Saturday, March 30, 2013

Kurtz Joins PSU as Special Assistant

Morris Kurtz coached the Icers as they became the first collegiate team to play in Europe in 1976

Morris Kurtz, who coached the Icers to a 24-6-1 record from 1974-1976, has been hired by Penn State as a special assistant for athletic operations and will start Monday, as reported by the St. Cloud (MN) Times.
“I started talking with them because I still had a lot of friends from my time there,” Kurtz said. “It was just a progressive type of thing. I was thrilled at the opportunity. Penn State’s been significant for me. I met my wife in Happy Valley. It gave me the foundation that allowed me to eventually springboard to St. Cloud State.

“We never thought hockey would become a Division I sport. It was a pipe dream back when I coached. Thank goodness a lot of people worked hard to make it happen.”
After leaving PSU, where he earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. from 1973-1979, Kurtz, as mentioned, moved on to St. Cloud State, where he enjoyed a successful 27 years as athletic director before the 61-year-old retired late last year. Notably - and stop me if this sounds at all familiar - he oversaw SCSU hockey's transition to NCAA Division I in 1987 shortly after starting there. The Huskies, at the time, made quite an entrance, including the hiring of legendary coach Herb Brooks in 1986 and the construction of the 5,763-seat National Hockey and Event Center in 1989.

Since then, they have become one of the more stable programs in college hockey, making nine NCAA Tournament appearances (including this season, as they open their run with Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon) against just three losing seasons since 1996. Kurtz helped steer SCSU through the recent conference reshuffle by landing a spot in the NCHC, which will be one of the premier leagues in the country when it begins play next season, while several of their current WCHA rivals were left behind in the league, which is losing much of its luster.

His role at Penn State apparently will start with a heavy focus on hockey, but will broaden to include all areas of the athletic department.
“There are a lot of other assignments for me [outside of hockey],” Kurtz said. “But a lot of my time will be spent on hockey the first six to nine months with their transition to the Big Ten. My responsibilities will be department-wide.

“Sitting in the AD chair at St. Cloud State will certainly help me deal with things from budgets to fundraising to personnel issues. I’ve had invaluable experiences here that will allow me to help moving forward.”
It's a move clearly intended to help support PSU AD David Joyner, who has filled the role since the Jerry Sandusky scandal engulfed former long-time AD Tim Curley, but is often criticized for his lack of relevant experience as well as the manner in which the former Board of Trustees member acquired the job.

Even while still working at St. Cloud State, Kurtz had consulted with Joe Battista and Penn State's hockey people during throughout the Nittany Lions' DI launch and knows what awaits him at University Park.
“They’ve had an unbelievable reaction to hockey out there,” Kurtz said. “They’re putting seats into the arena this week. It’s going to be a wonderful place to play.”

“Retirement wasn’t what I thought it would be,” [he continued]. “I did some consulting work and that was OK. I just missed being around young people. I know the challenges that await me and I look forward to meeting them."
Notably, Kurtz also told the Times that he "definitely intends to make [an annual non-conference series between Penn State and St. Cloud State] happen. He'll also "do what [he] can" to continue to assist St. Cloud State with fundraising efforts for the National Hockey and Event Center, which is presently undergoing a renovation and expansion.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Commit Cycle: March 28 (Women)

It's that horrible time of year again, when the primary hockey season winds down and we start to remove players from the Commit Cycle posts, before pausing the series for the summer once they're all gone. Playing hockey at a high level is a year-round commitment of course, but information from all of the camps, showcases and leagues during the "offseason" isn't gained steadily enough to maintain a regular post (in cases where it is available, it will still be passed along, of course).

Here are the removed players and how their seasons concluded. As always, check W Current Commitments for full stats.
  • Laura Bowman, Amy Petersen and Hannah Ehresmann (Minnetonka High School) won a third consecutive Minnesota AA state title following a 21-4-0 regular season, a Lake Conference championship, and a successful run through the Section 6AA tournament. While Ehresmann was the backup goalie for the sectional and state tournaments after getting half of the starts during the regular season, Bowman and Petersen were - as they've been throughout their careers - the centerpieces of the Skippers' offense. Both were named to the state all-tournament team and finish their careers as the top two scorers in Skippers history. Bowman was also named a Minnesota Ms. Hockey semifinalist.
  • Sarah Nielsen (Edina High School) fell short of the state tournament and a shot at redemption for losses to Minnetonka (2011's championship game) and Paige Jahnke's Roseville (2012's semifinals) by losing 3-1 to Eden Prairie in the Section 2AA finals. The Hornets went 13-7-5 in the regular season, with Nielsen leading the team in assists.
  • Christi Vetter (Lakeville North High School), after winning the South Suburban Conference co-championship and the Section 1AA tournament, finished third at states. The Panthers were eliminated by Minnetonka in a six-overtime semifinal that stands as the longest game in the history of the tournament, despite Vetter's two goals that forced overtime. Vetter, who helped the Panthers to a 17-6-2 regular season with a team-high 18 tallies, also scored an overtime goal in the state quarterfinals and joined future teammates Petersen and Bowman on the all-tournament team.

Remi Martin

Defender
Colorado Springs Tigers 19U/Foothills Flyers MM AA
5'6" // Littleton, CO
Entering 2014
DOB 7/15/1996




Colorado Springs followed their state championship won in mid-February with a Rocky Mountain District title and will play at the USA Hockey Tier II 19U National Championships April 3rd through 7th in San Jose, CA... the Tigers will play pool games against the Washington Wild (April 3rd), the Big Sky Wildcats (April 4th) and the East Coast Wizards (April 5th) and can advance to the quarterfinals (April 6th) by finishing in the top four of the group of six... Martin was featured in an article on the Tigers' website highlighting their team-record ten college commitments... Said Martin: "I love playing with the Tigers. It has given me the opportunity to be seen while playing with a great team. It allowed me to become more familiar with the girls game as I have played boys hockey prior to playing with the Tigers. My coach has been amazing allowing me to try new things and not handicapping me from using different skill sets."

