The Springfield Jr. Blues have placed hundreds of players in NCAA hockey in their 25 year history. Below is an update on Springfield alumni currently playing NCAA hockey. We will pick 5 players a week to feature, so be on the lookout for your favorite Springfield Jr. Blues alumni!

————————————————————————————-

LES LANCASTER (Mercyhurst)– Lancaster had a career day this past Friday, scoring 2 goals and adding 2 assists in a 7-4 victory over #17 Penn State. On the season, Lancaster now has 3 goals and 7 assists in 8 games played.

JOSH LAMMON (Mercyhurst)– The former Springfield forward also played a big role in Mercyhurst 7-4 victory over #17 Penn State on Friday night, scoring a goal and adding an assist. In 8 games this season, Lammon has 2 goals and 3 assists. This weekend, Mercyhurst will battle former Springfield Jr. Blues Captain Matt Long and Canisius College.

STEFANOS LEKKAS (Vermont)– Although wins have been tough to come by for the former Springfield goaltender, Stefanos Lekkas is still putting up solid numbers. His 2.98 GAA has him 10th in the Hockey East Conference and his .914 SV% has him ranked 3rd. Vermont faces Boston College at home this weekend.

ERICH FEAR (Denver)– After playing limited action last season during Denver University’s National Championship run, Erich Fear has played in 6 of 8 games this season for the Pioneers. Denver was ranked #1 until losses this past weekend, and will face newly ranked #1 St. Cloud State this Friday and Saturday night.

TOMMY NAPPIER (Ohio State)– Former Springfield goaltender Tommy Nappier saw his first NCAA action this weekend for #16 Ohio State, coming in relief against #10 Notre Dame Saturday night, stopping all shots that he faced. Ohio State heads to Connecticut to battle UCONN this weekend.

Springfield Jr. Blues At Janesville Jets| Nov. 10th & 11th | Janesville Ice Arena

RECAP & PREVIEW

Springfield is coming off of their highest scoring effort of the season, defeating the Minnesota Wilderness 7-2 last Saturday. Below are highlights from the past weekend

Springfield will look to keep up the heavy goal-scoring, as they go to battle with divisional leader and rival, Janesville Jets

All Springfield Jr. Blues road games are shown LIVE on TV at Cooper’s AlleySide Restaurant, located inside King Pin Lanes at the corner of Sangamon & Dirksen!

——————————————————————

JANESVILLE JETS 

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 12-4-0-0, 24 Pts. (1st in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.81/Game (T-13th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 2.19/Game (5th in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Kip Hoffman, F (16 GP, 4 Goals-12 Assist-16 Points), Jakov Novak, D (14 GP, 6 Goal-9 Assists-15 Points), Brenden MacLaren, F (11 GP, 6 Goals-4 Assists-10 Points)

Forward To Watch:

Kip Hoffman & Jakov Novak: The Janesville scoring attack is lead by their two veteran forwards Kip Hoffman and Jakov Novak. Hoffman has 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) in 16 games, and Novak has 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists) in 14 games. The most interesting stat of all is that in the 16 games the Jets have played, 14 of them have featured Novak or Hoffman scoring a point.

Manning the Blue Line:

Alec Semandel: Janesville defenseman Alec Semandel is not hard to miss on the ice. At 6’3″, he is the tallest defender on the Jets. He has also picked up his production this season, with 8 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 16 games after only netting 13 points in 41 games last season.

Between The Pipes:

Garrett Nieto: You all remember Garrett Nieto right? He played last season for Springfield in limited action. Here were his stats from 2016-17 with Springfield: 3 Games-4.20 GAA-.842 SV%. Fast forward to the 2017-18 season, and Nieto is now sporting an 8-2 record with a 1.91 GAA and .929 SV% for the rival Jets. Quite the turn around, but hopefully Springfield can bring out the Nieto-of-old this weekend in Janesville

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 8-6-1-1, 18 Pts. (4th in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.81/Game (T-13th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.06/Game (15th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Jordan Muzzillo (16 GP, 5 G-9 A-14 Pts.), Nikita Kozyrev (15 GP, 6 G-6 A-12 Pts.), Ethan Stewart (16 GP, 6 G-5 A-11 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Jeff Skinner: In his first 10 games with Springfield this season, Jeff Skinner had 2 points. In his past 4 games, he has 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists). Skinner has stepped up for Springfield by getting on the score sheet. The team needed more help at forward to take the pressure off forwards Nikita Kozyrev and Ethan Stewart who had scored in 10 of their 15 games played.

