Rangers tender U.P. native, Tech recruit Kero

The Marquette Rangers continued their efforts to piece together potential prospects for next season by tendering Hancock native Tanner Kero today.

The Hancock High School standout was recently named First Team All-State in Division III and scored 36 goals for the Bulldogs to go along with 31 assists for 67 points.

Kero has also verbally committed to Michigan Tech University after his junior hockey career.

“Tanner is an offensive minded player that had a great high school career,” said Rangers head coach Kenny Miller. “We will look for him to step in an add scoring to what is already an impressive group of tenders we have signed so far this offseason.”

Kero joins four players already tendered by the club for 2009-10 - forwards Brent Bain, Bobby Bodette, Will Ford and Andrew Kolb.

TC's Radke commits to Lake Superior State

By Lance-Michael Correia/Traverse City North Stars

It’s a long way from northern California to the Upper Peninsula, but Dan Radke has always felt right at home in the Soo.

The Traverse City North Stars center and Orinda, Calif., native spent the previous two seasons plying his trade for the midget major Soo Indians – just across the river from his father’s hometown.

Now, Radke will be able to keep the home fires burning for at least four more years, having committed to play collegiately at Lake Superior State University.

“The Soo is like a second home to me,” said Radke, who is tentatively slated to join the CCHA’s Lakers in 2010-11 along with fellow Stars forward Kyle Jean. “Lots of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends there. Growing up in California, I never got to play in front of them, but when I got to the Indians, they were very supportive, always coming out to the games.

“When I came to the Soo, the goal was to earn a college scholarship. It’s been a bit of a journey, but it all seems worth it now that college hockey is a reality. It’s pretty exciting to get the chance to do that so close to family and friends.”

North Stars head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo – an LSSU alum and two-time national champion with the Lakers – says his alma mater is getting a dynamic contributor.

“I think they (LSSU) saw what we saw as a midget major – and that was the day-in, day-out best player on the rink,” Palumbo opined. “He has great vision and great skill – he sees the entire ice. With his great sense of anticipation, he’s an offensive performer and is really starting to come into his own at the junior level.”

Radke has six goals and 19 assists through 33 games this year for Traverse City, but has 11 points in his last 11 games – including three in a 3-1 win at Alpena on Feb. 28 where he bagged the game-winning tally. The recent increase in statsheet ink coincides with a more frequent shift – something that Radke had grown accustomed to playing in sport-diverse California.

“Out there, playing time was never really an issue,” said the Traverse City Central senior. “The term ‘healthy scratch’ was a whole new thing when I got to the Soo, and again when I got to Traverse City. It’s tough, and no competitor likes it. I just tried to keep working hard and to make the most of my opportunities when they came along.”

Radke led the Indians in scoring last season, with 32 goals and 31 assists in 58 games, including six multiple-point outings in the Soo’s 26 league contests. He was tendered along with fellow Indians stalwart and current North Stars defenseman Bo Jacobs.

“I try to be a complete player at both ends of the ice, but like most guys, it’s fun to try to score goals, to make plays,” Radke explained. “Things were a lot faster and a lot more physical when I got here (to juniors) – you have to do everything out there a little bit faster at this level.”

While his formidable acumen has emerged at the junior level, Radke may well have caught the eye of Lake State coach Jim Roque as a midget.

“We practiced in the same rink, right after them, all the time,” he explained. “Their staff would see us practice, see our games. I thought maybe someday there’d be a chance of going there, given all that exposure.”

Radke, who sports a 3.71 grade-point average and scored a 28 on the ACT, plans to major in math at Lake Superior with an eye on graduate school. His father, a professor of geographic information sciences at Cal-Berkley, is also a LSSU alum. While there are sure to be many happy homecomings for the Radke family, Dan’s Soo relations will almost certainly help slake his college-caliber appetite.

“I have one aunt who’s an especially awesome cook,” he added. “My favorite is this lemon-poppy loaf – and she makes a mean bean salad, too.”

Photo by John L. Russell/Great Lakes Images

Plymouth and Saginaw playoff dates set

OHL Western Conference Quarterfinals

Series "C" - SAGINAW vs. GUELPH
Sat., March 21, at Saginaw 7:11
Sun., March 22, at Guelph 7:00
Tues., March 24 at Saginaw 7:11
Thurs., March 26, at Guelph 7:00
Sat. March 28, at Saginaw 7:11 *
Sun., March 29, at Guelph 7:00 *
Tues., March 31, at Saginaw 7:11 *

Series "D" - PLYMOUTH vs. SARNIA
Sat., March 21, at Plymouth 7:00
Sun., March 22, at Sarnia 6:00
Tues., March 24, at Plymouth 7:00
Thurs., March 26, at Sarnia 7:30,
Sat., March 28, at Plymouth 7:00 *
Sun., March 29, at Sarnia 6:00 *
Tues., March 31 at Plymouth 7:00 *

* denotes if necessary games

Jets' season forgettable, positive all in one

The Metro Jets finished the 2008-2009 season with just seven wins in 45 games, down from their nine wins of a year ago, but still found plenty of reasons to walk away from their 20th anniversary season with their collective heads held high.

Individually, several players achieved success on the ice with third-year defenseman Brett Grech notching 40 points to finish second on the team and second among all Central States Hockey League blueliners.

““He’s our best player and it’s going to be hard to replace him next year when he moves on,” Metro assistant coach Ryan Skop said. “But there isn’t anyone more deserving of advancement than Grechy.”

Finishing first in scoring was captain Adam Novack, whose 57 points were good enough for 13th overall in the CSHL. He finished the year with 19 points in his last seven games, including a four-goal, one-assist game Feb. 14 against Queen City. This all happened, remarkably enough, with an injury to start the season.

“At the beginning of the year, maybe three or four weeks in, Novy broke his foot in practice, but didn’t miss a single game or practice,” said Skop. “He’d walk into the rink with his walking cast on, take it off, jam his skate on and go out and score a couple goals. I think he answered any and all questions right there and just continued to lead by example.”

Novack and rookie Will Saley, one of two 2008 draft picks to make the team, were also the only two players to suit up for all 45 games. Tough defenseman Steve Lockwood emerged as a team leader, led the CSHL in penalty minutes with 216 despite having his season cut short by a shoulder injury.

“Woody’s biggest asset is his size and strength,” said Skop. “At the beginning of the season, he seemed very tentative to use it. He got into a good scrap in Dubuque (against Seth Burrow three seconds into the game Nov. 22), won that fight, and played very confident ever since. Not only did he start winning his fights, but his entire game improved.”

Off the ice, the Jets introduced their new website in September and also brought aboard two new staff members in strength and conditioning coach Stephanie Dunn and communications director Matt Mackinder. Both will return for the 2009-2010 season along with Skop and head coach Jamie Hayden, scout Tim Ross and trainer Dave Ross.

Skop, also new this season, played on Metro’s 2002 Silver Cup-winning Junior B national championship team and has been actively recruiting players for next year.

Jets owner and general manager Butch Wolfe already has ideas on how to put the past behind him and focus on next fall.

“In my opinion, a major contributing factor to our lack of success this year was our misjudging of the character of those players who failed to finish the season with us,” said Wolfe. “Needless to say, we were way off base in our assessments of those players. Without question, next season we need to rethink how we evaluate that trait in prospective players.”

Next up for the Jets will be a tryout camp next month and then the CSHL Priority Selection in late May. More information will be posted on the Metro Jets website when it becomes available.

Machine forge affiliation with Atlanta Knights

The Motor City Machine has announced an affiliation with the Atlanta Knights of the Southeast Junior Hockey League.

The relationship will help identify players in the southeast who desire playing in the NAHL.

This year, the Knights have advanced several players to college.

Machine associate coach Jason Cirone and Knights head coach J.A. Schneider were major junior teammates with the Ontario Hockey League's Cornwall Royals in 1989-1990.

North Stars off to Mahoning Valley for three

Somewhere deep in the regular season schedule, teams enter a transitional phase – where games still count in the regular season standings, but each contest takes on added significance with playoff implications at every turn.

The Traverse City North Stars have entered that post-regular season/pre-playoff chapter, and this weekend’s three-game series at the first-place Mahoning Valley Phantoms is chock-full of postseason repercussions.

