Falzone claims national title with Jr. Preds

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

For the second time in three years, a local hockey player has wrapped up the season as a national champion.

Selena Falzone, 18-year-old daughter of Dells Ducks Owner Shaun Falzone has spent the last year living in Baraboo but played hockey in Nashville with the AA Jr. Predators, traveling the same road as from RWD varsity player Trevor Slaght.

It was her second season commuting once a month to the country western capital to play hockey. The previous season she lived in the Dallas area but spent this year in Baraboo as the Falzone is in the midst of moving to the area.

Primarily playing on the wing this season, Falzone said in interview she is at least somewhat familiar with every position except goaltender.

As the daughter and sister of hockey players, Falzone naturally developed an interest in the sport at a young age, skating at the age of three and playing her youth hockey first in Chicagoland, then Texas before moving on to the AA squad in Nashville.

Falzone collected three goals and nine points with the Preds and provided a physical presence on the ice for her squad.

Last season, the Preds enjoyed a more successful campaign but lost out in semi-finals at Nationals. This year the team might not have been as successful through the season but saved its best hockey for the end and returned home with a national championship banner for its home arena.

The team’s lone stumble came in its opener at Nationals as the Preds dropped a 4-3 decision against the Idaho Vipers, both in the ‘American’ Division at the USA Hockey 19U Womens Tier 2 National Championship tournament March 30.

The team returned the following day though, shrAugging off its loss and bouncing pack with a 3-1 edge against the Alaska All Stars.

In its round-robin wrap up game on April 1 the Preds clinched a spot in the tournament quarter-finals with a 6-0 shutout against the Anaheim Lady Ducks.

The Preds returned on April 2 and advanced to semis with a 7-5 decision against the South Anchorage Oilers, breaking a 4-4 draw with a 3-1 margin through the final period — a trend that continued through the playoff rounds.

That evening the Preds took the ice again and punched its ticket to the National Championship game with a 6-3 doubling of the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.

Only the Preds and Arizona Kachinas returned April 3 for the championship game that saw the Nasvhille crew fall behind beford rallying late.

After a scoreless opening period, the Kachinas opened a 2-0 second period cushion and led 3-1 early in the third.

A pair of goals from Heather Ajakie less than two minutes apart. finished off a hat trick with her eighth and ninth of the tournament, pulling the Preds even with still more than 11 minutes to play.

The game winner came from Devon Caveliere on a powerplay with 7:36 to play, putting the Preds in front for the first and only time in the contest.

It was a fitting swansong for Falzone who is stepping away from competitive hockey, at least at the AA level to focus on school. She will graduate high school in a few weeks and while she has been accepted at a couple top schools, including University of Minnesota, she will begin her post high school education at UW-Sauk County in Baraboo.

Still undecided on hockey, Falzone may look to play her final 19U season locally.

Kopfstein honored as one of division’s best

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Jack Kopfstein has been a huge presence for the Dells Ducks since his unexpected arrival in the off season between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

USPHL Premier 2022-23 Midwest West Division All-Stars

The now 17year-old defenseman signed up to attend the Futures Camp held by the Ducks and he has been a great presence on the blue line ever since. Local fans and players are clearly not the only ones to notice him as he was recently named as a Premier League’s Midwest-West Division 2022-23 All Star.

A native of Vista, CA, Kopfstein showed up at the Prospects Camp seemingly out of the blue after selecting the Ducks as a team that could be a good fit for him. At the time he was playing youth and varsity hockey on the left coast.

His impression with the Ducks was immediate but hidden somewhat on a team that struggled defensively. However, he stood out at the other end of the pond as well, slamming home three goals and a dozen assists in the season’s first 29 games before a collar bone injury at the Chicago Showcase just before the Christmas Break effectively pulled the plug on his season.

Dells Ducks

But the defensemen didn’t shut himself down completely, returning for the final few games of the season and spend much of the off season in Illinois and Wisconsin, working out and attending some tournaments with incoming Head Coach Anthony Rohde.

Kopfstein returned for the 2022-23 season and missed just one of 44 contests, scoring 14 goals and adding 17 assists for 31 points which was more than double his previous season’s total. Overall, the 46 points collected by Kopfstein ranks 27^th best in team history and he is fifth among defensemen behind local legends Jake Stima; Bradley Hefner, Sean Teske and Beckett Patten.