Manning The Blue Line:

Jordan Muzzillo: Last week, we spoke about how Jordan Muzzillo was on pace to fall just short of Matt York’s franchise record of 52 points by a defenseman in 2000-01. After a 3-point weekend (1 goal, 2 assists), Muzzillo is now on pace for 53 points this season, which would be the most by a defenseman in Springfield’s 25 year history. Muzzillo also is leading all NAHL defenseman with 5 goals on the season.

Between The Pipes:

Evan Fear: All we can say about Fear’s play this past weekend is watch this video…

If he plays like this when called upon, Springfield could have the best 1-2 punch for goaltenders in the NAHL.

The Springfield Jr. Blues received goals from 3 different players and defeated the 1st-place Janesville Jets 3-1 on Friday night in North American Hockey League action.

Springfield started the scoring early as Aiden Beck scored just 3:51 into the game. Beck finished off a pass from Cole Lawrence by beating the Janesville goaltender over his blocker to give Springfield a 1-0 lead. Springfield then conceded their only goal against on the night just before the 1st period ended.

Springfield was able to regain their lead midway through the 2nd period as Jeff Skinner re-directed a shot on the power play that got past the Jets goaltender. The lead stayed at 2-1 through the end of the 2nd period.

Springfield concluded their scoring in the third period as defenseman Fletcher Fineman’s point shot found the back of the net. Fineman’s goal now tied him with Jordan Muzzillo for the NAHL lead in goals by a defenseman.

Evan Fear was solid again in goal for Springfield, stopping 29 of 30 shots faced.

Springfield and Janesville will wrap up their weekend series Saturday night at 7:00pm!

Springfield Jr. Blues At Coulee Region Chill| Nov. 17th & 18th | The Nelson Center

RECAP & PREVIEW

WE’RE FINALLY HOME! 

The Springfield Jr. Blues had some success against the 1st place Janesville Jets last weekend. Springfield took the first game on Friday 3-1 before dropping a close one Saturday night by the score of 5-4. Below are highlights of all the goals from the series against Janesville.

Springfield is back at home this weekend after 2 weeks on the road. They will battle divisional foe Coulee Region who beat Springfield out for the final playoff spot last season. This is the first time Springfield and Coulee Region have met this season.

Friday night is Superhero Night at The Nelson Center where many different Superheroes will be in attendance for the game courtesy of Superheroes Saving Smiles! There will be superhero themed giveaways all night including tickets to go see the new “Justice League” movie. Click HERE to buy tickets to Superhero Night!

Saturday night is the Springfield Jr. Blues annual Scout Night. ! Bring your troops out for a special night of fun and hockey during our Scout Night. For discounted tickets for Boy and Girl Scouts, please contact the Springfield Jr. Blues at 217.525.2589 or info@jrblues.com Not a scout member? You can still save on tickets by clicking HERE!

**UPDATE**
This Saturday’s Game will now be a Skate With Your Springfield Jr. Blues night in addition to Scout Night! After the game, fans will be able to skate with the team! Bring your skates or rent them for just $2!

——————————————————————

COULEE REGION CHILL 

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 5-7-1-3, 14 Pts. (6th in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.75/Game (13th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.38/Game (19th in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Brandon Koch (16 GP, 1 Goals-14 Assist-15 Points), Billy Duma, D (16 GP, 5 Goal-6 Assists-11 Points), Nick Bowman, F (12 GP, 7 Goals-3 Assists-10 Points)

Forward To Watch:

Nick Bowman: The Coulee Region forward did not start the year with the Chill, but he seems to have been a spark for their offense. In his 12 games since joining the team, Bowman has 7 goals and 3 assists, with 4 of his goals coming on the power play. Springfield will have a close eye on Bowman this weekend.

Manning the Blue Line:

Brandon Koch: Looking at just the numbers, you can compare Brandon Koch to Springfield defenseman Jordan Muzzillo. Both defenseman who are leading their team in points and generate offense for their team. Koch has 15 points, one behind Muzzillo for the NAHL lead for defensemen and will look to overtake him this weekend. It will be Muzzillo and the Springfield’s defense job to not let that happen.

