NAHL News & Notes

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Last Updated on Thursday, 20 December 2012 17:44

Aberdeen announces coaching change

The Aberdeen Wings, proud members of the North American Hockey League, announced that Head Coach and General Manager Pete Sauer has been relieved of his duties effective immediately.

Wings ownership met on Monday, Dec. 17, and came to the conclusion that in the best interest of the team, a change and new direction was needed. The Wings have lost four straight games and are in last place in the NAHL’s Central Division.

Assistant coach Garrett Strot will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2012-13 season. A decision on a permanent head coach will be decided at a later date.

Warriors give back to community

The Michigan Warriors are giving back to those in need this holiday season.

On Tuesday, Dec. 18, the Warriors players and staff visited children in the Hurley Medical Center’s Pediatrics Facility. Warriors’ players handed out teddy bears to children in the hospital during the holiday season.

The teddy bears taken to Hurley were donated by fans that attended the Michigan Warriors game back on Saturday, Dec. 15, which was designated the Warriors “Teddy Bear Toss” game, in which, teddy bears were thrown onto the ice after the team scored its first goal during the game vs. the Port Huron Fighting Falcons.

Hurley Medical Center is a proud partner with the Michigan Warriors.  For more information about Hurley Medical Center, please visit www.hurleymc.com.

On Wednesday, Dec. 19, the Warriors, in conjunction with The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Richfield Public School Academy participated in the 3rd Annual Food Distribution at Richfield Public School Academy.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan brought a truck full of food, to Richfield Public School Academy, and Warriors’ players packed up boxes of food that was distributed to the needy for pick-up at the school.

Jets’ Pedran commits to Bemidji State

Ruslan Pedan, a defenseman for the Janesville Jets, has accepted an NCAA Division I scholarship offer to play hockey at Bemidji State University. It is anticipated that Pedan will enroll and start playing hockey in the 2013-14 academic year.

Pedan will be joining current Jets forward Jason Ford playing college hockey at Bemidji State. The Beavers currently play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

In 18 games this season for the Jets, Pedan (6-1, 175 is tied for second on the Jets scoring leaderboard with 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists). In last Friday's 3-1 victory over the Coulee Region Chill, Pedan was involved in every Jets goal, scoring on a power play and assisting on the other two scores.

Ruslan is originally from Moscow, Russia, and moved to the United States almost three years ago to live out his dream of playing college hockey.  After a stint two seasons ago in Long Island, Pedan played last season with the NAHL's Springfield Jr. Blues under Coach Joe Dibble.  Pedan followed Coach Dibble to Janesville.

“This scholarship is what I have been thinking about and waiting for the last three years,” said Pedan. “Bemidji State has a great hockey program and I am very excited to be going there.”

“Ruslan is a player that comes to the rink everyday with a purpose and a great attitude,” stated Jets Head Coach Joe Dibble.  “He deserves every positive that comes his way in hockey. We are very proud of Ruslan for this accomplishment. To see everything he has worked so hard for come true is very fun to watch. Bemidji is getting a great young man, that is going to bring a lot of excitement to their game and a model citizen to their community.”

Other present and past Janesville Jets players to commit to Division I hockey schools include Zach Diamantoni (Northern Michigan), Jason Ford (Bemidji State), Garrett Cecere (Colorado College), Alec McCrea (Harvard), Ross Mauermann (Providence), Larkin Jacobson (University of Denver) and Rui Encarnacao (University of Connecticut).