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5.28.01
Two Unbeatens Collide In Gold Medal Game, As...
CODY FULWEILER NAMED MVP AS ARIZONA
STUNS LANGLEY HORNETS IN DOUBLE OT!!!!
Anaheim, Calif. -- Joe Morin's Arizona Roadrunners, which included some top AA Las Vegas Mustangs, won a stunner here on Monday. The Roadrunners beat a highly energized,
hard-hitting Langley Hornets ice team, 3-2 in an overtime shootout in the 17-and-under gold medal game at the Disney Ice Arena.
Morin's team was in the finals last Memorial Day, but lost to Todd Collins' AAA Polar Bears
of Peoria, Az.
This time, Morin had a top goalie in Fulweiler who plays for Rob Pallin's 17-and-under AA Mustangs ice team. Fulweiler allowed only three goals all weekend and was named the tournament MVP.
Arizona
and Langley were both 4-0 going into the final game. Josh Jasek of Las Vegas and Shane Palmer of Flagstaff scored goals to help Arizona battle to a 2-2 tie in regulation.
The game was decided until the second OT
shootout, when Palmer scored again and Arizona got the win, 3-2.
The Las Vegas skaters on the Arizona roster included Josh Jasek, Travis Roseberry, Spike Neely, T.J. Craig and J.C. Caron.
"I've seen a lot of
hockey," said Bob Roseberry, GM for the Las Vegas Mustangs, "and was about as good as it gets. That was an exceptional Langley team which came out hitting hard."
From the Blue Line, Lee
Memorial Day Weekend Hockey...
SANFORD'S TITANS WIN 2 OF 3 IN ANAHEIM!!!
Anaheim, Calif. -- Ryan Hobbs usually winds up and
cranks in blue-streak shots from long range. In house roller leagues, when he sets up, defensemen run for cover. That's how hard the shots are.
However, Hobbs scored on two breakaways, used a nice backhand and netted
three goals from close range as Larry Sanford's Las Vegas Titans AAA 16-and-under bantam team closed out with an 8-0 win over the Anaheim Mission Bulldogs late Sunday night.
That gave Las Vegas a 2-1 record for the weekend.
Here's what happened:
AAA KOHO Bantam Roller, 16-and-under
Las Vegas Titans 6, NorCal Extreme 1
Pro Joy Valley Stars 4, Las Vegas Titans 2
Las Vegas Titans 8, Anaheim Mission Bulldogs 0
Billy Tufano, Jason Allen and Evan Zucker scored two goals each in the three games. Eddie Del Grosso played, but complained of a thumb injury on the shooting hand. Goalie
Cody Fulweiler, who was also playing ice here for the Arizona Roadrunners at the Disney Arena, started the second game.
That was the toughest one, as the Pro Joy Valley Stars got off to a 4-0 lead. The Stars play out of
Northern California and are regarded as one of the top KOHO roller teams from that region.
Pro Joy won this regional, beating NorCal and
Anaheim by scores of 4-3 and 4-3.
NOTEBOOK
-- Michael Morton, who is tearing up house league action this summer, also scored a goal for the Titans.....Spike Neely pulled a 'double,' playing ice and roller this weekend...Joe Morin's Arizona Roadrunners won two more games, 9-0 and 9-3, and are taking on the high-powered Langley Hornets of Canada on Monday at the Disney Ice Arena.
From the Blue Line, Lee
5.26.01
Wow -- What a Way to Open the Disney Shootout!!!!
CODY GETS 2 SHUTOUTS AS ROADRUNNERS CRUISE!!!!
But There's Danger Ahead: Langley Hornets Are Here!!!
Anaheim, Calif. -- Goalie Cody Fulweiler racked up two straight shutout wins as Joe Morin's Arizona Roadrunners
cruised to 6-0, 9-0 wins to open the Shootout on Ice at the Disney Ice Arena on Friday and Saturday.
Fulweiler, the #1 goalie for the AA Las Vegas Mustangs last winter, looked sharp in the first two games. Morin blended
a mix of Arizona and Las Vegas 17-and-under skaters, and put together an explosive line which included Travis Roseberry and Josh Jasek of the Las Vegas Mustangs.
Arizona opened with a 6-0 win over the usually
tough Ventura Mariners, then tore apart the Tri-Valley Blue Devils, 9-0. When Arizona popped in three quick ones against Tri-Valley, Morin ordered his high-powered lines to back off on the throttle.
Other Las Vegas
skaters here include Spike Neely, who is skating hard as a winger and J.C. Caron who is getting work on defense. There is speculation that Caron, who was very strong at left wing last winter (The Roseberry, Neely, Caron line
scored 85 times), will be moved to 'D' for the 2002 Mustangs.
Las Vegas' top defenseman, T.J. Craig, is also wearing the blue and white for Morin.