As an ‘05, Kopfstein has three years of junior eligibility remaining and he has a good shot at catching on with a team at a higher level (NAHL or NCDC).

Kopfstein’s big shot and ability to move the puck might overshadow his primary job which is of course stopping the opposition from scoring. He was a primary piece on a defensive unit that cut 116 goals off its goals against total (333 to 217) this past season but he and the coaches both know that job is not finished yet.

Being recognized as one of the division’s top defenders is no easy task, especially this season which might have been one of the best since the division was formed in terms of defensive standouts.

Kopfstein joins Jacob Jakusz and Evan Izenstark from the Hudson Havoc; Kyle Cupolo from the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings and Logan Lake from the Minnesota Moose as the Division’s All-Star Defenders.

It is nice but not overly surprising to see Kopfstein listed as one of the best in the division. He has been a huge part of the team’s successful move up the standings this past season.

Coach (Shaun) Falzone and then Coach Rohde have been happy to have a player like Kopfstein patrolling the Ducks’ blue line.

“Jack through the past two seasons has been one of the most reliable defensemen in the division,” said Coach Rohde. “Not only does he play against the other team’s top players, but also puts up points consistently.

“His progression from a young player learning how to play juniors to being the ‘D’ that leads a team has been a lot of fun to watch.”

All Star Forwards is equally as impressive including: Jack Pojar; Blake Bakey and Daniel Ellingson from the Minnesota Squatch; Tyler Schmitt and Easton Parnell from the Isanti Outlaws; William Tricarico and Tobias Falkeid from the Riverkings; Teodor Benno-Vaage and Ryan Mulrenin from the Moose; Noah LaFleur from the Steele County Blades and Harout Torosian from the Havoc.

Nate Gulsvig of the Squatch/Havoc and Levi Preugschas from the Blades were named as the Division’s All-Star Goaltenders.

The Dells Ducks and Saukhockey.info would like to Congratulate Jack on being named to the All-Division team and wish him luck as he looks to catch on with a Tier 2 squad over the summer months.

Marked improvement for Ducks in every area in 2022-23.

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks made a quick exit from the USPHL postseason but a look back on the season shows a team moving in the proper direction.

Dells Ducks

Here’s a quick review of the team’s accomplishments this season and a first look at what is in store for the team when they return in the fall.

The team’s overall record, 12-29-2-1, doesn’t look great at first glance, but here are a few reasons why it’s more than promising.

First, compare it to the previous couple seasons — The Ducks finished at 3-38-2 in 2020-21 with a young squad but managed one more win the following season, finishing at 4-39-1. The nine points collected was also one more than the previous season.

Statistically, the team showed some progress, scoring 94 goals as opposed to 65 the previous year. On average, the improvement went from 1.51 goals per game to 2.13. Defensively, the team struggled in the COVID season, allowing 356 goals in 43 regular season games for an average of 8.28 pefore r game and improved slightly with 333 goals against the following season for an average of 7.57.

Those are dismal stats but looking there shows how dramatic the team’s improvement was in 2022-23.

Ducks scored 116 goals this past season, an average of 2.64 per game and flirted with allowing less than 200, before finishing with 217 against, a still high, but much improved average of 4.93 per game.

Despite a drop of more than 100 goals against, there were still some big losses that inflated the overall number. The Ducks allowed eight or more goals in six games and teams put up a double-digit total on the locals twice and the Havoc did it once more in the post season.

Offensively, the team saved its best for last, scoring 10 in its final regular season game, the fifth time the local crew put up a total of five or higher. Ironically two of those games were losses.

The team appears headed in the right direction but it will be interesting to see if they can take another big step forward as many of the team’s top players from this season will be moving on to college next year, having aged out at the end of the 22-23 season. The team’s top.

Head Coach/GM Anthony Rohde and his assistant, Mario Lachica deserve much of the credit as they were tireless in first getting the players, then getting them on the same page.

The 27 points collected in standings this season was just shy of three times better than the nine collected the previous season. What makes that number standout more is the fact the team lost its first 14 games and had just one overtime point to show for it.

