Ugly But Still a Win
Ben PhersonPost-Bulletin Company, LLC
Posted: Friday, January 25, 2013 10:30 pm

Late in the second period, the Dells Ducks skated down the Rochester Recreation Center ice on a 2-on-1 breakaway.

After a pass across the ice, and another pass back to the left dot, a Ducks forward let go of a perfectly placed shot that headed straight for the Rochester Ice Hawks net.

 

But Ice Hawks netminder Corey Grummick effortlessly slid across the crease, then tossed out his blocker and turned away the shot.

To the common fan, it looked like a simple save. But it was far from it.

Grummick makes many tough saves look easy, though, and Friday night was no different. The first-year Ice Hawks turned away 28 shots in leading his club to a 9-2 Minnesota Junior Hockey League victory in front of more than 1,800 fans at the Rec Center.

After Grummick preserved the blowout win on Parents Weekend, the mood in the Ice Hawks locker room after the game was light and upbeat.

"Grummick is a good goalie, and that's what good goalies do, they play good," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis joked.

The Ice Hawks found out this week that No. 2 goalie Derek Moser will miss the remainder of the season due to a broken ankle. Moser watched Friday's game from the stands, sporting crutches and a boot.

Grummick said not having Moser around adds pressure.

"Knowing he was there made things easier," he said. "I knew if I wasn't in there, there was a guy who was just as good as me to step in and get the job done. Now I know I need to step up my play."

With family members in town for Parents Weekend, Fatis said this is an exciting two-game set for the Ice Hawks.

No player was more excited than Grummick. The Washington native expected only his mother to be in town for Parents Weekend. But when he went to greet his mother at the hotel, his entire family surprised him.

"That was awesome," he said. "They have been my biggest supporters from Day 1, so I love playing in front of them."

The Ice Hawks got caught up a bit again Friday night in what's become commonplace for this team. They looked very average at times, but when they flipped the switch, they blew the doors off.

"Yeah, we are stuck on that on-off switch thing," Fatis said. "It's OK, I thought we played well overall. And you saw in the third period when we turned it on, we were a very good hockey team."

Two minutes into the third period, the Ice Hawks held a 4-0 lead. But they let their guard down for a moment, and just like that, the Ducks cut the lead to 4-2.

"The good thing is when we turn it on, it's hard for anybody to stick with us," Grummick said.

Three minutes later, the Ice Hawks cranked it up and turned a close game into a blowout. They scored five goals over the game's final 13 minutes.

Jarrett Pfeiffer opened the scoring for the Ice Hawks in the first period. He buried a pass from Brent Kallio on the power play 12:42 into the first.

Kallio added a power-play tally in the second, and Matt Day's goal at the midway point made it 3-0.

Nick Gorino scored at the 1:42 mark of the third before the Ducks got a pair of tallies from Yari Neitenbach. But after that, it was all Ice Hawks.

Austin Rust, Chris Williford, Gorino, Luke Richardson and Brad Nolan all scored in the Ice Hawks' late-game flurry.

"It's hard to pick out anyone specifically, but I thought a lot of our guys played really well," Fatis said. "I liked out Nolan played. The Ducks are a really physical team, the most physical team in the league. But I thought most of our guys did a good job matching them."

Nolan's goal was the prettiest. Kallio left a nice pass, then Nolan sniped the goalie, sending the water bottle flying off the goal mount.

Richardson, Kallio and Pfeiffer had a goal and two assists apiece.

The Ice Hawks finished with a 58-30 edge in shots on goal.

Rochester improved to 34-4-0-1-2, while the Ducks dropped to 24-14-0-0-1. The two teams meet again at 7:05 tonight back at the Rec Center.

Ice Hawks 9, Ducks 2

Ducks#0#0#2#—#2

Ice Hawks#1#2#6#—#9

First period — Ice Hawks, Jarrett Pfeiffer (Brent Kallio, Luke Richardson), 12:42 (pp).

Second period — Ice Hawks, Kallio (Pfeiffer, Richardson), 8:00 (pp); Ice Hawks, Matt Day (Pfeiffer), 10:11.

Third period — Ice Hawks, Nick Gorino (Brett Gates), 1:42; Ducks, Yari Neitenbach (Jacob Stima), 2:51; Ducks, Neitenbach (unassisted), 4:00; Ice Hawks, Austin Rust (Day, Jake Zarzycki), 7:03; Ice Hawks, Chris Williford (Brad Nolan), 9:13; Ice Hawks, Gorino (Trevor Sabo, Brandon Morgan), 10:43; Ice Hawks, Richardson (Alex Haygood), 13:31; Ice Hawks, Nolan (Kallio), 18:51.

Shots on goal — Ducks 9-12-9—30; Ice Hawks 17-19-22—58. Penalties — Ducks 19 for 63 minutes; Ice Hawks 15 for 50 minutes; Power-play chances — Ducks 0-for-7; Ice Hawks 3-for-9. Goalies — Ducks, John Sellie-Hanson 49 saves on 58 shots; Ice Hawks, 28 saves on 30 shots.

Rochester Ice Hawks goalie Derek Moser was run over in Sunday's Minnesota Junior Hockey League tilt against the Minnesota Owls.

Moser left the game and did not return.

The Ice Hawks hoped for the best, but it turned out to be the worst — Moser is out for the season.

Moser, the team's No. 2 goalie behind Corey Grummick, suffered a broken ankle.

"Unfortunately, he won't be back for us this season," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "Derek is a great kid, and he's been one of the league's best goalies, so it hurts. But I just feel terrible for Derek."

The first-year Ice Hawk and Wisconsin native was having an outstanding season. He had rolled up a 12-2 record and a 2.77 goals-against average to go with his .915 saves percentage. He was fourth in the league in saves percentage and sixth in goals-against average.

Grummick is second in saves percentage (.921) and fourth in goals-against average (2.22).

"We really loved our goalie situation, having two of the league's best," Fatis said. "But we'll be fine. We still feel good about where we're at."

With Moser out, that moves Erik Johnson into the No. 2 spot. Johnson has seen limited action, but has earned a 6-1 record. He carries a goals-against average of 2.76 and a saves percentage of .883.

Fatis is confident Johnson is ready to slide into the No. 2 roll.

"Erik has done well when he's received the opportunity to play," Fatis said. "He's improved a lot this season, and he's a very hard worker. We envision good things from him in the future."

Even with Moser out for the season, Fatis will be forced to make some serious roster decisions in the coming weeks. He must cut three players (likely one forward and two defensemen) from the playoff roster in early February. The team can have 25 players on its playoff roster.

"I think maybe the forward will move on pretty soon here, but with the defensemen, I'm sure it will come right down to the wire," Fatis said.

Other than the Moser injury, the Ice Hawks look as healthy as they've been all season heading into Parents Weekend. They host the Dells Ducks at 7:05 tonight and against at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.

Forward Antonio Baccari has been cleared to play after his upper-body injury, and he will return to action this weekend. Defenseman Miles Johnson also has been cleared to practice after missing significant time due to a concussion. Fatis said Johnson isn't ready for game action, though.

"We're getting there," Fatis said. "It's a big weekend. Parents Weekend is always a lot of fun for the guys, and it's nice that we're going in relatively healthy. The Ducks are a very good team, though."

The Ducks enter the two-game set with a 24-13-0-0-1 record, while the Ice Hawks are 33-4-0-1-2.

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Ice Hawks' Carlson an all-around sensation

 

 

Posted: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 9:05 am | Updated: 9:06 am, Wed Jan 16, 2013.

Ice Hawks' Carlson an all-around sensationBen PhersonPost-Bulletin Company, LLC

Drew Carlson isn't the biggest member of the Rochester Ice Hawks.

He isn't the fastest. He isn't the strongest. He doesn't have the most powerful shot, the best defensive prowess or the sickest dangles.

However, if you asked Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis to rank Carlson in each of those categories, he'd be near the top in every one.

Carlson is, simply, a complete player. He's not the best at anything, but he's outstanding at everything.

"That's a very accurate statement," Fatis said. "There's nothing I don't trust Drew to do on the ice. When you talk about every category and every situation, he's probably No. 2 or No. 3 on the team for all of them. He's easy to coach. He does whatever we ask of him, and he makes everybody on the ice better."

Assistant coach Todd McIlrath had the highest of praise for the second-year Ice Hawks forward. "Drew Carlson is the most complete all-around player in the nation at the Tier III level," he said. "He's not the most talented. But he's the most well-rounded guy. He makes plays that are off the charts for this level of hockey."

Carlson said hearing encouragement like that is humbling. It also offers proof that his hard work has paid off. Carlson's skill set didn't develop over night.

In fact, he spent a year away from the Ice Hawks, working his tail off to become one of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League's top players.

Carlson was an Ice Hawk two seasons ago. Fans might not remember him; he didn't see a great deal of ice time.

"He came here that year and we knew he was a good kid, but we weren't sure where he fit in," Fatis said. "We put him on a line right away with guys like Shaun Walters and George Jackson. He wasn't able to keep up with those guys at the time. But you could see his mind worked well enough to play with those types of players."

Time away helped

Carlson did not return to the Ice Hawks last season, instead playing for the Michigan Mountain Cats of the Norther American Tier III Hockey League.

It was a year well spent.

Carlson returned to Rochester this season as a different player.

"Two years ago, I was 15 or 20 pounds lighter, and I just wasn't ready for this type of play, which obviously showed in my ice time," Carlson said. "I took a year away, put on some weight, and I think I matured mentally, too. I learned how to be successful at this level. I learned the intensity it takes day in and day out."

Carlson's year of experience was evident in the Ice Hawks' preseason camp, and he hasn't disappointed during the regular season. He's played 35 games, scoring 49 points (15 goals, 34 assists) and helping the Ice Hawks to a 33-4-0-1-2 record heading into Parents Weekend (home games Friday and Saturday against the Dells Ducks).

"He truly makes his teammates better," Fatis said. "Guys like Brent Kallio and Chris Williford skate with him, and they're better players because of it."

While Carlson is having a stellar season, good luck getting him to talk about it — or anything, for that matter. He's quiet. Very quiet. "He leads by example, that's for sure," Fatis said. "But he's fun to be around. He's coming out of his shell a little, and when he does talk, everyone respects what he has to say."

Carlson is clear about one thing — he's back in Rochester for one reason. College hockey is in his future — Division III coaches are lining up for his services — but Carlson is focused on bringing a national title to Rochester.

"That was my main reason for coming back here," he said. "I knew I'd get to school if I played here, because they pride themselves on moving kids on to college. But this is as competitive as it gets for Tier III, so I want that national championship."

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Ice Hawks survive test from Owls

Posted: Jan 14, 2013, 8:22 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN ISANTI, Minn. — The Rochester Ice Hawks ran into a hot netminder Sunday — Arthur Haase of the Minnesota Owls. Haase was coming off an outstanding game against the Twin Cities Northern Lights on Friday night and made things difficult for the Ice Hawks again on Sunday, recording 48 saves. But Haase's stellar effort wasn't enough. The Ice Hawks scored a pair of power-play goals and held off a late Owls charge for a 5-3 MnJHL victory. The Ice Hawks dominated the pace of play through two periods but led just 3-1 heading into the final frame thanks to the strong play of Haase. The Ice Hawks outshot the Owls 18-5 in the first period and 19-1 in the second. Despite the 19-1 shots advantage, the Ice Hawks scored only twice in the second period, and the Owls scored on their only shot. "It was kind of an odd game," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "We had a ton of chances. We hit some posts and just missed a few other chances. Their goalie played well, but we just didn't convert a lot of our chances. It was another physical game, kind of an Owls game of old. It got a little out of control in the third." Rochester received another solid game from big forward Luke Richardson, who scored four goals in Friday night's win over the Steele County Blades. Richardson had a goal and an assist to pace the Ice Hawks on Sunday. In his first 30 games with the Ice Hawks, Richardson had 11 goals. He's now had five in his past two games. Richardson has 13 goals in his past 13 games. Jake Zarzycki opened the scoring for Rochester. He buried a pass from Jarrett Pfeiffer at 9:02 of the first period. Richardson's power-play tally at 8:55 of the second put the Ice Hawks up 2-0. Chris Williford and Brad Nolan earned the assists. The Owls scored five minutes later, but the Ice Hawks scored with 50 seconds remaining in the second to head to the final period up 3-1. Alex Anderson netted that tally, with assists going to Matt Day and Alex O'Leary. Jamie Blair put the Ice Hawks up 4-1 with his goal 6:57 into the third. Richardson and Tanner Hawes had the assists. Austin Rust scored the final Ice Hawks goal on the power play at 10:26. Erik Johnson and Derek Moser split time in goal. Johnson started the game, and Moser came in after the first Owls goal. "That was our plan, to get both some playing time," Fatis said. "But Moser got ran (over) and had to come out. He had a (lower-body injury) and wasn't able to return. So we'll wait to see how bad it is here this week. It was an unfortunate situation, a spot where it looked like a clear penalty but nothing was called." Rochester finished with a 53-18 edge in shots on goal. The Ice Hawks improved to 33-4-0-1-2. They return to action Friday and Saturday at home against the Dells Ducks on "Parents Weekend." "We look forward to getting back to work on Tuesday; we have a lot to work on, and we're excited to get right back at it," Fatis said.