Between The Pipes:

Emil Zetterquist: There may be no NAHL goaltender that means more to his team right now than Emil Zetterquist. The Stockholm, Sweden native has won 4 of the Chill’s 5 games and is currently 3rd in the NAHL with a .940 save percentage, facing an average of 39 shots per game. Springfield will have to crack Zetterquist in order to find success this weekend.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 9-7-1-1, 20 Pts. (4th in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.89/Game (10th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.06/Game (15th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Jordan Muzzillo (18 GP, 5 G-11 A-16 Pts.), Nikita Kozyrev (17 GP, 6 G-7 A-13 Pts.), Jeff Skinner (16 GP, 6 G-7 A-13 Pts.), Max Brainin (16 GP, 5 G-8 A-13 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Max Brainin:  Springfield forward Max Brainin has been a welcomed addition to the team this season. The Buffalo Grove, IL native has 5 goals and 8 assists which ranks 12th among first-year NAHL players. With 8 points in his past 5 games, Brainin will look to stay hot and help Springfield melt the Chill.

Manning The Blue Line:

Fletcher Fineman: Trivia time fans! Who leads the NAHL in power play goals for a defenseman? If you said Fletcher Fineman then you are correct! The Captain has stepped up big for the Springfield power play this season and will look to keep it going this weekend.

Between The Pipes:

Evan Fear: Goaltender Evan Fear played great on Friday night against the 1st place Janesville Jets, stopping 29 of 30 shots that he saw. Since Fear has returned to Springfield, he holds a solid 2.88 GAA and .914 save percentage. Springfield will need him to be solid once again to help Springfield defeat Coulee Region and try to climb higher in the Midwest divisional standings.

The Superheroes brought out a great crowd for “Superhero Night”, but couldn’t transition their powers to the Springfield Jr. Blues, as they fell to the Coulee Region Chill 7-1.

The story of the game was the Coulee Region power play. The Chill scored 4 goals on 6 power play opportunities, including goals on the first 3 penalties against Springfield. Springfield did not score on their only power play opportunity.

Springfield’s only goal came in the first period as defenseman Max Osborne found the back of the net on assists from Fabio Hollenstein and Cole Lawrence.

Evan Fear and Connor Poczos split time in net with Fear taking the loss, stopping 13 of 16 Coulee Region shots.

Springfield will be looking for revenge as they battle Coulee Region once more. Tomorrow is Scout Night followed by a post-game skate with the team!

Your Springfield Jr. Blues came away with a shootout win tonight against the Coulee Region Chill. Springfield started the scoring tonight with a goal from defenseman Marcus Walter at 2:21 of the first period. His assist came from Fineman and Haviland. They finished up the first period with a 1-0 lead.

Forward Nikita Kozyrev tallied for the Springfield Jr. Blues 1:51 into the second period, with assists from Osborne and Stewart. Coulee Region responded with three goals of their own in the remainder of the second, ending the period with a score of 2-3 in favor of the visiting team.

3:18 into the third, forward Ethan Stewart tied things up for Springfield, with an assist from Jeff Skinner. The rest of the third was quiet from both teams, sending the game to overtime, where Springfield gathered a power play opportunity. The two-minute minor gave them some momentum, but ultimately they were unable to capitalize.

In the shootout, Nikita Kozyrev hit the back of the net first, followed by the game winning goal by Bradley Marek after ten rounds of shooting by both teams.

Springfield goalie Evan Fear had 35 saves on 38 shots tonight, plus stopped 9 of 10 Coulee Region shootout attempts. Forward Ethan Stewart racked up two points with both a goal and an assist.

Next weekend your Springfield Jr. Blues will be away facing the Minnesota Magicians. We hope to see you at our next home weekend, December 1 and 2 against the Minnesota Wilderness! Puck drops Friday at 7:05 PM and Saturday at 6:05 PM. Don’t forget to check out the HappsNow app to get your tickets in advance!

The Springfield Jr. Blues have placed hundreds of players in NCAA hockey in their 25 year history. Below is an update on Springfield alumni currently playing competitive hockey. We will pick 5 players a week to feature, so be on the lookout for your favorite Springfield Jr. Blues alumni!

————————————————————————————-

MIKE MCKENNA (Texas Stars,AHL/Dallas Stars, NHL)– Former Springfield Jr. Blues goaltender Mike McKenna was called up to the NHL’s Dallas Stars from their AHL affiliate on Monday. This season, McKenna has a 5-5-1 record with the Texas Stars of the AHL this season with an .871 save percentage and a 3.51 goals against average. Dallas plays this Tuesday and Wednesday, so there may be a chance that McKenna will see his first NHL ice time since the 2014-15 season.

