Michi-gamer: The pride of the Mitten (2011-12 archive)

Welcome to Michi-gamer, a brand-new feature on MiHockeyNow.com.

We take great pride in our homegrown talent. Whether they grew up in the Mitten or we welcomed them here for college or juniors, they are our own. They represent the best place in the world for hockey.

Every night, we’ll keep an eye on those players, and every morning, we will pick one Michi-gamer of the night – one Michigan player who stood out above the rest.

June 12 – Stanley Cup champions Matt Greene and Alec Martinez

How could we not give the Michi-gamer award to both Matt Greene and Alec Martinez?  The defensive duo won their first Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings last night.  Just when everyone thought the Kings sealed it with an empty netter with 3:45 remaining, Greene (Grand Ledge) threw a puck on net from the blue line and scored just 15 seconds later – marking the final goal of the 2011-12 season.   Martinez (Rochester Hills) did not find the score sheet, but was a plus-1 with 15:10 minutes of ice time. Congratulations to the latest Michigan products to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.

June 11 (weekend of June 8-10) – Matt Greene

His team might not have won, but Matt Greene picked up the lone assist on the Kings’ lone goal Saturday night. The Grand Ledge native set up former Whalers star Justin Williams for a goal early in the second period. The point meant a +1 rating for Greene, after he held the Devils scoreless in his 14:35 worth of ice-time in the weekend match-up. Greene now has six assists this postseason, along with one goal. He and the Kings will once again try to capture the Stanley Cup tonight – puck drops at 8 p.m. ET.

June 7 – Andy Greene

When his team needed strong performances from top to bottom, Andy Greene delivered. The Trenton native and New Jersey Devils defenseman picked up an assist, and played to a +2 rating, in the Devils’ 3-1 win over Los Angeles Wednesday night. Greene played 18:35 in the win that kept the Devils’ Stanley Cup hopes alive – 2:50 of which helping kill penalties in crucial moments. Greene’s one of the reasons that the NHL season will continue into Saturday night.

June 5 – Alec Martinez

Another day, another Michi-gamer nod for Alec Martinez. The Rochester Hills native picked quite the time to score his first goal of the postseason; he was in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, after all. At the 5:40 mark of the second period, during a scramble in front of Martin Brodeur’s goal crease, Martinez charged the net and managed to get a stick on an apparently-loose puck. The shot got through the legendary New Jersey goaltender, giving the Kings a 1-0 lead and energizing the Staples Center crowd. It would have been enough for the Kings to get the win – Jonathan Quick posted a 22-save shutout – but Los Angeles posted three more goals on the Devils en route to a convincing 4-0 win. They’re now one game away from Lord Stanley’s Cup.

June 4 (weekend of June 1-3) – Alec Martinez

It might have looked like a one-man show on the Kings’ game-winning goal Saturday night, but don’t forget who got Jeff Carter the puck in the first place. Rochester Hills native Alec Martinez picked up an assist on the decisive goal – the one that puts the Kings in a 2-0 series lead heading back to Los Angeles for Game 3. Martinez played for 14:18 in Saturday night’s contest, and finished +1. He, along with fellow Michigan native Matt Greene, are now only two wins away from the Stanley Cup.

May 31 – Nicklas Lidstrom

He’s not from Michigan. But over the last two decades, Nicklas Lidstrom has become one of our own. Between playing for the Red Wings, and being a hockey dad seen around rinks across the state, Lidstrom is one of the faces of hockey in Michigan. He announced his retirement today, but the Red Wings’ captain will always be one of Michigan’s own…even when he moves back to Sweden sometime this summer.  Read more about Lidstrom’s retirement announcement right here. Thanks for everything you did for our sport, Nick.

May 30 – Jared Knight and Austin Watson

Yesterday we honored Trenton native Andy Greene, because it’s not every day that you reach the Stanley Cup Final. However, Jared Knight and Austin Watson deserve some recognition for what they have been up to lately, as well. While their London Knights’ squad lost in the Memorial Cup final, Knight and Watson represented the Mitten at the highest stage junior hockey provides. In four games, Knight, a Battle Creek native, posted one assist, and played to a -2 rating. Watson, a native of Ann Arbor, had five points, and finished even in the plus/minus category for the tournament. The Knights took a 1-1 tie with the Shawinigan Cataractes into overtime in the championship, but couldn’t pull off one final win.

May 29 (weekend of May 25-28) – Andy Greene

On Friday night, a Trenton native guaranteed his spot in the Stanley Cup Final. Andy Greene, the 29-year-old Michigan product, helped the New Jersey Devils wrap up a series win over their rivals, the New York Rangers, in six games. The former Miami RedHawk has been a consistent presence on the New Jersey blue line since they signed him as a free agent in 2006. While he only has one point this postseason, Greene has been averaging close to 20 minutes per game, and posting a +1 rating through the first three rounds. He will face fellow Michigan natives Matt Greene and Alec Martinez in the finals, which start Wednesday night. And for the record, there’s no relation between the two players with the same last name.

May 25 – Alex Kile, Sheldon Dries and Nicholas Schilkey

Alex Kile (Troy), Sheldon Dries (Macomb), and Nicholas Schilkey (Smiths Creek) helped the Green Bay Gamblers to the USHL championship last night. The trio will all be playing for D1 schools next year; Kile is committed to the University of Michigan, while Dries will be attending Western Michigan, and Schilkey is set to play for Ohio State. Dries had 38 points this season for the Gamblers, while Schilkey had 36, and Kile had 34. We expect big things out of the three of them at the next level of hockey.

May 24 – Jared Knight and Austin Watson

It’s not often that you can be named Michi-gamer because two other teams played. Last night Michigan natives Austin Watson and Jared Knight clinched a spot in the Memorial Cup final, all because the Saint John Sea Dogs beat the Shawinigan Cataractes. Knight and Watson’s London Knights squad had already beaten Saint John, which means they get to skip a step and go right to the Memorial Cup Final, which will be played on Sunday. Knight, a native of Battle Creek, has four goals and four assists in 15 playoff games for the Knights this year. Watson, a native of Ann Arbor,  has ten goals and seven assists in 19 games.

May 23 – Matt Greene and Alec Martinez

Michigan natives Matt Greene and Alec Martinez make up one-third of the Kings’ defensive corps every game, which means they deserve plenty of recognition after Los Angeles’ accomplishment last night. The Kings, who started this playoffs as the eight seed in the Western Conference, secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 win over Phoenix in overtime, wrapping up their series in five games. Greene has four points this postseason, and is +5, while Martinez has one point and is +2.

May 22 – Tony Calderone

We decided to wait for the USHL Draft before picking our Michi-gamer for May 22, and it turns out we made the right call. Just minutes into the draft, the Sioux Falls Stampede used their first overall pick to take Trenton native Tony Calderone. The forward from Victory Honda scored 65 points this year in the Tier I Elite League, and we’re excited to see what he can do at the next level. See more about Calderone being drafted No. 1 overall right here.

May 21 (weekend of May 18-20) – Austin Watson

With the Memorial Cup in progress, we might be talking about Austin Watson quite a bit. The Ann Arbor native and one of the leaders for the London Knights helped his team to an impressive start at the prestigious tournament over the weekend. London took on the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs Friday night, and Watson had a goal and two assists to lead the Knights to a 5-3 win. Not a bad showing for a guy looking to capture his second Memorial Cup championship.

May 18 – Justin Williams

We’ve been giving credit to Matt Greene and Alec Martinez on here as they help the Kings through a wildly-impressive playoff run. But we can’t forget about Justin Williams, either. The former Whalers star has assists in four of his last five games, and he’s third on the Kings in playoff scoring with two goals and eight assists in 12 games. Williams also helped set up the Kings’ first goal last night, in what would be a 2-1 win for Los Angeles.

May 17 – Adam Miller

A few days back, we discussed Livonia native Adam Miller, and what he’s been accomplishing in the ECHL this postseason. Now in the finals with his Las Vegas Wranglers, Miller has posted three assists in the first two games. Because of his offensive abilities, Miller and the Wranglers are 1-1 in their finals series with the Florida Everglades. We’ll be keeping an eye on Miller throughout the rest of the playoffs to see if he can help the Wranglers to a ECHL title.

May 16 – Matt Greene

With their 4-0 win over Phoenix last night, the Los Angeles Kings have won seven straight road games this postseason tying an NHL  record. They wouldn’t have been able to accomplish that feat – or be up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals – without Grand Ledge native Matt Greene being rock-solid on the blue line. Greene didn’t have any points last night, but he played as big a role as any player on the Kings roster in them earning a shutout against the Coyotes. Greene played for 16:41 (4:33 of which was on the penalty-kill), held an even plus/minus, delivered four hits, and blocked one shot in a win that puts the Kings two games away from the Stanley Cup Final.

May 15 – Austin Watson

The honors keep rolling in for Ann Arbor native Austin Watson. The London Knights forward posted two goals and an assist in the final three games of the OHL championship, which earned him Player of the Week from the league yesterday. That doesn’t really stack up to the award he received a few days earlier, however; Watson was named OHL playoff MVP after 10 goals and seven assists in the 19 games it took for his Knights team to capture the Robertson Cup. Next up for Watson and Co.? The Memorial Cup starts tomorrow.

May 14 – Carl Hagelin

Carl Hagelin picked quite the game to post his first points of a series. His New York Rangers were in a winner-take-all Game 7 showdown with the Washington Capitals Saturday night, and the rookie forward logged 23 shifts on the Blueshirts’ top forward line with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. Hagelin, the former University of Michigan star, set up both of the Rangers’ goals that night, playing a crucial role in their 2-1 win that lifted New York to the third round. They were Hagelin’s first points since the Rangers opened postseason play with the Ottawa Senators over a month ago. Hagelin played for 18:21 and finished +2 under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden – talk about delivering in high-pressure situations.

May 11 – Adam Miller

When the puck drops Monday night, the Las Vegas Wranglers will be taking on the Florida Everglades in a best-of-seven battle for the Kelly Cup and ECHL supremacy. The Wranglers will be counting on Livonia native Adam Miller to continue his strong postseason play when the series begin. Miller, who played for Ferris State from 2004-08, is second on the Wranglers in playoff scoring, having recorded three goals and 10 assists in 13 games. That total puts him at No. 4 in postseason scoring across the entire ECHL. Nobody should be surprised by his offensive output; Miller had 84 points in 71 games during the regular season.

May 10 – Austin Watson

It’s been a while since we checked in on how Ann Arbor native Austin Watson has been faring in the OHL playoffs. Nothing’s changed since the last time we named him Michi-gamer; Watson is still helping the London Knights accelerate towards the Memorial Cup. Watson, who picked up an assist in London’s latest win against Niagara, has 16 points in 18 playoff games. That firepower, along with the rest of a talented Knights squad, means the team is one win away from clinching the OHL championship, and onward to the Memorial Cup tournament.

May 9 – Dustin Hopfner

National recognition continues to come for the Oakland Grizzlies, who reached the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s D-I national championship game just two months ago. One player routinely picking up honors is Eastpointe native Dustin Hopfner. The Grizzlies defenseman was named to the ACHA D-I National Tournament First Team, the 2012 ACHA Men’s Division D-I All-Rookie Team, was named a 2012 ACHA D-I All-Star. Now, Hopfner can also add All-American to his hockey resume, as it was announced yesterday that the rookie defenseman received First-Team recognition from the league. Not a bad way for Hopfner to celebrate his rookie season.

