Solid season has Jets back on the map

As the Metro Jets players and staff gathered for the annual team photo at Lakeland Arena recently, it seemed to bring closure to a season that put the Jets back on the junior hockey map.

With 29 wins during the regular season after a combined 32 the previous three seasons, Metro had the right mix of talented players who all accepted their roles and bought into the system head coach Jason Cirone taught.

Cirone feels that even though the Jets were knocked out of the North American 3 Hockey League playoffs in the first round, the season was still everything he expected it to be.

“You go over in your mind ways you might have done things differently, like picked up different players or made different moves, but I came to the conclusion every time that we did it the right way,” said Cirone. “There’s not one thing I would change about this season.”

Metro defenseman Will Shier, one of the team’s alternate captains, agreed with Cirone.

“This season was great and was the best season the Jets have had in many years,” said Shier. “We had an unbelievable amount of talent and probably the hardest working group of guys I’ve ever seen. All of us developed and had a positive impact on each other this year.

“This season was definitely different from last year. Last year was the start of what we created this season. We worked hard last year, surprised a lot of people, and showed everyone what the Jets were capable of in the future. This season, we only improved and doubled our wins from last year. Now everyone knows the Jets are a great hockey team and are no longer an underdog.”

All season, Cirone stressed the importance of hard work and the circumstances it brings. Again, the players were sold on what Cirone was teaching and it paid off dramatically.

“It’s easy for me to call a coach at a higher level and tell them to come look at one of our kids because he works hard and is a good player,” Cirone said. “It’s the kids that put it all on the line. Every one of our kids put in the effort and worked hard all year, right to the end.”

As a second-year coach, Cirone came in at the start of the 2010-11 season and the team was pretty much set. After last season, Cirone and the Jets’ staff set out to build a team from scratch. A handful of players from the ’10-11 season were back with the Jets, but Metro built the core of the team from the draft and from scouting free agents.

Steve Klisz was taken with one of the last picks in the 2011 NA3HL draft and wound up leading the Jets in scoring. Mike MacKinnon kept pace with Klisz all year in the scoring department and both finished in a second-place tie in the league scoring race.

Dillon Kelley emerged as a little-known goalie to one of the league’s best and picked up 18 wins this year, good for third in the league. Tommy Kilgore wore the ‘C’ for the Jets in his second season and led the team with a quiet, but confident, tone. Doug Andrews came to Waterford looking to fine-tune his offensive game and earned praise all year from Cirone as one of the Jets’ more consistent players.

On defense, where injuries depleted the back end most nights, the team held up and was able to see players like John Baker and Adam Reid play 30 minutes a game and come to rely on Kelley to make the big saves when called upon.

Without singling out certain players, even those that have plans in place for next season, Cirone instead focused on how the Jets became a team on and off the ice, which in turn made his job a little bit easier.

“With the help of a lot of dedicated people, we selected a really good team this year,” said Cirone. “This isn’t just my team. It might say it’s my team on paper, but we have some unbelievable people here that helped put this team together. When I think about, no one guy sticks out as being that superstar. These kids worked as a team and played as a team and as a unit, these kids came a long way.”

Shier sees brighter days ahead in Waterford.

“After many rough seasons, I believe the players from last year’s team and this year’s team really built a great foundation for this organization,” said Shier. “We showed everyone there are many great things to come. I believe the team will only move forward from here.

“We have a lot of young guys that can take this team to the top and achieve great things.”

Photo/Matt Mackinder

Muskegon adds new staff member to team

The Muskegon Lumberjacks have announced that Joe Abdelkader has been added to the team’s front office staff as housing and academic coordinator.

The father of Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader, who played in the USHL before heading to Michigan State, Joe Abdelkader brings his experience as a longtime local educator and hockey dad to the Lumberjacks.

“Joe is a perfect fit for our organization,” said Lumberjacks president/COO Tim Taylor. “He has limitless energy and is very passionate about what we’re doing. He wants to further our efforts in building one of the best junior programs in hockey.”

As a teacher in the Reeths-Puffer school system for 35 years, Abdelkader augmented his decades in area classrooms with various stints coaching sports teams, including middle-school tennis and golf squads.

But with a son in the NHL, hockey has been at the epicenter of the Abdelkader family and it will be even more now.

“Our whole life revolves around hockey,” Abdelkader said. “I’m excited to get started and see what we can improve in the off-ice department. Hopefully, we can help in building a championship organization.”

The Abdelkaders certainly know winning, as Justin claimed a Clark Cup title with Cedar Rapids in 2005, won the NCAA national championship with Michigan State two years later and then hoisted the Stanley Cup the following season, his rookie year with the Red Wings.

“Justin has said that he probably wouldn’t have gotten to where he is without the USHL and our family agrees,” Abdelkader said. “The level of play is on par with college hockey and our family was impressed with the league years ago. I’m thrilled to get involved.”

Abdelkader will manage the relationships between Lumberjacks players, their host families (“billets”) and Mona Shores High School, which has a partnership with the team to educate its school-age skaters. Among other duties, he will coordinate study sessions, keep host families aware of the team schedule and keep players’ families active in their sons’ development.

“Joe brings good ideas on how to keep lines of communications open among players, their families and our billets,” Taylor said. “Add in the education aspect, and Joe will be directing two very important pieces of our organization.”

NTDP announces first six commitments

Forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass.), Jared Fiegl (Parker, Colo.), Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich.) and Ryan MacInnis (St. Louis, Mo.), along with defensemen Ryan Bliss (Bedford, N.H.) and Jack Glover (Golden Valley, Minn.) have committed to join USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for the 2012-13 season, it was announced today.

The players, all from the 1996 birth year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

“We are pleased to welcome this talented group to the NTDP,” said NTDP director of player personnel Peter Ward. “These players will provide a solid foundation for future signings and we will continue to find the top talent in the country as we fill out our roster.”

During the 2011-12 season, Eichel skated for the Boston Junior Bruins team of the Empire Junior Hockey League. He scored 39 goals and added 47 assists in 36 games. His 86 points were fourth most in the league.

Fiegl competed for the Colorado Rampage Midget Minor team of the Tier I Elite League and recorded 22 points (11-11), which was third most on the squad. He also chipped in with one power-play tally and one game-winning goal.

Larkin comes from the Belle Tire (Mich.) Midget Minor team of the Tier I Elite League, where he averaged a point a game, scoring 11 goals and collecting 11 assists in 22 games. Four of Larkin's 11 tallies were game-winning goals. His season was shortened due to injury.

