10/25 Local Players Update

Here's an update on how the Southwest Players are doing and some of the headlines from last week.

*Austin Smith had a great game on Saturday Night where he had 3 assists as he along with follow Forward Brian Day was looking to help be a part of a massive comeback against the Lake Superior State Lakers in a 5-4 loss where it was looking like the game was going to OT, that was before Lake Superior scored a goal with just 14 seconds left in the game to squeak out the win where the Lakers were able to sweep the Raiders in the Non-Conference Matchup of ECAC VS. CCHA Teams are looking to return to prominence this season.

So far for the Raiders, this puts them at 1-2-0 as they continue Non-Conference Play next weekend when the Raiders will host Sacred Heart of the Atlantic Hockey Conference as this will be their only game this weekend.

*Chase Grant played a huge role in getting Minnesota State's first win of the season as he scored 2 of the teams 3 goals in the 2nd period as the Mavericks overturned a 2-0 deficit in the 1st period. In the 3rd period, the Mavericks were able hold on during a wild 3rd period as the Mavericks were able to survive back-and-fourth period with the Mavericks were able to score with 8-and-a-half minutes left and goaltender to survive a Colorado College Barrage as they out shot Minn.-State 20-8 in the 3rd period. This takes Grant's goal total to 3 in 6 games which is in control of the team lead through 6 games.

*Who's Hot: Marc Biggs of the Texas Tornado who's scored 6 points in the last 6 games (Including 5 goals) as he takes his total to 7 points in 13 games (5G 2A) this season. Due to some injures like to key players like J.D. Howard and David Rigatti in recent weeks allowed him to get some more opportunities and he is now taking advantage of them as he has been a big part of the Texas Tornado's 8 Game Winning Streak which has taken the team to 1st Place in the NAHL South Division.

*Who's Not: Ryan Daugherty of the Omaha Lancers who's been held pointless through 8 games so far this season. For the player who was named an assistant captain to help them out with a mostly younger group reflects that as no one on the team has more then 3 points so far this season, which includes a 3-0 shutout against the Indiana ice.

Colin Jacobs had a strong game for the Seattle Thunderbirds last week as he scored the only goal in regularization. He also was able to provide some physical toughness with a couple of big hits and 2 minor penalties over the weekend. Even though the Thunderbirds are currently 5-2-2 and even though they are in 7th place in the WHL Western Conference, but they have played the fewest games in the league so far as the WHL as been in action for a little over a month now.

It will be a busy 3 game week for the Thunderbirds coming up this week, first on Tuesday it will be the defending Western Conference Champion Tri-City Americans coming to town, then the T-Birds will entertain Brett Connolly and the Prince George Cougars will be in town on Friday, then it's a trip to BC as they will travel north to Kamloops to play the Blazers.

*In one of the biggest Non-Conference Matchups of the weekend, Johnnie Searfoss of Neb.-Omaha as well as Chris Brown and Jacob Fallon were held pointless in their 2 game set in Michigan over the weekend. Neb.-Omaha had the better of them on Friday Night with a 4-2 victory, while Michigan just crushed the Neb.-Omaha Mavericks with a 6-1 win.

*Unfortunately with the Roster for the World Jr. A Challenge which just came out today, none of the Southwest Players from the United States Hockey League made the roster. This should be a surprise as they mostly look for players who have already either been drafted by NHL Clubs or players that they think will be selected in the Draft.

I thought the players with the best chances to possibly fill in if they are any major injures is Blake Coleman who's leading the Ice in scoring with 7 points (2G 5A) and Ian Young who's a Colorado College Commit and is among the leading defensemen in scoring and is improving his hitting ability. Look for more on the roster and this year's team.


Here's a Stats Update for this week.

WHL/NCAA

Colin Jacobs (Seattle)       9 GP   4 G   4 A    8 PTS   +2  12 PIM

Chris Brown (Michigan)   6 GP    1 G   1 A    2 PTS    0 PIM

Jacob Fallon  (Michigan)  2 GP    0 G   0 A    0 PTS    4 PIM

Erik Higby (No. Michigan)    2 GP   0 G  1 A   1 PTS    8 PIM

C.J. Ludwig (No. Michigan)   5 GP   0 G  0 A   0 PTS    6 PIM

Austin Smith (Colgate)       3 GP   1 G   3 A    4 PTS    0 PIM

Armand De Swardt (Cornell)   Season hasn't started yet.

Locke Jillson (Cornell)     Season hasn't started yet.

Keir Ross (Cornell)  Season hasn't started yet.

Johnnie Searfoss (Neb.-Omaha)    6 GP   1 G  0 A  1 PTS    2 PIM

Chase Grant  (Minn. State)   6 GP    1 G   3 A   4 PTS    0 PIM

Matt Donovan (Denver)    6 GP    2 G    0 A    2 PTS    12 PIM


USHL

Ian Young (Chicago)      8 GP   1 G    4 A    5 PTS     +6     11 PIM

Tyler Amburgey (Dubuque)  6 GP   0 G  0 A   0 PTS    +1   12 PIM

Colton Hargrove (Fargo)      6 GP    2 G   1 A   3 PTS   -3   34 PIM

Blake Coleman (Indiana)     7 GP    2 G    5 A   7 PTS   +3  17 PIM

Cole Martin (Lincoln)      3 GP    0 G    1 A    1 PTS    +1    4 PIM

Josh Berge (Lincoln)      4 GP    2 G     3 A     5 PTS    +1    0 PIM

Ryan Daugherty (Omaha)   5 GP    0 G   0 A    0 PTS   -2    8 PIM

Greg Johnson (Sioux City)   6 GP    0 G   0 A    0 PTS    -3   0 PIM

Mike Williams (Sioux City)   6 GP   0 G   0 A   0 PTS     -4   10 PIM

Seth Jones (USNTDP)     3 GP    0 G   2 A     2 PTS    +1    2 PIM


NAHL

Frederick Lesiner (Aberdeen)  10 GP    5-4-1     3.85 GAA   .895 SV%

Tom Rizzardo (Bismarck)     14 GP     1 G  2 A   3 PTS    +3   33 PIM

Nicholas Miglio (Bismarck)    8 GP     1 G    0 A   1 PTS   -1   8 PIM

Derrek Schrtz  (Corpus Christi)     9 GP    1 G   1 A   2 PTS    -5   14 PIM

Kyle Hughes (Corpus Christi)    12 GP     1 G    8 A   9 PTS    -3   43 PIM

Axel Boyer  (Texas)     13 GP    2 G   3 A    5 PTS     +6    4 PIM

Sean Heidrick  (Texas)    6 GP   4 G   1 A   5 PTS      +4    0 PIM

Taylor Hendron (Texas)   12 GP   3 G   4 A   7 PTS    +5   2 PIM

Marc Biggs  (Texas)     13 GP    5 G    2 A    7 PTS     +9   4 PIM

Jake Stafford (Texas)   8 GP    4-2-2      3.20 GAA    .865 SV%

Jacob Poe  (Topeka)     14 GP    0 G    6 A    6 PTS     -1    35 PIM

Michael Hill (Topeka)   14 GP   11 G   11 A   22 PTS    -2   30 PIM

Mason Miller (Topeka)   6 GP   0 G     0 A     0 PTS      E   2 PIM

Cory Ramsey (Topeka)   14 GP   1 G   2 A     3 PTS      -1  19 PIM

Kyle Sharkly  (Topeka)    4 GP    1 G   0 A     1 PTS      -1   4 PIM

Tyler Hope  (Wenatchee)   11 GP   2 G   3 A   5 PTS     E    25 PIM