May 8 – Carl Hagelin

Sometimes, it’s not about the statistics. Carl Hagelin played a crucial role for the Rangers in their OT win last night, and it didn’t have anything to do with his playmaking skills. The rookie forward, just one year removed from his days at the University of Michigan, was on the ice in crunch time, trying to help New York tie the game in the final minute. Hagelin’s hard work in the Washington zone led to a high-stick to his face from Capitals’ forward Joel Ward. It turned out to be a four-minute minor for Ward, who sat in the penalty box while Brad Richards tied the game in regulation, and Marc Staal won it in overtime. Not a bad night at the office for Hagelin, who has successfully made the jump from college to the NHL, without having to spend time in the minors.

May 7 (weekend of May 4-6) – Matt Greene and Alec Martinez

The Los Angeles Kings were the first team to advance to the third round of the NHL playoffs after completing the sweep of the No. 2 seed St. Louis Blues Sunday afternoon. Two Michigan natives – Matt Greene and Alec Martinez – have played crucial roles on the blue line for the Kings as they storm through the playoffs (L.A. is 8-1 in the postseason). Greene, of Grand Ledge, has a goal and three assists in nine playoff games this year, along with a +3 rating. The National Team Development Program alum is averaging 16 minutes of ice-time per game in the posteason. Martinez, of Rochester Hills, has an assist, a +1 rating, and he’s averaging 15 minutes of ice-time through the first two rounds – not bad for his second playoff experience.

May 4 – Max Pacioretty

It was hard to pick a Michi-gamer out of Team USA’s 7-2 win over France in their World Championship opener. Jim Slater scored. Jack Johnson scored. Jeff Petry scored. But Max Pacioretty was the lone Michigan connection to post a three-point night (or is it morning?) in the Americans’ lopsided win. The former Wolverine had a goal and two assists (Paul Stastny and Justin Faulk had three-point outings too, by the way), as six different players scored for the Red, White and Blue.

May 3 – David Legwand

With the Predators desperately in need of a win, David Legwand delivered. The Detroit native and former Plymouth Whaler scored the first goal of the game Wednesday night, and it turned out to be the game-winner. The Predators capitalized on a turnover by Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith halfway through the first period, with Gabriel Bourque setting up Legwand for a shot from the slot. The Michigan native’s shot beat Smith as he raced back to the Coyotes goal. Legwand’s tally – his third of the postseason – gave the Predators the momentum they needed to pick up a crucial Game 3 win. The former Whalers star was +1 on 18:20 worth of ice-time, with four shots and one penalty. Nashville will try to even the series on Friday in Nashville.

May 2 – Cody Milan

The name might not sound familiar to you just yet, but there’s a good chance it will over the next few years. Last night, Cody Milan was the first Michigan native drafted in the United States Hockey League, selected ninth overall by the Sioux Falls Stampede. Milan, listed as a center/right winger, scored six goals and 16 assists for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s last season as a sophomore. Milan, a White Lake native, has also spent time in the Honeybaked and Compuware organizations. The MiHockey staff is excited to see what he can do at the next level. We’ll have more on the USHL Draft later today.

­May 1 – Mike Knuble

He’s at it again. Just a few days after we named Mike Knuble our Michi-gamer for setting up the Capitals’ series-clinching goal in their first-round series, we’re picking him again. The Caledonia native scored Washington’s first goal of the game last night, starting the Capitals down a path that would eventually end with a 3-2 victory. Knuble, a former Michigan Wolverines standout, finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play with linemates Joel Ward and Keith Aucoin to record his second goal of the postseason. It was the Michigan native’s 14th career playoff goal, and we’re hoping there’s more to come this spring.

April 30 (weekend of April 27-29) – Matt Greene

Matt Greene isn’t known for scoring goals. In fact, of his seven NHL seasons, his highest total is a whopping four goals. But the Grand Ledge native ignored all that in Game 1 of his Kings’ second-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Greene scored the game-winner Saturday night on an odd-man rush while the Kings were shorthanded. Right off the face-off to start their penalty kill, L.A. captain Dustin Brown grabbed the puck and raced towards the St. Louis goal, with Greene rushing to keep up. Brown’s shot was stopped by goaltender Jonathan Quick, but Greene, also an alumnus of the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, showed up just in time to chip in the rebound. Greene’s first career playoff goal – scored at the 18:57 mark of the second – put the Kings up by one, and they would add to their lead in the third period.

April 27 – Stephen Weiss

The Panthers might have been eliminated from the NHL playoffs last night, but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort from Stephen Weiss. The long-time Panther, playing in his first playoff series, scored at the 5:02 mark of the third period to jumpstart a Florida comeback. Weiss, the former Whalers star, played catch with Brian Campbell on the power play, passing the puck back and forth, between firing a one-timer for his third goal of the postseason. The goal cut the Devils’ lead in half, and allowed for Marcel Goc to score the goal that forced overtime 11:30 later. The Devils still prevailed in double overtime, but Weiss was one of the main reasons the Panthers were able to stretch the game into extra periods.

April 26 – Mike Knuble

He didn’t score the game-winning goal for the Capitals last night, but Caledonia native Mike Knuble’s play in overtime is still the reason why Washington is advancing to the second round. The 39-year-old Knuble crashed the net on a two-on-one in the extra period of the Caps’ Game 7 showdown with the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, and tried a backhand shot on Davison native Tim Thomas. The former Wolverine’s shot was stopped, but Joel Ward managed to get his stick on the rebound, and score the series-clinching goal for the Caps. It was Knuble’s second point of the series; he had a goal in Game 5 last Saturday.

April 25 – Austin Watson

While both of Michigan’s OHL teams are done for the season, other Michigan natives still have a shot at the Memorial Cup. Ann Arbor native Austin Watson, a center for the London Knights, is having quite the playoff run. After his two assists last night in 5-2 London win over Kitchener, Watson now has eight goals and six assists in 13 games. The Knights are one game away from an OHL championship, and the 20-year-old Watson is a big reason why.

April 24 – Andrew Copp, Riley Barber, Patrick Sieloff, and Jacob Trouba

Now that they’re finally home, it’s time to congratulate some players we expect will be regulars on the Michi-gamer list in a few years. Andrew Copp, Riley Barber, Patrick Sieloff, and Jacob Trouba were Michigan’s representatives on Team USA for the IIHF Men’s World Under-18 Championship, played in the Czech Republic over the last few weeks. The U.S. team brought home gold for the fourth straight year. The four Michigan natives played important roles for the American squad, with Trouba and Sieloff both serving as assistant captains. After a 3-2 loss to Sweden in an exhibition contest to start the tournament, Team USA went undefeated, and posted a 7-0 win over those very Swedes in the gold medal game. We’ll have more on these draft-eligible prospects and their tournament win over the next few days.

April 23 (weekend of April 20-22) – Tyler Seguin

Tyler Seguin picked quite a game to snap out of a scoreless slump. The former Plymouth Whalers star hadn’t recorded a point in the first five games of the Bruins/Capitals series, but he came through when it mattered most in Game 6. In the third period, the sophomore forward fired a high wrister that gave goaltender Braden Holtby problems, allowing Andrew Ference to score the go-ahead goal on the rebound. The Capitals tied it up, however, which meant a potential season-ending overtime for Boston. Didn’t bother Seguin. He took a pass from Milan Lucic just inside the Capitals blue line three minutes into overtime, displayed tremendous patience in waiting for Holtby to fall to the ice, and then fired the puck into an empty net to win the game for the visiting Bruins. Huge two points for the star Michigan natives were fortunate enough to watch in Plymouth; now the Bruins head home for a Game 7.

April 20 – Brendan Morrison

With the Blackhawks in desperate need of a goal, a former Wolverine delivered. Chicago fell into a deep hole in the third period, when the Coyotes scored two goals in a span of 44 seconds to break a scoreless tie. Just over the halfway point of the final regulation period, Brendan Morrison took a pass from Jonathan Toews while cruising towards the Phoenix zone. The former Wolverines star blasted a slap shot from the right face-off circle past Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith to stop the momentum surge for Phoenix. While the Blackhawks ended up losing the game in OT, Morrison’s goal changed the outlook of the game, and helped his team in a major way.

April 19 – Chris Kunitz

If you played for the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, there’s a very, very good chance you got on the scoresheet. The Penguins posted 10, yes, TEN, goals on the Flyers yesterday to avoid a series sweep. Chris Kunitz didn’t find the back of the net, but he picked up two assists in the win, setting up Pascal Dupuis in the second period, and Evgeni Malkin in the third. The former Ferris State star finished +2 on the night, had four shots on goal, and recorded 19:48 worth of ice-time for a shorthanded Penguins squad (forwards Craig Adams and former Whalers star James Neal were out of the line-up due to suspensions). The series now shifts back to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins will once again try to avoid elimination.

April 18 – David Legwand

This might not be a popular choice for a large portion our readership right now, but David Legwand was the best Michigan-born player in the NHL last night. The Detroit native and Predators star scored a goal that counted and a goal that didn’t last night. The one that counted was the one that put the game out of reach for the Red Wings; Legwand pokechecked the puck away from Dan Cleary and past Jimmy Howard in one swing of the stick for Nashville’s third goal. And the one that didn’t count, Legwand’s shot from behind the goal line that he banked in off of Howard, should have counted, according to Mike Babcock. He might be on the wrong team right now, but he represented the Mitten well last night, as he has done all series.

April 17 – Brian Rolston

Even at age 39, Brian Rolston is still making his presence felt in the National Hockey League. The Flint native and veteran leader for the Boston Bruins didn’t score the game-winner last night, but his third-period goal was crucial in a 4-3 win for the Original 6 squad. Battling for position in front of the Washington goal, the former Lake Superior State star was able to turn and swat a rebound past goaltender Braden Holtby at the 1:02 mark of the final frame. While Brooks Laich was able to tie it up 13 minutes later for the Capitals, Rolston’s goal still served as a momentum boost for the Bruins when they needed it most, and captain Zdeno Chara finished the game off with 1:53 remaining in regulation.

April 16 (weekend of April 13-15) – Stephen Weiss

Florida’s Stephen Weiss is competing in the postseason for the first time in his 10-year NHL career. So far, his inexperience in the postseason hasn’t shown. The former Plymouth Whalers standout netted two power play goals last night en route to the Panthers’ 4-2 series-tying win over New Jersey.  In the history of Florida Panthers playoff hockey, nobody has ever scored a power play goal as quick, as Weiss opened the game’s scoring 23 seconds after the opening face-off, beating Martin Brodeur on the power play.  After the first frame ended seeing no other goals from either side, Weiss potted his second of the night early in the second, also on the power play.  The 29-year-old was +1 with two shots on net in 19:15 of ice time.  With the win, Florida evens the series at one game apiece heading back to New Jersey for a Tuesday night contest.

