MiHockey’s Stefan Kubus here with you to bring your Friday morning some hockey news.

Quick Hits

Former Plymouth Whaler and current Los Angeles King Justin Williams is our Michi-gamer for May 18th! Check out how he did last night against for the L.A. Kings against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Warrior/Brine’s first annual tent sale is going on this weekend. Come out and meet Nick Lidstrom (today at noon), Dan Cleary, Shawn Horcoff (Saturday at 1pm), and 2011-12 NHL hit leader Matt Martin of the New York Islanders (Sunday, time TBD).

Highlight Reel

Here’s a throwback video for the day. Prior to the 2009 Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Detroit Red Wings from Saturday, Nov. 7, the 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees were honored. Former Red Wings Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, and Steve Yzerman were among the group.

Outside the Mitten

The L.A. Kings took an overwhelming 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals, defeating the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1. The Kings will have a chance to sweep the Coyotes on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Check it out

Courtesy of NBC Sports, here’s one of the more strange, unique stories that’s come along. Researchers believe they have uncovered the earliest-known picture of a hockey player in a book that’s older than the Stanley Cup.

Next up

NHL Conference Final play is halted until tomorrow, when the New York Rangers head over to New Jersey to play the Devils in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at 1pm. Game 4 of the Western Conference Final is Sunday at 3pm, where the Kings will have a chance to sweep the Coyotes. Enjoy the festivities and have a great weekend!

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.

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 14^th 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 9 (weekend of April 6-8) - Jim Slater

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 8^th-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.

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 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 11^th 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 11^th of his career.  The ‘Canes are 4-3-3 in their last ten contests and rank 13^th 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 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 37^th win, which keeps them in the playoff picture at 8^th 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 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

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 11^th in the Eastern Conference with 64 points, just one behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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 12^th in the Eastern Conference and are tied at 62 points with Tampa Bay.

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. 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 235^th 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. 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 235^th 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 12^th 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 33^rd 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 13^th in the East with 51 points.

Feb. 7 – Jeff Petry

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 235^th 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 138^th 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 13^th 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.

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. 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 12^th 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 11^th 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 14^th 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 11^th 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 12^th 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 11^th in the Eastern Conference with 40 points.  The Oilers are 13^th 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.

Photo courtesy of the NAHL

By Matt Mackinder -

Texas native Justin Greenberg pounced on a rebound and put a shot over St. Louis Bandits goaltender Spencer Viele 4:36 into overtime to give the Texas Tornado the Robertson Cup national championship as they defeated the Bandits 4-3 at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, Tex., on May 8.

It marked the third time a host team has won the tournament (Texas in 2004 and St. Louis in 2008) since the format was introduced in 2003-04. The Tornado also won in overtime in the semi-finals as a Drew Allen goal knocked out the defending champion Fairbanks Ice Dogs.

As overtime started, the Tornado attacked from the start, not allowing the Bandits a shot on goal.  After Viele stopped Jack Prince on a shot from in tight, Prince got the puck down the right wing and centered a pass to Jordan Greenberg, Justin’s older brother, whose shot was denied by Viele, but the rebound came right to the younger Greenberg who lifted a backhanded shot over an outstretched Viele for the Cup clincher.

Marc Biggs scored in the first period for Texas and Mitchell McPherson added a goal for the Tornado in the second period before Jordan Lovick tied the game at 3-all at 14:26 of the third period to send the game into overtime.

NAHL regular-season MVP Joe Kalisz, a Davison native, Stephen Bopp and Drew Kariofiles scored for St. Louis, with Kariofiles’ tally late in the second giving St. Louis a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.

Texas goalie and Lone Star State native Hunter Leisner, acquired at the trade deadline in February from the Aberdeen Wings, made 19 saves for the win, while Viele finished with 34 stops.

Texas played in a playoff-high six overtime games during the 2012 playoffs, including four in the Robertson Cup tournament on their way to winning the fifth crown in team history. Only the Compuware Ambassadors (11) and the Paddock Pools Saints (seven) have won more Robertson Cups.

2012 Robertson Cup All-Tournament Team
Forward: Joe Kozlak, Amarillo Bulls
Forward: Joe Kalisz, St. Louis Bandits
Forward: Jordan Lovick, Texas Tornado
Defense: John Kirtland, Texas Tornado
Defense: Anton Racklin, Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Goaltender: Spencer Viele, St. Louis Bandits
Tournament MVP: Jordan Lovick, Texas Tornado

NAHL DOLES OUT HARDWARE AT BANQUET OF CHAMPIONS
The NAHL handed out its 2011-12 season-ending awards at the annual Banquet of Champions on May 6 at the Frisco Convention Center.