MacInnis played for the St. Louis Blues Midget Minor team of the Tier I Elite League during the 2011-12 campaign. He ranked first on the team with 47 points (27-20) in 34 games. MacInnis finished tied for eighth overall in points within the league and tied for fourth in scoring with 27 goals.

Bliss skated for St. Paul's (N.H.) School of the New England Prep School League. He recorded one goal and added three assists in 21 games.

During the 2011-12 campaign, Glover played for Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High School of the Minnesota State High School League and notched two goals and 16 assists in 27 games as the Red Knights claimed the 2012 MSHSL Class AA State Championship.

Five Muskegon alums in NCAA tourney

The Muskegon Lumberjacks are dedicated to player development and that commitment will be on display this weekend as five of their former players get a taste of the NCAA Division I men’s hockey tournament.

Lumberjacks’ alumni Matt Berry (pictured), Alexx Privitera, John Parker, Mike Conderman and Micki Mihailovich are all set to represent their schools in this weekend’s regionals to be played in four locations. Sixteen teams remain in the hunt for the Frozen Four, which will take place April 5-7 in Tampa, Fla.

Overall, there are 217 United States Hockey League alumni among the 424 players on tournament qualifiers, giving the country’s top junior league 51 percent of the postseason talent pool. 35 percent of all Division I players this season had USHL experience.

Berry, a Canton native who led last year’s Lumberjacks with 25 goals, netted 10 as a freshman for No. 15 Michigan State, which collides with No. 3 Union Friday at 3 p.m. in the East Regional from Bridgeport, Conn. The Spartans are returning to the tourney for the first time since 2008. Berry’s 10 goals were second best on the team and his 18 points ranked him fifth. He was an Honorable Mention to the CCHA All-Rookie Team.

Privitera scored the fourth-most points (34) among USHL defenseman last year in Muskegon, and he brought his high-octane act to Boston University this winter. The New Jersey product bounced back from a broken wrist to post 14 points (4g, 10a) for the No. 10 Terriers, who square off with sixth-ranked Minnesota at 5 p.m. Saturday in the West Regional at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. BU won the national title in 2009.

No. 11 Maine – with the help of Parker, last season’s Lumberjacks captain – will take on defending NCAA title-holder Minnesota-Duluth Saturday night at 7:30. Parker, who scored 31 points in Muskegon and won the USHL’s Clark Cup in 2009, skated in 32 games and posted seven points (3g, 4a) for the Black Bears, who will take the ice in Worcester, Mass., for the East Regional.

After battling through injuries early this season, Conderman and Mihailovich combined to play in seven games for UMass-Lowell, which makes its return to the tournament with a game against No. 7 Miami University Friday night in the East. The 13th-ranked River Hawks are making their fourth appearance in the regionals and first since 1996.

Chlapik named to Czech World U18 roster

Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Adam Chlapik has been named to the Czech Republic’s preliminary roster for April’s IIHF U18 World Championship.

Chlapik will depart for his native country this weekend and join the Czech team’s pre-tournament camp in advance of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s annual get-together, which takes place April 12-24 in the Czech cities of Brno and Znojmo.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” said Chlapik, who joined the Lumberjacks in a November trade with Tri-City. “[The tournament] is only two or three hours from my hometown. I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

Chlapik, 18, will be first-year eligible for the NHL Draft this June and was rated as the seventh-best USHL prospect by Red Line Report last fall. The 6-foot, 185-pound left-handed shooter has 17 points this season in America’s top junior league.

“Besides the National Team Development Program, no other USHL team will be represented at the U18 World Championship,” said Lumberjacks owner/GM Josh Mervis. “We are pleased to help Adam earn a chance to compete for his country.”

Chlapik, who will not play this weekend for the Lumberjacks, is set to take part in the Czech squad’s preliminary camp that begins next Tuesday. The roster will then be whittled down to its final version prior to the start of the competition in three weeks.

The talented forward believes his abilities could translate quite well at the U18 championship, which will be played on the wider international ice surface.

“It’s more about skill over there because the rink is bigger and you have more time and space with the puck,” Chlapik said.

The Czech Republic is grouped with Denmark, Finland, Canada and the United States for the round-robin portion of the tournament. Latvia, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland make up the other half of the 10-team competition.

The top three teams from each group advance to the single-elimination portion of the U18 World Championship, with group winners earning byes to the semifinal round.

The United States has won the 13-year-old event six times, including the last three in a row.

Jets ready for Cleveland in NA3HL playoffs

After going 3-5 against the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks over the course of the regular season, the Metro Jets are hoping for better results this weekend as they open the North American 3 Hockey League’s Hurster Cup playoffs in Cleveland in a best-of-three series.

The winner of the series will advance to play the Flint-Pittsburgh winner for the right to go to the NA3HL championship series in suburban Chicago at the end of the month.

Due to the NA3HL re-structuring the playoff format, all teams in all four divisions qualify. The last time the Jets made the playoffs was in 2007 when they were swept in two straight games by the Dubuque Thunderbirds.

Metro captain Tommy Kilgore knows that regular season stats go out the window this time of year and that Friday night starts a new season.

“I just try to remind the guys what we are playing for, and they already know, and they’ve come focused everyday,” said Kilgore. “We expect (Cleveland) to come out hard right out of the gate and we plan to match or exceed their effort so we can keep our season going.”

The Jets beat Cleveland on Jan. 28 and March 11 in shootouts and then 6-5 on Feb. 4 in a back-and-forth affair.

Cleveland outscored Metro, 44-26, in their eight games during the season.

“Cleveland is a good hockey team and they were the top team in the league the first half of the season,” said Jets’ coach Jason Cirone. “We just have to go in there and be ready to play. If we’re not ready to play, it’ll be a very short series.”

Jets’ forward Cameron Bazin is excited to head to Cleveland and get the series underway.

“I think as a team, we all know what to expect and how we have to play to beat them,” Bazin said. “It will be a hard-fought series and even harder since we play in their building. I think we want to win a lot more than any other team and we won't let anything stop us from that. Cleveland is a real solid team, but I think when we are on our game we can beat anyone.

“If you take the last three games we played against Cleveland, we are 2-1, which is what we need to go at worst to win this series. I know the atmosphere in these games will be a lot different from the regular season, but we know we can beat them and we know how to beat them. A major key to winning the series is using our team motto "Do What We Do," which means just always playing our game and everyone playing the way that excels them the most. Another key would be always going all out on every shift, whether it's for 30 seconds or a minute, and just never toning it down.”