But a 2-1 win against the visiting Minnesota Blue Ox on Nov. 5 served as a turning point for the Ducks who clearly enjoyed winning, taking W’s in two of its next three as well.

From that point on, the team put together a record of 9-16-1-1, under .500 but certainly moving in the right direction.

Last season the Ducks collected no wins after returning from the Christmas Break, dropping all 12 in the crucial homestretch. This time the team went 4-9 to protect the final playoff spot. That stretch, when Showcase excursions are done and you’re facing a division rival in every match is perhaps the most crucial part of the season.

Local youth players and parents are familiar with Rohde’s style as he has worked with many of the local players. What is evident are his unique drills that improve the speed, footwork and stickhandling of almost everyone that works with him, but what many are not aware of is the time Rohde and Lachica put in watching film of their own games and their opponents’ games. They are always aware of what specifically needs to be improved and its not uncommon for the tinkering to begin during an intermission of the same game.

The coaches have already moved on to the 2023-24 campaign even while the top teams are still finishing this season.

Aging out forwards like the team’s leading scorer, Ethan Matthews, Adam Brown and captain Bryce Jacobsen were given a chance to play at a higher level down the stretch with trades to upper echelon teams. Jacobsen (Minnesota Moose) and Matthews (Richmond Generals) will both get a chance to finish their season in style at the League’s National Championship tournament in Utica, N.Y. next week.

But without those players, the team should have seen a noticeable sag in performance. Instead, the rest of the guys stepped up, putting up a team high 10 goals in its regular season finale. Rohde said those final games were effectively auditions for players looking to return to the Ducks next season.

“They took advantage of that opportunity to step up,” said Rohde adding the players are looking to impress every time on the ice.

“Every shift is a tryout for the next one,” summed up the coach in a telephone interview.

Rohde said players from Wisconsin/Illinois along with some others staying in the Midwest through the off season will get a chance to take part in some five-on-five skates, starting soon at the Lake Delton Ice Arena and continuing over the summer months in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas.

The coach estimated half of the non-aging out players could be hoping to return next season and he has been looking for players that could come in and make the team better since before the regular season ended.

The team has shown a marked improvement in nearly every area but the bar will be set higher for the 2023-24 season. Rohde and Lachica wouldn’t have it any other way.

Home is sweet for Ducks in 2023 so far

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

It’s a different Dells Ducks team local fans have been given a chance to see since putting up new calendars at the beginning of this month, continuing Sunday with an important 6-1 win against the Minnesota Mullets.

After beginning the USPHL Premier Midwest-West regular season with seven straight home losses, the Ducks dropped another in October before snapping a 14-game season opening skid with a 2-1 edge agaisnt the Minnesota Blue Ox Nov. 5, 2022.

That was the lone win in 10 games played in Lake Delton before the Christmas Break.

Since returning from the break, the Ducks are 2-1 on home ice including the big one Sunday that takes the team a giant step toward clinching the eighth and final playoff spot.

On Sunday, the Ducks opened a 2-0 first period lead adding three more in the second before Mullets finally hit the scoreboard late in the frame.

Ethan Matthews (’02/South Bend, IN) led the way with two goals and an assist while linemate Adam Brown (’02/Westmont, IL) checked in with a goal and two helpers. Jack Kopfstein (’05/Vista, CA) and Reece Atkins (’03/Amery, WI) both added a goal and assist, the other goal coming from Jackson Stubblefield (’03/McKInney, TX).
Logan Potts (’03/Allen, TX); Ashot Davtyan (’05/Russia); Bryce Jacobsen (’02/DeForests, WI); Gage Senio (’02/Red Deer, AB); Alic Schuster (’04/Menomonee, WI) and Gabe Krueger (’03/Blaine, MN) each added an assist.

The Ducks pounded the Mullets’ goal with 57 shots while Chris Maszurek (’03/Batavia, IL) stoped all but one of 34 Mullets’ chances.

The Ducks have a total of seven games remaining in the regular season schedule. Following the three home games this weekend there will be one ore, Feb. 26 against the same Mullets. In between the Ducks will pay a visit to Coon Rapids, MN for a pair against the Minnesota Blue Ox and they have one more visit to the Hudson Havoc as well.

