Team Plante downs Team Roenick at all-American Game

On the eve of the USHL season, a collection of 42 American players who will be among the cream of the crop at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft were coached by a pair of guys who have been there and done that at Buffalo’s First Niagara Center on Thursday (Sept. 24) night.

Jeremy Roenick, a USA Hockey Hall of Famer who played in Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Jose coached one team with Derek Plante, a retired center who also enjoyed a storied NHL career in Buffalo, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia as well as some European stops behind the bench of the other team.

Team Plante captured a 6-4 win but a couple of Team Roenick players helped their own cause with a big game.

Team Roenick actually carried a 2-1 lead out of the first period and remained in front at 4-3 with 20 minutes to play.

Max Jones, a 17-year-old 6’2,” 201 lbs. left winger from Rochester, MN who is playing for the London Knights in the OHL this season, scored his second of the game to tie it up with 6:37 to go. Jones is ranked among the Top 10 prospects by both Hockeyprospects.com (7th) and Future Considerations (5th).

Team Plante grabbed its second lead of the night with 1:50 to go when Luke McInnis, 17, 5’11,” 174 lbs., from Hingham, MA who assisted previous goal by Jones, buried the game winner. McInnis is playing with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms this season.

Kieffer Bellows, 17, 6’1,” 194 lbs., forward from Edina, MN clinched the win with an empty netter 31 seconds from the final buzzer. Bellows, currently a member of the US National Development Team U-18 Squad is ranked as a first round pick by both Hockeyprospects.com (14th) and Future Considerations (17th). Be

Earlier Team Plante goals came from Trent Frederic, 17, 6’2′ 205 lbs., forward  from St. Louis, MO (US National Development Team U-18’s) and Logan Brown, 17, a 6’6,” 223 lbs. forward from Raleigh, NC who is currently playing with the Windor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League.

William Knierim, a 17-year-old, 6’3,” 212 lbs. winger from Skokie, IL, currently playing with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League, assisted on three Team Plante goals.

Evan Sarthou, an 18-year-old, 6’1,” 183 lbs. goaltender from Black Diamond, WA prepared to start for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League, splitting the work in goal with Ryan Edquist, a 17-year-old, 6’0,” 170 lbs. goaltender from Lakeville, MN who this season is playing for the Madison Capitols of the USHL. The pair combined to stop 29 of 33 Team Roenick shots.

For Team Roenick, Luke Kunin, a 17-year-old, 6’0,” 196 lbs. center from Chesterfield, MO scored twice and assisted on another. Kunin is slated to begin his first season with the University of Wisconsin this fall. Also, collecting a goal and two helpers in the game was Matthew Tkachuk, a 17-year-old, 6’1,” 196 lbs. forward from St. Louis, MO and the son of former NHL power forward Keith Tkachuk. He is ranked inside of the Top 10 Prospects for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by both Hockeyprospect.com (6th) and Future Considerations (4th). Tkachuk will line up with the London Knights in the OHL this season.

Tim Gettinger, a 17-year-old, 6’6,” 203 lbs. winger from North Olmstead, OH scored the other Team Roenick goal on his way to playing for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL and Joey Anderson, a 17-year-old, 5’11,” 190 lbs. winger from Roseville, MN collected a couple of assists. Anderson will suit up for the US National Development Team U-18 squad this season in the USHL and abroad.

Handling the goaltending chores for Team Roenick were: Stephen Dhillon, a 17-year-old 6’4,” 181 lbs. keeper from Buffalo, NY and Tyler Parsons, an 18-year-old, 6’6,” 183 lbs. goalie from Chesterfield, MI. They combined to turn aside 23 of 29 shots.