Most Valuable Player: Joe Kalisz (Davison), St. Louis Bandits
Forward of the Year: Joe Kalisz (Davison), St. Louis Bandits
Defenseman of the Year: John Rey, Amarillo Bulls
Goaltender(s) of the Year and Rookie(s) of the Year:
Connor Hellebuyck (Commerce Township),
Odessa Jackalopes and Robert Nichols, Wenatchee Wild
Coach of the Year: Bill Warren, Port Huron Fighting Falcons
General Manager of the Year: Rob Proffitt,
Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Academic Achievement Award: Alex Globke (West Bloomfield), Port Huron Fighting Falcons
Community Service Award: Brooks Behling, Amarillo Bulls
Mark Messier Leadership Award: Jack Prince, Texas Tornado
Organization of the Year: Amarillo Bulls

2011-12 All-NAHL Team
Forward: Gabe Levin, Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Forward: Joe Kalisz, St. Louis Bandits
Forward: JT Osborn, Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Defense: John Rey, Amarillo Bulls
Defense: Sean O’Rourke, Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck, Odessa Jackalopes

TEAM EAST TAKES NA3HL TOP PROSPECTS CROWN
The North American 3 Hockey League (3HL) Top Prospects Tournament also took place in Frisco at the beginning of May and the team from the East Division took home the title with a 3-1 record, which included a 2-1 win over the West Division Team in the championship game on May 6.

Bryan Hovanec (Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins) had the game-winning goal and James Odom (Flint Jr. Generals) also scored in the East win.

The East team, which was composed of players from the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks, Jr. Generals, Waterford-based Metro Jets and Jr. Penguins, got 25 saves from Pittsburgh’s Tyler Stepke in the win. Kyle Bonstrom (Minnesota Flying Aces) had the lone goal in the loss for the West Division.

Team Central’s Jeremy Edwards (Chicago Hitmen) led the tournament in scoring with five points (three goals, two assists) in four games, while Stepke finished as the top goaltender with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .977 save percentage.

In the consolation game, the North Division defeated the Central Division 3-1 for the North’s first win of the tournament. Andrew Benyo (Toledo Cherokee) scored twice and Joey Lioy (Battle Creek Jr. Revolution) added the other goal.  Robert Hintz (St. Louis Jr. Blues) scored the only goal for the Central, who finished with a 2-2 record, as did the West Division.

Over 50 college and junior scouts, including all 28 NAHL teams, were in attendance during the event.

WESTERN NAPHL SQUAD WINS TOP PROSPECTS
Team White took home the NAPHL Top Prospects Tournament title with a 4-3 win over Team Yellow in the Championship game on May 6, also in Frisco.

Team White, which was composed of PHL players from the California Titans, Orange County Hockey Club, Phoenix Firebirds and San Jose Jr. Sharks, went through the tournament undefeated with a perfect 4-0 record.

Titans forward Chandler Madry led the tournament in scoring with seven points in four games. Roy Grandov (San Jose) scored twice in the championship game.

In the consolation game, Team Red defeated Team Blue.

And the World Championship comes to an early end for Team USA

Quick hits

After cruising through the preliminary round, hopes were high for the American squad at the 2012 World Championship. Yet all of a sudden, they’ve been eliminated from the tournament. The U.S. lost to Finland today, giving up a goal with eight seconds remaining that broke a 2-2 tie, ending their quest for gold in the first elimination game they played. We’ll have more on how the Michigan connections fared over the course of the tournament tomorrow.

Highlight reel

Here’s one good for a laugh for all of you disappointed with the recent loss…

Outside the Mitten

The Americans weren’t the only ones to be upset in the quarters; Canada lost earlier this morning to Slovakia. It’s the third straight year that the Canadians go home early.

Meanwhile, in the NHL, the Rangers and Devils are all tied up after New Jersey posted a 3-2 win last night.

Tonight, the Kings can take a 3-0 series lead on the Coyotes. Here’s a game preview in case you need to play catch-up on this series.

Check it out

The new issue of MiHockeyMag showed up today. We hope you grab one next time you’re at a rink.

Next up

More hockey talk tomorrow.

Note: The following article is a reader submission from a parent, coach, or player. Have your team highlighted on our website and in MiHockeyMag by e-mailing editor Michael Caples at mcaples@mihockeynow.com.

The 2002 Suburban Stars went undefeated in the 2012 Squirt AA Motown Cup, outscoring the opposition 22-9.

The Stars kicked off the tournament with only eight players on Friday to defeat the Allen Park 01/02 Selects,  13-1.  Brady Kane and Ronny Zam scored hat tricks and Adam Luma notched a playmaker.  Jake Kelbert and Jack Pado each scored two goals, while Dominic Kazmierczuk and Bryce Coleman tallied one apiece. Elizabeth Kramp had 2 assists.