Ducks hoping to pack the Poppy Sunday afternoon

The Dells Ducks have a long way to go to get back near the top of the Premier Midwest-West Division, but this season has been a great turnaround campaign so far.

The team has enjoyed playing in front of growing crowds at the Lake Delton Ice Arena this season but they are asking for local support Sunday afternoon in what is likely its most important game of the season so far.

The Ducks will play host to the Minnesota Mullets with a 4:30 p.m. faceoff in its only game of the weekend.
As of the writing of this article (Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023), the Ducks sit at 9-24-2-1 on the regular season so far — not too shabby for a team that opened the campaign with 14 straight losses (including two in overtime and one in shootout).
That means, since the team collected its first win on home ice against the Minnesota Blue Ox on Nov.5, 2022, the Ducks have posted a record of 9-10 and that is a clear sign of success.

The nine wins is more than double the team’s total from last season and the Ducks, with eight games — five on home ice — to play, the Ducks have scored 84 goals this season, just 10 off last season’s pace and the team will likely break the 100-goal plateau for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

The biggest improvement comes in goals against though. The Ducks have allowed 172 goals this season, a wide disparity when compared to goals scored, but it is a near certainty the team will lop at least 100 goals off last season’s final total of 333. The Ducks have an outside shot at finishing with under 200 goals against which would be a huge improvement.

The Ducks currently sit in the eighth and final playoff position, six up on the Mullets and eight points behind the Blue Ox in seventh place. There are two games remaining with the Mullets, both at the Lake Delton Ice Arena. A win Sunday wouldn’t clinch that final playoff spot, but it would give the Ducks a more comfortable margin. The lead could be trimmed as the Mullets also play a home game Saturday against the Blue Ox.
Game time on Sunday is 4:30 p.m. and the Ducks could use the backing of local fans in this crucial game. Anyone who has been thinking about checking out the Ducks, this is the time as it should be an entertaining game as well as important.

Here is a quick look at what is left for the Ducks.

Games Remaining — 8

Home Games — 5
Jan. 29 vs. Minnesota Mullets 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 vs. Hudson Havoc 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4-5 vs. Minnesota Squatch 7:30 p.m./1:30 p.m.
Feb. 26 vs. Minnesota Mullets 4:30 p.m.

Away Games — 3
Feb. 17/18 — @ Minnesota Blue Ox
Feb. 25 — @ Hudson Havoc

Havoc defense stymies Ducks

By Jim den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
The Dells Ducks got a good look at what a division championship team looks like Saturday (Jan. 21) because thats about all the Hudson Havoc let them do.

The Ducks made the trek to the Wisconsin/Minnesota border for the first time this season to face off with the Havoc who entered the game riding a seven-game winning streak. The Havoc have dominated with rock solid defense this season and that was evident with a 53-5 edge in shots and a 5-0 win Saturday night.
The meeting was the second of the season, the Havoc collecting an 8-0 win in their first game of the season at Lake Delton Ice Arena in October.

The blanked defense Saturday earned the Havoc its second shutout in 24 hours with just five stops. Meanwhile, the true hero in this one…again…was Chris Mazurek, the Duck’s ’03 goaltender saddled with the loss despite a 48 save effort.

The Havoc scored twice in the first period with a 16-1 edge in shots adding two more in the second with an 18-2 margin and one more down the stretch when they outshot its guests 19-2.

The game was the only one of the weekend for the Ducks who will look to snap a four-game losing streak Sunday when the Minnesota Mullets pay a visit to the Lake Delton Ice Arena. The game will again be the team’s only game of the weekend, but it will begin a stretch of four straight on home ice.

The Ducks currently hold down the eighth and final playoff spot in the USPHL Premier Midwest-West Division, six points up on the ninth place Mullets who have played one game fewer. The Mullets will be even when they arrive in Lake Delton with a game the previous night on home ice against the Minnesota Blue Ox.

Ducks looking for finish strong in USPHL

By Jim den Hollander

Saukhockey.info

Editor/Publisher

The Dells Ducks rode a promising stretch into the Christmas Break and came out the other side looking to continue its inspired play into the portion of the season that has been its Waterloo in previous years.

Generally, teams come out of the Christmas Break having completed their Showcase events or else have one final Showcase right away in January.

