Incoming Husky gets USHL hardware

Michigan Tech Press Release 

Michigan Tech hockey recruit C.J. Eick (pronounced IKE) hoisted the Clark Cup as an assistant captain for the Green Bay Gamblers last Wednesday (May 23).

The Gamblers defeated the Waterloo Black Hawks 5-2 in the fifth and decisive game of the Clark Cup finals to become champions of the 2011-12 United States Hockey League season.

Eick totaled eight goals and 12 assists in 58 games during the regular season for the Gamblers and posted a plus-minus rating of +16. In 12 playoff games, the 5-7 forward notched one goal and three assists.

The team set several records during the season including the league marks for points (98) and road wins (25) and the franchise record for victories (47). A native of nearby Appleton, Wis., Eick was thrilled to be able to win a title with his hometown team.

“I grew up watching Gamblers games, and it was a special to be one of the assistant captains for Green Bay this year. It was an unbelievable season. “I’m looking forward to taking what I learned in juniors and building on that in college. I’ve been to several Tech games, and I love the atmosphere and feel. The coaching staff has been great so far.”

Eick was not the only member of the Gamblers with Michigan Tech ties. Pat Mikesch, former player (1992-96) and assistant coach (2005-11), served as assistant coach for the Gamblers in 2011-12.

Copp added to Wolverines' incoming class

Michigan Press Release 

The University of Michigan announced Monday that forward Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor/Skyline High School) has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Wolverines, beginning with the 2012-13 season.

Copp, who spent the last two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, joins six other incoming freshmen who signed their commitments in November.

 "Andrew is a very athletic kid, having played both football and hockey at a high level." said U-M assistant coach Brian Wiseman. "He is a big, strong player with a high skill level and we feel that his best play is yet to come now that he has decided to focus exclusively on hockey."

Copp recorded six points (goal, five assists) in 23 games with the U.S. Under-18 team last season and 11 points (five goals, six assists) in nine games with the Under-17 squad. He also posted one assist in six games while helping the U.S. to a fourth straight gold medal at IIHF Under-18 World Championship in April.

While with the U.S. program, Copp was teammates with incoming freshmen Jacob Trouba (Rochester), Jared Rutledge (Chicago, Ill.) and Connor Carrick (Orland Park, Ill.).

Michigan's incoming freshman class also includes signees Danile Milne (St. Michel's Buzzers, OJHL), Justin Selman (Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL) and Cristoval Nieves (Kent School/Indiana Ice, USHL).

Photo courtesy Tom Sorensen/USA Hockey

Broncos add a pair of forwards

Western Michigan University Press Release

The nationally-ranked Western Michigan hockey program and head coach Andy Murray have announced the signing of Josh Pitt (Spencerville, Ont./Ottawa Jr. Senators, CCHL) and Colton Hargrove (Rockwall, Tex./Fargo Force, USHL) to national letters of intent.

Pitt and Hargrove join Chris Dienes (Traverse City/Cedar Rapids Rough Riders, USHL), Sheldon Dries (Macomb Township/Green Bay Gamblers, USHL), Aaron Hadley (Castlegar, B.C./Vernon Vipers, BCHL), Nolan LaPorte (Moneka, Ill./Green Bay Gamblers, USHL), Mike McKee (Newmarket, Ont./Lincoln Stars, USHL), Kenney Morrison (Loydminster, Alb./Omaha Lancers, USHL) and Kyle Novak (O’Fallon, Mo./Green Bay Gamblers, who signed with WMU during the November signing period.

Pitt, 6-foot-3 forward, played four seasons of junior hockey in the Central Canada Hockey League from 2008-12. For the majority of his career he played for the Kemptville 73's but was traded to the Ottawa Jr. Senators during his final year. He is coming off the best season on his career in which he potted 36 goals with 23 assists for 59 points in 59 games. He went on to net a goal and tally two assists in the playoffs. In his junior career he amassed 59 goals and 119 points.

“Josh is a big kid and he can really shoot the puck,” said assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Rob Facca. “He can skate and he’s a smart hockey player. He’s another guy that will come in and fill the void from the seniors. He will help create competition for ice time, which I like.”

Hargrove, another big forward at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, played two seasons of junior hockey for the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League. The Texas native is coming off his best season of junior hockey in which he tallied 38 points in the regular season on 16 goals and 22 assists. In two season in the USHL he tallied 65 total points.