The Stars can clinch one of the three remaining playoff berths in the NAHL North Division with a victory in any of their final eight games, and is two points back of Team USA for home ice in the first round.

“At this point, we’re still trying to clinch but every game left is already like a playoff game,” said Traverse City head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo. “We always use the cliché that you just play every game to win it and the other stuff will take care of itself, but it’s especially true at this point of the year.”

While the first-place Phantoms have yet to sew up the NAHL North Division regular season crown, they are teetering on the precipice. Mahoning leads second-place Team USA by seven points and is nine up on third-place Traverse City, and is a sterling 10-2-2 in its last 14 outings. The Phantoms took two of three from the North Stars during the teams’ last series, Feb. 6-8 in Youngstown.

TC is coming off a two-game sweep at the hands of the Team USA Under-18s, but Palumbo says a replication of his team’s performance will likely yield better results this weekend.

“I know it sounds a bit strange after losing twice, but if we play the way we did last weekend, we’ll stay with Mahoning all weekend,” he explained. “We had good energy and intensity, and you can pretty much pinpoint the places where we lost those games.

“We knew this was going to be the toughest stretch of the (regular) season with two at the USA-18s and three at Mahoning, and I like the way we came out against USA. We have to maintain that level of play but get the results.”

Mahoning is coming off a two-game lambasting of sixth-place Motor City, outscoring the Machine by a 17-7 margin in the process. Brandon Saad (25 goals) and Jordy Trottier (26 assists) lead the club with 42 points each, while Stefan Salituro (41) and Nick Shkrelli (39) are also dynamic offensive performers. Nick Kenney broke off four goals in his last two versus Traverse City. Jordan Tibbett leads the Phantoms’ goalkeeping crew with a 22-6-2 record, 2.41 goals-against average and .915 save percentage.

Traverse City captain Kyle Bonis leads the visitors with 24 goals, 24 assists and 48 points. He is one score from tying the team single-season record he and Nate Urbaniak (pictured) achieved a season ago. Kyle Jean has 19 goals to go with as many assists, while Urbaniak – the Stars’ career leader with 106 points - has 33 this year. Dan Radke has caught fire of late, with nine points over his last six games.

C.J. Motte is in the process of re-writing the team record book for goalies, setting a single-season mark for victories (16), and is on pace to own the single-season goals-against average (2.38) and save percentage (.913) benchmarks.

The Stars and Phantoms will square off at the Chevy Center in downtown Youngstown at 7:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee to wrap.

Ex-Jet Cosgrove commits to SUNY-Fredonia

Former Metro Jets forward/defenseman Ian Cosgrove has committed to play for the State University of New York at Fredonia beginning in the 2009-2010 season.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Cosgrove appeared in 13 regular-season games for the Jets during the 2006-2007 season, amassing eight points on three goals and five assists. He also went pointless in the Jets' two playoff games that spring.

This year, the 19-year-old Rochester native recorded five goals and 18 assists for 23 points with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Marquette faces Blizzard this weekend

The scenario is quite simple for the Marquette Rangers: Win, and the chances of catching Alpena for the fourth and final North American Hockey League North Division playoff spot are a distinct possibility. Lose, and making the playoffs becomes out of the question.

“We have our last six at home which is key,” said Rangers head coach Kenny Miller. “If we can continue to play like we did last weekend where we took three out of four points on the road, (at Motor City) then I like our chances. The key for this club is to play the full 60 minutes. When we do that, we can beat anyone in our division. When we don’t, anyone can beat us.”

Up first this weekend is the Alexandria (Minn.) Blizzard of the Central Division. The Blizzard swept three games from the Rangers in October, but Alexandria is currently riding a nine-game losing streak coming into Lakeview Arena.

The Blizzard also spent the last three weekends on the road before making the trek to the Upper Peninsula.

“Don’t let that number of losses fool you,” Miller said of Alexandria. “They’re big on defense and have the ability to score goals and be fairly opportunistic, but our focus these next three weekends has to be on what we do. When you’ve already played 52 games of your schedule, it’s really not about x’s and o’s anymore, it’s about attitude and wanting to get the job done.”

Marquette (22-22-8, 52 pts.) currently trails Alpena by a single point for the last playoff spot in the North. The Icediggers also have two games in hand on Marquette.

Complicating things for Alpena though is the fact that only one of those eight remaining games is at home. Alpena has three against the U.S. National Team Development program in Ann Arbor, a two-game series at division-leading Mahoning Valley and a pair in Wyandotte against the Machine. Included in the Icediggers' schedule is a single game at Traverse City in two weeks.

For the Rangers, they play two with Alexandria this weekend before hosting Motor City on the 20th and 21st before wrapping up the regular season with Traverse City on the 27th and 28th. All Rangers games are at Lakeview Arena, a fact that hasn’t been lost on the head coach.

“We need some help,” Miller said. “If we’re going to catch them (Alpena), we need to take care of business in our own building and then hope for the best when we look at the scoreboard after we’re done every night. We can’t worry about Alpena until after we’ve taken care of our own situation each night first.”

The Rangers continue to be led in scoring by Chad Pietila’s 50 points (20g, 30a) and James Gallagher who has 46 points on 22 goals and 24 assists. In all, 14 players have scored in double-digits this season for Marquette.

Alexandria has been led all season in scoring by Grosse Pointe Woods native Jerry Freismuth, who has 53 points in 49 games for the Blizzard the season (15g, 38a).

Whalers enter final weekend of OHL season

Fresh off a disappointing 9-4 loss to the top-ranked Windsor Spitfires on March 6, the Plymouth Whalers were looking to bounce back the next night against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Mission accomplished, in a big way, as the Whalers hammered the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 8-2, before 3,369 at Compuware Arena.

The Whalers were led offensively by their top scoring line of first star Matt Caria (three goals and two assists), second star Chris Terry (1-2) and third star Tyler Seguin (1-1). Beau Schmitz scored the game-winning goal (sixth) and recorded three assists. Brett Bellemore (second) and AJ Jenks (21st) added single goals for Plymouth.

James Livingston (20th) and Jake Carrick (10th) replied for Sault Ste. Marie.

Special teams played a major role in the Plymouth victory. Whalers went 5-for-9 on the power play and killed 8-of-9 Soo power plays.

Although Caria scored the only goal of the first period at 2:38 to give Plymouth a 1-0 lead, the Whaler penalty killers were the difference in the first frame and they killed off a continuous 5-on-3 Soo power play for a span of five minutes midway through the first period. Goaltender Matt Hackett (pictured) and defenders Michal Jordan, Joe Gaynor, Schmitz and Bellemore – among others – played a key role during that segment of the game.

“That really set the tone (of the game),” said Plymouth associate coach Joe Stefan. “We were really disappointed with the effort we gave last night (in the loss to Windsor). We wanted to make amends. Our penalty killing has really come on in the second half of the year. The boys stepped up in the first period and killed off those penalties. The momentum changed and we took off from there.”

Whaler penalty killers blocked a lot of shots in front of Hackett and Stefan and assistant coach Brian Sommariva had the Whalers penalty killing unit well-prepared.

“They show us a lot of video before every game – especially late in the season, like this,” said Gaynor. “It’s important to know what teams are going to do, because we need these points."

“We knew they were going to go into a sort of a box-and-one formation,” Stefan said. “When we see that happen, our guys know how to defend it and did it perfectly. We had the right guys out there at the right time. The boys stepped up and did a real good job. Hackett made a few big saves when he had to, but the boys got in the shot lanes and took the passing lanes away and we got the clears when we needed them.”

“I think we did a good job staying in the lanes, so they couldn’t shoot the puck and had to pass it,” Gaynor said about Plymouth’s penalty killing. “We were keeping them to the outside – they weren’t getting very many shots. We did what we do best – stay in the lanes and clear the pucks.”

Plymouth blew the game open on the power play in the second period after Greyhounds’ veteran Jordan Nolan was given a two-minute minor for instigating and a five-minute major in an altercation with RJ Mahalak at 2:26 of the period. Power-play goals by Terry (team-leading 38th of the year at 2:31), Schmitz (3:49), Bellemore (7:07) and Jenks (7:21) extended the Whalers’ lead to 5-0. After Livingston scored at 15:19 to cut the Plymouth lead to 5-1, Caria (15:31) and Seguin (18:59) went back to work to give to Whalers a 7-1 lead after 40 minutes.

