Dynamic Jets' forward Linville earns shot in NAHL with Port Huron

WATERFORD, Mich. – Kevin Shand. Trevor Kalinowski. Now, Lucas Linville.

Over the first half of the North American 3 Hockey League season, the Metro Jets have moved three players to the North American Hockey League with Linville being the third as he’s been called up to the Port Huron Fighting Falcons.

Earlier this year, Shand earned a recall to the Springfield Jr. Blues and Kalinowski dressed one game as a backup goaltender for Port Huron.

Linville signed with the Jets at the beginning of December after starting the season in the Central Canada Hockey League with the Brockville Braves.

In his debut game with Metro on Dec. 7, Linville tallied a hat trick, with his third goal the overtime winner at home against the Pittsburgh Vengeance. He wound up with seven goals in five games in a Jets’ uniform.

“I talked to Coach Q (Justin Quenneville) and he told me to play my game and the NA teams will watch,” said Linville, a 19-year-old native of Whitmore Lake, Mich. “Port Huron was the team to contact Coach. My time with the Jets was very fun. The guys are all real nice, as well as the coaches, and they really try to get the players moved on to the next level.

“Coach Q helped prepare me (for the NAHL) with little tips and putting me out in key situations. He showed me ways to use my body better to get to the net.”

“I think after we lost Kevin (Shand), we lost a little bit of finish,” added Quenneville. “We’ve got a hard-working team that can open up the ice for guys like Lucas.”

Quenneville also said after the Pittsburgh OT win that of Linville kept up the effort, he wouldn’t be with the Jets much longer.

Coming to the Jets happened on a whim for Linville and it never hurts when that whim includes a Jets’ connection.

“I knew (Metro assistant coach) Randy Wilson because my friend is a goalie and Randy had me come shoot on him,” explained Linville, who played for the Belle Tire Midget Major AAA team in 2012-13. “So the first thing I did when I got home was talk to Randy about what I should do to try to further my playing. I wanted to play in the CCHL, but after I went there and didn’t like it, I made getting to the NA my next focus.”

Port Huron doesn’t play again until Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, ironically enough on the road in Springfield, but Linville plans on making his mark once he gets his start with the Fighting Falcons.

”I plan on just playing my game and not being afraid to make a mistake,” said Linville. “If you play inside your comfort zone you don't get better, you only stay the same.”

JET STREAKS 

For a complete list of all Jets’ alumni over their 25 years in junior hockey, click this link: http://metrojetshockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/metrojets/alumni-58 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 

Vinnie Pietrangelo, a defenseman who was the Jets’ first-round pick in 2009 out of Traverse City West High School, played two seasons at NCAA Division III Finlandia University from 2010-12 and is now an assistant coach at Big Rapids High School.

During the 2009-10 season for Metro, Pietrangelo, who turns 23 on Thursday, scored a power-play goal in the first game of the season and added eight assists for nine points in 47 games.

At Finlandia, Pietrangelo skated in 36 games, contributing two assists.

Toledo scores in final minute, beats Jets Friday night

TOLEDO, Ohio - Austin Turner's goal at 19:12 of the third period was all the Toledo Cherokee needed in a 1-0 win Friday night over the Metro Jets at the Team Toledo Ice House.

Kam Limburg stopped 33 shots in the Metro net.

The Jets (12-16-2) are now off for the holidays before returning to action on Saturday, Jan. 4, in Toledo.

Jets double up Mountain Cats Wednesday night in Fraser

FRASER, Mich. - The Metro Jets used four different goal-scorers to down the Michigan Mountain Cats 4-2 Wednesday night at Fraser Hockeyland.

Cody Jones, Kenny Forton, Lucas Linville and Matt Dempsey tallied the goals, while Brad Hepler and Zach MacKay each had two assists.

Linville now has seven goals in his four games with the Jets this season.

Trevor Kalinowski finished with 27 saves for his second straight win in goal.

The Jets (12-15-2) finish out the 2013 calendar with a trip to Toledo to play the Cherokee Friday night at 7 p.m.

