UND Recruit Update

Here are a few notes on how some of UND's recruits are performing thus far this season:

• After playing Minnesota high school hockey the past few seasons, Shane Gersich has hit the ground running with the NTDP Under-18 team. Through ten games he has produced nine points (4G, 5A), including a team high two game winning goals. Gersich and the Under-18ers will be spending this weekend in North Dakota as Friday night they are scheduled to take on Fargo in a USHL matchup followed by Saturday night's exhibition game against UND. For those of you who have yet to see Gersich play, I expect you will like his game. He's a really good skater in that he's quick, fast, has good explosiveness, and is strong on his skates. He plays well in all three zones as a defensively responsible forward who hounds the opposition with his skating and quick, active stick. He has a very strong shot, he's strong on the puck, and he isn't afraid to go to the net. He's a fun player to watch.
• After missing the first two games of the season due to injury, Jack Rowe has scored three goals in three games for Cedar Rapids (USHL).
• Nick Schmaltz produced four points (1G, 3A) in two games this past weekend. He leads Green Bay (USHL) in scoring with ten points (4G, 6A) in nine games.
• After going pointless during the first five games of the season, Rhett Gardner has produced nine points (3G, 6A) in his last ten games with the Okotoks Oilers (AJHL).
• The Fargo Force (USHL) have struggled offensively this season having scored just eight goals in their seven games, but 16 year-old Christian Cakebread has scored three of them (38% of the team total).
• Christian Evers missed a handful of games due to injury earlier in the season, but the NTDP Under-17 team defenseman has produced four assists in the six games he has played.
• Austin Poganski leads Tri-City (USHL) with four points (4G, 0A) in six games. Right behind him is Chris Wilkie with three points (1G, 2A) in seven games.
• Sioux City (USHL) forward Trevor Olson has produced three points (1G, 2A) in three games since his return from injury. Teammate Ryan Mantha has chipped in with a goal and two assists in seven games on the blueline, despite his self-admitted troubles in the kitchen.

Recruit Roundup

Here's a bit of committed recruit news & notes, including a rundown of how some of UND's recruits have been performing thus far this season:

• North Dakota lost a recruit last weekend when 1996-born forward Brendan Lemieux opted to leave the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) for Canadian major juniors. Lemieux will sign with the OHL's Barrie Colts, thereby giving up his NCAA eligibility. He had struggled early on this season in Green Bay, who used one of their tender signings to bring Lemieux into the fold. In 11 USHL games, he registered one goal and one assist.
• Adam Tambellini has been fantastic the past two weekends for the BCHL's Vernon Vipers. Over his last four games Tambellini has put up 10 points (5G, 5A) in leading Vernon to a 3-0-1 record. In two games last weekend he recorded three goals and three assists en route to being named the BCHL Player of the Week. For the season Tambellini leads the Vipers in goals (11), assists (11), and points (22), and he is among the BCHL leaders in both goals (T-7th) and points (T-8th). The 2013 NHL Draft-eligible forward appeared on The Pipeline Show last Saturday, and during his interview he recalled his recruiting trip to North Dakota. It's definitely worth a listen.
• As detailed in this post several UND recruits are involved in a variety of national and international tournaments. Off to fast starts at the World Junior A Challenge are Wade Murphy (Canada West) and Luke Johnson (Team USA), whose teams both finished group play 2-0 and thus earned byes to the semifinal round. Johnson has registered three assists (tied for the tournament lead) in two games and he was named the 2nd Star on day one of the tournament. Murphy, meanwhile, was named the 3rd Star on day two and through two games has produced two goals and three assists. His five points are tied for the tournament lead. Both Canada West and Team USA will enjoy a day off before semifinal play starts Friday.
• Johnson's Lincoln Stars teammate Paul LaDue has picked up right where he left off last season. He is tied for the league lead among defensemen with 11 points (1G, 10A), and his ten assists are tops among league blueliners. He is a +9 this season (T-6th among all players) and is an eye-popping +45 in 67 career USHL games.
• Jack Rowe is T-4th among Cedar Rapids RoughRiders with seven points (3G, 4A) in 10 games...Tucker Poolman is T-4th among Omaha Lancers with six points (3G, 3A) in 13 games. His point total also has him T-7th among all league defensemen...Nick Schmaltz leads Green Bay with eight assists and is fourth on the team with nine points...Ryan Mantha leads Sioux City with a +5 rating...Chris Wilkie is third on the NTDP U-17 team with nine points (4G, 5A) in 12 games...Heading into the 4 Nations Tournament, Keaton Thompson was second on the NTDP U-18 team with six assists...