By the way, Mahalak is OK, but will be held out of the line-up this week for precautionary reasons. Josh Bemis, however, broke a bone in his foot blocking a shot during the second period Saturday night and will miss about four weeks. Leo Jenner and Ryan Hayes received league suspensions for incidents during Friday's game versus Windsor. Jenner received a two-game suspension and will return to the lineup on Friday in the Soo, while Hayes received a minimum of three games with the league reviewing the incident to determining the length of the suspension.

“Coming out of last night’s game, we wanted to redeem ourselves,” Caria said. “Our penalty killing was outstanding in the first period. Chris Terry and Tyler Seguin are so gifted offensively, so it comes easy to give them the puck. You go to the net and you know you’re either going to get it back or they’re going to beat the goalie. Right now, we’re working for each other.”

The victory sets up a wild final week in the OHL’s Western Conference race. Plymouth will play in Windsor on March 12 and in Sault Ste. Marie on March 13 before finishing the season at home on Sunday against Sarnia.

Plymouth has defeated Windsor twice this year and has played three other one-goal games against the top-ranked Spitfires. There’s plenty of respect on both sides of the rink.

“The Windsor game last night really stung us,” Stefan said. “We’re going to go into Windsor really hungry on Thursday. We want to make amends for the effort last night. I know the boys are going to be ready.”

“When Mike Vellucci came back, his team has gone very aggressive,” Windsor head coach Bob Boughner said. “I think that Mike gets the best out of his players. He’s a great coach and they’re a hard working team and they’re a physical team. That’s how you match up against the Windsor Spitfires, you have to match us physically. They have some good young players and good speed.”

THE WEEK AHEAD: As tight as the Western Conference race is, the Whalers may not know who they’re playing in the first round of the playoffs until the evening of the 15th.

Here are the remaining schedules of the Western Conference’s third through eight seeds (all teams have played 65 games):

SAGINAW (35-23-3-4, 77 points, 3rd): Thursday, home vs. Owen Sound; Saturday at London; Saturday, home vs. Sarnia.
PLYMOUTH (35-25-5-0, 75 points, 4th place): Thursday, at Windsor; Friday at Sault Ste. Marie; Sunday, home vs. Sarnia.
SARNIA (33-25-4-3, 75 points, 5th place): Friday, home vs. Owen Sound; Saturday at Saginaw; Sunday, at Plymouth.
GUELPH (33-25-4-3, 75 points, 5th place): Wednesday, home vs. Kitchener; Friday, home vs. Erie; Sunday, at Erie.
ERIE (32-29-3-1, 68 points, 7th place): Friday at Guelph; Saturday, home vs. Kitchener; Sunday, home vs. Guelph.
OWEN SOUND (25-26-7-7, 8th place): Thursday at Saginaw; Friday at Sarnia; Saturday, home to Windsor.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Grech ready, poised for jump to next level

It’s time for Brett Grech to move on.

The third-year defenseman for the Metro Jets is the longest-tenured player on the Jets and would like to have the chance to make the jump to the North American Hockey League next fall.

But he knows that’s not necessarily a given and accepts the reality of the situation.

“It all depends on how hard I work,” said Grech, an 18-year-old from Hartland.

Grech is second in team scoring this year with seven goals and 33 assists for 40 points. He led Metro in scoring last season as a forward.

Beyond numbers, though, are the intangibles Grech brings to the rink each night. Metro assistant coach Ryan Skop thinks Grech’s well-rounded game would be an asset to any NAHL team

“I think Grechy can be an impact guy in the NAHL,” said Skop. “For the most part, I think he can play in the top four or five on just about any team there is. His value to the league will come from his offense. He’s so good with the puck and so good offensively that I think he’ll be a good power-play guy up there.”

To play with the Jets the past three years, despite the losing records, hasn’t been a total disappointment for Grech. He said at the end of each year, he wanted to make the trek back to Waterford to further fine-tune his skills.

“Everyone always has options,” the 6-foot, 200-pound Grech said. “It’s fun playing in this league because it’s like you are a pro in that you practice everyday and go on road trips. I also think my confidence and decision-making has improved playing here due to (head coach) Jamie (Hayden) and Ryan pushing me and helping me to become a better hockey player.

“I think I’ve stayed upbeat by just having fun. I just love to play hockey.”

To play in the NAHL, however, Grech either needs to be tendered, drafted, or signed as a free agent via a summer tryout camp. In other words, he just needs an opportunity to showcase his talent that has had him at or near the top of CSHL defensemen scoring all season long. Grech is a single point behind St. Louis’ John Wright entering this weekend’s final regular season games.

“North American League teams are going to want to take a chance on Grechy for a couple reasons,” Skop said. “One is that he’s a good player, obviously, and two, is that he’s got so much junior experience. He’s so young, but it’s hard to believe he’s been playing juniors for three years.”

Once he hopefully lands with one of the 19 NAHL teams next fall, Skop said he should have no trouble staying in the league and finding his way into the lineup each game.

“The most improved part of his game, and the one part that’s going to make him survive in the NAHL, is just his game in his own end,” said Skop. “He doesn’t get beat. He owns the front of the cage. He does all the little things that you would expect out of a guy ready to make the jump to the North American League.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

Last Saturday night, the Jets topped the Grand Rapids Jr. Owls, 9-2 on the road, and in the process swept the season series.

Jets captain Adam Novack tallied a goal and three assists, while Matt McCaig, Sean Carlock and Justin Vinson each recorded two goals and an assist in the win.

Will Saley and Grech had a goal and a helper apiece and Jake Williams chipped in two assists for Metro (7-35-1-1).

In net, Colin Greeley finished with 50 saves for his fourth victory of the season and third versus Grand Rapids.

Carlock's and Williams' points were their first of the season for Metro.

Tonight, Metro closes out the 2008-2009 season against Toledo at the Toledo Ice House. Game time is 8:00 p.m.

The Cherokee are three points behind first-place St. Louis for top spot overall in the CSHL standings and have Dubuque on their tails for second place.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Alpena's Peterson to reach milestone

Veteran Alpena IceDiggers forward Erik Peterson will reach the 200-point milestone with his next point.

Peterson, tendered out of Alpena High School in 2005, has accumulated 69 goals and 130 assists in 202 games for the IceDiggers.

The 20-year-forward is uncommitted for next year.

Alpena hosts the U.S. NTDP for three games this weekend, starting tonight at Northern Lights Arena.

Whalers getting hot at the right time

Courtesy Plymouth Whalers

Plymouth captain Chris Terry and the Whalers are on a torrid pace as they head into the home stretch of the Ontario Hockey League’s regular season.

Playing most of February with Matt Caria and Tyler Seguin, the line clicked for 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points over ten games in the month as the Whalers went 9-1-0-0 to move into third place in the OHL’s Western Conference playoff race.

Suddenly, a team that was out of the playoffs in November with a record of 6-11-2-0 has righted the ship in a big way. Nobody wants to face the Whalers in the playoffs.

As captain, Terry realizes the Whalers turnaround is a credit to everyone associated with the team.

"Everyone with the team - the coaches, the players and everyone who works at the rink - has been part of this turnaround," Terry said a day after the Whalers ended February with a 6-3 win in Kitchener. "We aren't done - there's still work to do. We all know that, we know what's at hand and we're going to keep going."

The Whalers first game in March – a 6-3 victory in Erie – showed how Terry’s line can dominate the game.

With Terry (a goal with four assists), Caria (2-1) and Seguin (1-2) leading the way, Plymouth built a 6-0 lead after 40 minutes. Plymouth blew the game open for good with a pair of goals 0:24 apart in the second period to take a 5-0 lead. Terry - at the lower rim of the left circle in the Erie zone - found Caria at the top of the circle. Caria's shot was stopped by Erie goaltender Jaroslav Janus, but the rebound trickled behind him and into the goal at 8:19. Seguin came right back to make it 5-0 at 8:43.

Terry was asked to describe why his line is so effective.

