Michigan Hockey March 8,2010

Michigan Hockeymichiganhockeyonline.com

V.20:I.15 | March 08, 2010FIRST CLASS

1997MICHIGAN ICE HAWKS

LCAHL Yzerman Playoff Semi-Finalists

2010 Spring/Fall Tryouts

Fri., March 19: 7:00 - 8:30 pm GPCRSat., March 20: 12:00 - 1:30 pm McCannSun., March 21: 4:30 - 6:00 pm McCann

Cost: FREE

Tier I - AAA Training at the Tier II LevelSponsorship Provides the Team with:

• Goalie Coach • Defense Coach• Power Skating • Strictly Shooting

• Off-Ice Training

All the above training and 4 skates a weekprovided for only $250/month.

Interested? Read more about us at www.97mih.com,email us at [email protected], or call our

non-parent coach at 248-302-1881.

LET’S JUST PLAY HOCKEY!

A dedicatedlocker room

at GPCR

McCann IceArena

Little Caesars Proudly SupportsThe Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League

$5$5$5PEPPERONIOriginal Round

Available for a limited time at participating locations. Prices may vary. ©2010 LCE, Inc. 21480

HOUSE DIVISION CHAMPIONSAge Division Champion (s) Mini Mite B Division 1 Belle Tire Lakers

Mini Mite B Division 2 Plymouth Tiger Sharks

Mite B Division 1 Trenton Spitfire/Trenton Devils

Mite B Division 2 Grosse Ile Islanders

Mite B Division 3 Plymouth Sharks - Simons

Mite B Division 4 Wayne Fire Dogs

Squirt B Division 1 Allen Park Huskies #1

Squirt B Division 2 Novi #4 Predators

Squirt B Division 4 Farmington Hills Heat

Squirt B Division 5 Farmington Hills Infer-

no

Squirt B Division 6 Ann Arbor - Sirota

Squirt B Division 7 Flint EMHA

Pee Wee B Division 1 Dearborn Dragons

Pee Wee B Division 2 Trenton Flyers

Pee Wee B Division 3 Novi #4 Sabres

Pee Wee B Division 4 Novi #1 Cougars

Pee Wee B Division 5 Garden City Stars

Pee Wee B Division 6 Ice Mtn. Cats & Liv. Thunder

Bantam B Division 1 Livingston Thunder

Bantam B Division 2 Allen Park Huskies

Bantam B Division 3 Redford Wolf Pack

Bantam B Division 4 Lakeland Royals

Bantam B Division 5 Kensington Valley Eagles

Midget B Division 1 Summit Falcons

Midget B Division 2 Berkley Brawlers

Midget B Division 3 Livonia Flyers

Midget B Division 4 Belle Tire Lakers

Midget BB Division 1 Garden City Stars

Midget BB Division 2 Summit Red Wings

TRAVEL DIVISION CHAMPIONSAge Division Champion (s)Mite A Lidstrom 1 Troy Sting

Mite A Lidstrom 2 Plymouth Stingrays

Mite A Lidstrom 3 Victory Honda

Mite A Lidstrom 4 Allen Park Huskies

Mite AA Lidstrom South Toledo

Mite AA Lidstrom North Kensington Valley Rebels

Mite AA Lidstrom West Flint

Mite AA Lidstrom Metro West Plymouth

Mite AA Lidstrom East Port Huron Flags

Mite AA Lidstrom Metro East USA Eagles

Mite AA Lidstrom Outstate Indianapolis

Squirt A Yzerman Novi Ice Cats

Squirt A Howe West Grand Rapids Griffins

Squirt A Howe East Port Huron Flags

Squirt A Howe South Columbus Blue Jackets

Squirt A Lidstrom 5 Kensington Valley Rebels

Squirt A Lidstrom 6 Sylvania Maple Leafs

Squirt A Lidstrom 7 Holland Ice Dogs

Squirt AA Yzerman East USA Eagles

Squirt AA Yzerman West Novi Ice Cats

Squirt AA Howe East Troy Sting

Squirt AA Howe West Birmingham Rangers

Squirt AA Lidstrom North Midland North Stars

Squirt AA Lidstrom South Kensington Valley Renegades

Pee Wee A Yzerman 1 Toledo Cherokee

Pee Wee A Yzerman 2 Holland Ice Dogs

Pee Wee A Howe 3 Suburban Stars

Pee Wee A Howe 4 Midland North Stars

Pee Wee A Howe 5 Canton Crush

Pee Wee A Howe 6 Macomb Mavericks

Pee Wee A Lidstrom 7 Ice Mountain Mountaineers

Pee Wee A Lidstrom 8 Michigan Ice Hawks

Pee Wee A Lidstrom 9 Rockford Rams

Pee Wee AA Yzerman 1 Suburban Stars

Pee Wee AA Yzerman 2 Trenton

Pee Wee AA Howe 3 Canton Crush

Pee Wee AA Howe 4 Kensington Valley Rebels

Pee Wee AA Howe 5 KOHA K Wings

Pee Wee AA Lidstrom 6 Henry Ford Hurricanes

Pee Wee AA Lidstrom 7 GRAHA #2 & Redford

Bantam A Yzerman East Rochester Rattlers

Bantam A Yzerman West West Michigan Warriors

Bantam A Howe 2 East Mt. Clemens Wolves

Bantam A Howe 2 West Kentwood Falcons

Bantam A Howe 3 Bay County Blizzard

Bantam A Howe 4 West Canton

Bantam A Howe 4 East Summit Plastics

Bantam AA Yzerman Rochester Rattlers

Bantam AA Howe 2 Holland Ice Dogs

Bantam AA Howe 3 Sylvania Maple Leafs

Bantam AA Howe 4 Midland North Stars

Bantam AA Howe 5 Chelsea Chiefs

Bantam AA Lidstrom 6 Michigan Mountain

Cats

Midget A Yzerman St. Clair Shores

Midget A Howe East Mt. Clemens Wolves

Midget A Howe West Jackson Generals

Midget AA Yzerman Summit Plastics

Midget AA Howe Troy Sting

Girls 12U Howe 1 Little Caesars # 1

Girls 12U Howe 2 Livonia 12U

Girls 12U Howe 3 St. Clair Shores 12U

Girls 14U Girls 14U Michigan IceBreakers 14U

Girls 16U Girls 16U Birmingham 16U

Girls 19U Girls 19U Gladwin G Force 19U

Congratulations to the LCAHL 2009-10 Regular Season Champions!

4 Michigan Hockey MichiganHockeyOnline.com

Pond HockeyMichigan teams won at both the

USA Hockey and U.P. Pond Hockey

Championships.

PAGE 30 PAGE 62PAGE 29

Compuware wins in QuebecThe Compuware Pee Wee AAA

squad rolls to International Pee

Wee Tournament win

MAHA State Tournaments

Little

Caesars and

Honeybaked

win big

College Hockey

CCHA playoff

matchups

are set

AMATEUR HOCKEY REPORT

LCAHL Travel, House and Girls champions 3

Lakeland Thunder takes Lake Eff ect Outdoor Classic 6

Toledo Cherokee wins Big Bear WJC Classic title 6

Mackinaw City and NMU win Girls Go Pink tourney 8

Novi Bantam Predators give back to the community 10

Michigan Sting take Gold at Troy Senior Olympics 10

MH BEATHockey in the Hood has another great weekend 12

Lakeland’s Blake Jackson is a Hockey Hero 14

ACHA, LCAHL and MAHA State Tournaments 29

GET BETTER

More Good Hockey Habits 16

TRAINING TABLE

BY JIM KIELBASO USA Hockey’s ADM, Part 1 18

STATE OF THE GAME BY LYLE PHAIR Hockegeddon 20

NAVIGATING THE FROZEN WATERS

Girls getting started and Tier 2 21

FROM THE CREASE

BY STEVE MCKICHAN Summer Goalie Camp checklist 22

BEYOND THE STRIPES The Season within the Season 24

HOMETOWN HERO Grand Rapids Griffi ns Justin Adbelkader 28

SPRING HOCKEY18 pages of tryout dates and times 33-50

BOYS & GIRLS HIGH SCHOOLMMGHSHL teams ready for playoff s 55

MIHL Showcase celebrates milestone 57

JUNIOR HOCKEYNAHL teams signing new players 58

Whalers clinch playoff spot, Spirit close 60

Muskegon gets USHL team 60

RED WINGS & NHL INSIDERSDetroit ready for stretch run 66

Silver medal stings for Team USA 66

PAGE 53-54PAGE 53-54

Table of Contents

March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

PAGE 53-54PAGE 53-54

Look for coverage of numerous MAHA state

tournaments and the boy’s and girl’s high school

fi nals and a preview of the CCHA Championship

weekend at Joe Louis Arena on March 19-20.

Look for it on the stands and in your e-mail

In-Box on March 19.

Advertising copy is due on March 10.

Contact Lucia Zuzga at 248-479-1134 or

[email protected] for more info.

COMING IN OUR NEXT ISSUESTATE TOURNAMENT TIMESTATE TOURNAMENT TIMESTATE TOURNAMENT TIMESTATE TOURNAMENT TIME

5Michigan HockeyMichiganHockeyOnline.com

A great time of the year

FROM THE EDITOR

Like a lot of people I was glued to my TV during the Winter Olympics for Team USA’s

run to the silver medal.

The U.S.-Canada gold medal game, like most of the tournament, had lots of action,

incredible plays and nail-biting drama. With the best players in the world competing for

their country it was unbelievably fast and fun to watch.

And while the loss stung, the American team’s passion, heart and skill was easy to see.

Hopefully there are a lot more hockey fans across the country after this amazing tournament.

MAHA state tournaments are in full swing and the Taylor Sportsplex was buzzing at

the end of February with the Girls Tier 1 state tournament (pages 30-32). Congratulations

to Little Caesars, who won three of the four divisions, and Honeybaked, who won the 14U

title. The next three weekends should be more of the same (see schedule on page 29).

The high school season fi nishes with the girls state tournament fi nal on March 13

at Detroit’s City Sports Arena. The same day the three boy’s MHSAA state fi nals are at

Compuware Arena in Plymouth.

An automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament is at stake when the CCHA playoff

championship hits Joe Louis Arena - the semifi nals are on March 19 and the fi nal is set

for March 20.

And, if your season ended a bit earlier than you hoped, there’s the spring season to

look forward to. Check out the 18 pages of spring tryouts that start on page 33 to help

you fi nd a team.

Finally, if you know of someone deserving of a MH Award - Female and Male Scholar

Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year and Hockey Person of the Year (see page 18 for more

information) – please let us know by the March 19 deadline.

See you at the rink,


Cover photos: Honeybaked celebrates their MAHA Girls 14U Tier 1 state title on Feb.

28 at the Taylor Sportsplex by Terri Zink.

Photos this page (from top, L to R): An aerial view of the U.P Pond Hockey rinks

on Moran Bay in St. Ignace courtesy the St. Ignace News; The Compuware ’97 team

celebrates their Quebec Pee Wee Tournament title courtesy Compuware AAA Hockey

Club; The Little Caesars Girls 12U team was one of three Little Caesars teams that

won state titles on Feb. 28 at the Taylor Sportsplex by Michigan Hockey; Northern

Michigan’s Mark Olver helped the Wildcats earn a fi rst round CCHA playoff bye courtesy

NMU Sports Information.

Cover reprints available:email [email protected]

Editor-in-Chief

Advertising

Design

Contributing Editor

Distribution

Controller

Administrative Director

EDITORIAL BOARD: Bob DeSpirt, Christine Szarek, Derek Blair,

James Jenkins, Julie Pardoski, Kirk Vickers, Linda Holland

Lisa Zarzycki, Mark Vansaw, Nyron Fauconier, Randy Paquette

Rob Mattina, Susan Bottrell, Tim Wilson, Todd Krygier

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: MICHIGAN HOCKEY® welcomes Letters

to the Editor. They must be signed and include the writer's full

home address and day and evening telephone numbers.

MICHIGAN HOCKEY is published by SUBURBAN SPORTS

COMMUNICATIONS, LLC 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200,

Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MICHIGAN HOCKEY®,

23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48335-

2829. ©2010 by Suburban Sports Communications. All Rights

Reserved. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are

not necessarily those of MICHIGAN HOCKEY or its advertisers. All

editorial copy, photographs and advertising materials remain the

property of MICHIGAN HOCKEY.

Philip D. [email protected]

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Chuck Stevens

Kevin Allen

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Lucia Zuzga

David J. Klavon

Amy Jones

From the EditorMarch 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

HEALTHY MEALS for Hockey Moms

submitted by Hockey Moms

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)

1 pkt. SHAKE ‘N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix

2 cups spaghetti sauce 1-1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella

Cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

HEAT oven to 400°F.

COAT chicken with coating mix as directed on package; place in 13x9-inch pan.

BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is done (165°F).

TOP with remaining ingredients; bake 5 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Submit your recipe & photo to: [email protected]

Contact Lucia @ 248-479-1134 if you would like to sponsor this unique program.

GO TO

Tell us aboutyour Hockey Momand win a chance

to take herto dinner at

Buffalo Wild Wings!

MICHIGAN HOCKEY23995 Freeway Park Drive • Suite 200

Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829(248) 478-2500 • FAX: (248) 478-1601

EMAIL: [email protected]: www.michiganhockeyonline.com


Toledo Cherokee wins Big Bear Toledo Cherokee wins Big Bear WJC Classic Squirt A titleWJC Classic Squirt A title

Lakeland Thunder takes Lake Lakeland Thunder takes Lake Eff ect Outdoor ClassicEff ect Outdoor Classic

Coach Doug Smalley’s 2000 Toledo Cherokee team went

unbeaten to win the Squirt A Division of the Big Bear William

Jeff erson Clinton Classic in Melvindale Feb 13-15.

Noah Smalley and Keegan Vitucci provided excellent

goaltending, posting two shutouts and only allowing two

goals over the four games. In the fi rst game Timmy Organ

scored on a high wrist shot and it was all that was needed as

the Cherokee beat the Trenton Thrashers 1-0. Game two had the

Cherokee take on Northern Kentucky. Toledo wasted no time,

racing out to a 4-0 lead in the fi rst period. AJ Dishop opened

the scoring with assists going to Matthew Snyder and Caleb

Williams. Nate Koszycki scored twice assisted by Dishop and

Zach Pylypuik. Justin Gelso also had a two-goal game. Justin

Maroszek and Organ assisted on his fi rst goal and Tyler Lanz

assisted on Gelso’s second as Toledo won 5-0.

The third game, a preview of the fi nal, pitted the Cherokee

against the Columbus North Stars. Toledo brought a 1-0 lead

into the 3rd period on a goal by Organ. The Cherokee added an

insurance marker by Gelso on a pass from Corey Hubbard before

Columbus scored to make it 2-1 with four minutes remaining.

Columbus pulled their goalie but couldn’t get the tying goal.

Ethan Heidepriem won a key faceoff and defensemen Matty

Barrow and Derian Homer played strong, battling for loose pucks

and clearing rebounds to help preserve the win.

The championship game was scoreless until its midway

point when Nate Kozicky, who was named the game’s MVP,

put the Cherokee on the board.

The Columbus club answered back to tie it but the stalemate

didn’t last long. After Ryan Brow kept the puck in at the point,

Corey Hubbard scored on a pass from Koszycki to regain the

Cherokee lead just before the close of the second period.

The third period saw good scoring chances at each end

of the ice and had both parents and players on the edge of

their seats. Columbus pulled their goalie and pressed in the

fi nal minute, but Vitucci kicked the fi nal few shots away not

allowing any rebound chances.

Southwest Michigan’s Berrien Area Hockey Association

celebrated Hockey Day in Michigan and USA Hockey’s Hockey

Weekend Across America with their inaugural Lake Eff ect

Outdoor Classic Bantam B tournament on January 29-31.

The four-team tournament was held at the outdoor rink

in St. Joseph with lots of local support and support from USA

Hockey, Detroit Red Wings, Grand Rapids Griffi ns, Western

Michigan University hockey, and the Chicago Blackhawks.

During the tournament organizers held a silent auction where

they raffl ed off Detroit Red Wings autographed hockey pucks,

Detroit Red Wings autographed posters, “Hockey Weekend

Across America” pucks autographed by Olympians Zach Parise

and Jamie Langenbrunner, Grand Rapids Griffi ns tickets, WMU

hockey tickets, and a Chicago Blackhawks autographed puck.

The Red Wings also supplied water bottles, mouse pads and

calendars.

The Lakeland Thunder Bantam B squad traveled to St. Joseph

and captured the Lake Eff ect Outdoor Classic Championship

with a 3-0 victory over the host Southwest Michigan Freeze.

Three fi rst period goals, scored 90 seconds apart, were all the

Thunder needed to claim the championship. MVP goalie Colton

Slater notched his third shutout of the tournament in the fi nal.

Scoring goals in the championship game were Bryce Imhoff ,

Ryan Blunk (Austin Michael), and David Boggess.

The Thunder beat the Jackson Generals, 1-0, KOHA Flames

#2, 5-0, and the Southwest Michigan Freeze, 5-4, to advance

to the championship for their rematch with the Freeze.

The Lakeland Thunder are: Bryce Imhoff , John Sawyers, Kyle

Friedenstab, Adam George, Grant Miller, Connor Campbell,

Colton Slater, Andrew Lindsey, William Ayoub, Alan LaBarge,

Colton James, Austin Michael, Ryan Blunk, Ryan Stumpf,

Anthony Jenkins and David Boggess.

Coaches are Chris Stumpf, Ed LaBarge, Mike Miller and

David Boggess.

Lakeland Thunder takes Lake Lakeland Thunder takes Lake Eff ect Outdoor ClassicEff ect Outdoor Classic

Toledo Cherokee wins Big Bear Toledo Cherokee wins Big Bear WJC Classic Squirt A titleWJC Classic Squirt A title

Amateur Hockey Report March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

Coaches, Parents and Family Members - Sign up for MyACHL MyACHL is a custom page giving exact information about your team/children’s team in a single location. MyACHL includes multiple team information on a single page, schedules and recently posted scores, team standings and an ability to sign up for e-mail notification.

Go to www.adrayhockey.org to sign up

ADRAY Officers President:/Temp VP East Greater West:Vice President Metro Vice President Jeff Spedowski Kevin Wood Bobby Mitchell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 231-796-0728 616-560-6503 248-302-0913

52999 DequindreRochester, MI 48307

Phone: (248) 601-6699Fax: (248) 601-0102onyxicearena.comTM

54755 BroughtonMacomb, MI 48042

Phone: (586) 992-8600Fax: (586) 992-8666

suburbanice.com

Varsity & Junior Varsity teams Welcome!

W

W & &

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

G G

G S

G S

S S Due no later than Monday, April 19

S

Gold ivi ion

Each team may roster a maximum of five players who competed at the A, AA level during the fall/winter 2009-10 season

Silver ivi ionNo players who competed at the A, AA, AAA level during the fall/winter 2009-10 season

G G

G S

G S

S S Due no later than Monday, April 19

S

All players will participate in an evaluation skate the week of April 12 so that teams can be formed. Each team will then be provided with a schedule that has four practices and eleven games (11 minute stop time periods). All teams will make the playoffs. Playoffs will be a single-loss elimination format.

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All playersskate the wbe formedwith a scheeleven gamAll teams be a single

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Mackinaw City and NMU win Mackinaw City and NMU win Girls Go Pink tourneyGirls Go Pink tourney


Marquette Junior Hockey held their inaugural Girls Go Pink

tournament Feb 12-14 at the Lakeview Arena and the Berry

Events Center in Marquette.

The name Girls Go Pink came from the fact that all of the

Marquette girls players have been wearing a pink sock on their

right leg this year in support of cancer awareness.

The Girls Go Pink tournament champions in the Under 16

Division were the Mackinaw City U16 Girls (top). After opening

the tournament with a 7-2 loss to Escanaba, Mackinaw City

beat Manistique U16, 6-3, and then defeated the Marquette

Culvers U14 squad, 3-2.

In the rematch against Escanaba in the tournament fi nal,

Mackinaw City came out with a 4-3 overtime victory. The game

was tied at the end of regulation play, 3-3. Kate Johnson of

Mackinaw city scored the game winner in overtime.

In the Women’s Open Division, the Northern Michigan

University Women’s Club team (above) took the title. The

hometown NMU squad stormed through the Girls Go pink

tournament by defeating the Northern Lights, 8-0, the

Michigan Tech University Club team, 10-1, and Central Michigan

University, 6-0.

In Sunday’s championship game, NMU faced off against

Central Michigan University once again, this time on their home

ice at the Berry Events Center. Stephanie Fouts, a Mohawk, MI

native, made the most noise in the fi nale. Fouts scored two

goals en route to a 3-0 win and was awarded the fi rst star

of the game. Sarah Church had the shutout in goal for NMU.

Tournament offi cials are planning next year’s event for

November and plan to have even more divisions.

Mackinaw City and NMU win Mackinaw City and NMU win Girls Go Pink tourneyGirls Go Pink tourney

Individual & Team Registrations

April 13 to June 30

52999 DequindreRochester, MI 48307

Phone: (248) 601-6699Fax: (248) 601-0102

www.onyxicearena.com

TM

League Details

Team Registration Divisions18 & Over D:

18 & Over C: 18 & Over C:

18 & Over A: 30 & Over:

Team and Individual Registration Division

18 & Over C: 18 & Over D-:

2010 SpringAdult Leagues2010 Spring

Adult Leagues2010 Spring

Adult Leagues



Spring Clinics

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Tuesday April 6thOutside Edges (6-14) ..................................................10:30-noonShoot to Score (6-14) ....................................................noon-1:30

Wednesday April 7thDefense Clinic (9-14) ...................................................10:30-noonBackward Power Skating (9-14) ....................................noon-1:30

Thursday April 8thStickhandling & Puck Control (6-14) ............................10:30-noonQuick & Fast (6-14) .......................................................noon-1:30

Friday April 9thShoot to Score (6-14) ..................................................10:30-noonOutside Edges (6-14) ....................................................noon-1:30

Tuesday April 6thBackward Power Skating (9-14) ..................................10:30-noonPlaymaker (9-14) ...........................................................noon-1:30

Wednesday April 7thShoot to Score (5-8) ....................................................10:30-noonOutside Edges (6-14) ....................................................noon-1:30Shoot to Score (9-14) .....................................................1:30-3:00

Thursday April 8thStickhandling & Puck Control (5-8)................................ 10:30-noonQuick & Fast (6-14) .......................................................noon-1:30Stickhandling & Puck Control (9-14) .................................1:30-3:00

Ages listed in parenthesis

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!Novi Bantam Predators give Novi Bantam Predators give back to the communityback to the community

Michigan Sting take Gold at Michigan Sting take Gold at Troy Senior OlympicsTroy Senior Olympics

The Novi Predators Bantam squad volunteered their time

to assist with a non-profi t group called Community Sharing

Outreach Center of Milford on February 13.

Community Sharing was created in 2003 to expand a food

pantry with services that provide food, clothing, assistance

with evictions, utility shut-off s, and other emergencies,

referrals to other agencies, advocacy, and tutoring in Milford,

Highland and Wixom.

The Predator’s players stocked shelves and sorted food

items, some of which they took the time to collect and donate

to the center.

“We try to teach a few life lessons throughout the hockey

season and remind the team that it is a privilege to play

hockey,” said Predators coach Rob Massard. “There are several

underprivileged families in our area that are struggling to pay

their bills and keep food on the table. Maybe we, as a team,

can help these families out in some small way and give back.”

The Novi Predator team is: Ryan Bomya, Ben Brown, Ben

Forhan, Cameron Gromek, Joey Johnson, Alex Karian, Ben

LaPointe, Michael Massard, Michael Moloney, Griffi n Peterson,

Adam Phillips, Matthew Robinet, Mitchell Robinet, Andrew

Stellon, Evan Stockton and Alec Yanosy.

The second annual Michigan Senior Olympics hockey

tournament took place at the Troy Sports Arena on January

25-27, 2010. Five Over-60 teams, including the Troy Silver

Devils, Lapeer Area Old Timers, OPC Mavericks, Troy Oldtimers

and Michigan Sting, played six games in the fi rst two days.

Sponsors for the games were the law fi rm of Howard &

Howard and Best Buy. Guest vocalist Jennifer Barba sang the

National Anthem. Former Detroit Red Wings forward and

NHL Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay (above with from left: Steve

Pankwewicz of the Troy Oldtimers, Sam Haidle of Howard

and Howard and Terry Boyette from the Michigan Sting)

served as the tournament’s honorary chairperson, dropped

the ceremonial fi rst puck and presented the medals and the

Ted Lindsay Trophy to the winning team.

The OPC Mavericks won the Bronze medal, 2-1, with the

winning goal scored by Steve Berak with one second left on

the clock. The Michigan Sting took home the gold medal and

Lindsay Trophy with a 7-0 win over the Troy Oldtimers.

The tournament grew from having four teams last season

and Lindsay off ered tips and encouragement to the players

“You are never too old to play hockey,” said Lindsay.

Novi Bantam Predators give Novi Bantam Predators give back to the communityback to the community

Michigan Sting take Gold at Michigan Sting take Gold at Troy Senior OlympicsTroy Senior Olympics


800-667-5141www.coachmate.com

To recognize and promote the commitment of youth coaches in the state, Michigan Hockey would like youth coaches to tell us a few things about

yourself and why you coach youth hockey.

presented by:

COACH JOEL ROACH Level, Team and AssociationMite AA ‘01 Canton Crush

Number of years coaching - 2

Most memorable coaching momentA 5-0 shutout in a tournament in Holland.

