Monday, November 29, 2010

Metro sunk Sunday afternoon by Cherokee

WATERFORD, MI – The Metro Jets played a strong game, but fell to the Toledo Cherokee, 8-5, Sunday afternoon at Lakeland Arena.

Five different players scored for the Jets, including newcomer Bryan Marks (Milford, Mich.), who scored Metro’s first goal at 15:20 of the first period.

Marks signed with Metro last Friday after starting the season in Toledo.

Matt Elswick (Gaylord, Mich.) added a goal and an assist, while Justin Bennett (Brighton, Mich.), Matt Stemkoski (Novi, Mich.) and Tommy Kilgore (Pinckney, Mich.) also scored.

Matt Stirling (Dexter, Mich.) and Mike Denston (White Lake, Mich.) each recorded two assists and Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) finished with 35 saves in goal.

For Toledo, Cameron Rossman scored three goals and Cory Bastian had two goals and an assist in the win.

The Jets (7-14-1-0) are off next weekend and don't play again until Dec. 11-12 when they hit the road to play the Chicago Hitmen.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Burns searching for college opportuunity

Tommy Burns has been in this situation before.

As a 20-year-old playing for the Metro Jets, Burns is fast approaching the end of his junior hockey eligibility.

Two years ago after playing for Pinckney High School, Burns came down with mononucleosis and was forced to take a year off of hockey.

Was that the end of his hockey career? Nope. And he hopes to still be playing the sport he loves this time next season.

“It killed me thinking that that could have been my last year playing competitively,” said Burns. “Before the start of this season, I decided I was going to lace back up the skates in hopes of continuing my hockey career, which I am doing right now. I hope to continue next year playing for a university.”

This year with the Jets, Burns is among the team’s top scorers with nine goals and 20 points in 19 games in Waterford. He started the season in Flint and after one game with the Jr. Generals was acquired by the Jets.

“We had known about Burnsy for a few years and knew he had a decent scoring touch,” Metro GM Butch Wolfe said. “He’s been playing well on a line with Brett Grech and it’s my hope we’ll be seeing both of them move on to the next level next year.”

“All throughout my hockey career I've always been a leader in the points colum,” noted Burns. “I love scoring goals, but making a nice play to get an assist is also a huge part of my game.

"When I came to the Jets after the start of the season, I was a little nervious and I moved through a few lines, but when I got paired up with Grech, there was instent chemistry. I have never been so in sync with a linemate like him. It seems like no matter where we are on the ice, we can find each other.”

And while Metro is currently looking to battle out of a losing skid, Burns feels a little offense from him, as well as others, can help end the slump.

”We have great chemisty as a team and I feel we are about to break through this slump at anytime now,” Burns explained. “As long as we start playing our game and believing in the system, we will turn our record right around.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets took a single point last weekend with an overtime loss and a regulation loss at Lakeland Arena to the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins.

Saturday night, Charles Williams' goal 48 seconds into the extra session won it for Pittsburgh, 3-2, after Dan Hudson (Gregory) had tied the game at 2-all 16:53 into the second period.

Matt Elswick (Gaylord) scored the first goal for the Jets (also his first of the season), while Eric Trunick (Commerce Township) made 32 saves in goal.

Sunday afternoon, Matt Stemkoski (Novi), acquired last week from Toledo, scored his first goal in a Metro uniform in an 11-3 defeat.

Matt Stirling (Dexter) and Tommy Kilgore (Pinckney) added the other goals for the Jets, Mike Moroso (Macomb) tacked on a pair of assists and Trunick finished with 33 stops.

Then Wednesday night in Flint, the Jets suffered a 6-2 defeat to the Jr. Generals.

Elswick and Burns tallied for Metro and Matt Braun made 44 saves. Newcomer Jake Schlacht (Allen Park) assisted on both goals from the blue line in his Jets’ debut after signing with the team earlier this week.

Metro (7-13-1-0) plays at home next Sunday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. against Toledo.

JET STREAKS

Schlacht started the season in the NAHL with Port Huron, going pointless in two games with 11 penalty minutes, before signing with Toledo where he had four assists and 45 penalty minutes in 12 games with the Cherokee. The 19-year-old Schlacht was released by Toledo last Thursday.

