Jacks' Sign Travis Banga
July 30, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- The tempo is ever upbeat and on the rise as their golden anniversary season approaches in 2008-09. After announcing the major marquee returns of long-time minor pro hockey greats Robin Bouchard and Todd Robinson recently the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League have stepped forward with yet another key, kinetic signing for the 2009-10 IHL campaign.
On this date, Lumberjacks General Manager / Governor Tim Taylor has announced that the âJacks have come to terms with center TRAVIS BANGA on an one-year contract for the franchise 50th Anniversary Season. Adhering to club policy, terms of the contract deal were not disclosed.
BANGA (BAUN-gah), 29, will be embarking on his sixth pro season overall and his first ever with the Lumberjacks and in the IHL. The 5-11, 186lb centerman comes to his new hockey home of Muskegon following five sound and solid seasons in the Central Hockey League (CHL) with the Memphis RiverKings, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, and, more recently, with the Texas Brahmas. It was in the latter locale, in 2008-09 where the Lumberjacks newest forward emerged as a premiere, principal sparkplug in spearheading the Brahmas to the CHL League Championship which came on the heels of the Texas club's Southeast Division and overall Conference regular season crowns.
A Western Canada native who hails from High River, Alberta, Banga averaged nearly a point a game in '08-09 when he registered 42-points in 48-games on 17-goals, 25-assists along with 70-PIM. His season output included 6-PPG, 9-PPA and 2-GWG. Acquired by Texas from Rio Grande Valley in mid-stream last season, the left-shooting pivot contributed 24-points in 29-games on 8-goals, 16-assists. In the Brahmas post-season surge to the circuit's ultimate summit, he added 3-points in 9-games on 2-goals, 1-assist.
Lumberjacks GM Taylor is looking forward to the Muskegon debut of the club's latest addition. "Travis signing is important as he will adeptly fill one of our key top 6-forward positions with our hockey club. He is a very versatile player who has the ability to play equally well at center or on the wing. Moreover, he is more than capable to provide us with consistent offense and responsible defensive effort. In short, he is a solid character player, a good all-around player; the kind of player that a team needs to have to win."
A former scoring star at the U. of New Hampshire and later New England College, Banga fired 64-goals in 70-career games at the latter school. Thus far, his best season as a pro came with Memphis in the 2005-06 season when he recorded 73-points in 64-games on 34-goals, 39-assists with all of those aforementioned numbers representing single season career-highs.
In three full seasons in the Tennessee city, he averaged 28-goals, 35-assists, 63-points per season including a brilliant 59-points' performance in just 41-games in 2004-05 on 24-goals, 35-assists. He averaged well over a point per game in the land of Graceland.
For his entire pro career, Banga has continued such consistency of averaging over a point a game. In 278-games, he has collected 293-points through 124-goals and 169-assists with 393-PIM.
Today's signing of center TRAVIS BANGA brings to 5 the total number of players currently under contract for Muskegon's 50th Anniversary Season of pro hockey. Previously, the Lumberjacks announced the signings of goaltender SEBASTIEN CENTOMO, defenseman MATT GENS, center TODD ROBINSON and right wing ROBIN BOUCHARD.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from July 30, 2009
- Jacks' Sign Travis Banga - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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