The Big Picture

The 2007 Ice Cats

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PeeWees Repeat as WAHL B Champions!

The Peewees capped a superb season by defeating Cheyenne 5-1, Laramie 6-0, and Sheridan 4-1 to win the 2006-2007 WAHL Championship.

Midgets Win State B Championship

Senior Ben Lampe lifted a backhand rebound over outstretched Cheyenne goalie Sam Silver with 0:04 remaining in regulation to complete a comeback from a three goal deficit, and Cameron Lozier and Everett Koelling scored shootout goals following a scoreless overtime, propelling Park County’s Midget Ice Cats to a 4-3 victory in Casper on Sunday and earning the young Ice Cat organization’s first state title in the Midget/High School division. In most improbable fashion, the Ice Cats scored a pair of goals in the final two minutes to tie the game, the first coming shorthanded when Koelling intercepted a Cheyenne pass and his wrist shot was redirected past the goalie by Eric Dickerman with 1:48 to play.

Cheyenne took a 2-0 lead in the first seven minutes of the game, with Ken Michael scoring on the game’s opening shift and Noah Crank scoring six minutes later. They were the only goals of the first period, during which shots on goal were even at nine apiece. The Capitals increased the lead to 3-0 six minutes into the second period when Crank scored again, but a pair of penalties over the next two minutes gave the Ice Cats a two-man advantage, and it proved to be the turning point in the game.

Operating in the Capital zone, defenseman Matt Frost slid the puck along the boards to Gunnar Lampe. Gunnar found brother Ben in the high slot, and Ben’s one-timer blasted past Silver to get the Cats on the board and the comeback started. The Ice Cats generally controlled the play in the second period, outshooting the Capitals 12-5, but the Capitals turned the tables in the third period with a 10-6 advantage. Penalty-killing kept the score close throughout, as the Ice Cats, led by the speed and pressure of Peter Dimmler, killed eight Cheyenne power plays. Both teams had a number of excellent scoring chances – the Cats rang the post twice – but the score remained 3-1 in favor of Cheyenne heading into the closing minutes.

Following Dickerman’s goal that made the score 3-2, and with a little over one minute to play, Park County pulled goalie Jon Chavez for an extra skater. Cheyenne narrowly missed an open net with about 30 seconds to play, but the ensuing icing call led to a face-off in the Cheyenne zone. In the closing seconds, Zack McMillen fired a wrist shot toward the goal and Daniel Sinner re-directed it, but Silver made the save, only to have Lampe get his tying tally.

Tournament rules call for a five-minute sudden death overtime, followed by a five-man shootout, and then one-man shootouts until a winner is determined. The overtime saw Park County whistled for a pair of minor penalties and the Capitals put five shots on net, but the Cats weathered the storm to force the shootout.

In the round of five shooters, the Cats’ Cameron Lozier shot first and scored, but Cheyenne matched the effort with their fourth shooter. Both goalies stopped the fifth shooters, leading to the one-man shootout format. Koelling shot first for the Cats, scoring between goalie Silver’s pads, and Chavez stopped the final Cheyenne shooter to complete the comeback victory.

The Ice Cats were down two players heading into the tournament, as Cody Elkins was out with a broken hand and Josh Kondash was out with mono. Head Coach Jim Schultz: “The boys showed unbelievable desire and character. They just refused to give in. They’re a fantastic group to coach – no big egos…just a bunch of guys who love to hang out together and love to play hockey together.”

The Ice Cats, seeded 3^rd, earned their berth in the championship with a pair of victories in pool play. They beat #5 seed Casper 7-1 on Friday and #2 seed Douglas 6-1 on Saturday. Cheyenne, seeded 4^th, defeated Douglas 5-4 in overtime on Friday and top seed Pinedale 4-2 on Saturday. Pinedale defeated Douglas 5-4 for third place.

Park County 7, Casper 1

Koelling scored a pair of goals to lead a balanced attack as Park County dominated Casper in their opening game of the tournament. The Ice Cats outshot the Oilers 38-19 and were never threatened.

The game was scoreless for the first 11 minutes, until the Cats’ Gunnar Lampe intercepted an attempted clearing pass by the Casper goalie and quickly fired it back into the net. It was the only goal of the first period.