Coaching Philosophy/StyleHave fun. It’s on the kids as much as the coaching staff to get better every time on the ice.

One thing you would change about youth hockeyShorten the length of the season. For the younger kids August through March is too long.

S U B M I T T O W I NCOACHES, SEND US THE FOLLOWING INFO FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COACH MATE BOARD

AND BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE OF MICHIGAN HOCKEY IN THE BEHIND THE BENCH SECTION. PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• YOUR NAME

• WHERE DO YOU LIVE

• THE LEVEL, TEAM AND ASSOCIATION WHERE YOU COACH

• NUMBER OF YEARS COACHING

• WHY DO YOU COACH

• MOST MEMORABLE COACHING MOMENT

• COACHING PHILOSOPHY/STYLE

• FAVORITE DRILL

• COACH YOU ADMIRE MOST AND WHY

• ONE THING YOU’D CHANGE ABOUT YOUTH HOCKEY

PLEASE ATTACH A DIGITAL PHOTO OF YOURSELF WITH YOUR ANSWERS

AND EMAIL EVERYTHING TO: [email protected]

20/20 CLASSIFIED ADS20 words for $20 • 50¢ each word over 20

North American Hockey Tournaments — Fort Lauderdale, Florida - March 24-29, 2010, Atlantic City, New Jersey - April 9-11, 2010, Hartford, Connecticut - April 16-18, 2010, Montreal, Quebec - April 23-25, 2010, Chicago, Illinois - April 30 - May 2, 2010, Las Vegas, Nevada - May 5-10, 2010,

San Diego, California - May 12-17, 2010

CONTACT: BENJAMIN M. ALAIMO, P.O. BOX 3172, ENFIELD, CT 06083-3172 - Call/Fax: 1-800-322-NAHH - EMAIL: [email protected] | www.nahhtours.com

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TOURNAMENTS

STARTS IN APRILOPEN & HOUSE

DIVISIONS Mite Squirt Pee WeeBantam High School

STARTS IN APRILHOUSE PLAYERS ONLY

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MH Beat March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

S P O N S O R E D B Y

Pee Wee Bantam

You will learn: STRENGTH ON SKATES

PROPER BODY CHECKING TECHNIQUE BALANCE & CONTROL HOW TO RECEIVE A CHECK

HOW TO AVOID DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ANGLING AND BODY POSITIONING

DEFENSIVE POSITIONING SAFE, AGGRESSIVE HOCKEY STICK STRENGTH

CLINICS 2010

Classes fill quickly!Register now!

Call today to enroll (248) 478-1600 Call today to enroll (248) 478-1600

www.suburbanhockey.comwww.suburbanhockey.com

ADDITIONAL CLASSES/LOCATIONSTO BE SCHEDULED

ICE BOX SPORTS CENTER6:00-7:50 PM, TUESDAY, MARCH 23

LAKELAND ARENA6:50-8:40 PM, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24

ST. CLAIR SHORESCIVIC ARENA

6:00-7:50 PM, THURSDAY, MARCH 25

SUBURBAN ICE - FARMINGTON HILLS5:30-7:20 PM, SATURDAY, MARCH 27

SUBURBAN ICE - FARMINGTON HILLS

6:00-7:50 PM, SUNDAY, MARCH 28

DEARBORN ICE SKATING CENTER

6:00-7:50 PM, MONDAY, MARCH 29

SUBURBAN ICE - MACOMB6:00-7:50 PM, TUESDAY, MARCH 30

ONYX - ROCHESTER ICE ARENA

7:15-9:05 PM, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31

NOVI ICE ARENA5:30-7:20 PM, THURSDAY, APRIL 1

NOVI ICE ARENA7:30-9:20 PM, THURSDAY, APRIL 1

BY JOSH CURMIWhether the games were outside at Clark Park or inside at

Jack Adams Arena, the sixth annual Hockey in the Hood, held

Feb. 12-14 in Detroit, brought urban kids and suburban kids

together for fun, friendship and hockey.

With five divisions, twenty-one teams and over 300

players, the tournament promoted sportsmanship and great

competition and celebrated the diversity of the sport.

Out of town programs’ Columbus (OH) Ice Hockey Club,

Buff alo’s Hasek’s Heroes and Wasilla, Alaska traveled to Detroit

and joined local teams from the Livonia Hockey Association,

the Farmington Hills Hockey Association, the Royal Oak Hockey

Association, the Plymouth Canton Hockey Association, Clark

Park Detroit and the Detroit Hockey Association.

In addition to Opening Ceremonies and meet-and-greet

sessions with former NHLer Willie O’Ree, each team also played

one of their tournament games as an “Outdoor Classic” at the

rink at Clark Park.

“Hockey in the Hood is the highlight of our season,” said Will

McCants, the president of the DHA. “It’s exciting to see inner city

players from all across the country and our local teams compete

in this tournament. This is the fi rst minority tournament of its

kind and features many diff erent ethnic backgrounds. It is a

great opportunity for all the kids.”

O’Ree, who broke the NHL color barrier in 1958 when he

played with the Boston Bruins, again presented the O’Ree Cup

championship trophy to the winning teams.

“It’s encouraging to see how this tournament has

progressed,” O’Ree said. “Every year we think it is a bigger

success. It just makes it more and more fun to see how much

better it’s going to get.”

GROWING THE GAMEThe fi rst Hockey in the Hood had 60 kids and the event has

helped the DHA promote the sport in Detroit.

“From where we started to where we are today is incredible,

“said a smiling McCants. ”We have Willie and all of our sponsors

to thank, but most of all the kids, they are the reason we are

here, and they make this the great event it is.”

The event includes numerous volunteers and takes months

to plan.

“It’s a lot of work, there is no doubt about that,” McCants

said. “However, it has really become the kind of event that you

know is making a positive diff erence in the lives of the young

people who participate in it. All the eff ort is worth it when you

can see how much the kids enjoy everything.”

LIFE SKILLS TOOWhile Hockey in the Hood is about meeting new friends

and showing your talents on the ice, tournament organizers

also stress the importance of learning life skills through

playing the game.

“Hockey can teach much more than just how to skate and

shoot,” said O’Ree, a 12-year veteran of the NHLs’ Diversity Task

Force. “It can teach you how to be a good teammate, how to

handle winning and losing, and also that everyone has one

thing in common - the love for the game.”

And McCants knows those are the kind of things that young

players can use the rest of their lives.

“Our focus is on hockey, but we want to produce more than

just good hockey players. We want to produce quality people,”

he said. “It’s important to us to use hockey as a vehicle to teach

kids how to be good people and good sports.”

A GREAT EXPERIENCEThe fun, camaraderie and competition made for a great

weekend. And both McCants and O’Ree believe that the key

still is just getting the kids on the ice to try such a great sport.

“I have never heard the kids come and tell me that they

weren’t having fun.” O’Ree said. “Get the kids on the ice and

they will love it.”

Hockey in the Hood provided the players with the

opportunity to travel from their home rinks, compete in a

tournament atmosphere and strive to reach their goals.

“This tournament is about giving these kids a chance to

have dreams and encouraging them to chase them,” said O’Ree.

McCants thanked the event’s sponsors and the DHA

volunteers who worked hard to create an atmosphere where

kids could enjoy playing the game.

“We take a lot of pride in what we are doing here,” said

McCants, who is already looking forward to next year’s Hockey

in the Hood in Detroit. “It really is truly all about the kids. It’s all

about exposing them to a great sport and helping them learn

about themselves in the process.”

Hockey in the Hood Hockey in the Hood celebrates diversitycelebrates diversityHockey in the Hood celebrates diversity

The sixth annual Hockey in the Hood tournament in Detroit was a weekend

celebration of diversity, fun and good competition. Willie O’Ree (center) of

the NHL Diversity Task Force dropped the ceremonial fi rst puck between the

Detroit Dragons BJ Salazar (left) and Plymouth Killer Sharks Andrew Stukel.

PHOTO BY JOSH CURMI/MICHIGAN HOCKEY

23996 FREEWAY PARK DRIVEFARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48335248.888.1400|SUBURBANICE.COM

Individual Registration

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NHockey in the Hood celebrates diversity


MH Beat

Contact Tournament Director Joe Jones at:[email protected]

Register by calling 248-478-1600www.suburbanice.com

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• Tournament will begin no earlier than 5:00 p.m. Thursday & Fridaywith Semi-Finals and Finals held on Sunday

• $695 for Bantam and Pee Wee (12-12-14 periods)

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April 22 - 25

BY MARC KOORSTRAEvery time nine-year old Blake Jackson of White Lake

scores a goal, registers an assist or even just steps on the ice,

it holds extra meaning.

The points on the scoreboard and the carvings in the

ice are the same, but what they represent – the adversity

he has overcome – shines brighter than any goal lamp or

scoreboard light.

In November of 2001, hockey was the last thing on the

minds of John and Kelly Jackson. Dreams of watching their

son grow and develop a love for the game like his father

suddenly turned into a parent’s worst nightmare after

noticing some abnormal behavior.

“When he was 13 months he stopped walking and

crawling and just wasn’t active,” John Jackson said. “We were

concerned and decided to get him checked out.”

A trip to the hospital and an MRI revealed a tumor wrapped

around Blake’s spine and in his chest. Within two hours he

was in surgery to have the tumor removed along with four

vertebrae. But the bad news was far from over at that point.

The doctors told John and Kelly Jackson that their son’s cancer

was Stage IV, the hardest to treat, and he had Ewing’s Sarcoma,

a rare bone cancer. They gave him a 10 percent chance of living.

Even if Blake survived, he would probably never walk again,

let alone skate.

A TURNAROUNDBut by February 2002 his outlook

began to turn around. Chemo therapy

was successful and Blake went into

remission. In May he underwent a

bone marrow transplant and remained

cancer-free although his recovery was

far from done.

“We drove to the children’s hospital

everyday for check-ups,” John Jackson

said. “Eventually, everyday became

every other day and then once a month

and then once a year.”

Even though he was too young to

remember the initial moment, during

his time at the Children’s Hospital of

Michigan, Blake received a visit from members of the Detroit

Red Wings. The team frequents the facility and the Red Wings

Wish Club has raised more than $250,000 for the hospital since

1995. As the visits continued the impact on Blake grew. With

his recovery complete, he decided he would like to not just be

a fan, but follow in his “buddies’” footsteps and skate strides

like his favorite player Pavel Datsyuk.

Two years after his treatment ended, at fi ve years old and

four vertebrae short, Blake began playing in a house league

at Lakeland Arena in Waterford.

“It was so tremendous to see him take the ice, let alone live

and be able to walk with out four vertebrae,” John Jackson said.

GREAT HANDS AND A NOSE FOR THE NETAnd his fi rst couple years were more than just a feel-good

story. Blake, playing left wing, became one of the leading

scorers in his league. He fi nished the 2008-09 season with 55

goals and 82 points. He also won a NARCh Finals roller hockey

championship

that July.

Th i s ye a r

he and his family

agreed it was a

good time to take a

step up and play for

the Lakeland Hawks

2000’s travel team. Blake’s success

has continued as he has scored 19 goals and

has averaged almost a point a game. But Blake

is not that concerned with scoring goals.

“I like to get assists more,” he said. “They count just as

much as goals.”

Lakeland head coach Brian Dicker constantly sees that kind

of attitude on display during games.

“Blake has a lot of passion – he lives and breathes the sport,”

he said. “He’s got a nose for the puck and great hands, but he is

also one of the most polite kids you will meet. After we fi nish

he always asks if he can be excused from the locker room even

though we tell him he doesn’t have to ask.

“He is defi nitely an inspiration – to see what’s he’s gone

trough and for him to be able to come back from that. They’re

such a great family and we love having them around the

program,” Dicker added.

In December, Blake competed in his fi rst Silver Stick Regional

in Midland. Although the Hawks did not make it through the

tournament as champions, John Jackson said it was a great

experience for Blake. But something perhaps even more

special took place just a couple days later. On Dec. 22, Blake

and his family were invited to the Joe Louis Arena to reunite

with the players who visited him in the hospital and motivated

him to play hockey.

“They came to visit me and now I get to go visit them,”

Blake says.

As for how long he will continue to play the game that

played an important role in his recovery?

“As long as I can,” he said.

Blake Jackson of White Lake

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Off ice training program by Triad Performance Gym and Training Center’s Kirk Vickers, former Detroit Red Wings head athletic trainer.

suburbanhockey.com or call 248-478-1600

A comprehensive training program for A/AA/AAA players ages 9-14

July 26 - July 30

Applications can be found at:

Train Hard. Play Hard.

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More Good HabitsWhether you have the puck or are trying to get it back, here are some more good

habits that make good hockey players:

PLAYING WITH THE PUCKTake what’s given deep - Take what is given, but you must get the puck deep,

at least behind the defensemen. Getting the puck deep forces the defensemen to

retreat further, prevents getting caught in transition and sets up off ensive pressure

deep in the opposition’s zone.

Take what’s given out - Take what is given, but you must get the puck out

of the defensive zone. Getting the puck out of the zone puts an end to off ensive

pressure. At worst there may be an icing or the opposition regroups, at best off ensive

opportunities may develop from the neutral zone.

Keep dump-ins away from the goalie – So that the goalie cannot control

the puck. Dump-ins away from the net may draw the goalie far out of the net and

he could get caught if there is a breakdown.

Keep on the boards - Keep the puck along the boards if there is no certain

play. This applies in all zones. Dangerous off ensive opportunities can be given to

the opposition when the play goes up the middle.

PLAYING WITHOUT THE PUCKGive good targets - Keep your stick on the ice and give good passing targets in

an open passing lane. Move to open passing lanes. Make it easy for your teammates

to get you the puck.

Support puck carrier - Support the puck carrier by moving to open passing

lanes, following in the open space created by the puck carrier’s movement or going

at and isolating defenders so that the puck carrier has more space to move to. Passing

lanes, open ice, and defender positions are constantly changing, therefore supporting

players must be constantly looking, reading the play and moving.

Never off side - Never go off sides, especially on an odd man rush. Read the play,

stay under control, and stay onside even if it means stopping.

DEFENSEMEN RETRIEVING DUMP-INS Back hard - Go back for the puck hard, at top speed, stride and do not glide. By

going back hard you create precious time and space for yourself that you will need

when you get to the puck.

Shoulder check - Check over you shoulder and read the play behind you as you

go back for the puck. You must know where your passing options are, where the

forechecking pressure is coming from, and where the open ice is so you can make

your decisions before you get to the puck.

Use deception - Do not telegraph your decision. Use deception to control the

opposition, keep the passing lanes open and create space and time to make your

play. A simple body lean or head fake is often enough.

Move puck quickly - Move the puck up quickly, before the forecheck sets up. The

fi rst opportunity is often the best opportunity to get the puck out of the defensive zone.

BENCH MANAGEMENTOut over boards - Go out onto the ice over the boards. Give your teammates

who are changing up room to get out over the boards.

In through gate - Come in through the gate. Give players coming on to the

ice the right of way.

Sit with linemates - Sit with your linemates so that you can talk together and

go back out together and so that the coaches can better track the lines.

Ask who is up - If you are uncertain who is up next, ask.

SPEED RACE

PURPOSE: Full-ice drill to work backward skating speed, forward skating speed with the puck and rebounding.

SET-UP: Divide players into pairs and place the puck carrier, O, at the hash marks along the boards, with the backward skater, X, just inside the blue line. On the whistle, O skates as fast as possible forward in a straight line with the puck, while X skates as fast as possible backward in a straight line, racing to the far blue line. Once past the blue line, O continues to the net to shoot, while X pivots and follows in for a rebound.

Web-enabled sports training software to help players teach and players learn

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Taking a quick look over your shoulder to know your options

as you go back for the puck is a good hockey habit.

Get Better

PHOTO BY TOM TURRILL/MICHIGAN HOCKEY

HOCKEY CLUBDistrict 4 Program

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GOOD HABITS START EARLY AGES 5-6

The program features a blend of training and skill games to create a fun and productive learning environment designed to develop the confidence and self-esteem of every player.

AGES 6-8 The Mite Program is extremely popular with young players due to the blend of fun, hard work and training. All players should have a minimum of one year of skating experience. All training takes place on ice and players are divided into small groups (maximum 6 to 1 student/trainer ratio) based on skill and experience to maximize individual attention and ensure each student is challenged to improve.

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Training Table

TRAINING TABLE

Hockey Person of the YearThis award is presented annually “to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Michigan as a

administrator.”

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

Male Scholar-Athlete of the YearThis award is presented annually “to a male student-athlete born in 1991 or later who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.”

Female Scholar-Athlete of the YearThis award is presented annually “to a female student-athlete born in 1991 or later who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.”

SEND YOUR NOMINATIONS TO:MICHIGAN HOCKEY

23995 Freeway Park Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829

EMAIL to: [email protected] include name of nominee, reason for nominating him/her, biographical information about your nominee, your name and

your daytime and evening telephone numbers.

HOW TO NOMINATE SOMEONE

Would you like to become a sponsor of this unique event? Please contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or

[email protected].

FOLLOW THE ROAD TO THE STATE CHAMPIONS ONWWW.MICHIGANHOCKEYONLINE.COM

Make Your NominationsNOW for the...

Understanding and Implementing the ADM

Over the last year, USA Hockey has promoted the American

Development Model (ADM) in an eff ort to educate coaches,

athletes and parents about long-term athlete development.

I have gotten a lot of questions about this model and how to

implement it. This two-part article will break down some of the

concepts in an easy-to-understand format so the program can

be better understood and implemented on a consistent basis.

The basic concept of the ADM is to take advantage of

particular “windows of opportunity” as athletes mature in

a long-term eff ort to develop the most complete athlete

possible. Instead of specializing in just one sport at a very

early age, the ADM suggests a more well-rounded approach

that will ultimately create higher-level athletic abilities than

playing hockey alone will.

MOVE IN DIFFERENT WAYSBefore about age 12, the nervous system is still developing

and seems to be able to “expand” through exposure to diff erent

stimuli. Think of the nervous system as a circuit board.

Training before age 12 is designed to build a “bigger board”

so you can ultimately plug more wires into it down the road.

This enhancement is achieved through exposure to diff erent

sports and activities that involve running, jumping, turning,

throwing, catching, striking, balancing, tumbling and anything

that challenges a young athlete to move in diff erent ways.

Gymnastics, martial arts, dance, basketball, and soccer

are great activities for young athletes to learn body-control,

coordination and the ability to process physical information.

Balance boards, stability balls, mini-tramps and jump ropes

are simple items that can be used and progressively made

more challenging. Games that involve hand-eye coordination,

running and jumping are also excellent. You can even have your

kids learn how to skateboard or walk on stilts. Play follow-the-

leader on a playground or Simon Says with diff erent skills like

hopping on one foot, push-ups or high-knee runs in place to

allow for creativity and fun.

Playing other sports is another way to stimulate the

nervous system, and the ADM highly encourages this in the

younger age groups.

Former Soviet sports development expert Tudor Bompa

wrote about this kind of training in his book Theory and

Methodology of Training. His concept of introducing a variety

of activities at a young age has been used in Europe for decades,

and is part of the model USA Hockey is now promoting.

Because the circuit board is so wide-open in younger

athletes, it is also an optimal time to develop key skills involved

in sports. For hockey, this is a critical time to learn how to

skate, shoot and pass. Time spent on these skills before age

twelve will pay big dividends down the road. There is also a

window of opportunity to develop speed and quickness on

the ground. If available, programs that teach young athletes

proper running mechanics in short bursts are highly eff ective

for long-term development. It may seem crazy to start training

at this young of an age, but the long-term results are worth it.

SKILLS AND TRAININGThe ADM recommendation for 8 & Under is called

the “FUNdamentals Stage” which focuses on what they

call Fundamental Movement Skills (balancing, running,

coordination, etc.). They go so far as to suggest that hockey

should only take up 25% of a young athlete’s activity while other

activities/sports should take up 75% of their time.

The next stage - 12 & Under - is called “Learning to Train”

and focuses on Fundamental Sports Skills such as throwing,

striking, kicking, etc. This entire stage of life should focus on

individual development rather than competition. Many coaches

and parents want to “win games” rather than develop players,

but the ADM is suggesting the opposite approach will give

athletes the best overall experience and development. They

progress up to 80-90 practices and 30-35 games a year, but

there is still a heavy emphasis on skill development.

The keys to applying the ADM approach for athletes 12

& Under are:

*Teach fundamental movements and athletic skills

*Focus on development rather than competition

*Stimulate the nervous system with multiple sports and

activities

*Teach and practice fundamental hockey skills such as

skating, shooting and passing

I hope this helps you understand and apply USA Hockey’s

American Development Model for development in the younger

age groups. In the next installment, I will concentrate on

ages 13 and up. Until then, please contact me if you have any

questions about performance training.

Jim Kielbaso MS, CSCS is the Director of the Total Performance

Training Center inside Total Sports Complex – Wixom. He is a

former college strength and conditioning coach and author of the

books Speed & Agility Revolution and World’s Hardest Exercises.

Contact him at [email protected].

March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

with JIM KIELBASO MS, CSC

Long-term Athlete Development Growth Phase LTAD Stage Approx. Age

Early

Childhood Active start Male/Female 0-6 yrs

Late

Childhood Fundamentals M: 6-9/F: 6-8

Early

puberty Learn to train M: 9-12/F: 8-11

Late

puberty Train to train M: 12-16/F: 11-15

Early

adulthood Learn to compete M: 16-18/F: 15-18

Early

adulthood Train to compete M: 19-23/F: 18-21

Adulthood Train to win M: 19+/F: 18+

Hockey for Life Lifetime player

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NOVICEFocus on principles of

skating, balance edgework, introduction to puck skills and

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1 hour per weekAges 4-6

YOUTHFocus on forward and backward stride,

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times. The Red Wings have been a great example of longevity, having changed

general managers, gone through several coaches and re-tooled their roster a

number of times to stay ahead of the game and maintain their level of success.

But it’s not easy to do.

Even before the economy went south, the youth hockey world in Michigan

started its decline as the new millennium began. Fewer players were getting into

the game at the younger ages, which was the fi rst sign that trouble was brewing

somewhere down the road. But those signs were not really that easy to see. There

were still plenty of players and plenty of teams. There was incredible demand for

prime time ice time. Smooth sailing. Right?

That’s what they thought on the Titanic too until they took their eye off of the

horizon and failed to notice the iceberg in the way.

Lots of players, lots of teams and lots of demand for prime ice times. But the

players have to come from somewhere don’t they? For many arenas, associations

or independent teams attracting players was no problem. How? Create the

demand. What’s the demand? Tryout-based hockey teams.

That’s the easy part. Let the market decide. There are a number of reasons why

players, and more often their parents on their behalf, choose tryout-based hockey

teams. For some it is the desire to play at the highest level - in some cases reality,

in others in perception or in name only. Most Tier I or AAA teams never have and

never will have trouble getting players. There are always enough people looking

to be upwardly mobile. The better Tier I or AAA teams are oftentimes constantly

re-stocked with the better players from the weaker teams that they beat up on year

after year. Why be the best player on a weak team? If you can’t beat ‘em, join em.

MORE STRATIFICATIONOther tryout-based teams at the A and AA level utilize the same model to attract

players to their teams. Now there are even very clear stratifi cations between the

upper level A/AA teams and the lower level teams in the same age group. The

better teams have no problem fi nding players, the weaker teams take what they

can get to fi ll their roster.

The desire to play at a higher level is not the only reason that the majority

of players migrate to tryout-based teams. For some they just want to play with

friends, something that they can’t necessarily do in B level leagues where teams

are formed by drafts. Others want to get away from the sometimes perceived,

sometimes very real, politics and personal agendas that can be a part of some

associations. Some seek out the best coaching. Some coaches don’t want to play by

any rules except their own, they want to do things their way and answer to no one.

Some parents want to get their players away from the “weaker players”, to a

level that “challenges” their player to develop. While there is some merit to that, in

many cases it can ironically have the exact opposite result. Some parents need the

status of a higher level. No way their child should be playing at the lowest level.

ICEBERGS AHEADThe list goes on and on. The result is that there are way more tryout-based or

travel teams than there were ten years ago. And this comes at a time when there

are less players entering the game. While we have all been strutting around like

peacocks in an eff ort to attract someone else’s players to our team to form the best

team or in some cases to just have enough players to even have a team, nobody

has been watching the horizon. There are plenty of icebergs ahead.

Who is feeding this monster? Does anybody know? Does anybody care?

We’re about to fi nd out. The biggest bubble of players born in the 90’s has almost

moved its way through. Very few arenas or associations have been putting the

time and eff ort into getting more new players into the game. Why should they

when it is so easy just to attract them from somewhere else? More tryout-based

teams. Less players in the player pool. Less house league and entry level hockey

opportunities available for players to get started playing. Something has got to

give. And it will. Soon.

This year there are even more tryout-based teams. In a weirdly ironic twist, in

an eff ort to move toward “compliance” with USA Hockey’s American Development

Model, which was created with the intent of getting more players into the game

and giving more players the opportunity to develop into better hockey players,

many organizations are adding even more tryout-based teams to their programs.

New players? No. Players from somewhere else? Hopefully.

It’s the modus operandi of hockey in Michigan. We want freedom to play

anywhere we want to. We want freedom to form our teams from players from

anywhere we want. And there is nothing wrong with that. We should have that

right. But with freedom and rights also comes responsibility.