The Jets also acquired defenseman Jordan Jones (Toledo, Ohio) from the Cherokee on Tuesday. Jones had two assists in nine games with Toledothis season and also made his Jets debut Wednesday night in Flint.

In other transactions, defenseman Brian O’Loughlin (Franklin, Tenn.) was released Sunday and goalie Rick Ice (Sterling Heights) was released Tuesday. O’Loughlin had one goal in 12 games with the Jets, while Ice did not see any game action for Metro.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Ex-Jets defenseman Ian Cosgrove (2006-2007) is now in his sophomore season at Division III Fredonia State University and has two assists in eight games thus far for the Blue Devils.

Cosgrove appeared in 13 regular season games for the Jets in ’06-07, amassing eight points on three goals and five assists. He also went pointless in the Jets' two playoff games that spring.

In 2008-2009, the Rochester native recorded five goals and 18 assists for 23 points with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Photo by Andy Grossman/Detailed Images

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Captain's Corner - Pittsburgh, O'Loughlin, Thanksgiving

Each week, Metro Jets captain Mike Corder will chime in on the previous weekend, the weekend ahead and the current situation of the team.

-- On last weekend's series against Pittsburgh.

Yeah, we played really well against Pittsburgh on Saturday night. We skated with them, fought for loose pucks, took shots on net, finished our checks, everything that we should be doing. We skated to a tie and then lost in overtime. Maybe that loss in overtime did something to us as a team, maybe fighting that hard against one of the better teams in the league and coming away with an overtime loss took something away from the effort we made. I am not sure what changed between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, but it seemed like two completely different teams on the ice. We could not do anything right and we weren't able to get it back together after the first two quick ones by Pittsburgh. We embarrassed ourselves, our coach and the organization with the effort we put out on Sunday. Coach made sure that we knew that he was not happy, that much is for sure, but I can tell you that we were not happy with ourselves. We didn't have much time to try to fix things before the game against Flint on Wednesday, but we tried and we will see how things go from here on out.

-- On fellow defenseman Brian O'Loughlin being released and newcomer Jake Schlacht.

It is always tough to see someone go. O'Loughlin played 12 games with us. I don't know too much about Jake at this point. I think that we will need to see how Jake fits in with the team and how the chemistry is affected as we move forward.

-- On what the Jets can be thankful for at this point of the season.

We can all be thankful that we have families that support us in hockey and in life. We can be thankful that we have a coach that cares and is willing to work with us to help us to improve. We can be thankful that we have an organization that gives us an opportunity to continue to play high level hockey and that there is the possibility that we can move on somewhere. We can be thankful for a lot of things that we take for granted, but I think that number one is the support of our families.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Jets get point in weekend set with Pittsburgh

WATERFORD, MI - The Metro Jets took a single point this weekend with an overtime loss and a regulation loss at Lakeland Arena to the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins.

Saturday night, Charles Williams' goal 48 seconds into the extra session won it for Pittsburgh, 3-2, after Dan Hudson (Gregory, Mich.) had tied the game at 2-all 16:53 into the second period.

Matt Elswick (Gaylord, Mich.) scored the first goal for the Jets (also his first of the season), while Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) made 32 saves in goal.

Sunday afternoon, Matt Stemkoski (Novi, Mich.), acquired last week from Toledo, scored his first goal in a Metro uniform in an 11-3 defeat.

Matt Stirling (Dexter, Mich.) and Tommy Kilgore (Pinckney, Mich.) added the other goals for the Jets, Mike Moroso (Macomb, Mich.) tacked on a pair of assists and Trunick finished with 33 stops.

Metro (7-12-1-0) plays in Flint Wednesday night and then at home next Sunday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. against Toledo.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Bennett showing he's more than points for Jets

WATERFORD, MI – Justin Bennett found instant chemistry on his forward line with Mike Denston for a number of reasons.

Though the line for the Metro Jets needed a bit of time to gel, once that happened, it’s been smooth sailing.

“Any time you have new guys from different systems thrown together, there is a rocky start, but me and Denny have picked up each other’s playing styles and know where the other is going to be on the ice at all times,” said Bennett, a native of Brighton, Mich. “Plus, Denny and Benny (each of their nicknames) rhyme.”

