Friday, March 20, 2015

Prince George, BC –  Zach Pochiro of Las Vegas and the WHL Prince George Cougars need one point to clinch a spot in the WHL playoffs.  Prince George is down to its last two regular season games, both against the Kamloops Blazers who are battling to get into the playoffs as well.

Tonight, Zach and Prince George are on home ice. Prince George is at Kamloops on Saturday night.

Gage Quinney of Las Vegas and the powerful WHL Kelowna Rockets have already clinched a playoff spot.

These are the final regular season games this weekend.

USA Nationals

Salt Lake City

Olympic Oval Legacy

Tier 11 Bantam AA 14u

NEVADA STORM

Coach – Micah Sanford

Thursday, March 26 – vs Delaware Ducks

Friday, March 27 – vs Team New Mexico

Saturday, March 28 – vs Portland Hawks

Playoffs Begin

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GROUP A

JR STEELHEADS IOWA

COLUMBIA CYCLONES SOUTH CAROLINA

OKLAHOMA CITY OIL KINGS

TEAM WYOMING

GROUP B

DELAWARE DUCKS

NEVADA STORM

PORTLAND HAWKS

TEAM WYOMING

 

 

 

Wednesday, March 17, 2015

Prince George, B.C.  – Zach Pochiro of Las Vegas scored the first goal of the game – his 19th – and then closed out a 4-2 win with a late-game assist to help the WHL Prince George Cougars beat the Kamloops Blazers 4-2 before 2774 at the CN Centre. Zach was selected the Star of the Game. It was an important win for Prince George which is in a battle with Kamloops for a playoff spot. Zach this season has 19 goals, 23 assists for 42 points.

 

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Las Vegas – “We don’t print jersey #96 anymore,” UNLV defenseman and promotions guru Arturo Castro was saying last night. “Not since Greener graduated.”

Jersey #96 is the most famous jersey of all time in Las Vegas. Anthony Greener wore it for what, 4 1/2 seasons. He was UNLV captain two seasons, co-captain two seasons. He played on the top line for UNLV in every single game he ever skated for the Rebels.

And all of a sudden the Alumni Game is scheduled this Saturday night (5:45 pm) at the SoBe Arena and Greener is one of the Rebels greats invited to play.

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It’s amazing Greener is skating because the way he went out of the game – checked brutally hard when he was down and against the boards at Long Beach State three seasons ago. It was a totally unfair way to shut down one of the greatest players of our time in Las Vegas.

Greener is on a alumni roster which includes Mike Zenzola, Sam Braniff, Jordan Brusig, Todd Monteros, Doug Wenglare and Vegas Hockey.net Hall of Fame goalie Chris Tate.

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So where are Greener’s home and away UNLV #96 jerseys. Well, one is framed and hung with care on the south wall of the SoBe Ice Arena.

“I think my Mom has one, Gramps may have one,” Greener said last night. “That’s about it.”

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Greener said the best UNLV line he ever played on included the giant goal scorer Josh Jasek and Scott Rensmon.

“Jasek and I both made All-American that year. I had what, like 85 points. Another line I liked being on was with Sam Braniff and Robbie Silvernail. We had a few good combos and (coach) Rob Pallin was always good with finding the right lines and not really messing with them too much,” Greener said.

Greener’s biggest goals for UNLV?

“That’s a tough one,” he said. “Maybe scoring two goals with less than 50 seconds to play to beat Utah in their own building. Or maybe it was the breakaway winner to beat San Diego State with only a minute left. We had a alot of big goals when we were in that big unbeaten stretch on our home ice.

“So yes I will be skating in the Alumni Game. I don’t know what jersey though. I will wear whatever Arty (Arturo Castro) throws at me. I’ve been skating pretty good in town on Thursdays and Sunday nights,” Greener said.

Which brings us to Arturo Casto, the UNLV defenseman who in the fall was crushed from behind by a player from Long Beach State. Arturo had a very bad back injury and wore a neck brace at UNLV home games during the season.

But sometimes the will to play is too much.

Arturo plans to suit up and skate on Saturday night.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Las Vegas Storm Recruiting Now for the 2015-2016 Season

Head Coach Gabe Gauthier is starting recruitment early for the 2015-2016 season. After a very successful debut in the Western States Hockey League it is now time to build on the team’s accomplishments in pursuit of another playoff berth.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Las Vegas – Hockey dad Tommy Ricketts of Las Vegas has been in and out of hospitals for what, a few years or so. He doesn’t deserve – no one does – all of the medical stuff going on. But he got out this past weekend to be with his daughter Tulsa Rene who was getting married over at a beautiful church on West Alexander on Saturday evening.

Tulsa Rene and groom Brian were the stars of the show. Beau Ricketts, the star of the WSHL Las Vegas Storm hockey club, and sister Chy Anne sat with their father. Mom Charla was attending to things do at a daughter’s wedding.

“Do you remember writing about me and my dad,” a girl asked there.

I forgot, then it all came flashing back…

Kendall Galor. She was the little girl who used to skate years ago with her hockey dad Oren over at Crystal Palace Roller Rink.

Except, she’s not a little girl anymore.

“Senior at UNLV. Dad and I are now partners in our business, Nevada Insurance Connection,” she said.

Over to our left was roller star Adam Tamura.

We told him he was a great player, always enjoyed watching him skate.

He smiled, said thank you and then moved on.

Then at our table – and I didn’t start it, I don’t think, hockey talk got underway.

Tommy said Beau’s first hockey coach was Joe Raats. Beau was a mini mite. It was Joe who taught how to chip a puck off the sideboard to get the puck past a defenseman.

Then there was the story about Rob Pallin.

“Rob used to stack these plastic boxes – blue, green, yellow – on the ice. Beau was nine or 10 years old. He had to use his backhand the puck over top of the boxes. When Beau did, Rob would reconfigure the plastic boxes,” Tommy said.

Tommy took a sip of a cold purple drink. On the floor daughter Tulsa Rene was dancing with her new husband Brian.

Tommy said he didn’t feel all that well tonight, but said he had to be here.

We all nodded yes.

Beau spoke about a team being closer on the junior level than on the midget level.

“First of all with the Storm we practiced every day,” he said. “We had great coaches. (Coach) Gabe Gauthier knows the game. Great coach. So was my coach at Helena, Scott Cunningham. One time between periods we were losing and Scott fired off his hockey board – like a clipboard – and it got stuck in something. It was something to see actually.”

We all laughed quietly. 

Then it was Time.

Time for Tommy to go to the center of the ballroom floor and dance with his daughter Tulsa Rene.

Tommy got to his feet, Beau was next to him.

The lights dimmed.

Tulsa Rene was a radiant bride, waiting for her father.

It was something to see.

And for all of the loving eyes watching them dance together on a ballroom floor…

It was unforgettable and all of this were really…

Precious moments.

 

 

 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Anchorage – Chris Francis of Las Vegas scored his 20th goal, added an assist and was plus-5 on the ice for the ECHL Alaska Aces in a 6-2 win over the Colorado Eagles before 5261 at Sullivan Arena. Chris is now +15 on the ice with the Aces. He has 76 career goals in the ECHL, the most in a single season for him was 21 in 2012-13 with the Las Vegas Wranglers.