Nobody seems to want that though. Nobody has been watching the door. Not

enough new players have been coming through it. And now the-you-know what

is going to hit the fan. There are not enough players for all of these teams. Many

will fold. Already struggling rinks will be hit even harder and some will shut their

doors for good. More opportunities will be lost for players to get into the game.

Freedom of choice and a market-driven approach can sometimes be good.

But sometimes the competitive pressures of the marketplace can lead us in a

direction that is best not to go.

Stateof the

Gameby Lyle Phair

This just might be it. It could be the time. The cataclysmic event, the violent

upheaval that fi nally results in signifi cant change in the youth hockey world in

Michigan. Just maybe.

But why? And why now? What is so diff erent about this year from previous

years? The answer is uncertainty. And this year there appears to be much, much

more of it than there has ever been before.

The signs have been there for several years now. Each year we have spun a

little more out of control, careening wildly down a slippery slope. But somehow,

someway, things always seem to fi nd a way to come together. We manage to stay

in control and get through yet another season.

This year we might have reached the tipping point. Where that will take us I

have no idea. But it could prove to be an interesting ride.

The 1990’s was a fantastic decade for hockey, and for that matter many other

facets of life in Michigan. The economy was humming along with the auto industry

locked on cruise control in the fast lane.

Team USA’s miracle on ice gold medal winning performance at the 1980 Winter

Olympics in Lake Placid had sparked unprecedented interest in a generation of

new hockey families.

After fi fteen years of mediocrity, the Red Wings embarked on what would become

a twenty plus year run of excellence as the model franchise in the National Hockey

League. New ice arenas opened all over the state, many in areas that had never

had hockey before. Older facilities added a second sheet or upgraded to handle

the increased demand. Hockey participation experienced remarkable growth at

every level of the game. Hockey life was good.

ADAPTING AND CHANGINGAll good things eventually come to an end, don’t they? Eventually. Some

more quickly than others. It depends on the ability to adapt and change with the

HOCKEGEDDONHOCKEGEDDON

State of the Game March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

HOCKEGEDDON

Editor’s Note: The following article is the tenth installment of

our “Navigating the Frozen Waters” educational series aimed at

helping both new and veteran players and parents understand

the diff erent levels and pathways of hockey available in Michigan

and across the United States. Michigan Hockey will explore other

topics in youth hockey in future issues.

We invite you to share your questions and concerns

regarding Navigating the Waters by e-mailing us at: mh@

michiganhockeyonline.com.

BY TIM WILSONWith numerous levels and teams, boys hockey can be diffi cult to comprehend for

the average parent or player.

But what about girls hockey? Even with fewer players involved, there are multiple

levels, teams and programs. So where does a girl learn to play the game and what

can she expect?

In the past most girls got their fi rst taste of hockey playing on a boy’s team before

moving on to a girl’s team as they get older. And while that still happens, more and

more girls are playing in all-girls programs across the state.

Girls hockey has the familiar Tier I, Tier II and House classifi cations, but has two-year

divisions – 10U, 12U, 14U and 19U - due to the smaller number of players involved.

Tier II girl’s teams in the state begin competing in leagues at the 12U age group.

And most associations in the state with a girl’s house team have only one team per

age group, so more often than not those teams travel outside their association to

play other teams.

A unique facet to the girls game is the lack of districts boundaries that govern

the boy’s game. With roughly 2,800 girls under 19-years old registered in Michigan,

there are no geographic restrictions to where someone can play.

And, at this point, there is nothing in Michigan that defi nes the diff erence between

Tier I and Tier II girl’s hockey. A rule change proposal that clearly lays out the criteria

for three levels of girl’s hockey - Tier I 12U -19U, Tier II Competitive 10U -19U and Tier II

House Recreational for all ages - will be voted on at the MAHA Summer Meeting in July.

BUILDING FROM THE BOTTOMThe Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association has run a successful girl’s program

for years and currently has two teams, a 10U squad and

12U team, at the girls House level and Tier 2 teams at

the 12U and 14U levels.

Most girls go on to play high school hockey after 14U

according to AAAHA girl’s director Erik Penhollow, who also coached the fi rst year

Tier I Compuware 14U team this season.

“In Ann Arbor the number of boys playing has gone down while the number of

girls has been around 100-120 over the past seven to eight years,” said Penhollow.

Much of that success can be attributed to the association’s commitment to getting

girls on the ice at a young age – including “Bring a Friend” skates to attract new

players. The next one is scheduled for March 14 at 1 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

“Girls reach out to friends and people at school,” said Penhollow. “A lot of times

they immediately fall in the love with the sport. Many times we will end up getting

fi ve or six new girls to play.”

The AAAHA is also off ering a Girls 3-on-3 league this spring that includes cross-ice

games and skill development clinics.

Suburban Ice - Farmington Hills housed 14 girl’s teams from the 19 and Under

level down this season. Like Ann Arbor, the arena has built its girls program by getting

players started as early as possible, said Lyle Phair, the coach of both the Michigan

Icebreakers 19U Tier 2 and Honeybaked 12U Tier I teams.

“The key to sustaining it is the entry level,” he said. “A lot of the teams get together

and then move up together. Most places don’t make the investment into having an

all-girls team. So they might never have an all-girls team.”

The numbers of girl’s playing started to grow a few years ago at Suburban Ice –

Farmington Hills when the arena introduced a beginner program called “It’s a Girl

Thing.” The number of players has increased to the point where the arena now has its

own in-house league at the 12U level. A Learn to Play program at the arena includes

about 20 girls aged 5-8 that could feed into house or travel programs in the future.

HAVING FUN IS KEYThe Livonia Hockey Association has fi ve girl’s teams – including House level

squads at the 10U and 12U divisions and Tier 2 teams at the 12U, 14U and 16U levels.

The 10U girls house team plays in a league with mite boys and the 12U teams

competes against squirt boys, according to 10U coach Carrie Sirola. The LHA teams

also play against girls teams from metro Detroit communities.

“When girls are getting introduced to the game a lot of parents don’t want to

travel all over the place for their 6-year old to play,” said Sirola, who has coached for 20

years. “I really like working with the 10U age group. It’s nice to see the improvement

they make at that age level.”

A highlight for Sirola’s girl’s team will be a game against the Birmingham 10U squad

at Ford Field just days before the college teams take the ice for the NCAA Frozen Four .

At the Mount Clemens Hockey Association, Cassie Jaeckle is the coach of both the

Tier II 12U and 14U Wolves teams, and is looking to add a 16U team next season to

complete a goal of building three teams in three seasons.

NaNavigating the vigating the FrozFrozen en WaWatersters

Girl’s Hockey – Part 2 A guide to helping players chart a course for their hockey careers

Where U.S. NHL players come fromAmerican players make up 19.6% of all

players in the NHL. The states that produce the most NHL players:

STATE PERCENTNew York 18.6%Minnesota 17.2%Michigan 17.2%Massachusetts 9.0%Connecticut 4.8%Illinois 3.4%

Source: 2009-10 NHL rosters

“We try to make it as fun as possible,’ said Jaeckle. “First and foremost the girls

are there to have fun. And when we see them progressing and growing, we know

we’re doing our part.”

Making sure young players at all age groups have a place to play is a goal for girls

hockey organizers. Jaeckle’s proudest moments have been seeing a less experienced

girl pick up the game and develop into a good player that loves the game.

“Someone that is not as skilled right now might be (better) in a year or two,” said

Jaeckle. “If they get cut, they may get discouraged and play something else. There

are diamonds in the rough everywhere.”

PART OF THE COMMUNITYIn Michigan’s Upper Peninsula the Marquette Junior Hockey has seen steady

growth in its girls program since it began 15 years ago. The MJH ices girl’s teams at

the 10U, 12U, 14U and 19U levels. With no current 16U squad, a group of 15-year

olds are playing up on the U19 team this season.

Like Livonia, Marquette’s 10U and 12U teams play against younger boy’s squads

in a house league in addition to playing against area girls teams.

“We will take a girl at any time that wants to play even if it’s halfway into the

season,” said MJH Girls Director Rod Riesland. “We will fi nd a place for them to play.”

The association benefi ts from the community’s attachment to hockey and promotes

girls hockey at every opportunity – including weekly radio and TV highlights,

fundraisers and “Wear your jersey to school” days.

“Hockey is our life here in the winter,” said Riesland. “When a lot of these kids

come out to skate it’s their great escape.”


STEVE MSTEVE McKICHANKICHANFrom the creaseFrom the crease

Summer Camp AdviceOnce you are through the Christmas Holidays many families turn their thoughts

toward selecting a summer goalie school to help with their child’s development.

Surprisingly, many of the top programs have already had some locations fi lled

to capacity!

Since time is of the essence I want to provide you with some fundamental

advice on selecting a camp where you will get the best experience for your money.

It would be a clear confl ict of interest if the remainder of this article basically

pumped the tires of Future Pro Goalie School. Right off the bat I want you to

understand that there are many great programs available beside my camps and

that I’m secure enough to admit that I’m not the only goalie expert in the world. In

fact, I’m sure there are more intelligent coaches that even I could learn from.

When I began outlining this article in my head I used the premise of what

would I look for, knowing what I know, if I was going to send my own son to

another camp.

I have also provided a simple scoring system so you can compare the camps

with the highest scores

1. Credentials – I would want a camp to provide me with the credentials

of the head instructor and the actual amount of time he would be on the ice

instructing every day. I would ask for this in writing.

If the program will provide written credentials and the on-ice coaching time of

the head instructor. Add 1 point ____

2. Quality Credentials of the head instructor • Bachelor Degree in Education or related fi eld: teaching will be professionally

delivered. Add 1 point ____

• NHL game experience: playing in the NHL doesn’t make a great teacher but

provides a valuable resource and respect. Add 1 point _____

• Actual NHL Goaltending Coach experience: NHL coaches have to display

remarkable ability to earn one of 30 positions in the world. Add 1 point _____

• Coaching Experience: for every fi ve years of coaching experience at any level

add 1 point ____

• Other playing experience: if they played Major Junior, Division 1 or top tier

European hockey add 1 point ______

3. Ice time value – Take the total hours of ice time per week for each camp

and divide into the price for the camp to determine cost per hour of on ice

instruction. If a camp is top three in value add 1 point _____

4. Staff :Student ratio – Obviously the more staff the better. Ratios range

from 1:1 to 1:6 or higher. If the camp you are looking at has a ratio of 1:2 or better

add 1 point ______

5. Word of mouth – Although not scientifi c, ask around. Which camps have

people had personal experience with? For every positive testimonial from another

goalie parent add 1 point ______

6. Years in business – If a camp has been around for many years it isn’t an

accident. Camps come and go - here today, gone tomorrow. For every fi ve years of

being in business add 1 point ______

Search the internet and visit as many goalie school websites and refi ne your

search to a handful. Use the above system to breakdown each program.

Once you have further refi ned your search call them up. How quickly do they

return calls? Does the owner speak with you or do you speak only to support staff ?

I have heard many great things (and bad experiences) about many goalie

schools. But if you use due diligence I think you will fi nd a camp that is right for

you.

From the Crease

Future Pro Goal is again sponsoring a “GOALIE ONLY” Contest! Enter to win one of 12 Top-Selling DVD sets! Contest will run from November - March with a winner selected randomly from each MH issue.

Send entries to Steve at [email protected] with Name/Address/Phone Number/EmailWinner: February - Peter Hansknecht

The most popular Goalie School in Michigan - REAL Credentials...REAL Results!Visit futurepro.com 519-247-3122

Coming SoonThursday A/B League

Starts in MayDetails coming in next issue

586.992.8600 suburbanice.com

[email protected] Saturday, March 20 10:45-11:35am Monday, March 29 5:30-6:20pm Thursday, April 1 5:30-6:20pm

Saturday, March 20 11:45-12:35pmTuesday, March 23 7:15-8:05pm Tuesday, March 30 6:15-7:05pm

[email protected] Friday, March 19 7:00 – 8:05pm Wednesday, March 24 6:00-6:50pmFriday, March 26 7:00-8:05pm

Sunday, March 14 11:00am-12:20pm Tuesday, March 16 7:15-8:05pmThursday, March 18 7:30-8:20pmSunday, March 21 11:00am-12:20pm

[email protected] Sunday, March 21 12:30-1:50pm Wednesday, March 24 7:00-7:50pm Friday, March 26 5:45-6:50pm

[email protected], March 22 6:30-7:35pm Wednesday, March 24 6:15-7:35pmSaturday, March 27 9:45-11:05am

Wednesday, March 17 8:00-9:20pmFriday, March 19 7:00-8:20pmSaturday, March 20 4:00-5:20pm

Wednesday, March 24 8:00 – 9:20pm

[email protected]

2010TM

SEASON OPTIONS:Spring Season

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Summer SeasonJuly 5th to August 30th

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16 games - $2,500 per team ($275 individual)

2010

Permission slips from 2009-10 team coach recommended.


The Seasons within a SeasonThe Seasons within a Season

Beyond the Stripes March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

Men’s Divisions

A – age 30 and up*B – age 30 and up*C – age 30 and up*D – age 30 and up**Goalies age 25 and up

Women’s Division

Open – age 21 and up

2nd Annual

April 16 - 18, 2010

-Each team is guaranteed 3 games, up to 5 games total

-Three 15 minute running-time periods

-USA Hockey Rules

-Individual & Team Trophies for championship winners and

runners-up in each division

-ALL PARTICIPANTS receive a TOURNAMENT T-SHIRT

-AFTER PARTIES and DISCOUNTS at local bars and restaurants in the Rochester area

For more information contactSteve Huber, Tournament [email protected]

Tournament Sanctioned by MAHA & USA Hockey #MIT100239

$700 per team

Sign Up Now!

Registration DeadlineMarch 15th

Presented by:

Register at oaklandedge.comoaklandedge.com

2nd Annual

OAKLAND EDGEOAKLAND EDGE

Adult Hockey TournamentAdult Hockey Tournament

ONYX ICE ARENA - ROCHESTER, MI

The stretch run of the season is a special time for everyone – players, coaches,

parents and yes, even offi cials.

A recent District 3 Pee Wee B playoff game

at Royal Oak Arena was quite a bit diff erent

than the normal league game two months

earlier between the same two teams.

In a nutshell, the play on the ice was

more exciting and there was a lot more

buzz and intensity from both the benches

and the stands.

The postseason magnifi es everything for

everyone and really points out how hockey

has multiple seasons within the season. In

other words, a typical year is broken into

pre-season scrimmages, league games,

tournaments, playoff s, districts and beyond.

And within these “seasons” there are subtle

and not so subtle diff erences in the games

and everyone’s approach to the competition.

THE SPOTLIGHT GETS BRIGHTERAfter the district playoff game veteran

offi cial Greg Fleming discussed with his

partner in the stripes, Jason Woodrum, the details of some of their calls and no-calls

that were surely debated by the coaches,

players and parents.

The importance (relatively speaking) of

the playoff game meant that “the intensity

on and off the ice increases dramatically,”

said Fleming. “Refereeing a game during

playoff time places a brighter spotlight on

our decisions.”

Veteran offi cials are well aware of the

added pressure come this time of the year.

“But, fi rst and foremost, most offi cials do

this for the kids and their development,” said

Fleming. “All we have control over is providing

a safe, fair and fun environment for the kids.

Knowing that we are giving back to the kids

creates all the motivation to maintain focus

when the heat is turned up.”

THAT’S THE CHALLENGEJust like how a player’s decision to shoot

instead of pass might get questioned, or a

coach’s choice of who plays the point on the

powerplay could get debated, the reactions to the split-second decisions of offi cials

are also amplifi ed as the season moves along.

“Coaches, players and parents become more critical of every decision made or not

made during the progression of a season,” said Woodrum. “There is more attention

paid by the coaches, players and parents to the referee’s judgment. In my opinion it

seems that the referees are perceived more of an obstacle to be overcome in order

to gain a competitive edge.”

Through years of offi ciating games, Woodrum has tried to do his best work no

matter what part of the season it is.

“A good offi cial is focused on being consistent in their decision making during

all the games of the entire season,” said Woodrum.

“I challenge myself to maintain both a positive attitude and behavior that

conveys that I am not an obstacle but rather a fair and impartial person. And that

I am approachable if there are questions or concerns with my decisions on the ice.”

And contrary to what some observers might think, offi cials are not concerned

with who wins or loses.

“Emotions are higher as the season progresses and winning is obviously the primary

objective,” said Woodrum. “That emotional factor alone infl uences behaviors that

impact decision making from referees. We are human after all. But the goal of most

refs is to keep a level head and stick to their best judgments and decisions consistently.”

IN IT TOGETHERPlayoff time from an offi cial’s perspective means dealing with a mix of increased

pressure to win, heightened emotions and a brighter spotlight on their decisions.

Veteran referees focus on maintaining a positive attitude and open communication

in order to manage the increased intensity of the game and maintain a safe, fun and

fair environment for the kids.

“Poor decisions by referees do occur and probably more often as the pressures of

the playoff s comes around, but how they are handled by the referee and the coaches,

parents and players is important,” said Fleming. “We all need to work together to

improve the experience.”

Dean Krispin is a former offi cial that is back watching youth hockey. Contact him

at: [email protected]

BYDEANKRISPIN

The Seasons within a SeasonThe Seasons within a Season


NOW YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE ADULT LEAGUES ONLINE

Our 4th annual search for the best arena! Every month go to michiganhockeyonline.com

and answer the question of the month for a chance to win prizes!

We’ll announce the results in April 2010.

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ANNOUNCING THE NEW HONEYBAKED TIER II PROGRAMANNOUNCING THE NEW HONEYBAKED TIER II PROGRAMANNOUNCING THE NEW HONEYBAKED TIER II PROGRAMThe American Development Model from USA Hockey will begin to be implemented in the 2011-12

season. The Honeybaked Hockey Club embraces the Long Term Athlete Development principles which

are integral to the ADM program and the accompanying High Performance Clubs. We are beginning

to build our structure for the future, and as a result we will be launching Tier II teams out of

the Hazel Park Ice Arena for the 2010-11 season at all ages.

These teams will be part of Honeybaked Hockey Club, and will be integrated into our club structure.

We are now accepting applications for coaches at all ages. Candidates should download the coaching application at www.honeybakedhockey.com

and either submit by mail or send to Joe Jones at [email protected] .

Questions can be directed to Joe at 248-479-1139, or go to the website for more information.

The deadline for applications is March 1st.


2010 TRAVEL

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MAHA State Tournament March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

Compuware goes undefeated to win in QuebecBY PHILIP COLVIN

Each February the top metro-Detroit area AAA teams travel to Quebec to compete

in the International Pee Wee Tournament.

This season three Michigan teams – Compuware, Belle Tire and Little Caesars –

made the trip north to stay with French host billet families and compete in the 51st

annual “World Championships of Pee Wee Hockey.”

The fabled 11-day tournament is both an endurance test and an unforgettable

experience for the over 100 teams and 2300 players from 15-20 countries that

descend on Quebec City.

Founded in 1960, the tournament again drew over 200,000 fans over the two

weekends of games this year and boasts an alumni list of that includes NHL greats

Guy Lafl eur, Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Marcel Dionne, Gilbert Perreault and Mario

Lemieux.

This year the Compuware ’97 squad brought home the 2010 AA Tournament

Championship with a 1-0 win over the Burnaby Winter Club on February 21.

Brendan Warren’s goal with 56 seconds left was the game winner and Tyler Copp

stopped 11 shots to earn the shutout.

Playing in front of standing room only crowds of over 14,000 people at Quebec

City’s Pepsi Coliseum, Compuware won four one-goal games, repeatedly made big

plays at crunch time and rolled to a perfect 7-0 record that included three shutouts.

“We seemed to get better as the tournament progressed,” said Compuware Pee

Wee AAA head coach Andy Copp. “A lot of our games were pretty tight and we were

really strong defensively down the stretch.”

Compuware opened the tournament with a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

While both Ronnie Hein and Alex King had two-goal games and goaltenders Tyler

Copp and Jared Dempsey split time in net, the squad was tentative and not on top

of their game.

“We had played really well in our exhibition games against some tough teams so

I expected us to keep that up,” said Andy Copp. “But we really didn’t play that well in

the fi rst game. It is a lot diff erent playing in front of so many people and we seemed

a little nervous and afraid to make mistakes.”

The squad settled down in game two, a 1-0 shutout of the Colorado Thunderbirds.

The tournament has no checking and the Colorado team trapped right from the

opening faceoff . Gordie Green’s fi rst period goal stood up and Dempsey turned aside

just fi ve shots for the shutout.

“We played better, but they just packed everything in tight in the neutral zone

and were hard to score against,” said Andy Copp.

A decidedly physical team, Compuware prepared for the Quebec tournament

by practicing without hitting and played “no-check” scrimmages. Compuware has

depth at every position, and with over 60 wins against just three losses this season,

the team has learned to overcome adversity to play at a high level.

And they needed it in game three against the Ukraine’s Kharkov Druzhba. Down

by a goal late in the game, forward Brody Stevens scored twice in the last two minutes

to eke out a big 5-4 win.

“That was the turning point,” said Andy Copp, whose Compuware ’94 squad

made the fi nals in Quebec in 2007 before losing in overtime. “We used that game

as a springboard. We said ‘that was great, let’s use it the rest of the way.’ And we did.”

Game four against the York Simcoe Express was tight until the third period when

Jack Meacham scored his second goal of the game. Stevens added a late empty net

goal and Dempsey earned the shutout in a 3-0 win.

Compuware then jumped to a 3-0 second period lead over a high-powered St.

Louis squad on goals from Colin Theisen, Stevens and Nick Boka. Green added two

third-period goals and Copp made 10 saves for a 5-2 win over the Jr. Blues that sent

the team into the semifi nals.

Against Quebec’s Richelieu Voyageurs, King scored twice, but Compuware held only

a one-goal lead until Warren iced a 3-1 win with an empty net goal with four seconds

left. Dempsey made 10 saves in the victory that gave Compuware a berth in the fi nals.

The team’s top fi ve scorers in Quebec - Brody Stevens (4-4-8), Alex King (5-2-7),

Gordie Green, (3-4-7), Brendan Warren (3-4-7) and Ronnie Hein (2-4-6) – were

spread over three lines. The squad’s defensemen helped hold the opposition to

under 10 shots a game. Off ensive-minded blueliner Tyler Sensky, who was especially

eff ective shutting down the opposition’s top forwards, picked up an assist on Warren’s

championship winning goal and was named MVP of the fi nal game.

“We just played really well in the fi nal,” said Andy Copp. “Burnaby had a lot of

players who had piled up a lot of points in the tournament and we did a good job

shutting them down.”

The two other Michigan teams also had some success. Belle Tire opened with

four straight wins but was knocked out in the quarterfi nals by the Burnaby Winter

Club. Little Caesars, playing as the Detroit Red Wings, started with two wins before

losing to the New York Rangers, 3-1, in their third game. Belle Tire’s Ryan Moore

fi nished third in tournament scoring with seven goals and 14 points in fi ve games.

The Compuware ’97 AAA team is: Jared Dempsey, Tyler Copp, Jack Blumberg,

Jake Gingell, Nick Boka, Tyler Sensky, Nick Wilson, Jack Meacham, Brody Stevens,

Alex King, Gordie Green, Brendan Warren, Colin Theisen, David Keefer, Chaz Thomas,

Ronnie Hein and Jordan Mitchell.

The team’s head coach is Andy Copp and assistant coaches are Derek Langlois,

Kevin Pedersen and Steve Warren.

Feb. 13 Compuware 4, Montreal 3

Feb. 18 Compuware 1, Colorado 0

Feb. 19 Compuware 5, Druzhba 4

Feb. 20 Compuware 3, York Simcoe 0

Feb. 20 Compuware 5, St. Louis 2

Feb. 21 Compuware 3, Richelieu 1

Feb. 21 Compuware 1, Burnaby 0

The Road through Quebec

The Compuware Pee Wee AAA team celebrates their 1-0 win over the Burnaby Winter Club on February 21, in Quebec City,

Quebec, for the AA championship of the Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament.

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Center/Left WingBorn: February 27, 1987 in Norton ShoresHeight/Weight: 6-2/205 Shoots: L

Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM

2004-05 Cedar Rapids USHL 60 27 25 52 86

2005-06 Michigan State NCAA 44 10 12 22 83



2007-08 Detroit Red Wings NHL 2 0 0 0 2

2008-09 Grand Rapids Griffi ns AHL 76 24 28 52 102



2009-10 Grand Rapids Griffi ns AHL 16 5 6 11 37

NHL Totals 54 3 3 6 37

Versatile two-way forward can play center or left wing…Was named 2004 high school

Mr. Hockey at Mona Shores High School, where he was an honor student and also played

football and basketball. The Sailors retired his #89 jersey in August 2008… Was selected

by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry

Draft after spending his senior year with the Cedar Rapids (IA) Roughriders of the Jr. A

United States Hockey League where he won the Clark Cup championship… Scored the

game-winning goal against Boston College with 18.9 seconds left to give Michigan State

the 2007 NCAA title… Was named the 2008 CCHA Humanitarian Award winner… Won

a bronze medal as a member of Team USA at the 2007 World Junior Championships…

Scored his fi rst NHL goal on May 30, 2009 against Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the 2009

Stanley Cup Finals…. Was assigned to Grand Rapids on January 29, 2010.