"When our line is going, there's not many defensive pairings that are going to stop us," he said. "There's a certain amount of grit on the line and skill with Matt and Tyler. It just took time for us to start clicking. We're going to need this over the last seven games."

The Whalers have developed into a nice blend of older players and young contributing to a winning effort.

"This is a different team than what I've played on in the past," Terry said. "Usually, it's the older guys who carry the team. But this year, we're getting contributions from everywhere - 19-year-olds and OAs (overagers) are playing their role. You've got a 17-year-old like Seguin helping out and has been unbelievable for us and Beau's (Schmitz) been rock-solid for us and has picked up his offense of late. (Goaltender Matt) Hackett has been consistent, which is what we need from him.

"Everything's going well right now. And we're going to try to keep it going."

Photo by Walt Dmoch

McCaig hoping for college hockey chance

Matt McCaig has already played one year of college hockey and now just wants a shot at three more.

McCaig, a 20-year-old forward with the Metro Jets, played with the University of Michigan-Dearborn ACHA team back in the 2006-2007 season, but with the Jets’ season ending next weekend, along with his junior eligibility, McCaig knows he has a future on the ice.

Only problem now is to find a school that will suit his academic and hockey aspirations.

“I am hoping to have the opportunity to play Division III hockey,” said McCaig, a Lincoln Park, Mich., native. “I've been looking at DIII teams along the east coast, along with teams in Wisconsin, and hopefully one of them will be interested in me.

“As for my ability to play at the next level, I feel that I am completely capable of doing so. I feel that if my conditioning improved, there wouldn't be a problem at all.”

Metro assistant coach Ryan Skop is in full agreement.

“Although he's a first-line guy that we look to put up points here, he's absolutely capable of being a third-line checker at the next level,” said Skop. “He does all the little things, finishes checks, strong on the wall, block shots, you name it. He's such a mature kid that he shouldn't have a problem (jumping to a DIII school).”

When the 6-foot-1, 190-pound McCaig signed with the Jets over the holidays after leaving the Elliot Lake (Ont.) Bobcats of the Greater Metro Hockey League, he did so at the urging of fellow Lincoln Park native and current Jets defenseman Dustin Jones.

“During my time (in Elliot Lake), I enjoyed the hockey, but I didn't feel that the coaching was where it should be for a Junior A hockey team,” explained McCaig. “At the Christmas break, I decided to come back home and evaluate my options. Jones told me about the Jets and from the good things he said, I decided to come skate and try out. Thankfully, I was signed and am happy with my decision.”

With seven goals and 13 points in just 14 games, McCaig has recorded four multi-point games, including a two-goal, two-assist outing on Jan. 17 in an 11-5 win over Grand Rapids.

McCaig, who plans to major in sociology in college, said that even though he’s been in Waterford just a short time, he feels his overall game has taken a turn for the better.

“The most significant difference that I have noticed is my defensive zone coverage,” noted McCaig. “ Thanks to (head coach) Jamie (Hayden) and Ryan, I play with a lot more confidence without the puck and feel more comfortable protecting my own zone. The physical aspect of my game has improved as well, due to the many drills during practice to work on man-to-man coverage and taking the body.”

His overall attitude is also one that the Metro staff wishes it could have had all season.

“Just because the season isn't going the way that we would like it to, I can’t let that affect my play,” McCaig said. “I'm here to motivate myself and others to play at a competitive level.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets hit the road last weekend to suburban Cleveland and lost both ends of their weekend series to the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks.

Saturday night, Cleveland took a 7-3 decision and then beat the Jets by a 6-2 count Sunday afternoon.

Adam Novack (Rochester Hills) had two goals and an assist in the first game and McCaig, with a goal and an assist, were again the offensive spurts for the Jets, who got a 41-save outing from Kevin Kinnie (Shelby Township) in net.

In the series finale, David Williams (Bloomfield Hills) and Novack scored for the Jets, who also got two assists apiece from McCaig and Brett Grech (Hartland). Colin Greeley (Howell) turned aside 43 shots in the loss.

Up until Williams’ goal Sunday, Novack had figured in on 11 straight Jets’ goals.

Metro goaltender Nickolas Ceccolini (Dexter) also saw time at forward last weekend and played mostly on a line with Justin Vinson (Livonia) and Matt Noe.

This weekend, the Jets (6-35-1-1) play just a single game on the road in Grand Rapids Saturday night. Metro has won all three meetings this season versus the Jr. Owls, including a dramatic 8-7 come-from-behind shootout win on Dec. 13. The Jets trailed 7-3 in the third period of that contest.

The puck drops at 8:00 p.m. at the Southside Community Center.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Marquette tenders four forwards for '09-10

There may be 11 games remaining on the schedule for the Marquette Rangers and the Rangers are still be in the midst of a playoff run for this season.

Despite the focus on the present, the team has also begun preparations for next season by signing their first four tenders for the 2009-10 season.

The four players, all forwards, bring a variety of skill and experience to the club, according to Rangers head coach Kenny Miller.

“Each if these players brings something special to our team,” Miller said. “This has been a combined process with scouts within our organization and I can’t thank Tom Boileau, our director of player personnel, enough for all his hard work. I am very excited about this recruiting class we have put together so far.”

The tendered players include Andrew Kolb and Brent Bain of the Toledo Cherokee of the Central State Hockey League, Will Ford of Detroit Compuware of the Midwest Elite Hockey League and Bobby Bodette of the MWEHL’s Victory Honda.

According to Rangers personnel, the four will all be potential impact players for the club.

Kolb (pictured), a 19-year-old native of Toledo, Ohio, has 40 goals and 47 assists in 40 games so far this season for the Cherokee. According to Miller, he’s a player the fans will notice right away.

“Andrew is a true goal-scorer and every team needs a guy of his caliber to be successful," Miller said. "I expect him to come in and make a huge impact right away.”

Ford, a 17-year-old Ann Arbor native, is another player Miller feels will become a favorite at Lakeview Arena.

“Will is the type of player our fans will enjoy watching," said Miller. "He is a high-energy kid that comes to play every night.”

In 45 games this year Ford has three goals and three assists for six points.

Bain, 19, and another Toledo native, is another player Miller says the team will look to as adding to the scoring punch of the Rangers next season.

“Brent is a speedy forward that has an ability to find his teammates on the ice,” Miller said. “We expect Brent to step in and make an impact right away.”

In 39 games Bain has registered 27 goals and 45 assists for 72 points.

Bodette. 17, from downstate Flat Rock, is a guy Miller says the Rangers will be looking to for several possibilities in '09-10.

“Bobby has the ability to score goals as while adding a level of toughness to any lineup," added Miller. "He really comes in to our organization with a bright future in front of him.”

In 45 games this season, Bodette has 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points.

Plymouth's Jenner developing into solid D-man

Courtesy Plymouth Whalers

Different players progress at different rates in the Ontario Hockey League.

Tyler Seguin didn’t score his first goal until the 18th game of the season when he snapped a shot from the high slot past Thomas McCollum in a 4-2 loss in Guelph. Since that goal, Seguin has scored 15 more.

It’s obvious that Seguin – taken by Plymouth ninth overall in the OHL draft last spring – is on a fast track in the OHL.

It took Whalers defenseman Leo Jenner three-and-a-half years and over 150 games to score his first OHL goal. It came in Mississauga on December 19 in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Majors. Jenner wired a shot from the left point that seemed to pinball off a couple of players and into the net.

Since that time, Jenner has added a couple of more goals to go with 10 assists as one of the most improved players in the OHL over the past two seasons.

Originally selected by Plymouth in the fourth round (69th overall) of the 2005 draft, Jenner didn’t play much during his first two seasons. But he’s made up for lost time and has developed into a steady member of the Whalers defense.

“It feels great to get that (first) goal,” Jenner said. “My first couple of years, I played more of the tough role. Coming into my fourth year now, I want to help out a little more offensively and keep the younger guys going.”

We can all appreciate Jenner’s approach to his game.

“I think when I keep my game simple and play the way I need to play is when I’m at my best,” Jenner said.

After establishing himself as a willing fighter during his first two seasons with Plymouth, Jenner has developed into an excellent penalty killer and along with his size, he has a very active stick. He currently stays at home while defensive partner Beau Schmitz often joins the rush.

