticket office. If not, contact the DU ticket office. Ticket holders will be reseated to comparable locations at Ball Arena at no additional cost.

To purchase tickets, visit DenverPioneers.com/tickets or contact the

DU ticket office at 303-871-4625 or duticket@du.edu. Tickets purchased at this time will be reseated at Ball Arena in a comparable location by mid-December and patrons will receive email confirmation as such. Ticket sales will transition to Ball Arena via Ticketmaster on Dec. 13. Tickets start at $25 each.

Information on the process for ticket access in the DU student section will be sent out to University of Denver students when they return to campus for the winter quarter in January.

This will be the first regular-season game that the Pioneers have played at Ball Arena. The program played an exhibition contest at Ball Arena on Oct. 6, 2012 against the University of British Columbia to accommodate a U.S. presidential debate that occurred the same week at Magness Arena.

The Pioneers and Tigers have met 332 times previously in their history, presently the second-most played rivalry in college hockey behind only Michigan and Michigan State (333 games). Denver won its third-straight

Gold Pan and retained the trophy for the 16th season after winning all four games in 2021-22.

Denver went on to also capture its second Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions and its NCAA record-tying ninth national championship last season.

2022-23 Gold Pan Series

Schedule (all times MST)

-- Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 @ Ball Arena, Denver, 7 p.m.

-- Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 @ Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, 6 p.m.

-- Friday, March 3, 2023 @ Magness Arena, Denver, 8 p.m.

-- Saturday, March 4, 2023

@ Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, 6 p.m.

Ball Arena is home to the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche. Photo: Denver Athletics

Thunderbirds, Jr. Coyotes graduate Hansen making mark out east with EHL’s Philadelphia Hockey Club

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

Nick Hansen was bound to play junior hockey in Philadelphia one way or another.

Last season, the talented goaltender signed a tender with the NCDC’s Philadelphia Hockey Club and planned on heading east this season.

When the NCDC team left the USPHL during the offseason, an EHL team was created and Hansen signed to play there.

“The facility is great,” said Hansen of the Hollydell Ice Center. “We got a good setup and we have a good, skilled, hard-working team. I got a pretty busy schedule with a 1:30-1:45 p.m. practice every day and then a 45-minute workout. When I’m not at the rink with the team, I’m normally just back at the billet house doing schoolwork.

“I live in a nice area about 30 minutes outside of Philly and it’s quiet and calm.”

Hansen said his top goal this season is a simple one.

“My priority is to continue developing and working on my game to move up to a higher level of juniors either this season or next season,” Hansen said.

Born in South Korea and adopted when he was born, Hansen was just a year old when he came to the United

States to grow up in Arizona, where he has lived his whole life.

“After playing for the Jr. Coyotes program for 7-8 years, I decided it was time for change,” said Hansen. “I had some friends that I’ve made over the years doing summer camps and tournaments from all over and

they played on the Colorado Thunderbirds and they told me I should come try out so I did and ended up playing there for the first time my 16U season.”

Hansen also played on the Thunderbirds’ 18U team before coming to Philadelphia prior to the 2022-23 season.

“The Thunderbirds coach that has had the biggest impact on me was David Clarkson,” Hansen said. “He really pushed me past my limits. I think he knew I had more in me at times and pushed me to understand how to give it my all each and every day, on and off the ice.”

Looking ahead, Hansen sees continuous advancement.

“My short-term goal in hockey would probably just to make it to the next level and to hopefully one day play NCAA Division I college hockey,” said Hansen. “I would like to go to school to pursue a business degree. Then long term would to be able to play professional hockey somewhere and make it my full-time job and career.”

El Paso captain, Parker native Pent seeing NA3HL season off to sucecssful start

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

For Payne Pent, he simply wanted an opportunity to continue playing hockey after the 2020-21 season with Cherry Creek High School.

The El Paso Rhinos chose Pent in the first round (29th overall) of the 2021 NA3HL Draft and it’s been all positive since then.

“I was interested in coming here because there’s an NA team here in the same building and I think the league has done a good job on getting kids chances in the NA with tenders and draft picks,” said Pent, a Parker native. “I think we are starting to gel as a team and start playing how we know we can.

“I think personally I’ve had a good start to the season but know there’s still a lot of games left.”

This season, Pent was named cap-

tain of the Rhinos, something he was not expecting.