PHOTO BY MARK NEWMAN/GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

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SATURDAY, APRIL 3

P R T A 3 A UARA T

P US DI ISI SMite Squirt Pee Wee

PRESENTS

Bantami S

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3-on-3EASTER-AVAGANZA

TM

TM

MH BeatMarch 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

LCAHL playoff s in full swingThe 2010 Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League playoff s are

going full blast at seven arenas around metro Detroit. After the

fi rst weekend of fi nals on Feb. 27-28, there were 18 division

champions crowned (see below list).

The LCAHL playoff s continue through March 14. Check lcahl.

org for schedules and Pointstreak.com for results.

ACHA PLAYOFFS SET FOR KALAMAZOO AND GRAND RAPIDS

The Adray Community Hockey League state championships

will take place over two weekends in March on the west side

of state.

The Midget tournament is March 13-14 at Kalamazoo’s S2

Arena, with the fi nal scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on March 14.

The ACHA’s Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee and Bantam division playoff s

are scheduled for the following weekend, March 19-21 at

Patterson Ice Arena in Grand Rapids. Finals are scheduled for

the morning of March 21.

Check out adrayhockey.com for the complete schedule.

LCAHL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHOUSE DIVISIONPWB Norris - Novi SabresPWB Adams - Novi BobcatsPWB Patrick - DearbornPWB Smythe- Trenton HurricanesBan B Norris - Westland WarriorsBan B Adams - KVHA CavalryBan B Patrick - KVHA GeneralsBan B Smythe - Ice MountainMid BB Norris - Garden City StarsMid BB Adams - Canton Wings

TRAVEL DIVISIONPWAA Adams - Fort Wayne KometsPWAA Patrick - Birmingham RangersPWAA Smythe - Lapeer PWAA Norris - Grand RapidsBan AA Norris - Flint Phantoms Ban AA Adams -Toledo Cherokee Ban AA Patrick - Plymouth StingraysBan AA Smythe - Ann Arbor Wolves

Division Dates Arena/CitySquirt B 3/12 -3/14 Walker Ice ArenaSquirt A 3/5 - 3/7 Suburban Ice-East LansingSquirt AA 3/19 - 3/21 Summit Arena/DimondaleSquirt AAA Minor 3/1-3/7 Taylor Sports PlexSquirt AAA Major 3/1-3/7 Taylor Sports PlexPee Wee B 3/12 -3/14 Wells Sports, EscanabaPee Wee A 3/12 -3/14 Mackinaw City Ice ArenaPee Wee AA 3/5 - 3/7 Lakeview/MarquettePee Wee AAA Minor 3/1 - 3/7 Taylor Sports PlexPee Wee T1 AAA 3/8 - 3/14 Taylor Sports PlexBantam B 3/5 - 3/7 Mt. Clemens Ice ArenaBantam A 3/5 - 3/7 Troy Sports CenterBantam AA 3/12 -3/14 St. Clair Shores CivicBantam AAA Minor 3/1 - 3/7 Taylor Sports PlexBantam T1 AAA 3/8 - 3/14 Taylor Sports Plex

Division Dates Arena/CityMidget B 3/12 -3/14 Ice Mountain/BurtonMidget BB 3/19 - 3/21 Midland Civic ArenaMidget A TII 3/5 - 3/7 Polar Palace/LapeerMidget A T1 3/8 - 3/14 Taylor Sports PlexMidget AA 3/5 - 3/7 Great Lakes/FraserMidget T1 AAA 3/10 - 3/14 Taylor Sports PlexJV HS 3/12 -3/14 Farmington Hills Girl’s T1 2/24 - 2/28 Taylor Sports PlexGirl’s T2 3/5 - 3/7 Summit Arena/DimondaleWomen’s Sr. B) 2/26 - 2/28 Taylor Sports PlexWomen’s Sr. C 2/26 - 2/28 Taylor Sports PlexMen’s T1 3/12 -3/14 Summit Arena/DimondaleMen’s T2 3/12 -3/14 Summit Arena/DimondaleMen’s T3 3/5 - 3/7 Great Lakes/FraserMen’s Over 30 3/5 - 3/7 Great Lakes/Fraser

2010 MAHA State Tournament Schedule

The Kensington Valley Cavalry won the LCAHL Bantam B Adams Division playoff title.

PHOTO BY BOB BEGUELIN/LCAHL



BY LARRY O’CONNORA simple tap-in goal separated state champion Little Caesars

from its Honeybaked rival in the MAHA Girls 12 and Under

Tier 1 state fi nal. But in terms of passage to the USA Hockey

National Tournament, Brooke Baker’s fi rst-period tally left all

comers 473 miles behind.

Little Caesars earned a trip to the nationals on April 7-11

in Green Bay, Wisc., by holding Honeybaked in check in a taut

1-0 victory on Feb. 28 at the Taylor Sportsplex.

Honeybaked carried most of the play, out-shooting Little

Caesars, 17-10, but diminutive Little Caesars netminder

Bethany LeClair turned away all 17 attempts, including a pair

of clear-cut breakaways to preserve the shutout victory and

earn tournament MVP honors.

Hannah Eelnurme and Lia Harrington assisted on Baker’s

eventual game-winner, which came off a goalmouth scramble.

“Throughout the season we have been tight with them,”

Little Caesars girls U12 Coach Steve Scarpaci said. “Today we

were able to shut them down. We shut their breakout down. We

kept our third player high and the girls were really disciplined.

Keeping them in their zone made the diff erence today.”

The tightly fought fi nale mirrored regular season clashes

between the two teams. During the regular season, Little

Caesars held a slight advantage by going 3-2-3 against its

Tier I rival with only two goals (17-15) separating the pair.

During the state tournament, Honeybaked pulled even

thanks to Lea Boreland’s goal in OT for a 3-2 victory over Little

Caesars in a fi rst round game Feb. 23. Three teams, including

Belle Tire, took part in the girls U12 Tier 1 fi nals, which only

increased the likelihood of a Little Caesars-Honeybaked fi nal.

In the first playoff meeting, Boreland kick-started

Honeybaked’s rally with a goal at 1:32 into the third period.

Boreland’s tally came only 30 seconds after Liesel Baker’s goal

opened up a 2-0 lead for Little Caesars. Honeybaked’s Samantha

Wais’ goal with fi ve minutes left sent the contest into overtime.

Michaela Gugoen scored Little Caesars’ fi rst goal at 10:36 of

the opening period.

In the fi nal, a foiled breakaway by Shannon Schuit six

minutes into the game foretold Honeybaked’s frustration

around the net. Schuit pounced on a loose puck and bore in

on the Little Caesars’ netminder, who blocked the shot and

smothered the rebound. Schuit had another uncontested

foray on the net in the third period, but LeClair remained stout.

Honeybaked’s Wais had one of the best chances to tie the

game with six minutes left. After Wais deftly pivoted around a

stranded Little Caesars’ defender, she snapped off a high shot

from the right circle that LeClair stopped.

Honeybaked pulled their netminder for an extra attacker,

but couldn’t get the equalizer.

“It could have gone either way,” Honeybaked girls U12

Coach Lyle Phair said. “We outshot them and I thought we

out-chanced them.

“Other than that, it was a matter of we didn’t score on our

chances and they got one. That’s all it takes.”

Little Caesars’ LeClair bounced back from the 3-2 OT loss

to Honeybaked three days earlier when she stopped 23 of 26

shots. Ciara Herring played in net in Little Caesars’ 4-2 win

over Belle Tire Feb. 27.

“She did an outstanding job as well as (Herring) who won

the game against Belle Tire to get us into the fi nal,” said Little

Caesars coach Scarpaci.

At nationals, Little Caesars will bank on its netminding

duo and a balanced scoring attack. Baker led the team with

three goals and an assist in three state playoff games. She was

complemented by Genna McPherson, who fi nished the state

showdown with a goal and two assists.

“We don’t have any one player who is head and shoulders

above the rest,” Scarpaci said. “They all contributed and that’s

what enabled us to win.”

GIRLS U12 TIER 1 NOTEBOOKBelle Tire’s Lyndsey Warren scored a goal and added as

assist in a 4-2 loss to Little Caesars on Feb. 27. Adrienne Yu’s

power-play goal in the third period drew Belle Tire within goal

before Little Caesars’ Jenna Ray scored an empty-netter with

less than a minute left… Belle Tire’s Madeline Mann’s two-goal

performance wasn’t enough to overtake Honeybaked, which

prevailed 3-2 in the tournament opener Feb. 25. Belle Tire

fi nished the regular season 15-28-4.

BY LARRY O’CONNORA deftly tipped shot paid dividends for Honeybaked, which

earned a trip to the USA Hockey Nationals with a 3-2 victory over Little Caesars in the MAHA Girls 14 and Under Tier 1 state title game.

Honeybaked’s Eleanor Chalifoux defl ected teammate Christa Moody’s wrist shot from the blue line into the net at 2:16 of the third period and halted a resurgent Little Caesars squad at the Taylor Sportsplex on Feb. 28. Little Caesars erased a two-goal defi cit in the second period and appeared poised to seize control in the fi nal 20 minutes.

Sarah Shureb and Shelly Czarnowczan scored to tie the game, 2-2, for Little Caesars after Taylor Ann Callahan and Emilee Fremd opened Honeybaked’s account.

Chalifoux, who was named game MVP, changed the direction of the game by rerouting the puck. Rose Krasofsky also drew an assist on the game-winning goal.

“We knew that we had to come back. They were coming on strong the entire game,” said Chalifoux, who fi nished the state tournament with two goals and an assist. “Once they tied it, we had to pick it up.”

Honeybaked went 5-0 in capturing the state title, which ensures the team a trip to the USA Hockey National Tournament in Green Bay, Wisc. April 7-11.

On Feb. 25, Honeybaked made a statement by shutting out its rival 5-0 in a fi rst round state tournament clash. Taylor Ann Callahan and Emilee Fremd notched two goals each while Nicole Russell also scored.

Honeybaked carried that momentum into the final, outshooting Little Caesar 9-3 in the fi rst period. Callahan slid a pinpoint pass into the net from the slot to open the scoring. Tori Sullivan and Addison Andonoff assisted on the goal at 10:39 of the fi rst period.

Fremd’s second-period tally also came on a wrist shot from the slot. Michelle Manning earned an assist on the goal at the second period’s 8:49 mark.

Then things got interesting. Shureb’s elevated wrist shot handcuff ed Honeybaked goalie Corrine Walny, bouncing off the netminder’s catching glove and into the net. The unassisted marker came at 11:58 of the second period.

Little Caesars’ tying goal three minutes later slipped in after the careening off a Honeybaked player’s skate in the crease.

Czarnowczan was credited with the unassisted goal, which came on a power-play.

“It looked like it was going our way,” Little Caesars Girls U14 Coach Kevin Courveur said. “When you can go even into the third period, it’s anybody’s game.

“The girls had confi dence and (Chalifoux’s third period goal) knocked them a little bit and we just didn’t get enough opportunities after that.”

With 5:13 left, Honeybaked had to fend off a Little Caesars’ power play after Michelle Manning went off for tripping. Honeybaked outshot its opponent 18-12 in the game.

After the second period funk, Honeybaked Girls U14 Coach Tom Anastos gave his squad implicit instructions

“I told them we’re not going to wait for something to happen,” Anastos said. “We’re going to go on the attack.”

Forward Andie Anastos led the team with four goals and four assists while Emilee Fremd had fi ve goals in the state tournament.

At the start of the season, Tom Anastos didn’t know what to expect from his fi rst-year Honeybaked U14 squad, which includes a mixture of 1995 and ‘96 ages.

“The kids have really grown together as a team and have played very consistently all season long,” he said.

GIRLS U14 TIER 1 NOTEBOOKBelle Tire fi nished the state fi nal 2-2, posting wins over

Victory Honda and Compuware. Lauren Peterson led the team with seven goals and an assist. Peterson scored twice in Belle Tire’s 5-4 victory over Compuware Feb. 25 while Olivia Lord netted the game-winner in OT. Peterson also scored in the team’s 2-0 shutout over Victory Honda Feb. 26. Jenna Trubiano accounted for Belle Tire’s other goal… Compuware’s lone win came in a 5-3 triumph over Victory Honda Feb. 27 with Ellery Sarosi netting the game-winner. Brooke Lupi, who was the team’s leading scorer in the tournament with three goals and two assists, recorded a hat trick in the win…Hailee Craig was Victory Honda’s leading scorer in the state showdown with a goal and two assists. Craig’s unassisted short-handed marker gave Victory Honda a 2-0 lead before Compuware stormed with four unanswered goals. Lauren Michael and Victoria Pelton also scored for Victory Honda in the loss.

Little Caesars wins Girls 12 Little Caesars wins Girls 12 and Under T1 state titleand Under T1 state title

Honeybaked takes MAHA Girls Honeybaked takes MAHA Girls 14 and Under Tier 1 crown14 and Under Tier 1 crown

Little Caesars wins Girls 12 Little Caesars wins Girls 12 and Under T1 state titleand Under T1 state title

Honeybaked takes MAHA Girls Honeybaked takes MAHA Girls 14 and Under Tier 1 crown14 and Under Tier 1 crown

248.478.1600suburbanhockey.com

SUMMER 2010 REGISTER NOW248.478.1600suburbanhockey.com

SUMMER 2010 REGISTER NOW

Other staff members include junior, college and professional players and coaches!

All SHS trainers are carefully selected and participate in intensive training

seminars to ensure every class will meet your expectations.



BY LARRY O’CONNORAt 5-foot-1, Alyssa West wouldn’t have stood out in a rink

concession stand line, but on the ice she towered over opponents

at the MAHA Girls 16 and Under Tier 1 state tournament.

The diminutive forward scored two goals and assisted on

another as Little Caesars romped to a 5-1 triumph over Victory

Honda in the state fi nal at Taylor Sportsplex on Feb. 28. West

fi nished with a team-leading fi ve goals and fi ve assists in

fi ve games as Little Caesars went undefeated and outscored

opponents 25-3. Three of those victories came by shutout.

Little Caesars advances to the USA National Tournament April

7-11 in Green Bay, Wisc. The team dominated Victory Honda,

which avoided being Little Caesars’ fourth shutout victim in

tournament when Kalli Bates scored on a short-handed eff ort

with 7:15 left in the game.

West, who moved to Little Caesars from Victory Honda

this season because “it’s closer,” was named tournament MVP.

“West has been incredible for us all year,” Little Caesars Girls

U16 Associate Coach Dave Erwin said. “She’s a real heady player.

She just makes smart plays with the puck.”

Kelly Harris, Nicole Renault and Erin Conway also scored for

Little Caesars, which outshot Victory Honda 33-9.

Little Caesars also blanked Victory Honda, 5-0, in opening

round play on Feb. 26 while holding the team scoreless in a

2-0 triumph Jan. 2 in Tier 1 play. Victory Honda managed a 1-1

draw with Little Caesars in a league contest on Jan 10, but fell

to its rival, 1-0, on Feb. 6 in Tier 1 playoff action.

“We had a couple of close games with them earlier in the

year,” Victory Honda Coach Tim Ames said. “Once they’ve got

you against the ropes, they go for the knockout.”

Harris’ fi rst-period tally set the off ense in motion as she

scooted around two Victory Honda defenders before depositing

the puck. Cassidy Tucker and Gabrielle Schnepp assisted on

the marker, which came with 2:54 left in the opening period.

West’s fi rst goal came 26 seconds into the second period as

Little Caesars pulled the goalie for an extra attacker on a delayed

penalty. Taylor Marchin and Conway assisted on the play.

West then set up Renault, who carved through the Victory

Honda defense to slot home Little Caesars’ third goal 11 minutes

later. Little Caesars held a 20-6 shot advantage at the time.

Conway’s third period goal highlighted Victory Honda’s

misfortune as her shot hit a stick and trickled over the

netminder’s shoulder. West’s second goal with 4:51 left also

came on a defl ection.

“We like to get pucks back to our defense - they have good

shots and they handle the puck well - and get traffi c in front of

the net,” Ervin said. “Not everything is pretty in girls hockey. It

seems a lot of goals are about getting to the net and making

good things happen.”

Renault led Little Caesars rearguards with a goal and two

assists during the state playoff s while goalie Alexis Shaw

recorded three wins in net with two of those coming on shutouts.

Shaw finished the state playoffs with a 0.65 goals-

against average and a .933 save percentage. Taylor Fairchild

backstopped Little Caesars to two victories, including a shutout,

and posted a 0.50 GAA and a .963 save-percentage.

West’s scoring heroics were complemented by Rachael

Booth, who fi nished with three goals and fi ve assists in fi ve

state playoff games.

“We all work together, so it’s not like it’s a one-person

game,” said West.

GIRLS U16 TIER 1 NOTEBOOKJordan Verleye scored a hat trick and added an assist while

Erin Grant also had a four-point game (a goal and three assists)

in Victory Honda’s 5-1 victory over Grand Rapids on Feb. 27.

Kelsey Kusch also scored for Victory Honda, which fi nished

state tournament play 3-2. Tae Otte scored Grand Rapids’ lone

goal… Demi Crossman led Honeybaked with four goals and

four assists as her team went 2-0-2. Haley McLean also scored a

team-leading six goals as Honeybaked fell to Little Caesars, 3-2,

and Victory Honda, 4-3, in state playoff action… Kara Scaturro

and Amanda Grunges both scored twice in Grand Rapids’ 5-2

victory over Michigan Capitals Feb. 27, which turned out to be

the team’s lone win in the tournament. Josey Crosby netted GR’s

other goal while Jacqueline Lough and Courtney Curlee replied

for the Michigan Capitals, which was winless in state play.

BY LARRY O’CONNORWhen Maryanne Menefee snaps her wrists, the puck whistles

and net the usually ripples.

Only 22 seconds into the MAHA Girls 19 and Under Tier

1 state fi nal, the Little Caesars forward pounced on a loose

puck in front and ripped it past Belle Tire goalie Katie Aluia,

who barely managed to get a glove hand to the sizzling shot.

Menefee, who was named tournament MVP, scored again in

the third period as Little Caesars dispatched Belle Tire, 4-0, in

the championship contest on Feb. 28 at the Taylor Sportsplex.

Shiann Darkangelo and Casey Dockus also scored for Little

Caesars, which cruised through the state tournament by

going 5-0. Netminder Lisa Marshall turned away 20 shots to

earn the shutout.

The fi nal had the making of being a tightly contest based

on the teams meeting the previous day when Little Caesars

narrowly escaped with a 6-5 shootout victory. Belle Tire’s Kari

Schmitt, Katelyn Scott and Shannon Yoxheimer scored during

a three-goal rally in the third period to send the game into

overtime. Little Caesars’ Madison Packer netted the game-

winner in the shootout.

But Menefree’s fi rst-period goal in the fi nal appeared to be

the tranquilizing dart to Belle Tire’s cause.

“We normally don’t start quick, and that goal was a little

bit of a shocker,” Little Caesars U19 Coach Paul Moretz said.

“(Menefee) has one of the quickest releases on her shot than

any girl I’ve seen. She had a great weekend.”

The goal’s perpetrator was also taken aback by her early

good fortune. Menefee played last season with Belle Tire U16

team and is excelling in her fi rst season at the U19 level. The

Lansing Eastern High sophomore collected seven goals and

four assists in the state playoff s.

“I was shooting for her glove side and it trickled over her

glove,” said Menefee, who attributes her lethal wrist shot to

years of practice in the family’s front yard.

Little Caesars was also buoyed by Marshall’s play in net. The

goaltender, who’s committed to Wayne State next fall, got the

nod to start at the last-minute, Moretz said.

Marshall started in the team’s shootout win the previous

day and also earned the win in an 8-2 triumph over Victory

Honda earlier in the day. Emily Michelin started in the Little

Caesars’ state tournament victories over Grand Rapids, 14-1,

and Honeybaked, 7-4.

“We have two great goaltenders,” Moretz said. “Until after

the warm-ups were over, I did not know who I was going to

go with. It was a gut feeling and (Marshall) played great.

“I would have been comfortable playing either one of them.”

Off ensively, Packer led the team with nine goals and eight

assists in the state playoff s. The 5-foot-9 forward, who notched

a team-leading 15 goals in league games, has committed to

play at Wisconsin next season.

Taylor Wasylk, who is bound for Boston College next fall,

had fi ve goals and fi ve assists during the state playoff s. Little

Caesars (12-2-4) fi nished second in the Tier 1 Elite League

behind the Chicago Mission.

Such setbacks have only strengthened the team’s resolve as it

heads to the USA Hockey Nationals in Green Bay, Wis. April 7-11. .

“I think we are battle tested and we know how to handle

adversary and we know how to win in diff erent ways,” said

Moretz. “We feel we’re never out of a game and we can adapt

our style to the diff erent teams we have seen.”

GIRLS U19 TIER 1 NOTEBOOKKatelyn Scott (fi ve goals and three assists) was one of four

Belle Tire players who fi nished with eight points in the state

playoff s. Also hitting the mark were Maddie Collias (four goals

and four assists), Kari Schmitt (three goals and fi ve assists) and

twin sister Sara Schmitt (two goals and six assists)…Danielle

Smith scored two goals in Victory Honda’s 6-2 victory over

Grand Rapids Feb. 27. Victory Honda also had goals from Tanis

Lamoureux, Bailey Lane, Katie Macker and Haley Coolsaeat,

while Annabelle Staples and Katherine Moeller replied for

Grand Rapids… On Feb. 27, Honeybaked knocked off Victory

Honda, 3-2, after getting goals from Caitlin Roach, Gigi Fraser

and Emily Wybo. Roach also scored twice in Honeybaked’s 11-1

shellacking of Traverse City Feb. 26. Caitlyn Post also had two

goals while Monica Korzon and Wybo each had four assists.

Haley Thompson scored Traverse City’s lone goal… Grand

Rapids shutout Traverse City, 4-0, with goals from Cora Turrell,

Tara Reyelts, Samantha Reno and Alison Shrift on Feb. 27.

Little Caesars rolls to Girls 16 and Little Caesars rolls to Girls 16 and Under Tier 1 MAHA state titleUnder Tier 1 MAHA state title

Shutout win gives Little Caesars the Shutout win gives Little Caesars the Girls 19 and Under Tier 1 state titleGirls 19 and Under Tier 1 state title

Little Caesars rolls to Girls 16 and Little Caesars rolls to Girls 16 and Under Tier 1 MAHA state titleUnder Tier 1 MAHA state title

Shutout win gives Little Caesars the Shutout win gives Little Caesars the Girls 19 and Under Tier 1 state titleGirls 19 and Under Tier 1 state title


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Hockey registered players only with proof of registration – players who are not registered with USA Hockey must register at WWW.USAHockey.com)

All Teams formed by League Draft

Wed., March 3, 10, & 176:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Sat., Feb 27, March 6, 13, & 2012:00 noon to 2:00 pm

Spring is an opportunity for youth players to extend their sport for an additional 8 weeks. Skaters get to play in their new winter

2010-11 age classification in a self-contained league.

ROYAL OAK SPRING LEAGUE

beginner's instructional hockey clinic

• One hour, twice a week •• $125 per player •3/31/10 to 5/22/10

John Lindell Memorial Arenaroyal oak hockey association room

1403 LexingtonRoyal Oak

for information or questions check www.royaloakhockey.com or call Brian Brennan @248-288-5050

for information or questions contactCarole McMicking @248-219-0058

Royal Oak Hockey Association Board Room

Royal Oak Eagles TryoutsRoyal Oak Eagles TryoutsROYAL OAK 98 EAGLESFor more information contact Dan Terbrack: [email protected]

ROYAL OAK 99 EAGLESSunday March 21 - 12:00 pm - Open tryoutThursday, March 25 - 7:00 pm - Invite Only$15 per skateIf the player cannot make the March 21st skate, please contact Head Coach Scott Mercer @ 248-249-7409 to set up an alternate date.For more information contact Scott Mercer: [email protected]

ALL ROYAL OAK EAGLES SKATES AT THE JOHN LINDELL ICE ARENA:1403 LEXINGTON BLVD., ROYAL OAK

ROYAL OAK 00 EAGLESSunday, March 14 - 10:30 am - Open tryoutThursday, March 18 - 8 - 9:30 pm - Open tryoutSunday, March 21 - 4:15 pm - Invite OnlyFor more information contact Dave Paswater: 248-709-6707 or [email protected] For more information contact Tom Ricketts: 248- 866-0761 [email protected]

ROYAL OAK 01 EAGLESMarch 7 - 9:00 am March 9 - 7:00 pm $15 per skateFor more information contact Tom Ricketts: 248- 866-0761 [email protected]

TM

23996 Freeway Park DriveFarmington Hills, MI 48335248 888 4 s r ani e om

2003 StarsCoach: Todd Waldo

[email protected] = 5:30 - 6:30 PM3-24-10 = 6:00 - 7:00 PM

2002 StarsCoach: Vicki Crimmins

[email protected] = 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM3-20-10 = 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM3-31-10 = 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

2001 StarsCoach: Cal McGowan

[email protected] = 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM3-22-10 = 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

2000 StarsCoach: Larry Fuciarelli

734-981-2345 • [email protected] = 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM3-26-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

3-27 = 2:00 PM - 3:00 PMIf you can’t make these tryouts,

please contact the coach to make other arrangements.

