This week includes updates on featured alum Alex MacLeod, seven Husky recruits with big weeks, four alumni, audio of the Mel Pearson Show and more.
Recruits
Teammates Tyler Heinonen and Chris Leibinger were part of a multi-team trade that saw them leave Muskegon (USHL) for new teams last week. Heinonen was sent to Chicago along with affiliate player Chase Phelps in exchange for Christian Heil and Jeff Kubiak. Heinonen had a two point weekend for his new team with an assist in Friday’s 4–1 win over Cedar Rapids and a goal in Saturday’s 7–3 win over Dubuque. Leibinger was traded to Waterloo in exchange for a seventh wrong pick in the 2013 draft.
Joel L’Esperance had the first goal for Tri-City (USHL) in the third minute of the first period in a Thursday 6–5 shootout loss to Lincoln. L’Esperance scored the first goal for Tri-City again on Friday in a 5–3 loss. This goal came on the power play with just 45 seconds left in the first period.
Reid Sturos earned the 1st star for the Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) in their 5–2 win over the Coquitlam Express. Sturos scored his first of two goals at 17:01 of the first period and then scored the next goal of the game at 12:50 of the second.
Shane Hanna had a goal and an assist earning him the 2nd star in Salmon Arm’s (BCHL) 4–2 loss to the Merritt Centennials on Wednesday. Hanna scored the first goal of the game at 5:55 of the first period.
Michael Neville had two goals on the week for St. Michaels (OJHL). Neville scored his first goal on the power play, late in the 3rd period of Friday’s 3-2 loss to Buffalo. Neville’s second was an empty netter in St. Michaels’ 5-1 win over North York.
Jake Jackson had a big game for Tartan (USHS–MN) on Thursday night against Mahtomedi. Jackson scored his two goals of the night back to back in the first period. Jackson had two goals, two assists and was plus three in Tartan’s 7–3 win.
Travis Brown had a goal and an assist for Rogers (USHS–MN) in their 5–3 win over Saint Michael-Albertville on Valentine’s Day. Brown had the first goal of the game at 5:56 of the first period.
Alumni
Tyler Shelast had a goal and two assists earning him the second star of the game on Monday as Kalamazoo (ECHL) clobbered Cincinnati 4–1.
Josh Robinson had a 40 save game in Idaho’s (ECHL) 3–2 win over Las Vegas on Sunday. Robinson currently has a 19–6–1 record, 2.80 goals against average and 9.19 save percentage to date for Idaho. Robinson also earned a 4–2 win over the Ontario Rein on Saturday. With the win Robinson and the Steelheads clinch an ECHL playoff birth.
Bryce Reddick had a goal in Idaho’s 4–2 loss to Las Vegas. Reddick scored his goal ten minutes into the first period.
Geoff Kinrade has 8 goals and 11 assists in 47 games for SC Bern (NLA). The regular season ends for SC Bern on February 26 and the club is expected to hold the number one seed headed into the eight-team playoffs.
Alex MacLeod was called up to the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) earlier this month for the second time. On Friday night against the Orlando Solar Bears he scored his first two goals with the Stingrays in a 4–3 overtime loss. MacLeod has played seven games for the Stingrays and has four points and is plus three during that time. MacLeod is in his first professional hockey season after playing in 144 games for the Huskies.
Husky Audio/Video and News
The Mel Pearson Show is broadcast live every Monday at 8:30 AM on 93.5FM WKMJ and available to download from MichiganTechHuskes.com later in the day. If you would like to listen to this audio and more, subscribe to the Huskies RSS feed by going here and following the instructions. The February 18th edition is available below:
This week in the WCHA’s February 17th audio update is available below:
Polls and Rankings*
Polls: USCHO.com Poll (NR), USA Today Poll (NR)
Computers: KRACH Rankings (38↑), Pairwise Rankings (NR), RPI Rankings (46↓), USHSHO.com (24↑/39↑)
WCHA/Michigan Power Rankings: THG Web Media Poll (10↔), Goon’s World (10↔), Radio Free Omaha† , College Hockey News (10↔), Michigan College Hockey (6↔)
*Michigan Tech’s ranking and their change in ranking from the previous week is in parentheses
†Not updated at this time, please check back later