MATT LEON (Peoria Riverman, SPHL)- Former Springfield Jr. Blues goaltender Matt Leon saw his first professional hockey action over the weekend. Leon made 25 saves on 28 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss for the Peoria Rivermen in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

MATHESON IACOPELLI (Rockford IceHogs, AHL)- In his limited time with Springfield, Matheson Iacopelli put up quite a few points averaging 0.75 points per game. He continued to score at the USHL level and is now doing it for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. He has 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 14 games for the Chicago Blackhawks’ minor league affiliate.

NIKOLAY KNYZHOV (Russia, CIBC) – Russian defenseman and Springfield Jr. Blues alumni Nikolay Knyzhov was selected to play in the CIBC Canada/Russia Super Series last week. The Super Series has the top junior players from Canada, facing off against the best Russian junior players. In 6 games, Knyzhov was a +5, which was 2nd best in the entire series.

NIKO DELLA MAGGIORE (Alaska-Fairbanks, NCAA)- Another Springfield Jr. Blues goaltender had a noteworthy weekend, as Niko Della Maggiore saw his first NCAA action Friday night, coming in relief and stopping all 10 shots face. The next night, Della Maggiore got his first start and first victory as he stopped 20 of 21 shots in a 4-1 victory for the Nanooks.

The Springfield Jr. Blues, proud member of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are proud to announce that defenseman and assistant captain Jordan Muzzillo has committed to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

The 20 year old defenseman has stepped up his production for Springfield in his second season and leads the team with 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) in 20 games played this season. In 74 career NAHL games, the Capron, Illinois native has 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points.

Muzzillo is now the 4th player on the Springfield Jr. Blues this season to make an NCAA Division I commitment. He joins defenseman Fletcher Fineman (Union College) and forwards Aiden Beck (Canisius) and Bradley Marek (Michigan State).

The University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks currently compete in NCAA Division I and are apart of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Nanooks have some notable alumni make it to the NHL, including current St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. Former Springfield Jr. Blues players Niko Della Maggiore and Brennan Blaszczak are currently playing for Alaska-Fairbanks.

The Springfield Jr. Blues used their own form of magic Saturday night, scoring 3 late third period goals to defeat the Minnesota Magicians 3-2 Saturday night at the Richfield Ice Arena.

The Jr. Blues trailed the Magicians 1-0 through two periods. But Springfield’s Bradley Marek tied it with a goal assisted by Casey Fitzjerrells and Riley Doyon at 13 minutes 23 seconds into the third period. 1 minute later, Jeff Skinner gave Springfield a 2-1 lead with assists from Patrick Smyth and Max Brainin. Marcus Walter later made it 3-1 at the 16:25 mark, with Ethan Stewart and Skinner getting assists, finishing off Springfield’s comeback.

Springfield outshot Minnesota 29-28 and with the win are now 11-8-1-1 with 24 points, pulling them within two points of third-place Minnesota in the NAHL Midwest Division.

The Magicians will host the Jr. Blues in the second game of the series at 6:05 p.m. Sunday.

Saturday 11/25 – Springfield 3, Magicians 2

The Springfield Jr. Blues used their own form of magic Saturday night, scoring 3 late third period goals to defeat the Minnesota Magicians 3-2 Saturday night at the Richfield Ice Arena.

The Jr. Blues trailed the Magicians 1-0 through two periods. But Springfield’s Bradley Marek tied it with a goal assisted by Casey Fitzjerrells and Riley Doyon at 13 minutes 23 seconds into the third period. 1 minute later, Jeff Skinner gave Springfield a 2-1 lead with assists from Patrick Smyth and Max Brainin. Marcus Walter later made it 3-1 at the 16:25 mark, with Ethan Stewart and Skinner getting assists, finishing off Springfield’s comeback.

Sunday 11/26 – Springfield 4, Magicians 0
Connor Poczos posted his first career NAH
L shutout as the netminder stopped all 38 shots that came his way in a 4-0 road win against the Minnesota Magicians, which also completed a weekend sweep. Ethan Stewart and Nikita Kozyrev each had a goal and an assist to pace the Jr. Blues. Stewart started the scoring with a 1st period goal, which would stand as the game-winner. Jeff Skinner scored his 8th goal of the season in the 2nd period to make it 2-0. The Jr. Blues would then add two more goals in the 3rd period, including one from Bradley Marek and another from Kozyrev. George McBey took the loss in goal for the Magicians, making 21 saves.