99 StarsCoach: Mike McCullough

[email protected] = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM3-20-10 = 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM3-25-10 = 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM3-27-10 = 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

(invite only)

98 StarsCoach: Steve Wood

[email protected] = 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM3-16-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM3-18-10 = 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

97 StarsCoach: Joe Jones

[email protected]

96 StarsCoach: Scott Wolter

[email protected] = 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM3-21-10 = 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM 3-23-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Midget AACoach: Doug Wischmeyer

Manager: Karl Christen248-318-1527 • [email protected]

3-19-10 = 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM3-21-10 = 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM3-23-10 = 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM

(if necessary)

Midget ACoach : Tom [email protected]

248-467-63403-14-10 = 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM3-21-10 = 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM3-25-10 = 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Woodhaven Hockey Association

Spring ‘10

Looking for coaches from house to AAA if interested contact [email protected]

Visit our website at www.woodhavenhockey.com

TRAVEL TRYOUTS2000 Squirt AA

(Mike Kosiba: [email protected])Tuesday, March 16th • 6:00 – 7:00...............Southgate ArenaTuesday, March 18th • 6:00 - 7:00...............Southgate Arena

98 Pee Wee AA

(Don Holland [email protected])Thursday, March 11th • 7:00 - 8:00 ............Southgate ArenaTuesday, March 16th • 7:00 - 8:20 ............Southgate ArenaThursday, March 18th • 7:00 - 8:20 ............Southgate Arena

97 Bantam A(Tim Ames [email protected])

Wednesday, March 10th • 7:00 - 8:30...............Southgate ArenaThursday, March 11th • 8:00 - 9:30...............Southgate Arena

96 Bantam AA(Dennis Gundick - contact [email protected] for info)

HOUSE DRAFT SKATES Mini-Mites / Mites ............ Tuesday, March 23rd • 7:00 – 8:00 ..............Southgate Arena Squirts / Pee Wee ............. Tuesday, March 23rd • 8:00 – 9:00 ..............Southgate Arena Bantam .............................. Tuesday, March 23rd • 6:00 - 7:00 ..............Southgate Arena

* FREE* Novice / Learn to Play Hockey *FREE*For info contact Mike Kosiba @ [email protected]

Equipment Available

Spring A/AA Tryout ScheduleCatch the Excitement and Join the Winners!!!

We are the AAA Alternative

The Tradition Continues!!

Oakland Jr. Grizzlies Spring Tournament

“Tournament of Champions”May 5th-9th

01 Squirt AHC – Mike Smith (Non Parent)For more info contact Tom [email protected] or 248-670-6107• Tue 3/16........7pm ...................1.5 hrs• Sun 3/21 ........10:30am ...........1.5 hrs• Mon 3/22.......8pm ...................1.5 hrs

00 Squirt AAFor more info contact Mike [email protected] or 810-459-4302• Sat 3/13...........4:30pm 1.5hr• Sun 3/14.........9:30am 1 hr ($10.00)• Mon 3/15........7:00pm 1 hr ($10.00)

99 Pee Wee A (District 3 Champs, Yzerman Div.)HC – Matt BlaineFor more information contact Mark [email protected] or 248-521-6565• Mon 3/22.......7pm ...................1 hr ($10)• Wed 3/24 .......7pm ...................1.5 hr

98 Pee Wee AA HC – Michael FrankAC – Dave JakrzewskiFor more information contact Greg Zakucia

• Fri 3/19 ...........7pm ...................1.5 hr• Sun 3/21 ........3pm ...................1.5 hr• Tue 3/23.........7pm

97 Bantam A (District 3 Champs, Yzerman Div.)For more information contact Andrew Bonacore

[email protected] or 248-388-1001

• Mon 3/15......8pm ...................1.5 hr

• Sat 3/20.......3pm ...................1.5 hr

• Wed 3/24 .......8:30pm .............1.5 hr

96 Bantam AA (District 3 Champs, Silver Stick Reg winners, Intl. Silver Stick winners, Yzerman Div)HC – Dan Wilhelm

For more information contact PJ Andary


• Sun 3/14 ........1:30pm .............1.5 hr

• Thur 3/18.......6:30pm .............1.5 hr

• Thur 3/25.......8:00pm .............1.5 hr

94/95 Mid A (Reg. Silver Stick Winner, Yzerman Div)

For more information contact Terry Bishop


• Sun 3/14 ........10:30am ...........1.5 hr

• Tues 3/16 .......8:30pm .............1.5hr

• Thu 3/18.........8pm ...................1.5 hr

92/93 Mid AA Looking for a GM and Coach

If interested please contact Terry Bishop


• TBD

All Skates are $15 (unless noted) – Goalies Skate Free / All Tryouts are held at the Troy Sports Center Grizzlies Rink One

The Oakland Jr. Grizzlies are pleased to announce the addition of our new AAA Hockey program.

The Hockey Club – Dedicated to Player Development• Director of Hockey Operations (Terry Christensen)

• Video training

• Professional Locker room Facilities

www.oaklandjuniorgrizzlies.com

Proud to be playing out of the best Hockey Facility in the Detroit AreaTroy Sports Center • 1819 E. Big Beaver Rd. • Troy, MI 48083

If you have any questions please contact Terry Bishop – President, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies Hockey Club – [email protected]

BBirmingham Rangers‘‘97 Bantam A

SSpring Hockey TryoutsHead Coach Jerry Reinhart

and Assistant Coaches Jacky Leavy and Jason Woolley

Invite ‘97 Bantam A Candidates to our Spring Tryouts.

Sunday, March 14th – 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Cranbrook Wallace ArenaFriday, March 19th – 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. – Birmingham Ice Arena

Sunday, March 21st – 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Cranbrook Wallace Arena

Anticipate 2010-11 team to be in Yzerman or Top Howe Division

Several Spring and Summer skills/tactics skates will be lead by Coach Bill Christie from the Brother Rice Hockey Program.

For additional information please contact:

Jerry Reinhart – 248-705-5050 or [email protected] Leavy – 248-797-3207 or [email protected]

2009-2010 Program Accomplishments:

Belle Tire Back to School Classic Finalist –S.C.S. Turkey Tournament ChampionsWisconsin Dells Tournament Champions – Little Caesar’s Playoff Division Champions

Please visit Troy Youth Hockey Association website at www.tyha.net for team each Sting team’s site:

All Tryouts at Troy Sports Center

Midget A StingTryouts to be announced; visit tyha.net or: Contact: Jimmy Cariera - [email protected] Andrew Lekosiotis - [email protected] Midget AAWe currently have the following dates scheduled for try-outs:3/23 @ 8:15PM; 3/25 @ 9:15PM;3/27 @ 12:15PM; 3/30 @ 8:15PM

Prospective players should contact me for further information: Larry Hess: 810-335-1014 or [email protected].

95 Troy Sting Spring TryoutsTUESDAY, MARCH 16TH @ 8PM @ TROYSATURDAY, MARCH 20TH @ 445PM @ TROYSUNDAY, MARCH 21ST @ 12NOON @ TROY

• All Positions Open• Non-Parent Head Coach• Full Time Goalie Coach

Please contact our head coach at, [email protected], if you have any questions

96 Sting tryout dates and times:SATURDAY 3-27-10 3:15-4:45MONDAY 3-29-10 7:45-9:15• Cost: $15 Contact info. Ron Rocheleau: [email protected] Dave Jakrzewski: [email protected]

Sting 97’s Bantam A’s TryoutsTryout dates:SATURDAY MARCH 13TH, 9:15 - 10:45 AMWEDNESDAY MARCH 17TH, 7:00 - 8:30 PMSATURDAY MARCH 20TH, 9:15- 10:45 AM

• Non Parent Coaching

Ron Zuke - Head Coach - Former Michigan Tech player248- 321-6341 • [email protected]. Vogt –Assistant Coach - Former Division 1 -NCAA Player

Franchise Holder: Allen Pyc: 248-882-0860 • [email protected]

1998 StingThe 98 Sting will hold tryouts on the following datesMARCH 25 THURSDAY 6:45PM-7:45PM TROY SPORTSMARCH 28TH SUNDAY 10:15AM-11:45AM TROY SPORTSMARCH 30TH TUESDAY 6:45PM-8PM TROY SPORTS

• All skates 10.00

Please contact: [email protected] • 248-505-6257or [email protected] • 248-632-2352

1999 StingTUESDAY 3/16 @ 6:30 PM - 7:45 PM IN RINK 3SATURDAY 3/20 @ 6:45 PM - 8:00 PM IN RINK 2TUESDAY 3/23 @ 8:00 - 9:00 PM IN RINK 3

Len Tosto Head Coach: 248.417.0295

2000 Sting Tryouts:WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24TH 6:00 - 7:15 P.M.SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH 9:00 - 10:15 A.M.

Head Coach: Steve McDougall: [email protected] • (586)709-6984Assistant Coaches: Gary Blanck, Larry Rowe, Sean Kolodge and Joe Essenmacher

2001 Sting Tryouts:Jim Cariera Head Coach Phone number is 248.720.8850SATURDAY, MARCH 20TH @ 9:00 AM - 10:15 AMWEDNESDAY, MARCH 24TH @ 6:45 PM - 8:00 PMSATURDAY, MARCH 27TH @ 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

2002 Troy Sting Tryouts:SATURDAY, MARCH 20TH FROM 10:45AM-12:15PMTUESDAY, MARCH 23RD FROM 6:30-8:00PM

Head Coach: Matt Gumbel [email protected]

2003 Sting Tryouts:SATURDAY, MARCH 20TH 12:15 - 1:15SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH 4:15 - 5:15 For more information contactHead Coach - Scott Witkowski248-765-0328 • [email protected] Amy Witkowski: [email protected]


LEARN TO PLAY Ages 4-9

HOUSE LEAGUES10U | 12U | 13+

GIRLS ONLY HAVE FUN - PLAY HOCKEY CLINICS

MARCH 28TH 5:00 - 6:00 PMMARCH 30TH 6:00 - 7:00 PM

MUST PRE-REGISTER

Fall/Winter Girls Hockey Program

All tryouts held at Suburban Ice - Farmington Hillswww.michiganicebreakers.com

GIRLS SPRINGTEAM TRYOUTS

FREEFREE

CALL 248-888-1400Suburban Ice - Farmington Hills

12U IcebreakersCoach : Rob Murphy

[email protected]

3-15-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

3-17-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

14U IcebreakersCoach : Tom Byrne

[email protected]

248-763-9336

3-16-10 = 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

3-18-10 = 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

16U IcebreakersCoach : Rick Murray

[email protected]

Tryouts will be held the week of 4-12-10

See website for dates and times

19U IcebreakersCoach : Ken Berkstresser

[email protected]

630-418-5529

Coach : Lauren Lobert

[email protected]

Tryouts will be held the week of 4-12-10

See website for dates and times


Spring Tryouts

CHELSEA HOCKEYASSOCIATION

509 Coliseum Dr

Chelsea, MI 48118

(734) 433-9665

chelseahockey.net

2010 Spring Travel TEAM DATE DAY TIME COACH Squirt A 3/24/10 Wednesday 6:30-8pm Donnie Cooper 3/26/10 ............Friday ................. 6:30-8pm ..........517-206-8216 • [email protected] Squirt AA .......... 3/22/10 ...........Monday ............. 6-7:30pm ..........Stavros Vorias 3/25/10 ............Thursday ............ 6-7:30pm ..........734-564-8544 • [email protected] A ......... 3/22/10 ...........Monday ............. 6-7pm ...............Nick Vetters 3/23/10 ............Tuesday ............. 6-7pm ...............734-560-3193 • [email protected] Peewee AA ....... 3/23/10 ........... Tuesday............. 7-8:30pm ..........EJ Gilbert 3/25/10 ............Thursday ............ 7:30-9pm ..........734-216-6910 • [email protected] 3/27/10 ............Saturday ............ 9-10:30pm Peewee AA 2 .... 3/25/10 ...........Thursday ............ 8-9:30pm ..........Derek Jerome 3/27/10 ............Saturday ............ 10:30-Noon .......734-776-2385 • [email protected] A ......... 3/23/10 ...........Tuesday ............. 6-7:30pm ..........Tim Ahles 3/26/10 ............Friday ................. 6-7:30pm ..........734-480-9623 • [email protected] Prep ... 3/22/10 ...........Monday ............. 8-9:30pm ..........Nick Vetters 3/23/10 ............Tuesday ............. 8:30-10pm ........734-560-3193 • [email protected] GMS Prep ........ 3/22/10 ...........Monday ............. 7:30-9pm ..........Mark McCoullough 3/26/10 ............Friday ................. 7:30-9pm ..........734-216-1784 • [email protected]

SPRINGTRYOUTS

Level Date Day Time Mini Mite .... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......12:30-1:30pmMite ........... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......1:30-2:30pmSquirt ......... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......2:30-3:30pm

2010 Spring CHA House EvalsLevel Date Day Time Peewee ...... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......3:30-4:30pmBantam ...... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......4:30-5:30pmMidget ....... 3/27/10 ....Saturday .......5:30-6:30pm

Looking for players to play for these tournament teams

$100 for Montreal, Toronto, New Hampshire –we are Not affiliated with one hockey


MITE A-03 RATTLERSCoach: Dan Berry - [email protected] - (586)909-7354

Monday, 3/15 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pmWednesday, 3/17 from 6:15 pm - 7:05 pm

MITE AA-02 RATTLERSCoach: John Poolton - [email protected] - (248)841-6548

Monday, 3/15, 6:45 pmWednesday, 3/17, 6:00 pm

SQUIRT A-01 RATTLERSCoach: Derek Burkhart - [email protected]

March 24, 6:15 pm - 7:05 pmMarch 27, 1:15 pm - 2:05 pmMarch 28, 3:00 pm - 4:20 pm

SQUIRT AA-00 RATTLERSCoach: Craig Stockwell - [email protected]

Saturday, 3/20, 3:45-5:05PM, RINK 1Monday, 3/22, 5:30-6:50PM, RINK 2

Wednesday, 3/24, 7:15-8:20PM, RINK 3Saturday, 3/27, 3:45-5:05PM, RINK 1 * If Necessary

PEEWEE A-99 RATTLERS

Coach: Kevin Harper - (248)895-3717Sunday March 14th 3:00 - 4:20pmTuesday March 16th 5:30 – 6:50pmThursday March 18th 7:00 – 7:50pm

PEEWEE AA-98 RATTLERSCoach: Mike Peruzzi Call for tryout dates

Mark Dishinger- 248-534-9404 - [email protected]

BANTAM A-97 RATTLERSCoach: Mark Rodgers - [email protected] - 586-212-3876

March 16 - 7:00 pm March 18 - 6:15 pmMarch 21 - 4:15 pm

BANTAM AA-96 RATTLERSCoach: Mike Tomlak - [email protected] Dates TBD: E-mail for more info

MIDGET A-94/95 RATTLERSCoach: TBD

Girls Programs12-U RATTLERS

Coach: Jim Bruin - [email protected] - (586)421-6451

14-U RATTLERSCoach: Garret Dennis - (586)-530-3857 - [email protected]

Monday, March 22 at 7:00 pmSaturday, March 27 at 12:45 pmMonday, March 29 at 7:00 pm

2010-2011 Rattler Teams

and Tryout Dates

Birmingham Hockey2010 Spring Travel Tryouts

For General BHA Travel Hockey Information contactTim Opie, BHA Travel Director 248-822-0020

2001 Birmingham Rangers Paul Siver (248) 302-3304,

[email protected] 15-Mar 6:30 – 8:00 pm @ Cranbrook 20-Mar 4:14 – 5:45 pm @ Troy Rink 2 22-Mar 6:30 – 8:00 pm @ Cranbrook

2000 Birmingham RangersTodd Antenucci, (248) 321-7222,

[email protected] 14-Mar 4:30 - 6:00 pm @ Hazel Park

17-Mar 7:30 - 9:00 pm @ Hazel Park 21-Mar 4:30 - 6:00 pm @ Hazel Park

2000 Birmingham LibertyBob Stone (248)229-7830, [email protected] or

Jason Woolley (248)977-9969, [email protected]

14-Mar 12:30 - 1:30 PM @ Cranbrook 21-Mar 1:00 - 2:30 PM @ Cranbrook 28-Mar 1:00 - 2:30 PM @ Cranbrook

1999 Birmingham Rangers Kevin Shea, (248) 867-6211,

[email protected] March 22nd 7-8:30 @ BirminghamMarch 27th 6-7:30 @BirminghamMarch 29th 7-8:30 @Birmingham

1999 Birmingham LibertyPaul Dunbar, (248)388-9450,

[email protected] Head Coaches Anatoliy Builga and

Petr Tichy March 24th 5:30-7:00pm @ TroyMarch 26th 5:45-7:15pm @ Troy

1998 Birmingham RangersJohn Duncan, (248) 514-5229,

[email protected] March 14th 12:00 – 1:30 pm @

BirminghamMarch 16th 6:00 – 7:30 pm @

Cranbrook March 20th 10:30 – 12:00 pm @

Cranbrook

1998 Birmingham LibertyPaul Apap, (248) 464-4207,

[email protected]

1997 Birmingham RangersJerry Reinhart 248-705-5050,

[email protected] March 14th 4:00-5:30 p.m. @

Cranbrook March 19th 7:30-9:00 p.m. @

BirminghamMarch 21st 4:00-5:30 p.m. @

Cranbrook

1996 Birmingham RangersBruce Hulsher (248) 318-4842,

[email protected] Dave Gentile, (248)840-0812,

[email protected]

1995 & 1994 Midget A_Birmingham

Rangers_Spring/Fall(Ranked)Steve Bester, (248) 842-9580,

[email protected] March 9th 7:30-8:50pm @ Cranbrook

March 18th 8:00-9:20pm @ Cranbrook

March 27th 9:00-10:20am @ Cranbrook

2010 Rangers Girls Tryouts

19U Girls Rangers Angela Dickinson 248-709-2033,

[email protected]

10U & 12U Girls Pink WingsSteve Faliski 248-225-7347, [email protected] March 9 6:20 - 7:10 pm @

BirminghamMarch14 11 AM – 12:00pm @

Birmingham

2002 Birmingham RangersTaking franchise applications

Spring TryoutsMarch 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15


March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15Spring Tryouts

03’s Mite AMarch 14 @ 3:25March 21 @ 5:10

All skates are $10 / goalies skate free / all positions open

Head coach Mike MerrifieldEmail: [email protected]

01’s Squirt AFriday March 12 7:25pm

Sunday March 14 2:25pmSunday March 21 6:10pmHead coach Mike Merrifield

Email: [email protected]

00’s Squirt AAMarch 16 @ 7:25March 18 @ 6:10

March 20 @ 12:15All positions open / core of experienced travel players

Team has their own private locker room

Head coach Rick HannaEmail: [email protected]

www.2000summithockey.com

99’s PeeWee AMarch 14 @ 1:15 March 17 @ 6:40March 21 @ 1:15

Head coach Mark ThorntonAll tryouts 1 ½ hours, $15 per skater / goalies skate free

Out of district spots openThe 99 Summit team has their own private locker room

www.99summit.com

98’s PeeWee AAMarch 20 @ 9:15 am 1 ½ hours

March 22 @ 6:55 – 1 hour$10 per skate / goalies skate free

Team has their own private locker room

Head coach Jeff StenzelEmail: [email protected]

97’s Bantam AMarch 17 @ 6:55March 19 @ 8:15

March 21 @ 11:25Team has their own private locker room

Head coach Sean GrahamEmail: [email protected]

96’s Bantam AAMarch 18 @ 6:15

March 20 @ 10:45 amMarch 22 @ 6:15March 25 @ 6:15

All skates $20 in Superior rink

Head coach Steve GloverEmail: [email protected]

Midget AMarch 18 @ 7:45March 20 @ 6:15March 22 @ 7:45March 25 @ 7:45

All skates $20 in Superior rink

Head coach Steve GloverEmail: 94 [email protected]

Midget Major AAATryouts TBD

Head coach Steve GloverEmail: [email protected]

Girls U14March 14 @ 2:45

March 27 @ 1:45 Combined with the U16’sAll positions open / all skates $15 / goalies skate free

The U14 Summit team has their own private locker room

Head coach Mike GenetteFranchise Holder Glenn Stichhaller

Email: [email protected]

Girls U16March 20 @ 1:15

March 27 @ 1:45 Combined with the U14’sMarch 29 @ 7:25

All positions open / all skates $15 / goalies skate free

The U16 Summit team has their own private locker room

Head coach Mark ThorntonEmail: [email protected]

2010 SummitSpring Tryouts

MIDGETS March 24 and 25

BANTAMS March 27 and 28

Midget Major

Midget Minor

Bantam

Major/Minor

Suburban Ice-East Lansing

2010

SPRING TRYOUTS!

Lansing Capitals AAA TIER 1 Hockey

Director /Head Coach

Dean Dixon [email protected]

pre-registration and schedule at

www.glaha.org


Spring Tryouts

2000Grosse Pointe Bulldogs

ALL POSITIONS AVAILABLE

All skates will be at the Grosse Pointe Community Rink

Coach Jon BartoyCoached at University Liggett School and Chippewa Valley High School,

Instructor at All Pro Hockey

Contact:Coach Jon Bartoy

[email protected]

Asst. Coach Dan Bowen313-510-8310

[email protected]

THUR 3/18 5:00-6:00 pmSAT 3/20 4:00-5:30 pmSUN 3/21 1:00-2:30 pm

SQUIRT AASPRING TRYOUTS

THE Grosse PointeU-12 & U-14

Bulldogs

All Tryouts at Grosse Pointe Community Rink

(G.P.C.R.)

U-12 TRYOUTS:

Sun., 3/14/10 ...2:30-3:30pm

Wed., 3/24/10 ..6:30-9:00pm

Sun., 3/28/10 ...2:30-3:30pm

Contact: Scot McColl313-610-3158

[email protected]

U-14 TRYOUTS:

Wed., 3/17/10 ..6:00-7:00pm

Sun., 3/21/10 ...2:30-3:30pm

Wed., 3/31/10 ..6:00-7:00pm

Contact: Joe Lucchese313-886-0493

[email protected]

KENSINGTON VALLEY HOCKEY

ASSOCIATIONAnnouncing

2010 Spring Tryouts Mite A through Midget A

Travel Teams(All Levels)

Visit

www.kvhockey.orgFor Specific Teams, Dates,

Times and Locations


Spring Tryouts

‘96March 8........8:30-10:00PM

(Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

March 9........8:30-10:00 PM(Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)


Head Coach Kevin Fairbanks248-875-1120 • [email protected]

97 AAA Honeybaked TryoutsApril 12........7:00-8:20 PM(Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

April 13........7:00-8:20 PM(Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

April 15........7:00-8:20 PM(Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

Head Coach: Tom Anastos • [email protected]

12U GirlsMarch 14........9:30-10:30 AM



March 20........2:00-3:30 PM(Redford)

2001 HoneyBakedMarch 8........7:00-8:00 AM



March 13........11:00-12:30 PM(Redford)

Please contact Danny Veri for any questions: 313-586-2559 • [email protected]

SPRING TRY-OUTS

2010 SPRING TRYOUT DATES

March 18th..........7:00pm March 22nd.........7:00pmAll Tryouts will be held at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center(DISC)

All Positions Open • Cost:$15 (Goalies skate free)

Team Mission Statement

To teach & motivate a positive & enjoyable experience to hockey, while de-veloping core fundamental skills, good sportsmanship, a winning confidence,

and a passion to compete.

Our goal & vision is to create hockey players for life.

Key Contacts Email Address Phone Number

Head CoachMatthew Mann [email protected] 313-618-4047

Manager/Assistant CoachFrank Lebryk [email protected] 734-355-0058

Compuware 99 Pee Wee ASPRING TRYOUTS

at Compuware Ice Arena

March 13th @ 4:40PM March 14th @ 4:40PM March 16th @ 5:40PM March 19th @ 6:00PM

Any QuestionsHead Coach: Matt Mitchell ([email protected])Team Manager : Tom Aepelbacher (248-941-5267)

— ALL TRYOUTS $15.00 —Make your next home with a Professional Organization and Facilities

New Head Coach : Rob McIntyre (non–parent)Coaching Resume: Currently University Liggett Head CoachPrior Squirt through Midget Accomplishments:

6 - District 3 Championships5 - State Championships3 - National Appearances

Grosse Pointe 1998 Bull Dogs

Pee Wee AA

3/20 5:30 – 7:00pm GPCR

3/22 7:30 – 9:00pm GPCR

Date Time Location

Try Out Schedule

Contact: Geoff Welsher @ 313-610-0494

12U Girls Tier 1March 14........9:30-10:30 AM

March 15........6:00-7:00 PM

(at Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)March 20........2:00-3:30 PM

(at Redford Arena)

Head Coach: Danny Veri

313-586-2559 • [email protected]

2001 AAAMarch 8........7:00-8:00 AM

March 10........6:00-7:20 PM

(at Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)March 13........11:00-12:30 PM

(at Redford Arena)

Head Coach: Danny Veri


1996 AAAMarch 8........8:30-10:00PM

March 9........8:30-10:00 PM

March 10........7:00-8:30 PM

(all at Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

Head Coach: Kevin Fairbanks


1997 AAAApril 12........7:00-8:20 PM

April 13........7:00-8:20 PM

April 15........7:00-8:20 PM

(all at Suburban Ice • Farmington Hills)

Head Coach: Tom Anastos

[email protected]



‘98 BRIGHTON BANDITSSPRING 2010

PEE WEE AATRAVEL

TRYOUTS

(SUNDAY) .........MARCH 21 • 6:15 PM

(MONDAY) ........MARCH 22 • 6:00 PM

(WEDNESDAY) ...MARCH 24 • 6:15 PMALL SKATES AT HARTLAND SPORTS CENTER

ON M-59 1 MILE EAST OF US-23

COST FOR EACH SESSION IS $15/SKATER

ALL SESSIONS ARE 1.5 HOURS

HEAD COACH: SCOTT BOZYK

(810) 217-9999 CELL

[email protected] • WWW.98BANDITS.COM

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to skate time for registration.