April 13 – Tim Thomas

After a monster regular season, Tim Thomas is proving that he saved a little juice for the playoffs.  The Davison native earned a shutout in Boston’s 1-0 overtime playoff victory against the Washington Capitals last night to kick-start their postseason.  Thomas made 17 saves, thwarting every Washington opportunity, and giving the defending Stanley Cup champions a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.  The veteran had 35 wins and five shutouts in the regular season while maintaining a .920 save percentage.  Thomas’ counterpart, Capitals’ rookie goalie Braden Holtby, gave the Bruins fits in regulation, keeping the game knotted at zero until he was beaten on a slap shot from Chris Kelly at 1:18 of the first OT session to end the game.  The Bruins and Capitals square off again in Boston tomorrow afternoon before taking a day off and traveling back to Washington for Game 3 Monday night.

April 12 – Ryan Kesler

Ryan Kesler’s two-point night in Vancouver’s opening game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs was enough to earn him the Michi-gamer nod, yet it wasn’t enough to give his first-seeded team a victory.  The Canucks dropped a 4-2 decision to the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings last night, despite the Livonia native’s two helpers.  Kesler was +1 with a shot on goal in 23:08 of ice time.  His first assist came when teammate Alexandre Burrows opened the game’s scoring at 4:17 of the first.  The 27-year-old followed that up by assisting on Alexander Edler’s late second period tally to knot the game at two going into the third frame.  Vancouver’s scoring would end there, as Dustin Penner and Dustin Brown provided two more for Los Angeles to claim the Game 1 victory.  Game 2 will be held tomorrow night in Vancouver where Kesler and his squad look to even the best-of-seven series on home ice before heading to Los Angeles.

April 11 – Alex Aleardi

Don’t look now, but a kid from Farmington Hills scored the game-winner for the Plymouth Whalers last night in the second round of the OHL Playoffs.  Alex Aleardi potted Plymouth’s last goal of the night in their 4-3 win over the Kitchener Rangers on home ice.  The victory gives Plymouth a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, heading into tonight when they travel back to Kitchener for Game 4.  Aleardi’s goal at 18:01 of the third period was his fifth of the postseason.  In addition, the 1992-born right winger has added three helpers for a total of eight playoff points, while maintaining a +5 in the plus-minus column.  In his second regular season campaign with the team, the speedster was responsible for 36 goals and 29 assists in 68 contests.

April 10 – Garret Ross

While the fellas from the NHL have a couple days off before starting their postseason, the second round of the OHL playoffs are underway.  Dearborn Heights native Garret Ross helped his Saginaw Spirit squad to a 5-2 Game 3 win over the London Knights last night.  Ross scored his team’s second goal of the evening, tying the game at two apiece midway through the second frame, before teammate Michael Fine took the momentum and ran with it, posting a hat trick to give the Spirit a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series.  Ross posted 25 goals and 29 assists for 54 points during the regular season – his third with the club.  So far in the 2012 playoffs, the left winger has six goals, four assists, and maintains a +3 rating in nine games.  The Spirit will host London on Wednesday for Game 4.

April 9 (weekend of April 6-8) – Jim Slater

The Winnipeg Jets might be done for the year, but Jim Slater’s effort Saturday night looked like something you’d see from a player heading to the postseason.  The Petoskey native and former Spartan punched in two third-period goals to tie the game up for his team after being down 3-1 early in the frame, before eventually dropping a 4-3 overtime decision to Tampa Bay.  The 29-year-old scored goals at 4:59 and 19:07 of the third to send the game to overtime. Slater was +2 with four shots on goal in 14:29 of ice time.  The Michigan native ended his season with 13 goals and eight assists in 78 games played.

April 6 – Mike Cammalleri

His team may be mathematically removed from the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean that Mike Cammalleri has given up on the season.  The former Wolverines star scored two goals in the third period last night, one of which ended up being the game-winner for the Flames in a 3-2 win over Vancouver. Cammalleri has 20 goals in a season that saw him move back to the Flames in a surprising trade from the Canadiens. Calgary has 88 points – five back from the 8th-place Coyotes – with only one game remaining in their season. They take on Anaheim on Saturday.

April 5 – Max Pacioretty

The Montreal Canadiens may be in last place in the East, but that doesn’t mean that a former Wolverine isn’t having some personal success. Max Pacioretty netted two goals last night, both in the third period, helping the Canadiens assume control of their game against Tampa Bay. Montreal’s 5-3 win gives 75 points on the season, two behind the Islanders in the battle to avoid the conference basement. For Pacioretty, however, that increases his career-high numbers. He now has 32 goals on the year, and 63 points. In his previous two seasons with the pros, Pacioretty’s highs were 14 goals and 24 points. Hopefully his breakout season can translate into a strong 2012-13 campaign.

April 4 – Torey Krug

Sometimes highlight-reel performances take a back seat to special occasions – like if it’s a Michigan native’s first game.  Former MSU captain Torey Krug suited up for his first-ever NHL contest last night with the Boston Bruins. As if he wasn’t nervous enough, he also had to take on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the top-scoring team in the NHL.  The 20-year-old from Livonia skated for 21 shifts, totaling just over 18 minutes of ice time, and fired two shots on net while the Bruins dropped a 5-3 decision to Pittsburgh. The rookie, just days removed from his final collegiate game, finished with an even plus-minus rating. Krug, who suited up for Michigan State from 2009-2012, took the first step to fulfilling a childhood dream after the popular Spartan leader had been in talks with a number of NHL squads towards the end of the college hockey season.  The decision to sign with a contender like Boston rather than a weaker team that may have afforded the youngster more playing time seemed to fit Krug’s relentless personality, described Spartan bench boss Tom Anastos at an East Lansing press conference announcing the captain’s departure.  A regular day in East Lansing turned into a “whirlwind” of events that landed Krug in Beantown, and ultimately to a successful first career appearance last night.

April 3 – Dustin Gazley

With a limited number of NHL games played last night, we had to think a little outside the box to come up with today’s Michi-gamer. This morning, we’re giving the nod to our first ECHL player, and it’s not because of a single game. Novi native Dustin Gazley, playing for the Elmira Jackals, was named the league’s rookie of the year yesterday. It’s not the only hardware the former Spartan will be taking home this year, either; he won the ECHL scoring title with 85 points in his first season. Gazley led the league with an impressive 60 assists, as well. Gazley and the Eastern Conference champion Jackals start the ECHL playoffs today against Reading.

April 2 (weekend of March 30-April 1) – Tim Thomas

Its one thing to win games for your team in the middle of the regular season, but it’s a different story when you’re doing it in April heading into the postseason.  Tim Thomas was clutch for the Bruins last night, making 33 saves en route to Boston’s 2-1 Northeast Division-clinching victory over the Rangers.  The Davison native earned his 34th win of the season, good for fifth best in the NHL.  A first period tally by New York’s Marian Gaborik was all Thomas allowed, before teammates Dennis Seidenberg and Patrice Bergeron countered in the second frame with two goals to give Boston a lead that held for the rest of the contest.  The veteran netminder saved his best work for last, as he faced 19 shots in the third period alone and stopped them all.  With the win, the Bruins rank second in the Eastern Conference with 98 points and maintain a run of 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.  Boston will host the fourth-place Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night.

March 30 – Al Montoya

It’s quite an accomplishment when you’re able to lead your team to two consecutive victories over the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins.  That’s exactly what Al Montoya did last night, making 26 saves in the Islanders’ 5-3 defeat of the Penguins.  The former Michigan goaltender, who skated under Red Berenson from 2002-2005, stood strong to earn a .897 save percentage. Even more impressive is the fact that New York topped the Penguins 5-3 two days earlier in a game that saw Montoya take over for an injured Evgeni Nabokov and make 21 saves.  While the 27-year-old has only eight wins to his credit this season, he looks to be in position to add more and finish out the campaign as the starter on Long Island in Nabokov’s absence.  Despite a three-game winning streak, the Islanders are knotted up at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with Tampa Bay and Carolina.

March 29 – Justin Williams

It was a slow night in the NHL for Michigan talent. While he didn’t have the most glamorous performance, Justin Williams scored an empty-netter with just over a minute remaining in regulation to ice the game for the Kings en route to their 3-0 shutout of the Flames.  The former Whalers standout has recorded points in three of his last five games, while the Kings are 7-3-0 in their last ten contests.  Goals by Willie Mitchell and Dustin Brown gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead heading into the third frame, before Williams notched his 19th goal of the season at 18:51 to put the game out of reach.  The 30-year-old veteran, who skated with Plymouth from 1998-2000, was +3 on the evening with two shots on Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff in his 16:14 of ice time.  Los Angeles holds the seventh spot in the Western Conference, tied with San Jose at 88 points.  Williams and his squad will face off against the Oilers tomorrow night in Edmonton.

March 28 – Ryan Miller

It’s starting to feel like every time Ryan Miller takes his place between the pipes for the Sabres, it’s a guaranteed Buffalo victory. That probably explains why his name keeps popping up in this feature, too. The East Lansing native and former Spartan posted his fifth win in as many starts, stopping 44 pucks to propel the Buffalo Sabres past the Washington Capitals 5-1 last night for sole control of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.  Miller, who earned a .978 save percentage in the win, has only let in a single goal in each of his last three games, and notched a 14th victory in his last 18 starts.  With their fifth straight win, the Sabres boosted their point totals to 86, just two behind the seventh-place Ottawa Senators.  Buffalo goes for their sixth win in a row when they face Pittsburgh at home on Friday.

March 27 – Mike Cammalleri

Mike Cammalleri’s three-point night provided the boost the Calgary Flames needed to knock off the Dallas Stars 5-4 last night.  The former Michigan star netted a goal halfway through the second frame, breaking a 2-2 tie, before eventually posting two helpers – one of which coming on Alex Tanguay’s game-winner.  The 29-year-old was even in the plus-minus column, while firing four shots on Stars’ goaltender Kari Lehtonen.  Cammalleri was reacquired by the Flames earlier this season after spending the 2008-09 campaign with the club and then playing two full seasons and part of a third in Montreal.  Calgary sits 11th in the Western Conference with 85 points – just two out of playoff position – while battling with Los Angeles and Colorado, all of whom are within a point of each other.  The Flames will lace up against the Kings on Wednesday in Calgary.

March 26 (weekend of March 23-25) – Ryan Miller

The Buffalo Sabres’ hot streak sizzled throughout the weekend and so did the play of Ryan Miller.  Pick a game, and you’ll find that Miller was backstopping the eighth-place Sabres’ to crucial wins.  The East Lansing native and former Michigan State standout let in only a single goal in both Friday’s 4-1 win over the Rangers, and Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Wild – posting .963 and .960 save percentages, respectively.  Miller, who ranks fourth in the NHL in shutouts (6), has earned wins in each of his last four starts, while leading Buffalo into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.  The squad is riding a four-game win streak and is now tied at 84 points with the Washington Capitals in a battle for the last playoff spot heading down the stretch.  The Sabres and Capitals will square off on Tuesday in Washington.

