adn_aces's blog

Several Alaska-connected cats toiled in NHL exhibition games tonight, with St. Louis Blues goaltender Ty Conklin of Anchorage leading the way -- he stopped 21 of 22 shots in two periods of a 6-2 win over visiting Colorado and was named third star of the match.

In that same game, former Alaska Aces forward Julian Talbot racked an assist, two shots on goal and a fighting major in 17:11 of ice time for the Blues.

In Tampa Bay, Atlanta winger Joey Crabb of Anchorage fired four shots and was even in 14:19 during a 2-1 OT loss to the Lightning.

In Detroit, New York Rangers center Paul Crowder, the former UAA pivot, was even in 12:02 during a 4-3 loss to the Red Wings. Also for the Rangers, former UAF winger Aaron Voros fired two shots and delivered five hits while earning an even rating in 13:18.

For what it's worth, the New York Post reports that the agent for New York Rangers center Brandon Dubinsky of Anchorage, who is without a contract and has missed the first week of training camp, has lowered his asking price.

The Post reports agent Kurt Overhardt is seeking a one-year deal for $1.1 million or a two-year deal for $2.15 mil. Reporter Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers' respective offers are $700,000 and $1.85 mil.

No attribution is given for any of those dollar figures, not even anonymous sources, so hmm. Anyhow, to check out Brooks' story, click

The St. Louis Blues sent their first cuts of training camp to Peoria of the American Hockey League today, and the guys dropped included three defensemen who spent time with the ECHL Alaska Aces last season.

Headed Peoria's way are blueliners Ryan Turek, T.J. Fast and Alexander Hellstrom.

Peoria and Alaska are affiliates of the Blues.

The NHL exhibition season started this week, which also delivered the first cuts of training camps. So, let's take a quick lap around the rink and catch up with some Alaska connections.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Matt Carle of Anchorage logged a game-high 26:59 of ice Wednesday night in a 3-1 loss at Detroit. He even logged 7:22 of penalty-killing time. Fired two shots, racked a +1 rating.

Meanwhile, former UAA goaltender Nathan Lawson stopped 19 shots for the New York Islanders in Wednesday's 3-2 loss at Edmonton.

Montreal Canadiens center Scott Gomez of Anchorage is at this moment playing in his first exhibition for his new club, skating against the visiting Florida Panthers (Gomez bagged a goal late in the first period in Montreal's 3-2 win. He fired two shots and was +1, but won only 7 of 17 draws. Still, his 22:18 of ice was the most for any forward in the game, and the second-most for any player). Gomez is rocking No. 91. He wore No. 19 with his previous club, the New York Rangers (he and Chris Drury flipped for No. 23 when they both signed as free agents with New York), and wore No. 23 with the New Jersey Devils.

Former UAA center Paul Crowder and former UAF goaltender Chad Johnson survived the first rounds of training-camp cuts administered by the New York Rangers today.

Crowder, who left the Seawolves after his junior season last spring to turn pro, is one of 20 forwards left -- another one is former UAF winger Aaron Voros. (No movement on the Brandon Dubinsky front -- the Rangers center from Anchorage, a restricted free agent, still is without a deal and not in camp).

Johnson, a rookie like Crowder, is one of four goalies left.

Odds are both Crowder and Johnson will begin the season with th

Scrounging around the series of tubes for info on Alaska-connected players, I came across the signing of former Alaska Aces defenseman Steven Later, who is headed to his fourth minor league in five pro seasons.

Later, who played for the Aces in 2006-07, has signed with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays of the Central Hockey League. His teammates will include former Aces goaltender Kris Tebbs and former UAF forward Adam Powell.

Last season for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League, Later earned 6-23--29 totals and a +7 rating in 59 games and led the league with 296 penalty minutes (the next closest guy had 245 PIMs). His 14 fighting majors tied for seventh on the circuit.

As things heat up in NHL training camps and minor-league teams get poised to follow, here's a quick look around the rinks.

We start with Montreal Canadiens center Scott Gomez of Anchorage -- check out the 411 on him in a Montreal Gazette story here.