Whalers associate coach Joe Stefan appreciates Jenner’s contribution.

“Obviously, his size stands out among everyone else,” Stefan said. “Leo’s a big, strong body out there and he gets in the way a lot. He’s probably not the prettiest player in the league to watch, but he’s very effective. I know guys on the other team don’t like playing against him. When he’s got his confidence up and he’s handling the puck well, that means the rest of his game is going well.

"He’s doing a real good job for us this year.”

Stefan has a theory why it took a little longer for Jenner to develop.

“Leo didn’t play a lot his first two years,” Stefan said. “It probably took him a little longer to advance than some other people, but he has got the ice time over the last couple of years. We put a lot of responsibility on him, to be a leader off and on the ice. He’s done that real well. I think his game has been elevated to another level and I hope he continues to do that.”

In return, Jenner appreciates working with Stefan

“Joe’s been a good coach here for the last year-and-a-half,” he said. ”I enjoy working with him.”

Jenner was a reserve on the Whalers’ 2007 championship team. He uses his experience with that team to help explain the Whalers turnaround this year since November.

“I think it was a big attitude change in the locker room with all of our guys,” Jenner said. “We know we can win and we finally decided to.”

Leo Jenner is a big part of the Whalers current success.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Rochester native Shafer picks Canisius

The Topeka RoadRunners have announced that second-year forward Steve Shafer has committed to Canisius College for next season.

He is the sixth player who competed in last month's NAHL Top Prospects Tournament to commit to a school after the event.

Through 45 games this year, the Rochester native ranks second in team scoring with 15 goals and 49 points. He is also a plus-13.

“It's awesome knowing I'll be in a great place for the next four years,” the 19-year-old Shafer said of his decision to attend the Buffalo, N.Y., school. “The coaching staff and players at Canisius were unbelievable during my visit.”

The road to playing Division I hockey is a long one, and Shafer acknowledged those who helped him achieve his goals.

“I couldn't have done it without the support of my family,” he said. “They've all dedicated so much to me playing hockey and I'm glad I get the opportunity to get a top-notch education and I know they are, too.”

His head coach for the past two seasons in Topeka, Scott Langer, has left his mark on Shafer's career as well.

“Coach Langer has helped me in so many areas of my game,” he added. “He's hard on me, but it's so I never get complacent and keep striving to get better. He gave me the opportunity to get a scholarship and for that I'm grateful.”

Langer is pleased to see Shafer, the sixth player from this year's RoadRunners team to commit to a Division I program, rewarded for his hard work.

“Steve plays the game at a very good pace and has high-end vision,” said the coach. “He's the type of player that just seems to come up big when needed.

“(Canisius) Coach (Dave) Smith is not just getting a good hockey player, but he's also getting a great young man.”

Off the ice, Shafer is grateful for the support he's received from the team's owner, Mary Magdalene Lorang.

“I feel privileged to have both played for and lived with the best owner in the league,” said Shafer. “She's done so much for me personally as well as our team and the city of Topeka.”

While Shafer now has next four years all mapped out, he's still excited about what lies ahead for this year's RoadRunners team.

“Getting so far last season (to the Robertson Cup Championship Tournament) and not winning was very tough for me personally and it drove me to work hard all summer and really prepare myself so I could help my team raise the Cup this spring,” he said.

And he knows that he's had the good fortune of being on some good teams in his junior career as well.

“I'm lucky to have played with some great players and terrific teammates over the years,” Shafer acknowledged. “Them pushing me everyday in practice has really helped me develop into the player I am.”

Photo by Robert Meyer/NAHL

No quit in Machine as season nears end

Courtesy NAHL

Despite having its playoff hopes already dashed, the Motor City Machine hasn’t turned off the engines, posting a 4-2 mark in its last six games, including two more victories last weekend.

“The difference lately is that we’ve found ways to win games,” said Machine head coach Sean Clark, whose team improved to 10-35-1 on the season. “When a team struggles so early like we did, you have to learn how to win games.”

After opening the week with a 3-1 loss to Mahoning Valley on Thursday, the Machine rebounded the next night with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Phantoms. Defenseman Alec Thieda recorded two assists in the win and goaltender Joe Moore turned aside 23 shots in regulation and overtime and three of four in the shootout.

On Sunday, Army recruit Jon Bobb connected for the game-winning goal and an assist as Motor City downed the Alpena IceDiggers, 5-4. Jared Williams (goal, assist) and Nate Taurence (two assists) also fashioned two-point nights and Moore made 47 saves.

“Our guys talk about finding a way (to win) every night and recently we’ve found a way,” said Clark. “Our goal over the last 12 games doesn't change. We want to get better everyday we come to the rink.”

Leadership from the team’s veterans, among them Nick Taurence, Trevor John and Bennett Schneider (pictured), has helped keep the Machine on track.

“They haven't let our focus slip,” said Clark. “They've kept our younger players honest during practice and are leading by example on the ice with strong, hard play and discipline.”

And Moore has been a savior between the pipes.

The 20-year-old from Canton, who began the season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, has now won his last four starts, helping jumpstart the struggling Machine.

“I'm just happy to see him rewarded for his hard work,” Clark said. “Joe's success can be directly linked to his ability to compete on every shot, every rebound and every scoring chance.”

Ryan Misiak, from Shelby Township, has been dubbed one of the team’s top young players on the offensive end. The 17-year-old NAHL Top Prospects Tournament participant is the team’s leading scorer with 11 goals and 29 points after 45 games.

“He has a ton of potential to play at the next level,” said Clark. “He’s very dynamic with the puck and is an offensive threat every time he touches it.

“The key is keeping Ryan directed; he’s a better player when he’s involved physically and willing to play tough in tough areas. When he does that, he’s one of the top prospects in our league.”

Record-wise not the kind of season the Machine anticipated since relocating from Southern Minnesota a year ago, the program is continuing to stress the positives as it heads into the home stretch.

“Our morale has been great,” said Clark. “We may have the closest group of young men in the league. Obviously, like everyone else, we want to win, but more importantly we want to be successful, and that’s achieved only by giving our best effort everyday. We're happy with what we've done over the past six games, but we're not satisfied.”

Off the ice, the Machine has been well received around town. And with its inaugural season winding down, the team is looking forward to growing its existing relationships while developing new ones.

“It’s been great. The people have been very supportive,” said Clark. “We have a great facility (Yack Arena in Wyandotte) located in a very tightly-knit community.”

Looking ahead, Clark and his staff are focused on getting the team’s prospective players signed to tenders, as well as preparing for May’s NAHL Entry Draft. Above all, though, a formidable close to the season might make all the difference.

“A strong finish should promote our older players and prepare our younger players for next season,” said Clark. “We want to build winning habits to build upon for next season. We have a strong nucleus of players returning and feel that we can compete for the division championship next season.”

Which has created an appealing environment for prospective players to consider as they map out their futures this spring.

“Our first goal as a staff is to develop hockey players,” said Clark. “We demand a lot and it starts with effort and intelligence. We want our players to build the proper habits to be successful at the next level.”

Speaking of which, the Machine has two players already committed to NCAA programs for next season, with Bobb off to West Point and John headed to Tufts University. With continued success through the final five weeks of the season, Clark believes that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“We have a handful of players that have drawn interest from schools,” he said. “Hopefully, by winning some games, we can turn some heads and draw more interest. We have some very good hockey players who are outstanding young men and who can play and be effective at the college level.”

Photo by Robert Meyer/NAHL

Jets staying upbeat despite losing season

Coming to the rink everyday and continuing to work hard is not an easy thing when your team has just six wins on the season.

Still, many of the Metro Jets players make it look easy by consistently lacing up their skates and going the full 60 minutes, win or lose.

“I think all of the guys who are here show good character,” Metro assistant coach Ryan Skop said. “As a coach, I don’t really have any other option than to stay focused. Although this has been the most frustrating year of hockey I’ve ever been involved with, we’ve got guys here who continue to grind it out for us and we’ll continue to grind it out for them.”

With four games left in the regular season, the end can’t come soon enough. Skop said he’d be watching some of the younger players intently with the notion he’d like to see them back in Waterford next year.

“I’d like to see (the younger players) step up and start pushing themselves harder and making an impact on game day,” said Skop. “They’re getting plenty of opportunity right now and they need to make the most of it.”