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'Stamkos' helps push Ice Hawks past Blades

Posted: Jan 11, 2013, 11:13 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN During practice last week, Rochester Ice Hawks forward Luke Richardson joked with teammates, saying he was like NHL superstar Steven Stamkos on the power play. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and with just 11 goals, Richardson is far from Stamkos. But since that day in practice, the "Stamkos" nickname is remained with Richardson. And after his performance Friday night at the Rochester Recreation Center against the Steele County Blades, the nickname might just stick for good. Richardson scored a career-best four goals and helped the Ice Hawks roll to an 8-3 win over the Blades in front of 1,911 fans at the Rec Center. Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said he's always believed Richardson was a top-end player in the league. "When he plays like that, when he's not setting back and being (passive), he can be so good," Fatis said. "He's 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, so that's a lot to deal with. He moves well for his size. Honestly, we've been frustrated because we want to see him play like that all the time. You can see what he's capable of when he does play like that." Richardson said he won't call himself a goal-scorer just yet. "A few of those were pretty lucky," he said. But Fatis said it wasn't luck. "No, they weren't pretty, but he was working hard and throwing pucks at the net," Fatis said. Friday's game was tied at 1-all after the opening 20 minutes. But Richardson said there was no panic in the Ice Hawks locker room at the intermission. "Coach stayed pretty level; he believes in us," Richardson said. "We knew if we kept working hard, good things would happen, so we weren't worried." Sure enough, the Ice Hawks pulled away in the second period. They blew the game open with six second-period tallies. Fatis said his team played "OK" in the first period. But the Blades once again tried to "out-muscle" the Ice Hawks in the second, and it back-fired. "It's like we talked about the last time we played them; they keep poking the bear, and I think it's a bad strategy for them," Fatis said. "It worked for them once over in Owatonna, but I don't think it's going to work again." Richardson scored the Ice Hawks' lone first-period goal. Brandon Morgan did much of the work, though, drawing in a defender and then delivering a pretty centering pass that Richardson directed into the net at 17:38. The puck went in off Richardson's skate, but there was no kicking motion, so the goal was good. Drew Carlson started the scoring barrage in the second just 42 seconds in. Richardson and Carlson then took turns scoring goals. Richardson scored at 3:36, then Carlson lit the lamp at 6:03. Only 27 seconds later, it was Richardson again, completing his hat trick at 6:30. Richardson wasn't done, though. He scored again at the 17:18 mark. Chris Williford completed the Ice Hawks' second-period scoring with a tally at 18:58. Williford also scored the Ice Hawks' only goal in the third at 11:58. Brad Nolan had a solid game, finishing with three assists. Connor Hyde, Brent Kallio and Josiah Habighorst had two assists apiece. Corey Grummick earned the victory in goal. He was sharp, finishing with 36 saves on 39 shots. The Ice Hawks welcomed Alex Haygood back to the team and said good-bye to C.J. Clark. Haygood was with the team last year, but was playing for Holy Cross in South Bend, Ind., this season. Holy Cross plays in the ACHA. Clark turned down several trade possibilities and has returned home to attend college. "Haygood looked good in his first game back," Fatis said. "It's hard to see C.J. go, because I really like the kid. We wish him the best." Haygood was involved in a line brawl in the third period. The brawl was ignited after a check from behind by a Blades player, which resulted in 5-minute penalty and a game ejection. Haygood, Kristian Ophus and Connor Hyde all easily won fights during the line brawl. "You never like to see that, but I was not a fan of the hit that led to the fights," Fatis said. "Hey, it's another thing we'll beat them at if they want to play that way." The Ice Hawks improved to 32-4-0-1-2, and they return to action Sunday in Isanti against the Minnesota Owls.

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Ice Hawks fall in shootout

Posted: Jan 04, 2013, 10:46 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN In big games, the Rochester Ice Hawks need their best players to be just that. It's unfortunate, but Friday at the Rochester Recreation Center a few of the Ice Hawks top players didn't step up in a key Minnesota Junior Hockey League game against the Twin Cities Northern Lights. Still, the Ice Hawks did enough to stick with the Lights and force overtime. After a scoreless extra session, the game went to a shootout, and the Lights scored twice, while the Ice Hawks were blanked, giving the Lights a 5-4 victory. "To be honest, I'm disappointed in a few guys; they're our top players and they didn't play like it," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "We're disappointed, but at the same time, nobody is hitting the panic button." The Ice Hawks no longer control their own destiny in the MnJHL. The Northern Lights improved to 30-4-1-1. They have played 36 games and have 62 points. The Ice Hawks are 31-4-1-1, with one shootout loss. They have 64 points but have played 38 games. If both teams win their remaining games, the Lights would win the MnJHL by one point. "I'm not worried; I'm confident they'll lose another game somewhere," Fatis said. "We did some things well, but if you're not playing at full speed, the Lights will beat you quickly. " The Lights controlled the opening period, outshooting the Ice Hawks 12-5. Rochester was fortunate to get out of the first trailing 2-1. The Ice Hawks scored first when Brent Kallio beat Lights goalie Will Schluneger at the 8:55 mark. The official scoresheet said assists went to Trevor Sabo and Chris Williford, but Drew Carlson's pass set up the tally. The Lights scored the final two goals of the period and then went up 3-1 just 1:11 into the second. After a lull to start the second, the Ice Hawks woke up about five minutes in. From there, they took control, scoring two times before the period ended. Jake Zarzycki scored a power-play tally 8:36 into the second, and Sabo, who played a fantastic game, tied it at 17:23 with another power-play goal. Kristian Ophus had the assist on Zarzycki's goal, and Austin Rust had the assist on Sabo's tally. Just as the first penalty on a 5-on-3 power play expired for the Lights, Jace Childs scored to put them in front 55 seconds into the third. But Nick Gorino would tied it again with a power-play goal at 17:57. Kallio set up the play with a nice pass. Again, the official scoresheet was off; it said Zarzycki scored, with assists to Williford and Kallio. After the scoreless OT, the teams took turns in the shootout. Zarzycki, Rust, Alex Anderson and Jarrett Pfeiffer missed for the Ice Hawks, while Childs and Gleb Kulikov scored for the Lights to give them the win. "It was a great hockey game, exactly what you'd expect from these two teams," Fatis said. "We know we're better than that, though." The Lights finished with a 45-31 edge in shots on goal. Derek Moser took the loss in net for Rochester, recording 41 saves. The Ice Hawks return to action Jan. 11 at home against the Steele County Blades.

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Ice Hawks push around the Blades

Posted: Dec 24, 2012, 7:07 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN This Rochester Ice Hawks team seems to be a bit of a chameleon. They will adapt to any style, and the Ice Hawks are driven to beat their opponents at their own game. Rough and tough? No problem. Run and gun? You bet. Saturday night was a prime example. The Steele County Blades came to the Rochester Recreation Center for the first time, and the Blades like to play a physical, punch-you-in-the-mouth brand of hockey. The Ice Hawks returned the favor and more, exploding for five first-period goals during an 8-3 victory in front of 1,879 fans. The win was a far cry from what transpired the last time the two teams met in Owatonna. That night, the Ice Hawks struggled and suffered an ugly 3-2 loss. Motivated by the setback, Rochester showed exactly what it can accomplish in the first period. The Blades had no breathing room, and the Ice Hawks were intense and sharp at both ends. Scoring came from up and down the Ice Hawks lineup, too. Brent Kallio, Nick Gorino, Drew Carlson, Jamie Blair and Luke Richardson all put the puck in the net in the opening period. Four of those goals came in the first six minutes. But in the second period, the Ice Hawks let off the gas pedal. They appeared to be going through the motions. “That’s exactly right, and that’s the kind of game we played against them last time,” Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. “We just went through the motions and didn’t have the intensity we needed. It was upsetting. The coaching staff wasn’t happy, and I know the kids weren’t either. We have to keep on it for three periods.” The Blades played even with the Ice Hawks over the final two periods. Both teams scored three times and sparred with the gloves off three times. By the end of the game, thanks to ejections, both teams were playing with a short bench. The Ice Hawks finished with 67 penalty minutes, while the Blades had 69. “We saw what we can do and how good we can be in the first period, and then in the second and third, we saw a lot of our bad habits coming out,” Fatis said. While Fatis wasn’t thrilled with his own team’s play, he also felt the Blades too often crossed the line from physical to dirty. “You want to play physical? We can do that,” Fatis said. “But I think they cross the line more often than they get called for. “ After a Blades goal early in the second, the Ice Hawks answered when Gorino scored his second at the 16:19 mark. The Blades scored again at 17:43, but the Ice Hawks answered one more time before the period ended. Kallio got his second on the power play at 19:49. Richardson netted his second goal just 17 seconds into the third. Derek Moser earned the win between the pipes, recording 30 saves on 33 shots. Chris Williford had three assists for the Ice Hawks, who outshot the Blades 45-33. Jarrett Pfeiffer added two assists. The Ice Hawks improved to 29-4-0-2 and are still just one point behind the Twin Cities Northern Lights in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League standings. Rochester returns to action at 7:05 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at home against the Minnesota Owls.

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Mouthpiece: Ice Hawks 'welcome' the Blades

Posted: Dec 22, 2012, 7:57 am

The Rochester Ice Hawks will take a short break for the holidays, but not before tonight's home tilt against the Steele County Blades. The Minnesota Junior Hockey League's newest team comes to Rochester for the first time, and the puck drops at 7:05 p.m. This game will be interesting, to put it nicely. When the Ice Hawks were in Owatonna last, the Blades punched them in the face — literally and figuratively — and walked away with a 3-2 win. It was a costly loss for the Ice Hawks; if they had won, they would have taken over first place in the MnJHL. The Ice Hawks certainly haven't forgotten that setback. The Blades are a "physical" team, and the Ice Hawks would love nothing more than to return the favor in their own barn. — Ben Pherson

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 Ben Pherson: Austin natives in MnJHL Showcase

Posted: Dec 20, 2012, 7:11 am

Austin's Adam and Derek McMasters are playing junior hockey for the Edina Lakers of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. It's a Tier III junior hockey league that also is the home of the Rochester Ice Hawks. Derek McMasters is listed as a 6-foot, 185-pound forward, while Adam McMasters is listed as a 6-foot, 190-pound forward. The MnJHL hosted a showcase last week in Rochester at the Graham Arena Complex. The Lakers played four games in four days against teams from the MnJHL's Great Lakes Division. The Lakers finished the showcase with a 3-1 record, falling only to the Great Lakes Division-leading Wisconsin Rampage. In a 6-3 win over the Illiana (Ind.) Blackbirds on Monday, Adam McMasters had a goal and an assist, while Derek McMasters had one goal. In their second showcase game, the Lakers earned a 2-1 win over the Chicago Junior Bulldogs. Adam McMasters assisted on the team's first goal. The Lakers finished the showcase with a 3-2 win over the Central Wisconsin Saints. Edina is 16-12-0-3 this season and they sit in fifth place in the MnJHL standings. Derek McMasters is one of only two Lakers players to dress for every game this season. He seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points, which puts him seventh on the team. Derek McMasters leads the Lakers with 97 penalty minutes. Adam McMasters has played 28 games for the Lakers. He's tied for fourth on the team with 31 points, including 13 goals (second on team) and 18 assists. Adam McMasters is second on the team with 76 penalty minutes. The Lakers return to action Friday at Hudson against the Crusaders. • Former Austin High hockey player Isaac Gorman is a member of the Twin Cities Northern Lights, a Tier III junior hockey team that competes in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. The Lights play their home games at the Blooming Ice Garden. Gorman is in his first season with the team. He previously played with the Packers and a AAA Midget team from Omaha, Neb. The MnJHL recently hosted a showcase in Rochester. The Lights played four games in four days against teams from the MnJHL's Great Lakes Division. The Lights finished the showcase with a 3-1 record. Gorman has been out of the lineup since the end of November, but he has 21 games, scoring nine points with three goals and six assists. He also has 35 penalty minutes. The Lights are on top of the MnJHL with a 29-4-0-1 record, one point ahead of the Rochester Ice Hawks. • Blooming Prairie graduate Matt Zellmer is a member of the men’s basketball team at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Zellmer is listed as a 6-foot senior guard for the Norse. Luther is off to a 6-3 start so far this season. The Norse scored a 74-60 win over the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Saturday, though Zellmer did not get into the game. Zellmer played nine minutes in a 72-57 win over Northwestern College (Minn.) on Dec. 7. He finished with three points, three fouls and two assists. Zellmer has played in six games this season, starting four times. He's averaging 2.3 points per game, to go along with season totals of five assists and five rebounds. The Norse are off until Dec. 29-30 when they travel to California to play in the California Lutheran Tournament. They open the tournament against Williams College on Dec. 29 in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

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Ice Hawks pound Edina Lakers

Posted: Dec 17, 2012, 7:50 am

By Post-Bulletin staff Post-Bulletin staff EDINA -- The Rochester Ice Hawks had no trouble in their first game back after the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase, blasting the Edina Lakers 8-3 on Sunday night. The Ice Hawks went 4-0 last week to claim the MnJHL Showcase title. They showed little signs of being tired after playing those four games in four days. Rochester put four goals on the board in the first and scored four more in the second. Second-year forward Jake Zarzycki had a big game, finishing with two goals and an assist. Austin Rust and Josiah Habighorst also played well, adding a goal and two assists apiece. Defenseman Brett Gates had a goal and an assist. Jamie Blair, Alex Anderson and Tanner Hawes scored the other Ice Hawks goals. Luke Richardson and Trevor Sabo added two assists apiece. Corey Grummick picked up the win in net. He recorded 27 saves on 30 shots. Austin native Adam McMasters had a goal and an assist for the Lakers. Tanor Bradison took the loss in net for Edina. He was lifted after giving up four goals on just 13 shots. Luke Thompson relieved him in the first, finishing with 27 saves on 31 shots. The Ice Hawks improved to 28-4-0-2. They return to action at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at home against the Steele County Blades.

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Minnesota Division finishes strong at hockey showcase

Posted: Dec 13, 2012, 6:31 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The first year of crossover showcases between the Great Lakes Division and the Minnesota Division of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League is in the books. And the verdict? The Minnesota Division is doing just fine. The Minnesota Division went 25-7 during the first showcase in Wisconsin in October. The Minnesota teams matched that record this week in Rochester, going 6-2 on the final day for an identical 25-7 record. “It was a good showing for the division,” Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. Only two teams went unbeaten — Rochester and the Dells Ducks, both of the Minnesota Division. The Ice Hawks were crowned MnJHL Showcase champions for the second time, though, because they had a better goal differential (plus-33). DUCKS 6, TC ICEHAWKS 0 The Dells Ducks broke a scoreless tie by scoring four times in the second period and pulling away for a 6-0 win over the Tri-City Icehawks. The Ducks went 4-0 at the showcase, while the Icehawks were 0-4. Gavin Porter paced the Ducks with two goals and two assists. Skyler Harding had a goal and two assists. Ian Harris and Layne Martin added a goal and an assist each. Rob Meadows earned the shutout in goal, stopping 14 shots. Lukas Mikulasik made 48 saves for Tri-City. BLACKBIRDS 6, ENERGY 5 The Maple Grove Energy scored three late goals to make things interesting, but the Illiana Blackbirds held on for a 6-5 win. The Blackbirds finished the showcase 2-2, while the Energy went 3-1. The Blackbirds led 1-0 after the opening period and 4-2 after two. They also scored the first two goals of the third period before the Energy made their rally. Vladyslav Makorevych and Sam Terres had two goals apiece for the Energy. Buddy Napier added three assists. Sean Grunenhagen and Joshua Pashe had a goal and an assist each for the Blackbirds. Blackbirds netminder Calvin Burkhart finished with 43 saves on 48 shots, while Maple Grove’s Brian Anderson had 29 saves on 35 shots. FEDERALS 4, OWLS 3 The Minnesota Owls blew a 3-0 third-period lead, watching the Fort Wayne Federals score four times in the final period for a 4-3 victory. The Federals went 1-3 at the showcase, while the Owls were 2-2. Liam Rice, Taylor Bargar and Adam Kohnhorst all scored in the second period to give the Owls a 3-0 edge. But Brendan Lewis went wild in the third period, scoring three consecutive goals to pull the Federals into a 3-all tie. And at the 15:57 mark, Brennan Harris scored the game-winner, with Lewis earning an assist. Fort Wayne goalie Quinn Wold had 33 saves on 35 shots, while Arthur Haase had 37 saves on 41 shots for the Owls. NO. LIGHTS 7, BULLDOGS 0 The Twin Cities Northern Lights bounced back after their only loss of the showcase to earn a 7-0 win over the Chicago Junior Bulldogs. The Lights went 3-1, while the Bulldogs were 0-4. Isaak Tjaden recorded 22 saves to earn the shutout in goal for the Lights. James Maher had 42 saves on 49 shots for the Bulldogs. Lights forward Gleb Kulikov continued his big showcase effort. He had two goals and an assist. Jonas Fredriksson, Dylan Blankenship and Zak Hayes had a goal and an assist each. LAKERS 3, SAINTS 2 The Edina Lakers needed a shootout, but they came away with a 3-2 victory over the Central Wisconsin Saints. The Lakers finished the showcase 3-1, while the Saints went 0-4. Michael Pedersen and Ryan Sete gave the Lakers a 2-1 lead heading into the third. But the Saints’ Kyle Lopes tied it with a tally 8:32 into the third. Neither team scored in overtime, but the Lakers won the shootout 3-2. Tizian Winkelstraeter had a great game in goal for the Saints. He stopped 43 of 45 shots. Tanor Bradison had 23 saves on 25 shots for the Lakers. BLADES 13, FRONTENACS 1 The MnJHL did not provide a box score for this game. CRUSADERS 5, OILERS 3 The MnJHL did not provide a box score for this game.