With just two goals and seven points thus far, Bennett, who turns 20 the day after Christmas, is more than just points for the Jets.

“Benny is a great leader for us and it was an easy decision when the coaches picked the captains before the season started,” Metro GM Butch Wolfe said. “He’s also been improving in his own end of the rink.”

An assistant captain, Bennett said when he was given the ‘A’ it was a bit of a shock at first.

“I was happily surprised to be named a captain of the Jets,” Bennett said. “I had only been a captain before and never an assistant, but I was eager to take on the role. As a leader, my job is to not show panic and to not overextend my role – just lead by example and the rest will fall into place.

After playing last season for a community college in New York, Bennett left school in search of finding a team to play for in his last year of junior eligibility.

Enter veteran Jets forward Brett Grech.

”I knew about the Jets through Grechy, a longtime pal of mine, who lured me here after things went sour with college,” said Bennett. “I’m glad he did that for me.”

Wolfe is glad, too.

“I know Justin wants to play Division III hockey next year and he certainly has the talent to do so,” said Wolfe. “I believe coming here will get him the exposure he needs to reach that goal.”


LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets (7-11-0-0) had last weekend off, but host the Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins at Lakeland Arena this weekend for a pair of games.

Game time Saturday night is 7:50 p.m. with a 1:20 p.m. matinee scheduled for Sunday.

“We are fighting to get back to .500, move up in the standings and start a new win streak,” said Metro captain Mike Corder. “Getting all four points is the expectation. I also expect that we will not let up in the games, even for one shift. I expect us to limit their scoring chances. I expect us to throw everything we have at Pittsburgh and then to throw more. Coach (Jason) Cirone expects a lot from the team, the team expects a lot from itself, and I expect a lot from the team.”

Pittsburgh, in just its second season in the NA3HL, won all four meetings last season against the Jets.

“This slump shouldn't continue with all the talent we have,” added Bennett. “We need to just crack down defensively and bury on our opportunities.”


JET STREAKS

Metro acquired defenseman Matt Stemkoski from the Toledo Cherokee last week and the 18-year-old Novi, Mich., native is expected to make his Jets debut this weekend. Stemkoski had a goal and four assists in 14 games this year in Toledo … Goalie Allan Dowler (Oxford, Ohio), released by the Jets last month, was added to the roster of the Battle Creek Jr. Revolution Thursday.


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Tyler Sims, a goalie on the 2002-2003 Metro team, is now in his third pro season and first with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.

Sims, 25, also played four years at Providence College from 2004-2008 and one season in the North American Hockey League with the Youngstown Phantoms in 2003-2004.

Photo by Andy Grossman/Detailed Images

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Captain's Corner - Practice, off week, readying for Pittsburgh

Each week, Metro Jets captain Mike Corder will chime in on the previous weekend, the weekend ahead and the current situation of the team.

-- On practice last week with no games last weekend.

Practices last week were not as intense as usual to start the week. A week ago Monday, we had more of a shooting/small games practice, mainly due to the fact that we had some guys out with injuries. A week ago Wednesday, we had an optional shoot and skate with the goalies. It was run by our goalie coach Randy Wilson. A week ago Thursday, we had the practice that we would have had on Monday if we didn't have so many injuries. Overall, practice was a bit lighter at the beginning of last week, but we started really cranking it up by the end of the week.

-- On practice changing this week to prepare for Pittsburgh this weekend.

Starting with the skate last Thursday, you could really see and feel the focus and desire from the guys to come out strong against Pittsburgh and get all four points this coming weekend at home. That feeling and intensity carried over to practice this past Monday and we will continue that Wednesday and Thursday. We know what it takes to win and we can win. After our last game against St. Louis, we are really starting to play hockey.

-- On expectations for this weekend against Pittsburgh.

We are fighting to get back to .500, move up in the standings and start a new win streak. Getting all four points is the expectation. I also expect that we will not let up in the games, even for one shift. I expect us to limit their scoring chances. I expect us to throw everything we have at Pittsburgh and then to throw more. Coach (Jason) Cirone expects a lot from the team, the team expects a lot from itself and I expect a lot from the team, but even more from myself.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Captain's Corner - Team's mood, Morgan James, jersey numbers

Each week, Metro Jets captain Mike Corder will chime in on the previous weekend, the weekend ahead and the current situation of the team.

