NAHL North: Warriors in, Ironmen out - Junior Hockey

NAHL North: Warriors in, Ironmen out

Michigan Warriors have clinched the fourth playoff spot in the North American Hockey League's North Division.   With the Warriors in, the Jamestown Ironmen will finish fifth in the NAHL North and miss the playoffs, despite a ...
Read More...

I think that the Warriors did 'OK' to make it to the Playoffs with so many distractions during the year as in 'are they staying or leaving?' I think this was not bad at all. I do not know if they will beet Port Huron or K-Zoo in the Playoffs however with the future now more secure I am sure that Coach Mantha can now concentrait more on building up a good Junior Hockey Program. It has not helped the Warriors that the Flint Journal does a PISS POOR job of covering them which makes it nice to read some of the article's which have ben written here about the Warriors and the NAHL including this one.

By the way, good column by Ross Maghielse regarding the Michigan Warriors just posted on Mlive.com.

Only because somebody from the Soo has been doing a good job covering the Warriors...

RE: Michigan Warriors goaltending situation:

Talked with Michigan Warriors coach-general manager Moe Mantha last night. Among other things, he told me that 1991 birth year goalie Brach Tiller (who turns 21 on March 20) will not play in the upcoming NAHL playoffs in order to protect a fourth year of NCAA, Division 1 eligibility. As of now, this leaves the Warriors no. 1 goaltending spot in the hands of 1994 birth year rookie Trevor Gorsuch. Gorsuch had a record of 4-7-1 to go with a .907 save pct. and 3.63 GAA with the Warriors during this 2011-12 regular season. Mantha added that he's on the look for an "emergency" goalie who is either not currently affiliated with a junior team or whose junior team's season has ended. Two names that came to my mind as possibles are 1991 birth year Luis Puig and 1993 birth year Chris Truehl, whose Soo Eagles team was eliminated in the second round of the NOJHL playoffs on the weekend. Puig actually played a couple of games with the NAHL Warriors earlier this season before joining the NOJHL Eagles. Truehl began this season in the NAHL with Janesville before joining Puig in the Soo.

-- Randy Russon.

Interesting info about so many of the Goalies in the NAHL "North". I find the Warriors situation regarding Brack Tiller's birthday to be an example of there being way to many rules regarding D1 eligability. Come on now! - the NCAA is going to take a full year of d1 time away from a kid because of the month he was born in for crying out loud!

Best coverage on the Michigan Warriors is right here with Mr. RR! Thanks for explaining the Brach Tiller thing as well!

You are welcome, Tony, and thanks for the nice words.

First place in the NAHL North will be decided this weekend. First-place Port Huron meets second place Kalamazoo in a home-and-home series. Saturday's game is 7 p.m. in Port Huron, Sunday's match is a 2 p.m. start in Kalamazoo. Port Huron takes a one-point lead over Kalamazoo into the regular-season ending weekend set.