Rochester Mustangs Name Craig Norwich Head Coach

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(Rochester, MN) – The Rochester Mustangs of the United States Hockey League have announced the hiring of Mr. Craig Norwich as the new Head Coach and General Manager.

Norwich is a former Minnesota High School hockey star from Edina, MN, who brings with him extensive knowledge of the sport and several years of coaching experience. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin before playing professionally. His first professional game was with the Cincinnati Stingers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). From there he graduated on to the Winnipeg Jets, the St. Louis Blues, the Colorado Rockies and then the Springfield Indians (AHL). After spending five years playing pros in the United States, he went over to Europe and played eight years in the European Professional Hockey League.

Norwich was also a member of several World Ice Hockey Championship teams – 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1983. He is the recipient of several individual hockey awards: two time All-American in the WCHA, 1976-77 NCAA All-Tournament Team, 1978-79 WHA Top Scoring Defenseman and WHA All-Star, was a member of the NHL’s Top Ten in Plus/Minus in 1980 and a member of the 1983 World Ice Hockey All-World Team. He acquired his Elite Level Coaching Certification in 1998 with the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation.
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USHL: Team by Team Recruits

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Mike Chin-RC Des Moines 6’3 200 9-24-80 NOTRE DAME
Noah Clarke-LC Des Moines 5’9 165 6-11-79 COLORADO
Garrett Stafford-RD Des Moines 5’11 170 1-28-80 U.NEW HAMPSHIRE
Erik Jensen-RW Des Moines 6’2 185 9-4-79 WISCONSIN
Peter Fregoe-RW Des Moines 5’10 180 7-17-78 PROVIDENCE
Jim Jackson-LD Des Moines 5’11 175 4-22-80 NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Nick Field-RC Des Moines 5’10 170 11-6-79 FERRIS ST.
Kevin Caudill-LW Des Moines 6’3 170 4-17-79 FERRIS ST.
Matt Shasby-D Des Moines 6’2 180 7-2-80 ALASKA-ANCHORAGE

Patrick Sharp-RW Thunder Bay 6′ 165 12-27-81 VERMONT(2000-01)
Bryson Busniuk-LW Thunder Bay 6’2 170 11-12-79 VERMONT
Aaron MacKenzie-LD Thunder Bay 6′ 180 3-7-81 DENVER
Cory McEachran-G Thunder Bay 6’2 195 10-13-78 ALASKA-ANCHORAGE

Jesse Unklesbay-LC Fargo/S.City 5’10 170 11-24-78 ALASKA-ANCHORAGE

Drew Otten-RW Lincoln 5’11 180 6-27-78 UNDECIDED
Matt Shasby-LD Lin-DM 6’2 175 7-2-80 ALASKA-ANCHORAGE
Brendon Hodge-RW Lincoln 6’3 200 8-29-78 U-MASS AMHERST
Chris Liechtfield-LC Lincoln 5’10 180 1-28-80 FERRIS ST.
Ed Cassin-RD Lincoln 5’11 187 3-22-78 NEBRASKA-OMA

Morgan Roach-RC Sioux City 6’2 200 6-7-78 ALASKA-ANCHORAGE Read more»

Thunder Bay Flyers retool for next year

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If re-building is what the Thunder Bay Flyers did this season by making the play-offs with a 19-30-7 record. Then the 1999-2000 season the Flyers must be re-tooling for better things to come. The biggest change has already taken place. As Gary Wenzel was fired as head coach and general manager after only one season behind the bench. His replacement is Thunder Bay native Todd Jones who spent the last three years as assistant coach and assistant general manager of the Sioux City Musketeers. Both the Flyers and Musketeers are owned by Superland Sports business tycoon Ted Carlson.

The Flyers have 11 players returning to the Lakehead. The veterans will be led by Pat Sharp with 19 goals, 24 assits for 43 points in his rookie season. Other returning forwards are Derrick McIver 43 points last year, Chris Sharp 32 points, Murray MaGill, Clayton Carson, Aaron Grynol, Jeff Miles, Chris Shaffer 40 points. The defence looks to be a question mark with only two d-man suiting up from Wenzel’s squad. Rookie defenceman Jesse Baraniuck had a strong play-offs and Tyler Williamson returns for his third season on the blueline.
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Thunder Bay Flyers Make Playoffs

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The Thunder Bay Flyers have made the United States Hockey League playoffs for the first time in four years. The Flyers qualified with a 5-2 win over the West Division leading Omaha Lancers. Thunder Bay jumped out to a 3-0 second period lead on goals by Chris Shaffer, Derrick McIver and Jeff Miles. But the Lancers stormed back with two of their own by Jason Jaworski and Jed Ortmeyer.

The Flyers increased the lead back to two goals as Aaron MacKenzie tipped in Mike Tilson’s point shot in the third period. Derrick McIver scored his second of the night on the empty net to send Thunder Bay back to the playoffs. The Flyers once again received strong goaltending from Cory MaEachran who made 43 saves in the win.

The Flyers sit in sixth place but could drop to seventh on the out come of Sunday nights games. The Flyers will either play the Lancers or the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL Quarter-Finals. The post season will start early next week. Stay tuned to Hockey’s Future for Flyers Updates.

Buccaneers Breeze to Anderson Cup

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Three wins by Des Moines over the weekend clinch regular season title
The Des Moines Buccaneers took their first step to a National Championship over the weekend by clinching the Anderson Cup for winning the regular season title. The wins also assured them a place in the upcoming Gold Cup playoffs for the National Junior Hockey Championship.

The weekend started at home for Des Moines with a 6-1 win against the North Iowa Huskies. The Buccaneers Peter Sejna figured in on 5 of the 6 Des Moines goals with one assist and 4 goals, one of which came on the power play. The Buccaneers then traveled the 103 miles North to Waterloo and finished clinching the cup with an easy 7-3 win against the Waterloo Black Hawks. Kelly Miller got the game-winning goal while Jerrid Reinholz, Pete Fregoe, and KC Caudill each added 2 goals apiece. Des Moines then added another 5-4 win against North Iowa, this time coming in Mason City.
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