Flash Update 

Las Vegas – The Wally Lacroix AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u beat the AA Pasadena Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday to set up a Silver Sticks Final 4 game against the Idaho Jr Steelheads on Sunday 8:15 at the Las Vegas Ice Center on the South Rink.

In the opposite bracket AA Cal Wave 16u is taking on AA Golden State Elite 16u.

The Jr Golden Knights got an awesome game from goalie Zackary Ortolano who has been an unstoppable force this season.

“We now play Boise at 8:15 in the morning over at the South Rink on Sunday,” said Jr Golden Knights head coach Wally Lacroix. “We had a great 2-0 start going into the second period in this game against Pasadena. Gave up two goals so we started third period at 2-2. Scored three times in the third period. Ortolano played very well in the net.”

Scoring

LV – Anthony Juric from William Jacob

LV – Anthony Mazza from Anthony Juric, William Jacob – powerplay

LV – Heath Mensch from Anthony Juric – powerplay

LV – Kenneth Curtis lll from Ian Williams

LV – Kenneth Curtis lll from Ian Williams -short-handed

LV goalie – Zackary Ortolano

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VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 14U TIE ANAHEIM DUCKS #2

Las Vegas – Caden Ross ans Kevin Mulcahy scored and goalie Max Madison was outstanding as the Matt Johnson-coached AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights bantam 14u and the AA Anaheim Ducks #2 finished in a a 2-2 tie.  Goalie Max Madison had an awesome game for the Las Vegas team. 

Scoring

LV – Caden Ross from Keegan Morse, Ryan Pavinsky

LV – Kaden Mulcahy from Andrew Crawford

LV goalie – Max Madison

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas – The Wally Lacroix-coached AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u have had a great run this week in the Las Vegas Silver Stick Regionals. Las Vegas has flashed firepower along with great efforts from their goalies Colton Miller and Zackary Ortolano plus with what coach Lacroix describes as a “high compete level” in the biggest most important moments during a game. There were 14 teams in this field, now we are down to eight.

Here is the playoff grid as posted on the Silver Sticks web.

SATURDAY FINAL 8 GAMES

Golden State Elite vs Valencia Flyers, 1:30 pm Las Vegas Ice Center

Anaheim Jr Ducks vs Cal Wave, 2:25 pm Las Vegas Ice Center

Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u vs Pasadena Maple Leafs, 3 pm SoBe Ice Arena

OC Hockey Club vs Idaho Steelheads, 3:15 pm Las Vegas Ice Center

Friday, November 29, 2019

Special to Vegas Hockey

Las Vegas – Bigtime goalie Colton Miller got the shutout and Anthony Juric scored twice while Anthony Mazza and Heath Mensch also scored for the Wally Lacroix-coached AA Vegas Golden Knights 16u who are on a historic run of 3-0-0 at the Silver Stick Regionals here at the Sobe Ice Arena.

The Vegas Jr Golden Knights beat the Pasadena Maple Leafs 4-0.

And all of a sudden the Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u who were in an original field of 14 teams are in the elite Final 8.

Lacroix said “Colton Miller played well in the net, our young men played a solid responsible defensive hockey game. Our compete level was high. Happy with our effort. Tomorrow we play in a Quarter-Final playoff game at 3 pm at the Sobe. Just not sure yet who we will be playing.”

The AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u are the defending National Champions.

Las Vegas scoring, in order

LV – Anthony Mazza from Anthony Juric, Heath Mensch

LV – Heath Mensch from Anthony Mazza, Anthony Juric

LV – Anthony Juric from Anthony Mazza, John Purdy

LV – Anthony Juric from Tristan Nelson

LV goalie – Colton Miller

SILVER STICKS REGIONAL LAS VEGAS

AA 16u

VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 16U

Head Coach – Wally Lacroix

2-0 over Valencia Flyers

5-2 over Cal Wave

Friday

4-0 over Pasadena Maple Leafs

Saturday

Final 8 playoff game – 3 pm

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AA 14u

VEGAS JR GOLDEN KNIGHTS 14U

Head Coach – Matt Johnson

3-4 to Valencia Flyers 

//Connor Beers, Giovanni Fiore, Caden Ross scored for Jr Golden Knights 14u

Coach Johnson said “We had a strong start….and we have shown we can compete with everyone we play against – just need to compete for a full game.”

Friday

0-6 to Anaheim Ice Dogs at  Las Vegas Ice Center

Saturday

vs Anaheim Jr Ducks #2, 9:25 am, Las Vegas Ice Center

Thanksgiving Day, 2019

Special to Vegas Hockey

Las Vegas – In an all out shocker, the Wally Lacroix coached AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u got an awesome game from goalie Zachary Ortolano and balanced firepower to shock and take down a top team here AA Cal Wave 16u by 5-2 in a Silver Sticks Regional game today at the SoBe Ice Arena.

The big win moved the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights – defending National Champions – to a 2-0-0 record  And, only one team in this 14-team tournament will advance to the Silver Sticks Nationals.

Lacroix said ‘…we got a great effort from our young men who played very well and we got good goal-tending from Ortolano.

“I’d like to tighten up the defensive zone a little more – but overall very proud of our compete level.”

