Wildcats' efforts rewarded

Published on October 24, 2006 under North American Hockey League (NAHL) News Release

After a sluggish 2-6-2 start to the season, the Wichita Falls Wildcats finally got some bounces to go their way last weekend in two morale-boosting victories over Fairbanks.

"Those were definitely a much-needed couple of wins for us," said Wildcats coach Brian Meisner. "We still have a long ways to go, no question, but we took some positive steps. We got rewarded for the work we've put in all year."

On Friday night, six different players scored for the Wildcats in a 6-1 triumph over the Ice Dogs. Zach Josepher netted the game-winner, while Joel Sauer recorded four assists. Between the pipes, Cal Heeter made 22 saves.

Ville Aman's goal in overtime lifted Wichita Falls to a 4-3 come-from-behind win on Saturday. Skyler Jameson picked up his second goal of the weekend (shorthanded) and assisted on Aman's marker, while Sauer registered two more assists, including one on the OT game-winner. Heeter turned aside 20 shots in goal.

"The guys are starting to work together," said Meisner. "It's not they haven't been working hard, it's just that they've all been trying to do things on their own, and I think the difference this weekend is that we played as a team, we fed off of each other."

Sauer, 19, who now has 10 points - all assists - in 12 games, was a classic example of a player trying to do too much.

"He's been trying to win games by himself, and I think he finally took some of that pressure off of himself and relaxed a little bit," said Meisner. "He definitely stepped it up this weekend and did whatever he could to help us win."

Heeter, 17, was equally impressive. A national title-winning goalie in the CSHL last season with the St. Louis Jr. Blues, he picked up his first two Junior A wins over the Ice Dogs.

"This is probably one of the first times in awhile he's had to face a little adversity, and he fought through it," said Meisner. "He played well, he made some big saves."

Defenseman Ricky Doriott, 19, broke through as well, scoring his first goal of the season.

"He played really well," said Meisner. "He's really coming on."

And then there's Jameson, 19. Playing on a line with Sauer, the Wildcats' captain came up big in virtually every situation on Saturday.

"Skyler basically took that game over," said Meisner.

This coming weekend, the NAHL's other Alaskan entry - the Avalanche - visit Wichita Falls for a three-game set.

"Eventually all the breaks even out, and we finally got some last weekend and hopefully that carries over into this weekend," said Meisner.

LAST WEEK'S SCORES/HIGHLIGHTS
Friday, October 20
Alexandria 5 @ Springfield 0 (ALX: Carlson, 18 saves)
Marquette 4 @ Bismarck 5 (BIS: Maggard, GWG, A)
Fargo-Moorhead 4 @ North Iowa 3 (FM: Dezellar, GWG, A)
Alaska 2 @ Santa Fe 3 (SF: Krispel, G, A)
St. Louis 5 @ Southern Minnesota 2 (STL: Sisson, 2G, A)
Fairbanks 1 @ Wichita Falls 6 (WF: Sauer, 4A)
Alpena 6 @ Traverse City 3 (ALP: Craner, G, 2A)
Mahoning Valley 4 @ USNTDP 3 (SO) (MV: Bores, G, SOG)

Saturday, October 21
Marquette 7 @ Bismarck 2 (MAR: Macari, 2G, 2A)
Fargo-Moorhead 5 @ North Iowa 3 (FM: Moreland, 3G)
Alaska 5 @ Santa Fe 3 (ALA: Dimmen, 4A)
St. Louis 6 @ So. Minnesota 1 (STL: Maroon, G, GWG, A)
Fairbanks 3 @ Wichita Falls 4 (OT) (WF: Jameson, G, A)
Alexandria 4 @ Springfield 5 (SPR: Mohler, 3G, A)
Alpena 4 @ Traverse City 3 (ALP: Roman, GWG, A)
Mahoning Valley 1 @ USNTDP 10 (USA: vanRiemsdyk, 4G)

Jarboe, Moreland, Sisson named Sherwood Players of the Week

NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alpena goaltender Mike Jarboe turned aside 52 of 58 shots last weekend, backstopping the IceDiggers to a pair of wins over Traverse City. On Friday, the Grosse Point Park, Mich., native made 29 saves in Alpena's 6-3 win over the North Stars. The following night, the 18-year-old stopped 23 shots in a 4-3 IceDiggers triumph.