‘98 Pee Wee AATravel Team

March 15th.......6:30–8pmMarch 17th.......6:30–8pmMarch 23rd.......6:30–8pmMarch 25th.......6:30–8pm

$15.00 per skate. All positions open. All skates @ Mike Modano Arena

HOCKEY CLUBBloomfield Hills Gamblers

Midget AA Spring Tryouts92 - 94 Birth Years

March 21, 2010 2:30 PMMarch 23, 2010 9:00 PMMarch 27, 2010 8:30 PM

March 30, 2010 9:00 PM (if needed)

2-3 Tournaments1-2 skates per week (mostly games)

Season ends by May 25thAll positions open.

Non parent coaching staff

All skates $15 at Cranbrook Ice Arena

Contact Bruce [email protected]

248-303-0051

BLOOMFIELDHILLS

BLOOMFIELDHILLS

MICHIGAN ICE DOGS94/95 Midget A2010 Spring Tryouts

All tryouts will be at the Wayne Ice Arena, 4635 Howe Rd.

Each skate is 1.5hrs/$15

Tuesday, March 23 at 8:30pm

Thursday, March 25 at 8:30pm

Tuesday, March 30 at 8:30pm

Questions can be directed to Head Coach

Tony DeGiusti at 734-765-5346 or

[email protected]

USA EAGLESSQUIRT AA 00’Spring Tryouts

Sat 3/13 @ 2:15-3:30 - Rink BSun 3/14 @ 5:30-7:00 - Rink BTues 3/16 @ 7:00-8:30 - Rink A

Be a part of a great core of players and families.All skates $15 , All Positions Open

For more info visit our web site

WWW.USA2000EAGLES.COMor contact the HC at

[email protected]

***if needed, invite only***

Sun 3/21 @ 5:30-7:00 - Rink B


March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15Spring Tryouts

SQUIRT MAJOR 99 AAA

Wednesday 17-Mar 7 -8:20pm Onyx - Rochester Ice Arena

Saturday 20-Mar 4:15-5:35pm Onyx - Rochester Ice Arena

Monday 22-Mar 7:45-8:50pm Suburban Ice -Macomb

BANTAM MINOR 97 AAA

Thursday 18-Mar 8:30-9:50pm Suburban Ice -Macomb

Sunday 21-Mar 2:00-3:20pm Suburban Ice -Macomb

Tuesday 23-Mar 8:00-9:20pm Suburban Ice -Macomb

Invite only Thursday 25-Mar 8:30-9:50pm Suburban Ice -Macomb

GIRLS 12U

TRYOUTS

buffalowildwingshockey.comEGGSTRAVAGANZA

Saturday, April 3OPEN & HOUSE DIVISIONS:

Mite Squirt Pee Wee

BantamHigh SchoolAdult

EGGSTRAVAGANZA3-on-3

Hustler

AWARD PROGRAM

Buffalo Wild Wings would like to acknowledge

ambitious hockey players by rewarding extra effort

on the ice with a BUFFALO WILD WINGS

“HUSTLER” sticker.

SEE PROGRAM DETAILS AT MICHIGANHOCKEYONLINE.COM

MICHIGAN HOCKEYBuffalo Wild Wings Hustler Program23995 Freeway Park DriveFarmington Hills, MI 48335-2829FAX: (248) 478-1601Phone: (248) 478-2500Email: [email protected]

Contact your local BWW for fundraising opportunities!

Alex Gayda

Jacob Nigg

Nick VanWinkle

Rodney Gordon

Evan Irons

Logan Saxton

Carli Fettig

John Hindenach

Ryley Sauter

Noah Kennedy

Ryan Glidden

Jordan Yancy

Joseph Popovich

Cade Johnson

Zac Fox

Discounted Kids Meals on Sundays and Wednesdays at Buffalo Wild Wings!!

Buffalo Wild Wings is a great family friendly place to go after games. Visit buffalowildwings.com for the location nearest you

Livonia KnightsGirls 16U

SPRING TRYOUTS

3/24....8:30-9:50pmat Devonaire Ice Arena, Livonia

3/27....4:30-5:50pmat Eddie Edgar Ice Arena, Livonia

Tryouts are $15.00 each Head Coach: Tom McKenzie

[email protected]


Spring Tryouts

2000 SaintsDistrict 3 Champions

Spring Try-Outs

March 19 .....6:00-7:00pm

March 21 .....6:00-7:30pm

March 24 .....5:30-6:30pm

All skates $15 at St. Clair Shores Civic Center

Goalies skate free – All positions open!

Non-Parent Head Coach – Rod HeidContact team with questions at

[email protected]

SCS 2001 Squirt A Spring Try-Outs

Come play at the original

“Hockey Town”

3/17/10 ....... SCS Garden Rink ...7:30–8:30pm

3/20/10 ....... Univ. of Liggett ........3:00–4:30pm

3/22/10 ....... SCS Garden Rink ...7:30–9:00pm

** Excellent Coaching and Team Leadership**

** Lowest Ice Bills in the Metro Detroit Area**

** A program that grow stronger every year**

Call with Questions:

Robert Morris 313-598-3388

Shawn Nicholson 586-850-2728 [email protected]

1997 Livonia KnightsBANTAM ‘A’

SPRING TRYOUTS3/15....8-9:30pm3/17....8-9:30pm3/19....6-7:00pm All at Eddie Edgar

Goalie needed, openings at all positions.

Contact: Ken Hunt248-476-2112

[email protected]

1998 Livonia KnightsPEEWEE ‘AA’SPRING TRYOUTS

3/16....7-8:30pmat Eddie Edgar

3/22....6-7:00pmat Devonaire

3/24....7-8:30pm at Devonaire

Openings at all positions. Contact: Jay Bruce

[email protected]


Spring Tryouts

‘98 Pee Wee AA Tuesday .................3/16 ...............6:30 - 7:50 PM Saturday ................3/20 ...............6:30 - 7:50 PM Friday ......................3/26 ...............8:30 - 9:50 PM

Coach: Stan Racinski Questions: e-mail : [email protected]

________________________________________________

’96 Redford Royals Tryouts Bantam AA– Redford Ice Arena –

Thursday ...............3/18 ...............8:30 – 10:00PM Saturday ................3/20 ...............5:00 – 6:30PM Thursday ...............3/25 ...............8:30 – 10:00PM

Upper Division Howe Team looking to build upon a very solid foundation. Openings at Forward, Defense and for 1 Goalie.

Extremely reasonable ice bills, Professional Power Skating and Goalie Instruction, Non Parent Head Coach. Come check us out!

E-Mail [email protected] with any questions!________________________________________________

97 Redford Royals Bantam ALCAHL Lidstrom Div. 7 Co-Champions 2009-2010

Wednesday ..........3/17 ...............8:00 - 9:30 PM Friday ......................3/19 ...............8:30 - 10:00 PM Sunday ...................3/21 ...............3:30 - 5:00PM

Coach: Rich Hayward. Questions: email [email protected]

________________________________________________

99 Redford Royals Pee Wee A Monday .................3/15 ...............7:00 - 8:30PM Saturday ................3/20 ...............3:30 - 5:00PM Sunday ...................3/21 ...............6:30 - 8:00PM

Coach: Jeff Heaman. Questions: e-mail [email protected]

Cost $15, goalies free. All skates at Redford Arena

Redford Twp Hockey Assoc. is seeking coaches for Fall 2010 at the following levels: Squirt A and AA, Pee Wee B and Bantam B levels.

Interested candidates e-mail [email protected]

RedfordRoyals

Tryouts

For Adult listings, please visit www.canlanclassictournaments.com or call 1-888-422-6526.

Mar. 12–14 St. Patrick’s Tournament Vineland, NJMar. 26–28 Las Vegas Youth Blast I Las Vegas, NVMar. 26–28 End of the Season Blast Fort Wayne, INAug. 27–29 South Jersey Fall Classic Vineland, NJSept. 10–12 Fort Wayne Pre-Season Blast Fort Wayne, INNov. 5–7 Las Vegas Youth Blast II Las Vegas, NVNov. 26–28 Thanksgiving Classic Detroit, MINov. 26–28 Girls Thanksgiving Classic Vineland, NJNov. 26–28 Thanksgiving Classic Vineland, NJNov. 26–28 Thanksgiving Classic Fort Wayne, INDec. 27-29 Christmas Classic Vineland, NJ

Mar 12–14 St Patrick’s Tournament Vineland NJ

Winter Tournaments

Apr. 16–18 Future Stars Toronto, ONApr. 30–May 2 Spring Showdown Toronto, ONMay 7–9 Toronto Cup Toronto, ONMay 14–16 May Madness / Future Stars Toronto, ONMay 14–16 Girls Pre Season Spectacular Toronto, ONMay 21–23 Michigan May Sizzler Detroit, MIMay 28–30 Memorial Holiday Classic Toronto, ONJune 4–6 East End Showdown / Future Stars Toronto, ONJune 11–13 Bring Your Best Toronto, ONJune 11–13 Girls Hockey Challenge Toronto, ONJune 18–20 Niagara Falls Youth Challenge I Niagara Falls, ONJune 25–27 Summer Meltdown Toronto, ONJune 25–27 Girls Summer Chill Toronto, ONJuly 2–4 Montreal Mania Brossard, QCJuly 9–11 Youth Classic / Future Stars Toronto, ONJuly 16–18 Niagara Falls Youth Challenge II Niagara Falls, ONJuly 16–18 Girls Niagara Falls Youth Challenge II Niagara Falls, ONAug. 13–15 King of the Rings Toronto, ONAug. 13–15 Girls Queen of the Rings Toronto, ONAug. 27–29 Pre-Season Blast / Future Stars Toronto, ONAug. 27-29 Girls Pre-Season Blast Toronto, ON

Apr 16 18 Future Stars Toronto ON

Spring & Summer Tournaments

BluewaterSharks 22nd Annual Tournaments 2010 Sarnia Ontario

“” NO GATE FEES “” APR 30-MAY 2 / 2010

MAJOR BANTAM (1995)-BOYS MINOR BANTAM (1996)-BOYS WOMENS ( 19 & OVER RECREATIONAL ( 3 GAME GUARANTEE )

MAY 7-9 / 2010 MAJOR MIDGET (1992-1993)-BOYS MINOR MIDGET (1994-1995)-BOYS

GIRLS “AA’ ( 19 & UNDER -1990 & UNDER COMPETITIVE-4 GAMES) MAY 14-16 / 2010

MAJOR PEEWEE (1997)-BOYS MINOR PEEWEE (1998)-BOYS GIRLS “AA’ ( 19 & OVER 1990 & OVER COMPETITIVE-4 GAMES)

MAY 28-30 / 2010 MAJOR ATOM/SQUIRT (1999)-BOYS MINOR ATOM/SQUIRT (2000)-BOYS

JUNE 4-6 / 2010 MAJOR NOVICE/MITE (2001)-BOYS MINOR NOVICE/MITE (2002)-BOYS

MAJOR TYKE (2003)-BOYS www.sarnia.com/groups/bluewatersharks (519-344-8624) [email protected]

1996 NOVIICE CATSBantam AA

Spring Tryouts

Mon. 3/15/10 ..........8:30-10pm .......... Compuware

Wed. 3/24/10 ..........9-10pm ............... Novi

Sat. 3/27/10 ............4-5:30pm ........... Novi

$15 per skate

Questions, please contact us at

96icecats.com or (248) 420-0436.


AdvancedTournaments

For More Information:www.advancedtournaments.com

847-277-7343

Holland, MI

March 5-7, 2010Mite B, Pee Wee B, Bantam B

March 12-14, 2010Squirt B, Squirt AA, Midget B

All Tournaments Four Game Minimum

Period Length Entry FeeGreat ValueMites 13 minutes $695

Squirts/Pee Wees 13 minutes $750Bantams 13 minutes $795Midgets 14 minutes $895

Chicago, ILChicago ShowdownMar 5-7, 2010

Spring ClassicApr 23-25, 2010

Seven Bridges Spring ClassicMay 19-21, 2010


FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY

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

About 3-on-3 Hockey: 3-on-3 Hockey is a unique brand of ice hockey developed to enhance your individual hockey skills in a fun-filled environment. Games are four, four-minute periods. Three separate 3-on-3 rinks will be set up in the facility. Three rinks measuring approximately 100 feet long by 85 feet wide with 12 foot-high boards add a new and quicker way to play the game.

$288 per team

• Saturday Skills Competition – Everyone is invited to participate!• The number of teams registered will determine how many divisions and

teams per division. A round robin within each division will be conducted with two to four teams advancing to a single elimination play-off round.

• Teams are encouraged to bring goalies, but they will have their own game schedule. Goalies will play two periods for each team per game.

T O U R N A M E N T H O T L I N EMonday-Friday • 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

(231) 591-2881

"The Original"

Goalies needed in all divisions

See website www.ferris.edu/icearena for application

APRIL 9-11, 20102001 & Younger Mite House B, 1995-96 Bantam House B, 1995

Bantam Travel AA, 1996 Bantam Travel A, High School Varsity and Midget AA-AAA, and

High School J.V. and Midget B-BB-A

APRIL 16-18, 20101999-2000 Squirt House B, 1999 Squirt Travel AA,

2000 Squirt Travel A,1997-98 Pee Wee House B, 1997 Pee Wee Travel AA,

1998 Pee Wee Travel A,Girl’s 14 & Under, Girl’s High School and Midget AA-AAA, Women’s

18 & Up

APRIL 23-25, 2010Adult 18-30 Open, Adult 30 & Up Open,

Adult 18-30 B and Adult 30 & Up BReduced goalie rate of $40, and 4 players per team

Lakeland ArenaWaterford, Michigan

BIG DOGINVITATIONAL

APRIL 28 - MAY 2, 2010Call: Big Dog Invitational, Larry Thompson

248-674-2913 Email: [email protected]

4 Game Guarantee All games played at Lakeland Ice Arena

Finalist Trophies - Championship TrophiesDIV 16U, 96, 97, 98 , 99 AND 2000

AAA DIVISIONApplications at www.bigdogaaahockey.com$750 U.S. LOCAL TEAMS AND OUT OF TOWN TEAMS

STAYING AT TOURNAMENT HOTELS


TOURNAMENT CALENDARGreat Lakes Tournament Series Holland, MIMarch 5-7, 2010Mite House, Pee Wee House, Bantam House Contact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com

Motown Cup Tournament Series (DETROIT, MI)March 5-7, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected]

Hockey Cares Weekend - House B TournamentA(An American Cancer Society Benefi t Tournament)Kalamazoo, MIMarch 5-7, 2010Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam, and MidgetsOnline Registration: http://www.tournaments.arenamaps.com/seriesEmail: [email protected]

12th Annual Puck ‘O the Irish TournamentBay County, MIMarch 5-7, 2010Mite – Midget B 989-671-1000 x105www.baycounty-mi.gov/CivicArena

11th Annual Puck ‘O the Irish II TournamentBay County, MIMarch 12-14, 2010Mite – Midget B 989-671-1000 x105www.baycounty-mi.gov/CivicArena

Great Lakes Tournament Series Holland, MIMarch 12-14, 2010Squirt House, Squirt AA, Midget HouseContact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com

Wolverine Cup Tournament SeriesBRIGHTON/NOVI (Western Detroit Suburbs), MIMarch 12-14, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected]

Big Bear - The Luck of the Irish Kalamazoo, MIMarch 19- 21, 2010 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, MidgetHigh School & H.S.J.V ♦ .B - BB - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694

Kids College ClassicFarmington Hills, MIMarch 19-21, 2010Squirt & Pee Wee A & AA248-479-1139Email: [email protected]://www.ccha.com/the_ccha/2010_kids_college_classic.aspx

St. Pats Tournament @ THE SUMMITLansing, MIMarch 19-21, 2010Mite-Midget (B, BB, A, AA)[email protected]

Top Shelf Spring Classic Adult TournamentBrighton, MIMarch 19-21, 2010Men, Women & Co-edwww.kensingtonvalleyicehouse.comahawes@kensingtonvalleyicehouse.comAmy Hawes 810-494-5555 Ext 5

Motown Cup Tournament Series (DETROIT, MI)March 26-28, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected]

Motown Cup Tournament Series DETROIT, MIApril 9-11, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected]

Ferris State 3 on 3Big Rapids, MIApril 9-11, 20102001 & Younger Mite B, 1995-96 Bantam B, 1995 Bantam Travel A & AA,High School JV & Varsity & Midget B, BB, A, AA & AAA231-591-2881www.ferris.edu/icearena

Big Bear - The Ring of Fire Ann Arbor, MI April 16 - 18, 2010 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget/HSB - BB - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694

2nd Annual Oakland Edge Adult Hockey TournamentRochester, MIApril 16-18, 2010Men’s A (30+), B (30+), C (30+), D (30+)Goalies age 25 & up/Women’s Division Open 21+248-721-1204Oaklandedge.com

Ferris State 3 on 3Big Rapids, MIApril 16-18, 20101999-2000 Squirt B, A & AA, 1997-98 Pee Wee B, A & AAGirls 14&U, Girls High School & Midget AA-AAA, Women’s 18&U231-591-2881www.ferris.edu/icearena

Big Bear - The Thunderbird Detroit, MIApril 23 - 25, 2010 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget,High School & H.S.J.V.B - BB - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694

Ferris State 3 on 3Big Rapids, MIApril 23-25, 2010Adult 18-30 Open, Adult 30&U Open, Adult 18-30 B& Adult 30&U B231-591-2881www.ferris.edu/icearena

Big Dog InvitationalWaterford, MIApril 28 – May 2, 201016U – 2000s AAA248-674-2913www.bigdogaaahockey.com

Big Bear - The Last Dance Detroit, MIMay 14- 16, 2010 Mini-Mite, Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School & H.S.J.V.plus Girls U12, U14, U16 & U19 B - BB - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694

Michigan May Sizzler Monroe, MichiganMay 21 – 23, 2010BOYS - 2009, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993,1992,1991 Recreational B,(Select-A), AA, AAA 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Michigan Thanksgiving Classic Monroe, Michigan November 26 – 28, 2010 BOYS - 2009, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993,1992,1991 BOYS - Recreational B,(Select-A), AA, AAA, Elite AAA - GIRLS - Rep (HL, Sel, C, B,BB) and Elite (A, AA) 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

CHICAGO CUP Tournament Series: Chicago ShowdownChicago, IL March 5-7, 2010Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV Contact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Tournament of Champions InvitationalChicago, IL March 5-7, 2010Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV Contact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Gene Harrington Invitational – The Falls ClassicNiagara Falls, NY March 5-7, 2010716-674-0026House - [email protected]

Steel City Tournament Series: Pittsburgh Spring ClassicPittsburgh, PA March 12-14, 2010Mite through Midget: B, A, AAContact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Empire State Tournament Series: Rochester RumbleRochester, NY March 12-14, 2010Mite through Midget: B, A, AAContact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Congressional Cup Tournament Series: Congressional Spring ClassicWashington, DC March 12-14, 2010Mite through Midget: B, A, AAContact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Golden State Tournament Series: Riverside RumbleRiverside, CA March 12-14, 2010Mite through Midget: B, A, AAContact Advanced Tournaments847-277-7343 www.advancedtournaments.com Rock ‘N Roll Cup Tournament SeriesCLEVELAND, OH March 12-15, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected] Queen City Cup Tournament Series CINCINNATI, OH March 12-14, 2010Mite thru Midget/JV & High School (AA,A,B,House Select,House)Tony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected] Three Rivers Cup Tournament SeriesPittsburgh, PA March 12-14, 2010Mite thru Midget/, JV & High School AA,A,B,House Select,HouseTony Prpic (216)325-0567, [email protected] GIRLS Three Rivers Cup Tournament Series Pittsburgh, PA March 12-14, 2010U-10, U12, U14, U16, U19A, AA, AAA, B, House and House SelectTony Prpic (216)325-0567 [email protected] Pepsi Hockey InvitationalMarch 12-April 11, 2010House, House Select & A & B Travel TeamsMini-mite - Bantam716-685-3660www.holidayrinks.com

St. Patricks Tournament Vineland, New JerseyMarch 12-14, 2010BOYS - 2002/2001, 2000, 1999/1998, 1997/1996, 1995/1994/1993,1992/1991 Tier II - B, A, AA 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Niagara Falls Championship CupNiagara Falls, NYMarch 19-21, 2010Mite – Midget A, AA & AAAEmail: [email protected] Big Bear - The Ol’ Shelleighly St. Louis, MO March 19- 21, 2010 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, MidgetHigh School & H.S.J.V ♦ .B - A - AA www.shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Weekend Hockey Tournaments March 19 – March 21, 2010 Tampa, FL19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ [email protected] www.weekendhockey.com

Weekend Hockey Tournaments March 12 - 14, 2010Niagara Falls, ON 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ [email protected] www.weekendhockey.com

Playoff Primer Etobicoke, Ontario March 19-21, 2010 ADULT HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Men’s, Women’s, COED 18+, 30+, 40+:A/B,C,D,E 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

OldTimers / COED Classic Oshawa, Ontario March 26-28, 2010 ADULT Men’s, Women’s, COED 30+, 40+:A/B,C,D,E 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Kitchener Spring Classic Kitchener/Cambridge, OntarioApril 16-18, 2010 Men’s, Women’s, COED 18+, 30+, 40+:A/B,C,D,E 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Future Stars Tournament Toronto, Ontario April 16-18, 2010 BOYS - 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 BOYS & GIRLS - House League, Select, Super 6 & 7 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Weekend Hockey Tournaments April 23-25, 2010 Montreal, PQ 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ [email protected] www.weekendhockey.com

North American Holiday HockeyMontreal, Quebec April 23-25, 2010All [email protected]

Weekend Hockey Tournaments April 30–May 2, 2010 Niagara Falls, ON 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ [email protected] www.weekendhockey.com

Spring Showdown Toronto, Ontario April 30 -May 2 BOYS - 2009, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993,1992,1991 Recreational B,(Select-A), AA, AAA, Competitive A 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Spring Slam Oshawa, Ontario April 30 -May 2, 2010 Men’s, Women’s, COED 18+, 30+, 40+:A/B,C,D,E 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

Bluewater Sharks 22nd Annual TournamentSarnia, Ontario, CanadaApril 30-May 2, 2010Major Bantam 1995 Boys/Minor Bantam 1996 BoysWomen (19 & Over recreational)www.sarnia.com/groups/bluewatersharks

North Shore Spring Sizzler Vancouver, BC April 30 -May 2, 2010 BOYS - 2009, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993,1992,1991 Recreational B,(Select-A), AA, AAA, Elite AAA 1-888-422-6526 [email protected] http://www.canlanclassictournaments.com/

COMPLETE TOURNAMENT LISTING ON WEBSITE

www.michiganhockeyonline.com

OUT OF STATEOUT OF STATEOUT OF STATE

CANADACANADACANADA


• NHL • NHL • College• College

• Community • Community • Residential • Residential

Serving:Serving:

Ice rinksIce rinksFor more information call Bob Bishop 313-600-8655

• NHL • NHL • College• College

• Community • Community • Residential • Residential

Serving:Serving:

Ice rinksIce rinks

Hockey fans, come check out some of the brightest young stars of the game for the lowest prices around

at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube!

Upcoming GamesSaturday, March 6

U.S. National Under-18 Team vs. Sioux Falls - 7:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 7

U.S. National Under-17 Team vs. Sioux Falls - 3:05 p.m.

U.S. National Under-18 Team vs. Des Moines - 7:05 p.m.

Monday, March 8

U.S. National Under-17 Team vs. Des Moines - 7:05 p.m.

Friday, March 26

U.S. National Under-17 Team vs. Youngstown - 7:05 p.m

General Admission Tickets Adults Students Seniors

Children under 5 are FREE!Youth players get in for a buck!

Youth hockey players can get into the NTDP games for just $1 when they wear their jersey! Bring your whole team out to see the

future stars of college and pro hockey and meet them after the game!

For NTDP tickets and group rate information, call 734-327-9251 or visit usahockey.com/usantdp

U.P. Pond Hockey Championships U.P. Pond Hockey Championships have great weekendhave great weekend

Adult Hockey

U.P. Pond Hockey Championships U.P. Pond Hockey Championships have great weekendhave great weekend

The fi fth annual U.P. Pond Hockey Championships was played on 24 rinks on Moran Bay in St.

Ignace on Feb. 19-21 and included 127 teams competing in 17 divisions.

PHOTOS COURTESY ST. IGNACE NEWS


Adult Hockey

2010 AdultSpring Leagues

Divisions OfferedD Tuesdays

Open B30 & Over C Thursdays

40 & OverC Saturdays

D+ League Sundays

NOW YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE ADULT LEAGUES ONLINE

42400 Arena Drive Novi, MI 48375248-347-1010 noviicearena.com

TM

Four teams win Pond Hockey National Championships

Novice Champion: G-Men/HollandNovice Champion: G-Men/Holland

Bronze Over 21 Champion: Bronze Over 21 Champion: Beavers/Ann ArborBeavers/Ann Arbor

Over 50 Champion: Ford/DetroitOver 50 Champion: Ford/Detroit

Over 40 Tier 2 Champion: Range Over 40 Tier 2 Champion: Range Beverage/Iron MountainBeverage/Iron Mountain

Novice Champion: G-Men/Holland

Bronze Over 21 Champion: Beavers/Ann Arbor

Over 50 Champion: Ford/Detroit

Over 40 Tier 2 Champion: Range Beverage/Iron Mountain

Four Michigan teams won titles at the fi fth annual Labatt Blue/USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships on Feb.