The Ice Cats scored a pair of goals in the first five minutes of the second period to take command of the game. Koelling got his first on a rebound of a shot by Cameron Lozier, and Sinner scored a power play goal off a pass from Bryan Lozier. Dickerman also assisted on the play. Late in the period, August Desson, with a pass from Hal Schmidt, blasted a slap shot from the blue line past the Casper netminder. The power play goal put the Cats up 4-0 through two periods.

The third period saw the Ice Cats wrap up their dominating performance with three more tallies. Shae Sandry hit Koelling in stride at center ice as an Oiler defenseman tried to step up and intercept it. Koelling got past him and notched his second goal. Casper scored its lone goal with three minutes remaining, but the Cats answered 50 seconds later when Sinner found Cameron Lozier in the high slot and Lozier hit the net. Ben Lampe capped the scoring with an unassisted goal with dekes past two defensemen and a shot off the inside post.

Ice Cat goalie Dan Larson stopped 16 of 17 shots to earn the victory and was named game MVP by the Casper coaches.

Park County 6, Douglas 1

Cameron Lozier netted two goals to lead the Ice Cats over their namesake counterparts from Douglas and into the championship game. Once again Park County dominated, out-shooting Douglas 37-15. It was quite a turnaround from their game in Cheyenne four weeks earlier, when the senior-laden Douglas team out-shot Park County 41-17 in a 1-1 tie. Again the game remained scoreless early on, with PC getting its first goal 11 minutes in. Ben Lampe won a face-off back to Schmidt, who fired a shot toward the net. Lampe tipped and redirected the shot past the goalie. Two minutes later Lozier added his first goal on a rebound of a Dion Campbell shot, and PC led 2-0 after the first period.

Park County extended its lead to 3-0 in the second period on a power play goal by Frost. Dickerman found Frost open at the blue line and Frost blasted a slap shot past the Douglas goalie.

Early in the third period, Brady Lozier and McMillen repeated the Dickerman-Frost play, with Lozier feeding McMillen at the blue line and McMillen’s slap shot finding net. Thirty seconds later, Sinner deflected a Desson shot from the blue line off the goalie’s mask and Bryan Lozier knocked the floating puck out of mid air and into the net. The two goals put Park County up 5-0 and effectively sealed the game. Douglas got their lone goal midway through the third period, but 42 seconds later Cameron Lozier, working a penalty kill, knocked the puck away from a Douglas defenseman, retrieved it near the goal line, and skated in and beat the Douglas goalie for a shorthanded goal and the final tally.

Once again the defense and goaltending were outstanding. Jon Chavez stopped 14 of 15 shots and was named game MVP by the opposing coaches.

New Standard of Play

A letter from the President of USA Hockey.

Dear Friends,

Another hockey season is underway and, understandably, we’ve received a wide range of comments regarding USA Hockey’s new Standard of Play and Rules Enforcement initiative being implemented throughout the country in 2006-07.

This new initiative does not change any rules, but does change the way our current rules will be called by referees in relation to hooking, holding, tripping and interference.

With the new standards, players will be rewarded offensively and defensively for their use of speed, skill, and strength.

This initiative – embraced by all levels of hockey including the National Hockey League, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association – will take patience and perseverance.

Much like raising a family (and at USA Hockey we have a big family), there will be growing pains. We WILL, however, stay the course.

The end result will be a game that is far more enjoyable to both play and watch.

While there are many opinions on this new initiative, I share with you the one below from Mike Modano, one of the greatest American players to ever play our game.

“Encouraging skill and speed through rules enforcement was a positive step forward in the NHL last season and it’s great to see USA Hockey implementing that same standard throughout the country in youth hockey. It will only lead to a better game for everyone involved.”

Please help us in carrying the positive message forward, and be sure to watch the new Standard of Play and Rules Enforcement video online (click here for Standard of Play and Rules Enforcement's home page). Together we will make our great game even better.

Sincerely,
Ron DeGregorio, President
USA Hockey

Link to USA Hockey Video on the new standard of play.

Summer Hockey Camps

The Riley Arena will host two hockey camps this summer. Northwest Hockey Camps will host a camp from July 10-15. The camp focus will be on

Power Skating
Passing
Stick Handling
Shooting
Checking
Game Situations
and much more!