March 23 – James Neal

When you’re hot, you’re hot.  That’s why James Neal earns Michi-gamer honors for the second time in three days.  The former Plymouth Whalers star posted four assists last night as the Pittsburgh Penguins dropped the Nashville Predators 5-1. The 24-year-old, in his first full season in Pittsburgh, tops the NHL in a few different categories.  He ranks fourth in goals (35), ninth in points (76), first in power play goals (15), and second in shots (295).  The Penguins are a dangerous squad (they currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference) who are benefiting from the strong play of Neal, the freshly-returned Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin, who fired ten shots on net last night while adding two more goals to his season total of 45.  Neal and the Pens skate again Saturday night in Ottawa for a date with the Senators.

March 22 – Ryan Miller

Buffalo Sabres fans know that Ryan Miller is a stud goaltender having a Hall-of-Fame career. Yet folks from the around these parts know he holds a special place in the Mitten’s hockey history, as well.  Last night, the East Lansing native and former Spartan continued to prove his worth, posting his sixth shutout of the season as the Sabres topped the Canadiens 3-0.  The career-high shutout mark for Miller counts for third best in the NHL this season, and one better than another standout goaltender from Michigan – Tim Thomas.  Miller stopped all 34 shots Montreal fired his way, making sure that a pair of goals from Cody Hodgson, along with one from Jason Pominville, were enough for the Sabres.  Buffalo is currently on a two-game winning streak and continues to make headway in the Eastern Conference – sitting only a point out of playoff position behind the Washington Capitals.  Miller and Sabres hit the ice again on Friday against the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers.

March 21 – James Neal

Last night, the Winnipeg Jets found out what happens when everything goes right for the opposition. The Pittsburgh Penguins recorded eight goals against them, with some of the game’s best talent leading the charge. Former Whalers star James Neal posted a hat trick (and an assist), in the 8-4 rout in Pittsburgh. Neal tied the game in the late stages of the first period, then kicked off the second period with another just 1:15 in. He also added the final goal of the second period, which stretched the Penguins’ lead to 6-4. The former Whaler ended up posting a hat trick in 20:19 of game-time. Neal, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby teamed up for a dominating 13 points in the win. Lapeer native Jim Slater scored for the Jets in the loss.

March 20 – Mike Knuble

Yeah, Tim Thomas got another shutout last night. But hockey fans in Michigan saw one of our own have a big night in Hockeytown, so he’s getting the Michi-gamer nod instead. Former Wolverines star Mike Knuble posted a goal and an assist in the Capitals’ win over the Red Wings last night. The 39-year-old Caledonia native picked up his sixth goal of the season on a tic-tac-toe play by the Caps in the first period, which resulted in Knuble firing one up over a sprawling Jimmy Howard to give Washington a 2-0 lead. He would go on to add an assist for the Caps, helping them earn a crucial two points in the standings. Washington holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the East as of this morning. Meanwhile, the Red Wings are now in fifth in the West.

March 19 (weekend of March 16-18) – Drayson Bowman

As the Carolina Hurricanes battle for a playoff spot, they’re getting a little help from a Michigan-born youngster. Grand Rapids native Drayson Bowman posted two goals and an assist to earn his first NHL three-point night in Carolina’s 5-3 comeback win over the Minnesota Wild Saturday night.  Bowman broke open the scoring in the first frame on an unassisted tally, before scoring on a tip-in in the second and assisting on Brandon Sutter’s game-tying goal in the third.  The 23-year-old has split time between the AHL and the big club since the 2009-10 campaign, seeing the ice in 29 games for Carolina this season and racking up 11 points.  Even though the Hurricanes rank 11th in the Eastern Conference with 73 points, the way Bowman helped this squad rally back from a 3-1 deficit had to impress the coaching staff and fans.  Although it might be too late for a playoff push, the ‘Canes find themselves on a three-game winning streak and still only five points out of playoff position.

March 16 – Chad LaRose

Chad LaRose was responsible for the first goal (which turned out to be the game-winner) last night, leading his team to a 2-0 win over the first place St. Louis Blues.  The first two frames went scoreless, until the Fraser native and former Plymouth Whalers standout picked up the puck behind the Blues net and wrapped it around to beat goaltender Brian Elliott at 12:08 of the third period.  Teammate Jeff Skinner added a goal five minutes later to seal the deal for the Hurricanes.  Besides punching in the game-winner, LaRose was +1 with two shots on goal in 14:55 of ice time.  The 29-year-old has logged 462 games with Carolina since breaking into the league during the 2005-06 campaign.  The game-winner was LaRose’s fourth of the season and 11th of his career.  The ‘Canes are 4-3-3 in their last ten contests and rank 13th in the Eastern Conference with 69 points – nine points out of playoff position.  St. Louis continues to top the Western Conference and the league with 98 points.

March 15 – Ryan Kesler and David Booth

Putting in an honest effort doesn’t always mean a win, but try telling that to a couple of Michigan-born boys out in Vancouver and you might draw some odd looks.  Detroit native and former Spartan David Booth, and Livonia native Ryan Kesler each punched in a power-play goal in Vancouver’s 5-4 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes last night.  Kesler gave his squad a 2-0 lead when he one-timed a pass by Coyotes’ goaltender Mike Smith on the power play at 9:39 of the first frame.  After Phoenix posted the next three tallies to take the one-goal advantage, Booth knotted it up at three at 12:22 of the second period with a power-play goal himself, completing the give-and-go with line mate Chris Higgins deep in Phoenix territory.  The Coyotes would go on to outscore the Canucks 2-1 in the remaining minutes to earn the victory.  Kesler’s goal gives him points in four of the last five contests, while Booth has found the scoresheet in three of the last five. The pair of Michigan connections played together for Honeybaked in youth hockey, and were once again united in Vancouver earlier this season when Booth was traded from the Florida Panthers.  Despite a two-game losing streak, Vancouver ranks second in the Western Conference and third in the entire NHL with 92 points.

March 14 – Carl Hagelin

Leading all rookies with a +23 in the plus-minus column is one way to get noticed in the NHL.  New York Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin added to his totals last night, posting a +4 and chipping in with a goal and two helpers, as the Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2.  The four-year standout at Michigan also fired five shots on net in just less than 20 minutes of ice time.  Hagelin has emerged as one of the NHL’s top rookies, spending just 17 games in the AHL this season before joining the big club for 51.  The 23-year-old ranks ninth in the league in shorthanded goals (2) and sits in the seventh spot for rookie scoring at 33 points.  The Blueshirts lead the Atlantic division and the Eastern Conference with 95 points, checking in at second in the entire NHL.

March 13 – Kevin Porter and Matt Hunwick

Two former Michigan stars led the Colorado Avalanche to victory last night. Detroit native and former Wolverines forward Kevin Porter gave his team the lead in the third period with his fourth goal of the season – on his birthday. Porter, who also played for the NTDP in Ann Arbor, redirected a shot from the point by Jan Hejda to the top-right corner of the Anaheim net. The Avs couldn’t hold on in regulation, but former Wolverines defenseman Matt Hunwick made a play to get them the win in OT. The Warren native, while pack-peddling towards his own zone, held the puck in the Anaheim zone with his skate, kicked the puck to his stick, and sent a pass through pressure to Gabriel Landeskog, who scored the decisive goal. The UM duo helped the Wolverines to their 37th win, which keeps them in the playoff picture at 8th place in the West.

March 12 (weekend of March 9-11) – David Legwand

Any time you’re able to lead your team to a win over the Detroit Red Wings, you’ve had a good night.  David Legwand helped the Nashville Predators earn a 3-2 win over the Red and White Saturday night to earn a crucial two points in a tight Western Conference playoff race.  The Detroit native and former Plymouth Whalers star chipped in with three assists, including assisting on Andrei Kostitsyn’s game-winner, while going +1 with a shot on net in 26 shifts.  Legwand has skated in 832 NHL games for the Predators after the club drafted him second overall in the 1998 Entry Draft.  With the win and their current two-game winning streak, Nashville ranks fifth in the West with 87 points, just four behind the Wings.

March 9 – Tim Thomas

There’s simply no way to keep Tim Thomas away from this feature for too long.  The Davison native made 19 saves, earning a .950 save percentage, in Boston’s 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres last night.  Another star goaltender from the Mitten, Ryan Miller (who has been owning this Michi-gamer page of late), didn’t suit up for the Sabres, leaving the responsibilities to Jhonas Enroth.  Thomas’ only blemish was an early goal from the Sabres’ Jason Pominville.  The 37-year-old is 3-2 in his last five starts and ranks favorably in a handful of categories.  He’s fifth in wins (29), seventh in save percentage (.925), ninth in goals-against average (2.29), and eighth in shutouts (4).  The Bruins are 5-4-1 in their last ten contests and rank second in the Eastern Conference with 83 points.  They look to put their two-game winning streak to the test Saturday at home against Washington.

March 8 – Ryan Miller

Let’s just say Ryan Miller is at it again – and no, we’re not joking.  Miller has dominated the Michi-gamer feature as of late and the success only continues.  Last night the East Lansing native and former Spartan saved 22 shots, earning a .917 save percentage, in Buffalo’s 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.  The veteran faced fairly consistent pressure all night from the ‘Canes, seeing nine shots in the first period, eight in the second, and seven in the third.  Jaroslav Spacek and former Whalers standout Chad LaRose were the only players to beat Miller before Jason Pominville scored the OT winner for the Sabres.  While Miller didn’t earn a shutout, he does rank 6th in the NHL in that category (5).  Buffalo is steadily crawling up the Eastern Conference standings.  The club currently sits tenth with 70 points, having gone 7-1-2 in their last ten contests, and is only two points out of playoff position.

March 7 – Tyler Seguin

Tyler Seguin proved last night why he’s one of the most coveted NHL sophomores around.  The former Plymouth Whalers standout netted two goals, including the game-winner, to send the Boston Bruins to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The 20-year-old was +1 with four shots on goal in just over 20 minutes of ice time.  Seguin’s first goal came at 2:02 of the second period, tying the game at two for his squad.  The game-winner came later in the second, when Seguin connected with Milan Lucic and new acquisition Greg Zanon to beat Toronto goaltender Jonas Gustavsson.  The game-winner counts as Seguin’s sixth of the season and career.  Not many second-year players lead the league in a statistics category, but Seguin is one of them – he is at the top of the NHL in the plus-minus column (+35).  Boston holds the second spot in the Eastern Conference with 81 points, ten behind the league-leading New York Rangers.

March 6 – Chris Kunitz

When you’re responsible for a game-winner and played four years of college hockey in the Mitten, there’s a good shot you’ll be Michi-gamer of the night.  Former Ferris State Bulldog Chris Kunitz earned that honor by netting the difference-maker as his Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1, lengthening their winning streak to six games.  The goal came at 14:45 of the first frame, compliments of the red-hot Evgeni Malkin and Paul Martin.  Malkin carried the puck up the right side and was rubbed off into the boards, leaving Kunitz to take over and fire it blocker side past Coyotes’ goaltender Mike Smith.  Kunitz, who suited up in Big Rapids from 1999-2003, was even in the plus-minus column and had two shots on goal in 17:39 of ice time.  The tally counts as Kunitz’s third game-winner of the season and 21st of his career.  The Penguins currently rank fourth in the Eastern Conference with 83 points.