Arizona plays two on Sunday (11:15 a.m., 5:15 p.m.) and expects to
win both games. However, the heat turns up when the bracket crossover games start.
A Canadian team, the Langley Hornets, are big, strong and powerful. And, Todd Collins of Arizona brought a new team here, the Northwest
Ice.
Collins' team, which includes son Dusty, will have to deal with Langley initially, then Morin will have to figure a way to beat a hard-skating Canadian team which has size and likes to hit.
We will have a more complete report late Sunday evening.
NOTEBOOK
- Larry Sanford's Las Vegas Titans AAA bantam team heads for Anaheim on Sunday. The Titans will play a KOHO Pacific Cup tripleheader beginning early Sunday evening. Billy Tufano, Adam Naglich, Michael Morton and Jason Allen are the key touring players on this elite team....
Eddie Samuels, meanwhile, is getting set for final exams at Battle Mountain High in Vail, Colorado this coming week. Older brother Richie will head for Vail and pick up Eddie on Saturday, June 2........
From the Blue Line, Lee
edsamuels.com
5.24.01
ALL ROADS LEADING TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!!!
It's
the holiday weekend and we've got plenty of hockey coming up -- with Las Vegas snipers, playmakers, big-time defensemen packing up their gear and heading for Southern California.
Larry Sanford's Las Vegas Titans roller
team goes into a big tripleheader on Sunday, facing three strong teams at the
plush Anaheim Mission Center.
Billy Tufano, Adam Naglich, Michael Morton, Spike Neely, Jason Allen and Evan Zucker are the key touring
players in this Bantam AAA tournament.
The Titans, who have already qualified for the NARCH national roller tournament, practiced hard three times (Tuesday, Wed., Thursday) including twice on the wood floor at Sanford's
famous 'Little House of Champions' Crystal Palace on Rancho Drive.
Late on Thursday, Sanford worked on power plays, penalty kills and breakouts. For fun, he ordered team sprints -- a tough way to start the holiday
weekend!
Here's the L.V. Titans Bantam AAA schedule
KOHO Pacific Cup
Anaheim Mission Center
Sunday
7:00 p.m. vs. NorCal Extreme
8:20 p.m. vs. Pro Joy Valley Stars
9:40 p.m. vs. Anaheim Mission Bulldogs
+++++++++++++++++
At the same time, Travis Roseberry, Josh Jasek, T.J. Craig, Eddie Del Grosso and goalie Cody Fulweiler will be pulling on the blue and white Arizona Roadrunners jerseys.
Joe Morin's
Roadrunners are in the annual Shootout at Disney ice tournament for 17-and-under ice tournament at the beautiful Disney Ice Arena.
This will mark the third straight year coach Morin is putting together a nice blend of
Vegas and Arizona skaters. Last spring, the Roadrunners got to the tournament finals and lost a tough one to the Todd Collins-coached Peoria Polar Bears.
ICE NOTEBOOK
-- Cody Fulweiler will try to pull a 'double,' playing goalie for the Roadrunners ice team and then swinging over to the Titans in the Sunday eve roller tournament.....
No action for Eddie Samuels this weekend. He's
winding up his freshman year at Battle Mountain High School in Vail, Colorado. Final exams next week, then Eddie heads down the hill for the last time and heads home on Saturday, June 2.
Eddie's teammate, Scott Tittle of
AAA Vail, plans to skate at Hockey Night in Boston this summer.....
Micah Sanford, meanwhile, is skating in Canada. He plans to return to the Chilliwack Chiefs this fall......
From the Blue Line, Lee
edsamuels.com
5.21.01
Team Colorado Finishes 1-3 Overall, As....
MINNESOTA STARS COMBINE FORCES
TO BEAT TEAM COLORADO 6-2!!!!
St. Louis Park, Minn. - The Minnesota Stars combined their forces, using skaters from their Red and Silver teams, on Sunday morning. And then they went out and gunned in four straight
goals in the first period to beat Jamie O'Leary's Team Colorado's 85s, 6-2, at the twin-sheet Rec Center.
It was a game to decide 5th place in this eight-team tournament, so O'Leary graciously allowed the Minnesota
coaches to use the best skaters on their two teams.
At the same time, Colorado's two nemeses, the Minnesota V-Rats and Minnesota Knights, were beaten in sudden-death Final Four action. The Minnesota Ice Dogs beat the
V-Rats, 4-3, and the Midwest Flyers ousted the Knights, 7-1.
In the Team Colorado game, Eddie Samuels said "our line moved the puck well" but the Stars put constant heat on goalie Mike Walsh.
Colorado finished 1-3 overall:
4-6 to Minnesota Knights
5-3 over Minnesota Stars Silver
1-6 to Minnesota V-Rats
2-6 to Minnesota Red/Silver
Karl Sellan scored both goals for Team Colorado, giving him eight
for the tournament. Eddie wound up with three assists, all to Sellan in the second game.