On the season, Jarboe, who was acquired earlier this year from St. Louis, is 3-0 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

CENTRAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Fargo-Moorhead forward Matt Moreland struck for four goals and an assist as the Jets won two games in North Iowa last weekend. On Friday, the 20-year-old scored a shorthanded goal and an assist in Fargo-Moorhead's 4-3 win over the Outlaws. The next night, the Grand Forks, N.D., native recorded a hat trick, including the game-winner, in the Jets' 5-3 triumph.

In only four games this season, Moreland, who rejoined the team earlier this month, has scored six goals for eight points.

SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
St. Louis forward Graham Sisson tallied two goals and four assists last weekend as the Bandits skated to a pair of wins over Southern Minnesota. On Friday, the Chesterfield, Mo., native netted two goals and an assist in a 5-2 Bandits win. The 19-year-old rang up three assists the next night, including one on Pat Maroon's game-winning goal, as St. Louis downed the Express, 6-1.

Sisson, who totaled 24 points (nine goals) last season with the Bandits, has five goals for 10 points after 12 games this season.

Around the NAHL

NAGORSEN COMMITS TO WMU: Traverse City forward Patrick Nagorsen has committed to Western Michigan University (CCHA) for next season. The 19-year-old from Novi, Mich., leads the North Stars in scoring with five goals for 12 points after 19 games.

VOGELHUBER TO MIAMI-OHIO: St. Louis forward Trent Vogelhuber has committed to the University of Miami-Ohio (CCHA) for the 2008-09 season. The year, his first in the NAHL, the 18-year-old from Dublin, Ohio, has two goals for eights points after 11 games.

GOOD AS GOAL: With his four-goal outburst in a 10-1 thrashing of Mahoning Valley on Saturday, Team USA forward James vanRiemsdyk, 17, now leads the NTDP with eight markers in NAHL play. "James and his linemates have really clicked lately," said U.S. Under-18 coach Ron Rolston of the University of New Hampshire (Hockey East) recruit. "He's a big-time player with a top-notch ability to score goals."

COHEN IMPRESSES: Marquette defenseman Jason Cohen, 18, chipped in two goals and two assists as the Rangers split two games in Bismarck last weekend. "Jason contributions show mostly on the scoresheet (2-7=9 after 12 games), but he's learning to be more steady and reliable from a defensive perspective," said Marquette coach Leigh Mendelson of the Anchorage native.

MCCABE BRINGS 'A'-GAME: Alaska forward Brad McCabe, an 18-year-old from Gearhart, Ore., notched two goals, including the game-winner, in the Avalanche's 5-3 win in Santa Fe on Saturday. "That was Brad's best game as a Junior A player," said Avalanche assistant coach Corey Millen.

HAMMER TIME: Alexandria defenseman and Superior, Wis., native Adam Hammerback, 20, struck for a goal - a shorthanded game-winner on Friday - and two assists as the Blizzard went 1-1 against Springfield last weekend.

DAN THE MAN: Bismarck defenseman Dan Siira, 20, netted two goals and two assists in the Bobcats' two-game split with Marquette last weekend. The Anchorage native is tied with North Iowa's Matt Morin as the NAHL's second-leading scorers among defensemen (12 points).

