Plenty of local players are embracing the University of Arizona`s

VOLUME 6
ISSUE 6
From Kids to Coyotes, the Desert’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey
February 2011
Plenty of local players are
embracing the University
of Arizona’s winning
hockey tradition
. NORTHERN ARIZONA
Y
REMEMBERS JAY LIVEL
. RUNNERS SCORE BIG
WITH CACTUS CUP
. IHAAZ SEASON ROLLS
ALONG IN HAVASU
. POLAR BEARS’ BERMAN
LEADS BY EXAMPLE
ArizonaRubber.com
ArizonaRubber.com
3
Michael Sefcik and the Arizona
Runners’ Pee Wee A team skated
away with their second tournament
championship of the season at last
month’s Cactus Cup. See more on the
showcase on Page 15.
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Arizona Rubber Magazine is a production of:
Valley natives playing for the University of Arizona, from left, junior
forward Brady Lefferts (Anthem), junior forward Blake Richards (Goodyear), freshman forward Eric Watters (Phoenix), sophomore forward Brian
Slugocki (Scottsdale), sophomore forward Ryan Mohr (Cave Creek), junior
defenseman Geordy Weed (Phoenix) and freshman defenseman Bruce
Ericsson (Gilbert), with Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski
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publisher: Brian McDonough
editor: Shane Dale
designer: Julie Wilson
cover photo: Dave Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
EDITOR’S COLUMN:
Arizona steps up big for visitors in need
H
ockey’s popularity in Arizona is certainly spreading quickly, and thanks
to the goodwill of a local club and the Phoenix Coyotes, word of the high
character of the state’s hockey family is spreading, as well.
The Lakewood Edmonton 18 AA team came to Arizona for MLK Weekend
to compete in the Arizona Cactus Cup, sponsored by the Arizona Runners,
only to have its equipment promptly stolen overnight.
The Runners and Coyotes quickly sprang into action and,
within hours, provided Lakewood with replacement gear for
the weekend, allowing the squad to compete.
“What we experienced and witnessed was simply inspiring,”
said Erin Madsen, a parent of a Lakewood player. “I know it
only pushed the boys to play even better. The quick thinking
and generosity of everyone out there was amazing. It was a
tournament I’m sure we all will never forget.”
And we Arizonans have the opportunity to continue to
spread that goodwill. Since the Lakewood team went home
without the majority of its equipment, the Runners are accepting donations on the team’s behalf.
E-mail Runners secretary Bethany Checketts at [email protected] to make a contribution.
forward to sharing my knowledge of how elite players train with both the
Athletic Republic family and players in Arizona,” he said.
Make sure you stop by Athletic Republic Scottsdale and check out all it has
to offer as you start thinking about your spring and summer hockey plans.
Don’t forget: Hockey Weekend Across America is set for Feb. 18-20.
Each of the three days associated with the USA Hockeydriven event has a theme, including Wear Your Favorite
Hockey Jersey on Friday; Bring A Friend to the Rink on
Saturday; and Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes on Sunday.
“Hockey Weekend Across America has been a success
because of the vast participation of the hockey community,
from those in our grassroots programs across the country
to the National Hockey League and its teams,” said Dave
Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey.
For more information, check with your local association
or rink and visit HockeyWeekendAcrossAmerica.com.
Zac Larraza is in the news again. The Scottsdale native
is listed No. 98 among North American skaters on the NHL
Dale
Central Scouting Bureau’s midterm rankings of 2011 draft-eligibles, which were released last month.
Congratulations to Ryan Bencurik, who was recently named
A University of Denver recruit, Larraza, a forward who played locally
the new director of hockey at Athletic Republic Scottsdale.
with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes/P.F. Chang’s program, is skating with USA
A former University of Nebraska-Omaha standout and an all-star in the
Hockey’s National Team Development Program this season on the Under-18
United States Hockey League (USHL), Bencurik was coaching in the USHL
Team.
with Nebraska’s Lincoln Stars and Tri-City Storm the last five years.
NHL Central Scouting will release its final rankings in April prior to the
“I’ve had the privilege of coaching players in the USHL who’ve made the
NHL Entry Draft, which will be held in St. Paul, Minn., on June 24-25. b
next step to Division I and even the National Hockey League, and I look
Reach Shane Dale at [email protected]
4
Ice Jacks honor Livelys with pregame ceremony
By Shane Dale
R
season away from home.
It took nine months and well over $100,000, but
NAU got its home ice back for this year’s campaign
with the new, state-of-the-art Jay Lively Activity
Center.
achelle Lively Duncan is in awe of how
things have come full circle for her, her family
and hockey in Flagstaff.
That’s the feeling she left with after she and
her family were given a No. 7 jersey in a pregame
ceremony before a Northern Arizona University
hockey game to honor Jay Lively, Rachelle’s
brother who died in 1984 at the age of 15.
A Flagstaff-based youth hockey player and
stick boy for NAU’s hockey club, Lively was making the trip home to Flagstaff following hockey
practice in Tempe when his truck was hit by a
drunk driver along a treacherous section of Interstate 17. The accident left him and six others
dead.
After his death, Flagstaff’s only rink was
renamed the Jay Lively Ice Arena in honor of a
kid whose love for hockey rivaled his passion for
life itself.
Jay and Rachelle, along with their sister,
Before a game last month, NAU presented, from left, Jay Lively’s
Kelly, were on the ice together all the time - Jay sister, Rachelle Lively Duncan, parents Dottie and Jerry Lively and
as a hockey player, Rachelle and Kelly as aspir- nephews Conner and Avery Halbert a No. 7 jersey in memory of Jay
and his passion for hockey.
ing figure skaters.
“Oftentimes before NAU practices, the players
A.J. Fairchild, general manager of NAU
would invite Jay to skate with them,” Rachelle
hockey, got a chance to meet the Lively family dursaid. “Just being with the NAU team really ining the rink’s grand opening on Oct. 30.
spired Jay to be a better hockey player.”
“I remember Rachelle telling about Jay liking
On Jan. 17, 2010, the unthinkable happened: A
the No. 7 and being a stick boy for the guys,” he
furious snowstorm in Flagstaff caused the roof of
said. “They were such an inspiration to him, and
the Jay Lively Arena to collapse.
now he’s an inspiration to us and our guys.”
There were plenty of hardships for NAU’s
The No. 7 jersey was presented to the Lively
hockey team to endure in the following months, as
family before NAU’s big game with Arizona State
it had to play all of its games during the 2009-10
at the second arena named for Jay on Saturday,
Jan. 22.
“We brought the Lively family in to a standing
ovation,” Fairchild said. “Jay’s been gone since all
of the (current NAU players) were born, but they
got to put a name and a face to it.
“The awesome part about it was we were
playing our rival, so we had a packed house. We
have a new building but don’t have seats yet, so
we had students and locals standing four deep
around the glass.
“I wrote the presentation and I was in the
penalty box with the microphone. I had to stop
a couple times to clear my throat. What a strong
family and strong supporters of hockey even to
this day. We were honored to have them come
out.”
Even though the arena is new, Rachelle said
memories came flooding back when she stepped
inside.
“I get the same feeling walking into that rink
as I got when we were kids,” she said. “It’s where
I grew up and it’s where Jay grew up. That’s
where we did our thing as a family.”
Rachelle said Jay’s story was an inspiration
to NAU’s squad during its nine-month homeless
stretch.
“After hearing Jay’s story and knowing what
he was all about, it really inspired the team to pull
together and just try,” she said. “It’s just a neat
story on how their story was inspired by Jay’s 27
years later.
“Jay continues to inspire the NAU hockey team,
and he continues to inspire the Northstars, Flagstaff’s youth hockey team. His spirit is very much
alive and it’s really awesome.” b
ArizonaRubber.com
5
Big Men on Campus
‘Icecat Nation’ resonates loud and clear in Arizona and beyond
By Brett Fera
I
a college home in Tucson in recent seasons.
For many years, the Icecats’ roster didn’t emphasize Arizonans. Golembiewski wasn’t against
local players at all. It was always just his goal, he
notes, to get the best U.S. hockey players he could
find, no matter where they were from.
And this season, 14 different states are represented on the Icecats’ roster.
Icecat Nation indeed.
Yet, at the same time, seven of the team’s 27
players - including two of its three captains - hail
from in-state.
Brian Slugocki, a sophomore captain from
Scottsdale, might have one of the best perspectives
of what it means to be one of those Arizona-born
on their rosters. Couple that with the nationwide
network of talent the Icecats have drawn from over
the years, and the recipe is pretty appetizing.
“You’ve got a pretty solid hockey program here
(Arizona) at the college level, you’ve got a pretty
solid hockey program up in Phoenix (Arizona
State), and (Northern Arizona) has a good program, too,” Golembiewski said. “I think you’ve seen
people staying closer to home because of the cost of
tuition. (They) can still be two hours from home, go
to a very good university, and play in front of a lot
of fans.”
f Leo Golembiewski has heard it once, he’s
heard it at least 500 times - every time his players take to their home ice.
“Let’s… play… hockey!” bellows a multi-toned
voice over the Tucson Convention Center Arena
public address system; that, instantaneously
followed by the deafening roar of desert hockey’s
rowdiest group of fans.
After more than 600 total wins, eight final
fours, a national championship, and a point in
time (today) where the college hockey scene in
the state of Arizona is stronger than ever, GolemMore in Store
biewski - the longtime head coach of the University
Junior co-captain Geordy Weed, a central
of Arizona Icecats - admits that maybe he
Phoenix native, explains the first time he
wouldn’t mind hearing it 500 more times
really “experienced” Icecat hockey. It was
before the end of his storied career.
from a YouTube video of a jam-packed
“We’re proud to have the record we’ve
ASU-UA game in Tucson.
had, but winning has nothing to do with
“I watched those YouTube videos over
what we’ve done,” explained Golembiewski,
and over,” he said. “I could see what it was
the organization’s founder and chief ambaslike down (in Tucson). The chanting, the
sador, and one of the primary figures recrowd - it’s everything.”
sponsible for the founding of the American
YouTube videos, Facebook messages
Collegiate Hockey Association 20 years ago.
from fans wishing “good luck” before a
“I never got into coaching to win a
recent trip to play ASU in Tempe - just a
hockey game. I got into coaching to teach.”
few of the ways “Icecat Nation” continues
For Golembiewski, the fact that there
to spread with the times.
are games to play, let alone win, means
“You’ve got to give props to coach,” said
there’s something - often about life, not
Weed. “He’s done this for 32 years now,
hockey - to teach.
and the program is still going strong,” he
said. “Tucson people love us, they love
For 39 years - he coached in Chicago
the hockey, so the least we can do is bring
at the high school level before moving to
them some victories.”