12-14 on Dollar Lake in Eagle River, Wis.


Michigan Hockey Winners' Circle 23995 Freeway Park

Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48335

Phone 248.479-1134• FAX 248.478.1601

Presented by

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:1. Each time a player becomes eligible for

a Michigan Hockey “ Winner ’s C ircle”

achievement award, notify us by mail or

you can email us at:

[email protected]. Please

include the player’s name, level (squirt, etc.), team name, grade point & school attending and/or game date, opposing team and what award was achieved.

2. I nclude your name and telephone number along with the

address information for mailing the awards. Awards can be

mailed to coaches, team managers or to individual players.

3. Names of achievement award winners will be listed here in

the "Winner's Circle" section of Michigan Hockey.

4. achievement. (Limit one award per category per player per year.)

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Enter online at:michiganhockeyonline.com

Simon Bueschges Luke Henderson

Weondong Hwang

Scott LeitzAustin Wilson

Kyle BurkeZach Dornseifer

Cody FarrellDerek Hamp

Dakota KottZane PerraultZach Shapiro

Ethyn AltmanZach Dornseifer

Cody FarrellLogan JeromeCasey Ketola

Sam Lipps

Andrew MichalowskiJohn MinnichHaider SabirZach ShapiroNick Sheridan

G.F. BennettJoel CarlsonRoss Davis

Camden DenkChristien Dunn

Cody FarrellDerek Hamp

Luke HendersonZane Perrault

BY BOB ST. JOHNThe Michigan Metro Girls Hockey League’s 2009-10 regular season is in the books.

Grosse Pointe South won Division 1 with a perfect 19-0 mark, while Port Huron won Division 2 with an 18-1 record.

The Blue Devils are once again the team to beat in the playoff s. They completed the regular season with a tough 3-2 win over host University Liggett and a victory over Warren Regina.

“Winning isn’t guaranteed,” GPS coach Bill Fox said. “The girls have to work hard to win games and I don’t think they played particularly well against Liggett. They have to understand every team will play their best to beat us and they have to be up for that challenge.”

“It was our best game of the season and Mariah (Passalacqua) was great in net,” Liggett head coach Laura Owczarski said. “The girls have really picked up the level of their play the past couple of games against the best teams in the league.”

The Blue Devils struck fi rst when sophomore Claire Boyle scored with sophomore Marissa Monforton netting the lone assist. In the second period, the Knights built a 2-1 lead on goals by seniors Liz Smith and Paige Counsman.

Sophomore Haleigh Bolton assisted on Smith’s goal while Counsman’s was unassisted.

GPS junior Elizabeth Clem had the tying goal with senior Jessica Snella drawing an assist and with only 55 seconds left in the period, senior Ana Harris tallied the game-winner with junior Andrea Marshall netting an assist.

Passalacqua kept the game close, stopped all 13 shots the Blue Devils fi red her way in the third period.

Cranbrook Kingswood and head coach Terry Brooks nailed down the No. 2 seed winning 2-of-3 tough games. The Cranes beat Grosse Pointe North 5-4 in overtime and Ann Arbor 4-1, but lost 3-1 to Port Huron.

The Cranes trailed North 3-0 and 4-1 before roaring back to win just 10 seconds into overtime.

“This is a tough stretch of games, but they will get us ready for the state playoff s,” Brooks said. “We’re playing very well right now.”

“We played probably our best period of the season in the fi rst and still controlled the play in the second,” said North coach Scott Dockett. “That third period wasn’t good and this is a tough loss. We gave this game away.”

Julia Henderson opened the scoring with Kailey Sickmiller and Jacci Sherry drawing assists for the Norsemen.

Taylor Moody scored the fi rst of her two goals to give the Norsemen a 2-0 lead and Jennifer Cusmano made it 3-0 with Sherry and Sara Villani netting assists.

The Cranes’ Caley Chelios scored to make it 3-1, but Moody scored a pretty goal at the 1:53 mark of the second period, tucking a backhand past Colleen Jacoby.

It could have been 6-2 or 8-2 heading into the third period, but Jacoby came up with several top-notch saves the Cranes needed.

The Cranes scored at the 7:50 mark of the third period and hit the equalizer on the power play with only 1:15 left. It took the visitor only 10 seconds of the overtime

to win as Chelios scored the game-winner.The Norsemen fi nished the regular season with victories over Country Day and

Regina to fi nish third in Division 1.Northville fi nished sixth in Division 1, but ended the regular season with a big

4-3 win over Liggett. Seniors Parul Kathuria, Katherine Gearns, Erica Zazo and Kelsey Koswick, along with junior Lauren Grigg and sophomore Allison Holden, have helped the Mustangs play their best hockey of the season during the month of February.

Sitting in the basemen is Livonia Ladywood, but head coach Bruce Peck also has his Blazers playing an improved game. Junior goalie Jessica Pavela is the anchor as the Blazers’ lack of off ense has forced them to play stellar defense.

Port Huron is the heavy favorite to win the Division 2 Tournament and earn a spot in the Division 1 Tournament the second week of March.

The Lady Icehawks fi eld Chelsea Minnie, who was third in the league scoring list, while Morgan Thompson, Hayley Cox, Kassi Reeves and Sarah Hall are also in the top 20.

First year head coach Mary Beth Johnson may have earned the coach of the year award after leading the Plymouth-Canton-Salem squad from the basement to second place this season. The Penguins don’t have a top 20 scorer, but Johnson has the girls playing a “team” concept, which has resulted in their upward swing in the standings.

Country Day improved from last year and fi nished in third place behind the scoring of Maddie VanAntwerp.

Walled Lake has also improved with Emma Crone, Melissa Phalin, Katie Acheson, Grace Jardine and Mackenzie Moug leading the off ensive charge.

Head coach Pat Gregory and his Farmington Hills Mercy squad struggled this season, losing several close games.

“We just haven’t been as consistent as I think we should,” Gregory said. “The girls work hard and now we have to put it all together with the playoff s coming up.”

Rounding out the Division 2 standings are Regina and Bloomfi eld United.The Saddlelites have been led all season by senior captain Kristen Taylor, who

was fourth in the scoring list with 36 points.Bloomfi eld has struggled to fi nd any off ense and another winless season is a

possibility. Despite the team’s struggles, the girls have played with a passion for the game.

PLAYOFFS START NOWThe Division 2 playoff s begin March 2 with three evening games at St. Clair Shores

Ice Arena. The semifi nals are March 5 and the fi nal is March 6 at 8 p.m.The winner of the D2 playoff s gets a spot in the Division 1 playoff s that start on

March 9 at City Sports Arena in Detroit. Semifi nals are set for March 11 and the Final and Skills Competition are March 13.

MMGHSHL Standings Final Standings

Division 1 GP W L T PTS GF GA

GP South 19 19 0 0 38 113 19

Cranbrook 19 16 3 0 32 90 35

GP North 19 13 6 0 26 89 44

Ann Arbor 19 12 6 1 25 65 47

Univ. Liggett 19 9 10 0 18 67 54

Northville 19 7 11 1 15 61 90

Ladywood 19 6 12 1 13 41 71

Division 2 GP W L T PTS GF GA Port Huron 19 18 1 0 36 103 14

PCS 19 10 9 0 20 65 69

Country Day 19 7 12 0 14 59 75

Mercy 19 6 13 0 12 76 82

Walled Lake 18 5 13 0 10 67 95

Regina 18 2 15 1 5 52 111

Bloomfi eld Hills 19 0 19 0 0 8 150

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MMGHSHL Playoff s will crown MMGHSHL Playoff s will crown a champion on March 13a champion on March 13MMGHSHL Playoff s will crown MMGHSHL Playoff s will crown a champion on March 13a champion on March 13

Girls High School

Liggett’s Paige Counsman (left) and

Cranbrook’s Caley Chelios fi nished

among MMGHSHL scoring leaders.

T TRICKHA

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Find us on

Rankings(as of March 1)

USHSHO.com1. Detroit CC

2. OL St Marys

3. Trenton

4. Cranbrook

5. Liv. Stevenson

6. De La Salle

7. U of D

8. Brother Rice

9. Novi

10. Marquette

11. Howell

12. Brighton

13. Flint Powers

14. Plymouth

15. GP North

16. Midland

17. Farmington

18. S.S. Marie

19. Farmington Hills

20. Utica Eisenhower

21. Cadillac

22. St. Clair Shores

23. Liv. Churchill

24. Grosse Ile

25. TC West

MHSAA State TournamentQuarterfi nals

Division 1 - March 101 - Gaylord or Big Rapids

Region 1 vs. Region 2

2 - Flint Perani


3 – SCS Lakeview


4 - Ann Arbor Huron


Division 2 - March 9 5 - Big Rapids


6 - Chelsea


7 - Romeo


8 - Novi

Region 15 vs. Region16

Division 3 - March 109 - SSM or Marquette


10 - Lansing CC


11 - Pontiac Notre Dame


12 - Allen Park


Compuware ArenaSemifi nals - March 11-12

Finals - March 13

Division 2 – 11 a.m.

Division 3 - 3 p.m.

Division 1 – 7 p.m.

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MIHL Prep Showcase MIHL Prep Showcase celebrates milestone weekendcelebrates milestone weekend

BY CARL CHIMENTIIn a case of a good idea blossoming into a great event,

the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League (MIHL) Prep

Showcase celebrated its 10th year of top-notch high school

hockey competition on February 11-13 at Trenton’s Kennedy

Recreation Center.

With the goal of getting more exposure for high school

hockey, MIHL offi cials, led by Cranbrook head coach Andy

Weidenbach, organized the inaugural 12-team MIHL showcase

at the Troy Sports Center in January 2001.

Over the next 10 years the event has grown to 36 teams and

36 games and, along with the MHSAA state fi nals at Plymouth’s

Compuware Arena, has become a “must-see” weekend on the

high school hockey calendar.

“The showcase has given high school hockey credibility

and has become an outstanding event,” said Mike Turner,

head coach of the Trenton Trojans, last season’s Division 2 state

champions. “Looking back at the fi rst year in Troy it was an

interesting concept, an interesting attempt to see if we could

put something like this together.

“Moving it to Trenton with all of the accessible rinks has made

it a fantastic event and a lot of people really enjoy themselves.”

With the three arenas at Kennedy packed all weekend

with fans, scouts and college coaches, the showcase has

accomplished what it was designed to do.

“It is a premier avenue for high school players to showcase

their skills to as many scouts as possible,” said Todd Johnson,

coach of the defending Division 1 state champion Detroit

Catholic Central squad.

As the number of high school hockey programs has

increased, so has the level of play across the state. MIHL

offi cials spend months selecting the top teams to participate

and then focus on creating the most competitive matchups for

the showcase schedule.

Turner says that parity has improved at the prep level

every year.

“The old standby’s, the Trenton’s, the Catholic Central’s and

the Cranbrook’s now face a bigger pool of quality teams both at

the Showcase and through out the season,” said Turner. “There

are more teams advancing players to the next level, which is

a big reason why more and more scouts are fl ocking to watch

the showcase and that was the main reason for starting the

showcase, it is all about the players.”

Mitchell Snider, a senior forward from Traverse City West,

played in his second Showcase this year.

“It’s been great experience, especially with all of the scouts

watching,” he said.

Tom Newton, a veteran assistant coach at Michigan State,

has used to help identify players with the potential to play at

the college level.

“This event is fantastic and the information they provide

on each player to all the scouts is priceless,” said Newton, who

has attended the Showcase for the past seven years. “The one

thing about the prep player not just in Michigan but through

out the country is that they have the smarts and the skill to

play at the collegiate level. However most of the kids lack the

size. So it is a good idea to play a year or two in junior hockey,

be it the USHL or the NAHL, to get stronger and then progress

on to the college level.”

With another successful event in the books, the Shamrocks

Johnson laughed when asked if he thought the event would

develop into such a popular weekend when it fi rst started

ten years ago.

“We dreamed and it was certainly the vision we had in

mind,” he said. “I don’t want to say we knew it was going to

happen, but we are sure glad it did.”

Boys High School

MIHL Prep Showcase celebrates milestone weekend

The MIHL Prep Showcase celebrated its 10th year with matchups that included Trenton vs.

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Grosse Pointe North and S.S. Marie (bottom).


2009-10 NAHL Standings (as of March 1)CENTRAL GP W L OTL PTS PCT GF GABismarck 50 32 10 8 72 0.720 164 115 920Owatonna 51 28 19 4 60 0.588 165 165 738Alexandria 48 24 20 4 52 0.542 142 133 740North Iowa 47 14 27 6 34 0.362 122 194 777Albert Lea 48 12 31 5 29 0.302 114 195 1138

NORTH GP W L OTL PTS PCT GF GA PIMTraverse City 48 27 17 4 58 0.604 178 148 1076Marquette 47 28 18 1 57 0.606 152 124 886Janesville 48 25 19 4 54 0.563 147 147 915Motor City 49 20 22 7 47 0.480 130 159 1168Alpena 50 20 28 2 42 0.420 142 163 1342

SOUTH GP W L OTL PTS PCT GF GA PIMTopeka 50 38 7 5 81 0.810 216 121 1303St. Louis 49 37 9 3 77 0.786 174 106 915Texas 47 20 22 5 45 0.479 144 166 1448Springfield 48 19 24 5 43 0.448 141 156 708Wichita Falls 52 17 29 6 40 0.385 157 218 1382

WEST GP W L OTL PTS PCT GF GA PIMWenatchee 50 39 8 3 81 0.810 180 107 1311Fairbanks 52 30 19 3 63 0.606 187 158 1543Alaska 50 27 17 6 60 0.600 164 149 1261Kenai River 48 10 34 4 24 0.250 112 199 930

TOP SCORERS TEAM POS GP G A PTS PIM PPG SHGJuola, Michael FBX F 52 21 51 72 56 10 0Higby, Erik TPK F 50 26 43 69 52 5 2Sheehan, Brian WIC F 52 27 29 56 64 7 1Rickord, Jared SPR F 48 24 32 56 12 8 0Pustin, Mark FBX F 47 23 33 56 31 9 0Nagtzaam, Nardo ALX F 44 20 34 54 57 7 1Fabian, Jason BIS F 49 20 33 53 44 7 1Ladd, Garrett MAR F 44 17 35 52 91 3 5Clay, Kyle ALX F 48 18 33 51 34 7 0Kolb, Andrew MAR F 47 18 33 51 32 4 2Thorson, Cory OWA F 51 22 27 49 18 6 0Jubinville, Jeff WNE F 50 25 23 48 36 10 0Johnson, Bryce TPK F 50 17 31 48 50 5 1Kleisinger, Casey BIS F 48 18 28 46 65 8 0Encarnacao, Rui JNE F 48 24 22 46 28 3 0Hagaman, Alec TPK F 44 22 24 46 76 7 0Panetta, Dominic BIS F 49 21 24 45 94 5 0Clifford, Doug TNS F 46 19 26 45 61 6 0Larson, Jared FBX F 51 23 21 44 76 11 1Kero, Tanner MAR F 46 29 15 44 33 12 1Saint-Onge, Collin MAR F 45 16 28 44 32 9 0Thomas, Tony TPK F 50 19 24 43 42 10 1Jacobson, Ryan BIS F 49 24 19 43 10 6 0Thompson, Garrett TNS F 47 22 21 43 66 5 0Curry, Nick SPR F 43 15 28 43 34 6 0Politz, Kyle FBX F 49 16 26 42 39 5 1Mingo, Dajon WNE F 47 17 25 42 60 5 4Zierke, Steve ALX F 46 16 26 42 44 7 1Hill, Michael TPK F 38 21 21 42 62 10 0Olszewski, Daniel STL F 49 20 21 41 85 4 3Bohrer, Ryan NIO F 47 11 30 41 22 5 2Prince, Jack TEX F 46 20 21 41 34 5 3

TOP GOALIES TEAM GP MIN SO GA GAA SV SV%Jaeger, Brandon WNE 23 1276:14 2 39 1.83 529 0.931 Bruggeman, Tyler STL 31 1837:29 2 63 2.06 826 0.929 Karambelas, Evan TPK 21 1271:27 2 44 2.08 392 0.899 Faragher, Ryan BIS 34 1888:51 4 67 2.13 775 0.920 Kamal, Chris ALX 32 1834:14 1 76 2.49 833 0.916 Strandberg, Drew TNS 30 1654:20 2 70 2.54 659 0.904 Kissaw, Kevin MAR 33 1881:39 3 80 2.55 998 0.926 Hemingway, Matt OWA 16 938:14 1 40 2.56 437 0.916 Taffe, Mike FBX 28 1568:17 0 69 2.64 686 0.909 Tadazak, Robert ALX 19 948:05 0 42 2.66 355 0.894 Groh, CJ SPR 16 971:38 1 43 2.66 480 0.918 Torf, Jason MCM 21 1123:16 0 50 2.67 588 0.922

NORTH DIVISIONAlpena forward John Fritsche tallied three goals and an assist as the IceDiggers celebrated a two-game sweep over Marquette. On Feb. 25 the Parma, Ohio, native notched a pair of goals in a 5-0 triumph. The next night, the 18-year-old lit the lamp again and added an assist as the IceDiggers downed the Rangers in a shootout, 4-3. He was also a plus-3 on the weekend.HONORABLE MENTION: Janesville forward Kurt Akers; Motor City defenseman Nate Paulsen

SOUTH DIVISIONWichita Falls forward Ryan Frost struck for two goals and four assists as the Wildcats skated to a two-game sweep over Texas. On Feb. 25, the Corona, Calif., native picked up two assists, including one on Chris Leone’s game-winning goal, in a 3-2 victory. The next night, the 19-year-old tallied a pair of goals and two more assists, including one on Brian

Sheehan’s game-winning marker, as the Wildcats downed the Tornado, 9-4. He was also a plus-4 on the weekend.HONORABLE MENTION: Topeka forward Alec Hagaman; Wichita Falls forward J.T. Osborn CENTRAL DIVISIONAlexandria forward Nardo Nagtzaam rang up two goals and three assists as the Blizzard went 1-2 against Alaska. On Feb.23, the Netherlands native scored the Blizzard’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss. Two nights later, the 19-year-old put away a goal and two assists as Alexandria downed the Avalanche, 6-2. Nagtzaam, who began the season with the Avalanche, picked up another assist in a 4-2 loss on Saturday. He was also a plus-4 for the weekend.HONORABLE MENTION: Bismarck defenseman Sam Rendle WEST DIVISIONWenatchee defenseman Chris Rumble connected for a goal

and four assists in the two games he played against Kenai River - both Wild victories. On Feb.24, the Chesapeake, Va., native notched a goal and a pair of assists in a 10-2 win. The 19-year-old recorded two more assists on Feb. 27 as the Wild bested the Brown Bears in a shootout, 4-3. He was also a plus-6 in the weekend.

SHERWOOD GOALIEAlpena goaltender Marco Wieser backstopped the IceDiggers to a two-game sweep over Marquette, turning aside 59 of 62 shots. On Feb.25, the Austria native made all 34 saves in a 5-0 triumph. The next night, the 19-year-old stopped 25 shots in regulation and overtime and all four in the shootout as the IceDiggers bested the Rangers, 4-3.HONORABLE MENTION: Bismarck’s Ryan Faragher; Motor City’s Phil Graveline; North Iowa’s Paul Moberg

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NAHL teams on the lookout for new talent

SHERWOOD PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 1)

BY MATT MACKINDER A handful of North American Hockey League teams have already started to plan

for next season by signing prospective players to tenders.A tender is a contract of sorts that a player signs announcing his intentions to

play for that particular NAHL team and that NAHL team only. Once a player signs a tender with an NAHL team, his playing rights belong to that team within the NAHL and he may not be recruited by any other NAHL team.

Each team is granted eight tenders - plus or minus any trades - which became active on Nov. 1. Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft.

Several NAHL teams have tapped the Tier III Central States Hockey League, a league with four teams in Michigan (Dearborn’s Motor City Chiefs, Flint Jr. Generals, Grand Rapids Jr. Owls and Waterford’s Metro Jets), for players to tender for the 2010-11 season. This year’s regular season champions, the St. Louis Jr. Blues, have seen two players in forward Nick Saracino (St. Louis Bandits) and defenseman Sean Gammage (Chicago Hitmen) sign tenders, along with Flint forward Nate Scurfi eld (Traverse City North Stars), Chicago Force captain Jimmy Albrecht (Chicago) and Dubuque Thunderbirds defensemen Hunter Brown and Peter Nesper (both to Chicago).

From St. Louis, the Bandits will be getting the CSHL’s top scorer (Saracino, who just turned 18-years old on Feb. 20) and the Hitmen landed a huge blueliner (Gammage is 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds).

“Nick has chosen the Bandits for numerous reasons, including the Bandits’ great record of moving players to NCAA Division I,” Jr. Blues coach Jack Behan said. “Nick’s picture will hang in my offi ce some day with all the other D-I players who have come from the Jr. Blues family.

“Sean will be given an opportunity to be a leader in his fi rst year in the NAHL and that is a rarity. With the Hitmen being an expansion team, he will have a great opportunity to be counted on in his fi rst year, which is what Hitmen coach Steve

Pronger emphasized in our conversations with Sean.”Scurfi eld, an 18-year-old Midland native, is second in team scoring.“Nate sees the ice very well and is a very strong skater,” said Jr. Generals coach

George Dritsas. “Nate should do well at the next level.”Albrecht won’t have to go far as the Hitmen and Force owners are the same – Dick

Glass and Mark Hammersmith.“Jim has been a great leader for the Force over

the last two seasons,” said Hammersmith. “By leading by example on and off the ice, he’ll be a huge part of our transition to the North American Hockey League.”

ANOTHER TEAM TO MINNESOTAThe NAHL announced in late February that

the league has accepted the membership for an expansion team in Austin, Minn.

The yet unnamed club will begin play next season and will be the fourth to call Minnesota home, joining the Albert Lea Thunder, Alexandria Blizzard and the Owatonna Express.

“This is an exciting day for our league and the great hockey state of Minnesota,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “Austin has been without a junior hockey team for 25 years and we’re eager to resurrect its presence.

“Austin’s presence is instrumental in terms of strengthening our Central Division footprint and automatically enhances all of our great rivalries

throughout the division.”

NOTEBOOKThe Bismarck Bobcats raised over $5,000 for cancer awareness and research

thanks to their Tough Enough to Wear Pink event in conjunction with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life at the VFW Sports Center on Feb. 12. Bismarck beat Owatonna, 4-0, that night … Owatonna defenseman Jake Sloat has committed to Bowling Green for next season, while Bismarck defenseman Ben Danford gave the nod to Canisius.

NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUENORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUENORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

St. Louis Jr. Blues defenseman Sean Gammage

signed a tender with the NAHL expansion

Chicago Hitmen for next season.


Team Michigan TryoutsThis year Team Michigan will select 20 top high school seniors from an

open tryout to represent the state and compete at the Minnesota Show-

case on April 23-25, 2010 in Plymouth, Minnesota.

The Minnesota Showcase replaces the Chicago Showcase, which ceased

operation after 25 years. And while the location is different, the Minne-

sota event will be again heavily scouted by junior and college coaches.

Team Michigan TryoutsMarch 26 - 28 • DISC/Dearborn

Team Michigan Mini-Camp

April 16 – 19, 21 • Metro-Detroit

Minnesota ShowcaseApril 23 - 25 • Plymouth, MN

Check out www.team-michigan.net for more information and to print out

a tryout application.

To register for Team Michigan Tryouts submit completed application

with check for $110 made payable to Team Michigan and send to:

Kevin Ahern • Team Michigan GM1751 Edsel • Trenton, MI 48183

Deadline for applications to tryout for Team Michigan is March 20.

Contact Team Michigan coach Kevin Ahern with questions at

(734) 675-8384 or e-mail him at: [email protected]

or [email protected].

www.team-michigan.net

March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15 Tryouts


Ontario Hockey Leaugue March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

BY MATT MACKINDERThe Plymouth Whalers clinched an Ontario Hockey League playoff berth in style

back on Feb. 21 with an 11-3 win in Sarnia.

In winning, the Whalers made the postseason for the 19th straight season – the

current OHL record. Plymouth missed the OHL playoff s in the team’s inaugural season

in 1990-1991 and has made the playoff s every season since, winning OHL titles in

1995 and 2007 along the way.

Plymouth continues to be led by stud forward Tyler Seguin, who was on top of

the OHL scoring race with 99 points. Seguin has had a huge supporting cast with

Robbie Czarnik (Washington), Ryan Hayes, Tyler Brown, Garrett Meurs and captain

AJ Jenks (Wolverine Lake), among others, all contributing on a nightly basis. Matt

Hackett is a rock in goal and overage defenseman Leo Jenner has emerged as a

defi nite pro prospect.

Off ensive depth is becoming a trademark of the Whalers and is what top teams

need come playoff time.

“Even when the big goal scorers don’t score, we’ve got other guys that can step up,”

defenseman and Howell native Beau Schmitz said. “It really helped (against Sarnia).”

If the Whalers fi nish in the top four in the Western Conference, they’ll have home-ice

advantage in the fi rst round. Plymouth can fi nish as high as third and as low as eighth.

Plymouth has fi ve games left in the regular season, including three at home –

March 5 vs. Sault Ste. Marie, March 6 vs. Saginaw and the regular season fi nale on

March 14 vs. Saginaw. All remaining games are West Division games.

