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Thursday, May 12, 2016

MAJOR UNLV SIGNING –  DEFENSEMAN NIKLAS GIERS

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas –  UNLV coach Anthony Greener liked 6’2, 205 defenseman Niklas Giers the first time he saw him blast around the ice for the WSHL Valencia Flyers during the WSHL Showcase last December at the Las Vegas Ice Center.

Big, strong, mobile, could score. Giers was the best defenseman in the Western States Hockey League.

Today coach Greener and UNLV announced that Giers will play for UNLV this season. At the same time Greener announced two other mobile defensemen – Steve Terry and Jason Shuck – have also signed.

“We knew we needed extra depth in our defensive group,” Greener said. “So we first went looking for defensemen who could help us immediately and take a lot of pressure off of our goalie Terry Martin.”

Giers can not only play defensively, he can blast hard shots from the point area.  In three seasons with the Valencia Flyers he had 44 goals.

“You should see him wind up and fire,” Greener said.

Giers, 21, plans to major in biology and then go to UNLV’s medical school. 

The three defensemen signed today will be among a total of 12 players who UNLV plans to sign before a July 1 deadline.

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Steve Terry is 5’11, 185 and is a transfer from Williston State College. Jason Shuck is 5’10”, 180 and is a transfer from Eastern Washington University.

USHL Tri-City Storm Advances to Clark Cup Finals
May 10, 2016 –

Kearney, Neb. – The USHL Tri-City Storm slammed the Waterloo Black Hawks, 5-3, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to advance to the Clark Cup Finals for the first time since 2004 on Tuesday at the Viaero Center.

Jake Wahlin had the Storm’s last two goals and Tri-City overcame a 2-1 deficit by scoring four of the last five. Wahlin’s empty-net goal sent the home crowd into a frenzy with one minute remaining.

Brandon Duhaime finished with a goal and two points for the second straight game. Wade Allison and Max Humitz also scored. Carson Meyer and Alex Limoges each added a pair of assists.

Jake Kielly had 35 saves in the win, while Cale Morris lost with 31 saves.

Tri-City is seeking its first Clark Cup, where it matches up against Dubuque in Game 1 on Friday, May 13 at 7:35 p.m. The Fighting Saints have won the Clark Cup twice since returning to the USHL in 2010.

Tri-City changed the game with a run of three straight goals from the early second until the early third, catapulting it to a two-goal edge.

The blast came quickly once the second began. Wade Allison, from a tough angle below the right circle, sniped a shot over Cale Morris’ glove hand. Alex Limoges earned the only assist by passing to Allison up the right wing. The goal tied the game at two 48 seconds into the second.

Tri-City took its second penalty, a Dan Labosky high sticking, but a Waterloo turnover at the point resulted in a 2-on-1 and a deking goal from Brandon Duhaime to seize the Storm’s lead back, 3-2. At 3:59 of the second and shorthanded, Duhaime and Carson Meyer gained the puck and broke in. Duhaime put the puck behind Anderson’s leg, swaggered around the defenseman in front of the net, reached and lifted it over Morris’s right shoulder.

Meyer took the only helper on Duhaime’s second of the postseason. The 18-year-old Duhaime is from Parkland, Florida and has six points in the playoffs.

At 17 seconds of the third, Wahlin seized the puck from Cale Morris and shot it by the goalie at the slot for his first of the game. The forward has four goals and eight points this playoffs. Duhaime and Meyer took the helpers. Meyer has five goals and 11 points this season, most on the Storm.

Michael Davies scored for Waterloo with 2:13 left, but 1:11 later, Wahlin shot it into the empty net, sealing Waterloo’s fate.

The building rumbled with the Storm’s opening goal at 1:37 from Max Humitz on a baseball shot. The left-handed shot teed it up just outside of the crease after Walker Duehr threw it in the air net front. Joe Cipollone received the second assist.

Humitz, 20, has three goals this postseason and five career Clark Cup Playoff goals. He is the most-experienced Tri-City player, playing in 206 combined games between Lincoln, Muskegon and Tri-City.

Liam Pecararo and Collin Saccoman struck back and took the lead in a 3:05 span. Pecararo scored at 9:01 on the power play, while Saccoman blasted a slap shot from Ronnie Hein through Kielly to give Waterloo the edge.

