THE UNSTOPPABLE JOHNNIE GOLD

– DRAWN BY HOCKEY ARTIST GUNNAR ROKSVOLD, AGE 11, LAS VEGAS 

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JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, THE UNSTOPPABLE JOHNNIE GOLD

By Lee Samuels and Mary Cate Zurfluh

Writing is underway for our annual Christmas story. This one features a Las Vegas team which has to deal with an unstoppable goal scoring force in Johnnie Gold. His stick is pure gold, he wears blue-tinted gold rimmed sunglasses when he plays, he thinks he’s the best there is. And he’s from LA. Johnnie doesn’t skate alone on the ice. When he skates toward the net he is led by his two enforcers Kronk and Fields.

The setting is a snowy Christmas week in the annual holiday tournament in Vancouver. It will be a must read story which will feature many of our hometown hockey folks who will be at this gold medal game.

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS – THE UNSTOPPABLE JOHNNIE GOLD

Hometown characters in this story will include

Coach Rob

GM Pete Trimboli

Super Scout Tommy Ricketts

Athletic Trainer Kendall Galor

Team Dad – Gramps – grandfather of Anthony Greener, UNLV head coach

Referees – Wally Lacroix, Adam Hendren

Peppers the Zamboni driver

Las Vegas goalie – Ryan Zurfluh

Johnnie Gold artist – Gunnar Roksvold, age 11, is our artist

Cheerleader captain – Emily Charlotte Pallin

Vegashockey.net writer at the game – Miss Leah Zurfluh, her first time writing a hockey story about the biggest game of all.

This story is dedicated to the late Dave Francis, the kind, caring gatekeeper at the SoBe Ice Arena Pro Shop. He will never be forgotten. Dave’s son is Chris Francis, the great Las Vegas goal scorer. And a dedication goes to our dear hockey son, Eddie Samuels who gave it all he had in every game he played.

Lee Samuels is the author of these holiday stories on Vegashockey.net

THE KID WHO NEVER SCORED A GOAL

https://vegashockey.net//?s=the+kid+who+never+scored+a+goal&search=Go

THE COACH WHO BELIEVED IN SANTA

https://vegashockey.net//?s=the+Coach+who+believed+in+Santa&search=Go

Lee and daughter Mary Cate Zurfluh are the authors of…

MIRACLE AT THE SOBE ICE ARENA FEATURING THE THOMPSON TWINS

https://vegashockey.net//?s=miracle+at+the+arena&search=Go

Mary Cate Zurfluh is the author of children’s books including…

FLASH THE CAT

Goal Scorers for Las Vegas players away from home 2017-18

Goals

9 – AIDAN MCNABB, AAA CALIFORNIA TITANS 18U

7 – ZACH POCHIRO, ECHL ALLEN AMERICANS 

6 – ASH PRINTZEN, AAA DETROIT BELLE TIRE GIRLS 16U

5 – ERIC ATCHISON, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 16U

5 – MICHAEL CICHY, USPHL WISCONSIN MUSKIES

5 – CORY WARD, ECHL MANCHESTER MONARCHS

4 – GAGE QUINNEY, AHL WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

3 – HAYDEN KNIGHT, USPHL HAMPTON ROADS WHALES 

3 – JOE SULLIVAN, NCAA ST LAWRENCE 

3 – CAMERON ZUCKER, NA3HL LANSING WOLVES

2  – VITO CARLO, NA3HL ATLANTA CAPITALS

2 – MICHAEL MCNICHOLAS, NCAA NEW HAMPSHIRE

2 – DEREK SUTLIFFE, SPHL MISSISSIPI RIVERKINGS

2 – LANDON QUINNEY, QMJHL ST. JOHN’S SEADOGS

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1 – HUNTER BARTO, AAA EAST COAST SPARTANS 18U

1 – BRENDEN FEHLIG, NA3HL LANSING WOLVES

1 – BRENDAN HARRIS, NCAA BEMIDJI STATE

1 – MEGAN MYERS, BOSTON BLADES

1 – CODY PRINTZEN, WSHL FRESNO MONSTERS 

1 – JOEY RAATS, NCAA ARIZONA STATE

1 – BRYCE REDDICK, EIHL CARDIFF DEVILS

1 – ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 18U

LAS VEGAS GOALIES

ANTHONY BONALDI, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 16U – Three games, 2.33 gaa, 92.7% save percentage

LUKE FUNDATOR, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 15U – 2-2-0, 1.97 GAA, 91.9% SAVE PERCENTAGE

To contribute here, send to leesamuels07@aol.com

https://twitter.com/Jason_Zucker16?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Sunday, October 29, 2017

“Beating an established D1 program like Iowa State that has won a national championship, is ranked in the ACHA D1 Top 15, is a huge marker for where our UNLV hockey program is headed. We know where we belong. We have also beaten Colorado which is ranked #4 and who beat #1 ranked Minot this weekend.”