Even in the face of adversity, Jets' McLean showing drive, focus

WATERFORD, Mich. – Cooper McLean was an offensive juggernaut last season as a senior forward with Farmington High School.

McLean led the Falcons with 40 points and was a Division III Second Team All-State selection before signing a tender agreement to play in the North American 3 Hockey League with the Metro Jets.

Currently, the 18-year-old McLean has five goals and five assists for 10 points with the Jets, but his offense has been coming along recently, albeit in the face of adversity.

McLean’s father, Don, passed away at the age of 64 after a long illness back on Nov. 22.

“My dad made it his goal that me and him would be best friends, there was no gray area to that, so me and him were very close,” said McLean. “Growing up, he would be that dad that came to everything, games, practice, and even off-ice training just because he loved watching me get better. He definitely was a big part of my hockey life and helped me become the player I am today.”

Knowing his father’s last days were close, McLean did what only he could do and that was play hockey. The day Don passed, McLean was in suburban Chicago with the Jets at the NA3HL Showcase event.

McLean just got off the team bus when his mother called to tell him the news. Earlier that day, McLean scored Metro’s lone goal in an 8-1 loss to the Granite City Lumberjacks. He followed that up with two more goals in the team’s next two games at the Showcase.

“Those goals were definitely for my dad,” said McLean. “He, for sure, gave me the motivation.”

Jets’ coach Justin Quenneville said he’s been impressed by the way McLean has carried himself over the past month.

“These young men are incredible and I learn something new from them everyday,” Quenneville said. “Coop’s taught me so much and I can’t imagine what he went through over Thanksgiving, but the kids have been so resilient and so supportive of him, being what went on at the start of the season as well. It’s not unfamiliar territory, but it speaks volumes of his character to be positive and to bring that work ethic and drive on the ice.

“He’s been playing great hockey lately and I know his father is looking down on him and supporting him as well.”

Earlier this season, Metro forward Zach MacKay lost his father, Ron, under similar circumstances. McLean knew this and leaned on MacKay, quite literally, once Don died.

“When I found out, MacKay was the first one there to give me a hug, so yeah, he was definitely helping me out through it all,” said McLean. “In a way, I feel like ever since then, at least for me, our team has never been closer. We all have realized that we’re brothers and we’re getting through this together.”

McLean added that his game is starting to kick into high gear and hopes that momentum continues over the second half after the holidays.

"I want to be playing more physical and playing better defensively – that's probably my No. 1 goal by the end of the year,” McLean said. “From a personal standpoint, I think I started out slow and now, I'm starting to get the feel for the NA3 and hopefully, I start to turn things around. As a team, I think we started out as just a bunch of players on a team just playing hockey, but now we’re a team and we're definitely starting to play better.”

After the two games this week, the Jets break for the holidays, but McLean won’t be far from hockey.

“I don’t plan on doing anything really special, just spending time with friends and family,” said McLean. “And a lot of pond hockey.”

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD 

Lucas Linville continued his torrid scoring pace and notched two more goals as the Jets downed the Michigan Mountain Cats 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Lakeland Arena.

Linville now has six goals in three games with the Jets.

Alex Holm and Jets' captain Josh Beleski also scored to go along with a 19-save effort from goaltender Trevor Kalinowski.

“I felt like we definitely took it to them early,” said Quenneville. “We knew they were going to be tired playing three-in-three, but we didn’t want to let that affect our game plan. Overall, a win’s a win, but I would have liked to see us put the game away earlier.”

Brad Hepler chipped in three assists and Carter Reid added a pair of helpers for the Jets (11-15-2).

The two teams have a short turnaround, facing each other tonight at Fraser Hockeyland. Puck drop is slated for 6:45 p.m.

“It's always good to get a win,” added Beleski. “Now all we have to do is keep winning because if we want to make the playoffs, we can't keep winning a game and then losing two or three. If we continue to play our game, then we will be fine.”

The Jets wrap up the 2013 calendar year with a game in Toledo at 7 p.m. against the Cherokee at the Team Toledo Ice House.