For more information and online registration, visit the Northwest Hockey Camps web site at www.northwesthockey.net/

Then, from Jul 17-21, Rocky Mountain Hockey Schools will provide a youth Reading & Reacting camp. For more information and online registration, visit the Rocky Mounatin Hockey Schools web site at www.rmhshockey.com

Pro Shop Sale!!!

The Riley Arena is currently expanding the pro shop. We hope to have it completed soon. Larry and Levi are having fun as I write this.

On May 10 (Wednesday) and May 17 (Wednesday) the arena will be having the 1st Annual End of the Season Blowout sale from 5:00PM to 9:00PM both nights.

Everything - and I mean everything - will be no more than $10 over cost to make room for the new 06/07 product lines. It is an excellent time to get ready for hockey camp by replacing old equipment, small equipment, or for those starting out at a fraction of the cost. Everything will be displayed in the main arena. This is not an equipment swap!!!

The sale will have:

1. Pants (breezers) - all sizes
2. shoulder pads - all sizes
3. knee pads - all sizes
4. elbow pads - all size
5. skates - tyke sizes available.
6. helmets
7. practice jerseys
8. tape & laces
9. cups / supporters / garters / johnny guards
10. soakers
11. equipment bags
12. shower sandals
13. oakley face shields
14. Easton stocking caps & Easton T's
15. neck guards / mouth guards
16. AND STICKS which include:

• 1 Easton Synergy SL 100 flex
• 2 Easton Syngery ST 100 flex
• The new Easton shipment of wood sticks - for all ages
• All composite sticks from CCM, Bauer, and Salming
• All wood sticks - senior & junior sizes
• All goalie sticks

And more!!! Hope to see you here!!!!

Pro Shop Sale!!!

The Riley Arena is currently expanding the pro shop. We hope to have it completed soon. Larry and Levi are having fun as I write this.
On May 10 (Wednesday) and May 17 (Wednesday) the arena will be having the 1st Annual End of the Season Blowout sale from 5:00PM to 9:00PM both nights.

Everything - and I mean everything - will be no more than $10 over cost to make room for the new 06/07 product lines. It is an excellent time to get ready for hockey camp by replacing old equipment, small equipment, or for those starting out at a fraction of the cost. Everything will be displayed in the main arena. This is not an equipment swap!!!
The sale will have:

1. Pants (breezers) - all sizes
2. shoulder pads - all sizes
3. knee pads - all sizes
4. elbow pads - all size
5. skates - tyke sizes available.
6. helmets
7. practice jerseys
8. tape & laces
9. cups / supporters / garters / johnny guards
10. soakers
11. equipment bags
12. shower sandals
13. oakley face shields
14. Easton stocking caps & Easton T's
15. neck guards / mouth guards
16. AND STICKS which include:

* 1 Easton Synergy SL 100 flex
* 2 Easton Syngery ST 100 flex
* The new Easton shipment of wood sticks - for all ages
* All composite sticks from CCM, Bauer, and Salming
* All wood sticks - senior & junior sizes
* All goalie sticks

And more!!! Hope to see you here!!!!

-- Mike

New Uniform Designed

During the March 18 Midget game against a Billings team, Tyson accomplished the prestigious emergency room hat trick when he was taken to an emergency room for the third time this season--this time for a broken wrist he suffered at the end of the game. We've been working on a new uniform for Tyson in the hopes that this will help him next season.

Click here for larger image.

Ben Lampe Receives Lady Byng Award

The 2006 Lady Byng Award for sportsmanship and a high level of play was awarded to Ben Lampe at the end of the year banquet.

In the National Hockey League, The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player "voted to have shown the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with performance in play." The award was first given in 1925 and is named after the wife of the Viscount Byng, who was the Governor-General of Canada at the time. Lord and Lady Byng were big Ottawa Senator fans .

The PCYHA Award follows the NHL criteria and is voted on by referees who have called the games.

Ben Lampe

2005- 2006 Really Big Group Photo

Here they are: the 2005-2006 Park County Ice Cats



Click here for large image.

New Officers Elected

At the March 14th meeting the Association elected the following officers and board members:

Board of Directors:

• Tom Fitzsimmons
  
• Steve Smith
  

Officers:

• Tom Keegan, President
• Cliff Hannam, Vice President
• Staci Kraut, Secretary
• Donna Sandry, Registrar
• Ken McMillen, Scheduler
• Billie McGarrah, Tournament Director
• Doneen Fitzsimmons, Treasurer