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Ice Hawks earn MnJHL Showcase title (slideshow)

Posted: Dec 13, 2012, 6:22 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Slide show: Ice Hawks vs. Wisconsin Rampage Nobody saw this one coming. Heading into the final day of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase, the Rochester Ice Hawks and Wisconsin Rampage both had identical 3-0 records. The Great Lakes Division’s Rampage had ripped through their Minnesota Division competition, including the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights. The Ice Hawks had done the same, outscoring their Great Lakes Division foes 29-5. So, that set up Thursday’s highly anticipated showdown at Graham Arena. But fans expecting a tight tilt went home disappointed. Instead, the Ice Hawks dominated in all phases, rolling to an 11-2 victory and their second MnJHL Showcase title of the season. The Ice Hawks went 4-0. The Dells Ducks also went 4-0, but the Ice Hawks had a better goal differential (plus-33) and were crowned champions. “It’s pretty cool to have two showcase trophies now,” Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. “We’ve still got work to do, too. We played OK in the first period and then better in the second, and the third was whatever. It’s good we played well, and it was nice to see this team, because it’s a team we very well may need to beat to make it to the national tournament.” Thursday’s game turned ugly in the second period as the head official lost control of the game. Several altercations in the second period made for a long 20 minutes. The game did calm down in the third. And while the Ice Hawks weren’t happy about the way the game was officiated, they couldn’t complain about the outcome. “We expected this to be a good game,” Ice Hawks forward Chris Williford said. “But we played well. (Wednesday night) wasn’t really a (close) game for us, so we came in feeling good. We were relaxed, and we played well. We played well all week, really.” Fatis said his team played well, but they can play better. “I think the Rampage tried to be physical, and usually when they do that they probably push teams around,” Fatis said. “That’s not going to happen against us, though.” Following the physical game, the Ice Hawks lined up to shake hands. But the Rampage coaching staff did not stick around. Eight Rampage players did go through the hand-shake line, though. Fatis said he had no further comment about the officials or what happened after the game. On the ice, the game was tight through one period. But the Ice Hawks pulled away in the second and added six insurance goals in the third. Williford led the way with four goals. Drew Carlson had a goal and three assists, while Trevor Sabo finished with a goal and two assists and Brent Kallio had three assists. Luke Richardson, who scored on a penalty shot, and Matt Day added a goal and an assist. Jamie Blair, Jake Zarzycki and Josiah Habighorst scored the other Ice Hawks goals. Derek Moser continued his domination of teams from his home state of Wisconsin. Moser recorded 29 saves on 31 shots to earn the win in net. The Ice Hawks, who improved to 27-4-0-2, finished with a 54-31 advantage in shots on goal. The Rampage dropped to 21-7-0-2. “We got things going again this week,” Williford said. After four games in four days, Fatis said the team is looking forward to having the next two days off. Ice Hawks 11, Rampage 2 Wisconsin#1#1#0#—#2 Ice Hawks#2#3#6#—#11 First period — Ice Hawks, Josiah Habighorst (Jarrett Pfeiffer), 11:31. Ice Hawks, Chris Williford (Drew Carlson, Brent Kallio), 13:43. Rampage, Tom Stanislavski (Chris Wachal), 17:38 (pp) Second period — Ice Hawks, Williford (Tanner Hawes), :48 (sh). Rampage, Bret Vogt (unassisted), 1:47 (pp). Ice Hawks, Matt Day (Trevor Sabo), 9:31. Ice Hawks, Jake Zarzycki (Sabo, Day), 16:55 (pp). Third period — Ice Hawks, Trevor Sabo (unassisted), 1:30. Ice Hawks, Williford (Kallio, Carlson), 5:47. Ice Hawks, Williford (Carlson, Brett Gates), 6:13. Ice Hawks, Luke Richardson (unassisted), 7:36 (penalty shot). Ice Hawks, Carlson (Kallio), 8:41 (pp). Ice Hawks, Jamie Blair (Richardson), 17:00. Shots on goal — Wisconsin 10-8-13—31; Ice Hawks 18-15-21—54. Penalties — Wisconsin 13 for 34 minutes; Ice Hawks 17 for 82 minutes. Power-play chances — Wisconsin 2-for-4; Ice Hawks 2-for-5. Goalies — Wisconsin, Carson Kirkpatrick 31 saves on 39 shots, Michael Krch 12 saves on 15 shots; Ice Hawks, Derek Moser 29 saves on 31 shots.

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Ice Hawks put up a dozen against St. Louis (slideshow)

Posted: Dec 12, 2012, 11:02 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Slide show: Ice Hawks vs. St. Louis Frontenacs There wasn't much the Rochester Ice Hawks could take away from Wednesday night's game at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Ice Hawks hosted the St. Louis Frontenacs during the third day of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase. The Frontenacs are the last-place team in the MnJHL's Great Lakes Division. St. Louis also came to Rochester with an extremely short bench, skating only 14 players Wednesday. Even with a full club it would have been tough for the Frontenacs to skate with the Ice Hawks. The Frontenacs provided little resistance for the Ice Hawks, who rolled to a 12-0 victory in front of a small crowd at the Rec Center. The Ice Hawks put up a dozen goals and 70 shots, but it could have been worse. They limited their shots over the final two periods and kept their third and fourth lines on the ice often. The Frontenacas (3-27-0-1) are having a rough showing at the MnJHL Showcase. They're now 0-3 and have been outscored 30-2. "We wanted to be as classy as we could about this," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "We knew they had a short bench, and we're a tough team to play with a full team. But we've been in their shoes before. We were that program at one time. I have a lot of respect for them, and I know coach (Kory) Haywood is a very good coach." The lopsided tilt provided scoring opportunities for Ice Hawks who aren't known as high-end scorers. Veteran C.J. Clark led the way, scoring a hat trick. Clark also had an assist for a four-point night. "It was actually a lot of fun," Clark said. "We just had to make sure we didn't develop any bad habits and keep playing our game." The Ice Hawks dressed 18 skaters, and 17 scored at least one point. Vinny Barra and Josiah Habighorst both had big games. Barra scored two goals and added an assist, while Barra had a goal and two assists. Chris Williford (goal, two assists) and Brent Kallio (goal, two assists) also had three points apiece. Jake Zarzycki added two goals, while Alex O'Leary, Drew Carlson and Austin Rust had two assists each. Though he wasn't tested often, goalie Erik Johnson recorded the shutout. He finished with 13 saves. While there wasn't much for the Ice Hawks to learn against the Frontenacs, the win did set up a showdown with the Great Lakes Division's top team — the Wisconsin Rampage. The Rampage rolled to a blowout win Wednesday, too, meaning both teams enter the showcase finale at 3-0. "I had a chance to watch them, and they're a good team," Clark said. Fatis said winning a second showcase title — they won the season's first showcase in Wisconsin in October — would be nice, but he said the Ice Hawks also are playing for a league title. "Yeah, there's some divisional pride, trying to represent the Minnesota division well, but there's a lot more on the line than that," Fatis said. "We are trying to win a league title, so every game counts. Wisconsin is a very good team. They skate well, they do everything well. But if we play our game, we're awfully hard to beat. If we don't, we're OK. But we're going to need to play our game to beat a team like this." The Rampage and Ice Hawks will clash at 1:30 p.m. today at Graham Arena No. 4. Ice Hawks 12, Frontenacs 0 St. Louis#0#0#0#—#0 Ice Hawks#5#4#3#—12 First period — Ice Hawks, Vinny Barra (Austin Rust), 2:40. Ice Hawks, Luke Richardson (Alex O'Leary, Josiah Habighorst), 7:16. Ice Hawks, Jake Zarzycki (Jarrett Pfeiffer, Austin Rust), 12:34. Ice Hawks, Connor Hyde (C.J. Clark, Alex Anderson), 15:11. Ice Hawks, Brent Kallio (Drew Carlson, Chris WIlliford), 18:05. Second period — Ice Hawks, Clark (Tanner Hawes, Barra), 3:25. Ice Hawks, Williford (Carlson, Kallio), 7:45 (pp). Ice Hawks, Habighorst (Barra, Alex O'Leary), 15:33 (pp). Ice Hawks, Habighorst (Matt Day), 19:52. Third period — Ice Hawks, Clark (Miles Johnson), 8:05. Ice Hawks, Zarzycki (Williford, Kallio), 9:04. Ice Hawks, Clark (Jamie Blair), 19:22. Shots on goal — St. Louis 4-4-5—13; Ice Hawks 20-25-25—70. Penalties — St. Louis 8 for 26 minutes; Ice Hawks 3 for 6 minutes. Power-play chances — St. Louis 0-for-2; Ice Hawks 2-for-6. Goalies — St. Louis, Nicolas LaChance 58 saves on 70 shots; Ice Hawks, Erik Johnson 13 saves on 13 shots.

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Rampage the only winner for Great Lakes Division

Posted: Dec 12, 2012, 11:02 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The Minnesota Division turned in its best effort of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase on Wednesday at Graham Arena. The Minnesota Division teams went 7-1, improving their showcase record to 19-5 against the Great Lakes Division. The lone bright spot for the Great Lakes Division has been the play of the Wisconsin Rampage. After winning the first two days, the Rampage rolled Wednesday to a 7-0 victory over the Edina Lakers. The MnJHL showcase wraps up today at the Graham Arena Complex. CRUSADERS 3, TC ICEHAWKS 2 The Minnesota Division’s Hudson Crusaders scored two third-period goals to break a 1-1 tie and walk away with a 3-2 win over the Great Lakes Division’s Tri-City Icehawks. Jake Miller scored what ended up being the game-winner 15:38 into the third period. Patrick Evans and Ryan Anderson also scored for the Crusaders, who were outshot 28-26. Nathan Allgaier and Cameron Ashley scored for the Icehawks. Cacy Wilfer earned the win in net for Hudson, recording 26 saves. The Crusaders wrap up showcase play at 9 a.m. today against the Wooster Oilers, while the Icehawks finish against the Dells Ducks at 9:30 a.m. DUCKS 7, BLACKBIRDS 6 In one of the showcase’s wildest games, the Minnesota Division’s Dells Ducks rallied from a 5-2 deficit to win 7-6 in a shootout over the Illiana (Ind.) Blackbirds. Joey Bower and Jacob Stima scored for the Ducks in the opening period, but the Blackbirds put five goals on the board in the opening 20 minutes. The Ducks dominated the rest of the game, scoring three times in the second period. Austin Zima had a big game for the Ducks, finishing with two goals and two assists. Dunk Abbott had a goal and three assists. Stima (two goals, assist) and Brady Hefner (goal, two assists) added three points apiece. Kyle Fahy scored two goals for the Blackbirds. Chad Miller had a goal and three assists. Blackbirds goalie Calvin Burkhart played well, recording 54 saves on 61 shots. The Ducks conclude showcase play against the Tri-City Icehawks at 9:30 a.m., while the Blackbirds play the Maple Grove Energy at 10 a.m. BLADES 8, FEDERALS 5 The Minnesota Division’s Steele County Blades scored three times in the first period and held on for an 8-5 win over the Fort Wayne Federals. Jimmy Philbin scored twice and Jon Skarlis had a goal in the Blades’ big first period. Philbin finished with a hat trick to pace Steele County. Skarlis had two goals and two assists, while Kirby Kinslow had a goal and three assists. Quest Bain (three assists) and Stan Sojka (goal, two assists) added three points each. Brendan Lewis had a hat trick for the Federals, while Stephen Kreusch had a pair of goals. Steele County (2-1 at the showcase) finished with a 45-34 edge in shots on goal. The Blades finish showcase play against the St. Louis Frontenacs at noon today, while the Federals finish against the Minnesota Owls at 10:30 a.m. NO. LIGHTS 12, OILERS 1 The Minnesota Division’s Twin Cities Northern Lights bounced back from Tuesday’s loss to blast the Great Lakes Division’s Wooster (Ohio) Oilers 12-1 at Graham Arena. The difference in shots on goal was laughable — the Lights finished with 96 shots, while the Oilers had 17. The Lights led just 2-0 after the first despite outshooting the Oilers 30-5. But they blew the game open with six goals in the second. Ten different players scored for the Lights. Taylor Laiti and Jace Childs both scored twice. Childs added a pair of assists. Carter Purdy, Nick Kunes and Jonas Fredriksson all had a goal and two assists. Isaak Tjaden earned the win in goal, stopping 16 of 17 shots. Oilers goalie William Korczynski finished with 84 saves on 96 shots. The Northern Lights wrap up tournament play against the Chicago Junior Bulldogs at 12:30 p.m. today, and the Oilers play the Hudson Crusaders at 9:30 a.m. RAMPAGE 7, LAKERS 0 The Wisconsin Rampage picked up the Great Lakes Division’s lone victory Wednesday, pounding the Edina Lakers 7-0. The Rampage are unbeaten at the showcase. Wisconsin outshot the Lakers 49-29 and scored three times in the opening period. The Rampage pulled away with three goals in the third. Seven different players scored for the Rampage. Adam Schoenfeld led the way with a goal and two assists. Chris Wachal, Bret Vogt and Kevin Salinas had one goal and one assist each. Kyle Weiner was outstanding in goal, turning away 29 shots. Dan O’Leary suffered the loss in net for the Lakers, stopping 42 of 49 shots. The Rampage play the Rochester Ice Hawks (3-0) at 1:30 p.m. at Graham No. 4, wile the Lakers conclude tournament play against the Central Wisconsin Saints at 1 p.m. OWLS 7, SAINTS 3 The Great Lakes Divisions’ Central Wisconsin Saints hung with the Minnesota Owls through two periods, but the Owls scored three times in the third to pull away and earn a 7-3 win. Tayler Bargar and Brett Lucas scored two goals apiece for the Owls. Former Ice Hawks Nick Haase had a goal and an assist, as did John Zupko. Tanner Vinson added two assists. Owls goalie Mike Rice was sharp, stopping 42 of 45 shots. Chris Nelson took the loss for the Saints, recording 32 saves on 39 shots. The Owls wrap up tournament play against the Fort Wayne Federals at 10:30 a.m. today, while the Saints play the Edina Lakers at 1 p.m. ENERGY 2, BULLDOGS 1 Brady Devescovi scored the game-winner 5:53 into the third period to lift the Minnesota Division’s Maple Grove Energy over the Chicago Junior Bulldogs 2-1. Neither team scored in the first period. The Energy went ahead 1-0 with Vladyslav Makorevych’s second-period tally. The Bulldogs would tie it with Adamson Thoma’s power-play goal 4:32 into the third. But Devescovi played the role of the hero 90 seconds later. The Energy held a 36-29 edge in shots on goal. James Maher played well in goal but took the loss for the Bulldogs. He finished with 34 saves. Brian Anders got the win with 28 saves for the Energy. The Energy conclude showcase play at 10 a.m. against the Illiana (Ind.) Blackbirds, while the Bulldogs play the Twin Cities Northern Lights at 12:30 p.m.

