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Digging For Gold

August 31, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Alpena IceDiggers News Release


What works for real estate, apparently works for hockey teams as well:

Location location location.

Two years ago, the then Toledo IceDiggers pulled up its stakes and moved to Alpena, Michigan, a town of about 12,000 located in the northeast section of Michigan's lower peninsula (see map below).

After a struggling start--the club won only 13 times during the 2006 campaign--the IceDiggers turned the corner in 2007. They went 37-20-5 (the franchise's best record to date), wound up second in the NAHL's North Division, and helped five of its players earn D-I opportunities.

Even a three-game sweep at the hands of the US NTDP Under 17's (in the first-round of the NAHL playoffs) didn't damper all the club had accomplished.

Why the change in fortune? The 'Diggers say being in northern Michigan has helped.

"We had our hopes when the team started out in Toledo, but here, we've had great support, and that's aided our efforts to get good hockey players," says IceDigger head coach and GM Kenny Miller, whose father co-owns the team.

"But beyond that, it's really been about calling, working the phones, building relationships with the college guys. In the end, that's what carries the day."

Of course being in a hockey mad state hasn't hurt either.

What with Michigan's long standing hockey tradition, both as a fan base and feeder ground for talent, the IceDiggers new 'digs' if you will have been just about all positive.

Last season, the team averaged 783 fans per game, a far cry from the 495 which it averaged in 2005 back in Toledo.

"We were actually down from 2006 when we averaged about 930," Miller admits, "but we had more Wednesday and Sunday home games last year. Usually on Friday and Saturday nights, we get 900 to 1000 in our rink (Northern Lights Arena)."

Nonetheless, the future is bright in Alpena, and not just for the hockey team.

Despite Michigan's economic woes, Alpena's hot right now. This year, Bizjournals.com ranked the area as the most popular retirement destination in the Great Lakes region, and 44th nationwide. Known as the 'Sunrise Side,' Alpena derives its name from an Indian word meaning "good partridge country."

As for the IceDiggers, the club is owned by Lee Eckman, Ken Miller Sr., and Mike Bihn (whose excavating company inspired the team's name).

All three are Toledo residents, and opted to keep the club going despite its struggles in Ohio.

"They love hockey, and that's why they wanted to keep things going," adds Miller, who enters his third season as the club's coach/GM. "They could have shut things down when we knew we were not going to play in Toledo anymore, but they were a big part of us moving and making sure we kept the team. I couldn't be more grateful."

The same goes for many of Alpena's players, including Todd Rudasill--the NAHL's second leading scorer last year who'll ply his trade for Ohio State next year---

PROFILE:

Birthday: Apr 05, 1988

Hometown: Powell OH

Position: F

Height: 6-0

Weight: 205

D-I: Ohio State (CCHA/2007)

REGULAR SEASON

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG

2007/2008 Alpena 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2006/2007 Alpena 59 33 56 89 91 11 26 1 2 5

2005/2006 Alpena 55 16 9 25 75 3 5 1 0 0

TOTALS 114 49 65 114 166 14 31 2 2 5

PLAYOFFS

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM PPG PPA SHG SHA GWG

2007 Alpena 3 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 3 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0

---goaltender Shawn Hunwick (the brother of former Michigan Wolverine Matt Hunwick), who is off to Michigan as well this fall.....

# 31 Shawn Hunwick

PROFILE:

Birthday: Apr 09, 1987

Hometown: Sterling Hts MI

Position: G

Height: 5'7

Weight: 163

D-I: Michigan (CCHA/2007)

REGULAR SEASON

YEAR TEAM GP MIN W L OTL SO GA GAA SV SV%

2007/2008 Alpena 0 0:00 0 0 0 0 0 .00 0 0.000

2006/2007 Alpena 31 1708:17 17 9 2 1 87 3.06 822 0.904

TOTALS 31 1708 17 9 2 1 87 3.06 822 0.904

PLAYOFFS

YEAR TEAM GP MIN W L - SO GA GAA SV SV%

2007 Alpena 0 0:00 0 0 - 0 0 .00 0 0.000

TOTALS 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 -

---as well as the newest member of Alpena's D-I brigade: defenseman Ben Kitzmiller, who last week accepted a late summer scholarship offer from Lake Superior State, for which he'll play this fall.

D Ben Kitzmiller

6-1, 195

Hometown: Lambertville, Michigan

D-I: Lake Superior State (CCHA-2007)

During 2007, in his one full season of NAHL play, the right-shooting Kitzmiller put up 13 goals and 32 points in 59 games--the club's best from the blueline.

"Ben's a strong kid," says Miller, who watched Kitzmiller develop with the Junior B Toledo Cherokee's three years ago. "He has very good vision and can put points on the board. I have every confidence he can do the same in the CCHA."

So too does Lake State, which came calling on Miller once the Lakers lost sophomore (to be) defenseman Ryan Baird (Fort William North Stars-SIJHL).

Retired Laker Ryan Baird

In mid-August, Baird decided to return home after being unable to recover from a severe shoulder injury.

"Ken Miller really helped us out," said Lake Superior State head coach (and former Laker himself) Jim Roque in a team press release. "We were calling around when Ryan was talking about retiring. Ken encouraged Ben to come here when he could have played another year of juniors. Ben and had a good year in the NAHL. He really wants to go to college. He's more of an offensive defenseman, and gives us some depth on defense."

Under the circumstances, the addition of Kitzmiller is a shrewd one for Lake State, who like Alpena, is making itself heard. Last season, the Lakers put up 21 victories, their best output since the club's 30 win season back in 1996--Jeff Jackson's last behind the bench in Sault Ste. Marie.

And having Kiztmiller land at Lake State can only do good things for the IceDiggers as well. For once a D-I school has success recruiting from a particular team, its tendency is to go back for more.

Paul Shaheen

ROI (Research On Ice)

'The stars of tomorrow...play here today.'



North American Hockey League Stories from August 31, 2007


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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