NARCh News,
April is a very busy time of year for NARCh with 5 tournaments in the next 4 weekends!

We start April off with Huntington Beach this weekend which should be a blast. It’s always nice to have a prep tourney at the place we’re hosting the NARCh FINALS to make sure we are fully prepared with all of the little details for the main event. It’s our first look at a lot of teams post-ice, and we’re excited to put on a great show this weekend.

Next weekend we head to Raleigh, NC to the newly named XL Sportsworld, formerly Dreamsports. It’s going to be a great tournament with a mix of teams you don’t usually see for a qualifier there. The Gladiators, Lizard Kings, and Bulldogs are making the trip from Georgia. The Patriots and Rattlers are coming in from Virginia. We even have 3 teams from the Cayman Islands making the journey, so it’s going to be a fun one! Look for that schedule to be released this Fri/Sat.

April 15th-17th we head to Hotshots in PA. Registrations are a little slow for that event right now and we’re only a few weeks out, so if you plan to attend please get registered ASAP!

April 21st-24th we head to Irvine, CA for our largest qualifier of the year, hands down. We predict over 100 teams will be participating with over 20 teams already registered from outside of So Cal. If you’re not registered by April 5th there’s a good chance you won’t get in. The tournament will start Thursday afternoon for some of the local teams, and as early as first light Friday Morning for those traveling in from out of town.

April 30th-1st is a double whammy for us with two tournaments at Matteson Square Garden in MO and Skate Safe America on Long Island. If you plan to attend either of these events please make sure to be registered by April 10th!

For the rest of the regional schedule click on NARCh Events.

Many people have questions about the FINALS, especially dates. The block dates and hotel information can be found at: Finals Info.

It’s going to be a great 4 months of NARCh Hockey and you definitely don’t want to miss out. We hope to see you at one of our events soon!

NARCh Staff

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Kamloops BC – Gage Quinney of Las Vegas had one goal, two assists to help the WHL Kamloops Blazers beat the defending champions WHL Kelowna Rockets 5-1 in a big playoff game before 3907 at the Sandman Centre.

In the four playoff games in this series Gage has 2 goals, 5 assists for 7 points. For the season he has 31 goals, 33 assists for 64 points.

This riveting Best of Seven series is tied 2-2. Game Five will be at Kelowna on Friday night.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Charlotte, N.C.  – The AA Nevada Storm Bantam 14u team takes on the Arizona Hockey Union Silver team to open play here at the U.S Nationals at the Extreme Ice Center on Thursday.

The Storm is coached by Matt Johnson. Top players include Vegas Hockey Players of the Year Braden Laplaca, Tucker Norman, Vegas Hockey Defenseman of the Year John Hallet and Vegas Hockey Goalie of the Year Luke Fundator. Joseph Terrana was named ‘All Heart’ in the Vegas Hockey awards. Hunter Barto is a top, skilled player as is Jacob Underhill and Noah Mcanallen.

The Storm had a season record of 16-14-3 according to statistics at Myhockey.com.

Here is the Nevada Storm schedule at the U.S. Nationals.

Thursday, March 31 – vs Arizona Hockey Union Silver

Friday, April 1 – vs Montana Thunderblades

Saturday, April 2 – vs New Hampshire Jr Monarchs

Sunday, April 3 – Playoffs

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Kamloops BC – It was super tight the entire game as Gage Quinney of the Las Vegas and the WHL Kamloops Blazers lost 1-0 to the defending champions WHL Kelowna Rockets before 3401 at the Kamloops Memorial Arena. The Kelowna Rockets lead the Best of Seven, 2-1.

All three games in this playoff series have been decided by one goal:

Kelowna Rockets 3-2

Kamloops Blazers 5-4

Kelowna Rockets 1-0

Moose Jaw SK – Landon Quinney of Las Vegas and the WHL Moose Jaw Warrior rocked to a 7-0 win over the WHL Prince Albert Raiders in a playoff game before 3289 at Mosaic Place. Moose Jaw had more shots 36-26. Moose Jaw leads the Best Seven, three games to one.

“We leave tomorrow morning at 6 am. Our first game at the U.S. Nationals in New Jersey will be on Thursday, 6:30 pm. We have been looking good in practice for about the last week. Hopefully the boys are ready to go when they drop the puck and we can take a run at a National Championship.”

— Micah Sanford, head coach, AA Nevada Storm 16u

Monday, March 28, 2016

Moose Jaw SK –  Landon Quinney of Las Vegas and the WHL Moose Jaw Warriors were in a tight playoff game for two periods then the WHL Prince Albert Raiders scored 4 times to win 7-3 before 3289 at the Mosiac Place. Moose Jaw, which won two road playoff games during the weekend, leads the Best of Seven 2-1. Outside the glass rink doors it was a cold, gusty night with temperatures in the low 40s.

Here are the leading searches and views for Saturday, April 9

#1 COACH MATT JOHNSON SIZES UP THE SEASON FOR NEVADA STORM BANTAMS 14U; #2 CORY WARD, AHL ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS; #3 LANDON QUINNEY, WHL MOOSE JAW WARRIORS; #4 STEVEN AVALONE, AA NEVADA STORM 16U; #5 GOALIE LUKE FUNDATOR, NEVADA STORM 14U; #6 HAYDEN, TAYLOR KNIGHT, ASPEN LEAFS; #7 VITO CARLO; #8 JAKE MCKENNA, WSHL LAS VEGAS STORM; #9 ASHLEY PRINTZEN; #10 MEGAN MYERS; #11 WALLY LACROIX; #12 BEAU RICKETTS; #13 HOLIDAY CLASSIC STORY — THE KID WHO NEVER SCORED A GOAL

Coach Matt Johnson’s thoughtful recap of the phenominal season of the Nevada Storm Bantams 14u is the leader of the pack for the fourth straight day..Beau Ricketts, who had an awesome season for the WSHL Las Vegas Storm two seasons ago, is in town this weekend for his sister’s wedding….The holiday classic story The Kid Who Never Scored a Goal was written and posted here a few years ago. You will recognize quite a few local hockey folks in the opening scene.