JET STREAKS 

After practice Tuesday, the Jets gathered for an impromptu photo to wish everyone the best this holiday season. The photo can be seen on www.metrojetshockey.com, as well as on the Jets’ Twitter account (@MetroJetsHockey) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/metro.jets.hockey).

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 

The Canadian Hockey League, in association with the three regional leagues, the host Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and BMO Financial Group, announced last week the 40 CHL players that will compete in the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Calgary, Alberta, on Jan. 15, 2014.

One of the 40 players chosen was Plymouth Whalers' goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who played for the Jets last season, and is looked at as a possible first-round pick next June in Philadelphia. He is currently ranked No. 30 (last pick of the first round) by Red Line Report, an independent scouting newsletter.

Nedeljkovic, a 17-year-old native of Parma, Ohio, went 5-3-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage in nine games with the Jets.

Captain's Corner - Mountain Cats home-and-home, three goalies

Each week during the 2013-14 season, Metro Jets’ captain Josh Beleski will give his thoughts on topics surrounding the team as it makes its way through the North American 3 Hockey League season, the 25th for the Jets as a junior franchise. 

-- On beating the Mountain Cats Sunday afternoon at home.

Yeah, I think it's always good to get a win. Now all we have to do is keep winning because if we want to make the playoffs, we can't keep winning a game and then losing two or three. But if we continue to play our game, then we will be fine.

-- On the Jets' current three-goalie rotation with Trevor Kalinowski, Kam Limburg and Davide Mantovani.

I think we truly have three of the top 10 goalies in the league. That is my opinion, though, and I only say this because I see them everyday and I know what they are capable of. I don't think we have a No. 1 goalie because they all have had some bad games, but then again, they have had some outstanding games as well.

-- On Wednesday night's game on the road against the Mountain Cats.

We have a very quick turnaround, but I think we are ready to play again. I don't think much will change with our one practice. We will probably work on some fundamentals and fine-tune some simple mistakes. Then it's time to get a big win the next day.

Linville nets two more, lifts Jets over Mountain Cats Sunday

WATERFORD, Mich. - Lucas Linville continued his torrid scoring pace and notched two more goals as the Metro Jets downed the Michigan Mountain Cats 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Lakeland Arena.

Linville now has six goals in three games with the Jets.

Alex Holm and Jets' captain Josh Beleski also scored to go along with a 19-save effort from goaltender Trevor Kalinowski.

Brad Hepler chipped in three assists and Carter Reid added a pair of helpers for the Jets (11-15-2).

For the Mountain Cats, Guy Soulliere and Abram Prince each recorded a goal and an assist and Max Vance assisted on both goals.

Walker Bass made 35 saves between the pipes in the loss.

The two teams have a short turnaround, facing each other Wednesday night at Fraser Hockeyland. Puck drop slated for 6:45 p.m.

Ex-Jets' goalie Nedeljkovic named to CHL Top Prospects Game

CHL Press Release 

The Canadian Hockey League, in association with the three regional leagues, the host Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and BMO Financial Group, today announced the 40 CHL players that will compete in the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Calgary, Alberta, on Jan. 15, 2014.

The 40 CHL players competing in the game were chosen by the 30 NHL clubs and divided into teams by NHL Central Scouting and include 20 players from the Ontario Hockey League, 13 players from the Western Hockey League, and seven players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

One of the 40 players chosen was Plymouth Whalers' goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who played for the Metro Jets last season, and is looked at as a possible first-round pick next June in Philadelphia.

Nedeljkovic, a 17-year-old native of Parma, Ohio, went 5-3-0 with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage in nine games with the Jets.

“The BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is one of the highlights of the hockey calendar and we are excited to showcase 40 of the league’s top prospects eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft to the passionate hockey fans in Calgary and to CHL fans across Canada watching live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports,” said CHL president David Branch. “Since 1996 the CHL’s top prospects have had the opportunity to showcase their skills in this event before hundreds of NHL scouts and general managers in attendance. Congratulations to all 40 players selected this season representing the next wave of talent to the NHL.”