Veteran-wise, team captain Adam Novack and defenseman Brett Grech have stood out as players Skop said continue to “work hard and punch the clock.”

“When you look at the 40-plus guys who have come through our doors this year, guys that have been here for the duration have shown to be leaders and Novy and Grech are the leaders of that pack,” Skop said. “Our goaltenders, mainly (Colin) Greeley and Dexter (Nickolas Ceccolini), have shown good character for continuing to come back for the abuse they get. Guys like Vinny (Justin Vinson), Sal (Will Saley) and Woody (Steve Lockwood) are sticking it out and (Tyler) Schofield, Pauly (Paul Elezaj) and (Dustin) Jones have been here all year, haven’t gotten much ice time, yet continue to come in and work hard everyday.

“Even guys who came on board recently, like (Matt) McCaig, Jake Williams, (Sean) Carlock (who played with the Jets last season) and David Williams, knew they were coming to a losing team, but came here to work hard and have shown they want to move on to a higher level.”

That said, the Jets must win their remaining four games to eclipse last season’s win total, but it’s not necessarily the top priority at this time.

“I expect us to play hard regardless of the score,” added Skop. “If we’re 40-5 or 5-40, we still need to keep learning and keep showing our character.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

Last weekend was one the Jets would like to forget as they dropped two straight in Queen City by scores of 14-5 and 12-3.

Novack had eight points (five goals, three assists) on the weekend and needs just one more for 50 on the season. He’s also suddenly in the top 15 CSHL scoring leaders after an 11-point outburst over his last three games. Grech added a five-point weekend, McCaig scored three goals and David Williams rang up three assists.

All four goalies – Greeley, Ceccolini, Andrew Corcoran and Kevin Kinnie – saw time for the Jets as well.

This weekend, Metro (6-33-1-1) heads to Cleveland for a two-game set with the Jr. Lumberjacks. Cleveland has taken both previous games this season from the Jets, outscoring Metro by an 18-4 margin.

Game time Saturday night is 9:00 p.m. at Ice Land USA and 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The Jets then play single games next Saturday night in Grand Rapids and the following Friday in Toledo to close out the season.

JET FUEL

Greeley was the lone CSHL player listed on the United States Hockey League’s Central Scouting list released last week of 1992-born players eligible for May’s USHL draft.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Tough guy Chris Junis, who played both forward and defense for the Jets from 1998-2001, is now a USA Hockey referee at every level and has a full-time job with Powers Packaging.

Junis is a West Bloomfield native.

Plymouth getting team-wide contributions

Courtesy Plymouth Whalers

The Plymouth Whalers move into this weekend with a five-game winning streak and a record of 29-22-5-0, just one point away from the fourth place and home ice in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference playoff race.

There are plenty of reasons for Plymouth’s resurgence out of their early season doldrums, but one of the first reasons is a revitalized Mike Vellucci behind the Whalers bench.

Plymouth is 23-11-3-0 since Vellucci went back behind the bench November 11. At the time he took over the coaching duties, Plymouth was struggling and dead last in the Western Conference race at 6-11-2-0.

Little by little, Plymouth has climbed back into contention and is currently playing its best hockey of the season.

Vellucci, along with associate coach Joe Stefan and assistant coach Brian Sommariva, credit the players and there’s no doubt that they’ve communicated well with the Whalers and the players are buying into what they are teaching.

Veteran center Joe Gaynor feels there’s a certain amount of sweat-equity to the Whalers’ success.

“Everybody’s working hard,” Gaynor said. “We’re playing everyone and trying to string together a few wins coming into the end of the season. We’d really like home ice in (the first round of) the playoffs.”

Vellucci wanted to improve the special teams under his watch and slowly the Whalers have improved. Plymouth is clicking at 17.5 percent on the power play since Vellucci went behind the bench (31-for-177) and has improved their penalty killing, allowing 40 power play goals in 213 penalty kills for an 81.2 percent ratio.

“The coaching helps,” Gaynor admitted. “But we’re at our best on the ‘PK’ (penalty killing) when we outwork the other team.”

In goal, Matt Hackett has been steady most of time, spectacular at other times and probably the all-around MVP of the team so far this season. He’s been known to give up rebounds, but the Whalers battle hard in front of him to clear the loose pucks from harm’s way.

The Whalers blue line has been solidified with the acquisition of Scott Fletcher from Niagara and the return of Brett Bellemore from Albany of the American Hockey League.

Like forward combinations, defensive pairings are usually in flux. But Plymouth’s current six-man rotation of Michal Jordan with Bellemore, Beau Schmitz with Leo Jenner and Josh Bemis with Fletcher is as steady as any blue line group in the OHL.

Jenner is one of the most improved players in the OHL over the last two years. He’s developed into an excellent penalty killer and is starting to add some offense to his game.

Up front, the Whalers are getting contributions from veterans and pups alike. Captain Chris Terry continues to roll along as the team-leader in scoring (31-36-67) and put up four goals and three assists last week on the road. He was Plymouth’s nomination for Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week last week.

Terry scores goals in a number of ways and they aren’t always spectacular, end-to-end rushes. He scored twice in the Saginaw win. Terry's first goal came at 6:16 of the first period on a shot from the penalty box area in neutral ice that caught Saginaw goaltender Edward Pasquale looking for a rim-around.

"Most goalies in our league tend to cheat a little bit on the rims," Terry said. "So I looked like I was going to rim it and then threw the puck on net. The worse-comes-to-worst (result) is, we get a rebound. I got lucky and I'll take them any way I can get them."

Terry's second goal tied the game at 12:16 of the third period and started with a hard shot by Jenner from the left point that pinballed around in the Saginaw crease area.

"Jenner took a slap shot that hit off a Saginaw player's skate and then mine," Terry said. "I saw it (the puck) go in and I froze and stared at the referee just to make sure he was going to call it a goal. Yes, the puck hit a couple of different things. But you've got to take them anyway you can."

Terry is sixth on the Whalers all-time career scoring list with 106 goals and 156 assists for 262 points in 241 regular season games.

Terry and the rest of the Whalers vets aren’t the only players contributing. Whaler pup Tyler Seguin is on fire through February, earning the OHL Boston Player of the Week Award for the week ending February 8. He scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games during that week and has continued through the month. Seguin is on an OHL current-best nine-game point scoring streak (eight goals and nine assists) from January 25-February15.

Like Terry, Seguin scores in a number of ways. He potted the game-winner in overtime in Saginaw when he deflected the puck over the Spirit goal, but followed up a split-second later when it pinballed to him off the glass to the left goal line, where he banked the puck off Pasquale.

“I was just in front of the net," Seguin said about the game-winner. "I tipped it (the puck) and it went over the net and I just whacked it back and it went off the back of the leg of the goalie and went in. I was looking for a lucky bounce and it went in."

Typical of the recent Whalers success came Sunday in the Soo when pup Jamie Devane and second-year player RJ Mahalak scored early in the first period to give the Whalers a 2-0 lead.

Then Seguin (pictured) scored a beauty of a goal in the second period as the eventual game-winner. Working on a Plymouth power play, Seguin picked up the puck at the top of the left circle and with Soo goaltender Bryce O'Hagan screened on the play, Seguin didn't blast the shot from the left hashmark, instead just threw the puck quickly at the net and it beat O'Hagan at the left post.

The vets got into the act when Terry completed Plymouth's scoring in the third period with goals at 8:46 and 12:56 respectively.

The Whalers’ resurgence has caught the attention of the OHL. Sun Media reporter Ryan Pyette (based out of London) wrote Wednesday in his weekly OHL Notes column:

“Teams nobody wants to draw in the first round of the playoffs right now -- Plymouth, Erie and Barrie.”

After playing in Sarnia on Friday, the Whalers are home Saturday against Erie at 7:05 p.m. and then Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Saginaw.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Rangers host Traverse City this weekend

The Marquette Rangers concludes their seven-game homestand this weekend by battling arch-rival Traverse City Friday and Saturday night at Lakeview Arena.

The Rangers (20-21-6, 46 pts.) are coming off a three-game set with the North American Hockey League North Division leaders Mahoning Valley, going 1-2 against the Phantoms last Thursday-Saturday.