Following that, the Ducks engage in head-to-head Midwest-West Division matches through the season’s homestretch and they have had little success in those games in the past.

This season, the Ducks lost its first 14 games before finally breaking into the win column in early November. Since then, the team has posted a record of 9-12 and for the most part, they have been in every contest.

The highlight of the season so far was likely the opener at the Chicago Showcase on Dec. 15 as goaltender Chris Mazurek (‘03/Batavia, IL.) kicked out all 45 Chicago Cougars chances and led his team to a 1-0 edge against its Midwest-East Division rival. Captain Bryce Jacobsen (‘02/DeForest, WI) scored the lone goal.

The Ducks wrapped up the event 2-2 with a 5-1 win against MHC, a tournament team put together by the Metro Jets along with a 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones from the Great Lakes Division and a 6-0 loss in its finale against the Northern Colorado Eagles from the Mountain Division.

Following the Christmas Break, the Ducks returned on a promising note with a closer than it sounds 4-1 win at home against the Steele County Blades on Jan. 7.

Noah Czech (‘04/Natick, MA) scored first and newcomer Ashot Davyton (‘05/Russia) put the Ducks in front to stay 2-1 in the final period. Ryan Hammer (‘05/Wheaton, IL) and Logan Potts (‘03/Allen, TX) both added last minute empty netters to put the win away.

The following night, the Blades responded with a 4-2 win, Ducks goals fired by Davyton and Ethan Matthews (‘02/South Bend, IN).

This past weekend was a rough one though, after dropping a narrow 4-3 decision at South Wood County Recreation Center (SWCRC) in Wisconsin Rapids Friday night, an on-ice incident sidetracked the team Saturday, and they were pounded 11-4.

Jacobsen fired the lone first period goal and the host Riverkings led 3-1, adding another in the middle period before Hammer and Mikel Ferran Cobo (‘02/Cuernabaca, Mexico) fired late goals to make it interesting.

Major penalties early allowed the Riverkings to pile up six unanswered first period goals and they never looked back

Jack Kopsfstein (‘05/Vista, CA); Matthews; Reece Atkins (‘03/Amery, WI) and Jacobsen fired the Ducks’ goals.

The Ducks will look to improve on its 1-3 record since the start of the New Year but it will be hard with the lone contest this weekend at Hudson Sports and Civic Center against the first place Hudson Havoc.

Below are some interviews from the Chicago Showcase. Not as timely now, but still some great comments from Head Coach Anthony Rohde and goaltender Chris Mazurek.

Blaine may be in USA, but its Siberia for Ducks

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

The Dells Ducks have enjoyed a nice turnaround to its regular season of late but one thing remains the same.

Fogerty Ice Arena is no fun for them.

Coming into a weekend set with the host Minnesota Moose riding a modest two-game winning streak and looking much better of late, the Moose brushed them aside in the first of two games by an 11-1 score. The following night the Ducks came out looking to turn the tables and led 2-1 late in the game in what would have been its biggest victory in several seasons.

But the Moose, a team the Ducks have never defeated, spoiled the day for them again, tying the game with 3:30 to play and snatching the win away just over a minute later.

The Moose fired two more in the game’s final minute, the first into an empty goal to rub a bit more salt into the wound, wrapping up a 5-2 win.

Despite the tough losses in Blaine, a win in the Twin Cities Thursday night against the Minnesota Mullets widened the Ducks in the final playoff position and the ninth place Mullets who wrapped an 0-3 weekend.

HIghlights of Thursday included another win in goal for Chris Mazurek (‘03/Batavia, IL) as he stopped 26 of 28 Mullets’ shots and Austin Holmberg (‘03/Amery, WI) fired the game winner early in the final period. Holmberg’s goal was the first of three helping the Ducks rally back from a 2-1 deficit for a 4-2 win.

Friday’s game was a mismatch from the opening faceoff as the host Moose peppered Anthony Falzone (‘03/St. Charles, IL) and Jadon Mammen (‘04/Grapevine, TX) with a combined 68 shots including the game winner notched before the halfway mark of the opening period.

MIkel Ferran Cobo (‘02/Curernabaca, Mexico), a former Moose player fired his third goal since joining the Ducks just before Thanksgiving, the lone bright spot on an otherwise rough night.

