Welcome to Hockey’s Headwaters, your place to keep track of Pittsburgh born and trained hockey players skating out of town. Here is Hockey’s Headwaters for the week ending Jan. 8.
HEADWATERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Peoria Rivermen forward Jeff Jones has had a great start to his tenure with the team, registering four goals and five assists in his first nine games, including a goal and two assists this past week.
The former Robert Morris forward came to the franchise in a trade from Huntsville around Thanksgiving, and the team success has followed his own, with a 6-1-2 record during his tenure.
Here’s whats going on around the rest of the hockey world.
Vincent Trocheck (Florida Panthers) has certainly backed up the bid to the All-Star game. The star winger scored four goals and added three assists for the Panthers, who are only two points out of a wild card position.
Goaltender John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) secured a shutout, two wins and had a half game of relief this week. … Stephen Johns (Dallas Stars) notched his fourth goal of the season against Detroit. … J.T. Miller (New York Rangers) had two goals. … Brandon Saad (Columbus Blue Jackets) scored a goal.
Jake Hildebrand (Indy Fuel) got the squad out of its recent funk, winning three games while compiling a .927 save percentage. … Ty Loney (Adirondack Thunder) scored a goal. … Zac Lynch (Manchester Monarchs) scored a goal in his return from Springfield (AHL). … Patrick Gaul (South Carolina Stingrays) tallied a goal and an assist.
Former Robert Morris captain Rebecca Vint (Brampton Thunder, CWHL) scored a goal and added an assist in a home-and-home series with the Toronto Furies this past weekend. The 2015 graduate has eight points in 13 games for the team, which currently sits in fourth in the six team league.
William Casey (Soo Eagles, NOJHL) continues to impress in his first year at the junior hockey level, enjoying a two goal, three assist week to take his season totals to 14 goals and 24 assists in only 43 games.
Nick Long (Elliot Lake Wildcats, NOJHL) had a goal and two assists. … Dustin Rinaldo (Brockville Braves, CCHL) lit the lamp once and collected two apples. … Shawn Baird (Cornwall Colts, CCHL) and Austin Tonkovich (Trenton Golden Hawks, OJHL) added a goal for their respective teams.
Brendan Walkom (Amarillo Bulls) scored two goals and added an assist, and teammate Eric Cooley had a helper for the squad. … Carter Ekberg (Janesville Jets) tallied a goal and an assist. … Paul Maust (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights) scored a goal.