Arizona in the late 1970s - Golembiewski
As the decades have flown by, Golemhas done just that. And, as the Icecats 32nd
biewski admits that his coaching style has
season of play winds down, Golembiewski
Seven Arizona natives dot the University of Arizona’s hockey roster, which also
evolved.
assures that there’s plenty more teaching to includes players from 13 other states. Photo/Dave Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
“It puts pressure on me to be innovado, plenty more hockey games to play.
tive, pressure on me to find ways to bring out the
players working alongside so many teammates
Home Sweet Home
best in my players,” he said, specifically noting
from out of state.
A transplant from Illinois, Golembiewski fell in
that the last three seasons of no regular practice
Slugocki sees the best of both sides. He played
love with the Sonoran desert and, not so much on a alongside two of his current Icecat teammates schedules (Tucson is still without a public-use
whim, decided this is where he’d make his hockey
Goodyear’s Blake Richards and Anthem’s Brady rink) has made things interesting.
future. Southern Arizona being where he, alongHow he coaches has changed, sure. But his
Lefferts - as part of the Scottsdale-based P.F.
side his wife, Paula, would build an “American
philosophy? Golembiewski says that will never
Chang’s program (now the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes)
college hockey program.”
change.
during their Midget hockey days; away from the
That’s where the idea of “Icecat Nation,” as
“We want (players here) to live, not to exist,”
ice, it’s worked out that all of his roommates hail
Golembiewski and the team’s followers fondly refer from outside Arizona, too.
he said. “Most hockey players exist on a dream of
to it, comes from.
being a pro hockey player, of being in the Nation“There are five of us in my house, and I don’t
But, in recent years, that idea of a new generaal Hockey League. All the while they’re letting
live with one person from Arizona. I think I’ve
tion of U.S.-born hockey players has included a
life pass them by.
learned so much more by doing that,” he said.
new generation of Arizona-bred players, too.
Golembiewski explains it this way: As Arizona’s
“We want hockey players to come to Arizona,
“Because of the success we’ve had, with that
best players have spread their wings throughout
play for a solid program - to live the game playidea of ‘Icecat Nation,’ you’re looking at more
the country, and a stronger local hockey scene has
ing for a solid hockey program - in front of great
homegrown guys who’re seeing us a viable option,” been built because of it, there are now more quality fans in a great venue, and let the rest take care of
he said of the influx of Arizona-born talent finding
players available for local college teams to lock up
itself.” b
WWW.PUCKHEADHOCKEY.COM
6
AWAY FROM THE RUBBER:
Take pride in your local hockey legacy
O
ne of the most popular features of the Phoenix Coyotes’
training facility doesn’t involve a
favorite cardiovascular machine
or strength training equipment;
rather, it’s the wall on one side
of the room where 13 banners
listing every single player who’s
worn a Coyotes jersey throughout
the organization’s 13 seasons are
mounted high.
Every player who played at
least one regular-season or playoff game for the Coyotes is listed
on that year’s respective banner,
and current players like to look
at them to see who’s donned the
team’s jersey before them. They
also take pride in knowing that
their names will become a part
of the Coyotes legacy in years to
come.
People who visit the facility enjoy looking back and being
reminded of their favorite players
from years ago. They also like to
see their current favorite players’
names on the most recent ban-
ners.
with as much
I enjoy lookfondness for their
ing at the first
on-ice exploits.
few years of the
Doan. JovaCoyotes era, seenovski. Morris.
ing names like
Yandle. BryTkachuk, Roezgalov. When
nick, Khabibuplayers and fans
lin, Numminen
look up at the
and Briere. I
team banners and
wasn’t fortunate
see their names,
enough to be a
they’ll recall their
part of that chaplegacies with
ter in Coyotes
enthusiasm.
history, but I love
A team’s
to hear stories
legacy
is imporBahn
about their battles on the ice and
tant to recognize and respect. No
matter what team you play for,
how they electrified crowds on a
regular basis throughout the regu- root for or coach, looking back at
the people who helped build the
lar season and into the playoffs.
foundation of tradition that you’re
Those players created memories
now either a part of or witness to
and defined an era of Coyotes
helps strengthen that legacy.
hockey that many fans still recall
What players came before you?
warmly today.
What kind of players were they?
And this year’s players are
Who were their coaches? How did
defining their own era. I fully exthey do in the regular season and
pect that, in 10 years, the names
playoffs? Were they successful
of today’s Coyotes will be recalled
in tournaments? What did their
jerseys look like?
You can become a “student of
the game” in a historical sense,
no matter if you’re playing for a
youth, high school, travel, college
or professional team. In nearly
every local ice arena, there are
banners celebrating teams’ pasts,
often with the players and coaches
listed. You might even already be
recognized on one of those banners, or hope to have one added
someday with your name proudly
displayed.
There’s a rich hockey history
in Arizona at every level, and
while you’re an integral part of
its continuing evolution, you’re
also becoming part of an overall
hockey legacy.
Take the time to learn about
the players and teams that came
before you. In the not-so-distant
future, others will look back at
your time and want to know about
your era, so take pride in being a
part of it. b
Mike Bahn is the Coyotes’ strength and conditioning coordinator.
ArizonaRubber.com
7
Arizona Hockey Clubs
AHU Extends Invites for Jr. Chowder Cup
An elite Midget 16U team will compete at the Massachusetts event in July
By Shane Dale
F
or the first time ever, an
Arizona-based hockey club
will participate at the Jr.
Chowder Cup this summer in
Foxboro, Mass.
Arizona Hockey Union
(AHU) will field an elite team
of Midget 16Us. All 1995 and
1996 birth-year tier players
are eligible to apply for a
spot on the team, according to AHU president Gina
Quinn. Players will be evaluated for a position at the AHC
Player Development Prep
Camp sessions in March. The
team will then have practices in May and June leading
up to the tournament, which
will run from July 7-11.
N Now in its 26th year, the Jr.
Chowder Cup primarily features squads from the
New England states and Canada.
AHU coaches Kurt Goar and Jeff Alexander
will lead the AHU squad.
“The AHU entry is the only team west of
Michigan currently entered in the ’95 division,
with over 40 teams confirmed from Canada and
the East Coast,” Quinn said. “This prestigious
summer tournament is a great opportunity for
elite players to be seen by scouts from junior
teams and East Coast colleges. Jeff received an
offer from a Division I school the summer he
played in the tournament.”
Goar said this tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many kids in Arizona.
“If a kid wants to play college hockey, there
are some schools in the Midwest and out West,
but 70 percent of the Division I and III hockey
schools are within 100 miles of Boston,” he said.
“You kind of get exposed to the East Coast and
there are a lot more junior teams out there, so
they can get a peek at our guys. It’s kind of exciting.”
In addition to a guaranteed four games, the
team will tour the Harvard and University of
Massachusetts-Amherst hockey facilities, Quinn
said.
The cost for entering the tournament is $675,
with additional funds required for airfare, hotel
and meals.
Interested players can submit an application
at ArizonaHockeyUnion.com. For more information on the tournament team, contact Quinn at
[email protected], or visit ProAmHockey.com for details on the showcase.
AHC readies for Presidents’ Day tourney
The 10th annual Phoenix Polar Bears Presidents’ Day Invitational, hosted by Arizona
Hockey Clubs, is already setting records.
Over 170 teams are registered, and 120 have
already been accepted and confirmed to play in
this year’s event, which will be held from Feb. 1821, said Quinn.
“This is 17 more teams than last year,” she
said.
The tournament will include games at the Polar Ice facilities in Chandler, Gilbert and Peoria,
along with Arcadia in Phoenix and Oceanside in
Tempe. In all, 31 teams will travel from Canada
from the Squirt to Midget levels to compete.
In addition, the Presidents’ Day Tournament
Committee will offer a great opportunity for
visiting coaches to showcase their skills against
the NHL Alumni. In collaboration with Phoenix
Coyotes Charities, the Arizona Hockey Clubs will
host the final NHL Alumni game of the season at
Polar Ice-Chandler on Feb. 19 at 1:30 p.m.
Many former NHL players, including Wayne
McBean, Sean Whyte, Greg Adams, Tim
Watters, Sean Hill, Mike Vukonich and Jeff
Shevalier, will compete, according to Quinn.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at
PresidentsDayHockeyTournament.com/Activities.
aspx.
“We’re very excited to offer this great opportunity for visiting coaches playing in our Presidents’ Day tournament to showcase their game
against the NHL Alumni,” said Stacy Shupe,
president of the Arizona Heat. “The response to
registration has been overwhelming, and (the
game) is promising to be one of the tournament’s
highlights.”
Other special events during the tournament
include a silent auction during the alumni game
and pin trading at all three Polar Ice venues on
Feb. 19. In addition, over 500 fans from more
than 20 teams will arrive early for the tournament to watch the Coyotes take on the Atlanta
Thrashers at Jobing.com Arena on Feb. 18.
For a full schedule of games and updated
scores throughout the weekend, visit PresidentsDayHockeyTournament.com.
Details set for AHC spring programs
Forget baseball. The Arizona Hockey Clubs
(AHC) are making sure that spring training in
the Grand Canyon State is all about the ice.
The AHC “will be offering two programs this
spring to sharpen hockey skills for State Development Camp and June tryouts, and have some fun
in the offseason, too,” said Quinn.
In March, AHC coaches, including veteran
Goar, will conduct a six-session AHC Player
Development Prep Camp for players born in the
1994-97 years.
“The emphasis will be on preparation specifically for the evaluation format used at the State
and Rocky Mountain camps,” Quinn said. “Kurt
Goar has been involved with the Rocky Mountain
Development Camp for 15 straight years and
participated in the National Festival twice.”
