Moreland Reaches Milestone, Echternach Earns POW Honors
December 12, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Fargo (ND) The Fargo-Moorhead Jets Junior A hockey team is only in its fourth season of play in the North American Hockey League. Their history may not be deep, but what it lacks in depth is more than made up in substance with a list of accolades other, more established, teams would be envious of.
In four years, a few players have gone as far as to cement their name in local hockey lore with names like Phil Fox and Dain Prewitt. Last weekend, another FM Jet went a long way to ensuring his name was added to the list.
Matt Moreland (Grand Forks, ND) scored his 50th career goal with the FM Jets in the team's 6-3 win at Southern Minnesota Dec. 10, becoming the fifth player in team history to reach the milestone. Moreland joins Fox, Prewitt, Tom Dickhudt and Chris Myhro as the other players to hit that mark.
Since joining the FM Jets' in November 2005, the former North Dakota State Champion with Grand Forks Central, has been a intricate part of the team's success. He has scored three overtime game winners and went on an eight game goal scoring streak earlier this season.
"When (Matt) came back to us in October, he gave us the one more high-end player we needed to be very successful as a team" said head coach Chad Johnson. "His leadership has been essential."
Moreland began this season with the intention of playing for the University of North Dakota, but when that fell through at the last minute he came to the FM Jets on Oct. 13th. In 18 games, he is tied for second on the FM Jets' in points (25) and is second in goals (15).
The next closet current FM Jet to 50 goals is Jesse Echternach (Bemidji, MN) who has 28 career goals.
The franchise's all-time leader in goals is Phil Fox who finished his two-year career with 67 goals. Chris Myhro is second all-time with 55 tallies. Fox will play for Northern Michigan University, while Myhro is the leading scorer at the University of Connecticut.
Echternach Named Player of the Week
Though it was Matt Moreland who reached a milestone, Jesse Echternach (Bemidji, MN) actually had the most offensive production for the FM Jets last weekend. After getting shutout along with the rest of his teammates in a 3-0 home loss to Southern Minnesota on Dec. 8, Echternach exploded for five goals and two assists over the next two games to garner Central Division player of the week honors.
Echternach recorded two short-handed goals in the FM Jets' 4-3 loss at Alexandria on Dec. 9th. He then scored a hat trick at Southern Minnesota in the FM Jets' 6-3 win on Dec. 10th. Its Echternach's second hat trick of the season, and third of his two year career.
Echternach joins Moreland and Rob Johnson (Duluth, MN) as the other FM Jets who earned player of the week honors this season.
Echternach leads all Central Division players with 41 points and 19 goals.
Larson Has Solid Defensive Weekend
He doesn't have many stats to prove it, but second-year defenseman David Larson (Warroad, MN) easily had one of his best weekends all season. The defenseman played well in blocking many shots, cutting down angles and clearing the zone.
"He was our best defenseman last week" said assistant coach Aaron Kinslow. "We needed someone to step up after Friday and he most definitely did.
"Air the Bear" Teddy Bear Toss
Throwing items on the ice is typically a major "no-no" at a hockey game, but one game each season serves as the exception for that rule. The Fargo-Moorhead Jets Junior A hockey team will be holding their third annual "Air the Bear" Teddy Bear Toss promotion during their Friday December 15th home game at the Carlson Coliseum against the Alexandria Blizzard.
Face-off is scheduled for 7:35pm.
Fans should bring a new, or slightly used, stuffed animal to the game. When the FM Jets'
score their first goal of the game fans then throw their stuffed animal(s) on the ice where they are then collected. The stuffed animals will then be distributed to various non-profits in the Red River Valley including the Salvation Army, Ronald McDonald House and Lutheran Social Services
The charities would prefer if the stuffed animals are wrapped in clear plastic, though its not a mandate.
Consecutive Losses
The FM Jets' lost consecutive games for the first time this season with their losses on Dec. 8th and Dec. 9th. It took 26 games for the FM Jets to lose consecutive games this year, last season the team already had a pair of three-game losing streaks by now.
Central Division Standings
TEAM GP W L OTL PTS WPCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD L-TEN STREAK Fargo-Moorhead 27 18 8 1 37 .685 94 72 613 12-6-0 6-2-1 6-3-1 1-0-0 Bismarck 30 12 12 6 30 .500 91 110 615 6-4-3 6-8-3 3-3-4 1-0-0 Southern Minnesota 29 14 14 1 29 .500 88 81 627 5-10-1 9-4-0 6-4-0 0-2-0 Springfield 28 13 12 3 29 .518 87 91 898 7-5-0 6-7-3 3-4-3 2-0-0 North Iowa 28 13 15 0 26 .464 81 100 798 7-9-0 6-6-0 6-4-0 1-0-0 Alexandria 27 9 17 1 19 .352 65 98 658 3-10-1 6-7-0 3-6-1 1-0-0
Last Week
Dec. 8 Southern Minnesota Express 0-3 Loss
Dec. 9 @ Alexandria Blizzard 3-4 Loss
Dec. 10 @ Southern Minnesota Express 6-3 Win
This Week
Dec. 15 Alexandria Blizzard 7:35pm
Dec. 16 @ Bismarck Bobcats 7:05pm
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 December 12, 2006
- U.S. Nat'l Under-18 Team Travels to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for Division I Battles - U.S. National Team
- Outlaws Defenseman to play for Team Germany in Upcoming World Juniors - North Iowa Outlaws
- Texas Tornado update - Texas Tornado
- Moreland Reaches Milestone, Echternach Earns POW Honors - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Tornado rips through Alaska - NAHL
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