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Ice Hawks move to 2-0 at showcase with blowout win (slideshow)

Posted: Dec 11, 2012, 11:08 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Slide show: Ice Hawks highlights It doesn't seem to matter who the Rochester Ice Hawks are playing. Every opponent seems to be at their best, right in the middle of a hot streak. Tuesday night at Graham Arena was no different for the Ice Hawks during the second day of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase. The Ice Hawks squared off against the Great Lakes Division's Wooster (Ohio) Oilers, who came to Rochester having won eight of their past nine games. But the Ice Hawks were far from intimidated. Instead, they found their scoring groove, rolling to an impressive 11-3 victory in a game that turned ugly in the third period. The Oilers proved to be one of the most physical teams the Ice Hawks have seen all season. That led to a great deal of penalty minutes for both teams. In fact, the two teams combined for a whopping 203 penalty minutes. The third period was particularly nasty. "There were a few times that they challenged our guys to fight, we'd drop the gloves and they wouldn't, and then we'd get the instigator penalty, so I wasn't very happy," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "It's disappointing they let it get to this point." Still, Fatis felt his team outplayed the Oilers in all phases. "They came out and tried to play physical right away, and we felt like we outplayed them at their own game," Fatis said. When the dust finally had settled, three Ice Hawks players — Alex O'Leary (spearing), Vinny Barra (fighting with less than five minutes remaining) and Kristian Ophus (fighting with less than five minutes remaining) — were escorted off the ice in the third period. That means the Ice Hawks will have a short bench when they return to the ice at 7 tonight at the Rochester Recreation Center against the St. Louis Frontenacs (0-2 at MnJHL Showcase). "We've been shorthanded before, so it's not a big deal," Fatis said. "We just need to come ready to play and take care of our business." The Ice Hawks got good news Tuesday afternoon. The Twin Cities Northern Lights suffered a 6-3 loss to the Wisconsin Rampage, meaning the Ice Hawks (25-4-0-2) are now just one point behind the Lights (26-4-0-1) in the MnJHL standings. Rochester received a big game from forward Matt Day. He finished with a goal and five assists for a game-high six points. Tanner Hawes also was fantastic, finishing with a hat trick. Austin Rust (two goals, assist) and Jamie Blair (goal, two assists) had three points apiece, while Jarrett Pfeiffer pumped in two goals. Drew Carlson added a goal and an assist. "Aside from the last five minutes or so, we didn't let them get to us with the physical play," Day said. "It was nice to put the puck in the net like we did. We feel like we're really back to where we should be now." The Ice Hawks put forth a phenomenal effort on special teams. Not only did they kill off all 10 Wooster power-play chances, they also scored four short-handed goals. "I was extremely happy with the way we played," Day said. "We outworked them and it paid off." Hawes and Carlson scored in the opening period to give the Ice Hawks a 2-0 lead. Goals by Trevor Sabo and Hawes to start the second made it 4-0 before the Oilers finally got on the board. But Austin Rust and Day scored before the end of the period to give the Ice Hawks a 6-1 edge heading into the third. Pfeiffer (two), Blair, Rust and Hawes all scored in the lengthy third period. Rochester finished with 23 infractions for 102 penalty minutes, while the Oilers had 24 for 101. Corey Grummick earned the win in goal, recording 11 saves on 12 shots. Erik Johnson played the third period and stopped 12 of 14 shots. Ice Hawks 11, Oilers 3 Wooster#0#1#2#—#3 Ice Hawks#2#4#5#—#11 First period — Ice Hawks, Tanner Hawes (Austin Rust, Matt Day), 1:20 (pp). Ice Hawks, Drew Carlson (Day), 14:58. Second period — Ice Hawks, Trevor Sabo (Chris Williford, Jake Zarzycki), 5:55 (pp). Ice Hawks, Hawes (Day), 16:22 (sh). Wooster, Sam Merriman (Josh Eubank), 17:17. Ice Hawks, Austin Rust (unassisted), 18:20 (sh). Ice Hawks, Day (Jamie Blair, Carlson), 19:59. Third period — Wooster, Kevin Vinyard (Billy Blansett), :45. Ice Hawks, Jarrett Pfeiffer (Brent Kallio), 5:20 (pp). Ice Hawks, Blair (Kristian Ophus), 9:05. Wooster, Tanner McDougal (James Bradshaw, Zach Turner), 9:38. Ice Hawks, Rust (Day), 12:00 (sh). Ice Hawks, Pfeiffer (unassisted), 13:11 (sh). Ice Hawks, Hawes (Day, Blair), 15:30 (pp). Shots on goal — Wooster 7-5-14—26; Ice Hawks 13-23-19—55. Penalties — Wooster 24 for 101 minutes; Ice Hawks 23 for 101 minutes. Power-play chances — Wooster 0-for-10; Ice Hawks 4-for-12. Goalies — Wooster, Jesse Little 37 saves on 46 shots, William Korczynski 7 saves on 9 shots; Ice Hawks, Corey Grummick 11 saves on 12 shots, Erik Johnson 12 saves on 14 shots.

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Minnesota Division continue to roll

Posted: Dec 11, 2012, 11:03 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The Minnesota Division was solid on the opening day of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase, going 6-2 on Monday in Rochester. They were just as good Tuesday. Six of the eight Minnesota Division teams topped their Great Lakes Division foes on the showcase's second day at the Graham Arena Complex. The big shocker of the day came when the Minnesota Division's top team — the Twin Cities Northern Lights — suffered a 6-3 loss to the Wisconsin Rampage. BLADES 5, TC ICEHAWKS 3 The Minnesota Division's Steele County Blades scored all five of their goals in the opening two periods to earn a 5-3 win over the Great Lakes Division's Tri-City Icehawks on Tuesday at Graham Arena. The Blades bounced back after their loss during the showcase's opening day. Five different players scored for the Blades, including former Ice Hawks Jon Stevanovich. Quest Bain and James Wagoner had a goal and an assist each, while Jon Skarlis added three assists. Adam Carlson earned the win in goal, recording 27 saves. Nicholas Allen struggled in net for the Icehawks, recording 15 saves on 20 shots. He was replaced by Glen Bates, who stopped all 21 shots he faced. The Blades play again at 9:30 a.m. today against the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Federals at Graham Arena No. 2, while the Icehawks play the Hudson Crusaders at Graham 4 at 8:30 a.m. CRUSADERS 8, FRONTENACS 0 Aviv Milner scored three goals to help the Minnesota Division's Hudson Crusaders pull away for an 8-0 win over the Great Lakes Division's St. Louis Frontenacs. The Minnesota Division's last-place team is now 1-1 at the showcase. Brady Peterson had a goal and three assists for the Crusaders, while Austin Duffy, Matt O'Dea, Ryan Anderson and Patrick Evans all had a goal and an assist each. Marc Hayton wasn't tested often in goal, but he finished with 21 saves in the shutout. Nicolas LaChance of the Frontenacs was in goal for 61 Crusaders shots. He finished with 53 saves. The Crusaders play the Tri-City Icehawks at 8:30 a.m. today at Graham Arena No. 4, while the Frontenacs play the Rochester Ice Hawks at 7 p.m. at the Rochester Recreation Center. DUCKS 6, FEDERALS 3 The Dells Ducks of the Minnesota Division scored five times in the first two period and claimed a 6-3 win over the Great Lakes Division's Fort Wayne (Ind.) Federals. The Ducks held a 55-26 edge in shots on goal, including 20-4 in the first period. Skylar Harding and Gavin Porter paced the Ducks with two goals apiece. Dunk Abbott and Austin Zima both added two assists. Rob Meadows finished with 23 saves in net for the Ducks, while Federals netminder Tyler Martz took the loss, making 26 saves on 31 shots. Holden Melgoza relieved Martz in the second and finished with 23 saves on 24 shots. Brendan Lewis had a big game for Fort Wayne. He pumped in two goals and added an assist. The Ducks improved to 2-0 at the showcase, while the Federals are 0-2. Dells returns to action at 9 a.m. today against the Illiana (Ind.) Blackbirds, while the Federals play the Steele County Blades at 9:30 a.m. LAKERS 2, BULLDOGS 1 The Edina Lakers scored twice in the first period and then held on for a 2-1 win over the Great Lakes Division's Chicago Jr. Bulldogs. The Lakers improved to 2-0 at the showcase, while the Bulldogs dropped to 0-2. Edina goalie Luke Thompson played well, recording 24 saves on 25 shots. Chicago goalie Matthew Young was sharp once again. He kept his team in the game with 38 saves on 40 shots. Shane Fitzpatrick scored both Edina goals, and Ryan Sete picked up helpers on both tallies. Adamson Thoma, who had two goals Monday, scored the lone Bulldogs' goal. Edina plays the Wisconsin Rampage at noon today, while the Bulldogs play the Maple Grove Energy at 12:30 p.m. ENERGY 6, SAINTS 2 The Minnesota Division's Maple Grove Energy trailed after the first period but dominated the final two frames for a 6-2 win over the Great Lakes Division's Central Wisconsin Saints. Austin Nottke gave the Saints a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Energy scored three times in the second and three more in the third. Shane Billings had two goals for the Energy. Joey Affolter added a goal and three assists. Lucas Romaine and Nottke had the Saints goals. Brian Levorson was solid in goal for Maple Grove, finishing with 26 saves on 28 shots. Tizian Winkelstraeter had 34 saves on 40 shots for the Saints. The Energy improved to 2-0 at the showcase, while the Saints dropped to 0-2. RAMPAGE 6, NO. LIGHTS 3 In the showcase's biggest shocker over the first two days, the Great Lakes Division's Wisconsin Rampage scored four times in the final period to knock off the Twin Cities Northern Lights 6-3. The Northern Lights are the Minnesota Division's top team. They dropped to 1-1 at the showcase, while the Rampage improved to 2-0. The Lights led 2-0 in the second period, but the Rampage scored the game's next five goals to pull away. Carter Purdy paced the Lights with a pair of goals. Gleb Kulikov added two assists. Will Schluneger suffered the loss in goal, recording 24 saves on 28 shots. The Rampage received a big game from Kevin Salinas, who finished with two goals and an assist. Matt Blaszkiewicz added a pair of assists. Netminder Kyle Weiner was the star of the game. He recorded 50 saves on 53 shots. The Rampage play the Edina Lakers at noon today, while the Lights play the Wooster (Ohio) Oilers at 11 a.m. BLACKBIRDS 7, OWLS 3 The MnJHL did not provide a box score from this game.

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Amateur Update: Four-day event showcases Minnesota hockey league

Posted: Dec 11, 2012, 8:33 am

By Jay Fanta With the holidays growing near, it is only fitting for us to be involved with one more major event as the year comes to a close. We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with the Rochester Ice Hawks to bring the MInnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase to Rochester. Bringing these games to town presents another unique opportunity for people to be engaged as workers and fans. However, the impact of the event goes beyond that. Just like many of our other events, this event presents opportunities for local business to benefit as the teams will be in town for three nights and four days. This tournament gives hundreds of visitors the opportunity to experience all the great businesses Rochester has to offer. The hockey showcase features 16 MNJHL teams from the Minnesota and Great Lakes Divisions. All the games played are MNJHL league games. Hosting all the games in one location saves teams from having to travel to get all their league games in throughout the year. Games started on Monday. Eight games are being played each day through 4 p.m. on Thursday. They are being played at the Rochester Recreation Center and Graham Arena. The host Ice Hawks played Monday and will play again at 7 p.m. today at Graham Arena (Wooster Oilers), 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Rec Center (St. Louis Frontenacs) and 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Graham Arena (Wisconsin Rampage). Ice Hawks general manager Michael Fatis knows just how special this event can be,"We are pleased to work with the Rochester Amateur Sports Commission to bring in this Showcase to town over a four-day span,'' he said. " This event is truly special for our community. So many people have had an influence in bringing these games here and have helped us organize this event. We look forward to a successful week of good hockey and look forward to bring these games back in the future.”

