Sunday

Let’s salute all of the hockey dads and grandfathers on Father’s Day today. And for me, that includes the hockey dads who are no longer with us including the legendary Frank ‘Gramps’ Perone – grandfather of UNLV coach Anthony Greener – and Las Vegas hockey dads Lee Beebe, Dave Francis, Tommy Ricketts and Bill Tufano who helped make the sport of hockey what it is today. Enjoy this special day – Lee, Vegas Hockey

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Innsbruck, Austria – Here is a quick look at the 2019-20 roster for Las Vegas coach Rob Pallin and his HC TWK Innsbruck team.

New Innsbruck Players

Caleb Herbert, Forward, Bloomington, Minnesota. Washington Capitals draft pick. 113 AHL games. Gifted goal scorer.

Jasper Thornburg, Forward, Sweden. Former Swedish Junior National player. Led Denmark in scoring last season. Competes very hard. Very gifted goal scorer.

Joel Broda, Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Forward. Washington Capitals draft pick. Over 200 AHL games. Big power forward with a big shot.

Jann Lattner, D-man. Czech Republic. One of the best dmen in the Austian League for the last five years.  226 points in 374 games.

Tyler Cuma, Dman. Ontario. Former 1st round pick of the Minnesota Wild. Solid stay at home dman.

Miha Zajc, Forward. Ljubljana, Slovenia. Young player with a great upside. Plays a great 200 foot game.

C.J. Motte. Goalie. Detroit, Michigan. Over 200 minor league games. 127 games at Ferris State University 2.15 gaa, 92.7% save percentage.

Returning Players

Tyler Spurgeon, Center, Edmonton. Brother of Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild. Edmonton Oiler draft pick. 148 AHL games.

John Lammers, Forward, Vancouver BC. Dallas Stars draft pick.

Mike Boivin, dman, Vancouver BC. Very gifted offensive defenseman. Played four seasons at Colorado College.

Ondrej Sedivy, forward. Czech Republic. Two way player. Great special teams player.

Sacha Guimond, dman. Quebec. Very gifted competitive dman.

Special to Vegas Hockey

Las Vegas star goal scorer – and a captain last winter – Cody Williams will play pro hockey in France this coming season. He is listed on the roster of Evry/Viry/France 3. Cody, 27, scored 102 career goals during the regular seasons and playoffs in his four seasons as an UNLV Rebel. He is one of UNLV’s most greatest players in the biggest of games.

Las Vegas Players Away from Home

2019-2020

Zane Branson, ACHA D1 Western Michigan

Vito Carlo, NCAA Franklin Pierce University – New Hampshire

Chris Francis, MEC Halle 4/Germany3

Gage Quinney, AHL Chicago Wolves

Ash Printzen, AAA Meijer Girls 19u – Western Michigan 

Joey Raats, Briancon Red Devils, France

Mike Yochum, ACHA D1 Canisius – Buffalo, N.Y.

Cody Williams, Evry/Viry/France3

To contribute here send to leesamuels07@aol.com

Special to Vegas Hockey

North Las Vegas – Beau Ricketts, one of the all time players from Las Vegas, is celebrating his marriage to Mikayla Ricketts this weekend here in North Las Vegas. Beau and Mikayla were married June 1 in Minot, North Dakota. Beau won many Vegas Hockey awards as a team leader – a captain – who was a big goal scorer who played a hard game. His hockey dad Tommy Ricketts was very popular here in Las Vegas.

Beau Ricketts, Las Vegas

2011-12 – AWHL Helena BigHorns 23 goals, 25 assists, 48 points

2012-13 – NAHL Minot Minotauros 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points

2013-14 – NAHL Minot Minotauros 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points

2014-15 – WSHL Las Vegas Storm 30 goals, 13 assists, 43 points

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Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Rindge, New Hampshire – Vito Carlo, a very popular defenseman from Las Vegas, has committed to the NCAA Franklin Pierce Ravens for the 2019-20 season. Vito, 21, last season played in all 47 games for the NA3HL Atlanta Capitals where he had 7 goals, 36 assists for 43 points. Vito played two seasons with the Atlanta Capitals and earlier played defensively for the WSHL Las Vegas Storm when the club was in action 2015-16, 2016-17 at the Las Vegas Ice Center. Vito is listed at 6’1, 190.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Rosemont, Illinois – Gage Quinney of Las Vegas had one goal, one assist for the AHL Chicago Wolves in a 5-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers before 8535 at the Rosemont Arena. The loss ended the season for the Wolves who lost a Calder Cup Best of Seven to the Charlotte Checkers by 4-1.  Quinney, 23, had 19 goals, 34 assists, 53 points, +37 on the ice in the regular season for the Chicago Wolves.  In the playoff Quinney had 4 goals, 5 assists and was +1 on the ice.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Special to Vegas Hockey

Kalamazoo, Michigan – The ACHA D1 Western Michigan Stallions announced that Las Vegas goalie Zane Branson, 20, has signed and will play this coming season. Zane last season was in the net for USPHL Elite Potomac Patriots. Zane, 6’3, 205, credits hometown coach Jeff Bruckner as a tremendous teacher in his unique goal-tending techniques. Zane initially played roller hockey in Las Vegas before making the transition to ice hockey.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Kearney, Nebraska – The Kearney Hub is reporting that Kirk Brooks of Las Vegas has sold his majority share of the USHL Tri-City Storm ending his 10-season tenure as the owner of the franchise. Included in the new deal is that the new group of investors will also gain control of the Viaero Center where the Storm plays its home games. The Storm is coming off its best-ever season winning 45 times in the regular season.

Coming July 4 – A Hockey Adventure – Summer Blast 2019 – SoBe Ice Arena, North Rancho Drive, Las Vegas

The Genius and the Jokers Must Be Stopped

Not all Goal Scorers Are Created Equal – When the Genius thinks about scoring he scores. When he wants his team to score more goals, numbers change on the scoreboard. An elite group of Las Vegas coaches have united trying to find a way to take down the Genius and his enforcers the Jokers and win gold at Summer Blast 2019.

Written By Lee Samuels and Mary Cate Zurfluh

Our cast includes The Genius from North Star, Alaska, Las Vegas hockey coaches Rob Pallin, Anthony Greener, legendary Gramps on the bench, GM John McNicholas, super scout Tommy Ricketts, reporter Bethany Drysdale, Boy Genius Ryan Z, Dave Francis in the Sobe Pro Shop, the zany Peppers on the Zamboni, hockey Dad Steve Allen of Las Vegas and Skitters, baby rink cat who usually wanders onto the wrong bench on game night. (Skitters and Peppers created by hockey dad Jay Zurfluh)

SPECIAL REQUEST

The family of the dynamic roller hockey star skater and goal scorer Patrick Stevenson of Las Vegas is looking for any game photos or video of Patrick skating roller either at ‘The Little Home of Champions’ Crystal Palace Skating Rink on North Rancho Drive or at any NARCh Tournaments. Patrick played in the Micah Sanford era on teams which were nationally ranked. If you have pics or video of Patrick Stevenson please let me know – Lee   

Send to leesamuels07@aol.com