Monday, December 31, 2018

Manchester, N.H. – Cory Ward’s 9th goal of the season was a dramatic one. Cory, from Las Vegas, had a late-game goal to help the ECHL Manchester Monarchs beat the Maine Mariners 3-2 in a New Year’s Eve game at the SNHU Arena. Cory is plus 9 on the ice this season for Manchester. 

Michael McNicholas of Las Vegas had an assist for the Mariners. Michael has 11 goals, 18 assists this season. Outside the arena tonight it was a freezing 17 degrees during the game.

New Year’s Eve 2018

By Lee Samuels

Thank you – Thank you.

There are a record-breaking number of readers today on Vegas Hockey mostly from the USA, Canada and including Austria, Ireland, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to take a look at the 2018 Vegas Hockey Awards leading story today. This has been a great year on our hometown hockey website. We want to thank our star writer Bethany Drysdale and all of those who have contributed throughout the year.

Jason Zucker (16) grew up in Las Vegas and played in youth ice hockey at the Las Vegas Ice Center and was a star roller hockey player here in town as well. Jason is now a star player for the NHL Minnesota Wild. Jason has been voted the Vegas Hockey Player of the Year for a record 12th straight time. Jason Zucker’s banner hangs proudly at two ice rinks in town – the Las Vegas Ice Center and at the SoBe Ice Center. Don’t worry – Jason skated out of this tough situation he was dealing with in a NHL game.

2018 VEGAS HOCKEY AWARDS

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JASON ZUCKER PLAYER OF THE YEAR 12TH STRAIGHT TIME;

ANTHONY GREENER, WALLY LACROIX COACHES OF THE YEAR

ZEE KHAN BEST GM; KENDELL GALOR BEST PERSON IN LV HOCKEY

CODY WILLIAMS, ERIC WILLIAMS, BEN GIESBRECHT GET MAJOR AWARDS

RYAN TOWNSEND BEST REFEREE; CITY NATIONAL BEST ARENA

By Lee Samuels

Our Vegas Hockey readers have made their choices and for the 12th straight time Jason Zucker, who grew up playing ice hockey and roller hockey here in town – and is a star player for the NHL Minnesota Wild – is the Vegas Hockey Player of the Year.

Jason last played in Las Vegas at the age of 14 when he was on an AAA Las Vegas Storm 16u team coached by Wally Lacroix at the Las Vegas Ice Center. Jason has been a dynamite goal scoring force on every level he has played.

Jason from Minnesota said “It is a honor to be the Vegas Hockey Player for the 12th straight year. Vegas continues to produce great hockey players. I will always thrive to help the Vegas hockey community grow and become an amazing hockey market. Thank you to all who voted for me.”

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Our readers voted for Anthony Greener, head coach of the UNLV Rebels, and Wally LaCroix, head coach of the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u as the Best Las Vegas Coaches of the Year.

Greener, a captain and a top line player when he skated for UNLV, as a head coach has help lift the the Rebels to a competitive force on the ACHA D1 level. He is a repeat winner as the Vegas Hockey Coach of the Year.

“It’s a honor to be called the best coach in Las Vegas,” Greener said. There are a lot of coaches in town who give it their all for the kids and our community. For me it would be surreal to win this award again but it could not have been done without my entire staff. They have helped so much in recruiting areas. Landing the players we did was a group effort and we will continue to do it that way.”

Zee Khan, GM of the Year with the UNLV Rebels said “it is a honor to be recognized by the Las Vegas Hockey Community for all of our efforts throughout the year, growing, not only for our brand but for the sport of hockey.

“It has always been an our goal to have more kids get to the sport of hockey and also give high level players from all over the world an opportunity playing hockey at the highest level. Between Anthony, Nick, Arturo and myself we set our goals high. Transitioning from a D2 program, and becoming a perennial power D1 program required a lot of sacrifices from all of our staff and full committment from the players we being in each year. It is a privilege to be able to work in the sport of hockey each day. We are a family inside of our locker room. We have some big goals for the remainder of the 2018-19 season,” Zee said.

Lacroix is a coach of an AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u which has been playing at a high level all season at the SoBe Ice Arena.

“We are still in the learning phase with our team but I must say I am pleased with our progress so far. There is a long way to go into this season but we’ve been on a fun ride with great young men on the ice for our team,” LaCroix said.

