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 Feb. 12, 2017.
HEADWATERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Riley Barber — HERSHEY BEARS
Pittsburgh native Riley Barber returned to the lineup for the AHL’s Hershey Bears last week and scored three goals in his first two games back since missing 34 games with an upper-body injury.
Barber, who just turned 23, scored 55 points in 74 games as a rookie with Hershey last season, and picked right up where left off after a hot start early this year. Barber now has seven goals and four assists for 11 points in just 15 games this season.
Here’s whats going on around the rest of the hockey world.
New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller (Pittsburgh Hornets) had two goals including the game-winner against the Nashville Predators Feb, 9, en route to a two-goal three assist week. Another Pittsburgh-born player, Vince Trocheck, fed on the Predators for two goals and an assist just two days later. The forward added an assist against Los Angeles to round out at a four-point week.
Forward Ty Loney (Pine-Richland) scored his first two goals in the AHL this season signing a PTO with the Chicago Wolves. The Valencia native has three points in four games during his most recent AHL stint.
Goaltender Parker Milner (Pittsburgh Hornets) stopped 46 of 49 shots over the weekend (including 23 of 24 in 30+minutes of relief on Sunday) for Hershey. The netminder has stopped 105 of 112 shots (0.9375 save percentage) and sports a 3-1 record since returning to the AHL. … Defenseman Mike Weber had two assists for Iowa on Friday night.
Zac Lynch (Shaler) had a goal in each game over the weekend for the Manchester Monarchs. The 24-year-old forward has 26 points in 25 games for the squad.
Atlanta Gladiators forward Tyler Murovich (Mt. Lebanon) scored two goals Feb. 7 against Orlando. … … Patrick Gaul (Pittsburgh Hornets) had a goal and two assists for the South Carolina Stingrays. … Wichita Thunder forward David Friedmann (Robert Morris) had a goal.
Lower Burrell native Zack Tatrn scored 3 goals and added two assists for the Roanoke RailYard Dawgs. Tatrn has nine points in 14 games since getting the call up from the Federal League.
Joe Harcharik (Robert Morris) scored a goal and added an assist for Fayetteville. … Aaron Clarke (Robert Morris) had two goals and three assists for Pensacola.
Brianne Mclaughlin (Robert Morris) won the Fastest Goaltender competition over Brittany Ott in Saturday’s NWHL Skills Showdown as part of the NWHL All-Star Game weekend at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. McLaughlin also announced this week that the 2016-17 season would be her last as a competitor.
Fellow Robert Morris alumna Rebecca Vint was selected for the CWHL All-Star Game and played for Team White. The forward registered one assist in the game.
Sophomore forward Tyler Andrew (Pittsburgh Hornets) scored the game-winning goal for the Ferris State Bulldogs against Michigan Tech Feb. 10. Linemate and Glenshaw native Jacob Hetz had the primary assist on Andrew’s third of the season.
Soo Eagles (NOJHL) forward William Casey (Pens Elite) scored a shorthanded goal Feb. 11 against French River and then had two assists the next night against Espanola.
Elliot Lake Wildcats (NOJHL) forward Nick Long scored his seventh goal of the season Feb. 10 against Rayside Balfour. … Brockville Braves (CCHL) forward Dustin Rinaldo (Pens Elite) had two assists. … Kemptville 73’s (CCHL) forward Adam Alavi (Peters Twp) had an assist.
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) forward Connor Ford (Pens Elite) scored the game-winning goal against Tri-City Feb. 11. The goal was Ford’s seventh of the season and second game-winner of the year.
Pens Elite goaltender Chad Veltri was called up to the Corpus Christi Ice Rays and earned his second NAHL win in as many chances, stopping 25 of 26. He now has a .985 save percentage in two career games.
Amarillo Bulls (NAHL) forward Luke Edgerton (Pens Elite) had a goal and four assists in two games. Teammate Brendan Walkom (Moon) added a goal. … Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL) forward Dalton Hunter (Latrobe) had one assist.