Related stories:
An Impressive 10 Players Make NCAA Commitments (csaha.com)



Daniela Paniccia

Goaltender
Oakville Hornets AA
5'3" // Oakville, ON
Entering 2015
DOB 1997




Date
Opponent
ScoreSAGASv%GAA 
2/28
vs. Etobicoke Dolphins
T 2-2
24
2
0.917
2.00
3/2
vs. Mississauga Chiefs
W 5-0
--
-
---
---
3/3
vs. Etobicoke Dolphins
L 0-2
23
2
0.913
1.79
3/4
vs. Oakville Hornets MAA2
W 4-3
--
-
---
---
3/6
vs. Oakville Hornets MAA2
W 2-0
16
0
1.000
0.00
3/7
vs. Mississauga Chiefs
W 7-2
--
-
---
---
3/10
vs. Burlington Barracudas
W 3-2
20
2
0.900
2.00

As of the last Commit Cycle post, the Hornets were 2-1-0 through three of the eight games in Division K of the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial playdowns... since then, Oakville swept through the remaining division schedule to successfully earn advancement to the provincial championship weekend as one of the final 24 teams in the Midget AA category... those championships will take place from April 4th through 7th - a round-robin within groups of four teams opens things on the 4th and 5th, with a top two finish in a pool including the Belleville Bearcats, the Cornwall Typhoons and the North Bay Ice Boltz needed to secure advancement... things did not proceed quite as well in the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League playoffs, where the Etobicoke Dolphins halted the Hornets' playoff run in the Central Division semifinals with a best-of-three series win... ahead of the OWHA championships, the Hornets will play in the Brampton Canadettes Easter Tournament Thursday through Monday.



Kelly Seward

Defender
Nichols School/Buffalo Bisons 19U
5'9" // Williamsville, NY
Entering 2013
DOB 6/7/1995




Since last time, Nichols School completed a highly-successful season with a best-of-three sweep of Appleby College to win the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association playoff title via a 7-4 win on February 27th... previously, the Vikings won the CISAA regular season title with an 11-2-2 record, as well as the North American Prep Hockey Association regular season and playoff championships... Seward, with her Buffalo Bisons team, won the New York State Amateur Hockey Association title on March 9th with 8-1 wins over the Troy-Albany Ice Cats and the Rochester Edge and will represent the New York district at the USA Hockey Tier I 19U National Championships which, as with Martin's Tier II tournament, will be April 3rd through 7th in San Jose, CA.

Monday, March 25, 2013

The Penn Stater's Guide to the NCAA Tournament III

Welcome to TYT's third annual "I'm a Penn State fan. Who should I root for in the NCAA Tournament?" post. To reiterate the rules: this post is not about prediction, serious analysis, or even personal preference (although that does creep into play on occasion). It's simply an attempt to rank the four schools in each of the four NCAA Tournament regions in terms of their relationship to PSU. Sometimes it involves past events, sometimes it involves future implications. Sometimes there's not a ton to go on, and I'll usually drop those schools somewhere in the middle. But if Penn State is your only concern, this is how I think your rooting interests should play out.

Until Penn State has a direct reason (ie. participation) to care about the NCAA Tournament, I'll defer to others for the hardcore stuff. Western College Hockey Blog, for example, has fantastic previews of each region (East, Northeast, Midwest, West), and I encourage you to go over there for further reading.

The winners of each region, of course, will congregate at the Frozen Four, hosted this year by Pittsburgh's CONSOL Energy Center and Robert Morris University on April 11th (semifinals) and 13th (championship game). It's actually the first of consecutive Frozen Fours to be held in the Keystone State, as 2014's edition will head across the commonwealth to Philadelphia.

Finally, before we get started, here are the tournament brackets (interactive and PDF) from NCAA.com.

East Region (Providence, RI)

1. Quinnipiac vs. 4. Canisius, Saturday 5:30 p.m., ESPN3
2. Boston College vs. 3. Union, Saturday 9:00 p.m., ESPNU
Regional Final, Sunday 6:30 p.m., ESPNU


1. Union. It seems almost crazy now, given what happened subsequently, but I was absolutely pumped by PSU's competitive losses in Schenectady back in November (2-0 and 4-1, with empty-netters in both games). That was at a time when I didn't honestly see a major-conference win coming in NCAA Year One, and suffice it to say, I think Penn State would have a shot at being more than "competitive" today. In last year's version of this post, while discussing the Dutchmen, I said: "It would be pretty cool if the Dutchmen carried something like a Frozen Four appearance from this season into next season's games with the Nittany Lions." And yes, it was. With Union rumored to be making a trip to Pegula Ice Arena next season, I'm saying it again.

2. Canisius. The two Atlantic Hockey teams in the tournament this year both get a bump due to the fact that Penn State was an honorary member of the conference in 2012-2013, going 5-8-0 against AIC, RIT, Air Force, Sacred Heart, Army, Holy Cross, Robert Morris and Connecticut - there's nothing at all wrong with wanting to see the champion of the AHA tournament do well under those circumstances, even if they are up against it with an opening game against top overall seed Quinnipiac. The Golden Griffins also get points for a previous series with the Icers, back when the school played in NCAA Division III. PSU went 2-6-0 in those games, spanning from 1981 until 1995.

3. Quinnipiac. In a weaker region for Penn State interests (see: Midwest), the Bobcats may very well have been number one, due to my new blood bias (hey, we're new blood too, after all). For the little it may be worth now, QU's home TD Bank Sports Center was part of the legendary "get ideas for the PIA" arena tour taken by Penn State leadership, and is generally credited with influencing the "steep as code allows" (finish your drink!) nature of our nearly-complete student section.

4. Boston College. Eef. If you really want to see Boston College win anything (again), go away. If you're still here, it does need to be said that BC's one saving grace is the Eagles' three Pittsburgh natives: starting goalie Parker Milner, stud defenseman Patrick Wey, and freshman blueliner Travis Jeke. Diminutive superstar Johnny Gaudreau, the leading scorer both for BC and for Team USA's gold medal winning entry at this year's World Junior Championships, gets an honorable mention as a Philadelphia-area New Jersey native who played for Team Comcast. The three PA natives are tied with UMass-Lowell's batch as a tournament high.

Northeast Region (Manchester, NH)

1. UMass-Lowell vs. 4. Wisconsin, Friday 4:30 p.m., ESPN3
2. New Hampshire vs. 3. Denver, Friday 8:00 p.m., ESPNU
Regional Final, Saturday 6:30 p.m., ESPNU


1. Wisconsin. Do I really need to explain this one?


In its first NCAA season, Penn State beat a team that is participating in the NCAA Tournament. The fact that the Badgers are also a Big Ten school, and yeah, "rah-rah, go conference," almost seems like an afterthought next to that. Feel free to extrapolate and call UW the overall top seed - I'll be rooting for them against anyone in the field. Could you imagine if Penn State ended up beating the eventual national champions?