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Ice Hawks blast the Bulldogs in showcase opener

Posted: Dec 10, 2012, 10:32 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN t's an analogy Rochester Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis has used before: When you turn the faucet off, it's often tough to turn it back on. And sometimes, the water runs cold even if the faucet does turn back on. Fatis was greatly concerned his team may have shut the faucet off over the weekend during an ugly loss to the Steele County Blades. "I didn't know what to expect," Fatis said of Monday's Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase opener against the Chicago Junior Bulldogs at the Rochester Recreation Center. Though Fatis was a bit concerned in the second period, the Ice Hawks turned that faucet back on in the third and pulled away for a 6-2 victory. Fatis was impressed with his team's performance in the opening period. "I was interested to see how we would respond; I had a feeling it would be OK, but I didn't know," Fatis said. "I thought we played good in the first. We were OK in the second, but we didn't play with that edge you need to be a championship team. We saw that edge come back in the third." Fatis was particularly pleased with his team's play during a five-minute penalty the Ice Hawks were forced to kill during the third. "That's when it really showed; we outworked them up and down the ice," Fatis said. "We did not allow a shot on goal during a five-minute major; that's impressive. The kids were determined, and they stayed true to their convictions. Nobody doubted what we're trying to accomplish here." The Ice Hawks started well, scoring a pair of first-period tallies. Trevor Sabo put the Ice Hawks up 1-0 with his goal just 37 seconds into the game. Drew Carlson set up the goal with a nifty pass. Jamie Blair also had an assist. Eight minutes later, Nick Gorino made it 2-0, tipping in a shot from the point by Chris Williford. Carlson scored on a breakaway early in the second, and it looked like the blowout was on. But Adamson Thoma scored back-to-back goals for the Bulldogs, and the Ice Hawks led just 3-2 heading into the third period. "We weren't really worried after the second," Carlson said. "We knew the goals would come if we kept plugging away, skating hard, working our forecheck, causing turnovers." Jake Zarzycki opened the third with a nifty goal, going bar down just :56 into the frame. Austin Rust earned the assist. Jarrett Pfeiffer scored the final two goals. He put in a rebound off a shot by Williford that also was tipped in front by Carlson at the 9:22 mark. The goal came with the man advantage. Pfeiffer's final goal came short-handed on a breakaway, with Sabo and Matt Day recording the assists. "We played a lot better (than we did Sunday)," Carlson said. "The jump was there. I thought we responded well. We just had to take a look in the mirror after (Sunday's loss). We took a night off, and we can't do that." Chicago remained in the game greatly owing to the play of netminder Matthew Young. He recorded 56 saves, including 24 in the opening period and 15 in the second. "He played well; he definitely kept him in it," Carlson said. Behind the play of a solid defensive corps, Erik Johnson earned the win in net for the Ice Hawks. He finished with 20 saves on 22 shots. "Overall, I'm happy with the way we responded," Fatis said. "This event is fun and it's a grind. But I like it. I've already talked to several scouts, so the kids are getting a look. I'm excited for this stretch of games." The Ice Hawks (24-4-0-2) return to action at 7 tonight against the Wooster (Ohio) Oilers at Graham Arena No. 4. Chicago (17-10-0-2) plays the Edina Lakers at 11 a.m. at Graham Arena No. 2. ICE HAWKS 6, BULLDOGS 2 Chicago#0#2#0#—#2 Ice Hawks#2#1#3#—#6 First period — Ice Hawks, Trevor Sabo (Drew Carlson, Jamie Blair), :37. Ice Hawks, Nick Gorino (Chris Williford, Brent Kallio), 8:47 (pp). Second period — Ice Hawks, Drew Carlson (unassisted), 4:16. Chicago, Adamson Thoma (Joe Mavrin, Mike Delaney), 5:07. Chicago, Thoma (Mavrin, Matt Kostopoulos), 14:30 (pp). Third period — Ice Hawks, Jake Zarzycki (Austin Rust), :56. Ice Hawks, Jarrett Pfeiffer (Carlson, Williford), 9:22 (pp). Ice Hawks, Pfeiffer (Sabo, Matt Day), 17:32 (sh). Shots on goal — Chicago 8-11-3—22; Ice Hawks 26-16-20—62. Penalties — Chicago 8 for 16 minutes; Ice Hawks 9 for 29 minutes. Power-play chances — Chicago 1-for-6; Ice Hawks 2-for-6. Goalies — Chicago, Matthew Young 56 saves on 62 shots; Ice Hawks, Erik Johnson 20 saves on 22 shots.

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Minnesota Division dominates first day of Showcase

Posted: Dec 10, 2012, 10:34 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN So far, so good. The Minnesota Division dominated the first day of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase, going 6-2 on Monday at Graham Arena and the Rochester Recreation Center. It shouldn't come as a surprise. The Minnesota Division went 25-7 during the league's first showcase in October. The eight Minnesota Division teams appear headed for a similar result after the Showcase's first day in Rochester. The Great Lakes Division did have a few bright spots, though. NO. LIGHTS 7, SAINTS 1 The Minnesota Division's Twin Cities Northern Lights scored three first-period goals and never looked back. The Northern Lights added two goals in the second and two more in the third, rolling to the victory over the Great Lakes Division's Central Wisconsin Saints. Tyler DuHadway paced the Lights with two goals and two assists. Carter Purdy pumped in two goals and an assist, while Jonas Fredricksson added a goal and an assist. Michael Tiberi scored the lone Saints goal. The Lights held a 55-12 edge in shots on goal. Will Schlunger finished with 11 saves for the Lights, while Josh Reinstein had 48 saves for the Saints. The Lights play again at 1:30 p.m. today against the Wisconsin Rampage, while the Saints play the Maple Grove Energy at 1 p.m. LAKERS 6, BLACKBIRDS 4 The Minnesota Division's Edina Lakers put together a fantastic rally, scoring the game's final four goals to top the Great Lakes Division's Illiana (Ind.) Blackbirds on Monday at Graham Arena. The Lakers trailed 2-0 and 4-2 before rallying late in the second and the third. Derek Johnson and Andrew Bergquist both had big games for the Lakers. Bergquist had a goal and three assists, while Johnson had two goals and two assists. Austin native Adam McMasters had a goal and an assist, and brother Derek McMasters also had a goal. Curtis Artuso played well for the Blackbirds, scoring a pair of tallies. The Lakers received a solid effort in net from Tanor Bradison, who had 38 saves on 42 shots. Illiana returns to action at 12:30 p.m. today against the Minnesota Owls, while the Lakers play Chicago Junior Bulldogs at 11 a.m. OILERS 4, BLADES 2 The Wooster (Ohio) Oilers of the Great Lakes Division scored a pair of power-play goals and received a huge effort in goal to hold off the Minnesota Division's Steele County Blades for a 4-2 win at Graham Arena on Monday. The Blades held a 57-30 edge in shots on goal but managed just one goal through the game's first 58 minutes. C.J. Westlake scored a power-play goal in the first for the Oilers and Nick Pines had a power-play tally in the second. Zach Eubank and Kevin Vinyard also scored for Wooster. But the star of the game was netminder William Korczynski, who recorded 55 saves on 57 shots. Adam Carlson recorded 26 saves on 30 shots for the Blades. Zach Steuck and Kirby Winslow scored the Steele County goals. The Oilers play against at 7 tonight against the Rochester Ice Hawks at the Recreation Center, while the Blades play the Great Lakes Division's Tri City Icehawks at 9:30 a.m. at Graham Arena. DUCKS 10, FRONTENACS 2 The Minnesota Division's Dells Ducks put 84 shots and 10 goals on the board in a 10-2 blasting of the Great Lakes Division's St. Louis Frontenacs. Jacob Stima paced the Ducks, scoring two goals and adding three assists. Dunk Abbott poured in two goals, while Austin Zima had three assists. Frontenacs goalie Justin Lewis was in net for 79 of the shots on goal, and he recorded 69 saves. John Sellie-Hanson earned the win in goal for the Ducks, making 10 saves. The Ducks play the Great Lakes Division's Fort Wayne Federals at 10:30 a.m. at Graham Arena, while the Frontenacs play the Minnesota Division's Hudson Crusaders at 10 a.m. RAMPAGE 6, CRUSADERS 4 A box score for this game was not provided by the MnJHL. OWLS 6, TC ICEHAWKS 4 A box score for this game was not provided by the MnJHL. ENERGY 6, FEDERALS 3 A box score for this game was not provided by the MnJHL.

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Ice Hawks can't complete weekend sweep

Posted: Dec 03, 2012, 7:13 am

The Rochester Ice Hawks rolled to back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday night against the Maple Grove Energy. But the Ice Hawks ran out of gas Sunday, falling to the Twin Cities Northern Lights 8-2. The Ice Hawks rolled up a 9-2 win over the Energy on Friday at the Rochester Recreation Center. The game was close until the third period. The Ice Hawks blew the Energy out of the water in the final frame, though, putting six goals on the board. The Energy finished with a 43-38 edge in shots on goal. Kristian Ophus scored the first Ice Hawks goal 16:27 into the first, with Trevor Sabo and Drew Carlson earning the assists. Austin Rust and Carlson both scored power-play tallies in the second. Jake Zarzycki took control in the third period. He scored three times, including one power-play tally. Nick Gorino, Jarrett Pfeiffer and Alex O'Leary also scored in the third. Rust had three assists in the final 20 minutes. Corey Grummick earned the win in goal. He was outstanding in all three periods, finishing with 41 saves on 43 shots. The Ice Hawks blasted the Energy 10-5 on Saturday in Maple Grove. Derek Moser was in net and he earned the win with 31 saves on 36 shots. The Ice Hawks finished with a 43-36 edge in shots on goal. Two Ice Hawks had hat tricks — Luke Richardson and Chris Williford. Williford also had an assist. C.J. Clark, Brent Kallio, Rust and Carlson also scored for the Ice Hawks. Clark and Kallio added two assists apiece. Matt Day had three assists, and Jamie Blair and Pfeiffer had two each. Sunday's game got away from the Ice Hawks in the second period. Rochester held a 2-1 lead early in the second. Tanner Hawes had scored in the opening frame, and Brent Kallio put the Ice Hawks ahead with his tally 3:11 into the second. But the Northern Lights scored four goals to close the period and led 5-2 heading into the third. Two of the goals were power-play tallies. The Lights added three goals in the third, including a couple of short-handed scores. Jace Childs led the Lights with three goals and an assist. Grummick took the loss in goal. He had 16 saves on 20 shots. Moser also played, recording eight saves on 11 shots. With the loss, the Ice Hawks dropped to 22-3-0-2 in Minnesota Junior Hockey League play. They return to action Friday at home against the Energy.

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Big third period lifts Ice Hawks

Posted: Nov 30, 2012, 10:24 pm

By Post-Bulletin staff Post-Bulletin staff The Rochester Ice Hawks erupted for six third-period goals en route to a decisive 9-2 victory against the Maple Grove Energy on Friday at the Rochester Recreation Center. Jake Zarzycki led the way for Rochester. He had hat trick in the third period, scoring three times in a span of 9 minutes, 48 seconds, and he added one assist for a four-point game. "It was fun to watch Zarzycki," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "He's an exciting player and he brings fans out of their seats." He was the only Ice Hawk to score more than once, though Brent Kallio and Austin Rust each had three assists, while Trevor Sabo had two. Other goal-scorers for the Ice Hawks were: Kristian Ophus, Rust, Drew Carlson, Nick Gorino, Jarrett Pfeiffer and Alex O'Leary. Maple Grove is the only team to have beaten the Ice Hawks in regulation this season. Rochester led 1-0 after one period and 3-1 after two. "We didn't have much going until the third period, when we finally did well on the power play," Fatis said. "It was a weird game. There was a lot of hacking and not much continuity to it." Corey Grummick helped the Ice Hawks hold their slim lead through two periods. He stopped 41 of the 43 shots he faced. "He was good in net," Fatis said. "When we get goaltending like that, we're a tough team to beat." The Ice Hawks (21-2-2) play at Maple Grove (12-15-2) tonight. Ice Hawks 9, Energy 2 Maple Grove#0#1#1#—#2 Rochester#1#2#6#—#9 First period — 1. R, Kristian Ophus (Trevor Sabo, Drew Carlson) 16:27. Second period — 2. R, Austin Rust (unassisted) 4:18 (pp). 3. MG, Travis Ricci (Vladyslav Makorevych) 6:01. 4. R, Carlson (Brent Kallio, Nick Gorino) 15:36 (pp). Third period — 5. R, Jake Zarzycki (Rust, Matt Day) 5:17 (pp). 6. R, Zarzycki (Rust, Sabo) 8:44. 7. R, Gorino (Kallio, Chris Williford) 9:22. 8. R, Jarrett Pfeiffer (Zarzycki) 11:32. 9. R, Zarzycki (Rust, Pfeiffer) 15:05. 10. R, Alex O'Leary (Kallio) 16:15. 11. MG, Brady Devescovi (Makorevych) 18:43 (pp). Shots on goal — MG 15-17-11—43; R 9-14-15—38. Goalies — MG, Brian Anderson (37 shots, 29 saves); Brian Levorson (1 shot, 0 saves); R, Corey Grummick (43 shots, 41 saves). Penalty minutes — MG 44, R 45

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Ice Hawks go big for weekend sweep

Posted: Nov 26, 2012, 6:57 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Goals haven’t been hard to come by lately for the Rochester Ice Hawks. After another weekend of putting up big numbers, the Ice Hawks have now scored 35 goals in their past three games and 48 over their past five games. The Ice Hawks swept two more games this weekend, blasting the Minnesota Owls 15-4 on Friday night in Rochester and following that with a 6-0 road win over the Hudson Crusaders on Sunday. “I’ve said it before, but when we’re working hard and we’re getting bounces, we’re a deadly team,” Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. Saturday’s game at the Rochester Recreation Center looked like a normal Minnesota Junior Hockey League tilt early, but it turned into a track meet in the second period. The Ice Hawks led just 1-0 after the first, despite outshooting the Owls 19-3. Rochester went wild in the second, though, scoring eight times. It added six more goals in the third to complete the blowout. Jarrett Pfeiffer was the star of the second period. He scored three consecutive goals at one point. Nick Gorino also had two goals in the second, and Chris Williford, Miles Johnson and Drew Carlson had one apiece. Gorino, Carlson, Austin Rust, Brent Kallio, Antonio Baccari and Josiah Habighorst added one goal apiece in the third. Trevor Sabo had the lone first-period tally. Kallio had a monster game overall. He finished with six points (goal, five assists). Pfeiffer had five points (three goals, two assists), and Gorino (three goals, assist) and Williford (goal, three assists) had four points apiece. Johnson (goal, two assists), Carlson (two goals, assist), Rust (goal, two assists) and Jake Zarzycki (three assists) added three points each. “Everybody got in on the action,” Fatis said. “We exposed a few things in their game, a few holes, and we worked hard to put the puck in the net. When we’re working, we’re tough to beat.” Corey Grummick picked up the win in net, making 20 saves. He also had an assist. Former Ice Hawks Nick Haase paced the Owls with two goals and an assist. On Sunday, the Ice Hawks grabbed a 6-0 win in Hudson. “It wasn’t our best game, and I would have liked to see us be a little sharper,” Fatis said. “We just didn’t focus like we needed to throughout the game. It got a little chippy at times, which took our focus away from scoring goals.” Wisconsin native Derek Moser was sharp in goal for the Ice Hawks. He finished with 23 saves to preserve the shutout, which was the first of his career. “Moser wasn’t tested often, but he had three or four amazing saves,” Fatis said. “It’s nice to see our goalies continue to play well. We have no complaints on that end.” Jamie Blair, who joined the Ice Hawks this week, played a solid game. He finished with a goal and an assist. Connor Hyde opened the Ice Hawks’ scoring at 3:19 of the first.  C.J. Clark and Blair had the assists. Gorino made it 2-0, finishing passes from Kallio and Barra, at 8:30. Kallio, Habighorst and Pfeiffer all scored in the second. Williford, Habighorst, Johnson (two) and Rust had assists. Blair capped the scoring at 2:04 of the third. Tanner Hawes and Barra had the assists. Rochester finished with a 44-23 edge in shots on goal. The Ice Hawks improved to 20-2-0-2 in MnJHL play. They return to action Friday at home against the Maple Grove Energy. ICE HAWKS 15, OWLS 4 (Saturday) Owls#0#3#1#—#4 Ice Hawks#1#8#6#—#15 First period — Ice Hawks, Trevor Sabo (Jake Zarzycki, Jarrett Pfeiffer), 10:07. Second period — Ice Hawks, Nick Gorino (Matt Day), 1:42. Ice Hawks, Gorino (Brent Kallio, Chris Williford), 3:52 (pp). Ice Hawks, Miles Johnson (Alex Anderson, Kallio), 5:37. Ice Hawks, Drew Carlson (Kallio, Williford), 14:38 (pp). Ice Hawks, Pfeiffer (Kallio, Carlson), 15:12. Ice Hawks, Pfeiffer (Austin Rust, Zarzycki), 16:50. Ice Hawks, Pfeiffer (Rust, Kristian Ophus), 17:08. Ice Hawks, Williford (Vinny Barra, Kallio), 18:17.Owls, Nick Haase (Anthony Rohde, John Zupko), 19:15. Owls, Nick Haase (unassisted), 19:22. Owls, Lawrence Scimeca (Haase, Rohde), 19:51 (pp). Third period — Owls, Declan Hartnett (Tanner Vinson, Rohde), 8:08 (pp). Ice Hawks, Carlson (Anderson, Corey Grummick), 9:59. Ice Hawks, Rust (Pfeiffer, Zarzycki), 10:11. Ice Hawks, Kallio (Williford, Gorino), 12:14. Ice Hawks, Josiah Habighorst (Brett Gates, Johnson), 17:35. Ice Hawks, Antonio Baccari (Luke Richardson, Habighorst), 18:32 (pp). Shots on goal — Owls 3-13-8—24; Ice Hawks 19-23-21—63. Goalies — Owls, Filippo Traversa 33 saves on 40 shots, Arthur Haase 15 saves on 23 shots; Ice Hawks, Corey Grummick 20 saves on 24 shots. Penalties — Owls 10 for 36 minutes; Ice Hawks 7 for 20 minutes. Power-play chances — Owls 2-for-5; Ice Hawks 5-for-6. ICE HAWKS 6, CRUSADERS 0 (Sunday) Ice Hawks#2#3#1#—#6 Crusaders#0#0#0#—#0 First period — Ice Hawks, Connor Hyde (C.J. Clark, Jamie Blair), 3:19. Ice Hawks, Nick Gorino (Brent Kallio, Vinny Barra), 8:30. Second period — Ice Hawks, Kallio (Chris Williford, Josiah Habighorst), 7:39. Ice Hawks, Habighorst (Miles Johnson), 7:59. Ice Hawks, Jarrett Pfeiffer (Johnson, Austin Rust), 11:06. Third period — Ice Hawks, Blair (Tanner Hawes, Barra), 2:04. Shots on goal — Ice Hawks 12-13-19—44; Crusaders 6-10-7—23. Goalies — Ice Hawks, Derek Moser 23 saves on 23 shots; Crusaders, Cacy Wilfer 38 saves on 44 shots. Penalties — Ice Hawks 9 for 34 minutes; Crusaders 5 for 10 minutes. Power-play chances — Ice Hawks 0-for-4; Crusaders 0-for-6.

