Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Jr. Blues have been very successful in moving players on to higher levels of hockey in our 27 years in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Over 350 players have played in the NCAA and nearly 150 players have made it to the professional ranks. With 180 alumni currently on NCAA and professional rosters, we have many teams, leagues, and players to get through. Here is this week’s Alumni Report!
With many NCAA programs entering their Christmas break, there weren’t many games on the schedule this past weekend. We will, however, begin this week’s report by focusing on one of the nine goaltender alumni on Division 1 rosters: Devin Cooley. Cooley, a junior at the University of Denver, shutout in-state rival Colorado College on Friday night. In his lone appearance of the weekend the Los Gatos, CA native turned aside all 24 shots he faced including 11 in the 3rd period. The shutout was his first of the season and the fifth of his career after he posted four last season. Since his return from injury Cooley is 2-0-1 with a 0.98 GAA and .958 SV%. For his play on Friday he earned the NCHC Goaltender of the Week award, his first this season.
Dryden McKay continues to shine for the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks this season. On Friday night the sophomore goaltender stopped 23/25 to pick up his 14th win in a 5-2 victory. He did not start on Saturday but did come into the game late in the 2nd period, stopping all 6 shots that he faced in a no decision. McKay is 14-1-1 on the season with a 1.09 GAA and .955 SV% in 17 appearances.
Speaking of goaltenders in a hot stretch, Janis Voris wrapped up the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship Division 1-A tournament in Belarus by being named the Best Goalkeeper. Voris helped lead team Latvia to a 4-1-0 record in the tournament and a 2nd place finish. The netminder from Riga, Latvia posted a stellar 1.08 GAA, .939 SV%, and 2 shutouts during the tournament.
Kelly Klima is making a name for himself as a goal scorer in the professional ranks. The Tampa, FL native tallied his 3rd AHL goal of the season this past weekend for the Tucson Roadrunners. In 10 games split between the Rapid City Rush (ECHL) and the Roadrunners, Klima has 7 points and they are all goals. All four goals in the ECHL came during one game in late October, while each of his three AHL goals have been spread out over the course of a month and a half.
We wrap up this week’s Alumni Report looking at the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL), formerly referred to as the FHL. Jordan Brant, who currently plays for the Mentor Ice Breakers, picked up win #1 and #2 in his professional career this past weekend, stopping 25/26 on Friday night in a 6-1 win before stopping 18/20 in a 6-2 win on Saturday. The 6’4” 205 lbs. native of Edmonton, AB, CA has appeared in four games this season and sports a 2-1-0 record with a 2.43 GAA and .911 SV%. This is Brant’s first season of professional hockey after attending Portage College (ACAC) last season.
Jr. Blues Highlights:
- Sam Craggs – 1 A (Bowling Green, NCAA)
- Riley Doyon – 1 A (Aurora, NCAA D3)
- Jeffrey Skinner – 1 A (UMASS Boston, NCAA D3)
- Ross Olsson – 1 G (Worcester Railers, ECHL)
- Matthew Cassidy – 1 A (Youngstown Phantoms, USHL)
- Tim Santopaolo – 1 A (Columbus Riverdragons, FPHL)
- Darren Johnson – 1 A (Aquinas, ACHA)
- Lukas Zukauskas – 3 A (Kaunas, Lithuania)
- Michael Davies – 3 G (Sheffield Steelers, EIHL)
- Max Kalter – 2 A (Cergy-Pointoise, France2)
- Sandro Aeschlimann – 1 W, 1 L (HC Davos, NLA)
