Bighorns make clean sweep in Utah
Published on September 9, 2004 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Helena Bighorns News Release
The Helena Bighorns enjoyed a perfect 3-0 weekend, capped by a 6-3 victory over the Weber State Wildcats on Sunday afternoon.
The Bighorns rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Wildcats in a game that was the closest of the three. Danny Vasquez went the distance in goal for the 'Horns, who improved to 5-0 this preseason as they prepare for their fourth season in the Queen City.
Bighorn head coach Brent Agrusa was pleased overall with the weekend. "The guys started Sunday the same way they did on Friday, a little sluggish," he said. "But they found their legs and battled hard.
"It (the weekend) was a great opportunity for us to look at the new guys and see all of our players play in a variety of situations."
The Bighorns enjoyed a day off before they began preparations for their last two exhibition games this coming weekend, both against the cross-state rival Bozeman IceDogs.
The 'Horns will travel to the Valley Ice Garden to play the 'Dogs on Friday before returning home Saturday to face Bozeman at 7:05 at the Helena Ice Arena. The Saturday game will be an added bonus for all fans attending the NorPac Junior B Showcase which will begin play this Thursday through at the Helena Ice Arena.
The IceDogs enter the weekend series on a roll as they defeated the Fernie Ghostriders (KIJHL) 9-0 last Friday, and the Billings Bulls 4-1 on Saturday. Bighorn President Mike Butters says the Ice Dogs showing was no surprise.
"Bozeman will be a solid team this year," he said. "I expect the NAHL West Division to be a very tight race and it should be the tightest season in our four year history."
Tickets for Saturday's Bighorns game and the NorPac Showcase can be picked up at the Helena Ice Arena or can be reserved by calling the Bighorn Ticket Hotline at 457-2817. Fans purchasing a weekend pass to the NorPac Showcase will receive tickets to the Bighorns game absolutely free.
Bighorn head coach Brent Agrusa had these reflections on the team's play:
"The last week was a good one as we enjoyed a few hard days of practice before heading to Ogden to play the Weber State Club for three games.
"We left for Ogden on Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. and traveled through the day, which is new for some players who aren't used to traveling for eight hours before playing a game. It was good test for us as it gave us a chance to evaluate our guys under adverse conditions.
"Friday's game started pretty much as expected as we got off to a real slow start. Our passing was off, our legs were heavy and we just really didn't have our game in sync. Despite that, we managed to get out of the first period with a 2-1 lead.
"The second period also started slow, but we started to click about halfway through the game and began to play better at both ends of the ice, finishing the game with a 5-1 victory.
"I decided to sit in the stands for Saturday's game and let "Buttsy" (Bighorn president and associate coach Mike Butters) take the reins. Sometimes I like to see the players from a different perspective and merely watching the game allows me the opportunity to see things I wouldn't usually see behind the bench, as I am wrapped up in the game.
"With a days rest and time to prepare, the guys played a solid game and skated well. We continually mixed the line combinations to see how guys respond to each other and I was pleased with results. All four lines contributed and played solid in front of our goaltending in the defensive zone. The game was very chipy and I think that a lot of that had to do with the fact that the Weber State team tried to intimidate our guys with their size and age advantage. I was happy to see that guys stepped up the physical part of the game and were undeterred in their goals. We left Saturday with an 11-2 win.
"Sunday's game was a little slower paced than the night before, but it isn't really surprising to see that this early in the season. Some of our rookies aren't used to playing three games in three nights and this series did nothing but prepare us for that. We played a much more physical game on Sunday and ended the weekend winning 6-3.
"Despite winning all three games, I left the weekend fairly pleased, but realize we have a lot to work on to prepare for the grueling 56-game schedule that is ahead of us. We didn't place a lot of emphasis on winning, more than we did on learning our systems and playing our guys in a variety of situations. Exhibition is a great time to find your strengths and weaknesses and this weekend did nothing more than show us both.
"Moving forward, we now will take a couple of days to rest before preparing for the home and home series vs. Bozeman this weekend. Bozeman will be a solid team this year and it will again be a good test for us as we will face them 14 times during the regular season.
"We are currently at the regulation 25 players to begin the season, but we will be expecting another player in camp early this week, so guys will continue to battle for roster spots and playing time. I wish to personally invite to take in this Saturday's game. The players we have in camp are all excited to get to play in front of a home crowd. I hope to see you there."
Michael Heindl, a Helena Bighorn during their first two seasons has signed on with Hassfurt in the German Elite League. Heindl, a native of Los Angeles, California, played last season with Hassfurts Division III team in Baden-Baden and made the jump this season after posting 17 goals and 18 assists in 54 games last season.
After leading the Bighorns in power play goals during their inaugural season, Heindl spent the next season with the Big Blue plagued with injuries before moving over to Germany.
Heindl's signing now gives Helena with four players in the pro ranks this season. Jonas Abrahamsson (Tyril SoS-Sweden), Marko Santanen (Finish Elite) and Corey Dean (Tulsa, CHL) are set to join their respective clubs this fall.
Brandon Briceno will join goaltender Lav Kazaryan in Asheville, NC this fall as they hope to add to the list of Bighorns who now make a living playing hockey.
North American Hockey League Stories from September 9, 2004
- Another big test for the 'Dogs - Bozeman Icedogs
- Wildcats sweep Spirit in exhibition openers - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Spirit to start new season with new colors - Alaska Avalanche
- Icedogs start campaign with emphasis on defense - Fairbanks Ice Dogs
- IceDiggers sweep showcase weekend - Alpena IceDiggers
- Bighorns make clean sweep in Utah - Helena Bighorns
- Jets open training camp - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
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