Here is how the Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u did it…

Scoring…

Las Vegas – Kenneth Curtis lll from William Jacob

Las Vegas – John Purdy from Ethan Parsons, Ian Williams

Las Vegas – Anthony Mazza from Heath Mensch

Las Vegas – Ian Williams from John Purdy, Matthew Lackas

Las Vegas – Anthony Juric from Tristan Nelson

Las Vegas goalie – Zackary Ortolano

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Next for the AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights is a game against the Pasadena Maple Leafs on Friday, 10:30 am, at the SoBe Ice Arena on North Rancho Drive

Las Vegas Goal Scorers

November 28 – December 1, 2019

Goals

6 – Heath Mensch, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

4 – Kenneth Curtis, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

4 – Anthony Juric, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

4 – Anthony Mazza, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

2 – Erik Atchison, WHL Spokane Chiefs

2 – Caden Ross, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u

2 – Ian Williams, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

1 – Connor Beers, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u

1 – Giovanni Fiore, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u

1 – Chris Francis, Salle Bulls Halle, Germany/3

1 – Michael McNicholas, ECHL Maine Mariners

1 – Ryan Pavinsky, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u

1 – John Purdy, AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u

1 – Derek Sutliffe, SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts

To contribute send to leesamuels07@aol.com

Las Vegas Silver Sticks Regional

Sunday
Gold medal game
3rd period – 8 min to play
Cal Wave 2, Vegas Jr Golden Knights 1

Thanksgiving Day

Final Scores

Anaheim Jr Ducks 1, Park City Miners 0

Vegas Jr Golden Knights 2, Valencia Flyers 0

OC Hockey Club 2, Idaho Steelheads 2 (tie)

Golden State Elite 7, Utah Golden Eagles 1

Fairbanks 4, Anaheim Jr Ducks #2  0

Vegas Jr Golden Knights 5, Cal Wave 2

Valencia Flyers 2, OC Hockey Club 2 (tie)

Golden State Elite 4, Fairbanks 0

Idaho Steelheads 2, Anaheim Ducks 1

AA 14u

Valencia Flyers 4, Vegas Jr Golden Knights 3

Thanksgiving Day, 2019

By Lee Samuels

Las Vegas – It was an all-out thriller, two skilled teams going at it and it was decided late when Heath Mensch scored dramatically on a 3 on 1 break followed by a clutch goal from Kenneth Curtis lll to give the Wally Lacroix-coached AA Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u a 2-0 win over the never-quit AA Valencia Flyers 16u here today before a large holiday crowd packed into the SoBe Ice Arena.

Las Vegas got an all-out effort from premier goalie Colton Miller to win their first game here in the 14-team Silver Stick Regional Tournament.

It was all good…except in the eyes of coach Wally it’s got to get better.

One of the bigtime teams here, Cal Wave, is next on the Las Vegas schedule 6:15 pm this evening right back at the SoBe Ice Arena.

Lacroix, whose AA Las Vegas Jr Golden Knights 16u are defending National Champions, said his club needs a “higher compete level and we need to get more traffic in front of the net” for the next game which happens to be vs mega power Cal Wave here tonight at 6:15 pm.

“Got to work a lot harder,” Lacroix said. “There are 14 teams here. Only one team advances to the Silver Stick Nationals.”

The big buzz in the arena is that the AA Anaheim Ducks 16u are one of the best – if not the best – team here.

But Lacroix knows because a team like AA Anaheim may be the best it doesn’t mean they leave town with gold.

Las Vegas has tremendous awesome players – many of who look a lot bigger than they did when they won the U.S. National Championship last season.  John Purdy is taller, thicker and taking care of the team’s physical play defensively. William Jacob is super smart with the puck particularly deep in attack areas. Ian Williams has always been a hard worker even against the big California teams. Micah Williamson has awesome speed. Colton Miller has a tremendous skillset and is unquestionably one of the best goalies in the West.

The 14 teams here in AA 16u are the most ever in a Silver Stick Regional.  Fans are buzzing about the AA Anaheim Ducks, AA Cal Wave and Lacroix added to his checklist another dangerous club the AA Golden State Elite.

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Las Vegas goals 

3rd Period

Heath Mensch unassisted

Kennneth Curtis lll from William Jacob

Las Vegas goalie

Colton Miller

Flashback – 18 Seasons Ago – Thanksiving Day – 2001

LEE’S 2001 TOP 10 WEST RATINGS

AA MIDGET 18U

AA SAN JOSE JR SHARKS – 21-4-3

#1 Arvada, Colorado

#2 Las Vegas Mustangs – 27-3-2

#3 Alaska All-Stars

#4 Phoenix Firebirds

#5 Ft Collins, Colorado, Grizzlies

#6 Ventura Mariners

#7 Dallas Metro Titans

#8 Long Beach Jr Ice Dogs minors – 26-9-2

#9 Ontario Senators

#10 South Coast Sabers

To contribute or revise send to leesamuels07@aol.com

Thanksgiving Day 2019 

Las Vegas – The Wally Lacroix-coached AA Vegas Golden Knights 16u team – defending USA National Champions – and the Matt Johnson-coached Vegas Jr Golden Knights bantam 14u team – are in action in Silver Stick Regional games on Thanksgiving Day.

There are a record 14 teams listed in AA 16u in this tournament.

Here is the Thursday schedule

Sobe Ice Arena

11:15 am

Final –  Vegas Jr Golden Knights 2, Valencia Flyers 0

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City National Arena

2:30 pm

Valencia Flyers vs Vegas Jr Golden Knights 14u