March 5 (weekend of March 2-4) – David Booth

Despite a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night, Vancouver’s David Booth had quite a game.  The Detroit native and former Spartan standout punched in two goals during the Canucks’ effort to rally back from a three-goal deficit.  Booth was +2 with four shots on goal in 16:23 of ice time.  The veteran forward, who is playing in his first season with Vancouver since being traded from Florida earlier this year, scored the lone goal in the second period before notching another at 3:43 of the third frame.  His effort simply wasn’t enough to beat another Michigan native and Spartan alum, Ryan Miller, who made 32 saves in net for Buffalo.  Booth has played in 349 NHL games since being drafted 53rd overall by Florida in 2004.  Vancouver currently leads the Western Conference and places second in the NHL with 90 points.

March 2 – Ryan Miller

Don’t look now, but the Michi-gamer feature is turning into the Ryan Miller show.  The East Lansing native and former Spartan earned his second shutout in as many nights, as the Buffalo Sabres topped the San Jose Sharks 1-0.  Miller saved all 39 shots the Sharks threw his way, earning a fifth victory in his last six starts, and fifth shutout of the season – good for seventh best in the NHL.  Miller faced the most pressure in the third frame when San Jose peppered him with 17 shots on goal, yet he turned them all away and was fittingly named the first star of the contest.  Drew Stafford scored for Buffalo at 18:51 of the first period, finishing out the scoring by both sides for the rest of the night.  With the win and current two-game winning streak, the Sabres slide into tenth place in the East with 66 points, only four points out of playoff position.  Look for Miller and his squad to continue their momentum in Vancouver Saturday night against the Canucks.

March 1 – Ryan Miller

There are times when Ryan Miller simply plays better than everyone else on the ice, and there are times like last night when he plays out of this world.  The East Lansing product and former Spartan earned a shutout, stopping 43 shots, and sending the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks.  The veteran earned his fourth shutout of the season, while claiming his fourth winning decision in his last five starts.  Derek Roy and Brad Boyes posted goals for the Sabres – the only two of the contest.  Miller set NCAA records for MSU from 1999-2002, and has continued to flourish at the next level, racking up a career .914 save percentage in the National Hockey League.  The Sabres may currently rank 12th in the East with 64 points, but the one thing they do have is staying power, seeing as they’re only five points out of playoff position.  If Miller continues to play this way, Buffalo will continue to be in the playoff picture down the stretch.  Miller and the Sabres hit the ice again tonight in San Jose to take on the Sharks.

Feb. 29 – Adam Hall

Sometimes game-winning goals come with just seconds remaining on the clock.  Last night, however, Adam Hall netted the eventual game-winner at :28 of the second period, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.  The Kalamazoo native and former captain of the Michigan State Spartans tipped in the game-winner when he and teammate Ryan Malone broke into the Montreal zone early in the second period.  Hall slipped backdoor behind the Canadiens’ defenders and deflected Malone’s pass to beat goalie Carey Price. The goal gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead and the eventual victory to earn their second consecutive win.  Hall, who suited up for MSU from 1998-2002, was +1 with two shots on goal in 19:35 of ice time.  The tally marked Hall’s only game-winner this season and the tenth of his NHL career.  The Lightning currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with 64 points, just one behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Feb. 28 – David Legwand

David Legwand contributed two key assists as the Nashville Predators topped the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 Monday night.  The Detroit native and former Plymouth Whalers standout assisted on both his team’s goals, the latter being the game-winner.  The 31-year-old was +2 with a shot on goal in 15:51 of ice time.  At 18:57 of the first frame, Legwand helped teammate Roman Josi open the scoring.  Then, in the second period, Legwand assisted on Patric Hornqvist’s game-winning goal.  Nashville’s two trade deadline pick-ups – Paul Gaustad from Buffalo and Andrei Kostitsyn from Montreal – had to be pleased with their new team’s victory and should provide Nashville with an extra boost heading into the upcoming playoff push.  The Predators currently sit fifth in the Western Conference with 81 points.

Feb. 27 (weekend of Feb. 24-26) – Ryan Miller

It should come as no surprise at this point in the season that when Ryan Miller gets between the pipes, there’s a good chance he’ll be mentioned in this feature.  The East Lansing native, former Spartan star, and one of the best goaltenders ever produced by the state of Michigan led the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-1 shootout victory over the Boston Bruins Friday night.  Miller stopped 35 of 36 shots – good for a .972 save percentage – and only allowed one shot by him in the shootout.  Another Bruins goalie from the Mitten you may have heard of – Tim Thomas – was out as Tuukka Rask took over for the Bruins.  Miller had earned three straight wins before finally falling to the New York Rangers in overtime on Saturday.  After starting out the season on a rocky note, Miller has come around to play more like his usually stellar self.  The Sabres currently rank 12th in the Eastern Conference and are tied at 62 points with Tampa Bay.

Feb. 24 – Justin Abdelkader

Hometown favorite Justin Abdelkader did all he could Thursday night to help the Red Wings post their 24th straight home victory.  Unfortunately, it took a shootout goal for Vancouver to win the game 4-3 and snap the Wings’ streak.  The Muskegon native and former Spartan didn’t let the Wings go quietly, however.  At 13:46 of the third frame, Abdelkader beat Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo to put his team up by a goal, which looked to be the game-winner at the time.  The Canucks struck back with 16 seconds left in the third when Daniel Sedin beat Jimmy Howard to send the game to overtime, and then the eventual shootout.  Abdelkader has been a mainstay in the Detroit lineup since breaking into the league full-time during the 2010-11 season.  The 24-year-old, who was drafted 42nd overall by the Red Wings in 2005, ranks third in the NHL in games played this season (62).  Despite the very rare home loss, the Wings still lead the Western Conference and the NHL with 85 points, while the Canucks trail by a point.

Feb. 23 – Tim Thomas

Wednesday night, Tim Thomas proved once again that he is one of the top goaltenders in the game, as the Boston Bruins goaltender helped his squad post a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.  The Davison native stopped 30 shots, earning a .938 save percentage.  The win was even more impressive because the Blues have only dropped four home games in regulation all year.  The 37-year-old veteran, who led the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup in 39 years last season, ranks eighth in the NHL in wins (25) and fourth in save percentage (.929).  Boston is 4-6-0 in their last ten contests and currently sits second in the Eastern Conference and leads the Northeast division with 74 points.  St. Louis has played well most of the season since veteran bench boss Ken Hitchcock took over back in November, making Tim Thomas and the Bruins’ road victory that much sweeter.

Feb. 22 – Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller was up to his usual tricks last night – making huge saves to help his team win games.  The Buffalo Sabres topped the New York Islanders 2-1 as Miller stood strong, only allowing a goal while earning a .968 save percentage.  The East Lansing native and former Spartan stopped 31 shots – the biggest coming with about four minutes remaining in the third period to shut down an up-close scoring chance from the Islanders’ John Tavares and Matt Moulson.  With the win, Miller earned his 18th of the season and second in a row, after posting the win against Pittsburgh two nights ago.  The Sabres currently sit 12th in the Eastern Conference with 59 points – one ahead of the Islanders and one behind the 11th place Tampa Bay Lightning.

Feb. 21 – Justin Faulk

While he wasn’t born in Michigan, Justin Faulk developed into the player he is from his time in Ann Arbor. Faulk scored just one goal Monday night but it counted as the game-winner as his Carolina Hurricanes took down the Washington Capitals 5-0.  Faulk, who spent 2008-2010 with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, scored a power play goal at 3:41 to start off the scoring.  It only continued from there for the Hurricanes as they added four more to top off the victory.  Faulk was +1 with three shots on goal in 15:09 of ice time and even dropped the gloves with the Capitals’ Troy Brouwer.  All he needed was an assist to complete the “Gordie Howe hat trick.”  The 19-year-old was drafted 37th overall by Carolina in 2010 and has seen 44 games for the big club this season so far.  Carolina is 6-2-2 in their last ten contests and ranks 15th in the Eastern Conference with 57 points under first-year coach Kirk Muller.

Feb. 20 (weekend of Feb. 17-19) – Drew Miller

Just a day after Warrior Hockey Day in Michigan, Drew Miller took advantage of the national spotlight Sunday during the Red Wings’ matinee against the San Jose Sharks. The East Lansing native and former Michigan State standout contributed to the Wings’ 23rd straight home win, netting a goal and assisting on teammate Darren Helm’s game-winner on Hockey Day in America.  Besides the two points, the 28-year-old left wing, and brother of Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, was +2 with two shots on goal in 15:30 of ice time.  Miller, who was drafted by Anaheim in 2003, has found a home in Detroit over the past three seasons and has punched in 12 goals this season so far – a new career high.  The Wings continue their dominance of the Western Conference, currently ranking first in the West and the entire NHL with 84 points.

Feb. 17 – Carl Hagelin

Sometimes in a league full of standout performances and flashy plays, the average NHL goal goes unnoticed.  Carl Hagelin gave the New York Rangers a fighting chance late in a game last night against the Blackhawks that was simply too far out of reach.  The former four-year University of Michigan star netted a goal at 15:15 of the third period, bringing his team within two goals, before Chicago buckled down and regained their defensive edge to finish out the 4-2 victory.  Hagelin was +1 with three shots on goal in 15:44 of ice time.  The former Michigan star, who was drafted 168th overall by the Rangers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, has put together quite the freshman campaign in the league this season – putting up 22 points in 38 games, ranking eighth in the NHL in shorthanded goals (2) and even making it to the All-Star weekend in Ottawa.  Hagelin suited up for Red Berenson and the Wolverines from 2007-2011 before making the jump to the Rangers.  New York currently leads the Eastern Conference with 79 points.

Feb. 16 – Tyler Seguin

Tyler Seguin scored when it counted Wednesday night, beating Canadiens goaltender Carey Price in a shootout to give the Bruins a 4-3 victory.  Seguin, who spent two seasons with the Plymouth Whalers, also accounted for four shots on net and assisted on teammate Patrice Bergeron’s second-period power-play tally before eventually posting the game-winning goal.  The 20-year-old center, currently in his sophomore NHL season with Boston, was taken second overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.  Seguin ranks first in the NHL in the plus-minor category (+28) and is tenth in game-winning goals (five).  The Bruins were up by two goals heading into the third frame before University of Michigan product Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole struck for the Canadiens, tying the game at three with half a period left in regulation.  That’s where the game stayed for the rest of the third and through an overtime session before Seguin punched in the final goal in the shootout.  Boston currently sits second in the Eastern Conference and leads the Northeast Division with 72 points.

Feb. 15 – James Wisniewski

James Wisniewski posted a goal Tuesday night in Columbus’ 2-1 victory over the streaking St. Louis Blues.  The former Plymouth Whalers standout and Canton native fired a slap shot by Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak at the end of the first period – literally – with only 00.1 remaining on the clock.  The 27-year-old defenseman went +1 with three shots on goal during his 30 shifts.  Wisniewski, who was drafted 156th overall by Chicago in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, has seen the ice in 361 NHL games, logging time with the Ducks, Islanders and Canadiens before his current stop with Columbus.  St. Louis had been on a four-game winning streak before the Blue Jackets snapped it and took the victory.  Wisniewski and his squad currently sit last in the Western Conference with 40 points, while the Blues are comfortably in fourth place with 75 points.