Meanwhile, three Alaska connections played in an NHL exhibition game in the middle of nowhere (i.e. Terrace, B.C.) on Monday night, when the Vancouver Canucks beat the New York Islanders in something called the Kraft Hockeyville Game. Former UAA Seawolves goaltender Nathan Lawson stopped five of six shots in playing half the game for the Isles. Islanders center Nate Thompson of Anchorage was even with one shot on goal and Anchorage winger Eric Walsky, late of Colorado College, UAA and East High, went even with zero shots for the Canucks.

The New York Rangers opened training camp today, and third-year center Brandon Dubinsky of Anchorage wasn't there -- he doesn't have a contract, so his status is up in the air.

His agent and the Rangers have been negotiating, but so far no deal for the restricted free agent. Rangers coach John Tortorella is already bitching and moaning about Dubinsky's absence.

The Rangers have made a qualifying offer to Dubinsky for a one-year deal -- that's been reported at $522,000. He'll end up with much more, of course, befitting a guy who likely will be at least the club's second-line center, provided they don't trade him. Another team could also present Dubinsky with an offer sheet, but that seems unlikely because it involves giving up primo draft picks in the future.

NHL main training camps, not those rookie-camp appetizers, open around North America this weekend, and there are more than three dozen Alaska connections who are geared up for the job hunt.

Some of them are no-brainers, of course -- we have a sneaking suspicion Scotty Gomez will manage to crack the lineup of his new club, the Montreal Canadiens.

By Alaska-connected, we mean players who are either from here, played for UAA or UAF, or played for the ECHL Alaska Aces. Some folks have multiple connections -- Gomez is from Anchorage and played for the Aces during the NHL lockout in 2004-05. Goaltender John DeCaro, who will attend Nashville's camp, played at UAA and, albeit briefly, for the Aces.

UAA on its web site today posted a job opening for its head hockey coaching position, but don't jump to conclusions: Athletic director Steve Cobb emphasized Dave Shyiak remains on the job as bench boss.

Cobb said Shyiak, a Canadian citizen entering his fifth season as UAA head coach, is again applying to the U.S. Department of Labor for "permanent residency'' status -- that's commonly known as a "green card.'' As part of the process, UAA, which is sponsoring Shyiak's application, must conduct a national search.

"We are very happy with coach Shyiak's performance as our hockey coach, we are excited for the season and don't foresee any changes,'' Cobb said.

The NHL's Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich., wrapped today, and former UAA center Paul Crowder racked an assist for the New York Rangers in a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Crowder was +1 with four shots on goal. Figure him ticketed for Hartford of the American Hockey League, where he hooked up after signing with New York last spring following his junior season in green and gold. In four tournament games in Michigan, Crowder had that one assist and was +2 with five shots.

Former (and future?) Aces defensemen T.J. Fast and Ryan Turek played against Crowder today. Both were even, Turek managed one shot. For the tournament, Turek was +1 with four shots, Fast scored two goals and was +3 with five shots.

The Blueliners Booster Club has lined up a picnic Sunday afternoon, and fans and supporters are encouraged to come meet the 2009-10 edition of the UAA Seawolves.

This meet-greet-and-eat -- food will be provided -- is set for 2-4:30 p.m. at the Cuddy Center on the UAA campus.

Gives folks a chance to meet and mingle with coach Dave Skyiak, his staff and the team.

UAA opens with an exhibition against the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology on Oct. 2 in Wasilla, then opens for real with the Kendall Hockey Classic at Sullivan Arena on Oct. 9-10. UAA plays Mercyhurst and Michigan in th

Ex-UAA forward Spencer Carbery (one season, 2002-03), who helped the South Carolina Stingrays beat the Alaska Aces for the Kelly Cup last season, has re-signed with the ECHL team.

Carbery, 27, is entering his fourth year as a pro. In 68 combined games with Fresno and South Carolina last season, he earned 17-15--32 totals, a +19 rating and 194 PIMs. He's feisty -- Carbery's 22 fighting majors ranked tied for sixth on the circuit; the leader was former UAA and Aces winger Justin Johnson of Anchorage, who played for Cincy and is back with the Aces.

