USHL Lincoln Stars

Montgomery Makes College Commitment

Published on February 6, 2024 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release


Lincoln Stars forward Blake Montgomery has announced his commitment to play college hockey at Wisconsin, an NCAA Division I program in the Big Ten Conference.

Montgomery, 18, leads the Stars with 14 goals in his first season in the USHL. Twelve of his goals have come over his last 20 games and he has recorded three multi-goal games. The Stars are 9-2 in games that Montgomery has scored in and his 523:01 time on ice is the third-highest figure among Lincoln forwards.

"Absolutely pumped to be Badger," Montgomery said. "They have an unreal campus and city. I know the coaching staff there believes in me and will help me get to the next level after college. I want to thank my family, (Stars head coach) Rocky (Russo) and the staff here at Lincoln for helping me through the decision I had to make to get to this point, and everyone who has been apart of my journey!"

The Annapolis, Md. native played in three games last season with the New Jersey Rockets of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) while also recording 33 points (9+24) in 52 games for Mount St. Charles Academy 18U AAA in Rhode Island. The Stars selected Montgomery in the seventh round of the 2023 USHL Phase I Draft with the 104th pick.

Montgomery is looking to become the second member of his family to play professional hockey. His older brother Bryce, plays for the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL. Bryce was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes and also previously played in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (2022-23).

"We are very excited to announce Blake's commitment to Wisconsin," Russo said. "Blake's game has continued to develop in his time with us, and will grow over the next season-and-a-half before he moves on to the NCAA level. Coach Hastings and his staff have a fantastic track record of developing players for the NHL, and we hope that Blake can be a part of that prestigious group when he completes his career as a Badger."

Wisconsin is 20-6-2 to begin the 2023-24 season, including recording eight wins against ranked teams. They are ranked fourth in the country and have already exceeded last season's 13-win total. Thirteen former players made NHL opening night rosters including Joe Pavelski, Cole Caufield and Ryan McDonagh.

The Badgers are led by Mike Hastings, who is a three-time winner of the Spencer Penrose Award as NCAA coach of the year. He is in his first year in Madison after taking Minnesota State to eight NCAA Tournaments and an NCAA Championship Game appearance in 2022. Hastings led the Omaha Lancers for 14 seasons from 1994-2008, winning three Clark Cups and three Anderson Cups.

Former Stars goaltender Kevin Murdock, who has played the second-most games between the pipes in franchise history (102), is an assistant on Hastings' staff. One of Hastings' other assistants is Nick Oliver, who won the Anderson Cup as head coach of the Fargo Force and beat the Stars in last season's Western Conference Finals to advance to the Clark Cup Final.

Montgomery and the Stars have a crucial home-and-home series against the Des Moines Buccaneers this weekend. The two teams have the same number of points but the Stars hold the sixth seed and final playoff spot in the West due to one more regulation win than Des Moines. Friday's game is Epilepsy Night at the Ice Box and tickets can be purchased at lincolnstars.com

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2024


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