2. UMass-Lowell. Things significantly drop off from a Penn State standpoint after the obvious Wisconsin call, but the aforementioned three Pennsylvanians (defenseman Joe Houk of Richboro, goaltender Brian Robbins of Scotrun, forward Terrance Wallin of Yardley) and the new blood factor give the River Hawks the edge over UNH. Lowell, a former Division II superpower that elevated to DI in 1984, has been thoroughly average since then, but has now made consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and won its first Hockey East tournament title on Saturday by ending Jack Parker's legendary career at Boston University. New blood is fun until it gets annoying (see Union, with Quinnipiac setting a land speed record on the way there), and Lowell isn't annoying yet.

3. New Hampshire. If the Wildcats were to take the whole thing, I wouldn't complain. The school, quite accurately dubbed the University of No Hardware by detractors, is always there - UNH has been to 18 of the last 22 NCAA Tournaments and a streak of ten consecutive was snapped last year - but never wins, and is quite possibly the most storied program in college hockey without a national championship. There's not much on either side of the ledger from a Penn State/Pennsylvania perspective though, other than gigantic (6'6", 225 pounds) defenseman Eric Knodel, a West Chester native and a Toronto draft pick. He was selected when Brian Burke was still the Leafs' GM, although that probably goes without saying.

4. Denver. The Pios have always been sort of a nothing team to me. There's no disrespect intended in that statement, DU's obviously one of the most successful programs in college hockey, I just have literally no feelings positively or negatively about them. What drops them to the bottom of the region, then? They're joining the NCHC next year. I get the feeling that Big Ten-NCHC in hockey is going to be like Big Ten-SEC in football for years to come, or at least until the entire conference structure gets reshuffled again. Except hopefully, the Big Ten will be the better conference at hockey.

Midwest Region (Toledo, OH)

1. Notre Dame vs. 4. St. Cloud, Saturday 1:30 p.m., ESPN3
2. Miami vs. 3. Minnesota State, Saturday 5:00 p.m., ESPN3
Regional Final, Sunday 4:00 p.m., ESPNU


1. Notre Dame. It's not an easy call in a region that's absolutely brutal for Penn State interests, but I've always been fond of the fact that once upon a time, the Icers played Notre Dame. The Irish temporarily removed varsity status from its hockey program for a single season, 1983-1984, and scheduled a series in Johnstown against eventual club national champion PSU, with ND taking three points from the weekend. The next season, with Lefty Smith's gang back in the NCAA, the Icers went to South Bend and were swept. Notably, Notre Dame was Joe Battista's second choice of college - try that alternate history on for size, you won't like it - and PSU brass has a good relationship with the school, so you can probably count on the teams meeting at some point. ND's Compton Family Ice Arena was a key influence on the Pegula Ice Arena design as well.

No shame in having the second-nicest arena in college hockey

2. Minnesota State. The Screaming Eagles Mavericks could be considered one of the victims of Penn State's entry into NCAA hockey, as next season they'll be going from the WCHA, the toughest conference in college hockey, to... the WCHA, the fifth-toughest conference in college hockey. Normally, I'd point out that under the new setup, teams like Minnesota State, Lake Superior State and Bowling Green might actually have a better shot at an NCAA bid since one of the WCHA "leftover" teams are guaranteed to go via the autobid, but MSU obviously didn't need that to get in this year, so... uhhh... sorry?

3. Miami. I've generally been fond of the RedHawks, as a relative newcomer to NCAA Division I hockey that is now firmly established in the "club" of national powers (in other words, saying Miami is going to be good or is going to win something no longer receives a sneer in response, as it has for PSU, although the Nittany Lions' 2012-2013 results certainly shut a few people up). Eight straight tournament appearances with two Frozen Fours and one almost-championship will tend to do that. From a 1978 start date, the then-Redskins first made NCAAs in 1993, before things really took off once head coach Enrico Blasi's tenure began in 1999. MU does receive some credit for participation in the Three Rivers Classic this season, although they managed to duck PSU, but... there's that NCHC thing rearing its ugly head again. Without it, Miami is first or second in the region. With it, they're third.

4. St. Cloud State. In the recent past, and in consideration of the fact that former Icers coach Morris Kurtz was a 27-year athletic director at SCSU, the Huskies would almost certainly be somewhere other than last. However, Kurtz retired last June, and... NCHC. Ew.

West Region (St. Paul, MN)

1. Minnesota vs. 4. Yale, Friday 2:00 p.m., ESPNU
2. North Dakota vs. 3. Niagara, Friday 5:30 p.m., ESPNU
Regional Final, Saturday 4:00 p.m., ESPNU


1. Minnesota. With the end of Michigan's 22-year tournament streak this year and the low seed given to Wisconsin (although many are pegging the Badgers as a dark horse, given the 10 wins in 12 tear that got them into this thing), stacked Minnesota has to be considered the favorite to represent the Big Ten deep into NCAAs, and Penn Staters should act accordingly. Since the announcement of the conference's formation, haters have had loads of ammo, thanks to frequently-underperforming programs, as judged by their traditional standards. In 2011, Michigan was the only Big Ten school to qualify for the tournament, although their run to overtime of the national championship game helped alleviate the issue. Last year, Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota all made it, but only the Gophers managed to win an NCAA Tournament game, two actually, before falling to eventual national champion Boston College in the Frozen Four semifinals. Until the Badgers' late run this season, things once again looked pretty bad for the Big Ten, particularly with usual powers Michigan and Michigan State slumping - but a Gophers national championship leading into Big Ten play next year would help the league's credibility immeasurably.

Bonus reason: Gophers forward Tom Serratore and PSU captain Tommy Olczyk are close friends

2. Niagara. Niagara is a team from mid-major league Atlantic Hockey and received an at-large bid. Not supporting that is un-American, or something. As mentioned under the Canisius entry, AHA teams get extra credit this season due to PSU's 13 games against the conference - it would be nice if the Nittany Lions' competition, or at least the teams that beat that competition to win the AHA regular season (Niagara) and playoff (Canisius) titles, ends up looking good.

3. Yale. The Bulldogs, along with New Hampshire and arguably UMass-Lowell and Minnesota State, stand out as a more or less completely neutral team from a Penn State standpoint. Don't root for them against Minnesota of course, but should Yale stun the Gophs, feel free to pull for them against North Dakota. You could even support them against Niagara, given the lack of truly compelling reasons to support the Purps, if you're a huge fan of junior forward Jesse Root, a Pittsburgh native who is fifth on the team in scoring with 20 points this year.