ICE NOTES
-- Eddie and Jason Allen had dinner with former teammates Justin Johnson and Kirk Golden at Shattuck St. Mary's in Fairbault, Minn. on Saturday night. Justin and Kirk took our players on a tour of the big campus school.... All of Colorado's players healthy except for Gabe Roevick who wrenched his left wrist in game two......Sellan's first goal was a short-handed one.... He picked off a pass, ripped in and scored.....O'Leary gathered his troops afterwards, took them to a team lunch and then it was off to the airport for a 7:00 p.m. departure. There's an incredible rainstorm there, which might delay flight time..... Colorado players really enjoyed working with assistant coach Ted O'Leary, one of Vail's al-time skaters. Teddy is now skating for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the USHL...Colorado's goal scorers: Karl Sellan 8, Scott Tittle 2, Jason Aldridge 1 and Cam Carlson 1.....
Thanks to all, Lee
www.edsamuels.com
5.20.01
Defending Champions Minnesota V-Rats Win 6-1, So....
NOW, IT'S A MATTER OF PRIDE FOR TEAM COLORADO
St. Louis Park, Minn. -- For two periods, Eddie Samuels and Team Colorado gave it all they had.
"We were all over them in the second period," said Eddie.
It was Minnesota 2, Team Colorado 1 going into the third.
Then the defending champions Minnesota V-Rats turned it up into a higher
gear,
rattled in four goals and won 6-1 here in the Minnesota Hockey Festival at the twin-sheet Rec Center.
Team Colorado only needed a win or a tie to advance to the Final Four of this eight-team tournament as the last-place
Minnesota Stars tied the 1-1 Minnesota Knights, 2-2.
Instead, Team Colorado is going into a Sunday consolation game, playing for fifth place.
That faceoff is set for 12:45 p.m. local time.
Jason Aldridge
scored Colorado's only goal and that was a sweet one, as in bolted in for a short-handed one. Eddie later flicked a tricky pass to a wide open Karl Sellan (who scored six times here) but Sellan's one-timer was picked off and
gloved.
Not all was lost though. After the game, Eddie, Jason Allen and Jason's father Steve were off to have dinner with former Las Vegas Mustang Justin Johnson. He lives in Fairbault, Minn., home of the powerful
Shattuck St. Mary's ice teams.
Here are Team Colorado's scores so far:
Minnesota Knights 6, Team Colorado 85s 4
Team Colorado 85s 5, Minnesota Stars 3
Minnesota V-Rats 6, Team Colorado 85s 1
Bracket
standings: V-Rats 3-0, Knights 1-1-1, Team Colorado 1-2, Stars 0-2-1
5.19.01
Wow -- Eddie's Vegas Line Fires it Up!!!
TEAM COLORADO FIGHTS OFF MINNESOTA STARS 5-3!!!
St. Louis Park, Minn. -- Ice coach Jamie O'Leary rolled the dice on Saturday. He put a 'Vegas Line' together, with Eddie Samuels at center, Karl Sellan at left wing and Jason Allen at right wing.
And that's
the line that scored all five goals as a fired-up Team Colorado 85s defeated the Minnesota Stars 85s, 5-3, to stay alive in this eight-team Minnesota Hockey Festival tournament at the twin-sheet Rec Center.
Sellan, who
played for Brad Buetow's AAA Vail 17-and-under midget team this past winter, scored all five goals. Eddie dealt three assists, Jason two and Jason Aldridge had one.
That win gives Team Colorado a 1-1 record.
Here are the bracket results and standings so far:
The scores:
Minnesota V-Rats 5, Minnesota Stars 1
Minnesota Knights 6, Team Colorado 4
Minnesota V-Rats 4, Minnesota Knights 3
Team Colorado 5, Minnesota Stars 3
Standings:
V-Rats 2-0 9/4
Team Colorado 1-1 9/9
Knights 1-1 9/9
Stars 0-2 4/10
Team Colorado has to beat the defending champion Minnesota V-Rats Saturday 4:00 pm
local time to advance to the gold medal game against a team from a different bracket.
Colorado coach Jamie O'Leary returned Eddie Samuels to a center position, where he wins more than 60 per cent of his face-offs. He
flanked Eddie with two fast wingers in Sellan and Allen who were able to move the puck to close range.
The Scott Tittle line opened the game, but it was the Eddie line which scored the first goal two minutes into the
game.
The Stars were beset with many early-game penalties. When Team Colorado scored on its first power play and another penalty was called against the Stars, the hometown coaches were enraged.
But those were
problems that O'Leary faced on Friday, when his Colorado 85s were whistled 18 times for penalties in a tough 6-4 loss to the Knights.
Team Colorado goes into the V-Rats showdown game healthy with the exception of
defenseman Gabe Rovick. He was banged up early in the Stars game and was unable to continue.