Feb. 14 – Ryan Kesler

In a game where a single second-period goal looked like it was going to be the game-winner, Ryan Kesler stepped up in the eventual shootout to give the Vancouver Canucks a 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.  The Livonia native assisted on teammate and Detroit native David Booth’s second period tally before chipping in the shootout winner Monday night.  It looked as though Booth’s goal would be enough for the Canucks to earn the victory until Phoenix’s Keith Yandle scored at 17:54 of the third period, sending the game to overtime and then a shootout.  In the overtime session, Kesler and Booth burst into the Phoenix zone several times but were unsuccessful in putting one by Jason Labarbera.  Kesler was +1 in his 20:56 of ice time.  Vancouver currently sits second in the Western Conference behind the Detroit Red Wings with 76 points.

Feb. 13 (weekend of Feb. 10-12) – Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller came up big for the Sabres Friday night, stopping 24 shots and keeping his squad in the game while they erased the Dallas Stars’ two-goal lead to eventually win 3-2 in a shootout.  The East Lansing native and MSU product recorded a .923 save percentage, only allowing two goals on the night.  The win marked Miller’s third in a row – each one with a significant storyline.  Feb. 4 marked Miller’s 235th career victory with the Sabres, taking control of the team record from Dominik Hasek.  Then on Feb. 8, Miller shut out Tim Thomas and the Boston Bruins 6-0, followed by his strong performance Friday night to give his team a much needed two points.  Although the Sabres fell to Tampa Bay the next night, they’ve been sticking around in the Eastern Conference and are only eight points out of playoff position with 54 points.

Feb. 10 – Max Pacioretty

Max Pacioretty’s dominant performance Thursday night led the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.  The former University of Michigan standout recorded a hat trick, along with ten shots on goal, and he was +2 in 22 shifts.  The hat trick marks the first of his career, although one might assume he had earned more, considering he’s ranked seventh in the NHL in shots this season (192). The 23-year-old left winger – who was drafted 22nd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Canadiens – posted the lone goal in each of the first two frames, beating Islanders’ goalie Evgeni Nabokov.  He then sealed his team’s victory with an empty-netter at 19:59 of the third period, compliments of teammate Tomas Plekanec.  Pacioretty’s performance came just two games after he was credited with the game-winner against the Winnipeg Jets last Sunday.  Despite a three-game winning streak, the Canadiens remain 11th in the Eastern Conference with 53 points.  The Islanders are worse off – sitting 14th in the East with 52 points.

Feb. 9 – Ryan Miller

Wednesday night featured a battle of two NHL stars that have been named Michi-gamer the most in our first season of honoring Michigan’s best. Tim Thomas (7) and the Boston Bruins took on Ryan Miller (5) and the Buffalo Sabres.  Add a sixth Michi-gamer title for Miller because he blanked the Bruins, making 36 saves, and earning a shutout during the Sabres’ 6-0 victory.  The East Lansing native and former Spartan was also took the honor two days ago after he earned his 235th victory in a Sabres uniform – passing former NHLer Dominik Hasek.  Wednesday night’s win moves Buffalo to 4-0-1 in their last five contests.  They currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points, while Boston ranks second in the East with 68 points.  The battle for Michi-gamer supremacy may come down to the final game of the season for these two Michigan-born goaltenders – and we look forward to the ride.

Feb. 8 – James Neal

James Neal’s third-period goal was enough to send the Pittsburgh Penguins to overtime Tuesday night, but they couldn’t stop the Montreal Canadiens from walking away with a shootout victory.  The former Plymouth Whalers standout –suiting up for the team from 2004 to 2007 – netted a goal against Montreal’s Carey Price at 7:32 of the third period, tying the game at two and sending the game to overtime. Yet the Canadiens took advantage of the shootout opportunity and captured the 3-2 win.  Despite the loss, Neal was even in the plus-minus column, firing three shots on net and picking up a pair of minor penalties in 21:12 of ice time.  The 24-year-old, who was drafted 33rd overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars, currently ranks fourth in the NHL in goals (28) and first in the league in power-play goals (13).  Pittsburgh is 7-2-1 in their last ten contests and currently sits sixth in the Eastern Conference with 65 points.  The Canadiens, currently on a two-game winning streak, are 5-4-1 in their last ten and sit 13th in the East with 51 points.

Feb. 7 – Jeff Petry

Despite a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maples Leafs Monday night, Jeff Petry contributed two points in the Edmonton Oilers’ hard-fought effort.  The Farmington Hills native, a product of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Michigan State, was +1 with two shots on net during his 29 shifts.  Petry assisted on a first-period goal by teammate Jordan Eberle before scoring an unassisted tally of his own at 13:24 of the third period, bringing his team within a goal.  However, the points weren’t enough and Toronto took the victory, earning their third in a row.  Petry has been a mainstay on the Oilers’ blue line this season, becoming a top-four defenseman and playing well over 20 minutes a night on a regular basis.  The 24-year-old was taken 45th overall by the Oilers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.  The Oilers find themselves 13th in the Western Conference with 47 points, while the Maple Leafs – who seem to have found their offensive power this season – rank seventh in the East with 62 points and look to continue their three-game winning streak.

Feb. 6 (weekend of Feb. 3-5) – Ryan Miller

It’s not every weekend you pass a hall-of-fame goaltender in the wins column.  Miller, the East Lansing native and former Spartan, earned his 235th victory as a member of the Buffalo Sabres – the team record – passing Dominik Hasek.  Three pucks got by Miller, but he still managed 35 saves while his teammates secured the 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders.  The 31-year-old, who was drafted 138th overall in 1999 by Buffalo, has been on rocky ground lately, however – he’s ranked ninth in the league in losses (15) and is having one of his least successful seasons thus far in the NHL.  The Sabres are 4-5-1 in their last ten contests and sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with 50 points, while the Islanders are one spot ahead and are tied for points. Here’s to hoping Miller can ride his recent success to a big second half of the season.

Feb. 3 – Drew Miller

Looks like it’s back-to-back members of the Miller family for Michi-gamer. In a game in which he took on former teammate David Booth, Drew Miller won the battle of former Spartans in Vancouver. Booth, a Detroit native, may have picked up an assist on the night, but Miller, a East Lansing native, scored one of the Wings’ three goals that would lead to a shootout, and a Detroit victory. Miller, who played with Booth at MSU from 2003-06, scored on a wrist shot in the third period to record his ninth goal of the season. In a scramble out front, Miller was able to get his stick on the puck, and send a shot past a scrambling Roberto Luongo. The Red Wings remain perfect in shootout opportunities this season.

Feb. 2 – Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller came as close to perfection as he could without earning a win on Wednesday night.  The East Lansing native and former Spartan posted 65 minutes of scoreless hockey against the Rangers, stopping 29 shots, to earn his second shutout of the season and 24th of his career.  Unfortunately for Miller, Blueshirts’ forwards Marian Gaborik and Ryan Callahan scored shootout goals, giving them the 1-0 victory over Miller’s Sabres team. The Sabres sit 12th in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, going 3-3-1 in their last ten contests, while the Rangers are tied atop the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings at 69 points.

Feb. 1 – Andrew Cogliano

Anaheim’s Andrew Cogliano earned a hat trick Tuesday night, helping his squad post a 4-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.  The former University of Michigan standout had six shots on net and was +3 in just 12:46 on the ice.  This was the first hat trick of his career – and it only took him until the midway point of the game to record the three goals.  The 24-year-old skated with the Maize and Blue for two years – from 2005 to 2007 – and since then has seen the ice in 377 NHL games with Edmonton and Anaheim.  The Ducks currently sit 13th in the Western Conference with 45 points, while Phoenix is just one spot ahead with 52 points.

Jan. 31 – T.J. Hensick

The American Hockey League held its 2012 All-Star Game in Atlantic City Monday night.  Former Michigan Wolverine and Howell native T.J. Hensick added a goal and an assist for the West, helping his squad to an 8-7 victory over the East.  Hensick was +1 with three shots on net during the contest.  The 26-year-old has appeared in 45 games for the Peoria Rivermen this year – the AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues – logging 16 goals and 37 assists.  After suiting up for the Maize and Blue from 2003-2007, Hensick has split time between the AHL and NHL ranks – he’s played in 112 NHL games during his career.  The Peoria Rivermen sit eighth in the AHL’s Western Conference with 47 points.

Jan. 30 (weekend of Jan. 27-29) – Tim Thomas

Don’t think just because it’s All-Star weekend in the NHL that Tim Thomas is taking a breather.  The Davison native and Boston Bruins star played the third period for Team Chara Sunday night, going 18 for 21 and winning his fourth straight All-Star Game – an NHL record.  Team Chara and Team Aldredsson combined for 21 goals on the night, while Thomas earned a .857 save percentage, the best among the six goaltenders taking part in the game.  Fans of hockey in Michigan would also be interested to know that, along with Thomas, the winning team included Detroit Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard – who started in net for Team Chara – and Pavel Datsyuk, along with former Plymouth Whalers standout Tyler Seguin.  The 37-year-old Thomas currently sits ninth in the NHL in wins (20), fifth in save percentage (.933), fifth in shutouts (4) and seventh in goals-against average (2.12).

Jan. 27 – Pavel Datsyuk

OK, clearly we know that Pavel Datsyuk wasn’t born in Michigan. However, due to the fact that…

  1. There were no NHL games last night.
  2. He’s one of your favorite Red Wings (you know it’s true).
  3. He went first overall in the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft.

….we get to bend the rules and pick him as our Michi-gamer of the night. It’s about time some people outside the Mitten recognize that he might just be the best hockey player in the world. Read about/see some video of Datsyuk getting picked first on our Shaved Ice blog.

Jan. 26 – Max Pacioretty

As much as it may make Detroit fans cringe, the Red Wings decided to start their All-Star break a little early this year, which ended up helping out a former University of Michigan star. Max Pacioretty posted a goal and an assist in the Montreal Canadiens’ 7-2 shellacking of the league-leading Detroit squad.  The former Wolverine scored at 1:52 of the second period, compliments of David Desharnais and Erik Cole, and then assisted a few minutes later on a Desharnais power-play tally.  The 23-year-old left winger – who was taken 22nd overall by the Canadiens in 2007 – was +2 on the night with two shots on net during his 13:17 of ice time.  While Montreal did earn a quality victory, it should be noted that Wings’ captain Nick Lidstrom missed the game with the flu, keeping him out of the line-up for the first time in 213 contests.  The Wings lead the league with 67 points, while the Canadiens sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with 47 points.  The Habs are now on a two-game winning streak – which could serve as a confidence builder after they traded away star center and former Wolverine Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames two weeks ago.

Jan. 25 – Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller stood strong for the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night, helping his squad post a 2-1 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils.  The East Lansing native and former MSU standout made 27 saves, earning a .964 save percentage on the evening.  The veteran goaltender hasn’t played up to his usual standards this season, only winning three of his last 12 games.  Tuesday night, however, Miller only let one goal slip by him – a second-period Patrik Elias tally – before leading his team through an overtime session and a shootout.  Don’t let the slump fool you though – Tuesday night’s win was Miller’s 233rd in a Sabres uniform, one behind former goalie Dominik Hasek’s team record.  Buffalo ranks 14th in the Eastern Conference with 45 points, while New Jersey sits 10 points ahead in eighth.