Metro goalie Dillon Kelley, who said goalies are always under the microscope, isn’t about to cave into pressure.

“You always feel that pressure, but it’s how you handle it,” said Kelley. “As for feeling uncomfortable or nervous, I don’t feel that way at all. I have confidence in my game as well as my teammates. I’ll be there for my team and vice versa.”

Game 1 is at 8 p.m. Friday night and 8 p.m. Saturday night at Ice Land U.S.A. in Strongsville with a 1:30 p.m. start time if a Game 3 is needed on Sunday.

“We have been fine-tuning our game and know what we need to do to win,” added Metro defenseman Will Shier. “This preparation has lead to confidence and we are ready for this weekend.

”The key is to play our game and do what we do. That’s what will win the series for us.”

Photo/Matt Mackinder

Warriors apparently staying in Flint

There is no official word from the team, but a story Monday on mlive.com states the Michigan Warriors will be back in the Vehicle City next season.

Michigan Warriors have agreement in place to remain in Flint

Jets' MacKinnon brimming with confidence

In the month of February, there was no one better in the North American 3 Hockey League than Metro Jets’ forward Mike MacKinnon.

His 19 points led all players and the league rewarded him by naming him its Player of the Month.

That said, MacKinnon has been consistent all season long and is playing his best hockey at the right time.

Ask MacKinnon, though, and he puts all the credit on his teammates.

“Everyone on the team has been playing well as of late and we have a lot of confidence in ourselves,” said MacKinnon, a 19-year-old Troy native drafted by the Jets in the second round (20th overall) last June. “It's really showed as our offense has put up big numbers. Personally, I thought I was going to have a good season, but to be in the hunt for the league scoring title has just been a bonus for me.”

“Mike and his entire line (with Steve Klisz and Trevor Bardallis) were great all month long,” said Jets coach Jason Cirone. “He produces, puts up big numbers and scores the big goals. I think he definitely has the ability to play at the next level. Mike is smart and understands the game. He has goals and is focused on accomplishing them.”

With 67 points heading into this weekend, MacKinnon is tied for second with Klisz. Cleveland’s Cameron Dimmitt has 73 points. The two teams play each other to wrap up the regular season down in Cleveland.

“Winning the scoring title would be great for me or Klisz,” said MacKinnon, who is one of three Jets (Klisz and Doug Andrews) to play in all 46 games this season. “We've been on the same line the whole year and I feel like we’re the two best players in the league and if we play our game, no one can stop us.”

MacKinnon is hoping his strong season will result in North American Hockey League teams taking notice, as some have signed tenders for next season and seen time in the NAHL already this year.

”I'm really happy for all of my teammates signing tenders for next year and of course, I'd like to add my name to that list, but I try not to focus on all that stuff,” MacKinnon said. “If I keep playing the way I can, I know something will open up for me down the line.”

After this weekend, the Jets will venture into the NA3HL Hurster Cup playoffs. Win or lose, MacKinnon feels this year has been a successful one.

”This season has been great for me and has been my most fun year of hockey in my life,” MacKinnon said. “I wouldn't change anything. This team has had a lot of success and we're an extremely confident group. We feel like were the best team in the league and there isn't anyone we can’t beat.”


LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets were blanked in Flint last Wednesday (Feb. 29) by a 7-0 mark and then were idle over last weekend.

This coming weekend, Metro hosts Cleveland for its last two games of the regular season at Lakeland Arena. Game time is 7:50 p.m. Saturday night and then 11:50 a.m. on Sunday.


JET STREAKS

Metro will see its first playoff action in six years next weekend when the Jets play on the road for a best-of-three series against Cleveland.

Games 1 (March 16) and 2 (March 17) start at 8 p.m., and if a deciding third game is needed, it will be played March 18 at 1:30 p.m.

The NA3HL announced this week that a new expansion team will join the league next year as the Breezy Point (Minn.) North Stars were granted admission into the league.


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Two former Jets (defenseman Jacob DeSano and forward Adam Novack) played in the ACHA Division I national championship game Wednesday night for Oakland University, a game the Grizzlies ultimately lost to Delaware, 5-1, in Strongsville, Ohio.

Novack was named to the ACHA D-I All-National Tournament Second Team.

Three other Metro alums in forwards David Merkle and Art Dore and defenseman Mike Corder also skated with OU this year.

Corder (2009-10) and Novack (2008-09) are both former Jets captains.

Current Jets forward Branden Morganroth will play at OU this fall.

Photo/Matt Mackinder

NTDP names evaluation camp attendees

Fifty-three of the top American players born in 1996 have been invited to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp, it was announced today by USA Hockey.

The camp, which is held to help select the 2012-13 U.S. National Under-17 Team, will take place March 19-23 at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

"We have a terrific group of players and look for the talent level and competitiveness to be high,” said NTDP director of player personnel Peter Ward.

The players will be divided into three teams - Red, White and Blue - and will participate in on-ice practices, off-ice training, four 30-minute games and two full games. Each team will consist of nine forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.

NTDP alum Brett Henning (1997-98) will serve as a coach at the camp, guiding Team Blue. In addition, NTDP assistant coaches Matt Curley and Tyler Eaves will guide Team White and Team Red, respectively.

For a complete roster of the invitees, click here.

NOTES: The 53 players on the NTDP Evaluation Camp roster represent 17 different states. Minnesota leads the way with seven natives on the roster, while Illinois and New York each boast six.

Michigan has five - Belle Tire Midget Minor forwards Kyle Connor (Shelby Township), Dylan Larkin (Waterford) and Dylan Pavelek (Marysville), Honeybaked Midget Minor defenseman Joshua Jacobs (Shelby Township) and Belle Tire Midget Minor blueliner Ryan Mantha (Clarkston).

Two future 'Jacks honored in Minnesota

In a hockey-mad state like Minnesota, it takes a lot to stand out.

A pair of future Muskegon Lumberjacks were special enough to do just that.

Muskegon affiliate list players Grant Besse and Michael Brodzinski were both named to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s All-Metro Team this week.

Besse, a sharp-shooting junior forward for Benilde-St. Margaret’s, and Brodzinski, a junior Blaine High School defenseman who will make his Lumberjacks debut this weekend, were among 19 players honored by the paper Tuesday. Muskegon holds the USHL rights to both high-end talents.