We'll have a full game report tonight on edsamuels.com
SIOUX CITY DRAFTS DUSTY COLLINS OF PHOENIX!!!!
The top ice players in Las Vegas know all about Dusty Collins of Phoenix.
His
Dad, Todd, used to bring the feared Phoenix Vipers bantam team into town. Then, there were those hard-hitting Peoria Polar Bears in the Disney Shootout in Anaheim. Finally, Dusty turned to Junior B hockey in Peoria last winter.
The Sioux City, Iowa, Musketeers sure liked him. They drafted Dusty in the fifth round of the USHL draft this week.
Collins was last spotted two weeks ago in Colorado, where he and long-time Viper teammate Ryan
Vert made the Rocky Mountain 85s Select Team. Vail's Scott Tittle also made the roster.
Vert is a young defenseman playing for the Soo Indians, a Junior A team.
Collins is a powerful attacking forward. He has size
and speed and can score from different ranges. He was born in 1985. Presently, players on the Sioux City roster have birthdates of 1980 to 1983.
5.18.01
Minnesota Knights 6,
Team Colorado 4, As...
COLORADO STARS NEED 2 WINS SATURDAY!!!!
St. Louis Park, Minn. - Ice coach Jamie O'Leary figured he had a team with size, power and skating skill to do some damage
here. He was right about that. But he didn't count on his soldiers pulling down 18 penalties.
O'Leary tried to spin the magic, making some quick thinking line and player moves. But the Minnesota Knights took full
advantage of the power plays and won 6-4 in an opening round game of the Minnesota Hockey Festival on Friday eve at the beautiful twin-sheet Rec. Center.
Now, Team Colorado must beat the Minnesota Stars at 11 a.m. and
the defending champions Minnesota V-Rats at 4 p.m. to advance in the eight-team ice tournament.
The powerful V-Rats won their opening game, beating the Minnesota Stars by 5-1.
Scott Tittle scored twice for Team
Colorado and Karl Sellan and Cam Carlson also popped in goals. Eddie Samuels' line play was disrupted when centerman Sellan had three penalties, then was hit with a 10-minute misconduct.
Eddie skated hard, fired a shot
which pinged off a red iron post but was scoreless for the evening. The same went for Jason Allen (Las Vegas Mustangs) who worked as a winger during the game.
Tittle was sensational, with bursts of acceleration to work
his way past defensemen. He wound up with three points (2, 1) and was a threat to break out and score at any time.
Coach O'Leary was stung with the loss because "we have the horses here to do something." But he
didn't get the really fiery defensive work he was hoping to see as the Knights put constant pressure on Colorado goalie Mike Walsh.
Team Colorado did get two assists from Scott 'Woody' Woodruff, a teammate of Justin
Johnson at Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota.
But the Colorado team fought from behind all night long. Minnesota broke to a 2-0 lead and it was 2-1 after one period, 4-3 after two. Finally, with a 5-4 lead,
Minnesota scored its sixth in the final precious moments to lock it up.
We're Getting Close to the Friday Night Faceoff, As....
EDDIE ON THE 'EUROPEAN LINE'
FOR TEAM COLORADO IN MINNESOTA!!!!
St. Louis Park, Minn. - Ice coach Jamie O'Leary calls it his 'European Line' -- Eddie Samuels at left wing, Karl Sellan at center, Jeff Neitenbach at right wing.
"Lots of lane changing, cycling down low -- wow, this
is going to be a fun line to watch," said O'Leary, as his Team Colorado 85s gets set to take on the Minnesota Knights Friday evening (7:00 pm faceoff) in the Minnesota Hockey Festival at the St. Louis Park Ice Arena.
Eddie played center all winter for the AAA Vail bantams, but is now on a very powerful high-scoring line. Sellan was on Brad Butow's AAA Vail 17-and-under midget team and Neitenbach played for AA Hyland Hill's 17-and-under
midget team.
"Neitenbach plays a lot like Eddie," said O'Leary. "He works hard, moves the puck, has great hands."
O'Leary says he has 11 forwards, six defensemen and goalie Mike Walsh. Team
Colorado was hoping to use Tanar Nobles on defense, but the former AAA Vail bantam is still bothered with an injured left leg.
Still, the skipper is excited....
"I'm pumped," said O'Leary. "We
didn't have much size with our Vail bantams, but this team has lots of it. We have top players in skill positions. We can't wait to get onto the ice."
We'll have a full report tonight on edsamuels.com
5.17.01
Eddie, Scotty, Donny, Cam Heading
for Denver Airport, As....
TEAM COLORADO IN MINNESOTA ON FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!
Vail, Colorado -- Geez, we've got some new teams to sweat about.
