Weekend Preview: Jr. Blues @ Jets (G40 & G41)

Feb 1, 2019

By Mason Lyttle (@MasonLyttle) | February 1, 2019 | 2:54pm

JANESVILLE, WI – The Jets and the Jr. Blues clash again tonight in Janesville.

On the heels of a split in Springfield last weekend, the Midwest Division’s oldest rivalry reignites tonight and tomorrow on the Jets’ home ice.

Earlier today, rosters for the 2019 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament were announced. Head coach Corey Leivermann will assume the same duties for the NAHL Selects Blue team, where he’ll also coach forward Erik Bargholtz. Goaltender Cole Brady and defenseman Jordon Halverson will skate for the NAHL Selects Red squad, and three Jets will play for Team Midwest: forwards Erik Palmqvist and Brenden Olson, and defenseman Sean Driscoll.

This year’s Top Prospects Tournament will be held in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, February 19th and Wednesday, February 20th.

Tonight the Jets play game number 40 of a 60-game regular season schedule, officially marking the start of the final third of the season. Here is the part of the NAHL calendar, bolstered by a phenomenal event like Top Prospects, colloquially referred to as “commitment season.” The individual successes will start rolling in, but the teams who can boast the most of those are also prepping for playoff runs.

The Jets and the Jr. Blues battle for a pair of wins this weekend, with undoubtedly plenty of college and professional scouts watching.

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JANESVILLE JETS

Record: 20-15-2-2 (3rd, Midwest)
Home Record: 9-7-2-0
Last Ten Games: 3-6-0-1
Goals For/Game: 
2.59 (18th)
Goals Against/Game:
 3.05 (17th)
Shots For/Game: 27.36 (22nd)
Shots Against/Game:
 31.97 (12th)
Power Play: 
14.5% (22nd)
Penalty Kill: 
77.0% (19th)
Top Scorers: 
F Jack Vincent (38GP—10G-14A—24TS); F Tommy Middleton (36GP—8G-12A—20PTS); Multiple Players (19PTS)
Goaltenders: 
Cole Brady (15-9-1-2; 2.62 GAA; .917 SV%); Sam Metcalf (4-6-0-1; 3.52 GAA; .890 SV%); Garrett Nieto (3-3-0-0; 3.42 GAA; .899 SV%)* 
Rostered Commitments: D John Prokop (Miami); F Nicholas Nardella (Michigan Tech); F Justin Engelkes (Miami); F Erik Bargholtz (Michigan State); G Cole Brady (Arizona State); F Brenden MacLaren (Ferris State); G Garrett Nieto (Union)*

* Injured Reserve


SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES

Record: 19-16-2-1 (4th, Midwest)
Road Record: 10-6-0-1
Last Ten Games: 7-3-0-0
Goals For/Game: 2.71 (17th)
Goals Against/Game:
 3.00 (13th)
Shots For/Game: 29.32 (19th)
Shots Against/Game:
 28.82 (5th)
Power Play: 
19.0% (13th)
Penalty Kill: 
81.5% (11th)
Top Scorers: 
F Brandon Puricelli (37GP—20G-21A—41PTS); F Ben Schmidling (38GP—17G-18A—35PTS); F Max Brainin (38GP—12G-22A—34PTS)
Goaltenders: 
Jack Williams (12-10-0-1; 2.96 GAA; .898 SV%); Janis Voris (4-1-0-1; 2.79 GAA; .898 SV%)
Rostered Commitments: 
F Spencer DenBeste (Lake Superior State); G Jack Williams (Michigan State)