NHL experience highlights UHL rosters

Published on November 27, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO --- Several United Hockey League (UHL) clubs have benefited this season from players with game experience in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flint Generals and the Muskegon Fury lead the way with a trio of players on each of their current rosters that have spent time at the highest level of hockey.

Flint signed center Tony Tuzzolino last week, who has played nine games in the NHL with three different clubs. Tuzzolino quickly made a big impact for the Generals when he scored the game-winning goal in Friday's 3-1 victory vs. Bloomington. He has four points (1g, 3a) in his first two games with the club. The Generals also are relying this season on winger Bobby Reynolds (7 NHL games) who has nine points (3g, 6a) in 12 games. The most significant NHL experience comes from goaltender Jason Muzzatti who has appeared in 64 games with four different NHL clubs.

The Kalamazoo Wings also have a goaltender with NHL games under his belt. Tom Askey played seven games plus a Stanley Cup Playoff game with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Askey currently ranks third in the UHL in both save percentage (.925) and goals against average (2.27). K-Wings defenseman Chris McAllister is the most experienced at the NHL level as he has totaled 301 games with five different clubs.

Muskegon Fury left wing Mike Watt tallied 41 points (15g, 26a) in 157 career NHL games. He currently ranks third in UHL scoring with 28 points (15g, 13a). Fury defenseman Dave Van Drunen appeared in one NHL game during the 1999-2000 season. He currently leads the UHL with a plus-24 rating. Muskegon winger Ryan Barnes appeared in two games with the Detroit Red Wings. He has seen limited action this season for the Fury due to injury.

Fort Wayne defenseman Mario Larocque suited up with the Tampa Bay Lightning for five games. He leads his club in scoring and currently ranks sixth in the UHL. Komets winger Daniel Goneau played 53 NHL games for the New York Rangers. He is tied for 11th in UHL scoring.

Chicago Hounds center Kris Vernarsky spent 17 games with the Boston Bruins. He has five points (2g, 3a) and a plus-1 rating in nine games with the Hounds this season.

ICEHOG SUPPORTERS - Less than a week after the UHL eclipsed the 20 million mark in all-time attendance, the Rockford IceHogs hit the one million mark in team attendance history. It is the eighth season that the team has been in Rockford. The organization has seen average attendance increase in each of the past two seasons. They are currently averaging 4,190 fans per home game which is also an increase from last season.

APPROACHING 600 GOALS - Quad City forward Don Parsons is just six goals shy of 600 for his professional career. He will become just the third United States born player to reach 600 goals at any level of professional hockey. The last U.S. born player to reach that mark was Joe Burton, who accomplished this feat two seasons ago while playing in the UHL for the Motor City Mechanics.

CENTURY MARK - Fort Wayne Komets head coach Pat Bingham recorded his 100th UHL victory when the team defeated Bloomington 5-2 on Thanksgiving night. In two previous UHL seasons, Bingham compiled 89 coaching victories. He has the Komets off to a 12-4-0 start this season.

BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUTS - Port Huron goaltender Dustin Traylen recorded his second consecutive shutout when he made 28 saves in the 4-0 win vs. Kalamazoo on Wednesday. He blanked the Bloomington PrairieThunder in his previous start. Traylen's shutout streak ended just 51 seconds into Friday's game with Kalamazoo. Over four games, his streak without allowing a goal was 157:49 of playing time.

ANSWERING THE CALL - The UHL continues to have several players receive free agent call-ups to the American Hockey League (AHL). Rockford IceHogs goaltender Frederic Cloutier earned his second call to the AHL this season. He stopped 11 of 12 shots in the third period of the Milwaukee Admirals 6-4 loss on Friday. He then made the start for the Admirals on Saturday and stopped 24 shots in the 2-1 overtime victory vs. Manitoba.

Elmira Jackals forward Mike Sgroi also received a call-up during the weekend. He joined the Binghamton Senators and registered a plus-1 rating in Saturday's 6-5 shootout victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

WIRED FOR SOUND - Fans attending Bloomington PrairieThunder games have been given a unique perspective of the game action. For select games, the referee has been wired with a microphone. Penalties during those games are announced by the referee over the public address system similar to what is being done in the NHL.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Bloomington PrairieThunder - (1-2-0) - The PrairieThunder netted three goals in the second period during Saturday's 3-1 win vs. Port Huron. Prior to the game, they had been outscored 24-8 in the second period this season...Saturday's victory snapped a four-game losing streak...Forward Jon Booras and defenseman Andrew Lackner each scored their first goal of the season in the win... Right wing Dmitri Tarabrin's first period goal on Thanksgiving night vs. Fort Wayne snapped a Bloomington scoring drought that lasted 141:50.

