FM Jets Tune Up for Season with Exhibition Games this Weekend
September 7, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Fargo (ND) Summer activities may still be fresh in the minds of many, but winter is never far from anyone's thoughts in the Red River Valley. Those wintry type visions will become even fresher for those in the area this weekend when the Fargo-Moorhead Jets take to the ice for a pair of pre-season games at the Fargo Southwest Arena on 45th St, south of I-94.
The FM Jets face the Southern Minnesota Express on Friday night and the North Iowa Outlaws on Saturday night. Both games start at 7:35pm, with all tickets costing $7.
This weekend's games are being played at the Southwest Arena because ice will not be available at the FM Jets' regular home the Carlson Coliseum until the end of the month.
The games will serve as a tune-up for the FM Jets who jump right into the North American Hockey League season in less than a week. The FM Jets take on the Traverse City Northstars at 11am, on Wednesday Sept. 13 on the first day of the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, MN. It will be the start of four consecutive game days in Blaine to get the season underway.
Southern Minnesota is playing its only pre-season game against the FM Jets, after starting training camp last weekend. The Express feature eight players returning from an expansion team that a year ago stormed through the second half of the season and the playoffs to win the NAHL Central Division and advance to the Robertson Cup Tournament. Southern Minnesota eliminated the FM Jets in last April's Central Division finals, sweeping the best-of-seven series in four games.
Meanwhile, North Iowa has already played one exhibition games defeating the Dubuque (IA) Thunder Birds of the Junior B Central States Hockey League 5-4 in a shootout on Monday. They also scrimmaged the Twin Cities Northern Lights of the Junior B Minnesota Junior Hockey League on Sept. 1.
The Outlaws, who are also entering only their second season, were the lone Central Division team to miss the playoffs in 2005-2006.
Training camp for the FM Jets started on Monday night, and the team has been skating "two-a-days" every day since in preparation for this weekend's exhibition games and the start of the regular season. Though the FM Jets have officially been together for less than a week, many of the players began arriving in town in late August and began skating as a group then.
"We are one of the last teams to start training camp, but it's done by design" said head coach Chad Johnson. "By waiting until the end the Labor Day weekend, its takes away the final summer distraction that these players can have. It's also a very long season and we want to prevent burn out."
28 players are currently skating with the FM Jets, including 10 veterans from last year's team. Defensemen Jon Halstenson (Fargo, ND), forward Robert Carr (Roseau, MN) and goaltender Elliot Okland (Fargo, ND) are all embarking on their third season with the team.
Along with Halstenson and Okland, other local players include Fargo natives Grant Larson and Mark Harrie. Moorhead native Beau Christian, and Detroit Lakes product Jake Berquist. All are forwards except Christian who is a goaltender.
The FM Jets roster is sprinkled with some intriguing names not the least of which is forward Jordy Trottier (Bozeman, MT) who comes from a National Hockey League pedigree. Two of his uncles and his father played in the NHL.
Former Texas Tornado standout former Andrew Harrison (Temperance, MI) was also acquired by the FM Jets' in a trade during the summer.
Notes:
* These games will not be broadcasted on 103.9 KVMI or on the internet
* The FM Jets lost to both North Iowa and Southern Minnesota on the road last season in pre-season games.
* This weekend's games are being played at the Southwest Arena because ice will not be available at the FM Jets' regular home the Carlson Coliseum until the end of the month.
* The FM Jets are 8-3-1 in the pre-season all time.
The FM Jets Junior A Hockey Club is in its fourth season as members of the North American Hockey League. The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 31st year of operation. For more information, visit fmjets.com or call (701) 235-2354.
Jets home games are played at the John E. Carlson Coliseum in Fargo, ND. All games are broadcasted on Today's Hot New Country 103.9 THE TRUCK and audiosportsonline.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from September 7, 2006
- Krupka named NAHL commissioner - NAHL
- FM Jets Tune Up for Season with Exhibition Games this Weekend - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- 2006-07 Wildcats Roster Announced - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- IceDiggers stay undefeated in preseason - Alpena IceDiggers
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