The first two games of the Clark Cup Finals are Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 in Dubuque. The Storm is home for Game 3 at the Viaero Center on Friday, May 20 at 7:05 p.m. and Game 4, if necessary, on Saturday, May 21.

Storm postseason games can be heard on The Breeze 94.5 FM – kliqfm.com. Coverage begins 15 minutes before puck drop for games one and two with the Viaero Wireless Pregame Show.

Western Conference Finals Schedule:

#3 Waterloo Black Hawks vs. #1 Tri-City Storm

GAME 1: Friday, April 29, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) – Tri-City 4, Waterloo 0

GAME 2: Saturday, April 30, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) – Waterloo 3, Tri-City 1

GAME 3: Friday, May 6, 7:05 p.m. (Young Arena) – Tri-City 3, Waterloo 0

GAME 4: Saturday, May 7, 7:05 p.m. (Young Arena) – Waterloo 7, Tri-City 4

GAME 5: Tuesday, May 10, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) – Tri-City 5, Waterloo 3

Famous Hockey Broadcaster Arch Ecker Hired by BCHL Wenatchee Wild

Wenatchee, Washington  – The BCHL Wenatchee Wild is pleased to welcome Arch Ecker, who joins the franchise as a Sales person. Mr. Ecker will also handle Director of Media & Communications as well play-by-play radio broadcaster.

Ecker brings 20 years of experience on the mic, having called nearly 1,200 games in the NAHL, AWHL, and AFHL. Wild fans may have heard him calling games in recent years when the Wild would travel to Topeka KS, where he was the voice of the Roadrunners for 10 seasons. Prior to that, he spent four seasons with the Helena Bighorns (NAHL, AWHL) and six seasons with the Butte Irish (AWHL, AFHL).

Said Wild GM/Head coach Bliss Littler “Arch brings a wealth of experience to the Wild. He has worked almost every position in the front office over his career. On the air as a broadcaster he has turned himself into one of the best in the business. His sales skills will help drive season ticket and group sales.”

Ecker is thrilled to be returning to the northwest, and particularly the Wenatchee Valley. “I was fortunate enough to come here three times with the Roadrunners, and to see first-hand how impressive the Wild operation is run”, Ecker said. “It’s a great honor, and I’m excited to get started.” His main role will be working on group and season ticket sales. Ecker will also handle the team’s media relations along with being the Wilds play by play radio person. Ecker is expected to join the Wild the end of May.

With the restructuring of the Wilds front office look for some big news early next week. Season ticket information will be sent out next week. The Wild will be having one of their spring tryout camps this weekend in Colorado. Look for news from the camp next week also.

Since it was first posted here, ‘First Light’ has been one of the most hit, most viewed on Vegashockey.net – Terrence Fogarty is from Minnesota and is a phenominal artist – it was coach Rob Pallin, born in Minnesota, who brought him to our attention a few years ago – Lee

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2016-17 – Las Vegas Players Away From Home

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NHL

JASON ZUCKER, MINNESOTA WILD

PRO

MEGAN MYERS, BOSTON BLADES

WHL

LANDON QUINNEY, MOOSE JAW WARRIORS

NCAA

BRENDAN HARRIS, BEMIDJI STATE

MICHAEL MCNICHOLAS, NEW HAMPSHIRE

JOEY RAATS, ARIZONA STATE

JOE SULLIVAN, ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

NCAA DIVISION lll

RYAN CHIASSON, SUNY-PLATTSBURG

ACHA

HAMILTON WHYTE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

USA NATIONAL 18U TEAM

GOALIE DYLAN ST. CYR

Sunday, May 8, 2016

St. Paul, Minnesota – Jason Zucker of Las Vegas and the NHL Minnesota Wild have a new head coach.  Bruce Boudreu, let go recently by the NHL Anaheim Ducks, yesterday signed a 4-year deal to coach the Wild. Boudreau replaces interim coach John Torchetti who had a record of 15-11-1 and led the Wild to the playoffs.  Wild GM Chuck Fletcher made the announcement.

http://new.whl.ca/article/first-round-summary

Friday, May 4, 2016

CJ Stubbs, who scored 21 goals for the AAA Las Vegas Storm 18u team in 2012-13, is now playing for NCAA Division lll Morrisville State College in New York. C.J., from Pleasant Grove, Utah, is listed at 6’3 and 200. He had 6 goals, 14 assists in his freshman college season.