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10.20.04
NICK JACKSON'S 15 GOALS LEAD THE WAY AS,
AA LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS GEAR UP FOR KING OF THE ROCKIES!
By Lee Samuels
Colorado Springs - When Nick Jackson of Las Vegas goes over the wall, hits the ice and fires in a few warmup pucks a few of the scouts will
be circling his name in blue ballpoint this coming weekend.
That's the life of a Top Gun, which is what Jackson is these days. On a Las Vegas team studded with close- range snipers, hard workers and defensemen who blaze
in pucks from the blue line, Jackson is the team leader with 15 goals.
That's a big number for a Las Vegas skater in mid-October and for sure, Las Vegas coach Rob Pallin has had a number of Top Guns in his five years on
the bench.
Here's a look at Las Vegas' goal scoring champions in the Pallin era:
2001-Travis Roseberry, 39
2002-Josh Jasek, 61
2003-Cody Morin, 32
2004-Kurt Long, 36
Here's a look at Las Vegas' current goal leaders:
15-Nick Jackson
11-Conrad Trimbath
10-Evan Zucker
8-Chris Francis
8-Kurt Long
Pallin, like all coaches, likes big goal scorers. They come in all shapes and sizes and each arrives at the net and does their work a different way.
Jackson likes to skate in the slot area, like Roseberry did years ago. While Roseberry's best shots were blistered in while crossing through the slot, Jackson is more Jasek-style with a straighter, more hard-driving approach.
Jackson is particuarly effective with the unselfish play from linemate Conrad Trimbath who has the ability to control a puck deep in an attack zone, freeze the action and then thread a quick, hard pass over to Jackson.
And while those two are working, a skater like Evan Zucker is getting posted up or a Chris Francis is lining up his shot.
It's a quick strike, tremendously exciting and local rinkboard fans are having a blast watching Las Vegas' top lines.
Las Vegas hits town with a 10-4-3 record and on Thursday night will take on the hometown team, AAA Pikes Peak Miners, which will be a challenge to say the least. Pikes Peak, after a slow start, is now 8-7-1.
Here's a look at the recent form of both teams:
AA LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS, 10-4-3
Last 5 Starts
4-4 vs. AA Long Beach
5-3 over AAA Phoenix Firebirds 16u
5-3 over AAA Cal Stars
3-5 to AAA Phoenix Firebirds
2-0 over AAA L.A. Jr. Kings 16u
AAA PIKES PEAK MINERS, 8-7-1
Last 5 Starts
7-2 over AAA Wisconsin
3-4 to AAA Ojibwa Eagles
3-4 to AAA Ohio Prospects
2-1 over AAA Littleton Hawks
4-2 over AAA Littleton Hawks
Las Vegas Notebook -- Vegas skaters, off last weekend, are healthy....The first game will be important, as
Las Vegas will need to win two of its first three games to advance....Vegas goalies are Brandon Rial and Tim Douglas. Rial has 7 wins and 3 shutouts....
Las Vegas had two skaters in Junior A camps earlier this year: Kurt Long was with the St. Louis Blues Jr. A and Anthony Marinello with Lloydminster Blazers Jr. A in the Alberta League.....
Long is an '86, Marinello an '87. Marinello scored 20 goals for AA Las Vegas last winter.
Francis, who is playing extremely well, is an '89 as is Las Vegas defenseman Ryan Bowman....Pallin is also
pleased with the progress of young Ryan Krajniak, a hard-working forward.....
Long has really picked up his skating. He went to the Peter Twist
Skating School in Vancouver, as did Trimbath this past summer...
Bring your heavy Outlaws jackets: it's going down to 28-degrees on Friday night. It looks like freezing rain is heading to the Rockies.....
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