— Zee Khan, GM, UNLV Rebels

Sunday, October 29, 2017

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas – A big crowd crammed in and the Wally Lacroix-coached AA Jr Vegas Golden Knights bantam team performed bigtime in a 7-1 win over AA Arvada of Colorado to win a Can/Am Tournament gold medal at the City National Arena on Sunday.

And that makes it two gold medals and a silver in tournaments this season for this very skilled Vegas Jr Knights bantam team which skates hard, can hit when needed and has smart forwards who have the skill level to be very tricky in front of enemy nets. They make goal scoring look easy which is a mark of a great team.

In order Las Vegas this weekend beat the Phoenix Jr Coyotes 12-1 Arizona Mission 7-1, Arvada 4-0 and then worked to a six-goal 7-1 win again over Arvada in the gold medal game.

Las Vegas is 14-2 overall. This Vegas Jr Knights bantam team practices at the SoBe Ice Arena on North Rancho Drive. Wally Lacroix has coached a number of youth hockey teams here in town and this one is special….in a special sort of way.

“This team reminds me of the Jason Zucker team we had here years ago in town,” said Wally, who was Jason’s last youth hockey coach in Las Vegas.  Wally ticked off names of Jason’s teammates including Kris Carter that year. Jason was 14 1/2 playing on a AAA Nevada Storm 16u team at the Las Vegas Ice Center.

Zackary Ortolano is the goalie for the AA Jr Golden Knights bantam team. Zackary is a young premier skilled goalie who makes the big stops. The top goal scorers on Sunday included Andrew Lackas, John Purdy, Tony Mazza, Heath Mensch, William Jacob and Ian Williams. Dominic Suhr, listed at 6′ 4 1/2″, is an imposing defenseman.

Lacroix has a unique style of coaching. Every drill at practice involves skating. After a drill is complete, the skaters do a hot lap around the ice, then go to center ice and do pushups.

And why do all of that?

“I think we become closer as a team – all of us. That’s why we do it,” he said, smiling.

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From the Blue Line – This AA Jr Vegas Jr Knights team has a lot of energy and when a team like Arvada wants to check – which they did after falling behind by several goals – the Vegas players will fire off hard checks as well….There were an amazing number of fans at the gold medal game…Former UNLV coach JJ Hartman was at the boards. He is helping with the Jr Golden Knights peewee level team… The Arvada team parents said it is an 11-hour drive to get home. Most were taking evening flights to Denver….Las Vegas hockey Dad Pete Ward, whose son Cory skates for the ECHL Manchester Monarchs, was at the game near the north net area. Pete and his father Ivan are working on scheduling a trip to see Cory in New Hampshire….Cory was a big goal scoring star here in Las Vegas…There was tremendous buzz about a scrimmage game set for Monday – the Frank Salido coached AA Jr Golden Knights 16u team vs the Vegas Jr Golden Knights High School Team…..There was rinkboard talk too about a major signing – soon to be announced – involving a very popular Las Vegas skater here in town.

Official Scoring –  AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 7, AA Arvada 1

Las Vegas goal scorers in order

Las Vegas – Andrew Lackas – tremendous young player particularly around the net area

Las Vegas – William Jacob

Las Vegas – John Purdy

Las Vegas – Ian Williams

Las Vegas – John Purdy

Las Vegas – Tony Mazza

Las Vegas – Heath Mensch

Las Vegas goalie – Zackary Ortolano – highly skilled, makes the big saves, outstanding goalie

Weekend goals for Las Vegas – Heath Mensch 6 goals, Andrew Lackas 5, William Jacob 5, Tony Mazza 3, John Purdy 3, Harrison Whissel 2, Ian Williams 2, Dominic DiTondo 1

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Madison, Wisconsin – Joe Sullivan of Las Vegas had two assists for winless St Lawrence University which totally shocked 5th ranked Wisconsin 6-3 here at the Kohl Center. Joe had two assists including one on the game-winning goal.  St Lawrence was 0-7-0 going into this game. Wisconsin was 6-2. Wisconsin, down two goals late, pulled its goalie with three minutes to play.  Wisconsin had more shots 37-13. The crowd was 9168. St Lawrence coach Mark Morris said “we seemed to get stronger as the game went on..never seen anything like this.” It was a historic win for St Lawrence. Wisconsin is 13-3-1 overall vs St Lawrence. Sullivan and St Lawrence go into their ECAC league games beginning next weekend.

Burlington, Vermont – Michael McNicholas of Las Vegas scored for 14th ranked New Hampshire University in a wild 4-4 tie with Vermont here at the Gutterson Field House. It was Michael’s second goal this season. He has two goals, six assists for eight points.

Detroit – Ash Printzen of Las Vegas and AAA Detroit Belle Tire girls 16u team closed out the weekend  2 Nations Tournament with a 2-1 win over Saugeen Maitland, a 3-0- loss to Brampton on Saturday followed by 3-1 win over Brantford on Sunday at the Kennedy Ice Arena. Ash has six goals this season. She and Zach Pochiro of the ECHL Allen Americans have the most goals among all Las Vegas players away from home this season.