A 5-foot-10 lefthanded shooter, Besse has nailed 44 goals in 28 games this season for Benilde-St. Margaret’s, which is still alive in the Minnesota high school playoffs. His 107 goals over three years makes him the premier sniper in school history. Besse also led the Red Knights with 75 points this winter, fourth-best total in the Minneapolis metro area. He was selected to the All-Metro First Team and will play NCAA hockey at the University of Wisconsin.

Brodzinski also led his team in goals and points, but his offense came from the blueline. The Blaine Bengals rearguard, acquired in a trade with Des Moines last month, pumped in 16 goals and added 20 assists in 28 games. Brodzinski, who has committed to the University of Minnesota and was named to the All-Metro Second Team, is slated to dress in Muskegon’s home games Friday and Saturday.

“Michael is a high-end player and we’re excited to see what he can do,” said Lumberjacks head coach Jim McKenzie. “He’s obviously very skilled and we have a couple of Minnesota guys (Ryan Bullock and Tyler Heinonen) that can help him feel comfortable here.”

Soo Eagles granted NAHL membership

New team based out of Sault Ste. Marie has acquired the Traverse City North Stars

The North American Hockey League has announced that the Soo Eagles, a Sault Ste. Marie-based junior hockey team, has been granted a membership into the NAHL effective for the 2012-13 season.

The group was granted approval to operate in the Sault Ste. Marie market conditioned upon acquiring and relocating an existing NAHL membership.

“We set out as an ownership group in June of 2010 to provide boys an opportunity to improve their game, grow as men, give back to the community, and provide a track to NCAA Division I and Division III college hockey programs,” said Soo Eagles owner Ron Lavin. “We’re delighted to have been accepted in the NAHL and we want to be sure everyone within the community knows that we are keeping the Soo Eagles hockey team right here in Sault Ste. Marie. Mayor Tony Bosbous, city manager Spencer Nebel and parks and recreation director Dan Wyers have all been extremely supportive and helpful to us and we appreciate their support.”

This isn’t the first time an NAHL team has been in the Sault Ste. Marie area. The Soo Kewadin Indians played in the NAHL from 1995-2005, producing players like current Buffalo Sabres goaltender and Michigan native Ryan Miller.

“We are very pleased to have a team back in the Sault Ste. Marie area because it has such a passionate and knowledgeable fan base,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “The NAHL’s roots reside in the state of Michigan and we are happy that we are adding a quality organization like the Soo Eagles to our already well-established footprint in the area. With the amount of NCAA hockey programs in the area, it is a natural fit and will provide the players the best opportunity for exposure as they look to build their hockey careers.”

“Working with the NAHL and Mark Frankenfeld has been a great experience thus far and we look forward to a long, successful relationship that develops the growth of young men who decide to play in the NAHL, on and off of the ice," continued Lavin. "We’re very pleased with the extensive and thorough process that it took to be approved by the NAHL. As an organization, we are making a significant financial commitment and are looking forward to the continued support of our local fans and sponsors. Without them, we couldn’t begin to take on this new project. It’s our goal to sell 300 season tickets for the upcoming year.”

The Eagles will play their home games out of Pullar Stadium, which seats 2,250 spectators for hockey games. The facility has private locker rooms, a training room and team offices on site.

Local broadcast group Sovereign Communications will deliver live coverage of the Eagles' games on their all-sports radio station ESPN 1400 AM again next season. Veteran hockey announcer John Bell will continue to bring fans the play-by-play action. A presentation to and final approval by the USA Hockey junior council is expected no later than March 14.

Diminutive Shureb thriving in Jets' system

Justin Shureb only joined the Metro Jets in mid-November, but hasn’t missed a beat in recording 19 points in 28 games.

Shureb was one of the Jets’ two first-round picks in last June’s NA3HL draft (defenseman Trevor Hillman was the other), going fourth overall out of Livonia Stevenson High School where he earned Division 1 All-State honorable mention honors.

Admittedly, Shureb didn’t know much about the NA3HL or the Jets, but was pleasantly surprised when he received a call on draft day from the Jets’ brass stating he would be drafted early.

”I was very honored, considering there were 320 players that were drafted into the NA3HL,” said Shureb, who turns 19 next Monday. “Even though I came into the season late, my role has been to add more offensive power to an already potent offense, shut down opponent’s top lines, kill penalties and when chances come, score goals and grind it out.”

The Jets have five other players who have played for the team this year who earned All-State honors last season in forwards Steve Klisz (Division 1 Second Team at Livonia Churchill High School), Trevor Bardallis (Division 1 Second Team at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School), Zach Mohr (Division 1 honorable mention at Novi High School, now in the NAHL with Wichita Falls) and Josh Beleski (Division 2 Second Team at Southgate Anderson High School) and defenseman Max Biggings (Division 2 honorable mention at Hartland High School).

Playing for a respected coach in Jason Cirone is also something Shureb wanted in order to keep climbing the ranks.

”Jason is a very no-nonsense coach who knows the game and how to get the most out of his players,” Shureb said. “My ultimate goal is to play college hockey, so I would like to continue playing juniors so I can achieve my goal.”

Listed at 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds, one would hardly think Shureb plays as his size would indicate.

And that’s a good thing.

”My size has never been an issue as far as I was concerned,” said Shureb. “I have been able to out-skate many of my opponents. My drive, determination and hard work have been what I have used since I started playing hockey 11 years ago. I have never let my size slow me down or interfere with my dreams and goals. I have been told by many coaches that I play like I am 6-foot-5, not 5-foot-6. I have never been one to be intimidated by bigger players.”

That said, expect Shureb to elevate his game in the coming weeks as the Jets make a push to play into April.


LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets hosted the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins last weekend at Lakeland Arena and came away with a convincing two-game sweep.

Saturday night, Cameron Bazin and Mike MacKinnon each had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win, while Dillon Kelley finished with 18 saves.

Metro captain Tommy Kilgore, Cameron Mackey and Doug Andrews also scored.

Sunday afternoon, the Jets jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first period and settled for a 7-3 victory to clinch third place in the East Division. The Jets will play Flint or Cleveland on the road in the best-of-three first round of the Hurster Cup playoffs starting March 16.

MacKinnon, who was subsequently named the NA3HL's 2nd Star of the Week, continued his torrid pace with two goals and two assists and Klisz also had a four-point game with a goal and three helpers. Matt Stirling and Bardallis tallied a goal and two assists apiece, while Bazin and Chris Hellebuyck also scored.

Kilgore chipped in a pair of assists and Kelley made 17 saves.