UND Recruits in USHL Summer Camps

A number of USHL tryout camps have already taken place this summer, and a few North Dakota recruits have been involved:

• Lincoln Star veterans Luke Johnson and Paul LaDue both particpated in the Stars' Minneapolis tryout camp a couple of weekends ago. The Black and Blue blog covered the event about as thoroughly as possible, posting an array of previews, individual game recaps, and camp reviews. Check it out for some detailed information. The Western College Hockey Blog also posted this camp review.
• Luke Voltin had a solid Des Moines Buccaneers tryout camp last weekend, highlighted by a two goal and one assist performance in the Saturday All-Star game.
• Brendan Lemieux took part in this week's Green Bay Gambler tryout camp, recording a goal and an assist in Wednesday's All-Star game. The Green Bay Press-Gazette ran a feature on Lemieux, who will play a significant role for the Gamblers this coming season. Lemieux's fellow NoDak recruit Nick Schmaltz was not at camp.
• While UND recruit Charlie Pelnik (injury) did not take part in the Fargo Force tryout camp held three weeks ago, potential North Dakota recruit Mason Morelli did. Morelli's UND lineage is strong as both his father and grandfather are former Sioux, and the Western College Hockey Blog analyzed the Minot youngster's situation in its Force tryout camp review.
• The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders held their tryout camp a couple of weeks ago, but UND recruit Jack Rowe did not participate due to injury. Rowe has had a tough run of luck healthwise as he was injured at both the start and end of last season, so a healthy 2012-13 will be instrumental in preparing him for his arrival at North Dakota.

Recruit Profile: Jack Rowe

Photo-USHL.com

Current Team:  Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
Anticipated Arrival at UND:  2014/15
Position:  Forward
Birthday:  April 7th, 1994 
Hometown:  Cary, IL
Height:  5'11"
Weight:  178
Shoots:  Left


Profiles & Press Clippings:

• USHL 2013-14 Profile/Stat Page
• Elite Prospects Profile/Stat Page
• GF Herald Commitment Article (Aug. 2010, via Goon's World)
• USA Hockey: Rowe Stacking Up Titles Like They're Poker Chips (Oct. 2010)

2013-14:

• He will be playing with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL).

2012-13:

• Playing with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) he registered 29 points (16G, 13A) in 55 games. His 16 goals were the most among RoughRiders.

2011-12:

• During an injury-plagued campaign the Cedar Rapids RoughRider played in 32 games while producing 18 points (2G, 16A) and a +2 rating.

2010-11:

• Played for the Team Illinois Under-18 team, producing 13 points (9G, 4A) in 19 games. 
• In August of 2010 he was a member of the USA Hockey Select 16 team that played in the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Huttwil, Switzerland. He produced four goals and two assists in four games, leading Team USA in both goals and points.
• He participated in USA Hockey's Select 16 Development Camp, producing five points (4G, 1A) in six games. US Hockey Report ranked him as the #16 forward at the camp: Played pretty well considering he had banged-up ribs. Smooth skater who doesn't shy away from physical game. From Team Illinois.

2009-10:

• While playing for the Team Illinois U-16 team he registered 31 points (19G, 12A) in 38 games.
• He took part in the USA Hockey Select 15 Development Camp, producing four points (3G, 1A) in five games.

2008-09:

• He played for the Chicago Mission Bantam Majors, recording 34 points (23 G, 11A) in 31 games, leading the team in both points and goals.
• At the USA Hockey Select 14 Development Camp he registered two assists in five games.

Monday Evening Post

• North Dakota received a verbal commitment from Fargo Force forward Bryn Chyzyk today. Chyzyk, who visited UND last Friday during the Wisconsin series, chose North Dakota over future NCHC foes Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota-Duluth, and Western Michigan. Northern Michigan was also said to be in the mix for a player who has burst onto the USHL scene this season. Chyzyk is currently the second leading scorer for Fargo with 31 points (20G, 11A) in 37 games, and his 20 goals rank as the sixth best in the USHL. For a quick introduction to the latest North Dakota recruit, here is Chyzyk's Force in a Minute feature (CAUTION: Video contains Justin Bieber reference 1 of 2):