-- On the Jets' recent slump and mood around the team.

The mood is down. We've been in this slump for a while and it is hard to deal with, especially after our effort last Sunday against St. Louis. We know now the way that we need to play, game in and game out, in order to be a top competitor in this league. We can't feel good about the slump, but we can feel good about the game we played last Sunday. It showed we can play with the top teams.

-- On taking solace and maybe a bit of confidence knowing the Jets stayed with one of the top teams and defending champs last weekend.

If we play like we played last Sunday against anyone else, we would have walked away with a win. We took it to St. Louis for a big part of that game. We out-shot them and we out-worked them. Unfortunately, we ran into a hot goalie. Yeah, we like the way we played, for the most part, and it showed what we are capable of doing. Now we just have to play with that intensity every game from here on out.

-- On teammate Morgan James being more than just a beast of a human being who can fight.

Morgan is the biggest guy (6-4/255) I have ever had the pleasure to play with. Morgan is definitely more than just a fighter, though he has done really well in that department so far. He can move very well for his size. He can handle the puck and he has a good sense of the game. Believe me, teams take serious notice when he is on the ice.

-- On changing his jersey number this season from No. 2 to No. 4.

I have worn No. 4 all the way through my youth hockey years and there were only a couple of seasons that it wasn't available. N. 4 just feels right for me. Last season, coming in as a rookie, I did not get first choice of jerseys and No. 4 was already taken. Returning as a veteran made things different this year, thus I wear No. 4 (as it should be).

-- On teammate Joe Matyaszek being a hard worker and scoring his first goal of the season last Sunday.

Joe is a great hockey player who plays bigger than he is. Joe will go hard into a corner with a guy the size of Morgan without any hesitation. He has had some chances in the past, but no success in his hunt for that first tally. He has that first one and he has confidence knowing that it is out of the way. Now it's the time to open those floodgates, eh?

Monday, November 8, 2010

Matyaszek playing 'fearless' for Jets, scores first goal Sunday

WATERFORD, MI – To have a successful hockey team, each player has to accept and produce in their designated roles.

The Metro Jets are no exception.

Take Joe Matyaszek, for example. The diminutive forward won’t score 30 goals or look like Pavel Datsyuk on the ice, but if the Jets are looking sluggish, it’s a given Matyaszek will come over the boards to instill some energy and life into the team.

“I like to keep everyone going and bring life to the bench,” said Matyaszek, an 18-year-old Taylor, Mich., native. “It’s a role I’m happy with because every team needs a guy like that on the team to keep everyone going if they’re down.”

“He’s our little Morgan,” Metro associate coach Jamie Hayden said, comparing the 5-foot-7, 150-pound Matyaszek to 6-foot-4, 235-pound teammate Morgan James. “Joey is fearless. If we need a spark, he’s who we want out there. He goes into the dirty areas of the ice and if he gets hit, he’s right back up. Definitely a kid that can really put a spark into our guys.”

This past weekend, Matyaszek’s hard, gritty work resulted in his first goal of the season.

“My goal was a give-and-go from (Mike) Moroso and (Matt) Stirling was screening the goalie,” Matyaszek (pronounced MADDA-zack) explained. “I took it around the top of the slot and took a shot on my back hand and scored. Coach Jason (Cirone) gave the puck to me after the game.”

After playing high school hockey last season for Taylor Unified, Matyaszek was unsure of where he would land this season, but knew he wanted to continue playing.

”I heard about the Jets from a friend because I was also trying out for another CSHL (now North American 3 Hockey League) team with him and did not make it,” explained Matyaszek. “Then I heard the Jets were looking for players, so I came here and found my home.”

Matyaszek said that his long-team goals in hockey are to move up to the North American Hockey League and hopefully, college hockey.

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

Metro hosted the defending Tier III Junior A national champion Jr. Blues last weekend and came away with two notches in the loss column.

Tommy Burns (Pinckney, Mich.) scored both Jets’ goals Saturday night in a 6-2 defeat, while Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Matt Braun (Ramsey, N.J.) combined for 19 saves in goal.