At least five Alaska-connected cats are currently playing in Michigan at the 12th annual Traverse City Prospects Tournament, where eight NHL teams are represented.

Former UAF goaltender Chad Johnson made 28 saves Monday and former UAA center Paul Crowder was +2 in the New York Rangers' 4-1 win over Atlanta. Defensemen T.J. Fast and Ryan Turek, both of whom played for the Alaska Aces last season and helped them make their run to the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals, are with St. Louis at the tournament. Fast has two goals in two games and is +3, and Turek is +1.

Also, former Notre Dame goalie Jordan Pearce of Anchorage is with Detroit -- he stopped 15 shots in a 5-3 loss to Carolina on Monday.

This one initially slipped past me, but former UAA defenseman Shane Lovdahl of Anchorage recently signed a deal to begin his pro career -- he's headed to the Quad City Mallards of the International Hockey League.

Lovdahl, 25, also played some forward for the Seawolves. Last season, he earned 1-4--5 totals in 32 games, and in 110 career games he put up 8-25--33 totals. Figure him to be a defenseman in play-for-pay game.

If you care, the Mallards are based in Moline, Ill., hard by the Mississippi, and where in the summer of 1984 I attended the wedding of my college pals Thom and Annette, a

Hard to figure that any of the Alaska Aces are more excited for the season to begin than sturdy defensemen Lee Green of Soldotna and B.J. Crum, both of whom will be coming back for the upcoming season. The ECHL club made that announcement today.

Green, 27 and entering his fifth pro season, underwent shoulder surgery last season, which ended his campaign after 18 games. Crum, 26 and entering his third year of pro, suffered a separated shoulder late in the regular season and missed the run to the Kelly Cup Finals.

Talked to both guys today, and both said they're healthy and ready to roll. And first-year coach Brent Thompson said he is counting on both to be physical and play with an edge.

Defenseman Kerry Weiland and Team USA beat Canada, 2-1, on Sunday to win the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver and get off to a strong start this season heading into the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The Americans went 4-1 in the tournament, and now embark on a pre-Olympic schedule that includes 15 games -- starting with a Sept. 25 match against the WCHA All-Stars -- and a tournament -- the Four Nations Cup in Finland in Novemeber -- designed to sharpen them before the Olympics.

Defenseman Kerry Weiland of Palmer and the U.S. Women's National Team avenged a round-robin loss to Finland with a 4-0 semfinal victory today that advanced them to Sunday's championship game in the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver.

Looks like the Americans will face host Canada -- as this is written, the Canucks own a 6-0 second-period lead over Sweden. (UPDATE: Canada it is; it beat the Swedes 7-2).

Meghan Duggan bagged a hat trick for the U.S. today and Jessie Vetter made 19 saves. The U.S. beat Canada 4-2 in round-robin play on Thursday.

Weiland is aiming to make the 2010 U.S. O

Defenseman Kerry Weiland of Palmer assisted on the game-winning goal Thursday night to help the U.S. Women's National Team to a 4-2 victory over rival Canada in the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver, B.C.

Weiland has two assists in three tournament games, and the Americans are 2-1 entering Saturday's semifinal against Finland. The Finns beat the Americans, 3-2, in a tournament-opening game earlier this week.

While puckheads here in North America still have roughly a month to go before satisfying their puck jones, the season kicked off in the German Elite League today, and Alaska connections flourished.

Former Alaska Aces sniper Josh Soares (60 goals and 140 points in 103 regular-season and playoff games over the previous two seasons) introduced himself internationally in a huge way. The 2007 ECHL first-teamer racked two goals -- one on the power play, one short-handed -- for the Kassel Huskies in an 8-3 win at Eisbaren Berlin. His teammate, former Aces standout Alex Leavitt (ECHL Rookie of the Year and league scoring leader in 2006) bagged a goal and went +3.