Kendell Galor, the athletic trainer for the NHL Vegas Golden Knights and the UNLV Rebels, is the 2018 Vegas Hockey Person of the Year. In her quiet, unique way she is the best there is trying to help players of all ages in game situations or off the ice physical rehabilitation. Her father is Oren Galor, the legend roller hockey coach here in Las Vegas 

For the first time two brothers — JJ Wiliamson of the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u and Micah Williamson of the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u – are receiving Best Players awards. Both are dynamic, high action players

Jimmy Samuels, who grew up playing ice and roller in Las Vegas, is now the president of hockey at Kansas University which for the first time ever is ranked #1 ACHA D3 Pacific Divison. Their big rivals include Arkansas, Air Force, Nebraska and Creighton

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2018 VEGAS HOCKEY AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR – JASON ZUCKER, NHL MINNNESOTA WILD

BEST COACHES – ANTHONY GREENER, UNLV AND WALLY LACROIX, AA VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 16U

VEGAS HOCKEY PERSON OF THE YEAR – KENDELL GALOR, ATHLETIC TRAINER FOR NHL VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND UNLV REBELS

BEST INTERNATIONAL COACH

ROB PALLIN, HC TWK INNSBRUCK AUSTRIA

BEST EXEC

JIMMY SAMUELS, PRESIDENT OF #1 RANKED KANSAS UNIVERSITY ACHA D3

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BEST AHL PLAYER

GAGE QUINNEY, CHICAGO WOLVES

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS

BRYCE REDDICK, CARDIFF DEVILS

CHRIS FRANCIS, SAALE BULLS HALLE, GERMANY

BEAU MCCUE, UNIVERSITY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

 

BEST ECHL PLAYERS 

ZACH POCHIRO, ALLEN AMERICANS – TEXAS

CORY WARD, MANCHESTER MONARCHS

MICHAEL MCNICHOLAS, MAINE MARINERS

JOE SULLIVAN, MANCESTER MONARCHS

 

BEST PLAYER – SOUTHERN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

DEREK SUTLIFFE, MACON MAYHEM

 

BEST NCAA PLAYERS

DOM GARCIA, NCAA ARIZONA STATE

BRENDEN HARRIS, NCAA BEMIDJI STATE

 

BEST WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE (WHL)

ERIK ATCHISON, SPOKANE CHIEFS

 

BEST WSHL

ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ, LONG BEACH BOMBERS

 

BEST IN CANADA

STEVEN AVALONE, KINDERSLY KLIPPERS

LANDON QUINNEY, MJAHL VALLEY WARRIORS

 

BEST NAHL PLAYER

BRENDEN FEHLIG, COLLEGE STATION SPIRIT – TEXAS

 

BEST NA3HL PLAYERS

VITO CARLO, ATLANTA CAPITALS

BRYCE GOULD, BUTTE COBRAS

GUNNER MOORE, ATLANTA CAPITALS

CALEB DAY, GILLETTE WILD – WYOMING

 

BEST NA3HL ROOKIE DEFENSEMAN

DANIEL RAMOS, GILLETTE WILD – WYOMING

 

BEST VEGAS JESTERS

BEST FORWARD – MICHAEL CICHY

BEST DEFENSEMAN – RICHIE CROSSLEY

 

BEST WSHL LAS STORM ALUM STILL ACTIVE

VINCENT DEKUMBIS, NCAA LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

 

BEST LAS VEGAS ROLLER PLAYER

CODY PRINTZEN

 

BEST GIRLS PLAYERS

ASH PRINTZEN, AAA DETROIT HONEYBANKED 19U

GIA AVALONE, AAA ANAHEIM JR DUCKS 16U

 

UNLV AWARDS

BEST HEAD COACH – ANTHONY GREENER

BEST ASSISTANT COACH – NICK ROBONE

BEST GM – ZEE KHAN

BEST PLAYER – CODY WILLIAMS

BEST DEFENSEMAN – ERIC WILLIAMS

BEST GOALIE – BEN GIESBRECHT

 

BEST AAA PLAYERS

JERRETT OVERLAND, AAA ANAHEIM JR DUCKS 18U

ANTHONY BONALDI, GOALIE, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 18U

LUKE FUNDATOR, GOALIE, AAA ARIZONA BOBCATS 16U

 