4. North Dakota. ...and in what's become an annual tradition, the Sioux bring up the rear due to what I'm calling the Eric Burton rule. I'm not sure that I have to elaborate at this point, but if I'm wrong, get at me in the comments. Because it will never stop being funny, here's what happens when the Sioux get eliminated (for those unfamiliar with the context, Michigan's Scooter Vaughan just scored an empty-netter to clinch victory for the Wolverines in the 2011 Frozen Four semifinals):

Three Stars: March 18-24



3. All-Session Tickets for Inaugural Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament On Sale March 25
(bigten.org)

Here's a timely reminder of the fact that tournament passes for the first Big Ten men's hockey tournament, at St. Paul, MN's Xcel Energy Center March 20-22, 2014, go on sale today at 11:00 a.m. The tickets are available through Ticketmaster and range from $80-$160 (for five games). All six conference schools will participate, so if you're a Penn Stater, please buy 'em up so that there are at least ten non-Minnesota fans in the arena.

2. Women's ice hockey club takes second at ACHA national tournament
(Daily Collegian)

Keep writing about the Women's Ice Hockey Club and I'll keep putting them right here. Or in the first spot. Good to see publications with more than 50 views per article like the Collegian and Onward State give the ladies some well-deserved pub.

1. Penn State Hockey 2013-14 Season Tickets Now Available!
(YouTube)

Kinda had to be this, didn't it?

Best of the Rest

2013 Men's Division 2 National Champions
(achahockey.org)

I admittedly dropped coverage of the ACHA Division 2 National Tournament after the Ice Lions were eliminated in the group stage, but just to complete the picture...
Michigan State rolled to a 6-3 victory over Grand Valley State University to once again win the ACHA Men's Division 2 National Championship. Jim Martin, MSU Head Coach won his 3rd Championship with a strong team performance. MSU led 5-0 and 6-1 before a gutsy GVSU club battled to close the final 6-3 gap.

Michigan State, along with fellow Great Midwest Hockey League (GMHL) member Grand Valley State, finished with their best performance to once more sit on top of the 181 team Division.

Forward #16 Anthony Casali from Michigan State was named the National Tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Spartans, who previously claimed titles in 2005 and 2007, defeated Utah State 6-2 in one semifinal, while GVSU took down Illinois State - which won Penn State's Pool C to earn advancement - 1-0 in the other.

Mary Kate Tonetti and PSU took down defending champ UW-Stout - twice - en route to second place

Nationals DVDs Now Available
(psuwihc.com)

Speaking of ACHA nationals, DVDs of each game from the WIHC's second-place finish (as well as of the Ice Lions' three round robin games) are available through FastHockey.com. The price is a bit steep at $19.00 per game, unless considering the entertainment value. Two weeks removed from the emotion of the moment, I still consider the tournament to easily be one of the five greatest things I've witnessed involving Penn State hockey.

Bittersweet Exits From Conferences, This Time in Rinks
(New York Times)

I can't lie: After the latest batch of shamelessness from the butthurt set - "Big Ten sucks" chants and "B1G MISTAKE" banners at the WCHA Final Five (won by future Big Ten school Wisconsin over the weekend, by the way) - I'm done. Done what, you ask? Done pretending like I care about any of this supposed destruction of college hockey Penn State brought about.

Well, okay, if you're associated with a program in the "new" WCHA after being in a major conference during 2012-2013, I do sincerely feel for you. If you're a North Dakota fan who cried endlessly about the horrible Big Ten while your school was working on forming its cash grab attempt of a conference with hand-picked opponents - what really destroyed the WCHA and the Final Five as we knew it, by the way, because...STAY AWAY BEMIDJI, YOU AREN'T COMMITTED ENOUGH TO HOCKEY - then you're a giant hypocrite and deserve no sympathy.

Okay, that was almost entirely tangental to the actual article, but oh well.


Gopher Women's Hockey: Back-to-Back National Champions!
(gophersports.com)

Congratulations to Minnesota, which won the NCAA Division I women's championship to cap an incredible 41-0-0 season. In the title game Sunday, the Gophs defeated Boston University - PSU assistant Gina Kearns' alma mater - 6-3. Previous to that, BU earned its way to the final with a 4-1 win over CHA champion Mercyhurst on Friday, while Minnesota beat Boston College 3-2 in overtime in the other semifinal.

The Gophers' NCAA Division I win also completes a sweep of DI collegiate hockey, as Minnesota's ACHA women's team won its national championship on March 10th, with a 2-0 result against Liberty.

Men's and women's hockey to play first outdoor games at Rochester's Frontier Field on Dec. 14, 2013
(ritathletics.com)

The RIT women, who arguably became Penn State's biggest rival during the inaugural NCAA season, will play Clarkson in the not-nearly-as-novel-as-it-used-to-be doubleheader, while the men will battle Niagara.

It's worth noting that the AHL's Rochester Americans will also participate in what will be a ten-day celebration of hockey in Western-Central New York, which of course ties Terry Pegula to the whole thing.

Best hockey cities
(upack.com)

Just to get this out of the way up front, no, a moving company is not the definitive word on the best hockey cities in the United States. But still, five were named. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were two of them. And the blurbs under both of PA's major cities mentioned Penn State as part of the reason they made the list. I don't care if a moving company, Pitbull or the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development made the list, I'm still going to be impressed by that.

...wait, that's it? I already hate this offseason.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

33 Seasons, 33 Games (Part I)


In order to bid a fond farewell to the Greenberg Ice Pavilion, the orange barn Penn State hockey called home from January 16, 1981 until February 16, 2013, here is the first half of a subjective opinion of the top 33 games in the building's history. The significance of the number 33, of course, is that the rink hosted 33 seasons of games. This post will cover numbers 17 through 33, with the top 16 to come in Part II.

Unfortunately, due mostly to lack of documentation concerning Lady Icers and Ice Lions games, this list only includes contests from the Icers-to-NCAA men lineage, with sincerest apologies to all involved in the many fantastic Ice Pavilion games not involving the Icers or Nittany Lion men.

33. Penn State 5, Air Force 1 - November 10, 2012. While it won't be remembered as a fantastic game in and of itself, it did end up as the best (with no disrespect intended to Alabama-Huntsville, the only other DI team to lose in the Ice Pavilion) NCAA-era win the barn saw. Matt Skoff stopped 31 of 32 Falcons shots in the game that arguably made him the lead goaltender for the rest of the season, and Max Gardiner assisted on goals by three different scorers.