Along with Goar, Alexander, Dylan Shaffer,
Kent Schmitdke, Hill, Vukonich, Chance Berman and Mike Nesdill will be on the ice to work
with skaters; goaltender coaches Andy Zapp
and Rich Caruso will be on hand to coach the
netminders.
Sessions will take place at Chandler’s Polar
Ice on Tuesday, March 15 and 22, and at Gilbert’s
Polar Ice on March 17, 20, 24 and 27. A punch
card for all six sessions will be available for $90,
or players can pay a $20 drop-in fee at the door.
In April and May, AHC Spring Super Skills sessions will be held for Squirt to Midget players
who want to raise their skills to the next level
“and have a little scrimmage fun, too, in the offseason,” Quinn said.
From April 7-May 26, players can attend sessions at Chandler’s Polar Ice on Tuesdays and
Saturdays, and Gilbert’s Polar Ice on Thursday
and Sundays. The sessions will include instructions on power skating, defensive tactics, checking, stickhandling, shooting, scoring and goalie
skills on the weekdays, and 3-on-3 scrimmages on
weekends. Punch cards, which will be available
on March 1, can be purchased online for $90 for
eight sessions, or for the drop-in rate of $15.
For more information, and to purchase a
punch card for any of these events, visit any
AHC Web site: ArizonaHockeyUnion.com,
AZHeatHockey.com, or PhoenixPolarBearsHockey.com.
AHC presents Player Appreciation Night
With a little help from the Phoenix Coyotes,
every hockey player who skates under the Arizona Hockey Clubs (AHC) banner felt a little more
appreciated this season.
Players and coaches from the Arizona Heat,
Arizona Hockey Union (AHU) and Phoenix Polar
Bears were in attendance to watch the Coyotes
take on the Colorado Avalanche at Jobing.com
Arena on Monday, Feb. 7, as part of AHC’s firstever Player Appreciation Night.
In honor of the commitment and hard work every player put into the organization this season,
AHC purchased tickets for 220 players and their
families in a special section of the arena, while
coaches and friends received discounted tickets.
In addition to the game, AHC players had the
opportunity to participate in other fun activities,
such as Zamboni ride-alongs during intermission,
benchwarmer seats during pregame warm-ups
and a special meet-and-greet session with Coyotes players.
Polar Bears president Kristy Aguirre said it
was an event to remember.
“We’re grateful for each player and their families who play for the club, and we wanted to show
our appreciation,” she said. “What better way
than watching the game we all love?”
Quinn agreed that the event was a fantastic
way for AHC to show how much they value the
players and families in the organization, noting
that they will also receive discounted tickets to
other Coyotes games.
“We’re very grateful for the programs the
Coyotes have put together for youth hockey this
year,” she said. “The discounted ticket program
allows our kids and their families to purchase
select game tickets for as little as $15.
“This program, along with the NHL Alumni
games that have brought big-league hockey to
our home rinks, have been wonderful additions to
their community outreach.” b
AZHeatHockey.com . PhoenixPolarBearsHockey.com . ArizonaHockeyUnion.com
8
Phoenix Polar Bears Junior A
Arizona Redhawks Junior A
Polar Bears suit Texan
Willms just fine
Segall embraces new role
as captain
By Shane Dale
By Brian McDonough
I
W
f you think hockey and Texas don’t go together,
meet Derek Willms.
Originally from Coppell, a small town 30 minutes
northwest of Dallas, Willms moved from Texas to Arizona after
high school to play for the Phoenix Polar Bears’ Junior A club.
“The thing that really got me interested in playing was the 1999
Dallas Stars team that won the Stanley Cup,” said Willms. “When that
happened, I started playing in the street and decided from there that I
wanted to play ice hockey.”
Willms, who played for the Alliance Bulldogs and Dallas Stars
Selects during his Midget hockey days, said he puts the team before
himself when he’s on the ice.
“I care more about getting the win than I do my own stats,” he said.
Willms enjoys the Phoenix area, largely due to the more consistent
weather.
“In Texas, one day it could be 70 degrees with no clouds in the sky,
and the next day it could snow all day,” he said. “Here in Arizona, every
day seems to be the same. The only thing I really miss about Texas is
my family and friends.”
But aside from the friendlier climate, Willms came to Arizona to
play for a successful hockey team, which he believes he’s found with the
Western States Hockey League’s Polar Bears.
“I think this team has all the skill it needs to win the national championship, and with our coaching staff doing a great job getting all the
guys to come together, I think that’s a very possible reality,” he said. b
ith the recent trade of captain Adam Kesser, the
Arizona Redhawks were in desperate need of leader-
ship.
Enter Noah Segall, who assumed Kesser’s role.
“He’s here for the right reasons and has a work ethic, both on and off the ice,
that should be followed by the entire team,” Redhawks head coach Rob Powell
said of Segall.
For Segall, a 20-year-old from Los Gatos, Calif., he’s embracing the “C” on
his chest as a welcomed responsibility.
“It’s nice to know the coaching staff has that trust and respect for me not
only as a player, but a leader as well,” said Segall. “Being the captain means a
lot to me, and I take a lot of pride in it.”
And his influence paid immediate dividends, as the Western States Hockey
League team won two out of three games over the Valencia Flyers coming out of
the holiday break.
“Having a captaincy change midyear may not always be received well, but
my teammates have responded very well to the change,” said Segall. “I’m glad
they’re willing to follow my example.”
Not a vocal person, Segall characterizes himself as a follow-my-lead type.
“I try to let my work ethic, on and off the ice, set the example for my teammates,” he said.
As for his seasoning with the Redhawks, Segall has few complaints as he
pursues a college opportunity.
“Coach Powell has given me a lot of individual attention to help me improve
as a player and teach me what it takes to play hockey at that level,” he said. b
PhoenixPolarBears.com
ArizonaRedhawks.com
Arizona Hockey Club Coach’s Corner
Maximize puck touches to improve skill
T
he name of the game is hockey,
and the point of the game is to
win as many small battles as possible over three short periods.
Except for the goaltender, no one
player plays the whole game, and
no one player wins every battle.
But it’s the team that wins the
most that celebrates victory in the
end.
Puck touches are just that: the
number of times a player touches
the puck. The one way to improve
a player’s game is to provide as
many opportunities as possible for
that player to touch the puck. Puck
touches can be maximized within
a single practice, single season or
within an organization itself.
Players can experience more
puck touches in practice by the use
of small-area games, which in-
crease pace, tempo
Arizona Hockey
and decision-makUnion, the open
ing while allowing
18U, 16U and 14U
more players to
practices encourspend more time
age attendance
with the puck,
from other teams.
which enhances
That allows for
hand-eye coordimore ice time
nation, stickhan- three times to up
dling and quickto six times weekthinking skills.
ly - which signifiWithin an
cantly increases
organization, puck
the number of
touches can be
puck touches each
increased in a vaplayer receives.
riety of ways, and
Once you add
Goar
players can get the
in the weekly
skill sessions and power skating,
most bang for their buck by joining
there’s daily allowance for ice time.
an organization with an open-pracThis, in turn, creates much more
tice policy.
ice and puck opportunities for the
Open practices allow for age
same amount of money, which only
crossover. For example, within the
makes economic, productive sense
for any player looking to increase
their ice time and skill without
breaking the bank.
Many coaches are now recognizing the importance of maximizing
puck touches for their players.
Coaches from all over the world are
challenging themselves to increase
the amount of puck touches during
every practice, and even setting
goals throughout an entire season.
When deciding which organization to play for next season, make
sure you take into account the
maximization of ice time as well as
the opportunity for puck touches.
Considering those elements
will provide you with the best
opportunity to improve your skill
level, helping you win all the small
battles during the big game. b
Kurt Goar is the Arizona Hockey Club’s coach-in-chief.
Advertise in Arizona & California Rubber Magazines!
Special discounted rates available for all Arizona & California ice & inline teams & associations!
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Contact Brian at (612) 929-2171 or e-mail [email protected] for details!
9
Mission Arizona
Midwest transplants fitting in well at Mission
By Shane Dale
A
pair of Upper Midwest
transplants have found
themselves right at home
in the Valley with Mission
Arizona.
Joey Gannett, a forward
on Mission’s 18U squad, moved
to Scottsdale from Chicago in July
before his junior year of high school. After his first
Mission tryout, he knew where he belonged.
“I knew I wanted to play for Coach (Jeremy)
Goltz,” he said. “The chemistry in the locker room
was like nothing I’ve experienced. The kids are fun
to be around and have a lot of heart, which makes
them good teammates.”
Gannett said his family had originally planned
to move to Arizona before his freshman year, but
circumstances necessitated that it be postponed
until just last year.
“I love it here. It feels like a whole different
planet,” he said. “The weather has got to be the
biggest change and what I like the most. I can really get used to wearing shorts and a short-sleeve
T-shirt all year round.”
Similarly, Anthony Scott, a forward who recently moved to the Valley from Shelby Township,
Mich. (40 minutes north of Detroit), said his family
got tired of long winters and rainy days.
“We have some family in Arizona, so we decided
“I’d say people are just as passionate here;
to move out here this past summer,” he said. “It
however, there are just a lot more people who play
feels a lot more laid-back and people are a lot haphockey in Chicago,” he said. “In my old high school,
pier, I think, because of the weather.”
hockey was the biggest sport, behind lacrosse.
Like Gannett, Scott, who plays on Mission’s
Here in Phoenix, I’m pretty sure
16U squad, was attracted to
only 25 percent of the kids at
Goltz’s organization right away.
my high school know we have a
“I could only come one weekteam.”
end for tryouts in June because
Scott’s optimistic nature has
I was still attending school in
him thinking big for his 16U
Michigan,” he said. “My mom had
squad this season.
met another mother at a different
“With all the high-level tourrink, and she said nothing but
naments we’ve been playing, it’s
wonderful things about Coach
helped us become a much better
Goltz and his Mission program.
“So, my mom spoke to coach
team. I hope we I can bring
Mission its first state championand he went over his philosophy
ship,” he said.
with her, and it seemed to be a
lot like what we were used to in
Likewise, Gannett is excited
about going far with his new 18U
Michigan (in terms of) playing
club in the Valley.
high-quality hockey.”