Ames, Iowa – UNLV won one of its greatest games – if not the greatest in program history – by 2-1 when Kameron Fink of UNLV scored in the 5th round of an OT/Shootout to beat 12th-ranked ACHA D1 Iowa State at the ISU Atena on Saturday night. Kameron fired a snapshot through the five-hole of the Iowa State goalie.  

UNLV goalie Ben Giesbrecht stopped five OT/Shootout attempts by Iowa State – this is a massive win for UNLV on Iowa States home ice.

Kameron, 21, is a freshman at UNLV. Last season he was a 31-goal scorer for the Steamboat Wranglers in the Rocky Mountain Jr Hockey League. He is from Aurora, Colorado. In this game Kameron started on the top line with Elijiah Barriga and Jake Saxe.

UNLV 1st Goal  – Chase Torontow from Elijiah Barriga in second period

UNLV Rebels head coach Anthony Greener said “huge win for us tonight but we are going to get a bigger win in two weeks”

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Preview Story 

Saturday, October 28, 2017

By Lee Samuels

Ames, Iowa – No one said it would be easy on the road, particuarly for the UNLV Rebels who have 16 freshmen on their roster.

UNLV had a tough loss 5-3 to Iowa State here on Friday night. For tonight’s game UNLV head coach Anthony Greener reworked some lines and added ….”Iowa State last night was what we expected – not as skilled as us but they worked hard. We need to win those battles tonight – play with urgency at all times.”

The Rebels, 7-4-0 overall and ranked #14 in ACHA D1, will again start star goalie Ben Giesbrecht in the net here at the ISU Ice Arena. Iowa State, which has been playing in high-tension low-scoring games all season, is 9-2-0 overall and ranked #12. On home ice Iowa State is 7-1-0,  scoring 33 goals and allowing only 13 goals.

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Faceoff tonight will be 7:30 pm local time.

UNLV’s starting lines:

Kameron Fink, Elijiah Barriga, Jake Saxe

Sheldon Brett, Joseph Kaszupski, John D’Andre

Cody Williams, Jonah Pearson, Tristan Mayer

Zach Lawson, PJ Silvera, Viktor Brask

Defense

Bas Assaf, Jake Kearley (one of the best defensemen in Rebels history)

Jonas Gordon, Chase Torontow (hard-checking defenseman)

Trevor Ruiz, Sean Plonski, Connor Hetzel

Goalies

Ben Giesbrecht

Alex Feese

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Since ACHA D1 Williston State left Las Vegas last Tuesday night they lost to Utah State 5-2, then beat San Jose State 9-1. Williston is on a 9 games in 12 days road trip. They play NAU tonight in Prescott.

THE VEGAS FIVE

Top Five goal scorers from Las Vegas players away from home 2017-18

Goals

6 – ZACH POCHIRO, ECHL ALLEN AMERICANS 

6 – ASH PRINTZEN, AAA DETROIT BELL TIRE GIRLS 16U

3 – GAGE QUINNEY, AHL WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

3 – CORY WARD, ECHL MANCHESTER MONARCHS 

3 – CAMERON ZUCKER, NA3HL LANSING WOLVES

Ames, Iowa – In a wild finish UNLV scored two dramatic third period goals but two empty net goals clinched a 5-3 win for Iowa State here at the ISU Ice Arena on Friday night. Elijiah Barriga, Viktor Brask and Las Vegas hometown goal scorer Cody Williams had goals for the Rebels

After the game Iowa State tweeted UNLV had more shots 52-31 and won more faceoffs 38-32. Iowa State is now 9-2-0, UNLV – in its first season in ACHA D1 – is 7-4-0.

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Before the game…

— UNLV’s starting lineup has been announced 

—  Line One – Elijiah Barriga, Jake Saxe, Viktor Brask

—  Defense – Jake Kearley, Bas Assaf

—  Goalie – Ben Giesbrecht 

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Friday, October 27, 2017

Ames, Iowa – In a Battle of ACHA D1 Top 20 ranked teams, the UNLV Rebels will take on Iowa State tonight – Friday – at the ISU Ice Arena. Iowa State is ranked #12, UNLV is #14.

Iowa State is 7-2-0 overall which includes their 6-1-0 record on home ice. Iowa State has been in primarily low scoring games so far this season. Game time here is 7:30 pm local time – 5:30 pm pacific

Here are the weekend Las Vegas goal scorers

Goals

1 – Elijiah Barriga, UNLV

1 – Viktor Brask, UNLV

1 – Kameron Fink, UNLV

1 – Michael McNicholas, New Hampshire University 

1 – Zach Pochiro, ECHL Allen Americans

1 – Ash Printzen, AAA Detroit Belle Tire girls 16u

1 – Chase Torontow, UNLV

1 – Cody Williams, UNLV