“I think it was a very good weekend, considering all the games we’ve been playing lately,” said Cirone. “I told the players that in the NHL it takes 16 wins to win the Stanley Cup and we’ve been starting our own run to 16 wins since right before the (NA3HL East Showcase Feb. 19-22 in Troy).”

The Jets (28-15-1-1) travel to Flint tonight to play the Jr. Generals at 7:20 p.m. and are then off this weekend before concluding the regular season March 10-11 at home with two games against the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks.

“We’ve exceeded all of our goals we set at the beginning of the season,” said Cirone. “I think you get greedy when you have a good team, but I think 30 wins is a reasonable goal and I see no reason why we can’t get to that number. The guys know we still have a lot to play for before the playoffs.”


JET STREAKS

Current Jets defenseman Will Shier has some good bloodlines as his cousin, Andrew Shier, skated at the University of Wisconsin from 1990-94 and was drafted by the New York Islanders in the 12th round of the 1990 NHL draft.

Andrew Shier played the majority of his seven-year pro career with the Richmond Renegades of the ECHL.


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Anthony Cacciatore, who manned the blue line for the Jets during the 2000-01 season, is now ling and working in Chicago and owns and operates his own business – Chef of Chicago – where he works as a private and personal chef.

After his time in Waterford, Cacciatore, 30, played two years at Robert Morris College and left early to play two years in the United Hockey League with the Muskegon Fury and Port Huron Beacons.

Photo/Matt Mackinder

North Stars alums spark No. 1 Ferris State

A quintet of former Traverse City North Stars have helped Ferris State University perch itself atop the college hockey world.

With a weekend sweep of CCHA rival Bowling Green, Ferris has reeled off 14 straight without a loss (11-0-3), reached the 20-win plateau faster than any school in the land, laid claim to at least a share of the CCHA regular season title and assumed the No. 1 spot in each of the three major NCAA hockey polls.

Helping the Bulldogs reach such rarified air are former North Stars forwards Kyle Bonis, Andy Huff and Garrett Thompson, defenseman Travis White and goalie C.J. Motte.

“We started off not exactly knowing what was in store for us,” said Thompson, whose family moved to Traverse City back in 2007 during his three-year stint with the North Stars. “To be honest, they gauged us on the low end of the totem pole – I believe we were projected ninth in the CCHA (preseason poll) and something like 49th in the country. Obviously, that's not something you want to see going into a season, but I think if anything we’ve used that as motivation.”

Thompson assisted on the Bulldogs’ opening goal and scored the game-winner himself in a 5-1 rout of Bowling Green in Friday’s series opener, while Bonis and Huff (game-winner) assisted on two of FSU’s goals in the 4-1 clincher on Saturday.

Bonis, who is tied for fourth in the CCHA with 15 goals, was named the conference’s Player of the Week after a two-goal, two-assist weekend against the Fighting Irish on Feb. 10-11. Bulldogs head coach Bob Daniels didn’t bat an eye when the junior forward began lighting arena lamps with great frequency this season.

“From the minute Kyle got here, we could see in practice that he was a goal-scorer,” Daniels explained. “The biggest surprise isn’t that he’s scoring goals, it’s that it’s taken this long to see the goal production during games that we see every day in practice. It’s a testament to how hard Kyle has worked in the weight room and on the ice – he’s a great kid and it’s good to see him having the kind of success he’s having.”

Thompson, a sophomore winger, has eight goals and nine assists in 32 contests, while Huff has appeared in 21games, with three goals and a quartet of assists to his credit. Freshman defenseman and two-year Stars captain Travis White has seen action in nine consecutive conference games; Motte is 5-4-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a sterling .926 save percentage.

Daniels says that each of the Traverse City products have played a role in helping FSU to the top spot in the polls for the first time in school history, and a share of the first CCHA crown since 2002-03.

“The Traverse City North Stars program, and Anthony Palumbo in particular, have done an outstanding job preparing these guys, and we’ve been the beneficiaries of a lot of their hard work,” said Daniels, who is in his 20th season behind the Ferris bench. “All of them have contributed on the ice, but even more importantly than that, they’ve been great additions to the Ferris State campus and the Big Rapids community as well. There’s a certain set of character traits that each of these guys brings to the team, and it’s been a very positive impact on and off the ice.”

The TC-to-Big Rapids pipeline is still flowing: Current North Stars Seth Adams, Zach Dorer and Kyle Schempp are each committed to Ferris.

Bonis spent less than two full seasons with the North Stars, but amassed 55 goals and 43 assists in just 98 regular-season games in a TC sweater – good enough for second on the club’s all-time scoring list. His 30-goal campaign in 2008-09 is still the single-best total in Stars history.

Thompson spent three years with Traverse City, collecting 40 goals and assists on 40 others over 121 outings, ranking him sixth in Stars all-time scoring. He reached a highwater mark of 24 goals and 26 assists in 57 games during the 2009-10 season.

“These guys are great examples of how hard work, talent, and drive can get you to the next level – and helps you excel at the next level,” said Palumbo. “It’s been great to watch them have the success they’ve achieved so far this year. Hopefully, there’s even more to come.”

Ferris State (22-8-4) can put the finishing touches on their regular season league championship this weekend in a home-and-home series with Western Michigan. Friday’s game in Kalamazoo will be televised on Fox Sports Detroit, with Saturday’s return engagement moving to Big Rapids. The Bulldogs have cinched a first-round bye in the CCHA playoffs, with an NCAA tourney berth well within reach.

For now, Thompson says he’s taking it all in – but taking nothing for granted.

“It’s pretty crazy looking at the rankings and seeing your school being No. 1 and knowing your a part of something big,” he explained. “But we really haven't done anything yet. The plan is to take it one game at a time and just worry about what’s next rather than getting carried away with it. We know what has gotten us here, and that's what we know it takes to keep things rolling along.”

Shalawylo does quiet job for Metro

Andrew Shalawylo knows his role is as a defensive defenseman with the Metro Jets and by doing that, he doesn’t get noticed a whole lot during games.

And that’s just fine with the 19-year-old from Clinton Township.

“I've never been a very flashy player,” admitted Shalawylo, a second-year skater with the Jets. “My goal isn't to put up a lot of points because I know that's not my skill set. I'm not a guy that's going to produce a lot of offense directly, but I try to be as solid defensively as I can and initiate that first play that develops into something someone else turns into a scoring opportunity.”

In 30 games this year, Shalawylo has posted three assists. Last year, he went pointless in 32 contests. Personal stats aside, Shalawylo would rather turn his attention to the turnaround season the Jets have had this year.