Today’s readers are from all parts of the USA and Canada

LAS VEGAS GOAL KINGS -2015-16

40 – BRYDEN MARSH, UNLV

39 – CODY WILLIAMS, UNLV

35 – ZACH MCCLENAHAN, AA NEVADA STORM 16U

33 – GAGE QUINNEY, WHL KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

31 – VINCENT DEKUMBUS, WSHL LAS VEGAS STORM

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Kelowna BC –  Gage Quinney of Las Vegas led a 4-goal rally in the third period including two goals in the last 31 seconds of the game to help the WHL Kamloops Blazers shock the defending WHL champions Kelowna Rockets 5-4 before 5629 at the Prospera Place. Kamloops beat writer Gregg Drinnan wrote “...just the way the Blazers drew it up — except not really. Kamloops refused to lose.”

Gage had two assists including one on a goal with less than a minute to play. The win evened the big Best of Seven series 1-1.  Gage in playoff action now has 1 goal, 3 assists. For the season he has 30 goals, 31 assists for 61 points.

Game Three of this series will be at Kamloops on Tuesday night.

Toronto – Before a massive crowd of 15,364 Cory Ward of Las Vegas and the AHL St. John’s Icecaps lost 5-3 to the first place Toronto Marlies at the Air Canada Centre. The Marlies are the top team in the AHL with a record of 47-15-5.

Prince Albert, SK –  Landon Quinney of Las Vegas and the WHL Moose Jaw Warriors bolted to an early three-goal lead to beat the Prince Albert Raiders 4-2 at the Art Hauser Centre.  Moose Jaw leads the Best of Seven series with back to back road wins, 2-0. 

It was a frosty 36-degrees outside the arena when the game got underway.

Columbus, Ga. – Chris Rial of Las Vegas had an assist on the first goal of the game for the SPHL Columbus Cottonmouths in a 4-3 loss to the Knoxville Ice Bears before 2538 at the Columbus Civic Center. Chris has 13 goals, 7 assists this season.

Valencia, Ca. – The WSHL Long Beach Bombers eliminated the top Western team WSHL Valencia Flyers 4-3 in OT at the Ice Station on Saturday night.  Long Beach defeated Valencia here 2-0 on Friday night. In the previous weekend Long Beach eliminated the Fresno Monsters, 2-0, 7-0.  The WSHL playoffs are down to the Final 4 teams.

Bryce Dale Steps Down after 6 Seasons Behind the Bench

To All Fresno Monster Fans,

It has been both an honor and a privilege to have been the second coach of the Fresno Monsters and to have had the opportunity to coach in the city that call my hometown. For me to write this letter as the second coach of this team means that I have been fortunate to have been part of an amazing experience here in Fresno, and I am extremely humbled and grateful to have been allowed to be in this position.

Although we have experienced a record of 324-22-22 with three Western Division Championships in 6 years, our record has continued to be an afterthought for myself along with the banners that continue to sit behind my office door. In junior hockey, the goal is to win. However, it is my contention that there is a greater purpose here in Fresno. That greater purpose is to emphasize the team over the individual while helping our players move on to play college & professional hockey. Championships are won by teams that love each another, who enjoy and respect each another, and who play for and support each other.

It has been important to us, and it has been an obligation to teach these young men the lessons, principles, and life skills they need once they are done playing the game. The values of honesty, dedication, hard work, integrity, and service to the community have been the things that we’ve taken pride in teaching them along with the game of hockey. Our intentions when we started were not to create winners on the ice, but better yet, winners in life. We tried to develop the character of each man that walked through our doors and mold them into people of character that everyone can be proud of. The source of drive for me has been when our players reach back out and thank us for becoming a better man, better son, and better teammate because they were a Fresno Monster.

I want to thank the greatest fans in the Western States Hockey League, which is the entire community of Fresno. We have the best fans in the entire league, and putting together a team that you will be proud of will be one of the things I miss the most. Despite playing in the coldest rink in the state with limited or no seating, you still come out every night to support our players and cheer them on as if they were one of your own. You have all been truly been amazing.

I would like to thank our assistant coaches Jason, Zach, Steve, and Brian for their amazing support and dedication to our players and their development. I am proud to say that I have been able to work next to some of the hardest working and honest people I know and I am truly humbled to have been a part of their lives. To James and all of our off ice volunteers – you are all the best group that anybody could ever ask for and the absolute difference in what sets our organization apart from the rest. To David & Lisa, I want to thank you for your unwavering support of our team and allowing me to have the responsibility to represent the both of you and our organization to the hockey world and the community of Fresno.

I would love to thank my family and my wonderful wife-to-be, Callie, for their support and the sacrifices that they made to allow me to serve in my position. I am excited for the future of hockey in Fresno and have one hundred percent confidence that the team will achieve higher goals than ever before. Although I will not be watching any more games from behind the bench, I want you all to know that I will always bleed green as the Monsters will always be near and dear to my heart.

Humbly Yours,

Bryce Dale