The North Stars were shocked by cellar-dwelling Motor City last weekend in downstate Wyandotte in being swept by the Machine by scores of 3-2 and 2-1. With the two losses, Traverse City (25-12-6, 56 pts.) lost valuable ground in the race for first place in the division with Mahoning Valley and now trails the Phantoms by eight points with six weeks remaining in the regular season.

The two games this weekend will also go towards settling the race for the Smith Barney Challenge Cup series played annually by the two organizations.

Traverse City leads the series 10 points to eight on the season with five games remaining between the two teams this season. Four of those five remaining games will be played at Lakeview. Points in the series are determined the same way points are determined in standard NAHL play: two points for a win, a single point for an overtime loss and no points for a loss.

Chad Pietila and James Gallagher continue to lead the Rangers in goal production this season with 18 goals apiece, with Peitila leading all scorers with 43 points. Four Rangers, Pietila, Gallagher, Aaron Pietila and Garrett Ladd, are now over the 35-point level on the season following last weekend.

The North Stars are led in scoring by Kyle Bonis’ 46 points on the season (22g, 24a) with Nathan Urbaniak and Kyle Jean in second and third place, respectively.

Faceoff both nights is at 7:30 p.m.

Novack exemplifies role as Jets captain

Adam Novack came into this season with the Metro Jets as one of just a handful of players back from last year’s team.

The Jets coaching staff named him captain prior to the season opener and Novack has displayed leadership qualities above and beyond what was expected of him.

“At the beginning of the year, maybe three or four weeks in, ‘Novy’ broke his foot in practice, but didn’t miss a single game or practice,” Metro assistant coach Ryan Skop said. “He’d walk into the rink with his walking cast on, take it off, jam his skate on and go out and score a couple goals. I think he answered any and all questions right there and has just continued to lead by example.”

Last Saturday night yielded a 10-0 loss to Dubuque, but as the Jets players walked off the ice and to the locker room, a young fan approached Novack with a puck and a pen asking for an autograph. Novack didn’t flinch in stopping to make the boy’s night.

On the ice, Novack, a 19-year-old Rochester Hills native, broke the 40-point mark in Sunday’s overtime loss in Flint and is shooting for the 50-point barrier with six games left on the schedule. He recorded just 19 points last year.

“Adam’s probably our most gifted offensive player,” said Skop. “He’s got great hands, good vision and skates really well. He spends so much time on the penalty kill and in defensive situations and if he didn’t have to do that, he’d definitely put up some gaudy numbers. He plays every situation for us and does a bang-up job. As captain, he reminds me of Brett Fox, who captained our national championship team in 2002. Brett wasn’t a ‘rah-rah’ guy. He just shut up, worked his butt off and expects you to follow. He’d do anything to win – just like Novy.”

Next season, Novack is looking to play college hockey and while that will be a major move, Skop concluded, “you just can’t replace an Adam Novack.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets finished out their home schedule last Saturday night with the 10-0 loss to Dubuque and then dropped a 5-4 overtime heartbreaker in Flint Sunday afternoon.

Colin Greeley (Howell) and Andrew Corcoran combined for 42 saves in the Dubuque game.

Sunday, the Jets scored two shorthanded goals in the third period to tie the game, but Flint won it 12 seconds into overtime.

Novack, who also had two assists, and Justin Vinson (Livonia) scored the third-period shorties, but Rick Turner's third goal of the game (and fourth point) won it for Flint, who also wins the season series with the Jets, 4-1-0.

The Jets lead the CSHL in shorthanded goals with 14.

Ryan Eby (Linden) added a power-play goal and an assist for Metro (6-31-1-1) and David Williams (Bloomfield Hills) also tallied with the man-advantage.

Kevin Kinnie (Shelby Township) made 42 saves in a losing effort and Brett Grech (Hartland) registered a pair of assists.

Metro plays two at Queen City this weekend, starting Saturday night and finishing up Sunday afternoon. Queen City is 2-0 against the Jets this season, outscoring Metro, 12-4, in the pair at Lakeland Arena.

JET FUEL

Metro will have an added road trip next year as the CSHL announced Monday the addition of the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins for the 2009-2010 season. The 13-team league will also expand to a 48-game schedule.

Former Jets forward Nick Kenney (2006-2007) was named the NAHL’s North Division Player of the Week for the second time this season after he posted four goals in division-leading Mahoning Valley’s two wins and a tie against Traverse City.

Forward Patrick Gallagher (Plymouth) was released Tuesday.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Scott Hughes, a Lathrup Village native, tended goal for the Jets during their first season of 1989-1990 and is now a goalie equipment representative for Vaughn.

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Whalers rookies starting to make an impression

Courtesy Plymouth Whalers

It’s taken awhile this season, but it’s fair to say that the Plymouth Whalers are growing as a team.

Although the near future is bright, the team’s future next season may be even brighter.

Plymouth exploded for five unanswered goals in the third period last Saturday in a 6-2 victory over Belleville. Tyler Seguin – the Whalers first-round pick (ninth overall) last spring – led the Whalers attack with two goals and two assists as the game’s first star. Seguin added a goal and an assist the evening before in a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over Owen Sound.

The first star in the Owen Sound victory was defenseman Beau Schmitz – the Whalers first-round pick (19th overall) in 2007.

If you’ve watched the Ontario Hockey League for any amount of time, you know that rookies take a certain amount of time to get comfortable and start to play as well as advertised. That’s the case of Schmitz and Seguin, who was named Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week Monday.

It’s fair to say that Schmitz (pictured) and Seguin are making a positive impact for the Whalers – sooner than later.

With Plymouth trailing 2-1 early in the second period against Owen Sound after Paul Bezzo scored at the 32-second mark of the second period, Schmitz came back 18 seconds later to re-tie the game with a shot from the right circle that beat Owen Sound goaltender Tyler Beskorowany at the far post.

“I’m not going to lie to you – I was shooting (for the) five-hole,” Schmitz said with a smile after the game. “Luck was on my side when I got that one. Every game I feel like I’m getting better. There’s always something I can improve on. I never want to be satisfied with my play. Every game, I’m feeling more comfortable.”

After Schmitz’s equalizer, the Whalers pulled away for a 5-3 victory.

Schmitz wasn’t a star in the Belleville game, but he made an impact right off the bat in the first period when he leveled Bulls left wing Matt Tipoff with a clean check. Tipoff hobbled to the Belleville dressing room and didn’t return.

Meanwhile, the Whalers had their hands full with Belleville goaltender Mike Murphy, who had stopped 49-of-50 Plymouth shots in a 3-1 victory in Belleville on January 10. Murphy – who came into the game with a 2.01 goals against average and .944 save percentage – was well on his way to a similar kind of performance on Saturday through forty minutes, having stopped 37-of-38 Plymouth shots. The only Plymouth goal over the first two periods came from Seguin, as he deflected Chris Terry’s pass at the side of the Bulls net at 16:53 of the first period.

But Seguin led the Whalers charge in the third period. Plymouth tied the game on Joe Gaynor’s goal at 3:21 of the third period, set up by Seguin, who blew by a Belleville defender on the right wing of the Bulls zone and got the shot on Murphy. Gaynor followed up and banged home the rebound. AJ Jenks gave Plymouth its first lead at 4:00 when he rifled the puck from the right circle past Murphy. Fifteen seconds later, Seguin extended the Plymouth lead to 4-2 after Josh Bemis’ shot from the left point was stopped by Murphy. Terry picked up the puck at the left circle and found Seguin at the right hashmark. Matt Caria scored to give Plymouth at 5-2 lead at 6:06 after accepting Seguin’s pass from the right ring in tight on the left doorstep and beating Murphy.

At that point, Belleville head coach George Burnett pulled Murphy in favor of Phillipp Grubauer. Ryan Hayes closed out the scoring with a power-play goal at 12:28 of the period with a hard shot from the high slot.

“Before the third period, in the dressing room we talked about how we need these two points for the standings and the Western Conference race,” Seguin said. “We went out there and played our game, won the period and won the game. We’re really gelling as a team. Everyone’s playing their own style of game. We’re all coming together and playing a hard sixty-minutes and getting some victories.”

