Season Ends With Second-Place Finish
May 2, 2005 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Fargo (ND) Having a winning streak snapped is hard enough to deal with, but toss in the added element of losing in the National Championship game and it's a whole new level of heartache. However, that is exactly what the Fargo-Moorhead Jets are dealing with as the team begins the off-season this week.
The Fargo-Moorhead Jets saw their 10-game postseason winning end with a 6-1 loss to the Texas Tornado in the USA Hockey National Junior A Tier II Championship game on Apr. 30 in Bismarck, ND. With the loss, the Jets finish the season in second place, both in the nation and in the North American Hockey League. However, for now that is small consolation for a team that entered the title game with an unblemished 10-0 NAHL playoff record.
For Texas, the championship game victory gives the franchise back-to-back titles. The Tornado are the first NAHL team to repeat since the former Compuware Ambassadors accomplished the feat in 1997-'98. In addition, the Tornado are the first Junior A franchise to repeat as National Champions since the United States Hockey League's Green Bay Gamblers did so in 1996-'97.
Though the Jets had their dream playoff run bounced back into reality in the championship game, it still doesn't take away from what was a very successful tournament run and season in general. The Jets became the first Junior A hockey franchise in Fargo-Moorhead to reach the National Tournament.
Fargo-Moorhead fans can also take solace in the fact the Jets did earn the 2005 Borne Cup for winning the NAHL's West Division. The Borne Cup sits proudly in the Jets' offices inside the Carlson Coliseum, a symbol for the most successful season by a FM franchise since the 1970s.
At last week's National Tournament, the Jets took advantage of the spotlight to stake their claim as one of the NAHL's best teams. Fargo-Moorhead won their first three-games of the tournament by a combined 15-3 margin including wins over Texas (4-1), Sault Ste. Marie (8-2) and Bismarck (3-0).
Many individuals caught the eye of the many hockey experts in the VFW Sportscenter stands, namely Dain Prewitt (Westminster, CO). The veteran Jets' captain concluded his stellar postseason with 8 points (5 goals, 3 assist) in the National Tournament.
Prewitt finished the NAHL playoffs with a league-high 14 points, and ends his Jets' two-year career with 51 goals.
Assistant captain Tom Dickhudt (Woodbury, MN) concluded his strong postseason with 13 assists, good for second highest in the entire league during the playoffs. In the National Tournament, Dickhudt had 6 assists.
Grand Forks native Matt Moreland also shined, scoring 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist). This includes scoring a goal versus his older brother Kasey, during the Jets' 3-0 victory over Bismarck on Apr. 29.
In addition, Jets' goaltender Andy Stricker (St. George, UT) was also solid in goal. Though he lost in the championship game, he was the only reason the Jets' stayed close against the Tornado until the middle of the second period. Prior to the championship game, his National Tournament stats were strong with a 1.00 GAA and .957% save percentage.
This includes a shutout over Bismarck in the final game of the round-robin portion of the tournament. The shutout was Stricker's second of the postseason, and fourth of the year (but first against a team other than Minnesota).
Jets' head coach Todd Knott, in his first season in this role, also saw his stock rise as more people were exposed to what he had done this season.
Unfortunately, while the Jets went 10-1 in the postseason and accomplished much as a team, the NAHL didn't see fit to reward any members of the team individually. No Jets were picked for the league's first or second All-Star teams, nor the All-Rookie squad. The Jets were officially shutout from the postseason awards at the National Tournament banquet on Apr. 28. It was there that NAHL commissioner announced awards such as league MVP and community service awards.
Santos also announced the coach of the year award, which many felt was going to go to Knott. However, the distinction went to Texarkana's second-year head coach Jon Cooper.
The awards were voted on by the NAHL's coaches. Only one West Division player (Helena's Brandon Marino who made the second All-Star team) received any postseason honors.
Now the Jets get ready for next season. A new marketing campaign will be introduced during the summer, while sponsorship and ticket drives have started. Meanwhile, the coaching staff will hold tryout camps in the Twin Cities, and also in Michigan (a first for the Jets) as the team attempts to retool. Close to half of the Jets' roster in eligible to return next season, but whether players do come back is dependent on numerous factors such as opportunities to play at college or in other leagues.
The FM Jets were the 2005 Borne Cup Champions and just finished their second 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 29th 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 STAR 103.9 and sportsjuice.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from May 2, 2005
- Barons Forward Patrick Schafer Commits to The Ohio State University - Cleveland Barons
- Season Ends With Second-Place Finish - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
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