“When our team sets the
Scott admits that the hockey
tempo and doesn’t play down to
atmosphere in Arizona isn’t quite
our opponents’ level, which has
what it is in Hockeytown, USA,
Joey Gannett, who moved to Arizona
been a tendency of ours through“but the people who are involved from Chicago last summer, has been
nothing but pleased with his experience
out the year, I think we can really
in hockey in Arizona seem to
playing with Mission’s 18U team this
go far this season,” he said.
have the same passion. There’s
season.
“We showed we can compete
just not as many of them,” he
said.
with Tier I teams this year. We just need to bring
Gannett has noticed the same thing since movthe energy when playdowns come around and we
should do just fine.” b
ing from the Windy City.
MissionArizonaIce.org
Desert Youth Hockey Association
VOSHA Lady Coyotes
Youngest LC White
embraces opportunity
Mite teams show well at
MLK tourneys
T
I
By Shane Dale
he VOSHA Lady Coyotes’ youngest player, forward
Chelsea White, was a rink rat pretty much as
soon as she was born, according to her father.
“Two of her three older brothers played hockey,” said
Chelsea’s dad, Craig, a Vancouver native who grew up
playing hockey in Portland, Ore., and was her coach for several years.
“She loved being at the rink and would pick up a stick and run around
playing ball hockey with the other little ones. As soon as she was old
enough for the Mini-Mite program, she wanted to play.”
At the age of 4, Chelsea began to play at DYHA and then moved on to
CAHA.
“I think her best hockey attribute is being very coachable,” Craig said.
Gayle Shalloo, head coach of the Lady Coyotes, said Chelsea has
shown her ability to play with the older girls through her effort and determination.
“When Chelsea’s on and off the ice for training, she’s very focused and
ready to do anything asked of her as an athlete,” she said.
In addition to hockey, Chelsea plays on her Saguaro High School JV
basketball team.
“She’s a bit of a comedian, too,” Craig said. “She loves to make people
laugh, and has watched most episodes of ‘Saturday Night Live.’”
And while she enjoys comedy - late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon once read one of her Tweets on the air, Craig said - hockey is Chelsea’s
first love.
“She likes Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon, but Sidney Crosby is No.
1,” he said. b
LadyCoyotesHockey.com
10
By Shane Dale
n the Valley and a couple hours to the north, the
Desert Youth Hockey Association’s (DYHA) Mite
squads experienced successful MLK Weekends.
The Mite Majors won their Squirt Select division in
the Arizona Cactus Cup at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, but
it wasn’t easy.
The team went 5-0 in the tournament, but had to recover from
an early 2-0 deficit in the finals to defeat the gritty CAHA Jr. Coyotes, 5-4,
to win its second tournament crown of the season.
“These kids have heart,” said head coach Zac Fryer. “Countless times
this season, they’ve roared back and won games - that says a lot about our
team.
“Solid goaltending, stellar defensive play and timely scoring played
a big part in our success. All of our kids never let up; I’m very proud of
them.”
The Mite Minors made it all the way to the championship game in the
Mite B division of the King of the Mountain tournament in Flagstaff before
losing the title game in overtime.
“The players have worked really hard all year long, and their efforts
were rewarded,” said head coach Peter Okanski. “Every player was a
contributor, and I’m extremely proud of their accomplishment.”
Even though they came up just short, a championship-game appearance
will be important to the team’s success the rest of the season, Okanski said.
“Getting a taste of victory is something we needed as a team to propel
us into the last couple months of the season,” he said. “Seeing smiles on the
kids’ faces is what it’s all about.” b
DYHA.org
Arizona State University
Lind’s efforts bring ASU to a new level
By Shane Dale
A
lot of parents aren’t 100
percent satisfied with the
collegiate hockey environment
in which their kids play.
But Ken Lind, father of
Arizona State University captain Patrick Lind, decided to
do something about it.
“The team wasn’t going in the right direction
from a competitive standpoint and from an environmental standpoint. We just didn’t have the type of
amenities that we should have at a college level,”
Lind said. “Like a good parent, I went to all the
games and watched him play, and I said, ‘Geez, I
don’t want my son’s career to be like this.’”
So, two years ago, Lind, a former college baseball
and basketball player, volunteered his services to
ASU coach Greg Powers.
“The program needed somebody to drive it, and
that escalated to me taking over as president and
general manager of ASU hockey,” he said.
The biggest problem with the program, Lind
said, was a serious lack of team culture and identity.
“At the time, we were playing at the Ice Den (in
Scottsdale), which is a nice building, but college
players want to be able to leave their equipment in
a locker room,” he said. “I said, ‘Let’s play nearer to
the university.’
“Oceanside Ice Arena was gracious. They let
correlate to wins and losses to the general public.
us build a media tower and a locker room for the
But Ken does all of the things that, if you don’t replayers. It cost us probably around $10,000, but we
ally pay close attention, you won’t notice.”
created some culture.”
With ASU continuing to hold its high national
Lind also noted that there was no tangible recranking heading into February,
ognition for former and current
Lind said the team has to win a
members of a program that had
national championship in order
been in existence since the midto consider the season a com1980s. So, Lind created a wall of
plete success.
fame for players and executives
“Is it realistic or not? Who
at Oceanside.
knows? There are a lot of good
“To get good players to come
teams,” he said. “This is gohere, you have the university
ing to be the most competitive
and the weather to sell, but we
national tournament I’ve seen.
wanted them to have a place
where they can say, ‘This is
But we want to win it all, and
you’ve got to shot for your goal.”
ours,’” he said. “It’s one of the
National championship or
oldest rinks in the Valley, but
we wanted to have a home-ice
not, thanks to Lind running the
show off the ice, Powers said his
advantage. So far, all that’s
program has turned the corner.
worked well.”
“There’ve been so many
Powers is quick to acknowlpeople who’ve been instruedge Lind’s role in enhancing
mental in this turnaround, but
the program’s image.
without Ken’s dedication and
“Ken has been the most
Sun Devils president and general manager Ken
instrumental piece in propelling Lind, right, with his son, Patrick, has played a hard work, we couldn’t get the
high-caliber players here to
this program to the next level,” key role in redefining the culture of Arizona
ASU that we’re now getting,”
he said. “The behind-the-scenes State hockey.
work he does legitimizing game-day operations,
he said.
running the business side of the program, raising
“Our players get treated very well and get a firstmoney and promoting the program in the communi- class college hockey experience because of all the
work that’s done at the top and led by Ken.” b
ty often goes unnoticed because it doesn’t blatantly
SunDevilHockey.com
ArizonaRubber.com
11
Ryan Bencurik, who’s helped mentor a number of future
Division I and NHL players, was recently named the new
director of hockey at Athletic Republic Scottsdale. See
more on Athletic Republic on Page 3.
Parker Arendts, left, and Joey Petruzzella of DYHA’s
Pee Wee 98 squad celebrate a goal during a game at
last month’s Firebirds MLK Invitational tournament.
Photo/Dave Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
Goaltender Josh George of the Arizona Heat’s Pee Wee
AA team keeps his focus on the puck during a game at last
month’s Firebirds MLK Invitational tournament. Photo/Dave
Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
Arizona Sundogs players’ and coaches’ wives and girlfriends volunteered their time at Yavapai Food Bank in
Prescott Valley last month. In two hours, they helped
hand out nearly 160 food boxes to more than 600 people.
Photo/Arizona Sundogs
From left, captain Ryan Andrus, Wyatt Hill, head coach
Tommy Hess and assistant captain Jackson Wilson of the
Jr. Coyotes’ Bantam A team stopped by USA Hockey’s
headquarters between games during their MLK Weekend
tournament in Colorado Springs.
The Jr. Coyotes’ Mite A team took home the championship banner in its division at the Silver Stick finals last
month in Michigan. See more on the Mites’ international
title on Page 19.
The Phoenix Firebirds’ Mite Major team skated away with the championship banner in its division at last month’s Cactus Cup tournament. See more on the Mites’ success on Page 10.
Sam Goff of Mission Arizona’s Pee Wee Red team
gets ready to hug it out with his teammates during
a game at last month’s MLK Invitiational tournament. Photo/Dave Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
NHL Alumni took on Arizona Runners coaches, along with visiting coaches in town for the Cactus Cup
tournament, last month at Polar Ice-Peoria. See more on the Cactus Cup on Page 15. Photo/Karolyn Sefcik
Photography
Submit your favorite hockey photos to [email protected]!
Be sure to include: Player(s) name(s); Order, if applicable (ex. from left, middle, third from right, clockwise from top); Team name and level (ex. Bantam, Pee Wee), Game
and/or tournament name and location; and photo credit (if applicable).
12
ArizonaRubber.com
13
Berman a Mentor in More Ways than One
The young Phoenix Polar Bears coach is always eager to lend a helping hand
By Brett Fera
he made up for in heart and work ethic, he and
his father both note.
“I always thought I could coach; I think I
understand the game a lot,” he said. “I’ve always
thought I’d be a better coach than player.”
Part of that, Chance said, comes from being
able to play for the man who he now shares a
bench with. Chance played for his dad most of his
youth hockey career, with Brad even serving as
an assistant coach for the Junior A Polar Bears
the last few seasons, including Chance’s time on
the roster.
“My parents supported me really well; they
“He and I have an amazing relationship together
and we have a lot of fun coaching together. I’m ree’s only 20 years old, but, in many respects,
ally glad he decided to coach with me. He wasn’t
Chance Berman has already come full
going to at first; I had to talk him into it.”
circle.
Brad said he gets caught off guard every so
He grew up the product of a hockey family
often having Chance next to him on the bench.
with his father, Brad, a coach and league ad“A couple of times he’ll look at me and go,
ministrator, establishing a career out of building,
‘Dad?!,’ like I made the wrong line change. Those
owning and operating rinks throughout Arizona
are fun moments. That’s the best way for him
and United States, and his mother, Terri, who’s
to learn - to share his opinions and ideas,” said
also served in a litany of roles as a league and
Brad, who still owns and operates seven ice rink
facility administrator over the years.
facilities in California, New York, North Carolina
But despite the presence of his family’s name
and Texas.
on various hockey maps, it wasn’t until the
“It’s nice to see how he’s begun to view
Bermans moved to Arizona when a young
the game from a coaching perspective verChance finally decided to give hockey a try
sus a player perspective.”
for himself.