Jan. 24 – Jeff Petry

Although it was a slow night in the NHL for Michigan-born players, one bright spot was the play of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jeff Petry. The Farmington Hills native and former Spartan chipped in with an assist on a second-period goal by teammate Jordan Eberle during Edmonton’s 2-1 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks.  Petry fired a shot that bounced right to Eberle, who put the puck past Sharks goalie Thomas Greiss.  The 24-year-old former Orchard Lake St. Mary’s standout has been given tremendous responsibility this season – being slotted as a top-four defenseman – after splitting time last season between Edmonton and their AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons.  In his last five games, Petry has earned four assists while averaging over 25 minutes of ice time – more than 30 shifts a night.  The young Oilers find themselves in 14th place in the Western Conference with 40 points, while the Sharks lead the Pacific Division and sit third in the West with 58 points.

Jan. 23 (weekend of Jan. 20-22) – David Booth

Looks like David Booth might be starting to settle in with the Canucks. On Saturday night, the Detroit native opened the scoring for Vancouver, and then in the third period, helped set up fellow Michigan native Ryan Kesler for a goal. The Canucks ended up topping the San Jose Sharks 4-3. In 22 games with last year’s Western Conference champs, the former Spartan has seven goals and eight assists. As he continues to adjust to his new roster, expect more points for Booth, and more wins for the Canucks.

Jan. 20 -Tim Thomas

It’s almost as if Michi-gamer was created specifically for Tim Thomas.  The Davison native again topped all other Michigan talent – earning Michi-gamer honors for the sixth time – leading his Bruins to a 4-1 win over Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils.  The 37-year-old stopped 30 shots and posted a .968 save percentage en route to his 19th victory of the season.  Thomas ranks near the top of the NHL in several categories, including ninth in wins, third in save percentage (.936), seventh in goals-against average (2.02) and fourth in shutouts (four).  The Devils had the lone goal in the first period but Boston found their way early in the third, scoring three goals within the first 7:45.  They added another in the final minute of the game to seal the victory.  Boston tops the Northeast division and sits second in the Eastern Conference with 61 points, while New Jersey is seven points back holding down the seventh spot in the East.

Jan. 19 -Michal Neuvirth

Michal Neuvirth earned a shutout Wednesday night, stopping 31 pucks and helping the Washington Capitals post a 3-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens.  With the win, the former Plymouth Whalers goaltender earned his second shutout of the season.  Not only were the Canadiens held scoreless, but they didn’t capitalize on any of their seven power-play chances.  Washington’s Mathieu Perreault and Marcus Johansson contributed goals in the first frame, while Alexander Ovechkin scored a power-play goal in the second. The third period saw no scoring.  The Capitals lead the Southeast division and sit third in the Eastern Conference with 52 points while the Canadiens hold down the 12th spot in the East with 42 points.

Jan. 18 – Justin Williams

Justin Williams netted a goal in regulation and added another during the shootout Tuesday night to help the Los Angeles Kings post a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.  The former Plymouth Whalers star tallied seven shots on goal during his 20:34 of ice time.  Williams scored at 15:14 of the second frame to put the Kings up 2-1, courtesy of Willie Mitchell and Anze Kopitar.  Then, after an equalizer from Vancouver and a scoreless overtime session, he beat Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo in the shootout to help break the 2-2 tie and lead his team to victory.  The 30-year-old veteran has earned seven points in his last five contests – three goals and four assists.  The Kings currently sit seventh in the Western Conference with 55 points – five points behind the Northwest division-leading Canucks.

Jan. 17 – Jim Slater

Petoskey native and former Spartan Jim Slater scored the game-winner Monday night, helping the Winnipeg Jets post a 2-0 shutout against the Ottawa Senators.  Slater, who donned MSU’s green and white from 2001-2005, was +1 with three shots on goal in his 15:31 of ice time.  The 29-year-old center opened the scoring just 49 seconds into the game, receiving a pass from teammate Chris Thorburn in front of the net, and putting the puck past Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson.  The Jets sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with 47 points – nine points behind the fifth place Senators.

Jan. 16 (weekend of Jan 13-15) – Ryan Miller

East Lansing native and former Spartan standout Ryan Miller stopped 24 of 26 shots Friday night to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maples Leafs.  The veteran goaltender earned a .923 save percentage on the night and has now won just two of his last five starts.  After a second-period goal by teammate Jason Pominville, Miller held the Maple Leafs scoreless in the third.  Following a loss Saturday night, the Sabres are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference with 43 points – two points in back of the Winnipeg Jets.  Toronto sits ninth, just a point out of playoff range behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jan. 13 – David Legwand

David Legwand scored two goals Thursday night – the second of which coming as the game-winner in overtime – to help the Nashville Predators defeat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2.  The former Plymouth Whaler and Detroit native capitalized on a scoring opportunity just 34 seconds into the overtime session, beating Avalanche goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.  Along with Legwand’s two-goal performance, the center tallied four shots on net and was +1 during just over 20 minutes of ice time.  The win came at the right time for the Predators, as they continue to battle for points in a tight Western Conference.  Nashville sits sixth in the conference with 52 points – just four above the tenth-place Avalanche.  The Predators have now established a three-game winning streak and are 7-3-0 in their last ten contests.

Jan. 12 – Zach Parise

He might not be from the state of Michigan, but since Zach Parise spent his high school days donning the USA Hockey sweater, we’re more than happy to let him in on this list. Parise scored the game-winner at 1:06 of overtime Wednesday night to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers.  The line of Parise, Patrik Elias and Ilya Kovalchuk worked the puck past Edmonton goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin during a 4-on-3 power play opportunity. Parise also accounted for five shots on goal (adding to his total of 154 on the season – tenth best in the NHL) in his 23:39 of ice time.  The 27-year-old also ranks third in the NHL with three shorthanded goals this season.  The Devils have now won six of their last ten games and sit sixth in the Eastern Conference with 50 points.  The Oilers have only earned two wins in their past ten contests and rank 13th in the Western Conference with 36 points.

Jan. 11 – Tyler Seguin

Tyler Seguin scored the game-winner at 3:06 of the third period Tuesday night, helping the Boston Bruins to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets.  The former Plymouth Whaler rushed into the Winnipeg zone and used his backhand to put the puck past Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.  Seguin was +1 during his 15:56 on the ice, adding to his league-leading +33 on the season.  The 19-year-old is also third in the league when it comes to game-winning goals, tallying five this year.  Boston, who has won eight of their last ten contests, leads the Northeast division and is second in the Eastern Conference with 55 points.  Winnipeg sits ninth with 45 points – just a point out of playoff range behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jan. 10 – Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson made headlines last night, and they were as much about what he did after his goal as the fact that he posted the game-winner Monday night. The former Michigan Wolverine helped Los Angeles Kings to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals, and added a helper and three shots on net during his 18:58 of ice time.  After his goal – Johnson scored five-hole on an odd-man rush – he kneeled down to one knee, and “Tebowed.” For those of you who haven’t watched football all year, or kept up to date with popular culture, here’s the video of his celebration. With the win, the Kings have now won six of their last ten games and sit sixth in the Western Conference with 49 points.  The Capitals – who have looked to improve since bench boss Bruce Boudreau was replaced with former NHLer Dale Hunter – have lost two games in a row and sit 10th in the East with 44 points.

Jan. 9 (weekend of Jan. 6-8) – Chad LaRose

Chad LaRose netted the game-winner Friday night, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.  The teams were tied at two when the Fraser native and former Whaler skated into Buffalo territory and rifled a shot past East Lansing native Ryan Miller at 8:10 of the third period.  LaRose also tallied five shots on net during his 16:25 of ice time.  This season, the 29-year-old is ranked at the top of the NHL for games played, totaling 43.  Carolina is 4-4-2 in their last ten games and sits 14th in the Eastern Conference with 35 points, while Buffalo is just 2-6-2 in their last ten and is only six points ahead of Carolina in 11th place.

Jan. 6 – Tyler Seguin

For the second night in a row a Boston Bruin is our Michi-gamer of the night.  This time, it’s former Whalers star Tyler Seguin.  The NHL sophomore scored the first goal of the evening Thursday night – which also counted as the game-winner – just 1:14 into the contest in Boston’s 9-0 rout of the Calgary Flames.  Seguin also posted two helpers, six shots on net and was +3 in 15:06 on the ice, making him a league-leading +31 on the season.  The line of Seguin, Patrice Bergeron and Benoit Pouliot contributed nine points alone.  The Bruins have now won nine of their last ten games and sit second in the Eastern Conference – just a point behind the New York Rangers.  The Flames have lost three in a row and sit 12th in the West with 41 points.

Jan. 5 – Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas’ performance last night means he reaches our Michi-gamer list for the fifth time.  The Davison product stopped 30 shots in the Boston Bruins’ 6-1 thrashing of the New Jersey Devils.  Thomas earned a .968 save percentage and nearly kept the Bruins off the board, leading his team to another win – a difficult task when the opposing goaltender is future Hall-of-Famer Martin Brodeur.  Boston currently sits second in the Eastern Conference with 51 points, just one point behind the New York Rangers.  New Jersey holds down the eighth spot in the East, tied at 44 points with the Washington Capitals.

Jan. 4 – Ryan Miller

The East Lansing native and former Spartan stopped 23 shots Tuesday night, helping the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.  Miller, who is 6-0-0 all-time against the Oilers, earned a .885 save percentage while keeping his team in the game during late pressure by Edmonton. With the win, the Sabres ended a three-game losing streak and currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with 40 points.  The Oilers are 13th in the West with 35 points.

Jan. 3 – Erik Condra

It’s not every day that you score a goal on Martin Brodeur. Erik Condra took it one step further, beating the future hall-of-famer to tie the game while his team was shorthanded. The Trenton native fired from the top of the circle along the boards to surprise Brodeur at the 13:17 mark of the third period, tying the game at two before teammate Daniel Alfredsson recorded the winner in overtime. It was Condra’s seventh goal of the season.

Jan. 2 (weekend of Dec. 30-Jan 1.) – Justin Abdelkader

Justin Abdelkader scored a goal in Saturday night’s New Year’s Eve contest that saw the Detroit Red Wings beat the St. Louis Blues 3-0.  Abdelkader, who has now scored in back-to-back games, avoided injury on a questionable hit to the head by the Blues’ Ian Cole in the first period, only to return in the second to record his fourth goal of the season.  The Muskegon native and former Spartan also had three shots on net and was +1 on the night during his 14:41 of ice time.  The Red Wings sit fourth in the Western Conference with 49 points behind division leaders Chicago, Vancouver and Los Angeles.  The Blues, who have come on strong since Ken Hitchcock took over behind the bench, are just two points behind in sixth place.

