Former Redhawk has big presence in Allen's first Year

In addition to the recent announcement of Chris Whitley's Return, a former Miami Redhawk Nino Musitelli had a huge year who scored 63 points and had an impressive 40 assists during the Americans first year as a team.

The Miami Redhawks Hockey team website had an interesting story on their former player recently.

From the Miami of Ohio Redhawks Website: http://www.muredhawks.com/

Often times in sports an expansion franchise struggles in their inaugural campaign, but thinks to the efforts of former Redhawk hockey Player Nino Musitelli, the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League found great success in their first year on the ice.

Musitelli was a three year letterwinner for Miami from 2006-2008, played in 62 of 64 regular season games for the Americans, which became a franchise in April of 2009 and are an affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars. The Macomb, Michigan native played on Allen's first line and totaled 63 points by tallying 23 goals and 40 assists. The 63 points and 40 assists both ranked third on the team while his 23 goals were tied for 2nd.

Behind Musitelli's offensive prowless, the Americans finished 2nd in the Southern Conference with a 42-17-5 record and earned a playoff birth in the first season. Just making the playoffs were not enough for the undersized (5'8") forward and the rest of the Allen Americans teammates however, as the Americans held off the Laredo Bucks in seven games in the Southern Conference Semifinals and again won a seven game series over top seeded Odessa in the Conference Finals to claim the Southern Conference Championship.

Allen ultimately fell to the Rapid City Rush, the top seed in the Northern Conference, in six games for the Ray Morin Presidents Cup Finals, but the 25 year old Musitelli finished the playoffs tied for second in the league with 26 points while playing in 20 playoff games. The former Hawk registered 13 postseason goals with three of his tallies serving as game winners.

"Nino was a huge part of our success. He is an exciting, dynamic player that can break open a game," said Americans Head Coach and GM Dwight Mullins."

At one point during the 2009-2010 campaign, Musitelli had a 17 game point streak, the longest of the season by an American, as he racked up 21 points during that stretch. He was also the Oakley CHL Player of the Week the final week of the regular season after scoring five goals and adding four assists in just three contests.

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