STANDINGS
North Division
TEAM GP W-L-OTL PTS PCT GF GA
Alpena 13 10-3-0 20 .769 50 35
USNTDP 14 7-6-1 15 .536 64 51
Traverse City 15 7-7-1 15 .500 50 53
Marquette 13 6-6-1 13 .500 45 38
Mahoning Valley 14 6-7-1 13 .464 49 59

South Division
TEAM GP W-L-OTL PTS PCT GF GA
Santa Fe 15 10-3-2 22 .733 56 35
St. Louis 12 10-1-1 21 .875 45 22
Fairbanks 16 7-8-1 15 .469 58 55
Texas 12 7-4-1 15 .625 38 37
Wichita Falls 12 4-6-2 10 .417 34 41
Alaska 13 4-8-1 9 .346 36 46

Central Division
TEAM GP W-L-OTL PTS PCT GF GA
Fargo-Moorhead 13 9-4-0 18 .692 44 36
Springfield 13 8-5-0 16 .615 48 36
Bismarck 15 7-6-2 16 .533 48 64
So. Minnesota 11 5-6-0 10 .455 34 34
Alexandria 13 5-8-0 10 .385 35 42
North Iowa 12 3-9-0 6 .250 33 60

LEADING SCORERS
PLAYER TEAM P GP G A PTS
Craner, Nolan ALP F 13 10 17 27
Rudasill, Todd ALP F 13 10 15 25
Schmidt, Kyle FBX F 16 11 9 20
Kretzer, Ryan SPI F 13 5 14 19
Shean, Joe FBX F 16 7 11 18
Maroon, Pat STL F 12 7 11 18
Kutalek, Tibor SFE F 15 10 7 17
Echternach, Jesse FMH F 13 10 7 17
Pierson, Drew ALP F 13 8 9 17
(two players tied with 16)

LEADING GOALTENDERS
PLAYER TEAM GPI MINS W-L-OTL GAA SPCT
Reiter, Kenny STL 6 329:59 5-0-1 1.64 .943
Hopper, Nick SFE 12 729:02 9-2-1 1.65 .923
Nagle, Pat STL 6 364:31 4-1-1 1.98 .931
Tragust, Thomas TXS 8 490:00 5-2-1 2.08 .922
Ritter, Stephen MAR 10 600:06 6-3-1 2.10 .936

GOALS
PLAYER TEAM P GP G
Schmidt, Kyle FBX F 16 11
(five players tied with 12)

ASSISTS
PLAYER TEAM P GP A
Craner, Nolan ALP F 13 17
Rudasill, Todd ALP F 13 15
Kretzer, Ryan SPI F 13 14

PENALTY MINUTES
PLAYER TEAM P GP PIM
Flink, Adam TXS F 12 62
Carlson, Matt FBX D 13 55
Ikkala, Cody MAR D 12 51

The Week Ahead
Thursday, October 26
Fairbanks @ Texas, 7:30 pm
Alaska @ Wichita Falls, 7:05 pm

Friday, October 27
Southern Minnesota @ Fargo-Moorhead, 7:35 pm
Bismarck @ Alexandria, 7:30 pm
Springfield @ North Iowa, 7:05 pm
Alaska @ Wichita Falls, 7:05 pm
Mahoning Valley @ Alpena, 7:00 pm
Marquette @ Traverse City, 7:00 pm

Saturday, October 28
Fairbanks @ Texas, 7:30 pm
Southern Minnesota @ Fargo-Moorhead, 7:05 pm
Springfield @ North Iowa, 7:05 pm
Alaska @ Wichita Falls, 7:05 pm
Bismarck @ Alexandria, 7:00 pm
Mahoning Valley @ Alpena, 7:00 pm
Marquette @ Traverse City, 7:00 pm

Sunday, October 29
Fairbanks @ Texas, 6:00 pm

North American Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2006

• North Stars' Nagorsen to WMU - Traverse City North Stars
• 'Runners win streak snapped at three - Topeka Pilots
• Moreland Named Player of the Week - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
• U.S. National Under-18 Team Takes On No. 14 Clarkson University and SUNY Plattsburgh - U.S. National Team
• Jarboe named Player of the Week - Alpena IceDiggers
• Wildcats Sweep Fairbanks in Weekend Series - Wichita Falls Wildcats
• Wildcats' efforts rewarded - NAHL

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