32. Penn State 3, Rhode Island 2 (SO) - February 3, 2007. Ties were eliminated in favor of the shootout in ACHA Division 1 for the 2006-2007 season, and thanks to Nate Obringer's goal, along with Chris Matteo's blanking of the Rams in the skills competition, the Icers earned their first shootout win over the defending national champions. Perhaps even more significantly, the win completed a season sweep of URI, after the Rams spoiled Joe Battista's final game as head coach with a 3-1 win in the 2006 national championship game.

31. Penn State 8, Cortland State 7 - December 4, 1981. The Icers never led until the final three minutes of the contest, but still managed to upset NCAA Division III Cortland in a defense-optional affair that stands as the Icers' first win over an NCAA team. PSU faced two-goal deficits at 4-2, 5-3, 6-4 and 7-5, but Brad Rush and Clark Dexter scored the tying and winning goals 43 seconds apart late in the third period to turn the game on its head. The line of Toby Ritner, Joe Grainda and Matt Glass combined for five goals, while Battista had three assists to become the first PSU defenseman to crack the 100-point plateau.

Clark Dexter would go on to score the winner in this wild game against Cortland

30. Eastern Michigan 4, Penn State 3 - December 2, 2000. One day after Adam Patterson stunned the Icers in overtime, the Eagles proved the win was no fluke by doing it again the next day by an identical score. Penn State, which was without star players Alon Eizenman and Josh Mandel, battled back from a 3-1 deficit only to see EMU notch the first Ice Pavilion sweep by the visiting team since Erie College pulled it off on December 10th and 11th, 1993.

29. Penn State 5, Kent State 3 - February 1, 1986. In one of the Golden Flashes' final games before elevating their program to NCAA Division I status for the following season, the Icers got revenge for two early-season blowouts at Kent and an overtime loss the previous night with a highly-physical win. Rick Tullio and Lynn Sipe both scored in the first nine minutes of the game, and after KSU struck back with two in an 18-second span, Tim Holdcroft and Davis Mulholland restored the two goal advantage in the second period. Sipe added a second goal early in the third period to seal the result.

28. Rhode Island 5, Penn State 4 (SO) - February 5, 2011. In the first season following the announcement of the NCAA transition, the Icers very nearly missed the ACHA national tournament for what would have been the only time ever, thanks to a string of inconsistent results that lasted for most of the season. With numerous players and coaches from both sides missing this contest due to the 2011 World University Games, David Macalino scored the shootout winner for the Rams, the only goal in 10 total attempts, after the teams traded goals throughout a back-and-forth 65 minutes. However, the PSU side left the series confident that the three-point weekend (following a 4-3 Icers win the previous day) was enough to make nationals. "It feels like we got two wins,” Paul Daley said. "We played really well and made good adjustments. Coach [Josh] Hand [who took over bench duties with head coach Scott Balboni at the WUG] has had a super-positive mentality with us. The bench is upbeat. It’s had a great effect."

27. Penn State 7, Michigan-Dearborn 5 - November 12, 1994. In the early and middle 1990s, Michigan-Dearborn, a former NAIA power - until the NAIA stopped sponsoring a hockey championship after 1984 - that was coached by none other than current Michigan State NCAA coach Tom Anastos from 1987 through 1990, emerged as the Icers' biggest rival (notably, it was UM-D who halted the Icers' championship hopes in 1992, the first and only time PSU hosted the ACHA national tournament). Suffice it to say, it was not a friendly rivalry. In an ending that foreshadowed a somewhat similar event five years later, the game was called with 4:31 remaining after a shoving match between Icers goalie Jeff Crispino and the Wolves' Jesse Hubenschmidt. That exchange capped a 13-penalty period for Dearborn, including game misconducts to head coach Joe Aho and assistant coach Edward Forman.

26. Penn State 5, Eastern Michigan 5 (OT) - December 3, 1999. The Icers, despite holding a 3-1 lead in part thanks to Paul Sealock and Brandon Cook both scoring their first career goals, fell victim to an EMU rally that saw Dan Maszatics and Craig Morton each score twice, with Morton's breakaway backhander standing as the equalizer. The result, combined with an Eagles win the next day, and a sweep at the Ice Pavilion the next season (see number 30), gave rise to the idea of an Eastern Michigan/Penn State-ruled ACHA that never really materialized, at least from the EMU end.

Nate Obringer was all of the offense in a 1-0 shutout of Lindenwood in 2005-2006

25. Penn State 1, Lindenwood 0 - November 18, 2005. There was no way to know it at the time, of course, but a single series at the Ice Pavilion would turn out to be the only meeting of these two ACHA titans. Since the association's 1991-1992 founding, either Penn State or Lindenwood has appeared in 17 of the 22 championships games, winning a combined seven titles. The more established dynasty came out on top of the newcomers, as Paul Mammola (this game's goalie) and Matteo (in net for a 2-0 win the next night) put together a weekend shutout of the Lions. Obringer's goal with 5:47 left in the third period of the series opener represented all of the Icers' offense - but it was all that was needed thanks to a stout defensive effort, despite the absence of senior blueliner Matt Wallace due to injury.

24. Penn State 5, Fredonia 4 - November 5, 2011. In a game played against the backdrop of the emerging Jerry Sandusky scandal - Sandusky, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz were arrested and the infamous grand jury presentment was released earlier that day - the Icers rallied from a 4-2 second-period deficit against the NCAA Division III Blue Devils, with Steve Edgeworth's power play blast tying the game early in the third period and George Saad potting the winner at 5:46.

23. Penn State 5, St. Clair College 4 - February 14, 2003. In an era when the Icers largely toyed with ACHA opposition, games against Canadian Colleges Athletic Association schools like Windsor, Ontario-based St. Clair provided a sound challenge for the dynastic PSU team. On this occasion, Curtiss Patrick's backhander with a defender draped on him with 3:03 remaining provided the margin of victory, while Bill Downey registered his 100th career point on a goal earlier in the game. Significantly, this was the final home win for a senior class that won ACHA national championships at the end of each of its seasons in blue and white.