”I just want to win,” Shalawylo said. “We have a team that can do it and I want to do everything I possibly can to make sure it keeps happening. The atmosphere in the locker room is great. We have so much confidence that we can go far. I know it's a cliché, but we really are a family.”

Coming to the Jets out of Midget AA hockey was a big jump for Shalawylo, but it’s one he has embraced and dealt with the ups and downs that come with accepting such a challenge.

”I've obviously learned a ton playing for (head coach) Jason (Cirone) and the Jets,” said Shalawylo. “The coaches have done a great job of teaching a lot of the intricacies of the game and I've learned a lot about how to practice and play from teammates. The biggest thing I've gotten out of the Jets, though, is just being able to enjoy playing junior hockey.”

Shalawylo added that confidence and enjoying the game can go a long ways, especially this time of year.

“I think having a year of improvement last year set us up for success this year,” explained Shalawylo. “We showed that with the right attitude and leadership in place, this is a team people should want to be a part of. I think that helped attract a lot of really talented players to the team. The amount of talent we have this year is incredible, and everyone has the right attitude.

“We're all working towards the same goal and know we can get there.”


LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets played five games over the past six days and earned seven of ten points. Metro has just five games left on the schedule, including four at Lakeland Arena.

Metro used three different goal-scorers and 40 saves from Eric Trunick to take a 3-2 win over the Battle Creek Jr. Revolution last Friday night at The Rink.

Jake Schlacht, in his first game since a lower body injury shelved him in November, Justin Shureb and Matt Stirling tallied for the Jets.

The next four games were part of the NA3HL East Showcase at the Troy Sports Center.

Troy native Mike MacKinnon had a hand in each goal as he scored two shorthanded goals and added four assists as the Jets opened the showcase with a 6-3 win over the Michigan Mountain Cats Sunday night.

The Mountain Cats had a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, but then the Jets exploded for four goals in the second period - MacKinnon's two and singles from Matt Stemkoski and Schlacht.

Steve Klisz scored the Jets' first goal in the first period and Shureb added a goal in the third period.

Dillon Kelley finished with 36 saves in goal for the Jets and Will Shier chipped in two assists from the blue line.

On Monday, the Jets erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to send the game to overtime, but Joe Skrzynski scored 45 seconds into the extra session to give the Toledo Cherokee a 4-3 win.

Doug Andrews scored in the second period for the Jets, while Stirling (at 14:44) and Stemkoski (on a power play at 17:02) tied the game late in the third.

Kelley finished with 38 saves.

Andrews and Trevor Bardallis each had three-point games to lead the Jets over Battle Creek 8-3 Tuesday morning.

Bardallis scored twice with an assist, while Andrews had a goal and two helpers.

Metro captain Tommy Kilgore tallied a goal and an assist and Adam Reid, Klisz, Josh Beleski and Stemkoski scored one apiece.

MacKinnon, Stirling and John Baker each added two assists, while Kelley made 30 saves for the win.

Former Metro forward Tim Wlodkowski registered a goal and an assist for Battle Creek.

The Queen City Steam scored three goals in a 3:07 span early in the second period and held on the rest of the way to beat the Jets 4-2 Wednesday afternoon in the final game of the showcase.

Cameron Mackey and Stirling scored in the loss and Baker assisted on both.

Kelley made 24 saves between the pipes.

The Jets (26-15-1-1) now get set to host the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins this weekend at Lakeland Arena. Game time is 7:50 p.m. Saturday night and then 11:50 a.m. on Sunday. Metro then heads to Flint next Wednesday before closing out the season March 3-4 at home against the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks.


JET STREAKS

Prior to being held without a point against Queen City, MacKinnon had 10 points in his previous four games … Klisz is tied with Minnesota’s Parker Tomczyk for second in the NA3HL with 29 goals. Michigan’s James Koonce leads with 30 … Klisz and MacKinnon are tied for second in NA3HL scoring with 61 points apiece … Defenseman Jordan Jones was released this week. Jones had two goals in 15 games this season.


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Austin Brown, a defenseman who played in Waterford during the 2005-06 season, was recently named to the All-NCHA Team as a senior at St. Scholastica College in Duluth, Minn.

The 24-year-old from Lathrup Village leads all NCHA defensemen with 19 points and has the Saints in the NCHA tournament semi-finals. St. Scholastica will host Wisconsin-Stevens Point (and another Jets’ alum Nick Kenney) on Saturday night.

Photo/Andy Grossman/Detailed Images

Warriors offer statement on team's status

The Michigan Warriors released a statement on their team blog Sunday, attempting to set the record straight on their NAHL situation after this season:

By now, many of our fans have likely heard of the NAHL's announcement stating that seven clubs, including the Michigan Warriors, are eligible for dormancy in the 2012-13 season.

While it may sound a bit "doom and gloom," the Warriors are working to restructure their deal with Perani Arena in order to better suit the rink's, team's and fans' needs. We appreciate the support from Flint-area hockey fans, and there are no definite plans for the Warriors to "sit out" next season, move from Flint or otherwise.

According to team owner Pat McEachern, the "dormancy" status is fairly common throughout junior hockey, a statement coach Moe Mantha echoed Thursday during an interview with an ABC 12 reporter.

The facts...

Under the dormancy clause, the Warriors could indeed sit out next season and return to Flint the following season.

The Warriors are working with Perani Arena to reach a deal which would benefit all parties involved. The application for such status does not mean the Warriors won't play at Perani next season. As a business owner, McEachern is simply taking precautionary measures in order to protect the team.

Speculation...

The Warriors are leaving Flint, being sold and relocated -- each falls into the "speculation" category. There aren't any immediate plans to move the team from Flint, nor are there any to go "dark" for a season, either.

What does the report mean?

By definition, the word "dormancy" refers to being inactive. And that could be the case for the Warriors, in theory, if a satisfactory deal with Perani fails to be reached. Jim Cain, who runs Firland Management, the company which owns Perani Arena, recently said keeping the Warriors in Flint is the ultimate goal.

"We have one entity, the Warriors, who have over 30 event days there a year," Cain said, according to a report on MLive.com. "Literally, it's half of what we do. It's very important (to keep the team)."

Visit the Warriors official team blog for the latest on the dormancy issue. Again, the Warriors appreciate their fans' support during this time, and urge them not to jump to conclusions.

Coach Mantha said it best Thursday, stating that the team's goal -- and the players' goal -- is to remain focused on finishing the season the best way possible. As of Saturday, the Warriors owned a seven-point advantage over Jamestown for the North American Hockey League's fourth and final playoff spot.

