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Michi-gamer: Pride of the Mitten (Week of March 9, 2015)

MiHockey Staff

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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.

MARCH 12 – DUSTIN GAZLEY sm_gazley

Novi’s Dustin Gazley continues to build on his AHL career-high marks now in his third season. The Michigan State alum potted a goal and an assist in a losing effort for his Hershey Bears squad. Gazley first set up former Plymouth Whalers defenseman Connor Carrick in the opening period before scoring himself to put the Bears up 2-1 in the second period. That tally put Gazley up to 15 goals on the season to go along with his 12 assists for 27 points through 56 contests. Last season, the 26-year-old finished with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 42 games.

 

MARCH 11 – ANDREW MILLER andrew miller

A former Mr. Hockey winner with Cranbrook, Andrew Miller continues to shine in the Edmonton Oilers farm system. Miller recorded his 22nd goal of the season in a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals, which proved to be the game-winner. The Bloomfield Hills native and former Yale Bulldog has shattered his AHL career-high marks in his sophomore campaign, posting 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points in 55 games. That’s up from his eight goals and 26 assists in 52 games last season.

 

 

MARCH 10 – JUSTIN ABDELKADERabdelkader head shot

Muskegon native Justin Abdelkader has picked up his offensive game this season for Detroit, setting career highs across the board. But with a goal Monday night in a 5-2 win against Edmonton – albeit an empty-netter – to help guide the Red Wings back on the winning track, Abdelkader now has four goals in his last four games. The line of he, Henrik Zetterberg and newly-acquired Erik Cole has been the Red Wings’ best lately. The former Michigan State Spartans forward and Mr. Hockey winner with Muskegon Mona Shores has amassed 17 goals and 35 points – both career-highs – in 58 games this season. His 18 assists tie his career-high set last season.

 

MARCH 9 – KYLE BONISbonis

With his Toledo Walleye playing three consecutive games from Friday to Sunday, Ferris State alum Kyle Bonis contributed to the offense in each contest to help the Detroit Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate go 2-1. In Friday’s game, Bonis first drew a helper on Martin Frk’s 22nd of the season to open the game’s scoring in a 3-2 win over Elmira. The next night against the Reading Royals, he decided to do some scoring of his own, potting two goals and an assist in a 5-3 victory, including the game-winner. To cap off the weekend, Bonis chipped in one more assist Sunday in a 3-2 loss to the Royals, resulting in a productive five-point weekend. The 26-year-old forward has a career-high 27 goals this season to go along with 15 assists in 47 games. Last season, his first full season in the ECHL, Bonis recorded 25 goals and 45 points in 65 games, so it appears he will set a new career-high in points, as well. Bonis was a four-year player at Ferris State and was a member of the 2011-12 CCHA regular season championship team. As team captain in 2012-13, he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

 

Michi-gamer features compiled by MiHockey’s Stefan Kubus and Michael Caples. Click here to see last week’s Michi-gamer picks.