Plymouth assistant coach Brian Sommariva pointed out that the Whalers made some adjustments before the start of the third period.

“Mike (Vellucci), Joe (Stefan) and I talked about how we thought Belleville’s forwards weren’t back checking as well, so we wanted to activate our defensemen in the rush,” Sommariva explained. “We wanted to create some scoring chances with our fourth or fifth guy, so we told the players that and we said that this was a game we feel we should win. We out-chanced them the last time we played them (on January 10) and we out-chanced them tonight. We wanted to capitalize on that in the third period.”

The Whalers hit the road for 10 of their last 15 games, starting this week with a game in Saginaw on Wednesday, in Sudbury on Friday, in Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday and in Sarnia on Friday, February 20 before returning home on Saturday, February 21 against Erie and Sunday, February 22 against Saginaw.

“We have to come out against average, or not top teams and we have to play hard every game and win every point,” Seguin said. “With this long stretch coming up until playoffs, we have to play our game and win as much as we can.”

DEVANE STARTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT: Add Whaler pup Jamie Devane to the mix of young players who are starting to make an impact. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds – and still growing – Devane has started to see some time on the Whalers power play. If he doesn’t get a scoring chance, Devane clogs up the area around the opposition’s net effectively. He drew several penalties during the third period against Belleville and did not retaliate.

Devane’s lanky frame and style of play – with four goals, 71 penalty minutes and 11 fighting majors – might remind some Whaler fans of Tom Sestito, who literally grew up before our eyes and led Plymouth’s championship team two years ago with 42 goals.

“The season is going well,” Devane said Saturday. “You try to get your team going with a fight sometimes when you’re down. The skill part is coming – it takes a bit of time to get used to the speed and the skill. I’m getting used to it now and I like it. I came back after Christmas and felt a lot more comfortable. I started to get more ice (time). It’s been good.”

Devane turns 18 on February 20 and is eligible for this summer’s National Hockey League Entry Draft, held June 26-27 in Montreal.

“I try not to think about it too much," Devane admitted. “I try to go hard every night, because if they’re up there (NHL scouts) watching, they’ll be able to see me.”

Another Whaler pup – defenseman Austin Levi – got a chance to play against Owen Sound and Belleville and did not look out of place. He recorded his first OHL point on Saturday when he assisted on Seguin’s first goal of the night in the first period.

“We’ve got some great young players in the system,” said Sommariva. “As they develop, time is going to show that this will be a good team for awhile.”

Photo by Walt Dmoch

Alpena gets back on track with sweep

Courtesy NAHL

Losers of four straight games, the Alpena IceDiggers came back to life last weekend with a morale-inspiring two-game sweep over the Motor City Machine.

“Obviously, it was big for us to break out of that slump. That and the fact that every aspect of our game was struggling,” said IceDiggers assistant coach Josh Harrold, whose team improved to 22-15-5 on the season. “It was nice to get back on track.”

Erik Peterson’s third-period goal lifted the IceDiggers to a 5-4 victory on Friday. Peterson also chipped in two assists and Ryan Timar (goal, assist), Sam Cheraso (goal, assist) and Jay Camper (two assists) each recorded two-point nights. Nick Graves turned aside 20 shots to pick up the win in goal.

The next night, four different players lit the lamp for Alpena as it doubled up the Machine, 4-2. Adam Bristol connected for the game-winning marker and Graves made 18 saves.

“We played better defensively and, because of that, we created more opportunities offensively,” said Harrold.

And Peterson took advantage.

The 20-year-old from Alpena (pictured) put home a goal and three assists last weekend to lead the team’s offensive charge.

“It was nice to get Erik back on track,” said Harrold of his team’s leading scorer, now in his fourth season with the IceDiggers. “He’s struggled to find his scoring touch recently. Hopefully, it stays around.”

A mainstay between the IceDiggers’ pipes, Graves also rebounded last weekend, picking up his 17th and 18th wins of the season to go along with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.

“Nick has been good all season, but like everyone else around here, he’s been struggling lately,” said Harrold of the 20-year-old keeper from Hewitt, Wis. “It was good to see him bounce back, too.”

Veteran defensemen Ryan Sell, Jerrod Hartman and JC Gulch also put forth better efforts last weekend, as did first-year blueliners Jason Souva, Bristol and Scott Eberline. Offensively, Tyler Pilmore, John Fritsche, Andy Yarber and Jim McCusker have delivered with consistency all season, with Camper and Timar and Cheraso and Jordan Miller working well together on their respective lines. Mike DeGrazia has also proved his worth, connecting for some big goals lately.

The IceDiggers also got a big boost upfront with the recent additions Jon Puskar and Richard Manley, both of whom were acquired from the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. Puskar, who played for Alpena last season, tallied a goal and an assist in his first two games last weekend, while Manley picked up an assist.

“These two guys will bring some much-needed leadership and offense to our team, which we’ve struggled with in recent weeks,” said Harrold. “Their arrival should help spark some of our other players, which it seemed to do last weekend.”

Given the strength of the NAHL’s North Division, the IceDiggers knew they’d have a fight on their hands in their quest for a playoff berth. Sitting in third place behind the division-leading Mahoning Valley Phantoms and the second-place Traverse City North Stars, Alpena is taking nothing for granted with 16 games left in its regular season.

“We’re right where we thought we’d be, chasing Mahoning Valley and Traverse City,” said Harrold. “Every game, with the exception of a few, have been decided by one goal, and we don't see that changing down the stretch. There are no easy games in our division.”

And Harrold likes the character of his team, especially when times get tough. That trait could pay dividends as the postseason nears.

“We have a great dressing room,” he said. “These guys stick together through adversity and we believe that unity we help them achieve their goal of making the playoffs. If we play like a team and are willing to pay the ultimate price shift by shift, game by game, we have a chance to win, just like everybody else.”

The IceDiggers don’t have any players committed to Division I schools just yet, but, with a strong finish and a meaningful playoff run, Harrold is confident that will change.

“We have players who’ve made great improvements this season and we’ve had conversations with a lot of (college) coaches,” said the coach. “A lot of our guys know they’re being watched and some don't know they’re being watched.

“Regardless, we anticipate many of our players to make commitments soon.”

Photo by Robert Meyer/NAHL

Busy weekend with the Rangers ahead

Fans will see a few unique items this weekend when the Marquette Rangers face North Division-leading Mahoning Valley Thursday through Saturday at Lakeview Arena.

For starters, this will be the Phantoms' only appearance in Marquette this season, barring playoffs.

Secondly, the team has joined with Hoover’s Auto Body of Marquette for a NASCAR themed weekend for fans to enjoy. The team will don special “racing style” jerseys (pictured) for their three-game tilt, with fans having the opportunity to bid on their favorite player's jersey in a silent auction to be held during Saturday’s game.

“We wanted to do something truly unique,” said Rangers spokesman Mark Evans. “Knowing how big racing has become around the area, this just seemed like a real winner to our organization. Hoover’s has been one of our top sponsors this season and they jumped at the chance to be a part of the weekend by sponsoring the jerseys. We’re looking forward to three very exciting games weekend with both the jerseys and the prizes and specials we’re offering our fans.”

In addition to the jerseys, the Rangers will also be offering a racing prize package at Friday’s game. Included in the package are two tickets to the upcoming Sprint Cup Race at Michigan International Speedway on June 14. In addition, the winner will also receive racing apparel from Ford, plus a garage tour of the MIS prior to the start of the race. The only requirement is that the winner must be 18 years of age or older.

Adding to the three-game tilt is the teams’ participation in "Hockey Day In Michigan" on Saturday. To celebrate the sport, the team will offer a discount to all Marquette Junior Hockey Corporation players who wear their game jerseys to Lakeview Saturday night. Those players will get in to Lakeview Saturday for $3 instead of the usual student price of $7 as long as they’re in their jersey.

Not lost on the weekend is the importance of the three games and the importance of the weekend.

With 43 points, the Rangers trail the U.S. National Team Development Program by two points for fourth place and Alpena by six points for third place in the North Division standings. Only the top four teams in the division will advance the NAHL playoffs.

So far, the Rangers have played the Phantoms three times in Boardman, Ohio, and sport a 2-1 record against the North Division's top team.

All three games this weekend start at 7:30 p.m.