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Mouthpiece: Ice Hawks' crisis in the rear-view mirror

Posted: Nov 16, 2012, 11:13 pm

The Rochester Ice Hawks faced a great deal of adversity recently when 10 of their players were suspended for a violation of team rules. That left the team at a crossroads. They could either let the adversity tear the team apart or let it make them stronger. Prior to the suspensions, the Ice Hawks had won six consecutive games, including a victory over the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights. Last weekend, though, with the regulars watching from the stands, the Ice Hawks suffered an ugly loss to the Maple Grove Energy. It was the first Ice Hawks' loss to the Energy — ever! With the mess in the rear-view mirror, coach Nick Fatis hoped this weekend would provide a measuring stick for his club. So far, so good. The Ice Hawks bounced back with an impressive 6-2 win over the Dells Ducks on Friday. For now, it appears this team has shrugged off the adversity. And they're better for it.

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Ice Hawks silence the Ducks (slideshow)

Posted: Nov 16, 2012, 11:11 pm

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Slide show: Ice Hawks vs. Ducks With all of their suspended players back in the lineup Friday night, the Rochester Ice Hawks looked like a rejuvenated team and rolled to a 6-2 Minnesota Junior Hockey League victory over the Dells Ducks at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Ice Hawks played the last three games without 10 suspended players, but those players were eligible to return Friday. "It was a good game," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "We played well. We played with a decent amount of jump against a good team. I thought it was a great step forward for us. The stuff I was concerned about wasn't there. There were stretches where we played great." Rochester blew the doors off early Friday, exploding for three first-period goals and outshooting the Ducks 15-7. Austin Rust opened the scoring, finishing a pass by Jake Zarzycki at 3:05 of the first. After the Ducks tied the game at 1-all, Nick Gorino, who just returned to the team after being out several months due to a shoulder injury, gave the Ice Hawks a 2-1 lead with a power-play tally at 15:35. Brent Kallio and Chris Williford had the assists. Jarrett Pfeiffer added a power-play tally with less than two minutes remaining in the first. Williford and Drew Carlson had the helpers. Rochester added a goal in the second and two more in the third. Zarzycki converted a power play midway through the second, and Alex Anderson and Matt Day had goals in the final period. Rochester finished with a 42-35 edge in shots on goal. Derek Moser notched the win in goal, recording 33 saves. "Moser played fantastic," Fatis said. "Goaltending has not been a concern all year for us." The Ice Hawks (17-2-0-2) return to action at 7:05 tonight at home against the Edina Lakers.

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Ice Hawks get back on track

Posted: Nov 12, 2012, 7:24 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Slide show: Ice Hawks vs. Hudson Crusaders For a short time Saturday night, it looked like having 10 players suspended might be too much for the Rochester Ice Hawks to overcome, even against the last-place Hudson Crusaders. Then the Ice Hawks woke up. After falling behind 2-1 in the opening period, the Ice Hawks rattled off five consecutive goals and rolled to a 7-3 Minnesota Junior Hockey League victory in front of 1,869 fans at the Rochester Recreation Center. Matt Day had a strong effort to lead the Ice Hawks. He finished with two goals and an assist. Kenny Tencza also played well, adding a goal and two assists.         Up next The Rochester Ice Hawks return to action at 7:05 p.m. Friday at home against the Dells Ducks. They also are at home at 7:05 p.m. Saturday against the Edina Lakers.         The Ice Hawks got a boost from six local high school players, who helped fill out the roster while other players were suspended. Rochester Mayo's Adam Alcott, Tommy Hanson, Ryan Martin and Will Holtan, along with John Marshall's Gavin Sandwick and Nick Paulson, all made their home Ice Hawks debut Saturday. The local standouts played Friday night in Maple Grove as well, but coach Nick Fatis said they were much improved Saturday. "They played better (Saturday), and I didn't think they were bad (Friday)," Fatis said. "There's still things for them to work on, but they're all talented enough to play at this level. I told them they all have a home here." The six players will return to their high school team for the first day of practice today. Paulson had a special night at the Rec Center, scoring his first junior-hockey goal. It came late in the first period, with assists going to Martin and Sandwick. "It was a good experience," Paulson said. "It was a cool feeling scoring that first junior goal. ... We were definitely a little nervous. It's better than high school, with a lot more fans. It felt like it really meant something." Paulson said, though it was just two games, he learned a great deal. "Basically I just learned you need to go hard at all times. You can't take a shift off because every shift matters," he said. "I think the competition is definitely ahead of high school, but it's going to make us ready to go when we start with our high school seasons." While Fatis was impressed with all six Rochester high school players, he said one stood out — Martin. "Martin is incredibly underrated; he does everything well," Fatis said. "He's up and down the ice, he's tough, he does everything you want him to do, and he does it quietly and with a smile on his face. He reminds me of about 50 guys who have come through this program." Jarrett Pfeiffer opened the Ice Hawks scoring with a tally just :47 into the game. Tencza and Vinny Barra earned the assists. After back-to-back Crusaders scores, the Ice Hawks ended the first with three straight goals. Antonio Baccari, Paulson and Tencza all lit the lamp. Matt Day, Luke Richardson, Martin, Sandwick, Josiah Habighorst and Paulson added assists. Austin Rust and Day scored to open the second period, and the blowout was on. Tencza and Baccari earned assists on the second-period tallies. Day added a third-period goal, with Drew Carlson notching the helper. Erik Johnson started in goal and picked up the win. He recorded 31 saves on 34 shots. The Ice Hawks finished with a 40-34 advantage in shots on goal. The Ice Hawks who were suspended this weekend are eligible to return for Friday night's home game against the Dells Ducks. The Ice Hawks also are home Saturday against the Edina Lakers. Tencza said he hopes the recent adversity will make the team stronger in the long run. "We were close, then we took a step back, but this next weekend will tell a lot for our organization," Tencza said. "This hurt us as a team, but once we get guys back and we start going, we will get back to the common goal, and that's a league championship and a national championship. I think next weekend, it will all fall back into place for us."

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Ice Hawks destroy Lakers

Posted: Nov 19, 2012, 10:41 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Not even Rochester Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis could have drawn this one up. If there were any lingering doubts about whether the Ice Hawks were back to full strength, those questions were put to bed Saturday night at the Rochester Recreation Center. The Ice Hawks have developed a heated rivalry with the Edina Lakers, but that rivalry took an awkward swing in the Ice Hawks' favor with their 14-2 drubbing of the Lakers on Saturday. It was the Ice Hawks' highest goal output of the season and their largest margin of victory. When the teams last met, the Ice Hawks took offense to what they considered to be a dirty hit late in their 6-3 win over the Lakers on Oct. 20. Fatis said his players had not forgotten that hit, and it seemed to fuel their energy Saturday night. "We got hot," Fatis said. "We were playing good, not great. But we got all of our guns back (off suspension), and that was a huge part of it. We also got some bounces. We're a good team, and when we start getting some bounces, too, we can be deadly." Fatis said the Lakers also kept "poking the bear." Each time the Ice Hawks would get comfortable with their big lead, the Lakers would do something to provoke them, Fatis said.' "They're a gritty team," Fatis said. "Every time things could have calmed down, they'd poke the bear again. The guys would get mad and just go." For the second consecutive night, the Ice Hawks' power play was clicking. That was quite evident during a five-minute power play they had in the third period. During that major penalty, the Ice Hawks score four power-play goals. After going 3-for-5 with the man advantage on Friday night, the Ice Hawks went and unheard-of 7-for-9 on Saturday. "The power play was clicking, obviously," Fatis said. "We've got talented players and coach (Todd) McIlrath has that first unit working really well. If our power-play unit is going like that, we're a tough team to beat. The penalty kill was fantastic all weekend, too." The Ice Hawks scored five first-period goals and never let off the gas pedal. Jarett Pfeiffer, Josiah Habighorst (two), Miles Johnson (power play) and Trevor Sabo scored in the opening frame. After a goal by Jake Zarzycki gave the Ice Hawks' a 6-0 lead in the second, the Lakers finally got on the board 1:32 into the period. Austin native Adam McMasters assisted on the Lakers' goal. But the Ice Hawks would put four more goals on the board before the period came to a close. Zarzycki, Sabo (two) and Drew Carlson all scored power-play tallies to give Rochester a 10-1 lead. The Ice Hawks' third-period scoring all came on the five-minute power play. Sabo scored his fourth goal of the game, and Zarzycki and and Habighorst completed their hat tricks. Defenseman Brett Gates scored the final Ice Hawks' tally. Edina's final goal came from local product Derek McMasters, assisted by Adam McMasters, at 19:24. Zarzycki paced the Ice Hawks with six points (three goals, three assists), while Sabo had four (all goals). Johnson, Habighorst and Pfeiffer all had three points apiece. Corey Grummick picked up the win in goal, recording 32 saves on 34 shots. The Ice Hawks finished with a 57-34 edge in shots on goal. Rochester (18-2-0-2) returns to action Saturday at home against the Minnesota Owls.

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Short-handed Ice Hawks fall to Energy

Posted: Nov 09, 2012, 10:31 pm

MAPLE GROVE — With 10 players out due to suspensions and two more out due to injuries, the Rochester Ice Hawks knew Friday night's game against the Maple Grove Energy would be an uphill battle. The Ice Hawks turned to local Rochester high school players to fill out a lineup card Friday night, including Mayo standouts Will Holtan, Adam Alcott, Tommy Hanson and Ryan Martin, and John Marshall's Gavin Sandwick and Nick Paulson But the added boost wasn't enough and the Ice Hawks suffered a 4-1 setback against the Energy. Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said his team had myriad scoring opportunities. But the Ice Hawks simply failed to finish their chances. "We got outplayed in the first period, but other than that, I thought we matched them pretty well," he said. "We just didn't have a lot of chemistry, which is to be expected when you have that many new guys in your lineup." The Energy held a 14-8 advantage in shots on goal after the opening frame. However, the Ice Hawks escaped the period with a 1-all tie thanks to a short-handed goal by Austin Rust at the 11:05 mark. Kenny Tencza earned the assist. The Energy netted a goal in the second to pull ahead and then pulled away in the final period with two more goals, including an empy-netter. "We battled," Fatis said. "We had a ton of good scoring chances, but we just couldn't get them to drop. We saw the same thing at the beginning of the season when these guys were just getting going. But we're definitely looking forward to get back on the ice (today) and seeing what we can do in front of our own fans." Fatis said the Rochester high school players in the lineup held their own. "I think they were dejected with the loss, but none of them played poorly, that's for sure," Fatis said. "It was a tough situation they were stepping into. They wanted to contribute, especially since there were scouts here to watch. But they played well for the situation." The Energy finished with a 36-29 edge in shots on goal. Corey Grummick suffered the loss in net for the Ice Hawks. He recorded 32 saves on 35 shots. The Ice Hawks (15-2-0-2) return to action at 7:05 tonight at the Rochester Recreation Center against the Hudson Crusaders.

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Heard on the Street: Be a sport; Rochester man perfect for food label

Posted: Nov 05, 2012, 9:41 am    Rochester Post Bulletin

For someone with reputation of being cranky on the baseball field, a Rochester man is pretty easy-going, if sheepish, when it comes to his sweet gig as a food label model. "My team dared me to do it. I didn't think anything would come of it," says Jeff Boehmer of how his picture ended up on the label of Frank’s Sweet Bavarian Sauerkraut. Boehmer manages the Goldy's Locker Room store in the Apache Mall, and he's the assistant manager and announcer for the Rochester Ice Hawks hockey team. His interest in sports goes beyond work. Boehmer also plays for the Roosters, Rochester's vintage 1860s-style "base ball" (That's how it was spelled in the 1860s) team at the History Center of Olmsted County. The Roosters are all about tradition and authenticity, so all of the players sport nicknames derived from a player's job, an unsavory characteristic and/or their heritage. Boehmer's perhaps exaggerated reputation for being a bit difficult or sour on the field was combined with his family's German heritage to come up with his nickname of "Sauerkraut." Other players noticed that Frank's Sauerkraut had a contest going on asking for fans in every state to submit photos online plus write a bit about why they are sweet on their new sauerkraut product. They harassed Boehmer until he grudgingly wrote something up and sent in pic. Using the Roosters' base ball slang, he wrote, “Frank’s Kraut puts the ginger in my step to leg out those bug bruisers, stingers, and stunners, and gives me the stamina to play a full 9 rounds out in the garden without a single error." That turned out to be a hit with the Ohio sauerkraut maker. Boehmer says he had forgotten about it when word recently came that he was going on the Frank's label in Minnesota. The labels are currently in production and could show up on local stores soon. He finds it a little embarrassing, but his hope is that it will help some Med City institutions. "What I do get out of it other than a lot of ribbing is a little bit of spotlight on the Roosters," Boehmer says. "If anything it can benefit the Roosters and the History Center, I'm alright with having people laughing at me a little bit." However, it might not be the last time. The Boehmers recently had a baby boy and he already has his own nickname. Bratwurst. Biz buzz Coincidentally, Boehmer and his son would be naturals to ride around on a special vehicle that is visiting Rochester this week. The Oscar Meyer Weinermobile was spotted parked across from Saint Marys Hospital this morning.