22. Penn State 6, Canton 5 (OT) - February 14, 1982. With a fresh, new ice rink on campus, the Icers initiated a four-team in-season tournament called the Nittany Lion Invitational, which would become a staple of the team's schedule over the next 25 years. The inaugural championship game, though, remains a classic. Penn State trailed 5-3 with less than 90 seconds remaining, but much like Lynn Sipe three years later (see number 17), Glenn DeStefano singlehandedly tied the game by scoring at 18:48 and again at 19:11. Rush then scored the OT winner on a slot wrister following a Norm Jacobs faceoff win. In victory, Icers coach Jon Shellington one-upped his college coach, Canton bench boss Terry Martin.

21. Niagara College 6, Penn State 5 (2OT) - February 28, 1986. In 1985, Penn State significantly upgraded its schedule by joining the International Collegiate Hockey League, a conference that, over PSU's seven seasons of membership, would play a key role in elevating the program to new heights. The Icers' first appearance in the ICHL playoffs would provide a glimpse of the challenge to come when Niagara raced out to a 5-1 lead after two periods. PSU would rally to force overtime, but it was for naught, as the Knights ousted the second-seeded Icers in a second 10-minute extra period. The loss spoiled the idea a highly-anticipated championship-game meeting between Penn State and St. Bonaventure, which won the ICHL's regular season title.

20. Penn State 4, Buffalo State 3 - February 19, 1994. Former ICHL rival Buff State elevated to NCAA Division III in 1993-1994, but the Icers still managed to get one last shot on the Bengals thanks to Don Lamison's hat trick, as well as his crucial blocked shot in the dying moments to preserve the win. "Here's what you have to understand about the kind of player Don Lamison is," Battista said. "Not only does he have three goals and an assist, but he blocks that shot with about a minute left, and then clears it out of the zone. That says a lot about him, and those are the kind of plays that win championships."

Tim O'Brien scored twice in taking down top-ranked Illinois

19. Penn State 5, Illinois 4 - January 17, 2009. Top-ranked Illinois, which enjoyed the only perfect season in ACHA history in 2007-2008, fell twice in a row to the number three Icers for the Illini's third and fourth losses in two years. In the back half of the series, PSU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on two goals from Tim O'Brien and another from Steve Peck. Illinois would rally to tie the game at four, but Lukas DeLorenzo potted the third-period winner after intercepting just in front of the Illini net. "I was just forechecking their defenseman and I got my stick to the other side," DeLorenzo said. "I put my stick in the lane and luckily I walked in on a breakaway."

18. Delaware 3, Penn State 2 - February 5, 2000. Around the turn of the century, the home series with the Fighting Blue Hens was always notable for its coinciding with alumni weekend, thanks in no small part to the fact that former Icers Josh Brandwene and John O'Connor were on the UD coaching staff. On this occasion Brandwene, who of course got his white hat out of storage later to become the NCAA women's coach at PSU, spoiled the ceremonies of the day and led Delaware to its first win over PSU in 30 tries, dating back to the 1978-1979 season. Travis Bradach's goal off of Mark Scally's stick with 12 seconds remaining in the second period held up as the winner, while Lance Rosenberg made 56 saves for the Hens.

Scoring dynamo Lynn Sipe provided heroics in fantastic contests against Kent State and Ohio

17. Penn State 6, Ohio 5 (OT) - January 19, 1985. By most accounts, the 1990 National Invitational Tournament meeting that saw PSU pull off a massive upset in Athens was the launching point of the Icers-Bobcats rivalry, but there's a pretty strong case to be made for this game, the third of four consecutive overtime games between the teams. Penn State trailed by two with just 23 seconds remaining, before Sipe got to work on a pretty unlikely natural hat trick (to go with another goal he had scored earlier). First, he poked home a power play rebound to pull the Icers within one. Then he deflected home a Jeff Speece clapper to tie things up. At 7:06 of the 10-minute overtime period, Sipe banked in a wrister off of OU goalie Lindsey Nonnemacher's mask. The win gave PSU the title in the fourth Nittany Lion Invitational.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Robinson Joins Small 2014 Entering Class


On Tuesday night, the BCHL's Langley Rivermen announced that center James Robinson has committed to Penn State for the 2014-2015 season.

James Robinson

Forward
Langley Rivermen (BCHL)
6'1", 180 pounds
Cochrane, AB
DOB 4/9/1994

EliteProspects.com


Season
Team
Lge.GPGAPts.PIM
2010-11
Edge School
CSSHL
14
12
10
22
16
2010-11
Edge School
MPHL
13
3
2
5
16
2011-12
Edge School
CSSHL
12
13
10
23
--
2011-12
Edge School
MPHL
13
9
7
16
--
2012-12
Spruce Grove Saints
AJHL
3
1
4
5
0
2012-13
Langley Rivermen
BCHL
55
9
33
42
39

That announcement from the Rivermen is packed full of good stuff, so let's grab some of that. First, Robinson on his pledge:
“I am very excited about my commitment to Penn State. They have a great hockey program to go along with a fabulous school and I am proud that I will be a part of it all. The new facility is state of the art and will be very fun to play in, but I really liked the coach Guy Gadowsky. He is obviously a very prestigious coach around the NCAA ranks and when he talked about his philosophy with regards to the program it seemed like a great fit for me."
Next up, Rivermen head coach and general manager Bobby Henderson:
“I am very proud of James committing to a program like Penn State. They are an emerging hockey powerhouse and for him to be able to be a part of that it’s a great thing for James and of course the Rivermen organization. In my two years coaching in the BCHL, Coach Gadowsky has been a guy that I have looked up to and just looking at his track record when he was in Alaska and Princeton it’s pretty remarkable what he has accomplished. It’s exciting for James that he not only gets to play Division I hockey, but to play under a two-time coach of the year will only help his development."
So guys, what do you think of Coach Gadowsky?

In all seriousness - and I've said this from the beginning - the arena will be incredible and is obviously essential to our being here in the first place, but it's the people, not the buildings, that do the recruiting. The good news is that we have great people to with the great building.

Robinson just completed a highly-successful rookie season in the BCHL (the Rivermen were eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday night) with 42 regular-season points in 55 games, good for third-best on a team with seven other NCAA DI commits. The left-handed shot helped the Rivermen to a 24-26-1-5 (W-L-T-OTL) record and the team's first-ever postseason appearance, although as referenced, they were bounced out of the first round by Surrey. For the early stages of the season with Langley, he teamed up with fellow 2014 commit Bo Pellah, prior to Pellah's October 31st trade to Alberni Valley.