Michigan connections coming to Compuware Arena over these fi nal games include

Sault Ste. Marie defenseman Brandon Archibald (Port Huron), Sault Ste. Marie forwards

Vern Cooper (ex-Whalers forward from 2006-2009 traded last summer) and Myles

McCauley (Sterling Heights native traded from Whalers at the Jan. 11 trade deadline

for forward James Livingston).

The Whalers play in Windsor on March 11 and in Sault Ste. Marie the next night.

SAGINAW LOOKING TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOTWith just two weeks remaining in the OHL regular season, Saginaw is sitting

on the playoff bubble. Saginaw currently holds the seventh seed in the Western

Conference with 64 points.

The Spirit are still mathematically within reach of the fourth spot and home-ice in

the fi rst round of the playoff s. The Whalers will have a say in where Saginaw fi nishes

as the two teams meet three more times this season.

With 17 wins in their last 48 games, the Spirit have not been able to put together

any kind of winning streak in the second half. But a rested Edward Pasquale could

give Saginaw the edge it needs to make the postseason for the second year in a row.

“It’s been a rat race and defi nitely a battle that should go to the end,” head coach

Todd Watson told the Saginaw News.

SPIRIT NOTEBOOKWith a series of three big games Saginaw opened up the fi nal weekend of February

losing at home to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 6-3, on Feb. 24. The Greyhounds

scored three in the fi rst period and then opened up a 5-0 lead with a pair in the

second before the Spirit’s Ivan Telegin, Jordan Hill and Tyler Murovich scored successive

goals to trim the lead to 5-3. Pasquale, and Tadeas Galansky in relief, combined for

36 saves… Saginaw climbed back in the win column on February 27 by beating

Sarnia at home, 4-1. Telegin led the way with a goal and an assist. Josh Shalla, Jordan

Szwarz and Tyler Murovich rounded out the scoring and Michael Sgarbossa had two

assists. Pasquale was strong with 32 saves. The Spirit ended the month on a winning

note by beating the Guelph Storm, 4-3, on Feb. 29 at home. Jordan Szwarz had two

goals and Ryan O’Connor a goal and an assist. Pasquale stopped 35 of 38 shots.

Whalers in OHL playoff s for 19th straight season

Canadian Hockey League Top 10(as of Feb. 24)

1. Barrie Colts (OHL) 48-8-0-2

2. Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) 48-10-1-0

3. Windsor Spitfi res (OHL) 45-10-0-5

4. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 41-13-1-4

5. Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 41-14-3-4

6. London Knights (OHL) 43-14-0-2

7. Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 42-18-1-3

8. Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 42-15-0-2

9. Tri-City Americans (WHL) 42-17-1-2

10. Calgary Hitmen (WHL) 43-17-1-1

Source: BMO Mastercard rankings

Plymouth players (from left) Tyler Seguin, AJ Jenks, Beau Schmitz and Robbie Czarnik celebrate the Whalers playoff -

clinching win against Sarnia Sting on February 21.

PHOTO BY WALT DMOCH/PLYMOUTH WHALERS

BY PHILIP COLVINAfter 50 years of minor pro hockey that has included the Zephyrs, the Mohawks,

and the Fury, Muskegon is getting a Tier I Junior A team.

The United States Hockey League’s (USHL) 16th member team, called the

Lumberjacks, will begin play next season at 5,100 seat L.C. Walker Arena.

After searching for years for the right location, Muskegon’s hockey-rich tradition

played a large part in the Lumberjacks ownership selecting the west Michigan market

as the team’s destination.

“More than anything else, it was the city’s passion for the sport that appealed

to us. We wanted to go to a place where hockey mattered,” said Josh Mervis, who

along with his father Lou owns the Lumberjacks. “Muskegon has a knowledgeable

fan base whose passion and loyalty rivals hockey fans anywhere in North America.”

After brothers Jeff and Stacey Patulski, and Muskegon native Tim Taylor, bought

Muskegon’s minor league team, the IHL’s Lumberjacks, 18 months ago, they worked

feverishly to save hockey in the city. But keeping hockey going in Muskegon was one

thing, making sure that the sport was viable was another.

“And that was a lot harder,” noted Jeff Patulski. “We had a lot of thoughts and

emotions about how to continue hockey in Muskegon for the next fi fty years. That

meant a lot of late hours and due diligence. When I fi rst talked to USHL commissioner

Skip Prince about the league’s model and how it could fi t in Muskegon, I personally

got very excited very quickly.”

Now in its 31st season, the USHL is a top developmental league for players aged

16-20. This season the league has 13 NHL draft picks and over 200 players with

college commitments on its team’s rosters.

“Fans will get to watch players that could end up in our backyard at Michigan

State, Michigan, Ferris State, and schools all over this state,” said Mona Shores native

and current Grand Rapids Griffi n forward Justin Abdelkader, who played for the

USHL’s Cedar Rapids (IA) Roughriders in 2005 before moving on to Michigan State.

”It’s exciting times for Muskegon. People are going to see a lot of good players come

through here, and you never know who is going to be the next player to come out

of Muskegon and make it to the NHL.”

The Lumberjacks now give the league two Michigan-based teams, as the U.S.

National Teams from the Ann Arbor-based USA Hockey National Team Development

Program joined the League this year.

The League’s growth in Michigan is appropriate, as this season, for the fi rst time

in its history, more players in the USHL hail from Michigan than any other state.

“Muskegon’s fans should know that a lot of good people worked very hard to

make this happen,” said Prince. “From the League offi ce and our Board of Directors,

to the Patulski’s and Tim Taylor, to the city of Muskegon, to the Mervis family. Every

constituency worked overtime in the collective best interest of what is just an

extraordinary fan base in Muskegon. I believe they’re going to be rewarded by not

just good, but great hockey at L.C. Walker, for a long time to come.”

With a fi le from Brian Werger

USHL coming to Muskegon

USHL commissioner Skip Prince

announces that the league’s

newest member – the Muskegon

Lumberjacks – will play at L.C.

Walker Arena next season.

PHOTO BY TERRY SABO/MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

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College Hockey March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

CCHA 2009-10 FINAL STANDINGSSchool GP W L T SW Pts GF GA

1. Miami 28 21 2 5 2 70 100 39

2. Michigan State 28 14 8 6 2 50 73 64

3. Ferris State 28 13 9 6 4 49 79 66

4. Northern Michigan 28 13 9 6 3 48 86 72

5. Alaska 28 11 9 8 4 45 73 70

6. Nebraska-Omaha 28 13 12 3 2 44 85 83

7. Michigan 28 14 13 1 0 43 83 69

8. Ohio State 28 10 12 6 4 40 81 93

9. Notre Dame 28 9 12 7 2 36 65 76

10. Lake Superior 28 10 15 3 2 35 66 90

11. Bowling Green 28 4 18 6 5 23 58 102

12. Western Michigan 28 4 17 7 2 21 62 87

FINAL OVERALL SCORING LEADERSPlayer School Class Pos GP G-A-Pts

Mark Olver NMU JR F 35 19-27-46

Corey Tropp MSU JR F 36 20-22-42

Jarod Palmer Miami SR F 36 16-24-40

Andy Taranto Alaska FR RW 34 16-23-39

Carl Hagelin UM JR F 37 14-25-39

Dion Knelsen Alaska SR C 34 17-21-38

Andy Miele Miami JR F 35 13-25-38

Zac Dalpe OSU SO F 34 19-18-37

Tommy Wingels Miami JR F 36 16-20-36

Carter Camper Miami JR F 36 13-22-35

FINAL OVERALL GOALIE LEADERSGoalie School Class GA GAA SVS SV%

Cody Reichard Miami SO 32 1.48 477 0.937

Connor Knapp Miami SO 30 2.02 334 0.918

Pat Nagle FSU JR 43 2.05 517 0.923

Scott Greenham Alaska SO 74 2.22 840 0.919

Drew Palmisano MSU SO 65 2.27 773 0.922

Bryan Hogan UM JR 81 2.33 738 0.901

Brian Stewart NMU SR 73 2.39 919 0.926

Others receiving votes: Maine, 26; Vermont, 19; Nebraska Omaha, 9; RIT, 8; Union

College, 8; Northern Michigan, 4; Massachusetts Lowell, 1.

University of Notre Dame

Skills Development ProgramOn the Campus of Notre Dame

Overnight CampsJune 20-24

June 27 – July 1July 4-8

Day Camp - June 14-17

Visit our website: www.und.com or e-mail [email protected]

574.631.8788

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

Name ___________________________ Age ______

Address _____________________________________

City/Town ___________________________________

State ______________ Zip _____________________

Telephone ____________________________________

Position Playing ________________________________

where...MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

when...June 13 to 17June 20 to 24July 11 to 15July 18 to 22July 25 to 29

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYRICK COMLEY HOCKEY CAMP

Rick ComleyHOCKEY CAMPwww.sportcamps.msu.edu/

email: [email protected]

2010

School Points Record

1. Denver 508 24-6-4

2. Miami 476 24-5-7

3. Wisconsin 443 21-8-4

4. St. Cloud State 397 20-10-4

5. Boston College 345 20-10-2

6. Yale 323 19-7-3

7. North Dakota 318 18-11-5

8. Bemidji State 279 22-8-2

School Points Record

9. Cornell 231 17-8-4

10. New Hampshire 217 16-10-6

11. Michigan State 146 19-11-6

12. Minnesota Duluth 138 19-14-1

13. Alaska 100 16-9-9

14. Ferris State 54 19-11-6

15. Colorado College 30 17-14-3

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Poll (as of March 1)

Rank/School, Pts

First round playoff matchups are set

After the CCHA dust settled, three Michigan schools earned fi rst round playoff byes.First-place Miami, along with second-place Michigan State, third-place Ferris

State and fourth-place Northern Michigan all get the March 5-7 weekend off and will host second-round playoff series on March 12-14.

Alaska, Nebraska-Omaha, Michigan and Ohio State fi nished in fi fth through eighth place, respectively and will host Best-of-Three fi rst-round playoff series on March 5-7.

The Spartans win and tie/shootout loss versus Bowling Green earned them a top-four fi nish in the CCHA standings for the 25th time in 28 years.

The Bulldogs third-place fi nish and 49 league points is their best showing since the 2002-03 campaign when they won 22 games and were regular-season champs.

The Wildcats junior forward Mark Olver had two goals and fi ve points to help Northern Michigan beat Lake Superior to take fourth place and the fi nal fi rst round playoff bye. Olver’s big weekend earned him the CCHA scoring title, the fi rst Wildcat to win it since Jeff Pye did it in 1980-81. Northern Michigan senior goaltender Brian Stewart gave up only one goal and had 60 saves on the weekend.

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS • BEST OF 3 • MARCH 5 - 7Western Michigan at Alaska – The last place Broncos trek north to take on the

fi fth-place Nanooks, who fi nished the regular season with a sweep of the WCHA Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. Both Watson brothers scored in WMU’s shootout loss on Feb. 26. Senior Cam Watson and junior Ryan Watson have played together for three seasons in Kalamazoo and had only in the same once before, against Alabama-Huntsville, on Jan. 17, 2009. Senior goalie Riley Gill made 41 saves in WMU’s SO win over the Bulldogs and will have to keep it up for the Broncos to have a shot at the Nanooks.

Bowling Green at Nebraska-Omaha – The 11th place Falcons picked up a SO win against Michigan State in regular season fi nale and travel to Nebraska to play the sixth-place Mavericks, who split with #6 ranked Bemidji State in their fi nal regular season series.

Lake Superior State at Michigan – The Lakers lost twice at Northern Michigan in the season’s fi nal weekend to fi nish in 10th place. Michigan’s split with Notre Dame kept the Wolverines in seventh place, which ended the Wolverines run of 19 straight top three fi nishes. Michigan fi nished fourth in the 1989-90 campaign.

Notre Dame at Ohio State – The Irish’s win over the Wolverines in the season’s fi nal game kept them a point ahead of the Lakers and gave a short trip to Columbus. Eighth place Ohio State fi nished with a SO win over Miami to earn a split with the RedHawks.

WMU FIRES CULHANEAfter months of speculation, Western Michigan fi nally made it offi cial and fi red

head coach Jim Culhane on February 18, eff ective at the end of the season.Despite a solid record of player academics and community service, the Broncos

underperformed on the ice and fi nished with its eighth losing season in Culhane’s 11-year tenure.

“You can do all the right things in a lot of ways with your hockey program, but at the end of the day, you’re judged by wins and losses,” Culhane told the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Culhane will spend his fi nal year of his contract in a full-time fundraising position within the athletic department

Western Michigan will conduct a national search for Culhane’s successor – with former Broncos’ Brian Renfrew (associate head coach at Michigan State), Scott Garrow (assistant coach at Cornell) and Miami assistant coach Brent Brekke.

By Philip Colvin

N o r t h e r n

Michigan junior

Mark Olver won

the CCHA scoring

title with 19 goals

and 46 points.

NCAA® Men’s Frozen Four® Skate on the Ice Contest

Enter to win a chance to skate at theNCAA® Men’s Frozen Four® at Ford Fieldand be a part of hockey history!

1. Teams that sell the most tickets will be awarded first, second and third prizes based on dollar

volume sold. Tickets sold from all price levels will be included ($40, $79, $119 and $189).

2. To be eligible – Michigan youth hockey teams must be comprised of players in the 8th Grade orlower, however, tickets can be sold to all ages.

3. Teams must contact [email protected] to secure their link and special contest password.

Team password inquiries sent to [email protected] will be distributed on a first come;

first serve basis. Passwords will be emailed to team contact Monday – Friday from 10am – 4pm.

4. Passwords will be valid on or after February 24th for use at Ticketmaster.com

(you can email/distribute your team’s password to as many people as you would like

in order to increase your sales volume!).

5. Each team should appoint one team contact person to work directly with a Ford Field

representative to answer any questions that you may have. Your Ford Field representative will

provide you with sales updates so that you can monitor the number of tickets (and volume) sold.

6. Winners based on total ticket revenue purchased by each password between

Feb 24 @ 10am – March 21 @ 6pm

7. March 23rd – Winners will be notified by email!

Note: All teams who participate will be acknowledged on the video board at

Ford Field during the 2010 NCAA® Men’s Frozen Four®!

This contest is not valid on previously purchased tickets. (only tickets purchased with your team password between February 24 @ 10am – March 21 @ 6pm.)

This contest cannot be combined with any other offers. All sales are final.

No REFUNDS, EXCHANGES or TRANSFERS. Void where prohibited.

HOW IT WORKSHOW IT WORKS

YOUR TEAM WILL DO A SHOOTOUT DURING AN INTERMISSION OF THE NCAA® MEN’S FROZEN FOUR® CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!

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THIRD PLACETHIRD PLACE


One oddity of the Winter Olympics tournament is that you feel like a winner when you get the bronze medal because you have won a game to get it. You have to lose to earn a silver.

Former University of Michigan standout U.S. defenseman Jack Johnson understands that well, as does U.S. women’s player Angela Ruggiero.

“It’s devastating,” Johnson said. “The biggest reward in all of sports slips through your fi ngers at the end.”

The American men had erased a two-goal defi cit to tie the game on Zach Parise’s goal with 25 seconds remaining only to lose it in overtime, 3-2, on a goal by Sidney Crosby.

The women lost, 2-0, to the Canadians in the gold medal game.

“What hurts the most is how close this team is,” Ruggiero said. “It’s such a unique team to play on. I felt that this was our year. We had such heart, passion and love of the game. We never lost that - we couldn’t put the puck in the net.”

It was clearly diffi cult for the Americans to see the value of a silver medal when they believed they had played well enough to win the gold.

“I thought we deserved better,” said U.S. forward Ryan Kesler (Livonia) whose second-period goal started USA’s comeback. “That’s what happens in overtime. You get one lucky break and you capitalize. That’s overtime.”

U.S. defenseman Erik Johnson said it was a “complete disappointment” for him because “we thought we had them on the ropes.”

“The way they had the lead and we tied it up. We thought we had all of the momentum going into overtime.”

Although the Americans were considered too young and too small coming into the tournament, they believed they were the best team. The Americans had defeated Canada, 5-3, earlier in the tournament.

“We thought before the game, during the game, that we were going to win,” Parise said.

Before giving up the overtime goal, U.S. goalie Ryan Miller of East Lansing had given two goals in 8 1/2 periods of work in the quarterfi nal, semifi nal and gold medal game.

“We had the best goalie in the world behind us, we had all of the confi dence going into overtime,” Jack Johnson said.

Some of the team’s younger players, the Johnsons, Parise and Ryan Suter for example, were among USA’s best players.

“I hope the players, especially my group gets to go to Sochi (Russia, in 2014),” coach Ron Wilson said.

The NHL hasn’t made any decision about whether its players will be allowed to play in the next Winter Olympics.

Wilson said Canada played a great game, but he added: “I think we played an equally great game.”

“It’s tough to lose a game that way,” Wilson said. “I couldn’t have asked for more from our players.”

U.S. player Ryan Malone pointed out that it was an even game until it was decided by a “great play by two great players.”

Jarome Iginla and Crosby collaborated on the winning goal, working a give-and-go to perfection with Crosby fi ring a shot past Miller.

“Maybe later on down the road when you’re older and your career is over,” Malone said. “(The silver) will be nice. But right now we know we came for the gold and we are disappointed.”

Jack Johnson said he will leave the tournament with overwhelming respect for his U.S. teammates.

“I wish that I could play with these guys year round because it’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey,” he said.

Crosby, the face of Canadian hockey, was expected to lead his country to an Olympic hockey gold medal, and he delivered in a dramatic way.

“You dream of that a thousand times growing up,” Crosby said. “But to come through is pretty amazing.”

“We were saying in overtime that someone was going to be the hero, and it was no coincidence that it was (Crosby),” said Jonathan Toews, who scored Canada’s fi rst goal.

Canada is a hockey-crazed country of 33 million people, and the build-up for this tournament for this tournament may have been the biggest in NHL history.

“(Crosby) is unbelievable,” said Toews. “There is nothing that kid can’t do, and hasn’t done.”

Although Crosby wasn’t dominant in the tournament, he seemed to always be visible when Canada needed a big goal. Earlier in the tournament, he had scored the game-winning shootout goal to beat Switzerland.

“We felt we’d have our best players out there the best we could,” Canada coach Mike Babcock said. “And I thought (Iginla) and Sid would have a chance and in the end, Crosby made a good play and beat Miller with a quick release.”

Crosby said he didn’t see the puck go into the net. He fi red because he knew where he was, and believed he had a good angle.

“All of a sudden Sidney was yelling for (the puck) and I was hoping I wasn’t too late with it,” said Iginla, who was battling along the boards with Suter. “He had beat his man and I just tried to slide it in there for him. The siren went and I couldn’t believe it.”

Canadian fans cheered the Americans and their goalie Ryan Miller during the medal ceremony, a salute to how well they had played in the tournament.”

“I thought our team played as well as any team I’ve coached,” said Wilson.

The NHL has allowed its players to compete at four diff erent Olympics and Canada has won a gold medal at two of those tournaments.

Canada’s win was a big win for the Detroit Red Wings because Steve Yzerman was the executive director of the gold medal eff ort. Ken Holland was part of the selection process and Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was Canada’s coach. With the victory, Babcock becomes the fi rst coach to have both a Stanley Cup championship and Olympic gold on his resume.

Michigan-led Team USA takes Silver

Detroit ready to make run for playoff spot in last 20 gamesplayoff spot in last 20 games

Kevin Allen covers pro and college hockey for USA Today

NHL & Red Wing Insiders March 08, 2010, Volume 20 : Issue 15

With the hockey world’s attention focused on the Winter

Olympics for the last half of February, it seems like last season

since the Detroit Red Wings played a game.

After 61 games littered with injuries, blown leads and

disappointments it’s understandable if the Wings treated the

fi rst two-thirds of the season as yesterday’s news.

However, for those that can recall back to the fi nal two

games before the Olympic break, the Wings played two of their

best contests. They picked up three of four points from red-hot

San Jose and Ottawa and did so in a style that reminded fans

of the previous two seasons.

“I liked how hard we played,” said Wings coach Mike Babcock.

“We haven’t scored all year long. I think we’re the lowest scoring

team in the Western Conference and I think that’s about to

change (with the Wings return to health).

The Wings are approaching the fi nal 21 games of the season

as if it were a new season. With the club having its strongest

roster available for the fi rst time this season, including hulking

defenseman Andreas Lilja for the fi rst time in a year, Detroit

feels they can overcome the rat pack to grab one of the fi nal

playoff positions.

Heading into the NHL’s restart March 1, the Wings sit one

point out of the post season.

“I don’t care who you are, confi dence in sport is fl eeting,”

Babcock said. “You earn the right to feel good about yourself.

As disappointing as the season has been to this point,

the fact the Wings are still even in the playoff hunt is a major

accomplishment.

Only Edmonton has lost more man-games to injury in the

NHL and the Oilers are so far out of the playoff race they know

they can all but count on the fi rst pick overall in this June’s draft.

Babcock is hoping the healthy Wings have rediscovered the

disciplined structure they used to survive the injury onslaught.

“What’s interesting is we had a very, very depleted line-up

and we played with great structure and great work ethic,”

Babcock said. “We were really committed and found ways to

grind out 2-1 wins. Then we get players back and we fi nd a

way to lose 5-4.

“The bottom line is it’s a real simple game. If you want

the puck more than the other team you have a real good

chance to win.”

For teams at the top of the Western Conference, San Jose and

Chicago, scoreboard watching will take on a slightly diff erent

twist. While they battle each other for home ice in the west,

they’ll also cast a leery eye down the standings.

In all honesty, those two clubs want to see one of two

things happen to the Wings. Preferably they’d like to see the

Wings struggle and miss the playoff s entirely, but if not, you

have to believe they’d prefer Detroit to get hot enough to move

up to at least sixth.

“I don’t honestly think anyone wants to have us in the fi rst-

round of the playoff s,” goalie Chris Osgood said.

Buried in those hardships of the fi rst 61 games were a few

encouraging kernels that could prove useful as the Wings renew

their quest for a playoff spot.

Firstly, the Olympic break probably did the Wings more

good than most teams.

Many Detroit players were looking worn-down in the fi nal

two weeks before the Olympics and admitted as much when

they returned to practice.

Brad Stuart is averaging nearly 31/2 minutes more per

game than a year ago. More importantly, Stuart was playing

hard minutes without his regular partner Niklas Kronwall.

“Last couple of weeks, I didn’t feel like I had as much energy

as I did in the fi rst 50 games or so,” Stuart told Booth Newspapers.

“It was defi nitely good timing as far as that was concerned,

being able to take a little time off and get re-energized.”

Detroit also caught a break by surviving the Olympics with

no further injuries. For the likes of Kronwall and Franzen, who

have missed a lot of the NHL season with injuries, the Olympics

were actually a nice opportunity to fi nd their games again.

In addition, with Sweden and Russia both getting upset in

the quarterfi nals, most of Detroit’s Olympians will still get the

better part of a week’s rest before the NHL season resumes.

Even defenseman Brian Rafalski, who played in the gold-

medal game for the U.S., has used the Olympics to jack his

game up to a level that can only benefi t the Wings.

Secondly, injuries created the opportunity for the Wings

to take a hard look at many of their youngsters. The likes of

Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader acquitted themselves well,

while pickups like Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller have become

very useful players.

Most importantly, Detroit seems to have found a capable

starting goaltender to lead it into the post-Osgood era.

Without question, rookie netminder Jimmy Howard has

been the Wings’ MVP this season.

“He’s grown as a goaltender in every game,” Nick Lidstrom

said. “He’s learning a lot by playing in games where you have to

bear down and play real well in the last minute or a whole third

period. It’s a learning curve for him, but he’s taking huge steps.”

The next step as to whether Detroit can keep the NHL’s

longest active streak of playoff appearances alive is up to the

rest of the Wings.

Goaltender Jimmy Howard

has been the Red Wings

MVP so far this season.

PH

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Detroit ready to make run for Detroit ready to make run for playoff spot in last 20 gamesplayoff spot in last 20 gamesDetroit ready to make run for playoff spot in last 20 games

Livonia’s Ryan Kesler

PH

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MICHIGANICE HAWKS

Experience the Eastside’s Fastest Growing Hockey Club

Spring Tryouts ‘94/’95 – Midget A 1996 – Bantam AA [email protected] [email protected] (586) 228-1358 (313) 772-1636 $15/tryout. All at McCann $15/tryout. All at McCann March 18: 8:00 – 9:30 pm March 17: 7:00 – 8:30 pm March 20: 1:30 – 3:00 pm March 21: 6:00 --- 7:30 pm March 24: 8:30 – 10:00 pm March 22: 8:00 — 9:30 pm March 28: 4:30 – 6:00 pm 1997 – Bantam A 1998 – Pee Wee AA [email protected] [email protected] (248) 302-1881 (313) 772-1636 Tryouts are free $15/tryout. All at McCann March 19: 7:00 – 8:30 pm (GPCR) March 18: 6:30 --- 8:00 pm March 20: 12:00 – 1:30 pm (McCann) March 20: 10:30 --12:00 pm March 21: 4:30 – 6:00 pm (McCann) March 21: 12:15 --- 1:45 pm

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(586) 295-2333$10/tryout. All at McCann

March 21: 3:15 – 4:30 pm March 23: 5:45 – 7:00 pm March 27: 3:00 --- 4:30 pm

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Michigan Hockey March 8,2010

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