If the Ducks were down after the loss to the Moose, it didn’t show Saturday as the team came out looking to prove something in its fourth and final meeting of the season with the Blaine-based squad.

Moose got on the board with the lone goal of the first period but defenseman Jack Kopfstein (‘05/Vista, CA) responded with the lone second period tally.

Mazurek turned in his best outing of the season, kicking out 45 of 46 to keep the game even after 40 despite a 46-17 margin for the home side on the shot counter.

A brilliant neutral zone takeaway sent Bryce Jacobsen in alone and he buried a go-ahead goal right after the Ducks killed a minor penalty with just under four minutes goal in the third giving the Ducks their first lead of the season against the Moose.

The Moose kept up its barrage against Mazurek until netting the equalizer just 3:30 from the final buzzer and breaking Ducks hearts with the game winner just over a minute later. The clincher was slid into an empty net and the Moose fired one more meaningless goal with four seconds to play.

The Ducks will be hoping the goaltending effort of Mazurek who should be the Goaltender of the Week for the division, will give them momentum as they head to the Windy City Thursday for its third and final Showcase event of the season.

The Ducks will start out Thursday at 12:40 p.m. (CST) at the Canlan Arena in Romeoville against the Chicago Cougars who they played in a couple of pre-season exhibition contests in Lake Delton. The Cougars are from the Midwest-East Division.

On Friday the Ducks will face two opponents at the Leafs Center in Elgin, IL. First up is the Cincinnati Cyclones from the Great Lakes Division at 10:10 a.m. and later they will play the MHC club, made up of Metro Jets players, also from the Great Lakes Division.

Wrapping up the pre-Christmas portion of its schedule, the Ducks will return to Romeoville Saturday to play the Northern Colorado Eagles from the Mountain Division at 7:50 p.m. Because the games are being played in a tournament format, starting times may not be exact.

After the Showcase, players will scatter around the globe to celebrate the holiday with their respective families, then return to prepare for its first home series since November Steele County Blades pay a visit to the Lake Delton Ice Arena Jan. 7-8, 2023.

Those games will kick off the 13-game homestretch for the Ducks who will wrap up the regular season on Feb. 26.

Jones first tally is Ducks’ game winner

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

Jackson Jones (‘04/Bloomer, Wis.) couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal for the Dells Ducks.

The defenseman’s shot from the blue line went off a Mullets player and gave the Ducks its first and only lead on the way to a 3-1 win for the visitors at Augsburg University Ice Arena Thursday night.

The goal was the middle tally of a three-goal second period for the Ducks, charging back from a 1-0 deficit and snapping a three-game losing streak.

The team started December coming off its best month of hockey in three seasons though and picked up right where the boys left off before Thanksgiving Break.

Ethan Matthews (‘02/Granger, IN) had the first Ducks’ goal tying the game in the fifth minute of the middle frame, from Mikel Ferran Cobo (‘02/Mexico City) and Adam Brown (‘02/Westmont, IL) setting the stage for Jones who got help from Logan Potts (‘03/Allen, TX) and Gabe Krueger (‘03/Blaine, MN).

Jones scored with 4:44 to play in the period and Kai Neumaier (‘03/St. Charles, IL) added an insurance tally a little over three minutes later from Brown and Braydan Kirchmann (‘04/Waterloo, IA).

The lone Mullies goal was scored by Ben Willcoxson (’03/Scottsdale, AZ) with 7:11 to play in the opening period.

From there it was up to the goaltenders as Chris Mazurek (‘03/Batavia, IL) collected his second win with 25 stops and Alex Falkenhagen (02/Thornhill, ON), one of the league’s busiest goaltenders stopped 35 shots for the Mullets.

The Ducks outshot their host in all three periods, including a 16-9 margin out of the gate and 15-8 through the three goal second frame.

After a busy November that saw three and four-game weekends before the norm, the Ducks enjoy a rare weekend off after this Thursday night contest that boosted the team’s record to 5-16-2-1 for 13 points, already four points more than they collected in 2021-22.