"Colton brings size and toughness,” said Facca. “He has a really good shot and moves well for a big guy. He can really shoot it. He’s a tough, hard-nosed player and we expect him to play like that."
 
Hargrove and Pitt along with others will be tasked with WMU's departing senior class of Ian Slater, Greg Squires, J.J. Crew, Derek Roehl and Kyle O'Kane along with junior Matt Tennyson, who signed with the San Jose Sharks. Those six helped lead the Broncos to its first CCHA Tournament Title since 1986 and the second in program history.

New sweaters for Maize and Blue

University of Michigan Press Release

The University of Michigan ice hockey team announced recently the redesign plans of its blue and maize uniforms, beginning with the 2012-13 campaign. Michigan's home white jersey will remain unchanged. In addition, the team announced that it will wear a commemorative set of jerseys for the 2012 Great Lakes Invitational tournament, which will take place Dec. 28-29 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich.

"We wanted to pay tribute to the great tradition of our hockey program by redesigning our jerseys to honor teams of the past," said head coach Red Berenson.

"This season's uniforms will recognize the heritage and success of the Michigan hockey program," said Dave Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. "We hope that our fans enjoy the retro designs as much as the current and former players."

The redesigned blue jerseys will feature the same look as the 2011-12 white uniforms, with the word "MICHIGAN" across the chest beginning with the famous block 'M' logo. The jerseys were inspired from a combination of the mid-1950s and early 1960s Michigan sweaters.

Fans will recognize Michigan's redesigned maize jersey as the same uniform that the Wolverines wore in the "Big Chill at the Big House" outdoor game vs. Michigan State on Dec. 11, 2010. The jerseys were inspired by Michigan teams of the 1940s and feature blue and white shoulder stripes, Wolverine artwork and the word "MICHIGAN" written across the chest.

The commemorative jerseys for the 2012 Great Lakes Invitational will include a blue set and a maize set, with both jerseys featuring the classic block 'M' logo. They will also have the block 'M' on the shoulders, as well as striping around the base of the jersey. The special GLI uniforms were inspired by the 1970s Michigan teams.

Huskies add Gould, Phillips to '12-13 recruits

Michigan Tech Press Release

Michigan Tech today announced two additions to the program’s 2012-13 recruiting class.

Malcolm Gould (North Vancouver, B.C./Chilliwack-BCHL) and Jamie Phillips (Caledonia, Ont./Toronto-OJHL) join five others who signed National Letters of Intent last November.

Gould, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward, played in 60 games for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2011-12. He tallied 36 goals and 36 assists to lead the team in total points during the regular season. The 19-year-old also posted a team-high five points in six playoff games.

Prior to joining Chilliwack, Gould played the 2010-11 season with the Quesnel Millionaires, accumulating 14 goals and 17 assists in 57 games.

“Malcolm is a very gifted offensive player,” said MTU coach Mel Pearson. “He really came into his own this year, especially in the second half of the season. He has soft hands, good vision and knows what to do around the net. He’ll be a nice addition to the class we signed in the fall.”

Phillips, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound goaltender, is rated 26th among North American goaltenders on the final 2012 NHL Central Scouting draft rankings. He started last season with the Powell River Kings of the BCHL, where he posted a 16-6-1 record. The 19-year-old recorded a 2.01 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage with five shutouts. Phillips finished the year with the Toronto Jr. A Canadiens of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He played in 21 games with a 3.05 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.

The previous season, Phillips helped the Pembroke Lumber Kings win the RBC Cup as Canadian national Junior A champions.

“Jamie is a tall, lanky and very athletic goaltender,” said Pearson. “He’s coming off a good season and had a good playoff with Toronto. We think he’s going to help make goaltending a strong position for us.”

Gould and Phillips join a recruiting class that already includes goaltender Pheonix Copley (North Pole, Alaska/Des Moines-USHL), forward CJ Eick (Appleton, Wis./Green Bay-USHL), defenseman Walker Hyland (Woodbury, Minn./Alberni Valley-BCHL), forward Jujhar Khaira (Surrey, B.C./Prince George-BCHL) and forward Alex Petan (Delta, B.C./Coquitlam-BCHL).

“(Assistant coaches) Damon (Whitten) and Billy (Muckalt) have done an outstanding job putting this class together,” said Pearson. “They’re the full package academically and athletically. We feel like they will help us take our program to the next level, and we’re really looking forward to seeing them in Houghton.”