The Warriors look forward to competing for their second consecutive Robbie Cup Finals, which they reached in 2010-11, which was the franchise's first season in Flint.

Jets name Ronayne new assistant coach

The Metro Jets announced today that Colin Ronayne has been hired as the team’s new assistant coach for the rest of the season.

Ronayne skated with Oakland University’s ACHA Division I team from 2007-2011 and played 35 games this season with the Knoxville (Tenn.) IceBears of the Southern Professional Hockey League and Brooklyn Aviators of the Federal Hockey League. He also served as OU’s captain last year.

The 25-year-old Commerce native also played for the Jets from 2005-07, so he knows the ins and outs of the Jets’ program. In essence, this is a homecoming for Ronayne and one he’s happy to be a part of.

“I work with (Metro head coach) Jason (Cirone) at Puckmasters and he talked to me about coming here to coach when I was going to try out and play pro last fall,” said Ronayne. “It worked out that I came back a little early and the job was still available, so I came out and I’m enjoying it so far.

“When I played here, I remember it was a short bench, but we worked hard and made the playoffs that year (2007). I learned a lot and I’m still pretty good friends with a lot of the guys from that team. There was good team chemistry that year.”

Playing pro hockey was something Ronayne never thought he’d be able to do, considering he never played AAA hockey during his youth days. He played high school hockey at Detroit Catholic Central before coming to the Jets and also played a few games with the Syracuse Stars in the Eastern Junior Hockey League.

“I didn’t really expect much,” said the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Ronayne. “I pretty much went down to Knoxville on a whim and everything worked out and it was definitely a big learning experience for me.”

In fact, in a pre-season game between Knoxville and the Columbus Cottonmouths last October, Ronayne squared off with Morgan James, the Jets’ captain last year and ironically enough, a very good friend of Ronayne’s.

“We both agreed it was nothing personal,” laughed Ronayne. “It kept me in Knoxville a little longer and it helped Morgan secure a spot in Columbus for a little while. Something had to be done – no big deal.”

After this season wraps up, Ronayne said he’s be open to coming back as a coach next year or giving the pro game another shot.

“I’m kind of leaving the door open to maybe go back and play, but I’m not really focusing on that right now,” Ronayne said. “I’m just enjoying being here and being on the ice and helping out as much as I can and hopefully, I can learn something from Jason.”

Metro (23-14-0-1) will now get set to play five games in six days. The Jets skate at Battle Creek tonight and then after an off day Saturday, will head to Troy for the NA3HL East Showcase at the Troy Sports Center.

In Troy, the Jets will play the Mountain Cats on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Toledo on Monday at 2:45 p.m., Battle Creek on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and then finishes up against Queen City on Wednesday at noon.

Michigan Warriors to go dark in '12-13?

Courtesy mlive.com

A report from JuniorHockey.com states that the Michigan Warriors are one of seven teams that have been given dormancy status from the North American Hockey League for the 2012-2013 season.

According to the report, the NAHL Board of Governors held a conference call Wednesday to determine the change in status of the teams.

If the Warriors do indeed take on the dormancy status, they will forgo the 2012-2013 season and be eligible to rejoin NAHL competition beginning the following year.

More details HERE.

And HERE.

Froese named Muskegon skating coach

The Muskegon Lumberjacks announced Thursday that Dr. Kurt Froese has been added to their hockey operations staff as skating coach.

“We are committed to provide the best development program anywhere so our players can reach their fullest potential,” said Lumberjacks CEO-GM Josh Mervis. “We believe we can help our athletes gain an advantage by really pushing the development of their skating skills.”

Froese, who focused his doctoral thesis on the development of hockey players, will conduct on-ice sessions once a week with Lumberjacks players and will also prescribe off-ice exercises to improve their skating strength, coordination and speed.

“Repetition can lead to mastery or misery, depending on how you train,” said Froese, who played high-level hockey in the Canadian junior ranks and also as a professional. “What’s important is the nervous system, which triggers the muscles. You need to treat the cause of a deficiency, not the symptoms.”

After studying as an undergraduate at the University of Manitoba, Froese attended Life College in Atlanta where he completed a four-year program to receive his Doctorate in Chiropractic.

“I’m a proponent of age-appropriate skill development,” Froese said. “Anything good takes time but players will pay the price if they know the payoff is coming. As we go along, they will be more solid on their skates and comfortable in tight spaces.

“As they build good habits, the players will experience more explosive speed and more control of their bodies.”

A native of Winnipeg, Froese currently resides in Traverse City where he and his wife, Laura, operate Lighthouse Chiropractic & Wellness Center (www.lcwctc.com), a renowned and innovative practice.

“What I love about coaching is giving people something I wish I had when I was playing,” Froese said. “Working with a team like this on a long-term basis is very exciting for me.”

Metro's offense starts with Livonia's Klisz

Steve Klisz has quietly been one of the North American 3 Hockey League’s top scorers all season long for the Metro Jets.

His 27 goals and 56 points going into this weekend are good for second overall in the NA3HL.

Klisz, though, isn’t necessarily shocked by his offensive output and attributes much of it to his linemates.

“Coming into this season, I felt at best I could be in the top ten, but never would have thought I would be top two or three, though,” said Klisz, a 19-year-old from Livonia. “My linemates are a big reason why I am up there. If I didn’t have Mike MacKinnon or Matt Stemkoski on my line then I wouldn't be anywhere near the top three in the league.

“I have always been an offensive player all throughout my life and at times my numbers do surprise me, but deep down, I knew I could do this good at this level.”

MacKinnon is tenth in NA3HL scoring, while Stemkoski is 24th.

Klisz is hoping his year in Waterford will lead to an opportunity with the North American Hockey League next season. Several teams have already inquired about his services and Klisz has aspirations of staying close to home.

“I really want to play for Port Huron next year,” said Klisz. “They have a great program and I would love to join it next year, but we’ll see."

Former Jets’ forward Mike Moroso (2010-11) currently leads the Fighting Falcons in scoring.

Looking ahead, Klisz has complete confidence in the Jets and feels a post-season run isn’t out of the question.

“Everyone feels great in the locker room and we feel like we can beat anyone anywhere,” said Klisz. “Everyone has confidence in one another, so if one person isn’t playing well, the rest of the team seems to play even better.”


LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

Dillon Kelley shut out the Michigan Mountain Cats in back-to-back games last Friday and Saturday night at Farmington Hills Ice Arena to propel the Jets to a sweep of the Mountain Cats and a 4-0 record against the Mountain Cats this season.

