RoadRunners keep rollin'
October 3, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL) News Release
With two big wins over division foe Wichita Falls last weekend, the Santa Fe RoadRunners are riding high. But despite holding the NAHL's best record entering October, Scott Langer's club isn't getting ahead of itself.
"We've shown flashes of brilliance, but haven't displayed the level of consistency expected," said Langer, whose club improved to 6-1-1 on the season. "We're in a tough (South) division, and there's no such thing as being able to take a period off."
Slovakian forward Tibor Kutalek stole the show on Friday night, recording a natural hat trick in the RoadRunners' 5-0 blanking of the Wildcats. Goaltender Nick Hopper turned aside all 14 shots to pick up his third shutout of the season.
The next night, the RoadRunners downed the Wildcats, 5-3, as Kutalek struck for two more goals. Andrew Kappers added two assists in the win, while Hopper made 21 saves.
"It's way too early in the season to start getting overconfident," said Langer. "There's a lot of work yet to be done."
Langer points to special teams - the RoadRunners boast the NAHL's best power-play (22.97) and best penalty-killing (94.74) percentages - as keys to his team's early success.
"With the new rules bringing large numbers of odd-man situations, being effective on the PP and PK is essential," said Langer.
"Another key element is our team's chemistry," he added. "Veteran players from various programs have all commented on how this particular group of guys feels like a team - that goes a long way towards achieving success on the ice."
And then there's Hopper. The 18-year-old from Santa Monica, Calif., has a flawless 6-0 record to compliment a sterling 1.32 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.
"No one works harder at his game than Nick," said Langer. "He demands excellence from himself, and his work ethic both on and off the ice is tremendous. He's a huge part of the team's early success."
Other players are making valuable contributions as well, including Nate Hennig, who has quietly totaled six goals after scoring just one last year, and John Stoddard, whose workmanlike approach can't be understated.
Newcomers Ben Kinne, Kappers and Jake Hutt have provided timely goals, while Randy Swank has impressed on the blue line with seven points.
The RoadRunners have a big test in front of them this weekend, as they travel to Texas for a pair of games against the Tornado.
Last Week's Scores/Highlights
Thursday, September 28
Alaska 1 @ Fargo-Moorhead 5 (FM: Echternach-Philipp, G, 2A)
Fairbanks 5 @ Bismarck 0 (FBX: Madolora, 38 saves)
Friday, September 29
Alaska 4 @ Fargo-Moorhead 2 (ALA: Stevens, 2G, 1A)
North Iowa 3 @ Springfield 5 (SPR: Henry, GWG, A)
Texas 4 @ St. Louis 0 (TEX: Tragust, 30 saves)
Fairbanks 4 @ Bismarck 5 (BIS: Hoey, G, GWG)
Wichita Falls 0 @ Santa Fe 5 (SF: Kutalek, 3G)
Traverse City 1 @ Alpena 5 (ALP: Peterson, 2G)
Mahoning Valley 5 @ USNTDP 4 (MV: Winter, G, GWG)
Saturday, September 30
Texas 1 @ St. Louis 4 (STL: Maroon, 3A)
Fairbanks 4 @ Bismarck 3 (SO) (FBX: Schmidt, 2G, SOG)
Alaska 3 @ Fargo-Moorhead 6 (FM: Echternach, 3G)
Wichita Falls 3 @ Santa Fe 5 (SF: Kutalek, 2G)
Alexandria 3 @ Southern Minnesota 1 (ALX: Borre, G, GWG)
Alpena 3 @ Traverse City 4 (TC: Englebright, G, A)
Mahoning Valley 8 @ USNTDP 6 (MV: Fairbanks, 2G, A)
Springfield 4 @ North Iowa 1 (SPR: Kirchhevel, GWG, A)
Kutalek, Roy named Sherwood Players of the Week
Santa Fe RoadRunners forward Tibor Kutalek and Springfield Jr. Blues goaltender Adam Roy were named the Sherwood/NAHL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week ending October 1.