Eddie Samuels and Team Colorado's All-Star 85s ice team is scheduled to take on the hard-hitting, fancy-passing Minnesota Knights to open the Minnesota
Hockey Festival tournament on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Which means, Team Colorado is in a tough opener.
"Eight teams, all of them pretty good actually," said head coach Jamie O'Leary who assembled
Rocky Mountain ice stars for this elite tournament. All players are from Colorado (or skate with Colorado teams) with the exception of Jason Allen of the Las Vegas Mustangs.
And he wore a royal blue AAA Vail bantam
jersey earlier this year in Portland.
Here is Team Colorado's schedule for Friday and Saturday:
TEAM COLORADO 85s
Friday
vs. Minnesota Knights, 7:00 pm
Satuday
vs. Minnesota Stars - Silver, 11 a.m.
vs. Minnesota V-Rals, 4:00 p.m.
Sunday
Playoffs begin
Eddie will work on a line centered by
Karl Sellan, who played for Brad Buetow's AAA Vail 17-and-under midget team last winter. Scott Tittle, Vail's 40-goal bantam scorer, will be on a line with high-flying Mike Aldrich.
Jason Allen may get some time in
as a winger. O'Leary likes Allen's speed, passing and long-range blasting.
"There are top players in this tournament and there will be scouts looking at our skaters," O'Leary said. "It's a tough
tournament because these Minnesota teams have been skating but we have some great talent."
Team Colorado will start Mike Walsh in the net. Top defensemen will be Donny Rose of Vail and Luke Buetow of Arapahoe.
All players for Team Colorado were born in 1985, with the exception of Eddie and Cam Carlson who are 86s.
More good news: we have new uniforms (teal, black and silver - Sharks colors) and Eddie still has his
favorite, #23.
We'll have weekend scores and game summaries posted on edsamuels.com
5.15.01
Eddie, Scott, Donny, Jason Begin Action Friday, As......
SURPRISE.....SUPER ASSISANT COACH FOR TEAM COLORADO!!!!
Vail, Colorado - At AAA Vail, he was the heartbeat of the blue and white. Two years ago, he scored 57 goals, dealt 74 assists for 131 points—all in just62
games. This past winter, he played for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the USHL, a tough hard-skating 31-15-2 Junior A team which packed them in with an average attendance of 3,997 at the CR Ice Center.
Ted O'Leary,
former linemate of Micah Sanford at Vail, will be on the Team Colorado bench when Eddie Samuels, Scott Tittle, Donny Rose, Cam Carlson, Jason Allen and 13 others suit it up for the Minnesota Hockey Festival 8-teamtournament in
Minneapolis beginning this Friday.
Head coach Jamie O'Leary said it was his call to bring in his younger brother.
"He's going to work with our defensemen, actually," said Jamie. "Teddy is only18, but he knows the
game about as well as anyone."
Team Colorado is an all-star team with players from Vail, Littleton, Arapahoe, Shattuck St. Mary's and Las Vegas. It's an '85' tournament, which means players must be born in 1985 or
earlier. Eddie, born in 1986, is one of the youngest on the roster.
The team will leave from Denver on Thursday eve, practice on Friday afternoon, play its first game on Friday night.
Mike Walsh, the tough Vail
goalie from Montana, will work the net in all games for Team Colorado.
ICE NOTEBOOK—Congratulations to Justin Johnson (85s) and Evan Zucker
(87s). Each made Pacific District Select teams, which is quite a honor......
Justin skated with Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota this past season; Evan started the season with the AAA Spokane Warhorses and finished with his
hometown team, the Las Vegas Mustangs......In the Rocky Mountain tryouts, Scott Tittle (85s) and Mike Testwuide (87s) made the District Select teams....Former Phoenix Vipers Dusty Collins (85s) and Ryan Vert (85s) also made the
same team that Scott Tittle is on.......More good news: at the 'Global' inVancouver last weekend, Donny Rose made the All-Star 85 team.....
5.7.01
It's tied 2-2 in Regulation,
Neither Team Scores in OT, Then....
AA LAS VEGAS, MINNESOTA IN A CLASSIC!!!!!!!
Las Vegas - P.J. Miles and J.C. Caron scored the big goals for Rob Pallin's AA Las Vegas Mustangs on
Sunday. But it wasn't quite enough as the Minnesota 85s scored in a shootout to win 3-2 in another frenzied chiller at the Santa Fe Ice Rink.
There were three teams playing in a round-robin tournament over the weekend,
with Las Vegas and Minnesota meeting in the gold medal game. Joe Morin's Arizona Roadrunners got bounced around earlier, not winning a game.
Here are the Vegas scores:
2-2 vs. Minnesota 85s
6-1 over Arizona
9-2 over Arizona
2-3 vs. Minnesota 85s (OT, shootout)
Las Vegas played without two top starters, Sean Fox (ankle) and Eddie Del Grosso (ankle). Coach Pallin brought in some bantam callups, Stringfellow Swan and Jeff
Root and gave some serious ice time to goalie Zack Wisman who is trying to make the roser for the new season.