Brett Grech (Hartland, Mich.) assisted on both goals and newcomer Ryan Kelly (Wilton Manor, Fla.) earned a helper on one for his first point with the Jets since being signed last week.

Sunday afternoon, Matyaszek scored the game’s first goal 3:08 into the first period, only to see St. Louis tally the next four, including a late empty-netter, and take the game by a 4-1 count.

Braun finished with 23 stops in the loss.

“(Sunday’s game) was 2-1 up until about three minutes to play,” Hayden said. “We have shown that we can definitely play with some of the top teams in this league. St. Louis might be third or fourth right now, but they are the defending champions until someone knocks them off. It was nice seeing Joe get his first goal, though.

“We have two weeks off now and I think we’ll be getting back to basics at practice, refining some things before we get back at it and bring in Pittsburgh.”

The Jets (7-11-0-0) host the Jr. Penguins at Lakeland Arena on Nov. 20-21.

JET STREAKS

The Jets signed goalie Rick Ice and added him to the active roster last Friday.

Ice, an 18-year-old from Sterling Heights, Mich., started the season with the Toledo Cherokee before being released on Sept. 23.

His only action for Toledo came on Sept. 19 when he started and made eight saves on 12 shots before being pulled 2:57 into the second period in a game the Cherokee would go on to win 11-5 on the road against the Michigan Mountain Cats.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Former Metro forward Brad Townsend, who played for the Jets during the 2005-2006 season, signed with the Lapeer Loggers of the All American Hockey League and made his season debut last weekend, scoring a goal on Friday night against the Indiana Blizzard.

After his season with the Jets, Townsend, 23, played for the Pembroke (Ont.) Lumber Kings in the Central Junior Hockey League and then two years ago, played in the now-defunct International Hockey League with the since-folded Flint Generals.

Townsend, from Davisburg, Mich., also had stops with the Indiana Ice Miners of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (now AAHL) and Chi-Town Shooters of the All American Hockey Association, also now known as the AAHL.

Photo by Andy Grossman/Detailed Images

Defending champion Jr. Blues take both at Lakeland

WATERFORD, MI - The Metro Jets hosted the defending Tier III Junior A national champion St. Louis Jr. Blues last weekend and came away with two notches in the loss column.

Tommy Burns (Pinckney, Mich.) scored both Jets’ goals Saturday night in a 6-2 defeat, while Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Matt Braun (Ramsey, N.J.) combined for 19 saves in goal.

Brett Grech (Hartland, Mich.) assisted on both goals and newcomer Ryan Kelly (Wilton Manor, Fla.) earned a helper on one for his first point with the Jets since being signed last week.

Sunday afternoon, Joe Matyaszek (Taylor, Mich.) scored the game’s first goal (and his first of the year) 3:08 into the first period, only to see St. Louis tally the next four, including a late empty-netter, and take the game by a 4-1 count.

Braun finished with 23 stops in the loss.

“(Sunday’s game) was 2-1 up until about three minutes to play,” Metro associate coach Jamie Hayden said. “We have shown that we can definitely play with some of the top teams in this league. St. Louis might be third or fourth right now, but they are the defending champions until someone knocks them off.

“We have two weeks off now and I think we’ll be getting back to basics at practice, refining some things before we get back at it and bring in Pittsburgh.”

The Jets (7-11-0-0) host the Jr. Penguins at Lakeland Arena on Nov. 20-21.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Jets add goalie with perfect hockey name

The Metro Jets added goalie Richard Ice to the active roster today.

Ice, an 18-year-old from Sterling Heights, started the season with the Toledo Cherokee before being released on Sept. 23.

His only action for Toledo came on Sept. 19 when he started and made eight saves on 12 shots before being pulled 2:57 into the second period in a game the Cherokee would go on to win 11-5 on the road against the Michigan Mountain Cats.

Ice will push Eric Trunick and Matt Braun for playing time, but Trunick is expected to start in goal Sunday at home against St. Louis.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

NAHL assumes operations of CSHL, renamed NA3HL

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced that it has assumed operations of the Tier III Junior A Central States Hockey League (CSHL), effective November 1, 2010.