• Luke Johnson and Jack Rowe each had big games this past weekend in USHL action. Johnson had a three point game (1G, 2A) Friday night to help Lincoln to a 5-2 victory over Des Moines, while Rowe had a five assist night Saturday in Cedar Rapids' 6-5 shootout loss to Waterloo. Johnson now has 30 points (10G, 20A) in 32 games this season, while Rowe, after missing the first month of the season due to injury, has 14 points (2G, 12A) in 25 games. He's been playing particularly well as of late, recording 12 points (2G, 10A) and a +8 rating in his last 14 games after recording just two assists and a -5 in his first 11.
• Luke Voltin returned to the ice last weekend for the first time since leaving the USNTDP, going scoreless in two games with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Voltin was initially claimed off of USHL waivers by the Chicago Steel, who then moved the forward to Des Moines via trade.
• Jordan Schmaltz took part in an interview on The Pipeline Show last week following the NHL/USHL Top Prospects Game.
• Fighting Sioux centerman Corban Knight was recently interviewed by Litter Box Cats.  
• According to a leading Toronto Maple Leaf blog, former Sioux and current Toronto Marlie Matt Frattin is considered one of the top prospects in the Maple Leaf system. Frattin has three goals and an assist in his last four games, including a two goal performance against former linemate Brad Malone's Lake Erie Monsters last Thursday. Malone also had a goal in the 6-2 Marlie win.
• Chris Porter has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues following a two-game conditioning stint in Peoria (AHL), while Jake Marto is back with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL).
• Oilers Nation recently caught up with Oklahoma City Baron (AHL) head coach Todd Nelson in order to see how things are going for Edmonton's top farm team, and Nelson gave a glowing report on former Sioux standout Chris VandeVelde: 

Chris VandeVelde has made excellent gains this year. He's a lot better player than he was last year. He's a pretty dominant centerman at this level. And what I mean by dominant is just his play; his all-around game. If you look at his numbers, they're nothing to get all excited about, but what he does for us is he plays a very good defensive role. He does excellent penalty killing for us, and he's strong on draws. He's a big strong centerman, and he has improved drastically from last year.

• New Jersey Devils' center Travis Zajac has yet to resume skating since being shutdown earlier this month, but GM Lou Lamariello expects Zajac to be back with New Jersey at some point this season. As the article also points out, Zajac's wife gave birth to a baby boy last week, Zenon Nathan Zajac. Meanwhile, In Lou We Trust says New Jersey would be stupid to trade star winger Zach Parise.
• Jonathan Toews is expected to return to action tomorrow night in Vancouver. The All-Star Break came at a great time for the Chicago center, allowing him some extra time to recuperate from a wrist injury suffered a week and a half ago.
• ESPN's John Buccigross recently released his list of the Top 100 players in the NHL. North Dakota had two of the top 14, with Toews coming in at number two and Parise at number 14.
• Matt Greene and the Los Angeles Kings have been playing some very good hockey recently, but perhaps they've been overshadowed a bit by the NBA's Clippers and Lakers. The Fame Makers are looking to change that (CAUTION: Video contains Justin Bieber reference 2 of 2):

The Fame Makers with the Los Angeles Kings from Anze Kopitar

Saturday Morning Coffee

• The Fighting Sioux earned a thrilling 2-1 victory over arch-rival Minnesota last night. North Dakota welcomed Corban Knight back to the lineup, Andrew MacWilliam scored his first career goal, and smooth operator Brock Nelson potted the game-winner in what was an outstanding hockey game. Outside of Danny Kristo's major and game misconduct for checking Ben Marshall from behind, a young Sioux lineup played with an awful lot of poise and control in a very tense game. The atmosphere in The Ralph was electric last night as head coach Dave Hakstol picked up victory number 199. Tonight he looks to join Gino Gasparini (392) and Dean Blais (262) as the only coaches in school history to earn 200 wins. More thoughts on the series forthcoming in the Series Recap.
• North Dakota picked up a verbal commitment yesterday from Omaha AAA Under-16 star Chris Wilkie. Wilkie is an Omaha native who currently leads the North American Prospect Hockey League (NAPHL) in scoring, goals, assists, power-play goals, and power-play assists. He is a high school sophomore who at this point would be scheduled to join UND in 2014. In 16 games he has recorded 38 points (17G, 21A) in leading the Lancers to a 12-3-1 record. He is an Omaha teammate of Minot's Alex Schoenborn and Williston's Austin Hingtgen. There is a recruit profile in the works that should hopefully be posted later today or tomorrow.
• Recruit Nick Schmaltz and Team USA opened the 2012 Youth Winter Olympic Games with a 7-2 victory over host country Austria early this morning. Schmaltz pitched in with two assists while winning 75% (9 of 12) of his face-offs. The American Under-16ers will take on Canada tomorrow.
• Sioux recruits playing in the USHL performed well last night. Paul LaDue had two goals and an assist while teammate Luke Johnson added two assists in Lincoln's 6-2 victory over Sioux City. Jordan Schmaltz contributed two assists to Green Bay's 5-3 win against Chicago, Jack Rowe recorded an assist in Cedar Rapids' 6-5 loss to Waterloo, and Miles Koules scored a goal as the Team USA Under-18ers lost to Indiana 4-3. Zane Gothberg continued his recent stretch of outstanding play by stopping 23 of 24 shots in Fargo's 8-1 thrashing of Tri-City. Over his last five games Gothberg has a 1.57 GAA and a save percentage of .943 in leading the Force to a 5-0-0 record.
• Speaking of the USHL, Matt Greene recently discussed what playing in the league meant to his development as a hockey player.
• Matt Frattin was the overtime hero last night for the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
• Jason Blake scored his first goal of the season in Anaheim's 5-0 win in Edmonton last night.
• Zach Parise says he understands the frustration Travis Zajac is currently going through in dealing with his Achilles tendon injury.