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Ice Hawks sweep the Ducks
Posted: Nov 05, 2012, 6:45 am

LAKE DELTON, Wis. — The Rochester Ice Hawks hoped to take six points and a weekend sweep from the Dells Ducks during their three-game set in Wisconsin. And the Ice Hawks did just that. After Friday night's win, the Ice Hawks earned a 3-1 victory Saturday and closed the series with a 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Poppy Waterman Arena. Wisconsin native Derek Moser came up huge in net for the Ice Hawks on Saturday. He recorded 37 saves on 38 shots. The Ducks took a 1-0 lead in the opening period, but the Ice Hawks tied it in the second and then added two goals in the third. Jake Zarzycki scored with 17 seconds left in the second period, with Kenny Tencza and Austin Rust earning assists. Brent Kallio  put the Ice Hawks in front 11:58 into the third. Drew Carlson and Jarrett Pfeiffer assisted on the play. Finally, Chris Williford scored an empty net goal with 20 seconds remaining to put the game away. The Ducks held a huge advantage in shots on goal during Sunday's game, but a big third period was enough for the Ice Hawks. The Ducks outshot the Hawks 53-25 in the game and they held a 2-0 lead in the second period. But Rust put the Hawks on the board at the 8:38 mark of the second, with Miles Johnson and Josiah Habighorst earning the assists. In the third, Tencza, Antonio Baccari and Rust all scored to help the Ice Hawks pull away. Carlson, Johnson and Pfeiffer (two) had assists. Moser once again delivered for the Ice Hawks. He finished with 51 saves on 53 shots. The Ice Hawks improved to 15-1-0-2 overall. They return to action Friday in Maple Grove against the Energy.

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Ice Hawks survive Ducks' charge

Posted: Nov 02, 2012, 11:31 pm

Up next The Rochester Ice Hawks play the second game of a three-game set in Lake Delton, Wis., against the Dells Ducks at 6:30 tonight. The third and final game is scheduled for noon Sunday. LAKE DELTON, Wis. — The Rochester Ice Hawks rushed to a 4-1 lead over the Dells Ducks in the second period of Friday's Minnesota Junior Hockey League showdown. But that lead quickly dissipated. The Ducks scored late in the second and added two early goals in the third to tie the game at 4-all. But the Ice Hawks controlled the final 10 minutes of the third and popped a couple of goals to earn a 6-4 victory. The Ice Hawks fell behind 1-0 just 37 seconds into the first period, but Rochester native Dalton Travis tied the game with his goal at the 9:01 mark. Trevor Sabo and Jarrett Pfeiffer earned the assists. Rochester took the lead late in the first. Drew Carlson netted a power-play tally, with Kenny Tencza and Chris Williford securing the assists. The Ice Hawks, who have won five straight, popped two more power-play tallies in the second. Brent Kallio scored the first at the 7:39 mark, and Tencza added another five minutes later. Pfeiffer and Carlson had assists, as did goalie Derek Moser. The Ducks cut the Ice Hawks' lead to 4-2 with a goal at the 14:19 mark of the second. They scored again 26 seconds into the third and then tied the game 3:32 into the third. But Tencza scored another power-play tally at the 14:02 mark and Williford added an insurance goal at 18:46. Moser, who is a Wisconsin native, earned the win in goal. He recorded 41 saves on 45 shots. The Ducks finished with a 45-44 edge in shots on goal. The Ice Hawks, who improved to 13-1-0-2, return to action against the Ducks (13-6-0-1) at 6:30 tonight. They'll wrap up the three-game road set against the Ducks at noon Sunday.

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Ice Hawks finally solve the Lights

Posted: Oct 29, 2012, 9:55 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Over the years, there have been many times when the Rochester Ice Hawks have outshot their opponents and still come out on the wrong end of a Minnesota Junior Hockey League tilt. But Saturday night the tables were turned. The Ice Hawks were outshot badly, particularly in the opening period, by the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights. And yet the Ice Hawks never trailed, receiving goals from four different players in a 4-2 victory at the Rochester Recreation Center. Despite an ugly first period — the Lights held a 23-8 edge in shots on goal — the Ice Hawks still led 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes. “Usually, if we get shelled like that, we’re behind,” Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. “We don’t seem to get a lot of lucky breaks. But you know, they throw a lot of pucks at the net. They score a goal or two a game just throwing the puck on net.” But the Ice Hawks had the answer — goalie Corey Grummick. For the second consecutive game, Grummick was outstanding. He stopped 31 shots in Friday night’s win and then turned in an even better performance Saturday against the Lights. Grummick finished with 46 saves on 48 shots. “He’s been huge the last two games,” forward Chris Williford said. “Really, he’s been great every time he’s played this season.” Despite being outshot and outplayed over the first portion of the game, Williford gave the Ice Hawks a 1-0 lead with his power-play tally at the 16:09 mark. Brent Kallio and Kenny Tencza earned the assists. The Ice Hawks came out with new life in the second, and took control on the scoreboard early. Trevor Sabo made a pretty pass to Jake Zarzycki, who was streaking up the middle of the ice on a power play. The great feed allowed Zarzycki to go in on the Lights goalie alone. Zarzycki, a second-year forward who’s been an offensive catalyst this season, made the nice pass count, scoring on the breakaway at the 5:53 mark. Defenseman Kristian Ophus made it 3-0 with his tally at 9:33. Drew Carlson had the assist. The game got ugly late in the period, and both teams found the penalty box often. The Lights converted their power-play chances, though, and the Ice Hawks did not. The Lights netted their first power-play tally at 10:33, and they made it 3-2 with just 3 seconds remaining in the period. “It was a hard one to swallow, to give up a goal there at the end of the period,” Fatis said. “It seems like every time we give them a chance, they turn it back on us. But you have to stay confident, and the guys did.  It wasn’t the best way to end the period, but it could have been worse.” The Ice Hawks played smart hockey in the final period, limiting the Lights’ chances. And when the Ice Hawks finally got their break late in the frame, they converted. Just after a power play had expired, Austin Rust delivered the dagger, scoring at the 17:10 mark off a pass from Antonio Baccari. While the Lights finished with a 48-31 edge in shots on goal, the Ice Hawks came away from the game feeling great about their chances to win an MnJHL title. “It’s an incredible feeling,” Grummick said. “It makes us closer in the standings, and we’re in control of our own destiny now. They’re the second-best team in the league, and we got ‘em.” The Ice Hawks improved to 12-1-0-2, while the Lights dropped to 15-2-0-1. Rochester returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Lake Delton, Wis., against the Dells Ducks.

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Ice Hawks blast Blades

Posted: Oct 26, 2012, 11:26 pm

OWATONNA — The Rochester Ice Hawks blew open a close game with three goals in the third period, rolling to a 5-1 win over the Steele County Blades on Friday night. It was the Ice Hawks' first game against the Blades at the Four Seasons Centre. Kristian Ophus gave the Ice Hawks a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Tanner Hawes and Kenny Tencza had the assists just 54 seconds into the game. Rochester made it 2-0 7:34 into the second. Big forward Luke Richardson netted the unassisted tally. The Ice Hawks raced out of the gates in the third, scoring three goals in eight minutes to blow the game open. Brent Kallio scored a power-play tally at the 2:51 mark, with Jarrett Pfeiffer and Drew Carlson earning the helpers. Tencza scored three minutes later, and Ophus had the assist. Finally, Chris Williford scored on the power play 7:57 into the period. Tencza and Pfeiffer had the assists. Corey Grummick earned the win in goal. He recorded 31 saves on 32 shots. The Ice Hawks ended with a 41-32 edge in shots on goal. Rochester improved to 11-1-0-2 in Minnesota Junior Hockey League play and return to action at 7:05 tonight at home against the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights.

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Ice Hawks Complete Successful Weekend
Posted: Oct 22, 2012, 6:21 am

MINNEAPOLIS — The Rochester Ice Hawks entered the weekend looking to bounce back after a heart-breaking overtime loss to the Twin Cities Northern Lights.

They did that and more.

The Ice Hawks took care of business on their end, rolling to a 6-3 victory over the Edina Lakers on Saturday night. Then they got the watch the Minnesota Junior Hockey League scoreboard as the Northern Lights suffered a 6-4 loss to the Wisconsin Dells Ducks.

It was the league-leading Lights' first regulation loss of the season. The setback allowed the Ice Hawks to finally gain some ground in the MnJHL standings.

They're currently in third place with 22 points. The Northern Lights (15-1-0-1) are first with 31 points, but the Lights have played four more games than the Ice Hawks (10-1-0-2). The Ducks (13-5-0-1) are second with 27 points, but the Ducks have played six more games than the Ice Hawks.

The Lakers pushed the Ice Hawks for the first two periods on Saturday, though much of that was owing to hot goalie Tanor Bradison. The Ice Hawks outshot the Lakers 31-14 through two periods, yet the game was tied at 2-all heading into the final frame. The Ice Hawks outshot the Lakers 19-4 in the second period alone, yet the Lakers were the only team to light the lamp in that period.

Jake Zarzycki started the scoring for Rochester with a tally just 12 seconds into the game. Jarrett Pfeiffer picked up the assist.

After a Lakers goal, the Ice Hawks made it 2-1 with Brent Kallio's power-play goal at 19:30 of the first. Kenny Tencza earned the helper.

The Lakers scored again in the second, but the Ice Hawks broke the game open with four goals in the third.

Tencza and Zarzycki opened the period with a couple of power-play goals, and then Tencza scored again to make it 5-2. The Ice Hawks completed their scoring at the 14:42 mark when Kallio scored on a power play.

The game turned ugly late when a the Lakers' Brock Wilkinson violently slashed Zarzycki, who was injured on the play. Wilkinson was given a 10-minute game misconduct penalty on the play.

The play set off a series of penalties against the Ice Hawks and led the C.J. Clark's ejection. The Ice Hawks finished with 46 penalty minutes, while the Lakers had 40.

Corey Grummick earned the win on goal, stopping 22 of 25 shots.

The Lakers' Bradison finished with 39 saves on 45 shots.

Rochester converted 4 of 8 power-play chances.

The Ice Hawks return to action at 7:05 p.m. Friday on the road against the Steele County Blades at Owatonna's Four Seasons Centre.

 

 

 

 

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Ice Hawks play well with pink motif

Posted: Oct 19, 2012, 10:30 pm

By Post-Bulletin staff Post-Bulletin staff It was an unusual look on the ice and an unusually lopsided win for the Rochester Ice Hawks in Friday night Minnesota Junior Hockey League action at the Rec Center. The Ice Hawks ran away from the Hudson Crusaders 12-2 in a game in which the ice was colored pink and the Ice Hawks wore pink jerseys, supporting the cause of breast cancer research. "There was a phenomenal crowd, 2,400, and we raised a lot of money," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. Jake Zarzycki led the onslaught with a hat trick. Drew Carlson scored two goals and added two assists. Other goals were by Chris Williford, Trevor Sabo, Connor Hyde, Austin Rust, Brent Kallio, Tanner Hawes and Kenny Tencza. Miles Johnson and Jarrett Pfeiffer had three assists each. "Williford's goal was worthy of a video game," Fatis said. "We had several really pretty goals." The Ice Hawks actually got off to a slow start, trailing 2-1 after one period and getting outshot 12-10. Rochester outshot Hudson 50-7 over the final two periods while outscoring the visitors 11-0. Next for the Ice Hawks is a game tonight with the Lakers, in Edina. The Hawks are in third place, three points ahead of the fifth-place Lakers.

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Ice Hawks pick up three points

Posted: Oct 15, 2012, 6:36 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The Rochester Ice Hawks picked right up where they left off after the Minnesota Junior Hockey League showcase. At the showcase Oct. 4-7, the Ice Hawks destroyed four consecutive opponents, outscoring 33-5 while rolling up a 4-0 record. The Ice Hawks didn't let off the gas pedal Saturday night at the Rochester Recreation Center. They put a whopping 73 shots on goal and cruised to an 8-0 win over the last-place Hudson Crusaders in front of more than 1,800 fans at the Rec Center. Another lopsided win was just what the doctor ordered for a team that is struggling with injuries. It's unfortunate, but the good feelings from Saturday night's win didn't last long. The Ice Hawks made the trip north to Bloomington for a Sunday night showdown against the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights. Rochester had the Lights on the ropes for much of the game, earning a 3-1 lead in the third period. But the Ice Hawks gave up two goals in the final eight minutes, including the game-tying goal with just 25 seconds remaining. And it got worse. Just 1:39 into the extra session, the Lights got the game-winner, stealing a 4-3 win from the Ice Hawks to remain unbeaten on the season. The Lights improved to 13-0-0-1, while the Ice Hawks dropped to 8-1-0-2. Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said the loss stings, but he isn't looking past the positives from the weekend. "(Saturday night) was a lot of fun," he said. "We scored some points, and it was a good game. It was fun for our fans and for our players. And then (Sunday), we played well again. But when you play one of the top teams in the country, you have to bring it for 60 minutes. We brought it for most of the game, but some mental mistakes cost us late." On Saturday, six different Ice Hawks scored and netminder Corey Grummick earned the first shutout of his career, though he faced just nine shots. Defenseman Brad Nolan had a big  game, scoring a goal and adding two assists for three points. Jarrett Pfeiffer had two goals and an assist, while Jake Zarzycki added a goal and two assists. Antonio Baccari had three assists, while Josiah Habighorst added a pair of goals. For Nolan, Saturday night was a chance to prove he's back playing at 100 percent. He missed all of the offseason with an injury and finally rejoined the team at the showcase. "I had the four games back at the showcase and now this, so I feel like I'm completely back in it now," Nolan said. "(Saturday night) was good for us. It's good for the confidence, to get plenty of guys scoring points." Rochester's Dalton Travis and second-year player Austin Rust had the other Rochester goals Saturday. Sunday was a different story. The teams combined for just 37 shots on goal. The Ice Hawks alone had 52 shots on goal through two periods Saturday against the Crusaders. "It was two good hockey teams battling it out Sunday, and that's the kind of game you'd expect," Fatis said. Pfeiffer put the first Rochester goal on the board in the opening frame, but the Lights tied it up before the end of the period. The Ice Hawks reclaimed the lead in the second, with Zarzycki finishing passes from Rust and Matt Day. Rust added to the Rochester lead midway through the third. He scored at the 8:13 mark, with Pfeiffer and Kristian Ophus collecting the assists. But the Lights scored two late on defensive breakdowns and got the game winner 1:39 into overtime. "We will bounce back from this and be a better team because of it," Fatis said. "It hurts to lose, but I'm sure we will learn a lot from this. That's a good team we lost to, but obviously it's a team we can play with." Derek Moser suffered the loss in goal for the Ice Hawks. He recorded 16 saves on 20 shots. The Ice Hawks return to action Friday at home against the Crusaders.