He has other connections to future teammates as well. In 2011-2012, he was on the affiliate list of the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints and got into three games with the club, which then had soon-to-be-sophomore David Glen, and incoming freshmen Dylan Richard and Mike Williamson on its roster. Robinson had a goal and four assists in one of those three games (a 7-2 win over the St. Albert Steel on February 10, 2012), including an assist on a Glen goal and a goal from Richard's assist.


Primarily during that season, as well as in 2010-2011, Robinson played at Edge School, a prep school near Calgary, Alberta with an athletic emphasis that has produced notable players like Tyler Myers of the Buffalo Sabres and Joe Colborne, a 2008 NHL Entry Draft first-rounder who played at the University of Denver and is presently in the AHL. At Edge, Robinson was named captain in 2011-2012, while also leading the team in scoring in both of its leagues.

Scouting reports? Here's Robinson...
"I am a hard working, two-way forward who will pretty much do anything for the team to win, and I like to score some goals too."
...and Henderson:
"He is a good honest player and has all the tools that will eventually turn him into a great player. James is awesome in the face-off dot and overall is a leader that will do anything to win."
I feel like I could copy and paste that last part with most of the guys we've recruited. In case you're wondering why Gadowsky's had the success he's had in his career without 10 NHL draftees on each of his teams.

When Robinson arrives in 2014, he'll do so with only - at the moment, anyway - Pellah, and to a team that won't face a ton of departures. That initial batch of transfers from other NCAA programs (Nate Jensen, Justin Kirchhevel and Taylor Holstrom are the ones remaining), although listed as juniors on the official roster, will still be eligible in 2014-2015. Technically, original Icers Michael McDonagh and Matt Madrazo will be eligible as well, although the team has not chosen to exploit thecfull capacity of eligibilitycin the cases of other transitioned ACHA players. There is not a single player on the team that has to leave after next season, although as we know, someone likely will.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Commit Cycle: March 19 (Men)

It's that horrible time of year again, when the primary hockey season winds down and we start to remove players from the Commit Cycle posts, before pausing the series for the summer once they're all gone. Playing hockey at a high level is a year-round commitment of course, but information from all of the camps, showcases and leagues during the "offseason" isn't gained steadily enough to maintain a regular post (in cases where it is available, it will still be passed along, of course).

Here are the removed players and how their seasons concluded. As always, check M Current Commitments for full stats.
  • A.J. Greer (Kimball Union Academy) enjoyed a highly-successful first year in New Hampshire after coming to the states from his native Quebec. The power forward finished sixth in scoring, with 16 goals on a 19 assists, on a stacked team that had ten Division I commitments and went 27-2-0 in the regular season - earning a second-team all-scholastic underclass team nod from Over The Boards. The season, however, ended in disappointment when the top-seeded Wildcats were stunned 4-1 by Gunnery in the opening round of the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, the New England prep championship tournament.

Chase Berger

Forward
St. Louis AAA Blues (Midget Major 18U)
6'0", 190 pounds
St. Louis, MO
Entering 2015
DOB 11/14/1994



Berger's Blues will play in the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships from April 3rd through 7th in Pittsburgh thanks to their win at the Central District tournament over this past weekend... the Blues defeated the Chicago Mission (3-2 on March 15th), Russell Stover (4-1 on March 16th) and Team Wisconsin (3-2 on March 17th) to sweep the field... Berger scored the game-winning goal with 3:04 remaining in the come-from-behind win over Team Wisconsin that clinched the bid... the Blues will open nationals March 3rd with the Mid-Am District champion Cleveland Barons.

Related stories:
St. Louis Blues teams take Central Tier I titles at 14U, 18U (usahockey.com)



Ricky DeRosa

Forward
Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL)
6'1", 189 pounds
Aston, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 2/9/1992



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/9
at Kalamazoo
W 4-3
1
0
1
0
3/15
vs. Soo
W 4-2
0
1
1
0
3/16
vs. Soo
W 4-3
0
1
1
0

DeRosa, who just committed on March 12th, makes a triumphant Commit Cycle debut by posting three team wins and a point in each one, including an empty-net goal that turned into a game-winning goal when Kalamazoo found an answer before the final horn... the wins were vital for the Fighting Falcons, who are seeking to nail down the North Division's final playoff spot - Port Huron is two points behind the Johnstown Tomahawks in the race with five games to go.



David Goodwin

Center
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'9", 170 pounds
St. Louis, MO
Entering 2013
DOB 2/27/1992



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
at Waterloo
W 2-1
0
1
1
0
3/9
vs. Sioux Falls
L 4-6
0
0
0
0
3/14
at Team USA
L 2-4
0
1
0
0
3/15
at Indiana
L 0-1
0
0
0
0
3/16
at Dubuque
L 0-1
0
0
0
0

Goodwin has played well of late (six points in the seven games prior to the pair of 1-0 losses), but it hasn't been enough, as the RoughRiders are on the brink of mathematical elimination from the USHL Eastern Conference playoffs... Cedar Rapids is 15 points out with nine games remaining, and both fourth-place Youngstown, the last team in, and Chicago, which sits between the Phantoms and Riders, have games in hand.



Kevin Kerr

Defenseman
Team Comcast (Midget Major 18U)
5'11", 162 pounds
Bensalem, PA
Entering 2015
DOB 2/9/1996



Kerr, with Team Comcast, will join Berger at the USA Hockey Tier I 18U national championships thanks to an Atlantic District tournament championship over the weekend, which essentially involved a best-of-three series win against the Jr. Flyers (by 6-3 and 8-5 scores), the other team at the top of the district standings at the end of the season... the news wasn't quite as good with Kerr's school team, Holy Ghost Prep, which beat Father Judge 2-1 in the Flyers Cup (the eastern PA championship) but lost to La Salle 5-2 in the championship game at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center to end their season.



Patrick Koudys

Defenseman
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'3", 198 pounds
Smithville, ON
Entering 2013
DOB 11/15/1992



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
at Lincoln
L 2-5
0
0
0
0
3/9
at Tri-City
W 6-3
0
2
2
2
3/10
vs. Omaha
L 1-4
0
0
0
0
3/15
vs. Team USA
L 1-2
0
0
0
0
3/16
vs. Youngstown
L 1-4
0
0
0
0

Defensive defenseman Koudys provided an unlikely source of offense against Tri-City on March 9th, but otherwise, it was rough sledding for a team on the verge of comfortably clinching an Eastern Conference playoff spot (and, perhaps, playing like it)... fifth-place Chicago, the first team out, is 18 points behind third-place Muskegon, and the Steel has just 22 possible points still on the table.