Brad said being a teacher is in his son’s
“It was kind of weird. When I was growing
makeup and stretches beyond the ice to his
up and moving around a lot, I was sticking
involvement with local organizations that
to other sports, basically football, basketball
help the developmentally challenged.
- those things,” Chance said, adding that the
“He’s always had a big heart and a big
family business - managing hockey rinks
desire as far as caring for other people and
- took the Bermans from Los Angeles to Tucbeing concerned about them, whether it was
son and Texas to Florida before they moved
his friends when he was really young or the
to the Phoenix area when he was 9.
kids we’re coaching now,” Brad explained.
“Then we moved to Arizona, I made some
While coaching for the Polar Bears and
friends and they were playing at my parent’s
attending classes at Chandler-Gilbert Comrink (Polar Ice-Chandler). I figured I’d play
munity College, Chance is also employed by
and get to hang out with them more,” he
the Tempe-based Extended Family Disabilexplained. “That’s when I fell in love with the
ity Services (EFDS).
game.”
“When I was in high school, I joined this
As a 10-year-old playing out of Chandler’s
club called Best Buddies in which you get
Polar Ice, Berman’s first taste of competitive
matched up with someone who’s mentally
travel hockey came with the Phoenix Polar
disabled and you get to be like their big
Bears’ Pee Wee B team. A decade later, that
brother,” he said, adding that after many of
same Pee Wee B team is where Chance is
those students graduate from high school,
cutting his teeth as a coach, serving as a “co- Former Phoenix Polar Bears player Chance Berman, left, now a coach alongthey struggle to find a place to continue to
side his father, Brad, right, in the Polar Bears youth association, poses with
coach,” he says, alongside his dad.
have many of their needs met.
Lorenzo, whom he met through the Best Buddies program during high school.
“My first real season actually was Pee
That’s how Chance got involved with
Wee B hockey,” he said. “Coming back to
EFDS, which provides support to those in
my roots and coaching where my hockey playing
were always around,” he said. “On the other
need well after they leave high school.
career started, it’s pretty ironic.”
hand, of course, there were times when I’d make
“I love what I do. I love going to work everyBerman said his start in the game is actually
a team and I’d hear things every once in a while
day,” he said, adding that he teaches subjects like
something he thinks of often.
like, ‘Oh, he made it because of his name.’
reading and basic math at EFDS.
“Knowing where I was, I think I have more
“I worked really, really hard, though,” he said.
While different settings, for sure, Chance expatience with them because of that,” he said.
“I knew what I had to do to get where I was, and I plains that his ability to teach both on the hockey
Chance admits that during his first few
fought for that.”
rink and at his day job goes back to his desire to
seasons as a player, especially considering his
Chance said his dad may technically be the
“do more things for other people than you do for
relatively late start with the game, he wasn’t one
head coach of their new team, but it’s more of a
yourself.”
of the “better” ones on the teams he played for.
partnership than anything else.
“I think it’s actually very important,” he said.
But, what he might have lacked early on in skill
“We’re definitely side-by-side,” Chance said.
“That’s kind of the way I live my life.” b
H
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Arizona Runners
Runners Cap Another Successful Cactus Cup
Among the many tournament highlights was assisting an equipment-less team
By Shane Dale
Coyotes players like Shane Doan and Kyle Turris, and we had pucks signed by Ilya Bryzgalov
he second annual Arizona
and Ed Jovanowski,” Checketts said. “We also
Cactus Cup hockey tourna- had 12 tickets to a suite for one of the Coyotes
ment was such a success that games, and eight other suite tickets for additional
not even the theft of an outCoyotes games.”
of-state team’s equipment
All proceeds from the alumni charity event
could put a damper on it.
went to the Runners hockey club and will be
“The growth of the tournautilized to promote youth hockey in the Valley,
ment in such a short amount of
Checketts added.
time was quite an accomplishment, and I knew
The game, which was easily won by the alumni,
there was a ton of work ahead,” said tournament
was partially responsible for the massive increase
director Holly Tully of the showcase that was
in tournament participation this year, according to
sponsored in part by the Arizona Runners hockey
Checketts.
club and held from Jan. 14-17.
“It was a great draw for other teams since their
“We tripled in size from last year, resulting in
coaches could participate,” she said. “The Coyotes
the expansion of our ice slots to the Ice Den (in
Alumni had contacted us. They’ve been going
Scottsdale). With the help of the Arizona Runners’
to different rinks around the Valley for charity
board members and volunteers, we were able to
events. It just so happened that it worked out so
hold the Arizona Cactus Cup All-Stars-Coyotes
that we could have (the game) the week of the
Alumni game, multiple raffles and silent auctions.” tournament. From my understanding, that’ll be an
This year’s tournaannual event along
ment also included a
with the tournacarnival held by Great
ment.”
Northern A’fair.
As for the tourna“They had a Ferris
ment itself, an amazwheel and some other
ing 38 teams - includrides out there, and
ing 20 out-of-state
they had games and
squads - participated
food,” said Bethany
in seven divisions.
Checketts, execuThe Runners won the
tive secretary for the
five-team Pee Wee A
Runners. “This was a
division.
great way for siblings
In the champiof the hockey players
onship game, the
and players themRunners were led by
selves to spend some
a five-point effort by
The Arizona Runners’ Pee Wee A team celebrated the championdowntime.”
Michael Sefcik (two
ship in its division at last month’s Cactus Cup tournament, one
of two local clubs to win a title at the event; DYHA’s Mite Major
But the best
goals, three assists),
squad was the other.
- which was also
along with two goals
the worst - story of the weekend centered on the
from Brett Charron and one goal each from
Lakewood Edmonton 18U AA squad that made the Trevor Beneduce and captain Trevor Check2,800-mile trip for the Cactus Cup, only to have all etts.
of its equipment stolen upon arrival.
“It wasn’t a surprise, but they had to work very
“They’d come out on Sunday morning from their hard to get it,” said Checketts of her champion
hotel room, and their equipment trailer had been
Runners. “Every game was very close. It was a
stolen,” Checketts said. “One of our coaches and
very competitive division.”
somebody from their team made some calls, and
While goaltender Cameron Judge made 14
the (Phoenix) Coyotes donated some of their equip- saves, it was Kylie Kramer who might have
ment for the weekend for them to use.”
saved the game after sweeping the puck away
The Lakewood squad ended up taking the silver from her own net as it sat on the goal line late in
medal in its division thanks to the goodwill of the
the third period.
Coyotes and Runners.
“The result in the championship game con“Instead of the memory of this experience befirmed the quality of the tournament, showing that
ing one of heartbreak, it’s one of awe,” said Erin
any of the five teams could have won,” said Pee
Madsen, a parent of a Lakewood player. “I’m truly Wee A coach Stuart Judge. “The hosts learned
humbled by the generosity of the other parents, as
once again how to elevate their game, overcome
well as the Coyotes hockey organization.”
adversity, and that it takes 16 players sacrificing
The tournament kicked off with the alumni
for each other to win.”
game that pitted former NHL players against a
Based on the feedback from this year’s Cactus
team comprised of coaches from the Runners and
Cup, next year’s tournament will be even bigger
other participating tourney squads. About 600
and better, Tully said.
tickets were sold for the game, autographed memo“The amount of e-mails and nice wishes that
rabilia was auctioned off, prizes were raffled, and
have come my way has been overwhelming,”
the Coyotes’ mascot, Howler, made an appearance. she said. “It was definitely a weekend I’ll never
“We had some signed pictures by some of the
forget.” b
T
2011 Arizona
Cactus Cup Teams
Midget 18 AA
Dakota Lancers (Winnipeg) (Champions)
Lakewood Edmonton
Kelvin (Manitoba)
Arizona Runners
Arizona Sting
New Mexico Renegades
Chaparral Firebirds
Midget 16 A
Edmonton Canadians (Champions)
Arizona Runners Bantam AA
San Diego Jr. Gulls
Arizona Runners 16 A
Bantam A
Jr. Wranglers (Nevada) (Champions)
San Jose Jr. Sharks
Cloverdale Colts (British Columbia)
Arizona Runners
Bantam B
Aspen Jr. Leafs (Colorado) (Champions)
Flagstaff Northstars
Junior Eagles (Colorado)
Arvada (Colorado)
Arizona Heat
Arizona Runners
Santa Clara Blackhawks
Pee Wee A
Arizona Runners (Champions)
New Mexico Ice
San Jose Jr. Sharks
DYHA Firebirds
Arvada (Colorado)
Pee Wee B
Arvada (Colorado) (Champions)
San Jose Jr. Sharks
Arizona Runners
Jr. Wranglers (Nevada)
Redwood City Black Stars (California)
Squirt Select
DYHA Firebirds (Champions)
CAHA Jr. Coyotes
Arizona Runners
Arizona Heat
New Mexico Ice
ArizonaRunnersHockey.com
ArizonaRubber.com
15
University of Arizona
Weed right at home as defensive leader
By Brett Fera
T
here’s a little bit of irony in
the way University of Arizona head coach Leo Golembiewski describes Icecats
junior defenseman Geordy
Weed, arguably his team’s most
dependable player.
As Golembiewski puts it, the one thing someone’s most likely to notice about Weed - a secondyear captain and the ultimate blue line leader
- is the one thing that most often gets lost in the
shuffle.
“What I think (people) will notice most about
Geordy Weed is his consistency,” Golembiewski
explained. “That’s why he got the ‘C’ last year as
a sophomore. He’s unassuming, he’s humble, and
he doesn’t have any of those arrogant, flashy-type
characteristics that could be a detriment, because
it always goes back to his consistency and work
ethic.”
One of three captains this season alongside
forwards Brian Slugocki and Jordan Schupan,
Weed agrees with his coach that he fits the mold
best as a stay-at-home defenseman.
“I’ll take the puck up when I have to and when
I have the opportunity,” he said, “but, instead of
scoring a goal, I’m really always thinking, ‘OK,
how am I going to keep the puck out of my own
net?’”