Chicago Hounds - (1-1-1) - Defenseman Chris Busby leads the team in assists (9), points (10), and plus/minus (+7)...Defenseman Bob Rapoza moved into sole possession of 15th place on the UHL all-time games played list when he played his 459th UHL game on Saturday...Defenseman Darryl McArthur scored his first goal of the season during the second period of Saturday's 4-2 win vs. Elmira. He followed up with a second goal in the third period... The Hounds return home for their next four games after finishing a six-game road swing.

Elmira Jackals - (2-1-0) - Goaltender Kris Tebbs earned his league leading third shootout win of the season when he stopped 3 of 5 shooters on Friday. He had stopped 7 of 7 in shootouts prior to that game...Winger Frank Littlejohn skated in his 500th professional game on Wednesday. He scored on a penalty shot during the game... Captain Brent Cullaton is six points shy of 600 for his pro career...Sunday's 4-2 loss to Chicago snapped a three-game win streak and a three-game home win streak.

Flint Generals - (2-1-0) - 12 of the first 19 games for the Generals have been decided by two goals or less... Seven of the first ten home games have been decided by two goals or less...Winger Bobby Reynolds is six points shy of 500 for his UHL career. He currently ranks 19th on the UHL all-time list...Flint handed Muskegon their first home loss of the season in Thursday's 3-2 win...The Generals have scored more than three goals in a game just twice this season...Defenseman Gerard Miller has six points (2g, 4a) over his last six games.

Fort Wayne Komets - (2-1-0) - The Komets won their fourth consecutive Thanksgiving game...Fort Wayne had their eight-game home win streak snapped in Friday's 2-1 loss to Muskegon...The Komets earned a 4-3 shootout win vs. Rockford on Saturday. They are unbeaten in three shootouts this season...On Saturday, the club surrendered their first power play goal in five games. They rank second in the league on the penalty kill (89.4%)... The Komets have allowed the fewest goals in the UHL (38) for a league leading average of 2.38 per game.

Kalamazoo Wings - (2-2-0) - Kalamazoo scored a combined 11 goals in their two victories this week, but just one total in their two losses...Winger Justin Cross had four goals in three games this weekend. Five of his eight goals this season have come against Port Huron...Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Port Huron was the first shutout of Kalamazoo in 142 games (12/26/04)...The K-Wings snapped a 0 for 32 power play drought when they started Friday's game 3 for 3 on the power play...The squad leads the league on the penalty kill (91.9%).

Muskegon Fury - (2-1-0) - The Fury have won their last six road games...In the month of November over the past two seasons, Muskegon has compiled a 22-3-0 record...In the first two periods combined this season, the Fury have outscored the opposition 68-27...Nine of the team's 30 power play goals have come in three games vs. Quad City...Rookie left wing Kelly Thomson scored his first professional goal in Saturday's 7-2 win vs. Quad City... Rookie center Elias Godoy league high 12-game point streak was snapped in Friday's 2-1 win vs. Fort Wayne.

Port Huron Flags - (1-2-0) - Wednesday's 4-0 victory vs. Kalamazoo was the first time that Port Huron has won consecutive games this season...Defenseman Chris Bogas had three assists in the win. He had just one point in his previous six games with the team...Center Jeremy Tucker has four points (2g, 2a) in his last three games. He had scored four points in the previous 17 games...Rookie center T.J. Sakaluk scored his first professional goal in Wednesday's victory...Defenseman Josh Elzinga netted his first goal of the season in Saturday's 3-1 loss.

Quad City Mallards - (2-2-0) - Forward Brett Pilkington has a goal in each of his last three games. He has four points (3g, 1a) in four games since being acquired in a trade last week...Goaltender Jason Tapp made a season high 42 saves in Sunday's 4-1 win vs. Kalamazoo...Goaltender Zach Sikich earned his first win as a Mallard making 33 saves in the 5-3 win vs. Rockford on Friday...QC netted their first shorthanded goal of the season when Justin Chwedoruk scored shorthanded on Wednesday. They were the last UHL team to score shorthanded this season.

Rockford IceHogs - (1-1-1) - Winger Robin Big Snake has a goal in four of his last five games...After playing 16 games in the first 49 days of the season, the IceHogs will play 15 games in 31 days beginning on Friday...The next five games for Rockford are on the road...Defenseman Luke Fritshaw has a point in five of his last seven games... Rockford has the second fewest minor penalties in the UHL (135). They led the league a season ago...The IceHogs lead the league in shots per game (35.44)...Center Preston Mizzi tied a league high with 10 shots in Friday's game.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 27, 2006


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.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central