AA VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 16U AWARDS

BEST PLAYERS –  JJ WILLIAMSON, IAN WILLIAMS

BEST DEFENSEMAN – TRENT CARTER

ALL HEART – TRISTAN NELSON

BEST GOALIES – ZACKARY ORTOLANO, COLTON MILLER 

 

AA VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS BANTAMS 14U

BEST COACH – MATT JOHNSON – DYNAMIC TEACHER OF THE GAME

BEST PLAYER – MICAH WILLIAMSON

BEST DEFENSEMAN – MYKAH CARTER

 

NATIONALLY RANKED AA VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS PEE WEE 12U

BEST COACH – KEVIN MULCAHEY WITH BO LACKAS, RYAN CRAIG

BEST PLAYER – CHAYSE LAURIE

BEST DEFENSEMAN – TREVOR ABELE

BEST GOALIE – LOGAN PEREZ

 

VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS D2 HIGH SCHOOL TEAM

BEST PLAYER – CAMERON ZUCKER

BEST DEFENSEMAN – ROBERT PURDY

BEST GOALIE – ROCKY PINTO

 

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY

BEST COACH – POKEY REDDICK – A LEGEND

BEST FORWARDS – HUNTER KEECH, MATTY JOHNSON, NOAH MCANALLEN

BEST DEFENSEMEN – TUCKER SMITH, DAVID FADELL, ANDREW THORNTON

BEST GOALIES – JAMES BRENDEN, ZACKARY ORTOLANO

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BEST LAS VEGAS REFEREE

RYAN TOWNSEND

BEST MEN’S LEAGUE PLAYER

JASON ALLEN

BEST SUMMERTIME HOCKEY SHOWCASE

ROY HENDERSON’S GLOBAL SHOWCASE AT LAS VEGAS ICE CENTER – WINNER MULTIPLE TIMES – HAS HELPED AN AWESOME NUMBER OF PLAYERS LAND SPOTS ON JUNIOR LEVEL AND COLLEGE TEAMS

BEST HOCKEY WEBSITE

LAS VEGAS ICE CENTER – WINNER MULTIPLE TIMES – WELL DESIGNED, EASY TO NAVIGATE, TIMELY, UPDATED CONSTANTLY

BEST RINK COFFEE

LAS VEGAS ICE CENTER – WINNER 12 STRAIGHT TIMES

BEST VEGAS HOCKEY WRITER

BETHANY DRYSDALE, VEGAS HOCKEY

BEST CHARACTER IN OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS STORY ON VEGAS HOCKEY

REAL-LIFE HOCKEY MOM KIM GILILLAND BILLINGS MONTANA. YEARS AGO SHE BILLETTED OUR HOCKEY SON EDDIE SAMUELS AND GOAL SCORER WILL ‘MONEY’ MUNSON WHO WERE PLAYING WITH THE NAHL BILLINGS BULLS. SHE DESCRIBED WHAT BILLETING IS ALL ABOUT AND BECAME A LEADING CHARACTER IN OUR HOLIDAY STORY CALLED ‘JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS – SHAGGY, THE GOLDEN ONE’ HERE ON VEGAS HOCKEY – THANK YOU KIM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, December 30, 2018

West Valley City, Utah – Zach Pochiro of Las Vegas scored his 17th goal of the season and then dealt an assist to help the ECHL Allen Americans of Texas beat the Utah Grizzlies 4-2 at the Maverik Center. Zach’s 17 goals leads all Las Vegas goal scorers away from home this season. Zach is 24 and is listed at 6’1, 185.

THE VOTES ARE IN – THANK YOU

By Lee Samuels

Your votes are in the house here at Vegas Hockey. We will announce the 2018 Vegas Hockey Awards tomorrow on New Year’s Eve. Winners to be announced were determined by a vote from you, dear readers of this site.

Best Game Sunday, December 30, 2018

Vegas Confetti Tournament

Gold Medal Game

Final Score

AA 16u

VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1

vs

UTAH GOLDEN EAGLES 3

Sean Kedra scored long range for AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

Utah’s 3rd goal into empty net

City National Arena

//AA Utah Golden Eagles switched up their game plan, going to a more conventional attack – no hard checking or knocking around Vegas players. They played more like the Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u did during this tournament.  Utah scored twice on close range shots, then added an empty net goal to win. Coach Wally LaCroix of Vegas Jr Golden Knights said “…in my heart I thought we out-played them but we just were not able to convert on our opportunities.”  Zackary Ortolano, a star goalie, was in the net for the Vegas Jr Golden Knights. It was hometown defenseman Sean Kedra who crushed a long-range shot that got into the Utah net for the only score for the Vegas Jr Golden Knights. – From the Blue Line at City National Arena, Lee, Vegas Hockey

Saturday, December 29, 2018

“Disciplined hockey is winning hockey.” — Wally LaCroix, head coach, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u.