While Golembiewski equates Weed’s style to be“I think that’s all predestined in the way you
ing a patient player who surveys the ice well, Weed were brought up by your family and the way you
explains that doesn’t necessarily mean he always
learned to compete,” Golembiewski added. “He
sits back and waits for the action to come to him.
learned that the only way to get better is working
“I kind of pride myself on
harder.”
my grittiness, on kind of going
Weed added that much of
into the corner and battling,” he
that comes from growing up “in
said. “I’m not the biggest guy
a family where we don’t really
out there, but I like to play like
like sitting around. We’re always
I am.”
doing something active.”
Added Golembiewski: “He’s
He notes that his old brother,
confident. It’s not a cockiness;
Micky, was actually the first
it’s that can-do attitude. He has
from the Weed family to play a
that. It goes back to that work
big-time sport at the University
ethic.”
of Arizona, competing as a diver
Slugocki said that Weed’s defor the school’s NCAA title-winmeanor - Weed is a self-described
ning men’s swim and dive team.
quiet leader who lets his play do
Growing up in the Valley,
the talking - is everything a good
Weed spent his early hockey
years honing his skills with
team captain should be, adding
the VOSHA and DYHA prothat he brings balance to the
grams. Following high school,
often-offensive-minded Icecats
Geordy Weed’s tireless work ethic makes
he headed east to the Atlantic
roster.
the Phoenix native a valued asset on the
Junior Hockey League for a
“He really is our last line of
Icecats’ blue line. Photo/Dave Getz/A-ZPhoto.com
two-year Junior A stint with the
defense before the goalie,” SluNorthern Cyclones in New Hampshire.
gocki said. “You can count on Geordy on a penalty
Now, nearly three years later, Weed has proven
kill, or in other situations to just get the puck out
his worth to the Icecats over and over again.
and save a goal.”
“I’ve only got one more year, and it’s going to
Golembiewski said that, in his career, players
be the hardest thing once that year’s over and I’m
like Weed don’t just pick up a hard work ethic and
done,” he said. “I’m having a blast.” b
willingness to do that dirty work out of mid-air.
UAIceCats.com
16
Inline Hockey Association of Arizona
Lake Havasu event hits on all cylinders
By Alex Dodt
T
he 2011 season keeps
rolling along for the
Inline Hockey Association
of Arizona (IHAAZ), which
showcased another successful qualifying tournament last
month in Lake Havasu.
One of the organization’s major advancements
this year, though, has taken place off the rink with
the addition of Mission Hockey as a title sponsor of
the IHAAZ.
“When the IHAAZ approached us for assistance in getting some industry support, we went
right to the leader in the sport,” said Behind The
Mask’s Randy Exelby. “Mission works very hard
to promote all levels of the sport and they didn’t
hesitate to jump right in with an extremely generous package of prizes and awards for the players at
the 2011 IHAAZ State Finals.”
While Mission Hockey’s involvement provides
plenty of benefits for participating players, it also
speaks to the first-class tournaments Arizona has
hosted since 1998.
“It’s great to have Mission involved and definitely lends credibility to our efforts,” said IHAAZ
tournament director Dean Koressel. “When this
tournament series started, there were a lot of
tournaments around. We’ve always maintained a
grassroots, family-first tournament and companies
like Mission recognize its importance and want to
be a part of it.”
At the Havasu tournament, 27 teams competed
at the Sara Park rink marking the second year the
IHAAZ, which visits Yuma for the always-popular
Kennedy Park tournament this month, has hosted
an event at Lake Havasu’s newest hockey facility.
“The tournament went really well; we had a
great turnout with four more teams than last
year’s event,” said Havasu Dust Devils coach Bill
Havasu’s 12U coach Bill Beckman offers some guidance to
his team during last month’s IHAAZ tournament. The Dust
Devils captured their first win of the season at the event.
Beckman. “There were so many close games and
the competition tightened up in all of the divisions.”
For the Dust Devils’ youth teams, the highlight
of the weekend was their once-a-year opportunity
to play at their home rink in front of a large crowd.
“There’s always an added excitement for the
kids playing here,” said Beckman. “The other tour-
IHAAZ.org
naments are a long haul, but here they get to play
at home and have all their friends and family out.”
One group of kids turned that home-rink advantage into some positive results. In the 12U division, the Dust Devils won their first game of the
year in a close 3-2 victory over the Yuma Blaze.
“Our 12U team only won one game last year
and it was at the last tournament,” said Beckman.
“So it was pretty huge for them to get their first
win this year in Havasu at their first tournament.”
The all-new Junior division impressed once
again with plenty of high-paced action and competitiveness. In that bracket, Casey’s Crushers took
first place away from the previous tournament
champions, the Prescott Storm.
“The Junior division has been very good and
we’ve had a number of players who’ve embraced
it when they might not be playing otherwise,”
said Koressel. “As the kids get older, it sometimes
becomes harder to organize them and get them
together, but this division has the players excited.”
By all accounts, the 2011 season has already
generated a new level of excitement from tournament to tournament, and, for a sport that’s fought
to find stability in recent years, that kind of momentum serves it well.
“The first few tournaments have turned out
very, very well and we’re looking forward to the
rest of the season,” said Koressel. “The series, as
a whole, seems to be doing better than ever before
and we’re constantly putting in a lot of time on
the little things to keep growing.” b
ArizonaRubber.com
17
2010-11 Arizona Alumni
Send all additions, deletions and corrections to [email protected]
PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY
American Hockey League
Dave Spina (Tempe) – Peoria Rivermen
Hockey East
Breanne Sundquist (Avondale) – Vermont
Erin Wente (Scottsdale) – Vermont
ECHL
Dusty Collins (Gilbert) – Ontario Reign
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Loren Carrier (Chandler) – Ohio State University
COLLEGE HOCKEY
Division I – Men
Atlantic Hockey
Jon Bobb (Chandler) - Army
Eric Ferber (Scottsdale) – Robert Morris University
Matt Grogan (Gilbert) – University of Connecticut
Duncan McKellar (Phoenix) - Canisius College
Division III - Women
ECAC West
Jenn Fitzgerald (Phoenix) - SUNY-Cortland
Allie Frank (Phoenix) - Neumann University
Marina Meneakis - Buffalo State College*
Courtney Orner (Peoria) – Buffalo State College
Sydney Williams (Phoenix) - Chatham University
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Matt Federico (Scottsdale) – Western Michigan
Luke Moffatt (Paradise Valley) – Michigan
NESCAC
Lauren Pashkowski (Tempe) - Bowdoin College
Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Taylor Boldt – Dartmouth College #
Jeremy Langlios (Tempe) – Quinnipiac University
Max Mobley (Glendale) – St. Lawrence University
Hockey East
Kyle Beattie (Avondale) – University of Maine
Phil Samuelsson (Scottsdale) – Boston College
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Andrew Hamburg (Phoenix) - Colorado College
Danny Heath (Glendale) – Minnesota State-Mankato
Division III – Men
Northern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Sam Eccles (Mesa) – St. Norbert College
NESCAC
Dylan Plimmer (Chandler) - Tufts University
SUNYAC
Blake O’Connor (Phoenix) – SUNY-Geneseo
Division I – Women
Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Lyndsey Fry (Chandler) – Harvard University
Northern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Kaley Gibson (Glendale) - St. Norbert College
SUNYAC
Allie Era (Glendale) - SUNY-Plattsburgh
JUNIOR HOCKEY
Eastern Junior Hockey League
Steve Edgeworth (Peoria) - Valley Jr. Warriors
Brad Frank (Gilbert) – Philadelphia Revolution
British Columbia Junior Hockey League
Austin Carroll (Scottsdale) - Coquitlam Express
Michael Colantone (Cave Creek) - Victoria Grizzlies
Joey Holka (Phoenix) – Penticton Vees
Derik Johnson (Scottsdale) – Pentiction Vees
Max Vallis – Merritt Centennials #
North American Hockey League
Mike Adamowicz (Chandler) – Austin Bruins
Cody Bisbing (Mesa) – Alaska Avalanche
Mike Krieg (Phoenix) – Alexandria Blizzard
Northern Pacific Junior Hockey League
Kirby Carlson (Phoenix) - Eugene Generals
Anthony Caruso (Queen Creek) - Yellowstone Quake
Tyler Marek (Phoenix) - Missoula Maulers
Patrick Moodie (Glendale) - Eugene Generals
Ontario Junior Hockey League
Brendan Fehd (Peoria) - Collingwood Blackhawks
Kevin Woodyatt (Scottsdale) - Newmarket Hurricanes
Superior International Junior Hockey League
Cody Stocker (Cave Creek) - Duluth Clydesdales
United States Hockey League
Aaron Ave (Chandler) - Omaha Lancers
Richie Coyne (Cave Creek) – Lincoln Stars
Anthony Hamburg (Phoenix) – Omaha Lancers
Ben Oskroba (Tempe) - Lincoln Stars
Colten St. Clair (Gilbert) – Fargo Force
Jordan Young (Cave Creek) - Youngstown Phantoms
U.S. National Team Development Program
Zac Larraza (Scottsdale) – Under-18 Team
Henrik Samuelsson (Scottsdale) - Under-17 Team
Western Hockey League
JT Barnett (Scottsdale) - Kamloops Blazers
Trevor Cheek - Calgary Hitmen #
Kyle Verdino (Phoenix) - Swift Current Broncos
Western States Hockey League
Andrew Barletta (Phoenix) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Tyler Baumanis (Phoenix) Texas Brahmas
Colin Bresnehan (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Brandon Conrad (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Vinny Eck (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Danny Fazio (Glendale) - Arizona Redhawks
Ryan Fehnel (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Jay Kouris (Sun City) - Arizona Redhawks
Nick Kujawa (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Mitchell Lyons (Scottsdale) - Arizona Redhawks
Bryan McFarlane (Scottsdale) - Arizona Redhawks
Quinton Neville (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Michael Pieri (Anthem) - Arizona Redhawks
Keanen Romero (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
Chris Shepard (Chandler) - Phoenix Polar Bears
James Takacs (Buckeye) - Arizona Redhawks
* former Lady Coyote
# former Jr. Coyote/P. F. Chang’s
THE WHYTE STUFF:
Competition can call motives into question
T
his season I was fortunate to
put together a very good group
of players for my Squirt Major
team. The kids get along, work
hard and have a fiery desire for
competition.
