Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Jr. Blues are proud to have moved over 100 players onto NCAA and professional hockey during our tenure in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Here are a few whose play this past week has turned heads around the hockey world.
In what has become the ‘weekly alumni goaltender recap’, we once again start off with a goalie who is grabbing the spotlight. Devin Cooley, a soph. at Denver, was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week after leading the Pioneers to a 1-0 victory over then-No. 4 Minnesota Duluth. The win was Cooley’s first game back from injury and illness and was his 9th win of the season. The Los Gatos, California native earned his third shutout of the season and now has a 1.93 GAA and a .929 save percentage on the season.
This week we’ll dive into how our forwards and defensemen have been performing lately in all levels of college and professional hockey. Kelly Klima, who is currently playing for the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, has 4 goals and 2 assists in his last four games. The rookie forward now has 12 goals and 11 assists in 24 games this season after participating in training camp with the Arizona Coyotes.
Coale Norris, a soph. at Ferris State University, had the game-winning goal on Friday and an assist on Saturday against Alaska Anchorage. In 32 games this season Norris has 7 goals and 9 assists for the Bulldogs.
Sam Craggs had 2 goals and 1 assist in a blowout win for Bowling Green over Alaska-Fairbanks. He now has 6 goals and 5 assists on the season. Patrick Curry scored a goal against both Harvard and UCONN for Boston University last week. Curry, a junior, now has 11 goals and 8 assists for the Terriers in 29 games.
It’s important to take time to recognize our alumni in Division III and in the ACHA as well.
- Patrick Flynn, F: 2 G vs. Skidmore; 4 game goal streak. (Babson College, NCAA D3)
- Bryan Hovanec, F: 2 G, 3 A vs. Chatham & Stevenson. (Lebanon Valley Co., NCAA D3)
- Nicholas Belger, F: 3 G vs. Syracuse; 9 points (3 G, 6 A) in last 4 games (Stony Brook, ACHA D1)
- Josh Bell, F: 3 G in two games vs. Arkansas; 5 goals in last three games. (Missouri St., ACHA D1)
- Joey Lupo, F: 2 G, 1 A vs. Middlebury. (Amherst, NCAA D3)
- Chase Mickelson, F: 1 G, 1 A in two games vs. Finlandia. (St. Norbert, NCAA D3)
