JANESVILLE, WI — A season-high nine-game road trip finally wrapped up for the Jets last week, but not nearly in the fashion they were hoping for. An 8-1 loss to the Kenai River Brown Bears finalized the team’s record at 3-6 on the trip that began in Minnesota with a sweep, went to Springfield, Illinois, for a split, and then ultimately to Alaska where the team went 0-5 against the Midwest Division’s top two opponents in the Fairbanks Ice Dogs and the Kenai River Brown Bears.
The last few weeks have also seen some key contributors taken off the ice for Janesville. Forward Parker Lindauer, who missed 13 games with a broken collarbone earlier this fall, was lost again to injury. In much more positive news, though, forwards Charlie Schoen and Jake Dunlap were each called up to their rights-holders in the USHL (Lincoln Stars and Fargo Force, respectively). For a team that so proudly and consistently lives up to their mission of advancing its players, a mid-season USHL call-up is a proverbial “good problem” to have, even if it means the gameday roster loses some talent. Since the November 25 call-up for forward Ján Lašák (Muskegon Lumberjacks), the three advancements have taken 37 total points out of the Jets’ lineup.
The Jets are finally playing in the comforts of home, though, with a two-week, five-game home stand beginning tonight. The players are back to sleeping in their own beds, back to skating on the ice they know, and the “next man up” mentality will offer some depth players a shot to make a statement in these two revenge series against the Ice Dogs and Brown Bears.
Tickets are on sale online or at the door. You can also watch the games live on HockeyTV, or follow along on Twitter for to-the-minute score updates.
Thur Dec 12 | 7:00pm CT
Fri Dec 13 | 7:00pm CT
Sat Dec 14 | 7:00pm CT
Watch LIVE on HockeyTV.com
JANESVILLE JETS
Record: 11-16-1-0 (4th, Midwest)
Home Record: 2-4-1-0
Last Ten Games: 4-6-0-0
Goals For/Game: 2.64 (20th)
Goals Against/Game: 3.64 (23rd)
Shots For/Game: 28.25 (21st)
Shots Against/Game: 33.54 (20th)
Power Play: 24.3% (7th)
Penalty Kill: 77.1% (19th)
Top Scorers: F Nick Nardella (28GP—9G-17A—26PTS); F Isaac Novak (23GP—10G-9A—19PTS); Multiple Players (12PTS)
Goaltenders: Grant Riley (8-12-1-0, 3.30 GAA, .904 SV%); Riley Sims
Rostered Commitments: D Grant Hindman (Lake Superior State); F Max Itagaki (RPI); F Parker Lindauer (Northern Michigan); F Nick Nardella (Michigan Tech); F Isaac Novak (Wisconsin); D Casey Roepke (Wisconsin)
FAIRBANKS ICE DOGS
Record: 19-8-0-2 (2nd, Midwest)
Road Record: 8-2-0-1
Last Ten Games: 6-3-0-1
Goals For/Game: 3.45 (8th)
Goals Against/Game: 2.17 (4th)
Shots For/Game: 35.41 (3rd)
Shots Against/Game: 25.72 (4th)
Power Play: 27.8% (5th)
Penalty Kill: 79.2% (15th)
Top Scorers: F Matt Koethe (29GP—11G-18A—29PTS); F Jack Johnston (29GP—13G-14A—27PTS); F Oliver Kjaer (24GP—11G-15A—26PTS)
Goaltenders: Mattias Sholl (16-7-0-2, 1.91 GAA, .927 SV%); Austin Ryman (3-1-0-0, 2.70 GAA, .878 SV%)
Rostered Commitments: F Dylan Abbott (Minnesota State); F Parker Brown (Air Force); F Luke Ciolli (Army); D Lucas Erickson (St. Lawrence); D Jasper Lester (Air Force); D Trenton Woods (Alaska-Fairbanks)
100+ NCAA commitments since 2009.