“It was nice to see every player contribute to the success of the game,” said head coach Vicki Crimmins.  “Watching our new players having success and seeing them learn the game is the best part of coaching.”

Again with only eight players, the Stars played a tough Cambridge, Ontario team.  Trailing most of the game, the Stars rallied to tie the score at 4,  with 18 seconds left in the game when Zach Hollman made a beautifully-executed goal, assisted by Brady Kane and  Blake Crimmins.

The Stars didn’t look back as they defeated the Redford Kings 3-2,  showing unbelievable teamwork and work ethic.

“We passed the puck and we never quit. It was nice to see our efforts pay off,” said assistant coach Tom Hollman.

Blake Crimmins scored twice and Kane also had one.

The championship game was a rematch with the Cambridge Hornets.  While the Hornets scored first, it was just a matter of time before the Stars work ethic paid off.  A hard shot from the point from Pado allowed for a perfect tip by Bryce Livesey. Next came a power play goal from Hollman, assisted by Kelbert, and Livesey scored his second of the night to give the Stars a 3-1 victory!

The MVP of the tournament was goaltender Remy VanWert, who was stellar all weekend.

The Suburban Stars are: Remy VanWert, Blake Crimmins, Zach Hollman, Brady Kane, Bryce Livesey, Jake Kelbert, Bryce Coleman, Jack Pado, Adam Luma, Logan Hill, Elizabeth Kramp, Dominic Kazimierczuk, Ronny Zamojski, and Nick Sweeney.

MiHockey writer Stefan Kubus here with you for a Wednesday edition of Bearded Ice.

Quick Hits

Team USA closed out round-robin play in the 2012 IIHF World Championship quite strongly, with a 5-2 win over Switzerland. Michigan connections contributed six of the 13 points recorded by American players, as Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills) tallied a goal and an assist; Justin Abdelkader (Muskegon) recorded an assist; Jeff Petry (Ann Arbor) closed out the scoring with a goal, and former U-of-M Wolverine Max Pacioretty –  who continues to assert his dominance on the world stage – had two assists.

Grand Ledge native Matt Greene is today’s Michi-gamer after his performance last night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Check it out!

The teams for the 2012 Memorial Cup are now set, as Edmonton defeated Portland last night in the WHL championship game. The London Knights from the OHL – with Michigan natives Jared Knight (Battle Creek) and Austin Watson (Ann Arbor) leading the way – the Edmonton Oil Kings from the WHL and Saint John Sea Dogs from the QMJHL all won their respective league titles. The fourth team, the host, will be the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL.

Highlight Reel

In case you missed it, last night’s Kings/Coyotes game got out of hand somewhat after a couple nasty-looking hits.

First, this one by Shane Doan on Trevor Lewis got Doan served with a five-minute boarding major and game-misconduct.

Seems like it wasn’t entirely Doan’s fault, since Lewis turned at the last second. Guessing the Coyotes captain will not receive supplementary discipline from Brendan Shanahan.

This second one, which followed Doan’s hit, comes courtesy of husky Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal.

There was really no need for Hanzal, who stands tall at 6-foot-6-inches and 236 pounds, to put Brown in like that. He was staring at the numbers the entire time, and when you see digits, that’s when it’s time to lay off. Guessing he gets one or two games for that one.

Outside the Mitten

The L.A. Kings grabbed a convincing 2-0 lead over the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Finals last night. The Kings outshot the ‘Yotes 40-24, and Jonathan Quick picked up his second shutout of the postseason.

The New York Rangers host the New Jersey Devils for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight. The puck drops in the Garden at 8pm.

Check it out

The first teaser trailer dropped Monday afternoon for the latest NHL video game, with another one set to be released today. On that note, our very own Pavel Datsyuk knocked T.J. Oshie out of the NHL 13 Cover Vote. Round 2 will run from May 18th-May 23rd so be sure to stuff the ballot box for Pav!

Next up

Team USA takes on Team Finland tomorrow. Expect it to be a much closer game than the first 5-0 blowout. But for tonight, it’s Carl Hagelin and the Rangers up against Andy Greene and the Devils. Enjoy and see ya right back here tomorrow!

A.J. White of Dearborn committed to UMass Lowell. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Warriors)

By Ryan Zuke - 

Defenseman A.J. White has committed to play Division 1 hockey for UMass Lowell for the 2012-13 season after spending two seasons in the North American Hockey League.

The Dearborn native scored 28 goals and added 22 assists last season playing for the Michigan Warriors. White, 20, finished with 85 points and a plus-25 rating in 115 regular season games in his two seasons with the Warriors.