Although the start to our season
was pretty shaky - we lost four of
our first seven games - these young
boys have really pulled it together
to play some great team hockey.
We decided at the beginning of
the season not to play in the local
league, but to compete in tournaments only, as well as local scrimmages against other teams in the
Valley.
It was a team decision based on
a number of reasons, but we always
maintained we were an A team. In
fact, USA Hockey only recognizes
Squirt-age hockey as A and B.
But, unfortunately, due to the
success of our team, a few people
have immediately jumped to the
conclusion that we’re playing down
from both sides
to win banners,
play with a high
and that we’re a
level of sportsmanAA or AAA team.
ship.
Not once have we
Some people,
ever expressed
though, don’t quite
that we were
see things that
anything but an
way. Their opinion
A team; truth
is based strictly
be told, we even
on the success or
have a Mite-aged
failure of the team
player who plays
their child plays
regularly and
on; instead of lookcompetes very
ing at these games
well.
as great opportuniThe good news
ties to compete at
about Squirt
Whyte
a high level and learn, they view it
hockey here in the Valley is that
as punishment for their kids.
the local teams we’ve played so far
We recently participated in a
have some pretty amazing coaches,
Squirt A tournament in Colorado
including the Phoenix Polar Bears,
and our team went 1-3. Although
CAHA 2000 Minors and the Ariour record doesn’t show much in
zona Runners’ Squirt As.
terms of success, we played exRegardless of the outcomes of
the games, the head coaches of
tremely well and faced some awethese clubs have been fantastic and some competition. I was perfectly
very respectful, and the players
fine with losing the three games be-
cause the boys skated hard, played
smart and never gave up.
I’ve played on teams that could
barely win a game, and I’ve played
on teams that won every game by
no less than six goals. You always
learn more when times are difficult,
but parents and coaches alike need
to maintain a positive outlook to
keep these kids going in the right
direction.
Coaches Shawn McCosh of the
Runners, Tony Radke at CAHA
and Mike Goldberg of the Polar
Bears have been doing just that,
and I commend them for what
they’re providing the players they
mentor. It’s the philosophy we practice here at DYHA as well.
So for now, our Squirt Majors
just keep plugging away, working
hard and staying positive. Hopefully, the end of the season will
bring plenty of excitement as they
continue to grow, learn and mature,
both on and off the ice. b
Sean Whyte is the director of hockey operations and coach-in-chief at DYHA.
18
Phoenix Jr. Coyotes Elite
16U’s Gylling flips the offensive switch
By Brett Fera
C
ody Gylling doesn’t know
exactly why it happened;
he doesn’t know exactly how
it happened. All the young,
budding winger knows is that,
at some point, the switch this
season finally flipped.
“I didn’t start the season that well, I
don’t know why,” admitted Gylling, a standout
right wing for the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes Elite 16U
team.
Through the first 13 games of his team’s Tier 1
Elite League schedule, Gylling managed just seven
total points. Since, however, it’s been another story.
“It just started clicking, I guess,” said Gylling,
who, in the 15 games since, notched six multiplepoint outings, scored at least two goals on four
occasions and put up 20 total points. “That’s how it
works sometimes. All of a sudden it happens and
(the points) come way easier.”
On the season, Gylling entered February second
on the Jr. Coyotes in goals and points, trailing only
linemate Max Miller on the team’s scoring charts.
Considering that Miller has spent most of this
season as the top scorer in the entire 25-team Tier
1 Elite League, that in itself might give some of the
answers to Gylling’s turnaround.
Head coach Mike De Angelis explained that as
much as the success of Miller, who plays center on
that line, has helped spark Gylling, a left winger, it said. “You’re never going to get an easy game, and
actually goes the other way, too.
the competition pushes you a lot. I think our team,
“They’re two very talented 16-year-old kids, and as a whole, has gotten a lot better just because of
their working well with each other,” De Angelis
that competition.”
said, adding that the duo’s cooperative play has
Gylling added that playing in the Tier 1 Elite
helped drive the rest of the team as of late.
League also affords the opportunity to play in front
De Angelis also noted that while Gylling’s numof college and junior hockey scouts on a regular
bers may have been down a bit to start the season,
basis - something he doesn’t take for granted.
that doesn’t necessarily mean he
“It brings more confidence, definitewasn’t playing well from the start.
ly,” he said. “It motivates me knowing
According to the coach, it was just
that (scouts) are seeing what I do and
a matter of Gylling, skating in his
how well I can play.”
first season with the program, getting
A junior at Hamilton High School
acclimated to playing at the level of
in Chandler, Gylling said that playcompetition the Jr. Coyotes are acing for the Jr. Coyotes Elite program
customed to facing in the Tier 1 Elite
has helped him realize the likely path
league.
he’ll take towards college hockey; De
“Cody has been one of our top
Angelis, meanwhile, calls Gylling’s
players all year. He’s been one of the
future in the sport “very bright,” adding
that the winger already has United
most consistent, hardest-working guys
Cody Gylling
States Hockey League and North American Hockey
we’ve relied on,” De Angelis said, noting that numLeague scouts eyeing him for the coming seasons.
bers don’t tell the entire story after all.
When analyzing his own skill set, Gylling said
“It took him awhile to get comfortable with the
he hopes to continue to get the opportunity to
level of play that’s demanded in the Tier 1 League
showcase his speed, but thinks his best trait is his
each weekend, but he’s really picked it up and is
ability to put the puck in the net - something he’s
playing really well for us.”
been able to do of late, scoring nine goals and 14
Gylling said that getting to face the competition
points in a recent 10-game stretch.
the Jr. Coyotes see every week is the exact reason
“I make the most of my opportunities,” Gylling
he tried out for the program prior to this season.
“It was pretty much because of the Elite League. explained. “I think I’m a strong finisher; team’s
need that.” b
I knew that was the place I needed to go,” Gylling
JrCoyotesElite.com
Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association
DEVELOPING THE DEN
Select League brings house to new level
T
here’s been a lingering question in
the Phoenix hockey community:
How can we get the house player more
competitive ice time?
Jim Beyer of Polar Ice, Justin
Maloof of the Ice Den and Bob Strong
of the Sonoran Youth Hockey League
(SYHL) came up with an answer and
the SYHL Metro Select League was
born.
In its first year, CAHA and Polar Ice
house “all-star” teams formed to create
Select divisions at the Mite, Squirt and
Pee Wee levels.
We here at CAHA also fielded a
Bantam team because we felt they work
hard and deserve the same opportunity.
They play games against local Bantam B and high school JV teams.
The first games were at Polar Ice facilities over MLK Weekend and
we were pleased with the outcome. The program, as a whole, was very
competitive and it was great for these kids to get outside the Ice Den and
experience a completely new environment.
Pedro Rengifo scored the first goal in CAHA Select history with his
second-period tally in one of the Bantam games. For the Mites, Cutter Gauthier recorded the fastest natural hat trick in Select history,
needing - get this - a whole 39 seconds to accomplish the feat!
Said CAHA Mite coach Sean Gauthier: “I thought it was a great
start towards bringing house league players to the next level.”
The season concludes with a double-elimination playoff in midApril. b
Scott Gruber is CAHA’s director of youth hockey development.
Mite 2002s celebrate
Silver Stick title
By Shane Dale
Y
es, the Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association’s
Mite 2002 squad was having a very good season
leading up to last month’s International Silver Stick
Mite A tournament in St. Clair Shores, Mich., but was
its coach expecting to bring home a championship?
“I think that was the furthest thing from our imagination,” said
coach Mike Panowyk after his Mites accrued a 5-1 record in the
tourney, capped by a 2-1 win against the Sudbury, Ontario, squad in the
championship game. “We expected to have a great time and experience, but
we thought we were the underdogs by far.”
Five of the Mites’ six opponents were from Canada, but the team persevered despite that intimidation factor - not to mention the grueling tournament schedule, Panowyk said.
“We had to play two games a day for three days straight,” he said, “and,
on the second day, when we went to double-overtime (a 3-2 win over the
London, Ontario, team), it was an experience they hadn’t had before because
the local tournaments were shootouts.
“(They were also) dealing with the time change and the unfamiliar environment, but they didn’t give up and kept digging in.”
The Jr. Coyotes’ Matthew Knies was named MVP of the Silver Stick
championship game, and Panowyk credited goaltender Hunter Mitchell
for his effort in allowing just 10 goals in six games.
“I’m so pleased with this team’s development and commitment to learning,” said Mike De Angelis, the Jr. Coyotes’ director of youth hockey.
“They’ve all played so well for a group of young Mites that haven’t been
together that long.” b
CoyotesIce.com
ArizonaRubber.com
19
North American Hockey League
Bisbing gets a fresh start in Alaska
By Matt Mackinder
I
t’s true what they say:
When one door closes, another one opens.
Just ask Cody Bisbing.
The Mesa native began
his North American Hockey
League (NAHL) career in the fall
with the Bismarck Bobcats and, when things
didn’t go according to plan, he was released.
The Alaska Avalanche, however, also members
of the NAHL, was right on the doorstep to sign
Bisbing.
“First and foremost, not only is Cody a good
hockey player and going to be a very good player,
but he’s an outstanding young man who carries
himself very well,” said Avalanche head coach
Brian Huebel.
“I had Cody in 2007 at the USA Hockey Select
14 Festival in Rochester, N.Y., and, even then,
he impressed. When he became available, I knew
what we’d be getting, on and off the ice.”
Bisbing, who turns 18 in May, has relished his
fresh start in Alaska.
“It’s been great,” Bisbing said. “The coaching
has really helped me improve how I play. I’ve
learned a lot from Coach Huebel; he sees the
game really well and he’s a great teacher, on and
off the ice.
“I’m very comfortable up here now and I really
enjoy the state and hope this will be an expe-
20
rience I’ll remember for the rest of my
lifetime.”
In Arizona, Bisbing played youth
hockey for the Phoenix Firebirds, Phoenix Polar Bears and P.F. Chang’s (now
the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes).
“I’ve had a lot of great influences
from coaches to even players that
I look up to,” Bisbing said. “Jim
Johnson played and coached
in the NHL and guys like Dave
Spina really influenced me and
helped me with what I know now.”