The league, which will restructure to serve as the top training ground in the country by providing the best coaching, exposure and developmental vehicles available for student-athletes in the Tier III Junior A category, will be renamed the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL).

“Our mission, as a league, has always been generate more avenues for all players as they pursue their dreams on the ice and in the classroom, and the creation of the NA3HL, in cooperation with the CSHL and its member clubs, helps foster that initiative,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “For years, the CSHL has undeniably operated as one of the top Tier III leagues in the country, and we’re looking forward to bringing its strong history of development to a new level.”

Rest of the NAHL press release HERE.

Moroso loving his offensive role with Jets

WATERFORD, MI – Mike Moroso wants to be a difference-maker on the ice and so far this season, he’s been just that for the Metro Jets.

His 11 goals lead the team and of those 11, four have been scored shorthanded – good for tops in the Central States Hockey League.

Needless to say, Moroso is a scoring threat in any situation.

“I've generally always been able to put up points,” said Moroso, a 19-year-old from Macomb, Mich. “Sometimes I have slumps, but I feel it happens to the best of players. It feels great to be a go-to guy for the team. There isn't anything much better than having teammates rely on you in certain situations.

“Before coming to the Jets, I didn't know much about the league, but I knew the team hadn't had a lot of success the past few years and I wanted to come in and try and change that.”

Playing on a line mostly with Tommy Kilgore (Pinckney, Mich.) and Matt Stirling (Dexter, Mich.) and sometimes Joe Matyaszek (Taylor, Mich.), Moroso gave credit to his linemates for his burst of offensive output.

”There was instant chemistry with our line,” explained Moroso. “Me and Stirling always seem to find each other on the ice and having Kilgore or Joe on our line adds some firepower.”

Moroso’s 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) are second on Metro only to Brett Grech’s (Hartland, Mich.) nine goals and 20 points.

Jets’ assistant coach Pete Flynn coached Moroso a few years ago at the bantam level and knew then that Moroso would be a solid junior-level player.

“I coached Mike with the Michigan Jaguars and he was a good offensive player even back then 3-4 years ago,” said Flynn. “He had a lot of speed and good hands and one of those guys that tend to find the back of the net and put the points away. You can see by his stats this year that he has an eye for those types of opportunities.”

After this season, Moroso will have one more year of junior eligibility. Looking towards the future never escapes the back of his mind as Moroso wants to keep playing hockey as long as possible.

”I really want to try to make it to the pro level or at least play at a high college level,” Moroso said. “Playing pro hockey has been a dream for me since I first laced up the skates.”

As long as Moroso keeps the momentum going with the Jets, it’s hard to imagine a future opportunity not presenting itself for the goal-scoring forward.

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

The Jets, after winning five straight games, have now lost five in a row after getting swept in a two-game series by the Chicago Hitmen over the weekend at Lakeland Arena.

However, the first game of the series wound up being forfeited by the Hitmen when it was ruled they played the game with an ineligible player.

Saturday night, Cameron Bazin (Troy, Mich.) scored the Jets' lone goal in a 7-1 loss.

Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) made 26 saves in goal.

Then Sunday afternoon, the Jets came from behind to tie the game twice, but gave up two late goals in the third period to suffer a 6-4 defeat.

Moroso, Stirling, Tommy Burns (Pinckney, Mich.) and Grech scored Metro's goals, while Mike Denston (White Lake, Mich.) tacked on a pair of assists.

In net, Matt Braun (Ramsey, N.J.) finished with 36 saves.

"We started out slow, got it going in the second, and then both teams got into some penalty trouble in the third period," Flynn said. "(Chicago's) special teams proved to be the difference (Sunday)."

This weekend, the Jets (7-9-0-0) play just one game, Sunday afternoon at home against the defending Tier III Junior A national champion St. Louis Jr. Blues. Game time is set for 1:20 p.m.

St. Louis, 9-4-0-0 on the season, is led by forwards Ryan Hogland (six goals, 15 points), Jamie Demarco (four goals, 12 points) and Bo Eastman (seven goals) and defenseman Joe Bowler (goal, six points). Mitch Fernsler and Justin Davis have shared time in goal with Fernsler earning five wins and Davis the other four.

