Michi-gamer: Pride of the Mitten (Week of Jan. 19, 2015)
Welcome to another season of MiHockey’s Michi-gamer!
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 morning, we pick one Michi-gamer from the previous night’s slate of games across all professional levels of hockey – one Michigan player who stood out above the rest.
JANUARY 23 – KENNY RYAN
Franklin native and Detroit Honeybaked product Kenny Ryan caps off this week’s Michi-gamer honors after notching a goal and an assist Thursday evening, as he helped his Lake Erie Monsters to a 6-2 victory over the San Antonio Rampage in AHL action. Ryan scored 5:39 into the third period to give the Monsters that always-important insurance goal and, in an astonishing five seconds later, assisted on a goal by defenseman Maxim Noreau. In 38 games this season, the 23-year-old has amassed seven goals and nine assists. Ryan spent the previous three seasons with the Toronto Marlies.
JANUARY 22 – TIM KENNEDY
Former Michigan State Spartans standout Tim Kennedy had himself a solid offensive night in a 7-2 victory for his Hershey Bears over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in AHL action Wednesday evening. The 28-year-old Kennedy potted a goal and two assists to give him a season total of four goals and 29 assists in 40 games. During his three-year stint with the Spartans, Kennedy recorded 105 points in 113 games and he was also a vital member of the 2007 squad, alongside Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader, that knocked off Boston College to capture a NCAA championship.
JANUARY 21 – CHRIS KUNITZ
Ferris State product Chris Kunitz found the back of the net with a shorthanded goal in a 3-2 overtime loss to Philadelphia Tuesday night. While it was the 35-year-old’s first such goal of his career, that’s not what made it special. In his 696th NHL contest, Kunitz’s short-side, 2-on-1, unassisted snipe was the 500th point of his career. This season, the veteran forward has amassed 29 points in 37 games with the Pens.
Highlights:
JANUARY 20 – JAMES WISNIEWSKI
It would be an understatement to say Canton native James Wisniewski played a hand in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild Monday night. The Plymouth Whalers product factored in on all three goals. First, his gorgeous stretch pass allowed Brandon Dubinsky to break down the high slot and wire home a wrister. Then, 5:35 into the third period, Wisniewski pinched in all the way near the slot, took a Nick Foligno pass and one-timed his fifth of the year home, a power-play marker that stood up as the game-winner. He followed that up with an assist on Scott Hartnell’s 10th of the year to cap off three-point night in 21 minutes of ice time.
Highlights:
JANUARY 19 – NATHAN GERBE
In a game that featured five Michigan names on the scoresheet, it was Nathan Gerbe who claimed the spotlight Saturday night in Ottawa. The Hurricanes forward, an Oxford native, set up the game-tying goal and then scored the game-winning goal for Carolina, leading them to a 3-2 win on the road over the Senators. Gerbe, 27, scored on a long wrister from just inside the blue line to break a 2-2 tie at the 14:19 mark of the third period for his fourth goal of the season and his second game-winner. The NTDP alum and Boston College product, who is in his second season with the Hurricanes, currently has four goals and 13 assists in 41 games on the season. Last year, he tied a career-high best with 16 goals; however, he’s just two assists away from matching last year’s mark of 15.
Highlights:
Michi-gamer features compiled by MiHockey’s Michael Caples.