More importantly, they widened the gap between them in eighth place and the ninth place (4-15-0-1) to four points while creeping to within four of the seventh place Minnesota Blue Ox. Both teams have played fewer games (the Ox several fewer) but the Mullets will make up a couple this weekend with other games in Isanti against the Outlaws Saturday and Owatonna Sunday against the Steele County Blades

The Ducks can prepare a little more for a rematch with the Mullets back at Augsburg next Thursday night – the first of a three-game weekend and seven games in nine days carrying the Ducks to the Christmas Break.

Numbers – The three goals on Thursday run the team’s total to 57 on the season so far with 20 games to play. That’s just 37 shy of last season’s 94 goal total. At the other end, Ducks allowed 333 goals last season compared to 118 so far this season. The team is on pace to shave a large number off the total.

Individually, Matthew leads the team in points with 20 while Jack Kopfstein has the most goals with eight, one more than Matthews and Potts.

In goal, Jadon Mammen (‘04/Wheaton, IL) and Mazurek both have two wins and Mammen leads the way in Save with a .900 showing so far. Mazurek leads in minutes with 498 and shots against with 346.

Biggest games yet in front of Dells Ducks

By Jim den Hollander

Editor/Publisher

Saukhockey.info

For the Dells Ducks, November was one of the team’s best months in recent history. With a mini schedule through the first half of December the team is looking to make a big move.

The Ducks were especially sharp in the early days of the month, capturing three wins and seven points through its first five games and it stayed over .500 until the last game of the month when it dipped to 4-5-1 in 10 games.

Nevertheless, the nine points collected in one month equaled last season’s points total and the team is rowing together in the right direction.

The Ducks moved out of the league basement and into the eighth position with a pair of huge games to kick off December.

The Ducks now sit at 4-16-2-1 one game past the season’s halfway mark and the team will kick off an eight-game December with the first of two at Augsburg University Ice Arena Thursday (Dec. 1) at 7:30 p.m. CST.

The Ducks made its was past the Mullets in the standings with a win a the Detroit Showcase but heading into the first of four meetings with the Mullets this season, the home team has played four fewer games. There is no doubt this is the biggest game of the season for the Ducks so far this season but it could the start of something bigger.

While the Ducks got hot in November, the Steele County Blades did the same and their solid play has boosted them into the division’s midpack and within sight of a spot in the top half.

Head Coach Anthony Rohde not only wants to see that happen, he is confident his team can make it so.

“I fully believe this team will be able to start making a run to finish in the top four in our division,” said the Coach in an email interview with his team just back from a short Thanksgiving Break, there first time away since Labor Day.

Rohde has added new players and faced a little adversity with some top players leaving in recent weeks.

“With some new faces coming in, it has changed the locker room a little bit,” said the coach. Getting used to new guys and figuring out lines (has been interesting). Today’s (Wednesday) practice showed that when tey click, they have a huge upside.”

Among the tough recent losses was the departure of Jacob Behnke who was expected to be an offensive leader and was starting to get hot before moving on to the Florida Division a few weeks ago. However, a trade with the Minnesota Moose landed the Ducks its first ever Mexican-born player and Mikel Ferran Cobo made an instant impact, scoring twice and setting up another in four games at the Detroit Showcase tournament.

“It is a huge loss losing Behnke,” said Rohde. “He is a great player and a great kid. But picking up Cobo has been huge, he brings in that attitude that we are going all the way to Nationals. As a coach you love to have him around. With the break we just came back from I think the guys are more refreshed and excited to get back into games. So hopefully tomorrow they can get their minds set on coming to Minnesota for a win.”

Like everyone in the Midwest-West, the Mullets have had the Ducks’ number in recent seasons, but Rohde has already collected more Midwest-West Division wins that any Ducks team since 2019 and he will have a plan in place when the team takes the ice against the Mullies.

“I’ve watched the Mullets play a couple games here and there. From what I’ve seen they like to play very systematic, and simple,” said Rohde “(If we) Play strong Defense and take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves (we will get good results). This game should be similar to playing Isanti in my opinion.”

After Thursday’s contest, the Ducks will be done for the weekend and begin preparing for a game back at Augsburg Dec. 8, the first game of a three-game weekend with the other two in Blaine, MN against the Minnesota Moose.

The other four games will be played at the annual Chicago Showcase tournament Dec. 15-17.