Saturday Morning Coffee

• Travis Zajac made his season debut last night for New Jersey, but teammate Zach Parise stole the show with a career high-tying four point (1G, 3A) performance. Parise's been on some kind of roll lately as his big night now gives him 16 points in his last 10 games. Zajac, who missed the first 30 games of the season due to an offseason Achilles tendon injury, centered the Devils' third line and had 15:22 of ice time, including about a minute on the power play. He said he felt good physically but had a little rust.
• Parise is one of the best hockey players in the world, and he is one of the few that combines elite talent with scrappiness.
• Coming off last season's career-best 31 goal campaign, Drew Stafford has not had the start to the season he or the Buffalo Sabres envisioned. However, he scored a goal last night against Toronto and may be showing signs of breaking out as he now has a point in four of his last five games.
• Last night Chicago moved into a tie with the Minnesota Wild for the most points in the NHL after defeating Anaheim 4-1. In Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks might have the best 1-2 punch in the league, but it has been the phenomenal play of Toews that has pushed the team to the top of the standings.
• Former Sioux defenseman and current Los Angeles Kings assistant captain Matt Greene took a minute to briefly discuss his time at North Dakota: 

• Jason Gregoire returned to action last night for the St. John's IceCaps (AHL) following a lengthy lay off due to injury, and he registered an assist in a 4-2 victory over Manchester.
• Defenseman Aaron Schneekloth continues to propel the Colorado Eagles' run up the standings. He scored the game winning goal last night in a 3-2 victory over Utah, and he now has 22 points (10G, 12A) and a +10 rating in 25 games. After a bit of a slow start transitioning from the CHL to the ECHL, the Eagles have gone 10-2-2 in their last 14 to move into second place in the Western Conference's Mountain Division. Former Sioux Michael Forney earned the primary assist on Schneekloth's game winner and now has 17 points (6G, 11A) in 25 games.
• Sioux 2012 recruit Stefan Matteau jumped into the International Scouting Service's Top 30 ranked 2012 NHL Draft prospects.
• Sioux 2013 recruit Jack Rowe scored the game-winning goal and was named the game's 1st Star as Cedar Rapids defeated the Team USA Under-18ers 2-1 last night. It was the first USHL goal of his career.

Running Down the Sioux Recruits

Here's the latest news in the world of Sioux recruits:

• The most recent recruit added to the fold is Drake Caggiula, a forward with the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Stouffville Spirit (I'm not positive on the pronunciation, but I've heard play-by-play announcers go with kuh-JU-lee-uh). Caggiula began this season playing four games with Des Moines (USHL) but has since moved back to Stouffville, which is where he played last season. He earned a silver medal with Canada East at the recently completed World Junior A Challenge, and since his return from the tournament, he has produced 8 points (3G, 5A) in 3 Stouffville games.
• Former Grand Forks Central defenseman Paul LaDue also recently committed to the Sioux. LaDue spent last season with the Alexandria Blizzard (NAHL) and currently plays with his cousin/fellow Sioux recruit/former GFC Knight teammate Luke Johnson and the Lincoln Stars (USHL). LaDue has produced 10 points (2G, 8A) in 15 games this season, his +10 rating leads the team, and his 10 points are sixth best among USHL defensemen. A couple weeks ago he was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week, and he hasn't wasted any time making an impact in Lincoln.
• Luke Johnson is also continuing his strong start to the USHL season. The Lincoln Star rookie ranks second on the team with 16 points (6G, 10A) in 14 games, and he is coming off a Thanksgiving weekend that saw him score two goals in three games.
• Jack Rowe of Cedar Rapids (USHL) has played in six games this season after returning from injury, but has yet to find the scoresheet as he works his way back into game shape.
• Charlie Pelnik leads Shattuck-St. Mary's U-16 defensemen with 3 goals.
• Jordan Schmaltz is feeling at home with the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), where he has scored two goals in 5 games since his trade from Sioux City. He currently leads all USHL defensemen with 3 power play goals, and his 5 total goals are second best among league blueliners. His younger brother Nick has also played four games with Green Bay after beginning the year with the Chicago Mission Under-16 team. He has yet to produce any points for the Gamblers, but he does have a +2 rating.
• Luke Voltin is fifth on the USNTDP Under-17 team with 9 points (3G, 6A) in 14 games. Fellow Sioux recruit Keaton Thompson has 6 points (3G, 3A) in 14 games with the Under-17ers.
• Stefan Matteau continues to have a strong season for the Under-18 team. He leads the team with 17 points (7G, 10A) in 22 games, and his 3 PPG and 2 GWG are also tops on the team. Under-18 teammate Miles Koules, who has been working hard to develop his strength, is fifth on the team with 11 points (2G, 9A) in 22 games.
• Earlier this month a number of Sioux players/recruits were involved in an array of international tournaments. Brad Schlossman broke down the results quite nicely.
• Vernon Viper (BCHL) defenseman Geoff Crisfield has been earning solid reviews as of late for his rugged, stay-at-home defensive play. Below is an interview after he recently earned Viper Star of the Game honors (if you want to skip the game highlights, the actual interview starts at about the 1:30 mark):

Chorney Back to Edm/OKC, Marto Back to St. John's, Etc.

A few notes from the world of Sioux hockey:

• Taylor Chorney was placed on waivers yesterday by the St. Louis Blues and claimed today by the Edmonton Oilers. Last month Chorney was waived by the Oilers in the hope that he would clear waivers and be assigned to the Oklahoma City Barons, Edmonton's AHL affiliate. Well, it took a full month, but Edmonton has finally been able to, in very roundabout fashion, assign Chorney to Oklahoma City, where he will team with former Sioux teammate Chris VandeVelde.
• Going through a revolving door himself is Jake Marto. Marto was recalled by St. John's (AHL) last weekend and played with the IceCaps Sunday. He was reassigned back to Colorado (ECHL) Monday and played with the Eagles last night, only to be called-up by St. John's again today. He signed a two-way contract with Colorado/St. John's this summer, and with the defensive depth situation in Winnipeg right now, this might be just the beginning of Marto's interleague travels. Just yesterday Marto commented on his first AHL assignment, and now he's heading back.
• Ryan Duncan, Brett Hextall (who has missed several games due to a wrist injury) and Matt Watkins are all among Portland's (AHL) top eight point producers. Duncan leads the Pirates in scoring with 10 points (4G, 6A), and the Portland Daily Sun recently featured him and fellow Hobey Baker Award winner Andy Miele.
• Brock Nelson is one of the New York Islanders' top prospects, and Islanders Point Blank recently published a feature on North Dakota's super sophomore. It's a good piece that traces Nelson's tremendous hockey lineage, and it also includes a lot of commentary from Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol.
• If you are interested in checking out a Fighting Sioux recruit and can make it to Fargo tomorrow night, Jack Rowe and his Cedar Rapids RoughRider teammates will be in town Friday to take on the Force. Rowe played his first USHL game just last Saturday after having been been shelved all season due to injury. Tickets can be had for a handful of change due to the Force's 11/11/11 promotion: Reserved and general admission tickets are $1 between 11:11 AM and 1:11 PM Friday, while club seats and ice bar ticket prices have been reduced to $11. The one catch is that the Scheels Arena box office is the only place where you can take advantage of this great deal.
  

Week 5 Recap: Sioux Swept, Frattin Scores, Chorney & Commie Debut, Etc.

