Preview summary-Austin’s size at forward will be a factor in tonight’s game played on a smaller rink; but unlike Austin’s Riverside Arena, the ice should be fast. Offensively, the Magicians should have the advantage against the smaller Austin defense. Austin forwards should have the advantage against any NAHL defense with their size. It should be an interesting game. Austin players to watch are their big forwards that range in size from 6’1 to 6’6”; former Benilde-St. Margaret’s goalie, Justin Quale (#33); top Austin draftee from the Chicago Mission, Sam Kauppila (#16); and Guillaume Leclerc (#20), who hails from France and played last season for both the French U18 and U20 teams in the world championships.
After being on the road in their first three exhibition games, the Minnesota Magicians will play their first home game at the newly re-modeled Richfield Arena against the Austin Bruins. Game time is 7:00 PM.
The Austin Bruins became an NAHL franchise in the 2010-2011 season after neighboring Albert Lea’s NAHL franchise folded. The Bruins have risen like “a Minnesota phoenix” in Southern Minnesota. Since that inaugural season, they have put two good seasons together, winning last season’s NAHL Central Division title.
In their two years, Albert Lea had an average of 400 fans attending their games. In their second season in the NAHL, their record that year was 4-49-5. Since the 2009-2010 season, NAHL franchises in Alexandria MN and Owatonna MN have also folded. Alexandria had two winning seasons in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 but could not get their attendance average to over 1,000 fans.
Austin’s attendance has been rising. Last season they had an average attendance of over 1200 people in their newly re-modeled Riverside arena (as noted in YHH, the Austin youth teams have improved their play also indicating renewed interest in hockey since making a state tourney appearance 10 years ago)
The hockey has been exciting for the Bruins. In last season’s playoffs, the Bruins won the first round of the Central Division playoffs beating Minot in a best of five series 3-1; but lost to Bismarck in the division championship series 3-1. All 8 playoff games were close; five of the games were settled by a single goal.
The 2013-2014 Austin team has been rebuilt. They continue to have amassed size at forward. Eight of the their frowards are 6’1″ or taller. One is 6’6″ and one is 6’5″. They have a returning goal tender, three returning defense men and five returning forwards.
Minnesota Magicians play the Austin Bruins in their final exhibition game at the Richfield Arena Tonight.
Austin Goaltenders
Austin has two goalies on their roster, Nick Lehr (#31) and Justin Quale (#32). Lehr was Austin’s work horse last season, starting 38 games and posting a 25-8-5 record giving up an average of 2.4 goals a game while stopping 91% of the shots on goal.
Quale played goalie for Benilde-St. Magaret’s Class AA state championship team in 2012. Most remember Grant Besse’s 5 goal performance in that tourney; but Quale had an outstanding tournament giving up four goals and stopping 97% of the shots on goal. In the quarterfinal game against Edina, Quale stopped 17 tough shots in the third period allowing the Red Knights to eke out a 3-2 win with a last minute goal.
Austin Defensemen
The Bruins have three returning defensemen from last year’s divisional champions. Josh Bretner (#5) will be playing his third NAHL season. Bretner has posted 48 points (14 goals) in 98 games the past two seasons. Kody Reuter (#24), a big 6’4” defender, has played the last two NAHL seasons for the Austin Bruins and Jake Arroyo (#28) is in his second season in the NAHL.
Out of their five defensemen picked in the 2013 draft, only Eli May (#14), a 6’1” defender out Eagan High School made the Bruins roster. May played 37 games for the Tri-City Storm last season scoring 7 points (1 goal). May could play for Minnesota State this season.
Tyler Jones (#3), a 1995er; Cory Dunn (#4), a 1994er; Charley Manley (#22), a 1996er; and Simon Petersson (#29), a 1993er are all first year NAHL players. Petersson has played the last two seasons in Sweden’s J20 SuperElit League. In 90 games, the 6’1” defenseman has posted 34 points (26 goals).
Returning Austin Veterans
Jay Dickman (#18), a 6’6” forward, returns for his second season with the Bruins. Dickman scored 55 points (32 goals) in 55 games for Austin. Unfortunately, the top four Austin scorers last year (Brandon Wahlin, AJ Reid, CJ Smith, and John Simonson) are gone. Collectively the four players produced 102 goals or nearly half of the Bruins 223 goals scored last season.
Four veteran Bruin players return at forward. Austin Nelson (#15), Hasting MN, has played two NAHL seasons with the Bruins posting 25 points (12 goals) in 62 games. Scott Nelson played 19 games for the Bruins last season scoring a respectable 12 points (5 goals). Drew Anderson (#7) is a Rochester MN native. Last season he posted 25 points (12 goals) in 47 games. Easton Viitale (#27), a 6’5” forward out of Marquette MI, scored 9 points in 54 games for Austin. It would be interesting to see the 6’5” Viitale paired with the 6’6” Dickman on a line.
Austin Forwards (NAHL experience)
Lucas Kohls (#8), another big 6’3” forward out of Forest Lake MN, will be playing his third NAHL season, the first with the Bruins. In his two prior NAHL seasons, Kohls has played 50 games, posting 30 points (13 goals). Brennan Sanford (#13) is also a second year NAHL player. The 6’2” Sanford scored 9 points (4 goals) for Kalamazoo last season. Trevor Boyd (another 6’3” forward) played NAHL hockey for Kalamazoo last season. Boyd played 48 games, posting 15 points (7 goals).
First NAHL Year Forwards
The Bruins top draftee, Sam Kauppila (#16), a 6’1 1996er out of the Chicago Mission U18 team made the Bruins’ roster. He was the only forward who was drafted to do so. Kauppila scored 16 points (8 goals) in 26 games with the Mission. Kauppila made the USA U17 team last year and spent part of the season playing USA hockey.
Luke Dietsch (#9), a 6’1” forward out of Cretin/Derham Hall, played 28 games for the Dallas Ice Jets in the Western States Hockey League last year. Dominik Florian (#11), a 6’1” player from Vlasim Czech Republic, played for Notre Dame Academy last season posting 26 points (11 goals) in 35 games. Dietsch and Florian will be playing their first season in the NAHL.
Another first year player is Niko Hildenbrand, Vacaville CA, is a first year NAHL player from the Chicago Fury. In 78 games over the past two seasons playing U16/U18 hockey for the Fury, Hildenbrand posted 55 points (28 goals). Trey Dodd (#21) is a first year NAHL player out of St. Louis Missouri. Dodd played for the Junior Blues in the NA3HL (Tier III) last season scoring 30 points (12 goals) in 40 games.
Guillaume Leclerc (#20) is unique, coming from Franois France. The 1996er is a player to see. In 17 games, he posted 60 points (34 goals) playing in France’s U18 league; then he moved up to France’s U22 league and posted 35 points (19 goals) in 18 games. He ended his season playing on both the France U20 and U18 national teams in the world junior cups.
Tickets are still available at $5 a seat; take the kids popcorn is reasonable also. Should be a great game.
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