Updated Standings

Minnesota Wilderness at Springfield Jr. Blues | Dec. 1st & 2nd | The Nelson Center

RECAP & PREVIEW

The Springfield Jr. Blues come home with a sweep against the Minnesota Magicians last weekend. Springfield took the first game on Friday 3-2 before a 4-0 shutout on Saturday night. Below are highlights of all the goals from the series against the Magicians.

Springfield is back at home this weekend, facing the Minnesota Wilderness. This is the second time they have met the Wilderness, having split the last series.

Friday night is “Blue Friday” Night at The Nelson Center, where you will be able to find all sorts of great deals! All sorts of sales will be happening, including ticketing, merchandise, and concessions. Click HERE to buy tickets to Blue Friday!

Saturday night is Star Wars Night! Officially licensed Star Wars  characters will be in attendance, curtesy of the Midwest Garrison 501st Legion. Fun Star Wars themed games and prizes will take place all night, including a chance at free tickets to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi! Purchase your tickets by clicking HERE!

MINNESOTA WILDERNESS

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 10-10-2-1, 23 Pts. (5th in Central)

Goals Per Game: 2.78/Game (13th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.43/Game (20th in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Kosta Likourezos (23 GP,  9 G- 10 A -19 Pts.), Eric Gotz (23 GP,  3 G- 16 A -19 Pts.), Luke Dow (23 GP, 5 G – 12 A – 17 Pts.),

Forward To Watch:

Kosta Likourezos: The Minnesota Wilderness forward ended last season with 22 points for the Amarillo Bulls. This season, he has already registered 19 points, with 9 goals and 10 assists.. Springfield will have a close eye on Likourezos this weekend.

Manning the Blue Line:

Eric Gotz: This D1 commit leads the NAHL in points for defensemen, with 3 goals and 17 assists. Last season he only put up 9 points, all assists, but he has clearly stepped things up this year. He is a two-way player that knows how to create offense, so Springfield will need to watch out for him in both zones.

Between The Pipes:

Ryan Fanti:  This NAHL rookie netminder is 5-2 so far this season. He sports a save percentage of 0.925 and a GAA of 2.57, putting him 19th in the league.  Last weekend, he contributed to his team’s sweep of league leaders, Janesville Jets.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 12-8-1-1, 26 Pts. (3rd in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.91/Game (10th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.05/Game (14th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Ethan Stewart (22 GP,  9 G- 8 A -17 Pts.), Jeff Skinner (20 GP,  8 G- 9 A -17 Pts.) Jordan Muzzillo (22 GP,  5 G- 12 A -17 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Ethan Stewart:  Springfield forward Ethan Stewart leads the team in goals this season, including 3 power play goals. The Rockford, IL native has 9 goals and 8 assists. He will look to maintain his momentum this weekend against the Minnesota Wilderness.

Manning The Blue Line:

Jordan Muzzillo: In his second season with Springfield, this Capron, IL native is 4th in the NAHL in points for defensemen. He currently has 5 goals and 12 assists, including one game winning goal. He hopes to continue to contribute offensively this weekend!

Between The Pipes:

Connor Poczos: Goaltender Connor Poczos sports a save percentage of .879 this season, with 3.01 GAA. He is coming off 2 straight victories where he stopped 49 of 50 shots, including a 4-0 shutout over the Minnesota Magicians. For his performance, Poczos was named NAHL’s Midwest 2nd Star of the Week! He’ll look to stay sharp in the net and help Springfield come away with wins this weekend.

The Springfield Jr. Blues slow start came back to hurt them, as Springfield fell to the Minnesota Wilderness 2-1 in an out-of-division NAHL matchup at The Nelson Center Friday night.

Springfield was outshot in the first period 12-10 but were able to escape without letting in a goal. The score remained tied 0-0 after the first.

Minnesota got the first two goals in the contest with the first being a power play goal at 11:51 into the period. The Wilderness followed that goal up with another coming on a 2-on-1 odd man rush. Springfield  was finally able to get on the board with Max Brainin netting his 5th goal of the season. Brainin’s goal was assisted by Patrick Smyth and Jeff Skinner. Smyth’s assist was his 12th of the season, tying him with Jordan Muzzillo for the team lead.

The scoring ended after that, as Minnesota held on for the 2-1 victory. Minnesota outshot Springfield 37-32 on the night and Connor Poczos made 35 saves for Springfield.

