USHL Tri-City Storm

Tri-City Storm News & Notes - Week Eight

Published on November 17, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - In route to Michigan for a two-game weekend against Muskegon and Team USA - U18, the Tri-City Storm make two adjustments to the roster in preparation to their games on Friday and Saturday.

The Storm have called up D Cutler Martin from the Victory Honda U18 midget major team for the weekend. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound blue liner was drafted by Tri-City in the 2011 USHL Entry Draft in the 15th round (212th overall).

Martin, who is from East Lansing, Mich., has six points (2g, 4a) and two penalty minutes in 12 games this season. Last season, Martin had 29 points (9g, 20a) and eight penalty minutes in 54 games playing with Victory Honda U18.

The Storm have also traded RW Davey Middleton to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for a conditional pick in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft. Middleton played in 10 games for the Storm this season, scoring one goal and adding one assist with eight penalty minutes.

Tri-City will play the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday looking to snap the current seven-game losing streak. The Storm won both games last season against the Lumberjacks and are 2-0-0 all-time, as Muskegon enters its second season in the USHL.

On Saturday, the Storm will play the United States National Team Developmental Program's U18 team. Tri-City has yet to win a game in Ann Arbor, Mich. with the Storm 0-2-1 all-time in games at Team USA's Ice Cube. The Storm are 2-5-2 all-time against Team USA.

Classic Hits 98.9 FM will air both games this weekend, as the Viaero Wireless Pre-Game Show will start at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Latest College Commitments:

Goalie Pheonix Copley - Michigan Tech University (2012) - committed Nov. 16

Tri-City Notes:

Tri-City Storm - 3-10-0, 6 pts (8th in Western Conference)

- Last game - Nov. 13 - 6-5 loss vs. Lincoln

- The Storm are led in points and goals by C Nick Lappin - 14 points (10g, 4a).Lappin is out day-to-day with an injury

- Leading the setup is RW Kenny Brooks, who has nine assists this season.Overall, Brooks has 11 points (2g, 9a) in 13 games.He is now in the Storm Top 20 all-time (currently - Tied for 18th all-time) in assists (37), which has him tied with Jesse Martin (played 2006-07).Brooks is only four points from being in the Top 20 in points, and 14 penalty minutes from being in the Top 20 in that category as well

- Coming off a career-best, LW/C Soren Jonzzon had four assists and plus-4 rating in last Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Lincoln Stars.Jonzzon was the leading scorer for Tri-City last season with 39 points (17g, 22a) in 60 games.This season, Jonzzon has eight points (1g, 7a) in 13 games

- G Pheonix Copley (3-8-0) has 3.49 GAA and .893 SV%...Copley has allowed 19 goals in the third period this season out of his 38 GA

- The power play is ranked 13th in the USHL going 8-for-65 (12.3%).the penalty kill slipped to last in the league at 74.1% (43-for-58) after allowing seven power-play goals in 11 short-handed situations last weekend

Opponents Notes:

Friday, Nov. 18 @ Muskegon Lumberjacks - 6-6-0, 6 pts (6th in Eastern Conference)

- Last game - Nov. 12 - 5-4 win @ Indiana Ice

- The Lumberjacks have won five of their last six games

- Coming off a career-high, D Nick Seeler had three points (1g, 2a), including two power-play points (1PPG, 1PPA) and a plus-2 rating.Seeler was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 5th rd. (131st overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.Seeler is committed to the Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha for next season.Last year, Seeler played for Eden Prairie High School, where he had 43 points (9g, 34a) in 28 games

- G Paul Berrafato (5-2-0) has a 2.73 GAA and .905 SV%...He was won four of his last five starts from the Lumberjacks

- Muskegon has the third-worst defense in the USHL, allowing 3.75 goals per game.the offense is ranked 7th in the USHL, averaging 3.08 GF/G

- The Lumberjacks are the league's most penalized team averaging 26.25 penalty minutes per game.they also lead the USHL in minor penalties with 95

- The Lumberjacks are ranked 7th in the USHL on the power play going 11-for-64 (17.2%). The Muskegon penalty kill is ranked 9th in the league, going 51-for-62 (82.3%)

Saturday, Nov. 19 @ Team USA - U18 - 3-5-1, 7 pts (8th in Eastern Conference)

- Last game (U18) - Oct. 22 - 7-2 win vs. Des Moines Buccaneers

- The game against the Storm will only be the U18's fourth game in the USHL this season, as they play the Green Bay Gamblers on Friday.Team USA U18's are 1-1-0 this season

- Team USA - U18's are some of the top NHL draft prospects in the USHL, which is led by D Jacob Trouba from Rochester, Mich.

- The USNTDP is projected to produce three to four first round NHL Draft Picks according to the latest ISS rankings that came out on Wednesday

- The U18's are 3-for-11 on the power play and 9-for-10 on the penalty kill in two games

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 17, 2011


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