Las Vegas started its high-powered line of Travis Roseberry, J.C. Caron (who played hard in every start) and
Spike Neely. Josh Jasek, the explosive center who is playing for the Mustangs this coming season, worked with wingers Adam Naglich and Mike Sullivan.
On defense, Las Vegas got spirited play from Jason Allen, who banged
in a goal and had three assists in the 9-2 win over Arizona. Cody Fulweiler, Aaron Halvorson and Wisman also shared time in the net.
Minnesota was here working out its lines to wire in for a June 1 tournament in
Troy, Michigan. The team played at a high speed, snipers went to the attack, the team passed well and they had a nasty power play with some super- hard perimeter passing.
Pretty darn good team, actually.
Morin,
who usually brings in top Arizona teams, didn't this time. However, his son Cody skated hard and defenseman Shane Palmer of Flagstaff had an exceptional weekend.
"Palmer's slapshot has been timed at 88 miles
per hour," Morin said. "He's can smoke it."
ICE NOTEBOOK -- Mustangs skate tonight at Santa Fe and will continue workouts throughout the week......
From the blue line, Lee
5.6.01
Santa Fe Ice Arena
Sunday, May 6
17-and-under ice
Gold Medal Game
Minnesota 85s 3
AA Las Vegas 2 (OT, shootout....)
//Minnesota's elite touring team scored two goals early, J.C. Caron of Las Vegas scored tying goal in third period, neither team scored in overtime. Minnesota won
in the shootout. Game was played on a very heated, intense level. We'll have scoring details and a wrapup around midnight.
//Minnesota was here to prepare for a June 1 tournament in Troy, Michigan.
//Here are the weekend scores:
Minnesota 85s
2-2 vs. AA Las Vegas
5-3 over Arizona Roadrunners
2-2 vs. Arizona Roadrunners
3-2 over AA Las Vegas (OT, shootout)
AA Las Vegas 17-and-under
Rob Pallin, Head Coach
2-2 vs. Minnesota
6-1 over Arizona
9-2 over Arizona
2-3 vs. Minnesota (OT, shootout)
Arizona Roadrunners 17-and-under
Joe Morin, Head Coach
3-5 vs. Minnesota
1-6 vs. AA Las Vegas
2-2 vs. Minnesota
2-9 vs. AA Las Vegas
From the blue line, Lee
Gold Medal Game
Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Santa Fe Ice Arena
AA LAS VEGAS, MINNESOTA IN SUNDAY SHOWDOWN!!!!
Las Vegas -- After
an weekend of compelling ice games, it comes down to Rob Pallin's AA Las Vegas Mustangs vs. an elite touring team from Minnesota in a gold medal game Sunday, 11 a.m.
Both Las Vegas and Minnesota are unbeaten in this
three-team round robin series. In a previous game, Las Vegas rallied to tie, 2-2. On Sunday morning, Las Vegas blew off Joe Morin's AA Arizona Roadrunners, 9-2.
Here are all weekend scores, in order of games played:
Las Vegas 2, Minnesota 2 (tie)
Minnesota 5, Arizona 3
Las Vegas 6, Arizona 1
Minnesota 2, Arizona 2 (tie)
Las Vegas 9, Arizona 2
Standings:
Las Vegas 2-0-1, Minnesota 1-0-2, Arizona 0-3-1
Interestingly, coach Pallin has blended a mix of new younger prospects. He used Zack Whisman in the net the first game and two bantams, Stringfellow Swan and Jeff Root, in all three games. All are trying to make the roster for
the new season.
Las Vegas' newest player, centerman Josh Jasek, has played explosive hockey in all three games.
The Minnesota team is rostered with all players born in 1985. That team is heading to Troy,
Michigan for an AAA tournament which begins June 1.
We'll have a full wrapup late tonight.
++++++++++++
Eddie Samuels is working out with his Team Colorado 85s in
Denver this weekend. The Jamie O'Leary touring team is entered in the AAA Minnesota Hockey Festival which begins May 19.
Our main computer is down and as a result, no updates on www.edsamuels.com
However, Eddie's brother Rich is working on the hard drive problem this evening.
5.5.01
Team Minnesota
Beats Arizona, 5-3, As...
CODY MORIN STARS FOR THE ROADRUNNERS!!!!
Las Vegas -- There were only a few people rattling around the Santa Fe Ice Arena late Friday night when in the locker room, Arizona Roadrunners coach Joe Morin flipped a blue and white jersey to his son, Cody.
It was the blue and white #10, Cody's favorite.
About an hour later, Cody flashed about, skated hard, lasered passes, took lots of shots. Minnesota won, 5-3, but for the very few who knew the story behind the story, it
was a spectacular performance by a long-time Phoenix skater.