Your Springfield Jr. Blues will be back in action tomorrow night, when they take on the Minnesota Wilderness. Tomorrow is Star Wars Night, followed by a post-game party at Cooper’s Alleyside with the Springfied Jr. Blues! Doors open at 5:05pm and puck drops at 6:05pm.

The Springfield Jr. Blues celebrated their Star Wars night with a victory, defeating the Minnesota Wilderness 5-2 Saturday night at The Nelson Center.

Springfield started fast, scoring 4 minutes into the game on a goal by Aiden Beck. However, Minnesota responded with 2 goals just 3 minutes apart to take a 2-1 lead. Jeff Skinner for Springfield then ripped a shot that hit the crossbar and bounced in to tie the game at 2 just before the 1st period ended.

Springfield picked the pace up in the 2nd period as Bradley Marek and Nikita Kozyrev both scored goals in the period to give Springfield a 2 goal lead, at 4-2.

The scored stayed at 4-2 until Skinner scored an empty net goal to seal Springfield’s victory and give the home team a 5-2 win. Evan Fear came in for goaltender Connor Poczos when a Minnesota player collided with him early in the second and had ot be removed from the game. In relief, Fear stopped all 27 shots he faced.

Your Springfield Jr. Blues will be back at The Nelson Center on Thursday, December 7th for their Thirsty Thursday Game! There will be $1 Coors Light Drafts and $1 Hot Dogs ALL NIGHT LONG! Doors open at 6:05pm and Puck drops at 7:05pm

RECAP & PREVIEW

The Springfield Jr. Blues split last weekend against the Minnesota Wilderness, with a Friday night 2-1 loss followed by a Saturday night 5-2 win. Below are highlights of all the goals from the series against the Wilderness.

Springfield is at home this weekend, facing the Coulee Region Chill. This is the second time they have met the Chill, having split the last series.

Thursday night at Nelson Center will be Coors Thirsty Thursday night, featuring $1 hot dogs and $1 Coors Light Drafts all night! Friday night, the Springfield Jr. Blues will be hosting a canned food drive, offering $1 off tickets at the door (cash only) up to $4 off!

——————————————————————

COULEE REGION CHILL

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 6-11-1-5, 23 Pts. (6th in Central)

Goals Per Game: 2.74/Game (16th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.35/Game (18th in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Nick Bowman (19 GP,  8 G- 10 A -18 Pts.), Brandon Koch (23 GP,  2 G- 16 A -18 Pts.), Tomas Vochozka (20 GP, 4 G – 13 A – 17 Pts.),

Forward To Watch:

Nick Bowman: The Coulee Region forward has 18 points so far this season, averaging almost a point per game. Springfield’s defense will have to keep an eye on him, limiting both his scoring chances and his set ups.

Manning the Blue Line:

Brandon Koch: This D1 commit has recorded 18 points this season, 16 of which are assists. Springfield will have to watch out for his ability to play in both zones, and limit his chances to make big plays.

Between The Pipes:

Emil Zetterquist:  This D1 commit is 4-3 so far this season. He sports a save percentage of 0.938 and a GAA of 2.34, putting him 13th in the league.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 13-9-1-1, 24 Pts. (4th in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 2.92/Game (11th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 2.96/Game (12th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Jeff Skinner (22 GP,  10 G- 11 A -21 Pts.), Ethan Stewart (24 GP,  9 G- 10 A -19 Pts.),  Nikita Kozyrev (23 GP,  9 G- 8 A -17 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Nikita Kozyrev:  Springfield forward Nikita Kozyrev logged 22 points last season with the Minnesota Magicians, and already has 17 points this season for Springfield. He has scored one power play goal and one game winning goal this season. He will look to continue his momentum this weekend against the Coulee Region Chill.

Manning The Blue Line:

Fletcher Fineman: In his second season with Springfield, this Lakeworth, FL native leads the league in Power Play Goals for defensemen. He currently has 5 goals and 6 assists, including one game winning goal. He hopes to continue to contribute offensively this weekend!

Between The Pipes:

Evan Fear: Goaltender Evan Fear sports a save percentage of .917 this season, with 2.73 GAA. He is currently third in the league for shootout %. He is 4-3 so far this season for the Springfield Jr. Blues, and he will look to stay hot this weekend!

The Springfield Jr. Blues, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are pleased to announce that defenseman Marcus Walter has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for Bentley University in Atlantic Hockey.