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Ice Hawks looking for wins despite a short bench

Posted: Oct 12, 2012, 7:23 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The Rochester Ice Hawks had a wildly successful performance at last weekend's Minnesota Junior Hockey League showcase. While the Ice Hawks rolled to a perfect 4-0 record over teams from the MnJHL's Great Lakes Division, they did not come out of the weekend healthy. Rochester will be shorthanded this weekend when they return to action with a pair of games Saturday and Sunday. In addition to injuries, the Ice Hawks (7-1-0-1) are dealing with suspensions and a death in the family. Second-year defenseman Miles Johnson is suspended two games for engaging in a fight with under five minutes remaining in a game, and Connor Hyde has been suspended one game. Hyde will serve his suspension during Saturday's home game (7:05 p.m. at the Rec Center) against the Hudson Crusaders. Myriad injuries also will slow the Ice Hawks this weekend. Kenny Tencza has a sprained knee, and he is out indefinitely. Second-year defenseman Brandt Soukup is out with a knee injury, too. Kristian Ophus still is recovering from an injury he suffered a few weeks ago, and Nick Gorino is still out indefinitely. Ice Hawks forward Matt Day lost his grandmother recently and his status for this weekend is uncertain. "We're pretty thin going into the weekend," Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis said. "We're actually so thin on defense, we're bringing a player in for the weekend and we're experimenting with a couple of forwards back there." Fatis said Blake Wilcox, a former Winona High standout, will join the team this weekend. "He's at the University of Minnesota now playing club hockey, but he played in Alpena with a few of the guys on the team now," Fatis said. Fatis was pleased with his team's performance during last weekend's showcase. He said the Great Lakes Division teams play a physical brand of hockey. "It was a good opportunity for the guys to have some success and for us to work on some things," he said. "But it was definitely rough and tough hockey. We did well, though. It's good for our guys to see all different kinds of hockey." Saturday will offer the Ice Hawks their first opportunity to see the Crusaders (2-8-0-0). Then Sunday, they travel to Bloomington to take on the league-leading and unbeaten Northern Lights (11-0-0-1). "It's a big weekend," Fatis said. "Hudson looks like they're starting to put it together now. And the Lights are the Lights. That's always a big game." Going pink The Ice Hawks are hosting a massive fundraising event during the home game on Oct. 19. Game time that Saturday night is 7:05 p.m., and the Ice Hawks are playing the Hudson Crusaders at the Recreation Center. The Ice Hawks have joined forces with the Susan G. Komen Foundation's Passionately Pink for the Cure program, which supports life-saving research, education, screenings and treatment programs in the fight to end breast cancer. The Ice Hawks are hoping to "symbolically show our support for those affected by breast cancer by completely taking over the rink with the color pink." Thanks to a sponsorship from Everything Hobby in Rochester, the Recreation Center ice will be painted pink, and Saturday's game will take place on the pink ice. All fans are asked to wear pink to the game to show their support. Only fans wearing pink will be eligible to be the Fan of the Game. The Ice Hawks players also will be wearing pink sweaters that night. Through a silent auction, fans will have the opportunity to bid on their favorite player's pink sweater. Funds raised during the silent auction will go directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Sweater winners will be announced at the end of the game and have the opportunity to get their picture taken with that player as they hand over their jersey. Baked goods and other items, including a 4-8 person private winemaker's tour, courtesy of Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery, also will be raffled off. For more information, contact Ice Hawks special projects/charity coordinator Tabitha Lafferty at tabitha@mnicehawks.com

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Ice Hawks roll in showcase opener

Posted: Oct 05, 2012, 8:26 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — The Rochester Ice Hawks weren't sure what to expect when they opened play Thursday at the Minnesota Junior Hockey League cross-division showcase. If Thursday's opener was indication, it should be a walk in the park. The Ice Hawks rolled to an 8-1 win over the Illiana (Indiana) Blackbirds of the Great Lakes Division. This weekend's games mark the first time the teams from the Minnesota Division are meeting the new teams from the Great Lakes Division. The Great Lakes teams were added to the MnJHL this season. The Ice Hawks will play four games in four days in Pleasant Prairie, all against teams from the Great Lakes Division. Rochester got off to a great start Thursday, leading 4-0 after the opening period. They opened a 6-1 lead after two and added a pair of insurance goals in the third. Derek Moser earned the win in goal for the Ice Hawks. An official scoresheet for the game was not posted by the MnJHL. The Ice Hawks resume play at the showcase at noon today against the Tri-City Icehawks of Bay City, Mich. They play again at 8 a.m. Saturday against the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Federals, and they wrap up the showcase at 12:45 p.m. Sunday against the Central Wisconsin Saints. With Thursday's win, the Ice Hawks improved to 4-1-0-1.

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Big third gives Ice Hawks win in home opener

Posted: Sep 24, 2012, 8:12 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN At times during practice, Rochester Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis is blown away by what his team's abilities. At other times, Fatis realizes just how much improvement is needed for his team to contend for a Minnesota Junior Hockey League title. During Saturday night's home opener at the Rochester Recreation Center, Fatis saw a little bit of everything. The Ice Hawks came out of the gates slowly, but they scored three times in the third period to pull away for a 5-1 victory over the Edina Lakers. The Ice Hawks were unable to score in the opening period and led just 2-1 heading into the third. "This game was a lot like how things have gone for us so far," Fatis said. "When we needed it, our skill guys stepped up and scored. In other situations, there were not at their best. But again they got the job done when it mattered. We challenged them heading into the third and they took it to heart. Then fans really were able to see what they can do in the third." Kenny Tencza, Jake Zarzycki and Austin Rust teamed up on the Ice Hawks' top scoring line. They struggled early but took over the game late, Fatis said. Trevor Sabo gave the Ice Hawks a 1-0 lead early in the second, with assists  going to Kristian Ophus and Connor Hyde. The Lakers came right back with a goal to tie it, but Rust scored with just 13 seconds remaining in the period to give the Ice Hawks a 2-1 lead heading into the final period. Tencza assisted on the tally. The Ice Hawks blew the game open in the third with three goals. Chris Williford started the scoring with a tally at the 8:07 mark. Brent Kallio and Drew Carlson had assists. Rust netted his second tally just over 30 seconds later. He finished a pass from Tencza. Finally, Luke Richardson made it a 5-1 game with his unassisted power-play goal at the 14:37 mark. The Ice Hawks ended up with a 38-24 edge in shots on goal, including 18-10 in the opening period. More than 1,800 fans showed up for the home opener, and Fatis said it was nice to get his new players in front of the hometown crowd. "After playing in a hostile environment up at Isanti, it was good to get the kids in front of 1,900 fans cheering for them here in Rochester," he said. "The guys were really energized. It's hard not to be playing in front of our home fans. That just says a lot about Rochester and what we have going here." The Ice Hawks received an outstanding performance from goalie Corey Grummick. He stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced. "Goaltending was great again," Fatis said. "I talked to the goal judge about the one goal that did get by Grummick, and it was on the breakaway. It hit the 'L' of the bar on the left side, bounced across and hit the post on the other side, and then bounced back to the other side before finally settling in the net. It was one of those shots on a breakaway that you're just not going to stop. Patrick Roy doesn't make that save." Fatis also noted the play of Richardson, a first-year forward out of Sauk Rapids-Rice. "He stepped up and played the kind of game we all expected," Fatis said. "We felt he could really be that power forward we needed, and tonight he was that guy." The Ice Hawks, who improved to 2-1 overall, are back in action Friday at the Edina Lakers. They return home Saturday against the league-leading Twin Cities Northern Lights.

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D is key early for Ice Hawks

Posted: Sep 20, 2012, 9:21 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN The Rochester Ice Hawks were blanked in their season opener two weeks ago. It wasn't pretty, and it's something that hasn't happened in recent memory to a franchise that consistently contends for the Minnesota Junior Hockey League title and has appeared in nine consecutive junior national tournaments. The slow-starting offense means defense will be a key early in the MnJHL season. But that could be a good thing for the Ice Hawks. Coach Nick Fatis feels his goaltenders are already on an elite level, and his blue line looks as sharp as it has in years. Both are deep units, and Fatis said he's not worried about giving up many goals with the crew he's putting on the ice in 2012-13. "We've got two just solid, solid goalies," Fatis said. "When I look at those guys, I can't name a No. 1 starter. It's kind of like 1A and 1B. They're both great." Fatis is talking about about Corey Grummick and Derek Moser. Grummick comes to the Ice Hawks, who host the Edina Lakers at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the Recreation Center during their home opener, from Olympia, Wash. He played for the Vancouver Victory of the Northern Pacific Hockey League last season. Grummick is a netminder at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. Moser is a Wisconsin product who played in the Western States Hockey League last season with the South Oregon Spartans. He's a smaller goalie at 5-11, 145, but he's very quick on his feet. "They're very different looking players, but they're both solid," Fatis said. The Ice Hawks' one-two punch is reminiscent of a few years ago when the team used both Mike Brach and Brett Bergum. "I don't know if I can put them at that level until we see more action, but they're both very good, and I like what we have going back there," Fatis said. The Ice Hawks also have Erik Johnson on the roster. He's yet another solid netminder, coming straight out of high school (Sauk Rapids-Rice). "We have good depth back there," defenseman Kristian Ophus said. "Those guys seem like they're always going to make the first stop. That's all you can ask. After that, it's up to us defensemen to do our jobs." Speaking of defensemen, Fatis said the Ice Hawks have more depth on the blue line than they've had in years. "I really feel like we have five or six guys who could be No. 1 defensemen on a lot of junior hockey teams," Fatis said. The Ice Hawks welcomed back two of last season's top defensemen in Miles Johnson and Brandt Soukup. Brad Nolan also returns, though he's out indefinitely with an injury. Johnson and Soukup will mix in nicely with newcomers like Ophus, who played last year with the Seattle Totems, Tanner Hawes, Matt Day and Brett Gates. "I don't know that we have a guy like Brock Stahlke or Cole Hughes on the team, meaning guys who going into the season are kind of locks to be on that all-league team," Fatis said. "But I think all six of those guys could be All-MnJHL this season depending on the opportunities they get. When we get everyone back healthy, it's going to be a dog-fight for playing time. I think that's a great situation. I think defense definitely is a strong point for us at the moment."

 

 

 

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Ice Hawks clip Owls in high-scoring tilt

Posted: Sep 17, 2012, 8:08 am

By Ben Pherson The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN ISANTI — After a disappointing season-opening shutout loss, the Rochester Ice Hawks returned to action Saturday night looking to erase the opener's lackluster offensive performance. They did just that. The Ice Hawks received three-point efforts from three different players and exploded for seven goals, including six in the first two periods, in a 7-5 win over the Minnesota Owls at David Johnson Civic Arena on Saturday night. After not scoring a power-play goal in the opener against the Twin Cities Northern Lights, the Ice Hawks converted on 3 of seven power-play opportunities. Jake Zarzycki, Kenny Tencza and Austin Rust all had three-point nights for Rochester. The Ice Hawks came flying out of the gates, scoring three times in the opening period. Matt Day, Brent Kallio and Rust all scored in the opening frame. Day kicked things off with a power-play tally 10:34 into the first. Kallio got a power-play goal at 11:53, and Rust capped the first-period scoring with his goal at 14:27. Drew Carlson, Tencza and Zarzycki all had assists in the first. The Owls scored a late goal to cut Rochester's lead to 3-1, and they cut the lead again early in the second. But the Ice Hawks scored three straight goals to pull away at 6-2. Zarzycki scored back-to-back tallies and then Chris Williford added the insurance goal with less than a minute remaining in the second. Rust, Tencza, Carlson and Brett Gates all had assists. The Owls opened the third with a pair of goals to cut the Rochester lead to 6-4. But Tencza finished a pass from Rust at the 14:26 mark to clinch it for the Ice Hawks. Rochester held a 39-38 edge in shots on goal. Derek Moser picked up the win in net. He recorded 33 saves on 38 shots. The Ice Hawks (1-1) return to action at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. It's their home opener at the Rochester Recreation Center against the Edina Lakers.

 

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Roosters, Ice Hawks meet for Kraut Cup

Posted: Aug 24, 2012, 12:05 am

The Rochester Roosters are set to host the Rochester Ice Hawks for a series of vintage base ball games on Saturday at the Olmsted County Historical Center's Schmitt Field. The games begin at 11 a.m. and fans can attend for two bits — just 25 cents. The Ice Hawks, members of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League, are bringing three teams to the games, and they will take on the Roosters for three 50-minute matches. The series of games has been dubbed the "Kraut Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival." The festival came together for the first time last year when Roosters player Jeff Boehmer, also the Ice Hawks assistant to the general manager and public address announcer, pitched the idea to Ice Hawks coach Nick Fatis. "Coach Fatis and I were talking last summer about different ways to introduce the new (Ice Hawks) players to the community, as well as coming up with ideas to help these players from all over the world come together as a team and bond in their new surroundings, so I mentioned it might be fun to have them play a vintage Base Ball Game against the Roosters, which I've played on the past few years and coach started playing for last year," Boehmer said. "I thought it would be a fun way to get them to work together in something that is new and foreign to them. Most of these boys grow up playing nothing but hockey and by putting them in a vintage base ball game with rules they aren't used to, it puts them a little bit outside of their hockey bubble and forces them in a fun way to problem-solve and strategize with their new teammates." Vintage Base Ball is played with 1860s rules and is different than the modern game. The most noticable difference is that the players do not use gloves to field the ball. There are other different rules, such as fielding a hit on one bounce is an out, no balls and strikes called, no over-running first base on a single and no stealing and other rules. "Last year we got a lot of positive feedback from the players," Fatis said. "They loved doing something fun, yet challenging to end what can be a grueling week of off-ice training. Plus it gives our fans a chance to come out and see all of these young men without all the hockey equipment on. They can put a face to the name and number." The Kraut Cup will start at 11 a.m. with a womens match between the Chicks and Hens and followed by three 50-minute matches between Ice Hawks teams and the Roosters.

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