Two years ago, while playing for the powerful Phoenix Firebirds bantam team, Cody fractured his left leg. He took time off, returned to the team and then Dad
got the dreaded phone call during a practice.
Another injury, same leg, this time more serious.
As a result, Cody took a year off from elite travel hockey, played with a high school varsity team in Scottsdale.
Vegas players like Travis Roseberry, T.J. Craig and Eddie Samuels know him well, as all have played with Cody and the Roadrunners the last two years in the annual Disney Shootout on Ice each Memorial Day weekend.
On
Friday night Cody returned to high-speed action playing as hard as a player can play. And on Saturday morning, around 10:15, he'll go against his pals on the Las Vegas Mustangs.
ICE NOTEBOK
-- Minnesota, which is heading for the 'Big Bear' tournament June 1 in Troy, Michigan, broke to a 4-1 lead.....Then, it got intriguing as Arizona scored two and all heck loose broke out with maybe three minutes to play.
However, Minnesota scored with 2:47 left to clinch it.....Tremendous, all-out fight in the second period which resulted in player ejections...
From the blue line, Lee
5.4.01
Weekend Hockey Preview.....
MINNESOTA VS. ARIZONA
FRIDAY NIGHT AT SANTA FE!!!!
Then, It's Las Vegas vs. Arizona on Saturday Morning!
Las Vegas -- AAA Minnesota, still smarting from that wild 2-2 tie vs. the Las Vegas Mustangs, returns to the ice against Joe Morin's AAA Arizona Roadrunners in an
intriguing matchup of top ice teams at the Santa Fe Ice Arena on Friday, 10:15 p.m.
Morin's son, Cody, is a long-time Firebird center who took a year off from travel hockey and played for a varsity team in Scottsdale
this past winter. Historically, Morin has brought in teams which include hard-skating elite travel players.
Lots of Mustang players will be at the rink tonight, as Las Vegas will take on 17-and-under Arizona on Saturday,
10 a.m.
Josh Jasek and Adam Naglich were the big goal scorers for Las Vegas, as the Mustangs scored two goals in the last 4:30 of the game to tie this powerful Minnesota team.
ELSEWHERE
- We're told the TOHRS regional roller tournament has been canceled at Crystal Palace on Flamingo this weekend. The reason: lack of entries, as many top California teams are locked into previously scheduled Pacific Cup action....Eddie Samuels, Scott Tittle and Donny Rose will be practicing on Denver ice this weekend, wiring in for Team Colorado's trip to the Minnesota Hockey Festival on May 18-21.....Las Vegas ice coach Rob Pallin will take another look at some younger skaters, like Stringfellow Swan and Jeff Root, when the 17-and-under Mustangs return to the ice Saturday
morning.....
From the Blue Line, Lee
5.3.01
MUSTANGS TIE MINNESOTA IN 2-2 THRILLER!!!!
Las Vegas -- Just when all seemed
lost, Rob Pallin's Las Vegas Mustangs popped in two dramatic goals on home ice Thursday night.
And never was a 2-2 tie so sweet. Las Vegas had to crank it up late to tie an AAA Minnesota '85' touring team which had
speeding-bullet fast skaters, fancy passers and top goalie action in the net.
AAA Minnesota scored in its early rushes to take a 2-0 lead against a Vegas team which intensified its play as the game ticked down to the
final precious moments.
Finally, while on a penalty kill with less than five minutes to play, Las Vegas' J.C. Caron blocked a shot, got control of the puck and took off towards the Minnesota net.
He took a hard
route down the right side, with am over-heated red-shirt Minnesota defender hacking at him. Just as Caron got into the far corner, he spotted high-flying Josh Jasek crashing towards the Minnesota net.
Caron lasered over
a pass and Jasek one-timed a beauty of a shot. He picked the left corner, pinging the puck low and hard inside the red iron post.
Then, Jasek looked up at the electric scoreclock above him at center ice: there was 4:30
left to play.
The last several minutes were a frenzy of passes and hard-hitting action at center ice. Finally, Las Vegas' Adam Naglich broke out, flashed towards the net, went behind it and came out on the right side.
He squared up and fired, sending a hard shot over the goalie's left shoulder and high into the right corner of the net.
It really was a dramatic goal, tying the game with 1:38 left.
Las Vegas fought hard
in the stretch for this one, keeping the Mustangs incredible unbeaten streak alive at the Santa Fe Ice Arena where they haven't been beaten since October.
ICE NOTEBOOK
- Yes, that was Lou Gordon on the microphone. He had surgery last summer, took several months to recover and last night
returned to the rink to call the action....
Minnesota looked snappy in bright red jerseys, had a
film crew in the upper deck and sent out a well-skilled team onto the ice....