Walter, 18, is in his first season playing in the NAHL. The 6’3/209 lbs. native of St. Albert, Alberta, has been a solid edition to the Jr. Blues blueline this season. In 27 regular season games, Walter has recorded 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists). Walter has picked up an assist in three of his last four games.

“I am very proud to announce my commitment to play D1 hockey at Bentley University. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way. #GoFalcons,” said Walter on Twitter.

“We are very proud of Marcus on his commitment to further his hockey and academics at Bentley. He comes to work everyday with the intent to get better and the hard work has paid off,” said Jr. Blues head coach Tyler Rennette.

Prior to playing in the NAHL, Walter spent two seasons playing in Canada for the Drayton Valley Thunder.

Walter is the 4th Jr. Blues player on this year’s roster who has made an NCAA Division I commitment.

RECAP & PREVIEW

The Springfield Jr. Blues split last weekend against the Coulee Region Chill, with Thursday night win 5-3, followed by a Friday night loss of the same score. They finished up the weekend with a 4-1 win in Janesville. Below are highlights of all the goals from the series against the Wilderness and the Jets.

Springfield is at home this weekend, facing the Topeka RoadRunners. This is the second time they have met the RoadRunners, having swept the last series.

Friday night at Nelson Center will be our Teddy Bear Toss, with $2 teddy bears to be sold at the game! Bears will be thrown on the ice after the first Springfield goal of the night! Saturday night, the Springfield Jr. Blues will be hosting a holiday post-game skate with the team. Skate rentals are free for Kids Club members!

——————————————————————

Topeka RoadRunners

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 10-18-1-1, 22 Pts. (6th in South)

Goals Per Game: 2.43/Game (20th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 3.90/Game (22nd in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Nick Granowicz (25 GP,  12 G – 18 A – 30 Pts.), Will Schlagenhauf  (27 GP,  9 G- 16 A – 25 Pts.), Sam Martel (28 GP, 4 G – 17 A – 21 Pts.),

Player To Watch:

Sam Martel: This blue liner has recorded 21 points this season, 17 of which are assists. This puts him 7^th in points for NAHL rookies, and 3^rd for defensemen. Springfield will have to keep an eye on his two-way play, and limit his chances to set up assists.

Between The Pipes:

Emil Gransoe:  The Danish goalie is 6-11 so far this season. He sports a save percentage of 0.910 and a GAA of 3.48.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 15-10-1-1, 32 Pts. (3^rd in Midwest)

Goals Per Game: 3.04/Game (9th in NAHL)

Goals Against Average: 2.96/Game (14th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Jeff Skinner (22 GP,  10 G- 11 A -21 Pts.), Ethan Stewart (24 GP,  9 G- 10 A -19 Pts.),  Nikita Kozyrev (23 GP,  9 G- 8 A -17 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Nikita Kozyrev:  Springfield forward Nikita Kozyrev logged 22 points last season with the Minnesota Magicians, and already has 20 points this season for Springfield. He has scored one power play goal and one game winning goal this season. He will look to continue his momentum this weekend against the Coulee Region Chill.

Manning The Blue Line:

Marcus Walter: The recent D1 commit has logged 10 points this season, with 2 goals and 8 assists. He has one power play goal and one game winning goal.

Between The Pipes:

Evan Fear: Goaltender Evan Fear sports a save percentage of .922 this season, with 2.58 GAA. He is currently fourth in the league for shootout save %. He is 6-3 so far this season for the Springfield Jr. Blues, and he will look to stay hot this weekend!

Your Springfield Jr. Blues prevailed last night over the Topeka RoadRunners 4-2  and will be back in action tonight at 6:05 PM! Visit happsnow.com or jrblues.com for your tickets and bring your skates for a post game Holiday Skate with the team.

Springfield started off the scoring at 2:37 of the first period, when forward Bradley Marek found the back of the net with assists were from Muzzillo and Fitzjerrells. Just a little over a minute later, Ethan Stewart lit the lamp getting helpers from Hollenstein and Kozyrev, putting Springfield ahead 2-0.  Marek and Stewart both scored again this period, at 7:41 and 17:22 respectively. Your Springfield Jr. Blues ended the first period with a 4-0 lead.

In a less eventful second period, Topeka finally responded with a goal of their own at 9:13 after switching goalies just before the intermission. The rest of the period was quiet from both teams, ending the period with a score of 4-1.