For Kelley, the weekend was a coming-out party of sorts for the 17-year-old Petoskey native who has emerged as the Jets’ No. 1 goaltender. He has three shutouts this year – all against the Mountain Cats. Kelley previously blanked Michigan with a 13-save outing on Jan. 14 at Lakeland Arena.

“I was well-rested and was seeing the puck well and felt very comfortable in both games,” said Kelley. “I would have to say that this past weekend is for sure in my top three greatest moments of my hockey career. I have never had back-to-back shutouts before, so this was pretty special to me.”

Friday night, Kelley stopped 27 shots in the Jets’ 3-0 win, while Stemkoski, Matt Stirling and John Baker scored to pace the Metro attack.

Saturday night, MacKinnon and Doug Andrews provided the offense in a 2-0 victory. Kelley finished with 40 saves.

“This weekend was huge for us,” Kelley said. “I think that the momentum we gained this weekend will carry us through the remainder of the season and into the playoffs. Even though they were two close games, I feel that as a team, we all played well, Michigan played hard and aggressive, keeping everyone on their toes, but we worked hard both games.

“All in all, I feel it was a great weekend for us as a team.”

“Dillon is a great kid and also a great teammate,” added Klisz. “He is one of the better goalies in the league and also one of the youngest. I see him going far in hockey mainly because his work ethic on and off the ice is great.”

Metro (23-14-0-1) will now get set to play five games in six days in the next week. The Jets skate at Battle Creek this Friday night and then after an off day Saturday will head to Troy for the NA3HL East Showcase at the Troy Sports Center.

In Troy, the Jets will play the Mountain Cats on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Toledo on Monday at 2:45 p.m., Battle Creek on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and then finishes up against Queen City on Wednesday at noon.

“Everyone just needs to stay focused through all of these tough games,” said Klisz. “We need to get as much rest as we can because five games in six days is going to be really tough.”


JET STREAKS

Kelley was also named the NA3HL’s 1st Star of the Week for his 67-save weekend performance.

With the two wins and shutouts, Kelley improved his season record to 14-4-1.

“I thought Dillon was solid all weekend and came up with some key saves at key times in the game,” said Jets GM Butch Wolfe. “He used his size to his advantage and played under control, keeping us in the game and giving us a chance to win.”


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Goalie Devin Williams, who began this year with the Jets, had a monster game Wednesday night for the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters.

The Otters edged the Niagara Ice Dogs, one of the top teams in the OHL, by a 2-1 margin and Williams made an unbelievable 61 saves, including 44 in the first two periods, to earn the win.

"What can you say?" said Erie assistant coach and goalie coach Peter Sidorkiewicz to the Erie Times-News. “The kid was amazing.”

Williams, a 16-year-old Saginaw native, posted a 9-9-0 record with the Jets along with a 3.88 goals-against average and a ,896 save percentage. He joined the Otters, the team that drafted him last May, on a full-time basis in early January, but can only play 10 games as an affiliate player until the Jets’ season is completed. Last night was his sixth game with Erie with 15 left for the last-place Otters.

Photo/Matt Mackinder

Vanderwiel making most of opportunities

Courtesy PlymouthWhalers.com

One man’s suspension is another man’s ice time.

When the Plymouth Whalers were recently hit with suspensions to Matt Mistele, Mitch Jones, Mitchell Dempsey and Cody Payne, rookie Danny Vanderwiel stepped up in a big way.

Vanderwiel scored four goals over a three games last weekend to increase his season total from one goal to five in a three-day span.

Two of the goals came on the big stage in London on Friday before a full house of 9,046. Although the Whalers lost, 8-6, while playing with just ten forwards and seven defensemen, Vanderwiel was named the second star.

Vanderwiel also scored in a 6-5 loss to Kitchener on Saturday and a 5-4 shootout win against Saginaw on Sunday.

“It was great,” Vanderwiel said of the experience of playing in London. “There are no words for that (experience) – it’s tough to explain. Not playing too much this year and going into London with three lines on the bench – all the boys are trying to go hard. To score a pair of goals, especially as a 16-year-old, is one of the greatest things I could ask for.”

Although one of Vanderwiel’s goal came on a snap shot from the right circle to beat London goaltender Michael Houser, the other three goals came as a result of going to the net hard and winning battles in gritty areas.

He scored his second goal in London by following up a wrap around at the left post and potting home the rebound through traffic, went hard to the net as he was being checked to score against Kitchener, then batted home a rebound just outside the blue ice against Saginaw.

Vanderwiel was quick to give Plymouth assistant coach Don Elland credit for his goal against Kitchener.

“Coach Don was telling me to go to the net, throw my body around and finish hard,” Vanderwiel said. “I saw 'Wales' (Michael Whaley) get the puck and so I put my head down and skated to the net, hoping that the puck would hit off my stick. It went in the net."

Like a good two-way passing play, Elland returns the compliment to Vanderwiel.

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” said Elland about Vanderwiel’s opportunity. “He’s taking advantage of it, he’s playing hard, he’s keeping it simple. Danny’s doing a good job and he’s getting better every week.”

Vanderwiel – from Island Lake, Ill. - was selected by Plymouth in the eighth round (144th overall) of the 2011 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

On an older team that is second overall in the Western Conference and chasing London for the top spot, Vanderwiel – along with fellow rookies Mistele, Dempsey and Jones – understand their roles on a very good team.

“All of the rookies – me, ‘Misty’ (Mistele), Dempsey and 'Jonsey' – have the right attitude,” Vanderwiel explained. “We understand that it’s a tough lineup to crack. We have guys like Stefan Noesen, J.T. Miller, Alex Aleardi, Rickard Rakell – a bunch of guys who are great players.”

For players like Vanderwiel, practice time is game time.

“Practices are big for all of us, Vanderwiel said. “(Head coach Mike) Vellucci sees when we’re working hard in practice and when we’re not. That’s what (working hard in practice) normally gives us our chance to play in a game.”

Whalers TV analyst Sean Baligian appreciates the attitude of all of the Plymouth rookies.

“So much can be said about a player’s talent,” Baligian said during Saturday's broadcast. “Sometimes, there’s not much said about a player’s character. The Whalers have been blessed to have so many good, young men come in here and get it – they don’t have a sense of entitlement.

“Danny could go play some place here this year, and probably score a million goals and a million assists. But you know what? He’s biding his time and he’s improving his stock. Good for him.”

And good for the Whalers.

Photo/Rena Laverty