As for being born and trained
in Arizona, Huebel has nothing
but good things to say about the
state’s youth programs.
“Coming from a nontraditional hockey
area,
even
though I believe
that those are
few and far between nowadays, there is the tendency for those young athletes to get overlooked,
but the (Jr. Coyotes) organization has done a
great job with him and numerous other players to
advance their careers,” noted Huebel.
“Cody is a tremendous young man who’s
determined to get better and, no matter where
you’re from, if you have high character and are
NAHL.com
committed to getting better, that’ll take you a
long way.”
According to Huebel, once Bisbing hits his
stride, the sky is the limit.
“Right now, we’re bringing Cody
along and allowing him to learn
different areas of the game and how
to be a complete hockey player,”
Huebel said. “I’ve been happy with
the way he’s progressed, but, like
most young players, there’s a curve
and he’s still learning.
“I think it took me a little while to
get adjusted, but it really helped being welcomed to the team by all the
guys,” Bisbing said. “Alaska is a lot
like back home, just not the weather.
With playing hockey and having a
great billet family, I couldn’t ask for
anything more.”
As for how far hockey can take
Bisbing, Huebel thinks college
puck is a reachable goal.
“I absolutely believe Cody can
be a Division I hockey player,” beamed Huebel.
“He still has learning to do and has to mature
physically, but Cody has laid himself a great
foundation to build on.
As long as he keeps progressing and buying
into consistent development, which I believe he
will, he’ll make a school very happy down the
road.” b
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Outcasts strike gold at NARCh Winternationals
By Alex Dodt
agreed we just needed to continue playing our
game and that the goal would come,” said Boyarsky.
It did. Five minutes into the extra session,
Garth Penman put the puck off the post and into
the net to send the Outcasts to the gold-medal
game.
For Tuohy, jumping on and off the rink shift-after-shift of sudden death hockey left little time for
idely considered the pinnacle of roller hockey
nervousness. Instead, he embraced the confidence
tournaments, the North American Roller
in his team.
Hockey Championships (NARCh) hosted its Win“In both of our overtime games, I had no probternationals event last month in San Jose, and
lems with nerves at all,” said Tuohy. “I think it
Arizona came home with some hardware.
helps that, as a team, we really felt confident we
Tour Outcasts ‘92 went undefeated
were going to win each game. We just kept
through the tournament to capture the
playing like it was any other period.”
Midget division crown.
In overtime, the Outcasts maintained a
The title marked the team’s second Winhigh-pressure attack and it took only a few
ternationals championship; they won the
minutes to crack their opponent’s red-hot
Bantam division in 2008.
goaltender. This time, it was Drew Yeo“This one was definitely more significant
man, a new member of the team, burying
being our last year (of eligibility competthe championship-winning goal.
ing at NARCh),” said defenseman Tommy
In addition to Tuohy, Yeoman and PenTuohy. “Also, this year, we really took care
man, Kekoa Latimore, Nick Bazso, Ryan
of business. We went undefeated and it was
Newens, Ray Mesa, Paul Linder and
really more of a dominant win.”
Kevin Dwyer rounded out the squad.
In three round-robin games, the Out“It was a huge relief when we finally won
casts outscored their opponents by an overthat game,” said Tuohy. “It was a good thing
whelming 19-1 count, which earned them
we showed we could handle the adversity of
Tour Outcasts ‘92 went undefeated at last month’s NARCh Winternationals
the top seed in the playoff bracket.
back-to-back overtime games. We always came
in San Jose to take home the Midget division title. Photo/NARCh
“After breezing through the round
right back at them and it was relieving to win
robin, there was a combination of well-deserved
“That semifinal game made the boys realit.”
confidence and excitement to play some tougher
ize that, as strong of a team as they were, other
NARCh president Daryn Goodwin was happy
teams,” said head coach Nick Boyarsky. “There
teams weren’t going to roll over for them,” said
to see Arizona not only represented at Winternawere also some stinging memories of upsets in
Boyarsky. “The mood in the locker room before
tionals, but leave with a championship.
other tournaments still lingering, though, and
the final was simple: We’re here to win and that’s
“The Outcasts have supported NARCh for
that kept us focused.”
what we plan on doing.”
years and have had their share of NARCh victoDespite controlling the semifinal game against
And win they did, controlling much of the
ries,” said Goodwin. “It’s good to see them repreCalifornia’s Bauer Riot, an ill-timed double-minor
championship bout against Mission Rink Rat. But, sent the state and take a title back to Arizona.
penalty helped erase the Outcasts’ lead and send
unable to solve Mission’s keeper, the Outcasts
“It’s a great program with great players, and
the game into overtime.
found themselves heading into another overtime
it’s good to see them still going strong and win“We talked before the overtime and everyone
game.
ning titles.” b
W
ArizonaRubber.com
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EASTON’S HYPE: The new EQ50 stick is Easton’s
latest offering that boasts high-end performance,
improved feel and the ability to customize the
weight balance of the stick to give you just the right
amount of weight distribution throughout. With a
slightly heavier stick, Easton suggests that shot,
power and velocity can be improved, and, by allowing you to balance that overall weight, it says the
stick will feel just as light in your hands.
Devin Doherty stepped up to help us get some frontline, battlefield-tested input on how this new EQ50
performs.
OVERVIEW: The first time I picked up the EQ50, I
noticed it was heavier than most composite sticks.
Then, when I held it like I was going to shoot or
stickhandle, practically all the weight disappeared.
The way this stick is counter-balanced is amazing,
and I was also attracted to its red and black colors.
The Eastons I’ve used are great, but my previous
stick - the Easton ST - was nowhere near this stick.
I was ready to use the EQ50 right away because I’d
only heard good things about it.
FIRST USE: I loved it. It felt so natural that my
stickhandling was smoother and my shot was harder.
I was using an 85 flex, but, when I shot, I felt like
the puck just whipped right off the stick - something
my other sticks have never done without getting
used to them first. There were no vibrations when I
took a slap shot, either; it just felt great. I also think
the weight of the stick enhanced my power quite
a bit. I noticed, too, the blade wasn’t bouncy when
catching a pass; it just stopped the puck.
DURABILITY: The EQ50 is a durable stick. It had
only a few chips and dings after a whole tournament
and a couple of
scrimmages. On the blade, part of the lamination chipped off, but that doesn’t affect anything.
It held up as good as any composite stick out there.
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: My stickhandling
and shot definitely improved with the EQ50. The
puck felt a lot smoother on the stick, and, it felt like
I shot the puck harder with no vibrations. Accuracy
is up to you, but it seems like the stick helped guide
the puck. I noticed also, with passes, the EQ50 deadened the puck for a nice transfer to stickhandling.
SUMMARY: I expected the EQ50 to perform with
the best and it met my expectations. There will
never be a perfect stick, but this one comes close.
In my opinion, it’s the best stick in its price range.
I rate the EQ50 an 8 ½ out of 10; it’s a really good
stick. b
The Test Team is still accepting applications. Those applicants with the BEST sample reviews will be chosen. To apply, visit
BehindTheMask.com and be certain to fill out and answer ALL of the questions asked on the application.
Takacs, Olsson, Ganz savor NARCh success
By Alex Dodt
Following that loss, Takacs and the Fury focused on being stronger defensively. When they
finally saw the Rockets again in the division
final, they were eager for redemption.
“We made sure to contain their top guys and
shorten the floor on their offensive weapons,”
really clicked well.”
For Tempe’s Brian Ganz, the experience of
t’s becoming increasingly common for local
winning a NARCh title took a bit of a different
roller hockey players to achieve major success
twist. While Takacs organized a team of longplaying for regional and national club teams.
time opponents and friends in the region, Ganz
Look no further than last month’s North
was picked up as the final piece of the puzzle for
American Roller Hockey Championships
the Bauer Montreal Tribe.
(NARCh) Winternationals for proof, as three
While being the new face on a team that
Arizonans took home gold in the 35-andplays together regularly can be intimidatover and Men’s divisions at the San Joseing, Ganz’s transition was a smooth one
hosted event.
thanks to his new teammates, who welPlaying for Team Fury in the 35-andcomed him with open arms.
over division, Lake Havasu’s Mark Takacs
“The guys are really easy to get along
and Claes Olsson joined players from
with and make playing fun,” said Ganz.
throughout the Southwest to win a NARCh
“They made things comfortable for me betitle.
cause I could play how I’m used to playing
“Most of these guys, we became friends
instead of trying to do too much.”
after playing against each other at the USA
Ganz and the Tribe followed the pattern
Hockey Inline nationals,” said Takacs, who
of Takacs’ Fury team by losing in the round
organized the team. “We wanted to skate torobin to the team they’d eventually beat in
gether in a tournament and this was a good
the championship game. For the Tribe, its
opportunity.”
5-1 loss in the round robin to the Nor Cal
The Fury boasted players from Texas,
Riot was not indicative of their level of talLake Havasu’s Claes Olsson, back row, far right, and Mark Takacs, next to
Colorado and Nevada, in addition to Takacs Olsson, helped Team Fury to a gold medal in the 35-and-over division at
ent.
and Olsson. While most of the guys had not last month’s NARCh Winternationals in San Jose. Photo/NARCh
“We didn’t play our game and we didn’t do
played together before, they were familiar
what we’d done previously in the tournament
with each other.
said Takacs. “We had good defensive play in all
to win games,” said Ganz. “After that loss, we
“There was chemistry with all of us because
zones and our goalie, Mike Tozzi, played outwere sure to keep it simple, play puck-possession
we’ve been friends through the years,” said
standing.”
hockey and not force anything.”
Takacs. “We knew how each other played, so it
After a successful debut at NARCh, Takacs
That refocused game plan resulted in a
worked out well.”
and the Fury are hoping the experience is just
convincing 6-2 victory in the semifinal in which
In the round robin, the Fury suffered a 10-6
the beginning.
Ganz bagged a hat trick. In the rematch against
setback to the Rinkside Rockets - the same team
“We really enjoyed playing together and hope- the Riot in the championship game, he and the
it’d eventually meet up with in the championship fully we’ll be back at Winternationals next year,” Tribe earned a 5-4 win and gold medals for their
game.
he added. “This was a good group of guys and we efforts. b
I
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