Similarly, the third period was a quiet one, with teams exchanging penalties but not scoring, until Topeka tallied at 17:22, making the score 4-2.

Your three Stars of the Game are 3: Evan Fear, 2: Ethan Stewart, and 1: Bradley Marek

Your Springfield Jr. Blues walked away with a 5-3 win tonight against the Topeka RoadRunners, sweeping the series.

Topeka found the back of the net first with a goal at 4:43 in the first period. Springfield responded at 14:23 of the first, with a goal from Skinner, assists from Marek and Brainin to tie up the game and end the 1^st period 1-1.

Skinner started off the scoring for Springfield in the 2^nd period with an unassisted goal 2:00 into the period. 1:03 later, Topeka lit the lamp, tying the game once again but Shane Halivand broke the tie at 15:05, with assists from Stewart and Schultz. Score was 3-2 at the end of the period.

Our third period began with a hat trick from Skinner with assists from Muzzillo and Ozborne, scoring at 9:41! Marek also found the net with the same assists at 11:53. Topeka responded, making the score 5-3.

One of the hottest players in the NAHL at the moment is Springfield Jr. Blues forward Jeff Skinner. That was one display this past weekend as the 5’11/180 lbs. native of Katy, Texas had another big weekend to lead the Jr. Blues to a home sweep over the Topeka RoadRunners. Skinner, 19, had four points (3 goals, 1 assist) in the sweep and was a +2. On Friday night, Skinner had an assist in a 4-2 win. On Saturday, he recorded a hat-trick, which included the game-winning goal in a 5-3 win. Skinner is currently on a 10-game point streak and has recorded 15 points in that span. His 28 points in 27 games played leads the Jr. Blues in scoring. “Jeff has been playing great hockey for us the past few weeks. When he competes and at his best, he is one of the top players in our league,” said Jr. Blues head coach Tyler Rennette.

This weekend the Springfield Jr Blues will be hosted by the Janesville Jets in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Last weekend, the Springfield Jr Blues hosted the Jets and took two losses in two days. This weekend, team owner Dan Ferguson says he’s hoping to turn those numbers around.

Springfield Jr Blues fans can meet at Cooper’s AlleySide located inside KingPin Lanes to watch the game. Cooper’s AlleySide is at 3115 East Sangamon Avenue, Springfield, IL 62702. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @SpringfieldJr.Blues to see pictures of the team bowling outing Thursday!

Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, January 27, 2018. It’s Military Appreciation Night! All military gets in for just $5.00 with proper ID. We will have games, giveaways, and more!

——————————————————————

Janesville Jets

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 21-8-2-0, 44 Pts. (2nd in Midwest) 7-2-1-0

Goals Against Average: 2.49/Game (22nd in NAHL)

Scoring Leaders: Jakov Novak (28 GP,  15 G – 24 A – 39 Pts.), Kip Hoffmann (31 GP,  12 G- 23 A – 35 Pts.), Erik Palmqvist (27 GP, 6 G – 13 A – 19 Pts.), 

Player To Watch:

Jakov Novak: This D1 player has earned 39 points this season, 24 of which are assists. With 17 goals, Springfield will have to keep an eye on his play, and limit his chances to set up assists.

Between The Pipes:

Garrett Nieto:  The former Springfield goalie is 11-3 so far this season. He sports a save percentage of 0.928 and a GAA of 2.12, making him 6^th in the league.

SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Tale Of The Tape:

Record: 18-13-1-1, 38 Pts. (3^rd in Midwest)

Goals Against Average: 2.49/Game (14th in NAHL)

Top Scorers: Jeff Skinner (21 GP,  15 G- 15 A -30 Pts.), Ethan Stewart (33 GP,  12 G- 15 A -27 Pts.),  Nikita Kozyrev (33 GP, 12 G- 14 A -26 Pts.)

Forward To Watch:

Jeff Skinner:  Springfield forward Jeff Skinner has logged 30 points this season with Springfield, putting him on track to score more points than his 17 points earned last season with the Wichita Falls Wildcats.

Manning The Blue Line:

Jordan Muzzillo:  Springfield defenseman Jordan Muzzillo has logged 21 points this season, with 5 goals and 16 assists. He has one power play goal and one game winning goal.

Between The Pipes:

Evan Fear: Goaltender Evan Fear sports a save percentage of .924 this season, with 2.44 GAA. He is currently fourth in the league for shootout save %. He is 8-5 so far this season for the Springfield Jr. Blues, and he will look to stay hot this weekend!