“It was a surprise to be captain,” Pent said. “I knew there was a chance being a returning guy, but we have a whole room full of leaders this year.”

Playing in El Paso has been a joy for Pent, who said it’s more than just a hockey team.

“I like El Paso a lot,” Pent said. “The people here are super friendly and the weather is nice year-round so we can go golf or go to team activities outside.”

Growing up, Pent played for the Arapahoe Warriors until his 14U year with coach Tim Shay and Sean Leonard, then moved to the Colorado Evolution with coaches Sergei Bautin and Pete Cardasis. After Evolution, Pent went to the Colorado Springs Tigers for his 15U and 16U years with coach Kevin Holmstrom, and

then played for Cherry Creek under coach Jeff Mielnicki in 2020-21.

“All my coaches have helped me a lot throughout my journey on and off the ice,” said Pent.

Looking ahead, Pent’s dreams all revolve around hockey, and he has all the confidence in the world that he can realize his aspirations.

“My short-term goals are to make this season as successful as possible and try to earn myself an NA opportunity,” Pent said. “My long-term goal is to play NCAA hockey at the Division I or Division III level.”

Pent said he started playing hockey when he was five years old.

“My dad’s passion of hockey was huge, and he wanted me to continue,” Pent said. “The Avs played a role in my love for hockey with going to the games and being family friends with the Hejduk’s.”

Nick Hansen is enjoying his first junior hockey season with the EHL’s Philadelphia Hockey Club. Photo: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images

Payne Pent wears the ‘C’ this season for the NA3HL’s El Paso Rhinos. Photo:: El Paso Rhinos

Larkspur native, longtime LHA standout Craig uses USPHL as springboard to NCAA D-II Post commitment

BY BRITT HART USPHL.COM

Boston Jr. Bruins defenseman Cameron Craig has committed to Post University (NCAA Division II) for the fall of 2023.

The 2002-born native of Larkspur is in his third season at the Premier level with the Jr. Bruins organization.

Craig knew going into his senior year of high school that he would like to further his playing career outside of Castle View High School in Colorado. He had his sights set on the USPHL and it was coach Mike Anderson that helped his dream of coming out East a reality.

“I first learned about the Jr. Bruins during my junior year of high school while attending a showcase in hopes to get on the radar of junior programs. It was during this showcase that I was approached by Coach Anderson,” said Craig. “Although I chose to remain in Colorado that season, I never lost interest in the program and knew the New England Division and Boston Jr. Bruins was where I wanted to begin my junior hockey career.”

Cameron’s goals aligned with the goals of the USPHL, to play college hockey. It is no secret that the league has placed more players in college hockey than any other league. Sticking with the USPHL and Jr. Bruins over the course of three years has done nothing but helped Craig eventually commit to Post University.

“I decided to stay with BJB all three season because of my coaches and teammates. I felt that I was continuing in my development each year and knew that if I stuck with the process and hard work, I would be able to continue toward my goal of playing college hockey,” said Craig.

With academics also being an important factor, Craig was determined to find the university that he believed would benefit him both on and off the ice. After his initial conversation with the Post coaching staff, the Colorado native began to further explore to as-

sets that Post University had to offer.

“I was really looking for a university where the focus is on each individual student and aiding students on excelling academically,” exclaimed Craig. “Post is a university with smaller class sizes and an excellent business program which made it a no brainer decision.”

As a three-year veteran for the program, the Jr. Bruins staff have been extremely pleased with Craig’s contributions to the Premier team and have been looking forward to seeing the ’02 defenseman achieve his goal of playing college hockey.

“It has been a pleasure watching him grow into the player he is today over the past three seasons. He has taken pride in his development, never misses a day in the gym or on the ice and has enjoyed the process of climbing to the next level,” said Premier head coach Nevin Hamilton.

During his youth hockey days, Craig skated with the Littleton Hockey Association.

Having never played AAA hockey, Craig believe his experience with Littleton helped make the transition to junior hockey an easy one.

“I have always played for Littleton and guys like Brian TenEyck, Rick Adams and Phil Patenaude have been very positive influences for me throughout my hockey career and have provided opportunities to improve as a player and help me get to where I am today,” said Craig. “I have worked very hard over the last four years and have had really great coaches that have pushed me to be the best that I can be. I do extra practices with higher-level teams that have helped me developed.