Jasek skated with Adam Naglich and Mike Sullivan.....Jason Allen had a solid game, skating hard, keeping his head up, passing well....Eddie
Del Grosso (left ankle) was a late scratch....That was Zack Whisman in the net for Las Vegas...Coach Pallin kept together his Triple Threat Line of Travis Roseberry, Spike Neely and Caron.....
There were some callups for
Las Vegas, including highly touted bantam Stringfellow Swan who got some ice time....Root, on defense, played hard and dumped in some nice passes into the attacking zone.
Minnesota finished 2nd in its league, losing to
the famous Honeybaked Ham team in the gold medal game.....
Joe Moran, long-time Phoenix ice coach, has an AAA team here which will take on Minnesota and Las Vegas this weekend....Joe's son, Cody, played high school
hockey in Scottsdale this past winter....
Vail's Scott Tittle was at the Selects tryouts yesterday where he skated with former Phoenix Firebirds Dusty Collins and Ryan Vert.....Vert played for the AAA Soo Indians
17-and-under midget team this past year....Collins was in Peoria, Az. where he played Junior B hockey.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE
-- Eddie Samuels turns 15 on Saturday. He'll spend his birthday on Denver ice, working out with Scott Tittle, Donny Rose and other members of the Team Colorado 85s who are wiring in for the Minnesota Hockey Festival May 18-21....
AAA MINNESOTA 2 0 0 = 2
AA LAS VEGAS 0 0 2 = 2
LV - Josh Jasek (J.C. Caron)
LV - Adam Naglich (unassisted)
From the blue line, Lee
5.2.01
Huge News at the Rink...
JOSH JASEK SCHEDULED TO SKATE FOR MUSTANGS
AGAINST TEAM MINNESOTA ON THURSDAY NIGHT!!!!
Las Vegas -- There's big news coming out of the Santa Fe Ice Arena. Josh Jasek, arugably the best 16 year old skater in the city, will pull on a black and red Mustangs
jersey and skate against Team Minnesota Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.
Jasek is a long-time Las Vegas athlete. However, he played a season of AAA ice hockey with the Desert Coyotes of California this past winter. There was
also speculation he was going to attend a tryout camp for the Junior A Chilliwack Chiefs early this summer.
However, it appears he may play a season with Rob Pallin's Las Vegas Mustangs 17-and-under team. It's also
intriguing where Jasek will fit in, as Pallin has a powerful first line in Travis Roseberry, J.C. Caron and Spike Neely.
All the answers will unfold Thursday night as Jasek, a center who skates with extreme power, grace
and class, goes onto the ice for Las Vegas.
Team Minnesota is an all-1985 elite touring team which is fine-tuning for the upcoming Minnesota Hockey Festival in Minneapolis beginning May 18.
Eddie Samuels of Las
Vegas will be in the same tournament, skating for Jamie O'Leary's Team Colorado 85 Elite which will include star skaters from Vail, Littleton, Arapahoe and Shattuck St. Mary's.
Team Colorado today added Jason Allen of
Las Vegas to its roster. He replaces injured Tanar Nobles, a tough Vail defenseman down with a leg injury sustained late in the winter season. Jason played four early season games with the AAA Vail bantams, Then returned to Las
Vegas where he was a season-long starter for Pallin's Las Vegas 17-and-under midget team.
ELSEWHERE:
Micah Sanford has returned to Canada to work out at the famous Twisters ice skating clinic which is located near Chilliwack.
From the blue line, Lee
5.1.01
Big, 4-Game Series
Is All Set, As....
TEAM MINNESOTA COMING TO TOWN!!!!!
Las Vegas -- Team Minnesota is coming in to take on Rob Pallin's Las Vegas Mustangs in a big four-game series.
First faceoff is set at the Santa Fe Ice Arena on Thursday, May 3, 7:30 p.m.
Team Minnesota is getting
its 16-and-under midget ice team wired in for the Minnesota Hockey Festival which begins in Minneapolis on May 18. Eddie Samuels of Las Vegas will be in Minnesota too, playing for Jamie O'Leary's Team Colorado '85' elite team.
Las Vegas vs. Minnesota should be an intriguing matchup. Pallin's Mustangs are coming off a 34-15-3 season and practically all of his top players are expected to be available for this series.
Team Minnesota will
use the series of games to shake out its lines, look at its goalies and make adjustments as the series goes into the weekend.
We will soon post a complete weekend schedule.
ICE NOTES -- Parents were raving about
the play from Evan Zucker, who skated with the Select 87s last weekend in Washington....Zucker had a good weekend, moving the puck and scoring eight or nine times....Paul Lowden, we're told, had a spectacular weekend as a
goalie with the 84s.....Jason Allen one goal, four assists while skating for the 85s.....Eddie Del Grosso wrenched an ankle early and didn't get in much skating time, we're told......We'll have a more complete report posted on
the web page....
From the blue line, Lee
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