Dec. 30 – Drew Palmisano and Shawn Hunwick

We’re bending the rules a bit today, so that we can honor some outstanding performances we saw yesterday at Joe Louis Arena. Michigan and Michigan State will meet in the Great Lakes Invitational final tonight, and it’s thanks to their goaltenders. In the first semifinal game, Spartans senior Drew Palmisano made a season-high 45 saves to power MSU to a 3-1 win over Michigan Tech. Then, redshirt-senior Shawn Hunwick made 23 to help Michigan upset No. 3 Boston College 4-2. If they both bring their A game tonight, hockey fans in Michigan will be in for a treat. Puck drops at 7:35.

Dec. 29 – Andrew Ebbett

The University of Michigan product came through for his team Wednesday night, netting an overtime goal to send the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.  Ebbett, who played four years for the Wolverines, battled in front of the San Jose net and tipped in teammate Kevin Bieksa’s shot to beat Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi at the 3:23 mark of the extra period.  Ebbett’s game-winning goal came just two nights after he punched in two goals in Vancouver’s 5-3 win over Edmonton.  The Canucks have won two games in a row and lead the Northwest division with 46 points. They are second in the Western Conference behind Chicago, while San Jose sits third in the West, just six points behind the Canucks.

Dec. 28 – James Neal

The former Plymouth Whalers star put together a two-point night which helped the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.  Neal had one goal, one assist, and a whopping nine shots on goal in his 18:11 worth of ice time.  With the win, the Penguins have put together a four-game winning streak, putting them within just two points of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers.  Neal has scored in each of his last four games.

Dec. 27 – Ryan Miller

The Sabres’ goaltender, making his sixth straight start between the pipes, stopped 20 shots from the Washington Capitals to post a home win last night. Miller, the former Hobey Baker winner during his time at Michigan State, helped Buffalo snap a three-game losing streak with the win. The East Lansing native is now 9-8-2 on the season, which he will need to improve on as the Sabres fight to keep a playoff spot within reach.

Dec. 26 (weekend of Dec. 24-25) – Santa Clause

We heard he did a good job delivering once again this year. Did you find any hockey-related gifts under the tree this year? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter. In other words, this is the one weekend of the hockey season where there wasn’t any NHL hockey to pick from.

Dec. 23 – David Legwand

The Detroit native had a goal and an assist Thursday night, helping his Nashville Predators beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-5 for a comeback victory.  The former Plymouth Whaler tied the game when he scored with 3:46 remaining in the third period. Teammate Martin Erat put the game away for the Predators with just over eight seconds left in regulation.  Legwand also racked up two penalty minutes and three shots on net during his 17:28 of ice time.  This is the second time in as many weeks that Nashville has defeated Columbus in comeback fashion – the first time they erased a two-goal deficit to win in overtime.  The Predators sit seventh in the West with 40 points, while the Blue Jackets – who have now lost four in a row – sit last with 22 points.

Dec. 22 – Drew Miller

East Lansing product Drew Miller continued his scoring streak Wednesday night, despite his Red Wings losing to the Vancouver Canucks 4-2.  The MSU alum, reaching our Michi-gamer list for the second time this week, recorded his fourth goal in his last three games last night. Miller posted a second-period goal to cut Vancouver’s lead to one, but it wasn’t enough for the Wings.  He had five shots on net during his 17 shifts against the red-hot Canucks, who have put together 12 wins in their past 15 contests.  Detroit had their two game winning streak snapped and slid to the fifth spot in the Western Conference, one place behind the Canucks, who now take over fourth place.

Dec. 21 – Erik Condra

Trenton native and former Notre Dame stand out Erik Condra had a two-goal performance Tuesday night, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 4-1 victory over Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres.  Condra, who makes our Michi-gamer list for the second time, was +2 with five shots on net during his 16:58 on the ice.  The Senators have now won three of their last four games and hold the eight spot in the East with 36 points.  Tuesday’s win helped the Senators to welcome newcomer, former Phoenix Coyote, Kyle Turris to the line-up.

Special note:  Former Michigan Wolverine Mike Knuble played his 1,000th NHL game Tuesday night.  Knuble didn’t record any points during his 15 shifts for the Washington Capitals.  However, any Michigan-born player who makes it 1,000 games in the toughest hockey league in the world deserves recognition on this page. Way to go, Mike, and congratulations.

Dec. 20 – Drew Miller

Drew Miller seems to have found his scoring touch as of late.  The former Spartan and East Lansing native netted the game-winning goal on Monday night with 4:15 left in the final frame to lead his Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over Edmonton.  Miller was +1 and had three shots during his 12:43 on the ice.  Equally impressive for Miller is the fact that Monday’s game-winning performance followed his two-goal effort on Saturday night against Los Angeles.  Miller and the Red Wings have now won seven straight against the Oilers, and earned wins in five of their last six contests.  Detroit sits fourth in the Western Conference with 43 points, behind division leaders Chicago, Minnesota and Dallas.

Dec. 19 (weekend of Dec. 17-18) – Tim Thomas

At this point, it almost seems unfair that Tim Thomas makes our Michi-gamer list again.  This is his fourth time to be named Michi-gamer since its inception just under three weeks ago.  The Davison native had a shutout Saturday night, helping his Bruins to a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.  Thomas posted 31 saves during the dominating win over the Flyers, which means he might be getting some airtime in the next segment of HBO’s 24/7. The shutout was Thomas’ league-leading fourth of the season, and the 30th of his career.  Boston and Philadelphia are now tied atop the Eastern Conference with 43 points.

Dec. 16 – Michal Neuvirth

Hockey fans welcomed Michal Neuvirth to Michigan in 2006, when he came to the Plymouth Whalers as an import player. Last night, the former OHL standout battled a fellow Czech goaltender down to the wire, as he and Winnipeg netminder Ondrej Pavelec had shutouts going until the final 1:14 of the contest. Neuvirth held on a little longer, blanking the Winnipeg Jets on all 26 shots they took.  It was a low scoring affair, but the former Whalers goaltender kept it tied until teammate Alex Ovechkin scored with 1:14 left in the third period, sending the Washington Capitals to a 1-0 victory.  Neuvirth’s first shutout since Mar. 18 gives Washington their fourth win in the past six games.

Dec. 15 – Tim Thomas

The goaltender from Davison makes our Michi-gamer list for the third time in 15 days. Thomas made 47 saves – good for a 0.959 save percentage – to lead his Bruins to a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators Wednesday night. John Buccigross of ESPN tweeted that it was a career-high amount of saves for Thomas, and a regular-season record for the Bruins. With the win, Boston is now on a three-game winning streak and is in second place in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Philadelphia Flyers.  Thomas has won 12 of his last 13 starts.

Dec. 14 – James Wisniewski

James Wisniewski won the game for the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night when he scored the final shootout goal, beating Vancouver 2-1.  The Canton native logged 25:29 for his squad while recording six shots on net and an assist in the process.  Columbus broke up Vancouver’s four game winning streak while ending a two game skid of their own.  Wisniewski’s game-winner helped goalie Chris Mason notch his first win since Nov. 12. The former Whalers standout has 16 points for the Jackets this season.

Dec. 13 – Adam Hall

Adam Hall was the lone Michigan representative playing professional hockey on North American ice last night. With only one NHL game, no AHL games, and no ECHL games, the Kalamazoo native and former MSU captain might get this by default, but it’s time to honor this 10-year NHL vet anyways. Hall played 15 shifts and recorded two hits, a blocked shot, and won 67 percent of his face-offs in the Lightning’s 5-4 loss to the Devils last night. He’s played in 28 games for Steve Yzerman’s team this year.

Dec. 12 (weekend of Dec. 10-11) – Ryan Kesler

There were many impressive performances by Michigan’s NHLers this weekend, but the one who lives in Vancouver now topped the rest. Ryan Kesler’s two goals and an assist helped the Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.  After needing surgery on his hip during the off-season, Kesler’s performance on Saturday shows he’s returning to his Selke Trophy-winning form.  The Livonia native was +1 and tallied six shots on net. The Canucks have now won 9 of their last 10 contests, and Kesler has been a huge factor in the winning streak.

Dec. 9 – Matt Hackett

The former Plymouth Whaler’s outstanding job between the pipes last night has him at the top of our list.  In Hackett’s second NHL game – his first ever start – Hackett posted a 0.955 save percentage while making 42 saves, leading the Wild to a 4-2 win over Los Angeles.  Hackett played two periods of shutout hockey before Dustin Penner and Trent Hunter recorded third-period goals for the Kings.  Hackett’s solid play the past two games is welcome help for the Wild with the loss of Josh Harding – Hackett played almost 59 minutes of shutout hockey on Tuesday in a relief appearance.  Minnesota has now won six straight.

Dec. 8 – Erik Condra

Despite losing to Washington 5-3, Trenton native Erik Condra had a highlight-reel goal for the Ottawa Senators Wednesday night. Almost halfway through the second period,  Condra intercepted the puck in the neutral zone, and fed it cross-ice to teammate Zack Smith. Moments later, Condra charged to the net to quickly catch a rebound, and beat goaltender Tomas Vokoun for his fourth goal of the season – while being spun around by a hook from defenseman John Erskine. The play, jump-started by Condra’s steal in the neutral zone and finished off with his quick hands in front of the goal, tied the game for Ottawa. Condra finished the night +1 in 19 shifts and had three shots on net.

Dec. 7 – Brendan Morrison

This season, Brendan Morrison has been battling to keep a roster spot in Calgary, after undergoing knee surgery in the off-season. The University of Michigan alum has only played in 11 games, but he had a monster game Tuesday night. The former Hobey Baker winner notched two goals, two assists and three shots on goal in Calgary’s 7-6 win over Carolina.  Morrison was +3 in his 20 shifts.

Dec. 6 – Tim Thomas

Tim Thomas is our Michi-gamer for the second time in five days.  It’s hard to keep him off the list when he had a performance like he did last night.  Thomas led Boston to a 3-1 victory over Pittsburgh, making 45 saves and earning a 0.978 save percentage.  Thomas stepped up big in the second period when he helped kill off two Pittsburgh 5-on-3 opportunities.  The Bruins have now won 14 of their last 15 games.

Dec. 5 (weekend of Dec. 3-4) – Ryan Miller

The East Lansing native and former Spartan returned after a nine-game absence from a concussion to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.  Miller’s 32 saves and 0.941 save percentage were a welcome boost to a club that had lost five of their last six games.

Weekend runner-up – David Booth.  The Detroit native had three points in Vancouver’s 5-1 win over Calgary Sunday night.

Dec. 2 – Eric Nystrom

The University of Michigan product is our first ‘adopted’ Michi-gamer of the night. Nystrom netted the game-winner Thursday night with 2:20 to go in Dallas’ 3-2 win over Ottawa.  Nystrom had 14:08 of ice time along with a pair of shots on goal, as well. He’s been a solid addition to the Stars’ offense this season – Nystrom has nine goals already.

Dec. 1 – Tim Thomas

The Davison native posted 34 saves for Boston last night, helping the Bruins knock off the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. The win gives Thomas 12 on the season. And at the same time, last year’s Conn Smythe winner played a crucial role in Boston posting a remarkable 12-0-1 record in November. Thomas won nine games over that stretch, and he hasn’t lost since Oct. 27.

Come to MiHockeyNow.com every morning to see who was last night’s ‘Michi-gamer’. As the season progresses, we will also provide updates on who wins most often.

 

 

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