“Seeing players like A.J. develop and showcase their skills as they work toward that next level is what Michigan Warriors hockey is all about,” said Warriors head coach Moe Mantha. “He’s a talented player and a hard worker who gave it his all on the ice and in the classroom. The Warriors organization is proud of him and thrilled to see him rewarded for his effort.”

White tallied five goals and seven assists in the 2011 NAHL playoffs, helping the Warriors advance to the Robertson Cup championship game.

“Getting to play for Moe Mantha was an incredible experience,” White said. “From playing in the NHL and coaching in the pros and in juniors, he knew so much about the game, including what it took to get to the next level. I really enjoyed my time in Flint with the Michigan Warriors. They helped me accomplish my goal of playing D-1 hockey.”

White also had two points in three games at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament in Troy, Mich. earlier this year.

He joins forward Justin Hoomaian (Michigan State), defenseman Michael Szuma (University of Michigan), defenseman Ryan Trenz (Northern Michigan) and goaltender Robert Tadazak (Army) as the fifth Warrior to commit to a Division 1 hockey program.

For more information on the Michigan Warriors, visit http://www.mywarriors.co.

MiHockey writer Stefan Kubus here to help out the guy in the photo. We’ve got a magazine to get out this week, so he’s a little busy.

Quick Hits

Team USA pummeled Team Finland on Sunday in somewhat surprising fashion. With that win, USA improves to 5-1 with two overtime wins (Canada, Kazhakstan), good for second place in Group H behind only those rivals from the north.

Max Pacioretty notched a goal and assist for the United States in the convincing victory over Finland. Post-game comments from the former U-of-M standout can be found here.

Jim Slater, a Lapeer native and former Michigan State Spartan, brought his parents out to Europe for the World Championship. Read more about it right here.

Troy native and University of Michigan commit Alex Kile tallied the game-winning goal on Sunday in Game 2 of the USHL Clark Cup for his Green Bay Gamblers to tie the series at one with the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Highlight Reel

Here’s a fun flashback video; the 2008 Red Wings share who their favorite player was growing up.

Outside the Mitten

The New York Rangers welcome the New Jersey Devils tonight to kick off Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden.

Michigan connections to keep an eye on this series: Andy Greene (NJ; Trenton, MI), Carl Hagelin (NYR; U-of-M).

Speaking of Hagelin, he’s our Michi-gamer of the weekend.

Just two days after losing to the New York Rangers in Game 7, Washington Capitals head coach Dale Hunter has announced he is stepping down. Hunter said he wanted to spend more time with his family, as well as help run the family business (the OHL’s London Knights) as they march on to the Memorial Cup.

Check it out

Looking for a new phone case that’s actually durable? If it can survive a slap shot, I think it passes the test.

Next up

With another glorious night of hockey comes… well, the unexpected. Enjoy and see ya guys tomorrow!

Quick Hits

Two goals from Minnesota native Justin Faulk – one in OT – powered Team USA to a 3-2 win over Kazakhstan today. The Americans have now won four of their first five games. Justin Abdelkader and Max Pacioretty had assists in the win.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks announced that coach Jim McKenzie has received a two-year extension.

National Team Development Program forward and Ann Arbor native Andrew Copp just committed to the University of Michigan.

Meanwhile, Michigan State received a commitment from David Bondra, the son of the former NHL star.

Highlight reel

Faulk, Pacioretty, and goaltender Richard Bachman (he stopped 17 shots to get the win) talk about Team USA’s latest victory.

Outside the Mitten

We went out to Las Vegas to find our Michi-gamer for today. And what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unless you’re Livonia native Adam Miller.

Game 7 tomorrow – it all comes down to 60 minutes (or more) between the Rangers and Capitals. Who do you think will prevail? My money’s on New York, but I haven’t been the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to predicting NHL postseason games this spring.

Check it out

Our guy Darren Eliot wrote two “Special DEliveries” this week…check them out here and here. DE writes about the sacrifices being made in these playoffs (crucial shot blocks and physical play), and how stressful first-round series caught up with the Predators and Flyers in their second-round match-ups.

Next up

Enjoy the weekend, see you Monday.

Guest appearances include:

Nick Lidstrom – autograph session at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 18.
Dan Cleary and Shawn Horcoff – autograph session at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19.
Matt Martin (of the New York Islanders) – autograph session on Sunday, May 20, in the afternoon (time TBD).

Note: The hockey merchandise from the tent sale has already been sold out. However, you can still purchase field/box lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, and field hockey items.

Questions about the first annual tent sale can be directed to tentsale@warrior.com.