Player Profile: Alex Blankenburg
October 31, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Port Huron Fighting Falcons News Release
Alex Blankenburg re-joined the Port Huron Fighting Falcons late in training camp this season, after he very nearly earned a roster spot with the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjack's. The missed time hasn't affected the goaltender so far, as he has started the 2013-14 NAHL season with a perfect 5-0-0 record, including a 2-0 mark on home ice at McMorran Arena.
The 19-year-old joined the Fighting Falcons after impressing the coaching staff at their 2012 main tryout camp. Blankenburg had played for Belle Tire's U16 team and Honeybaked's U18 team, where he crossed paths with many Fighting Falcons teammates, before making the leap to junior hockey.
A native of Washington, MI, Blankenburg has enjoyed playing less than an hour from his hometown, in front of fans that have welcomed him into the Blue Water Area. He's been playing hockey since he was five years old, and had his McMorran Arena debut long before joining the Fighting Falcons.
"Port Huron is a great hockey town;" Blankenburg said. "The fans here give us a real home ice advantage, and an atmosphere that's tough to match on the road."
Blankenburg got better and better as he progressed through his first NAHL season, and earned the team's Rookie of the Year award. He's carried a great deal of momentum into the current campaign, ranking 5th among NAHL goalies in goals against average at 1.64, and 7th in save percentage at 0.933. Four of his five wins have come in one-goal games, and he has stopped nine of ten opponent's shootout attempts.
The goaltending duo of Blankenburg and teammate Max Milosek has been one of the league's best tandems since the start of last season, and the netminders are a big part of the Fighting Falcons' great start this year. Port Huron leads the North Division with a 10-2-3record, and leads the division in goals scored (48) and goals allowed (36).
"This season is going well so far and the main reason is how well all the guys get along in the locker room," Blankenburg said, echoing the sentiments of his teammates. "As far as my own success goes, it just comes from doing my best to give us a chance to win every chance I get, and everyone on this team trusts each other to do their part."
Blankenburg, or, Blanks as he's known in the locker room, shies away from superstitions, saying that they can cause him to over think the game. He does enjoy joining his teammates for pre-game soccer as a warm-up before it's time to hit the ice.
Throughout this season, Blankenburg works with multiple area youth teams, helping to mentor future Fighting Falcons hopefuls. He has picked up right where he left off a year ago, when he won the team's Bob McCammon Community Service award, as voted by his teammates.
The goalie has big plans for the future, but with one year of junior eligibility remaining after this year, he isn't looking too far ahead in terms of his goals on the ice.
"I want to play the game at the highest level possible for as long as I can, and would love to move on to play Division 1 college hockey, and maybe even into the pros," said Blankenburg. "But for right now, my main goal is to work as hard as I can to improve and give my team the best chance to win every night."
North American Hockey League Stories from October 31, 2013
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- Player Profile: Alex Blankenburg - Port Huron Fighting Falcons
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