The Fighting Sioux ventured into Mariucci Arena last weekend poised to cool down the hottest and highest scoring team in the WCHA, and while North Dakota and Minnesota engaged in two games that maintained relevance until the final horn, the Gophers came away with a weekend sweep and four conference points. The hot goaltending of Kent Patterson and a stingy team defense earned Minnesota a 2-0 shutout victory on Friday, while a late third period rally Saturday night saw the Gophers pull out a 3-2 victory, completing the first Minnesota sweep of North Dakota since December of 2005. A few observations:

• First and foremost, the reason Minnesota swept this series was because they are a very good team that played some very good hockey. They received consistently outstanding goaltending from Patterson, and their overall team defense and penalty killing units are vastly improved over the past few years. While North Dakota was able to generate several quality scoring chances each night, they were unable to apply sustained pressure in the offensive end, and even when they did get their best opportunities, Patterson was still very difficult to beat.
• Aaron Dell was outstanding in goal, flashing the form that made him the best statistical goalie in the WCHA last season. He made several huge saves to keep the Sioux within striking distance on Friday, and he served up much of the same Saturday as the teams engaged in another low scoring affair. Defensively, there were too many odd-man opportunities for comfort, but many of the defensive concerns we had over the course of the first month are being corrected.
• There appeared to be some nervousness out there for the Fighting Sioux this weekend. Danny Kristo did not look like his usual self, nor did Nick Mattson, and Derek Forbort really seems to be struggling to find his game. Overall, there seemed to be a number of guys pressing.
• Rocco Grimaldi scored his first collegiate goal Saturday night after being unable to play Friday due to a nagging lower body injury. His goal was a true goal scorer's goal, and when he is fully healthy he is going to add an entirely new dimension to the Sioux offense. The upcoming off week will hopefully aid in his return to full health, but as we look ahead I wonder what role his potential participation in the World Junior Championships will play on his health over the course of the season. The WJC's can be a grind, considering the selection camp, travel, game schedule, etc. so if he is indeed named to the Team USA roster hopefully he will be fully recovered in order to best handle the tournament's rigors.
• Overall, the Fighting Sioux find themselves in an unfamiliar spot as they currently sit in 11th place in the WCHA standings with a 1-5 record. They continue to show signs of improvement, as the goaltending and defensive corps are becoming the backbone of the team everyone expected them to be from the outset. Offensive depth continues to be a concern and the return to full health by Grimaldi and Brendan O'Donnell will certainly help in that area. While I'm sure the guys are itching to get back onto the ice to get the bitter taste of the sweep out of their mouths, perhaps the bye week will serve as an opportunity to regroup and focus on making a strong run into the holiday break in order to get into position for a strong second half push up the standings.

 Sioux in the Pros:

• Matt Frattin (Toronto-AHL) and Chay Genoway (Houston-AHL) faced one another for the first time as professionals Sunday night, and Frattin's two goals (including his first as a pro) helped the Marlies earn a 6-2 victory. In three games with the Marlies Frattin has three points (2G, 1A). Genoway recorded an assist in Sunday night's game, and he finished the week with two assists in three games. Frattin's first professional goal can be seen below:

• The Portland Pirates (AHL) defeated Manchester 4-1 Sunday night, and former Sioux had a hand in three of the four goals. Ryan Duncan and Brett Hextall each scored while Matt Watkins earned an assist.
• Jake Marto made his AHL debut Sunday with the St. John's IceCaps. He was returned to the ECHL's Colorado Eagles Monday, however. He was an emergency fill-in for the injury depleted IceCaps.
• Brad Miller had one goal and one assist in three games last week for the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL). Miller, Gladiator teammate Corey Fienhage, and Aaron Schneekloth (Colorado) all rank among the Top 20 ECHL defensemen in scoring.
• Mike Commodore (Detroit) and Taylor Chorney (St. Louis) each debuted for their new NHL teams Friday night. They are the 10th and 11th former Fighting Sioux to skate on NHL ice this season, and they were both in the lineup Saturday night as well.
• Among the other former Sioux highlights, New Jersey's Zach Parise had three points (1G, 2A) in three games, Chicago's Jonathan Toews had three points (1G, 2A) in four games, and St. Louis Blues forward TJ Oshie had three points (2G, 1A) in two games.

Sioux Recruits:

• Jack Rowe of Cedar Rapids (USHL) made his RoughRider debut Saturday night after missing the first month or so of the season due to injury. He was held pointless after logging three shots on goal, and he should be available to play this coming Friday when Cedar Rapids visits Fargo to take on the Force.
• Luke Johnson of the Lincoln Stars remained out of the lineup last weekend due to injury.
• A host of other Sioux recruits had the weekend off from regular season action as they prepare for an assortment of international competitions. For more on that, check out my international tournament summary from last week.