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas – The Wally Lacroix-coached AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights took a ride to the Sunday gold medal the hard way here at City National Arena last night.  Vegas won 2-0 after fending off a physical showdown against the AA Utah Golden Eagles 16u who had a very crowded penalty box during this ultra-heated game.

The win for the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u gives them a 3-0-0 record here during this super-chilled weekend and guess what – a rematch with the very same Utah Golden Eagles will be right here on Sunday 11:35 am.

The winner gets gold — the Vegas Confetti Tournament gold medal.

Vegas goalie Zackary Ortolano, who had two shutouts in this tournament, didn’t get caught up in the hurricane of physical activity at center ice and in those dark corners of the arena. And neither did Vegas goal scorers William Jacob and JJ Williamson who zoomed around the big ice arena.

The LaCroix-coached Jr Golden Knights have a certain blueprint to set up their defensive schemes and offensively as well on their precise attack runs. And all of this good stuff is happening without two of the Jr Golden Knights top players including star defenseman Trent Carter who is not available this weekend.

From the Blue Line – Somehow, someway Ortolano kept his temperature on low flame while hot physical action took place pretty close to the net…Your best players – like Vegas goal scorer Ian Williams – play best in the biggest of games and Ian did all of that….Vegas defensemen Sean Kedra and Ethan Parsons sure worked well together – they were awesome to track during the game while moving high-speed pucks to their forwards on outside lanes…..If you take your time and watch carefully, LaCroix has a defensive system which totally protects the net – take a hard look where his defensemen and other key players are stationed during the big Gold Medal game here Sunday…Maybe it’s just me – but the officiating in all of these games has been great – not sure who to thank….

 

Saturday, December 20, 2018

Roanoke, Va. – Derek Sutlife of Las Vegas scored his 9th goal of the season for the SPHL Macon Mayhem in a 3-2 loss to the hometown Roanoke Rail Dog before a crowd of 3492. There was an ultra hot finish to the game with two major penalties for fighting.

Worcester, Massachusetts – Michael McNicholas’ 11th goal helped the ECHL Maine Mariners beat the Worcester Railers 3-1 here at the DCU Center. Michael scored on a powerplay in the second period.

VEGAS CONFETTI TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

AA 16U STANDINGS

#1 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2-0-0, 9 GOALS/1 AGAINST

#2 UTAH GOLDEN EAGLES 1-0-1, 5 GOALS/4 AGAINST

#3 CAL WAVE 0-1-1, 3 GOALS/9 AGAINST

#4 BOULDER HOCKEY CLUB 0-2-0, 2 GOALS/5 AGAINST

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Saturday, December 29, 2018

VEGAS GOLDEN JR KNIGHTS 2-0-0 IN VEGAS CONFETTI TOURNAMENT

6-0 over Cal Wave

3-1 over Boulder Hockey Club

Tonight – Saturday – 6:50 pm

AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u vs AA Utah Golden Eagles 16u

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas – Wally Lacroix’ AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u won again – this time 3-1 over the Boulder Hockey Club of Superior, Colorado here at the City National Arena. Boulder HC worked hard and had a much better skillset and skate speed than the Cal Wave in an opening round game in the Vegas Confetti Tournament. Hometown stars Jacob Underhill, Ian Williams and JJ Williamson scored the goals and the Golden Knights 16u got a great game and effort from Heath Mensch and William Jacob who were all over the ice making tricky effective plays here at the City National Arena before a big crowd on late Saturday afternoon.

“We battled through a lot of sticks out there today,” sighed coach Lacroix. “It’s never easy in a tournament like this.”

Colton Miller was very strong in the net for the Vegas Jr Knights who return to action tonight – Saturday – against the AA Utah Golden Eagles 16u at 6:50 pm.

From the Blue Line – Vegas defenseman Ethan Parsons feathered some nice passes up the sideboards – and he battled through traffic to it effectively….JJ Williamson snapped off some very hard shots – once he gets near the net he’s extremely dangerous….

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