Alec Marsh

Forward
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5'10", 175 pounds
Bridgewater, NJ
Entering 2015
DOB 11/28/1995



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
at Waterloo
W 2-1
0
0
0
0
3/9
vs. Sioux Falls
L 4-6
0
1
1
0
3/14
at Team USA
L 2-4
0
0
0
2
3/15
at Indiana
L 0-1
-
-
-
-
3/15
at Dubuque
L 0-1
0
0
0
0

Marsh, on the opposite end of his USHL career from teammate Goodwin, is similarly trying to finish a likely losing season as strongly as possible... his assist against Sioux Falls gave him seven points this season, a solid start to things, given his 32 games and lower-line minutes in most of those games.



Eamon McAdam

Goaltender
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
6'2", 185 pounds
Perkasie, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 9/24/1994



Date
Opponent
ScoreSAGASv%GAA 
3/8
vs. Cedar Rapids
L 1-2
--
-
---
---
3/9
at Dubuque
W 4-3
31
3
0.903
2.77
3/12
at Chicago
W 4-1
--
-
---
---
3/15
vs. Lincoln
L 4-6
27
6
0.778
6.18

McAdam checked in with a huge shootout win over league-leading Dubuque, as he stopped three of four shooters in the skills competition to clinch vital points for a team trying to stay in one of the Western Conference's last two playoff spots with ten regular season games left... he didn't fare as well in the loss to Lincoln on Friday, and it will be interesting to see if and how it affects his present 50-50 split with fellow 2013 NHL Entry Draft hopeful Cal Petersen - the division of minutes between the two has proven quite volatile this year.



Bo Pellah

Defenseman
Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)
5'11", 150 pounds
New Westminster, BC
Entering 2014
DOB 5/25/1995



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
at Nanaimo
W 5-4
0
1
1
2
3/9
at Victoria
W 6-4
-
-
-
-
3/15
at Nanaimo
L 3-4
0
0
0
0
3/16
at Nanaimo
L 2-3
0
0
0
2
3/18
vs. Nanaimo
W 4-1
0
0
0
2

Alberni Valley won their final two games of the regular season to finish 29-20-7 and as the third-place team in the Island Division - then promptly found themselves on the verge of elimination after dropping the first two games of their best-of-five first-round series to Nanaimo... the Bulldogs were able to rally in game three, and will now need to win both Tuesday and Wednesday night to keep the season going.



Dylan Richard

Forward
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'0", 185 pounds
Sherwood Park, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 2/5/1993



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/14
vs. Sherwood Park
L 2-3
0
1
1
0
3/15
vs. Sherwood Park
W 3-1
0
0
0
0
3/17
at Sherwood Park
W 9-1
3
0
3
2
3/18
at Sherwood Park
W 6-5
1
2
3
0

The long layoff for Spruce Grove (the Saints wrapped up their regular season February 26th, received a first-round playoff bye, then finally opened their second-round series March 14th) didn't seem to hurt much after a game one loss to Sherwood Park followed by three consecutive wins... Richard's natural hat trick in game three made him an easy player-of-the-game choice, as his goals pushed the game from 1-1 to 4-1 to initiate the rout... he followed that up with another three-point effort in game four's double-overtime win, as well as another player-of-the-game nod... games five, six and seven (the latter two if necessary) of the series are Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.



Zach Saar

Right Wing
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
6'4", 210 pounds
Plainwell, MI
Entering 2013
DOB 6/22/1993



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
at Lincoln
L 2-5
0
0
0
0
3/9
at Tri-City
W 6-3
-
-
-
-
3/10
vs. Omaha
L 1-4
0
0
0
0
3/15
vs. Team USA
L 1-2
0
0
0
0
3/16
vs. Youngstown
L 1-4
0
1
1
0

It was a rather quiet two weeks for Saar, who - fairly uncommonly for him - didn't even beat anyone down in a fight... his assist in the ill-fated game against Youngstown was his first point as a Lumberjack following a mid-season trade from Des Moines and tied the game at one early in the second period.



Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
Entering 2013
DOB 5/5/1992



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/8
vs. Muskegon
W 5-2
0
0
0
2
3/9
at Fargo
W 6-5
2
1
3
0
3/12
at Fargo
L 2-4
0
0
0
5
3/15
at Waterloo
W 6-4
2
2
4
0
3/16
vs. Green Bay
W 6-2
1
1
2
0

I suppose if McAdam has to give up six, you'd prefer a future teammate like Scheid to be the primary reason why... as part of an incredible eight-day stretch, the Minnesotan had a hand in four of the six goals against Waterloo... thanks largely to Scheid's hot streak, Lincoln is the one USHL team with Penn State representation presently playing well in the final push to the playoffs - and despite their third-place position, they'll need to keep doing so with the Black Hawks and archrival Omaha chasing closely in a three-teams-for-two-spots race.



David Thompson

Defenseman
Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)
6'2", 187 pounds
Glen Mills, PA
Entering 2013
DOB 5/19/1992



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/7
at Langley
W 5-2
0
1
1
0
3/9
vs. Langley
W 5-1
0
0
0
0
3/15
vs. Prince George
L 1-3
0
0
0
0
3/16
vs. Prince George
W 10-1
0
2
2
0
3/18
at Prince George
W 5-3
0
0
0
4

Similar to fellow BCHLer Pellah, Thompson's Chiefs wrapped up the regular season with a pair of wins, making their final record 33-21-2, good for second place in the Mainland Division... after losing game one of their opening-round playoff series to Prince George, the Chiefs exploded for a ten-spot in game two (Thompson was named third star in the blowout), and also won game three... Chilliwack now has two chances to advance, with a win Tuesday night, or with one Wednesday night should the Spruce Kings win on Tuesday.



Mike Williamson

Defenseman
Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL)
6'3", 210 pounds
Leduc, AB
Entering 2013
DOB 9/5/1993



Date
Opponent
ScoreGAPts.PIM 
3/14
vs. Sherwood Park
L 2-3
0
0
0
0
3/15
vs. Sherwood Park
W 3-1
0
1
1
0
3/17
at Sherwood Park
W 9-1
1
0
1
0
3/18
at Sherwood Park
W 6-5
0
0
0
4

Williamson returned from an upper-body injury suffered at the end of the regular season (coincidentally, against Sherwood Park) to be a key contributor to the Saints' 3-1 series lead in their North Division semifinal series... Spruce Grove is looking to return to the top of the AJHL after their drive for a three-peat was derailed last season.