Americans Insider - 3/8/13

Americans Two Game Series With Rapid City Starts Tonight photo by SceneByKimberly.com

- It will be a packed house tonight in Rapid City when the Americans take on the Rush as it is "Youth Jersey Night" so the place will be rocking. Both team have been hot going 7-3 in their last ten games.

- Here is what the CHL had to say about the matchup with Rapid City in their news release today:
 The Rapid City Rush (30-23-5, 65 points) host the Allen Americans (34-13-9) this weekend in a pair of games featuring the two finalists from the 2010 CHL Finals. The Rush won their only title in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Game 6 against the Americans. Scott Wray scored the game winner in double overtime that year and he has continued to be a thorn in the side of Allen scoring three goals, including a game winner, in three games against the Americans this season. It could be a big weekend for the veteran who is sitting with 599 career CHL points. Rapid City has won two of the three this season with all three games being decided by one goal and all three being played in Texas. Allen enters the game with a four point lead over Fort Worth for first place in the Berry Conference and they are on a four-game win streak. Rapid City is coming off a 2-1 loss in Denver on Tuesday night but they are still in fourth place with a two point lead over both the Cutthroats and the Missouri Mavericks.                            

- The Americans have been led in the last ten games by Anthony Maiani (3 goals & 7 assists) and Jason Deitsch (1 goal & 9 assists) with ten points each.

- Jarret Lukin has five goals in the last ten games and three of them were game winners.

- Tyler Ludwig leads the team in +/- in the last ten games with a +7

- I posted yesterday that Josh Hepditch has signed to play for the Missouri Mavericks. I mentioned in the post Josh was coach and general manager of a Junior B team in Creston, British Columbia this year. If you are interested in reading more about how he got from playing for the Americans to a job as a GM read the post, "Where Are They Now, Josh Hepditch" which you can find in the archives (posted 10/23/12).

- Casper, Wyoming City Manager John Patterson said the likelihood of Central Hockey League play coming to the city by the start of the 2013-14 season is greater than 50-50, but investors must still meet a looming financial deadline. Private investors intended to have enough money by March 1, but a small amount is still needed. Several people are working to raise the remaining funds by March 15, and Patterson said investors are likely to meet the extended deadline.

- I have to brag on my home state of Minnesota as one of the greatest sporting events is the annual high school hockey tournament which is taking place this week. The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament is currently the largest state sports tournament in the United States in terms of viewing and attendance, beating both the Texas and Florida's State High School Football Tournament and the Indiana State High School Basketball Tournament. Ask any of the three Minnesotans on the Americans (McMillin, McKenzie & Montgomery) and they will tell you how special this tournament is. Montgomery's team (Centennial High School lost last night 2-1), while the team Jim McKenzie played for (Hill-Murray) won 6-3. Brian McMillin's high school (Roseau) didn't make the tournament this year but is the most successful program in the state with 33 appearances since the tournament began in 1946, 12 finals appearances and 7 state championships. Imagine playing before over 18,000 fans and a statewide television audience as a high school kid. Mike Montgomery had the thrill of winning the tournament in 2004 and scored the only goal in the 1-0 victory.

As Darryl Bootland said when he posted this picture on Twitter, "Who Knew The Americans Love Art"

The team visited Mt Rushmore yesterday as they had done back in 2009-2010. Nice to do some tourist activities during down time.

SMILE BOYS