Kutalek, from Skilca, Slovakia, scored five goals in two games to help lift the RoadRunners to a pair of wins over division rival Wichita Falls. On Friday, Kutalek recorded a natural hat trick in Santa Fe's 5-0 triumph. The next night, the 19-year-old struck for two more goals in a 5-3 RoadRunners victory.
On the season, Kutalek has eight goals for 12 points after eight games.
"Tibor has the ability to take over games, and this past weekend he showed that," said RoadRunners coach Scott Langer. "He's a very gifted player and a big part of our fast start."
Roy, a Feeding Hills, Mass., native, backstopped the Jr. Blues to two wins over North Iowa last week, including a 42-save performance in Springfield's 4-1 victory on Saturday. The night prior, he made 27 saves in a 5-3 win.
In five appearances this season, the 19-year-old holds a 4-1 record to compliment a 2.20 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
"Adam is a great athlete and a great young man," said Jr. Blues coach Nick Pollos. "He will be a great Division I goaltender next year."
Around The NAHL
JARBOE TO ICEDIGGERS: Alpena acquired goaltender Mike Jarboe, 18, from St. Louis. The second-year NAHLer from Grosse Pointe, Mich., joins Shawn Hunwick, 19, to round out the IceDiggers' goalie tandem. "Shawn has been great so far, and now with Mike we should have one of the best one-two combos in the league," said IceDiggers coach Kenny Miller.
REAGAN'S HOMECOMING: With two assists at St. Louis last weekend, Texas defenseman Brian Reagan's six points (one goal) already doubles his point total from last season. "We continue to get very consistent play from Brian, and it was nice to see him do well in his hometown with his friends and family there," Tornado coach Tony Curtale said of the 19-year-old Baldwin, Mo., native.
ROAD WARRIOR: Fairbanks forward Kyle Schmidt, 19, enjoyed his weekend in Bismarck, where he rang up five goals and an assist as the Ice Dogs finished 1-1-1 against the Bobcats. The Hermantown, Minn., native is tied with Alpena's Nolan Craner, 20, and Todd Rudasill, 18, as the NAHL's leading scorers (14 points). His nine goals are tops in the league.
NEED FOR NEALON: Despite a pair of losses to Santa Fe, Sean Nealon, 20, continues to impress for Wichita Falls. The Rochester, N.Y., native tallied a shorthanded goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-3 defeat, improving his statline to 3-4=7 after eight games.
THE "O" SHOW: Bismarck goaltender Clark Oliver, 19, was exceptional in his two starts against Fairbanks last weekend, stopping 80 of 87 shots en route to a 1-0-1 record. The San Diego native is 4-0-1 on the season.
TOP BILLINS: Alpena defenseman Chad Billins, 17, from Maryville, Mich., picked up three assists in two games last weekend, including a pair in the IceDiggers' 5-1 win over Traverse City on Friday.
The Week Ahead
Friday, October 6
Fairbanks @ Alaska, 7:30 pm
Mahoning Valley @ Springfield, 7:30 pm
Santa Fe @ Texas, 7:30 pm
Bismarck @ North Iowa, 7:05 pm
USNTDP @ Alpena, 7:00 pm
Traverse City @ Marquette, 7:00 pm
Alexandria @ Fargo-Moorhead, 7:35 pm
Saturday, October 7
Alaska @ Fairbanks, 7:30 pm
Southern Minnesota @ St. Louis, 7:30 pm
Santa Fe @ Texas, 7:30 pm
Alexandria @ Fargo-Moorhead, 7:05 pm
Bismarck @ North Iowa, 7:05 pm
USNTDP @ Alpena, 7:00 pm
Traverse City @ Marquette, 7:00 pm
Mahoning Valley @ Springfield, 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 8
Southern Minnesota @ St. Louis, 6:00 pm
All Times Local
North American Hockey League Stories from October 3, 2006
- Express Grant Murphy's Trade Wish - Owatonna Express
- RoadRunners keep rollin' - NAHL
- Tornado return home - Texas Tornado
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