Every St. Louis player has at least one point this season, save for the two goalies.

After last season, longtime head coach Jack Behan stepped down and handed the reins to former Jr. Blues player J.P. Beilsten.

JET STREAKS

Goaltender Alfonse Kolis (Howell, Mich.) was released late last week. He had not seen any game action this season … Forward Ryan Kelly (Wilton Manor, Fla.) signed with the Jets on Monday. The 19-year-old had played three games in the NAHL this season – two to start the season with Wichita Falls and then one with Port Huron before being released on Oct. 18. Last season, Kelly played for the Victory Honda midget major team … Defenseman Jordan Reames (Essexville, Mich.) is day-to-day with a separated shoulder suffered last Sunday … Braun is the first New Jersey native to play for the Jets since defenseman Lou Licari (Red Bank) and forward Mick Kolbasowski (Manalapan) played at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Former Jets’ defenseman Steve Oleksy (2004-2005) is now in his second full pro season and has one assist in seven games thus far with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads.

After playing for the Jets, Oleksy, a 24-year-old from Chesterfield, Mich., played for the NAHL’s Traverse City North Stars and then three years at Lake Superior State University. He split last season between the IHL’s Port Huron Icehawks and the Steelheads.

Photo by Andy Grossman/Detailed Images

Monday, November 1, 2010

View From The Bench with Andy Grossman

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30
The Jets came out looking to start a new win streak, but were beat by the Jets instead - simple as that.

The bench was focused on the game plan in the first period and started the second trying to swing some momentum with a good scrap from Joe (Matyaszek). Chicago played a very chippy game and seemed to have the officiating on their side. Metro fell into the trap Chicago set and strayed away from their game plan and it resulted in a total collapse of the team and the loss.

I would like to reiterate on the officiating having a huge part in the demise of Metro on Saturday. I have a feeling there is going to be a completely different Metro Jets team on Sunday.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31
Sunday, the Jets looked like a whole different team from Saturday!

The boys were moving the puck, hitting, and just playing good hard hockey for two periods. In third period, they started to fall into Chicago's trap after a few questionable plays by Chicago that left the Jets bench a little bitter. The bench started to get a little upset with the officials after the referee missed a very obvious elbow to the head of Shipaila, which left him bloody and a bit dazed.

Metro started to want revenge a bit more than the 'W.' The weekend finally blew up all at once with a full line scrum that lasted a good five minutes. The Jets, lucky for Chicago, had a more finesse line on the ice during the incident, but they held their own. Denston did a great job of listening to Coach and protecting some of the younger players.

I still can't believe after all the commotion, the referees had no idea what to do and literally did not record any of the penalties until after the game because they said they didn't have time and needed to get the game moving. The Jets couldn't bounce back and couldn't get any momentum the rest of the game due to penalty trouble and a nearly empty bench because of injuries and game ejections.

Metro's bumpy stretch continues, swept at home by Chicago

WATERFORD, MI - The Metro Jets, after winning five straight games, have now lost five in a row after getting swept in a two-game series by the Chicago Hitmen over the weekend at Lakeland Arena.

Saturday night, Cameron Bazin (Troy, Mich.) scored the Jets' lone goal in a 7-1 loss.

Eric Trunick (Commerce Township, Mich.) made 26 saves in goal.

Then Sunday afternoon, the Jets came from behind to tie the game twice, but gave up two late goals in the third period to suffer a 6-4 defeat.

Mike Moroso (Macomb, Mich.), Matt Stirling (Dexter, Mich.), Tommy Burns (Pinckney, Mich.) and Brett Grech (Hartland, Mich.) scored Metro's goals, while Mike Denston (White Lake, Mich.) tacked on a pair of assists.

In net, Matt Braun (Ramsey, N.J.) finished with 36 saves.

"We started out slow, got it going in the second, and then both teams got into some penalty trouble in the third period," Metro assistant coach Pete Flynn said. "(Chicago's) special teams proved to be the difference today."

This weekend, the Jets (6-10-0-0) play just one game, Sunday afternoon at home against the defending Tier III Junior A national champion St. Louis Jr. Blues. Game time is set for 1:20 p.m.