“Initially, my take on (signing with the Jr. Briins) is that when an opportunity comes to you, you take

advantage of it and continue to work toward your goals. I am very excited about next year and will continue to work hard and be a good teammate.”

Back in the spring of 2020 when Craig first signed with the Jr. Bruins, he was excited to say the least.

“I played at a CCM Showcase last summer (2019) and Coach Mike (Anderson) from the Jr. Bruins reached out to me and offered me an opportunity to play for them,” said Craig. “But after some discussion, I decided to stay in Colorado and finish my senior year. I stayed in contact with the coach over this last year, which lead to them offering me a spot again this year, which I was excited to accept.”

“I liked the coach and the team has had great success in their league. I am also impressed with New England’s great reputation for hockey in general.”

-- With files from Matt Mackinder

Summit product, Breckenridge native Ebbinhgaus finding role as rookie with USPHL’s Royals

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

Blaze Ebbinghaus spent his youth hockey career with the Summit program before skating for the high school team.

His game caught the eye of junior teams and this season, the Breckenridge native is developing his talents with the USPHL’s Rogue Valley Royals, a team based in Oregon.

“The opportunity arose from a coach from back home (JR Engelbert) that had a connection with my coach now (Chris Miller),” Ebbinghaus said. “What made me come here in the first place was that my coach told us we were going to be a family, and we are. The league is a great development league for the level of play and players. Billeting is awesome and my billets are like my home away from home.

“My team is a very young team with a lot of first-year players, including myself, so it’s hard to fully

Tigers alum Bloom

BY MATT MACKINDER COLORADO HOCKEY HUB

Tyler Bloom is averaging better than a point per game this season, his second with the NA3HL’s Helena Bighorns.

With 10 goals and 20 points in 15 games, Bloom is on pace to shatter his 42-point output from 2021-22.

A Helena native, Bloom had to leave Montana a few years back to start the cycle of returning home.

“I played my 15U and 16U years with the Colorado Springs Tigers organization,” said Bloom. “Then my family moved to Illinois where I played hockey at for my two 18U seasons. Mike Greene and Jed Synder both coached me while I was in Colorado and one day, they called me up and said they bought a hockey team in Helena, which is my hometown.

“After Mike and Jed bought the team, a bunch of my old Colorado buddies signed to play here so we had a really good group of guys. Deciding to play here my second season was super easy. Our team this season has a lot of skill and tons of potential. We are going to be a very scary team

understand what it means to the guys that this is the last year of their junior career. From a personal and development perspective, I’m definitely in the right place for developing and being around good people.”

Ebbinghaus said that “Oregon is a beautiful place with lots of beautiful views and great people.”

“Also, not much snow, so a plus and a minus,” he quipped.

With Summit, Ebbinghaus said all the coaches he played for were great and that it was a very well-organized program.

Going forward, Ebbinghaus said he has reachable goals in mind.

“For hockey, I would love to play it for as long as I can and continue on the path that I’m on right now to hopefully make it to play college somewhere,” Ebbinghaus said. “Short-term goals would be finishing the season with at least 15 points, and long term would be ending my junior years with 50 points.”

Bighorns

once we get out stride going.”

And while the points have been coming for Bloom, he says it’s just a result of buying in to the team’s systems.

“Our coaches have a really good game plan for each game and having challenging practices really help me prepare for the game,” Bloom said. “I also use lots of wax on my stick.”

Back in Colorado, Bloom said his game took a turn for the better once he threw on a Tigers jersey.

“All of the coaches in the Tigers organization really care for the players,” said Bloom. “Mike Greene, Jed Snyder, Will English, and every other coach in that organization had a positive influence on me, on and off the ice.”

In his final season of junior hockey, Bloom has reasonable goals for the future.

“My short-term goal in hockey it to just a have a good season and win the championship with my team,” Bloom said. “My long-term goal is to commit to a college that will challenge me academically and that has a good hockey program.”

Blaze Ebbinghaus battles for the puck early this season, his first yesar with the USPHL’s Rogue Valley Royals. Photo: Duke Jones

exuding success, improvement in NA3HL playing for hometown

Tyler Bloom spent time developing in youth hockey away from home with the Colorado Springs Tigers and is now skating for his hometown Helena Bighorns in the NA3HL. Photo: G Marshall

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