The Minnesota Wildcats wrapped up their 2009 Spring Pre-Draft Tryout Camp April 19 in Maple Grove with the signing of five prospects to MJHL Tenders. The names of the five newest members of the Wildcats will be announced once the appropriate paperwork has been processed.

More than 60 players, including 10 veterans, skated at the Maple Grove Community Center. In addition to the five tenders, more than a dozen players were asked back to the Cats Invite-Only Camp in July.

Watch for more info on the newest Wildcats.

Photo: There was plenty of talent to choose from for the Wildcats coaching staff April 17-19 at the Pre-Draft Tryout. Pictured (L to R) is goaltending coach Cal Ballard, player development director Grant McGinnis, coach Jim Stejskal and coach Stu Ronsberg.

Seth Ronsberg (Lake Elmo, MN) of the Minnesota Wildcats has accomplished just about everything a player can do in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League, short of winning a championship. Now it's time to take his game to the next level. Ronsberg, the MJHL's leading scorer and Most Valuable Player this past season, is moving to Canada where he will skate for the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (Tier II Jr A). Ronsberg played for the Minnesota Wildcats (Maple Grove) this season before finishing the year with the Owls.

“Now I can just focus on training for a certain team instead of trying to figure out who I am training for,” said the 17-year-old power forward. “I think the MJHL has prepared me well instead of playing high school hockey. Juniors is light years ahead of high school in terms of pace and it's way more physical. I just want to thank all of my coaches and everybody in the league that helped me.”

The Flyers have assembled the kind of team that could win the Manitoba title and make a run at the Royal Bank Cup, Canada's national Tier II championship. Director of Player Personnel/Associate Head Coach Ernie Sutherland called Ronsberg's signing a big piece of the Flyers' puzzle.

“His signing is huge for us,” Sutherland said. “His upside and future are very bright and we are committed to helping him fulfill his dreams of playing Division I college hockey. When we saw him in Colorado (at the JPS Showcase in May) he immediately piqued our interest."

"We believe he has all the tools it takes to play the game, especially in the MJHL where the physical presence and ability to handle it and hand it out is a must. He is a strong skater, has excellent hands, is physical and plays with an edge, but most importantly he sees the whole ice. The Winkler Flyers are looking to him to step up and be an immediate factor for us.”

Among the Flyers ownership group is long-time National Hockey League goalie Eddie Belfour of Dallas, whose son Dayne plays for the team. Belfour was among those who recruited Ronsberg to move north rather than play in the North American Hockey League.

“I think Winkler is more concentrated on developing players, basically helping players to get bigger, faster, stronger,” Ronsberg said. “The Canadian style of play is more physical, there's more hitting. It's not so pretty. There's more hard work involved and not so much fancy stuff. Playing the body is a big part of it and that suits my game.”

Ronsberg will report to his new team August 26. He will be a senior in high school and expects to graduate in Winkler next spring. His ultimate goal is to play for the University of North Dakota and the Flyers have a long history of moving players to the Sioux, including Belfour. “That helped make my decision, as well, because I have wanted to go to North Dakota for a long time,” he said.

Sutherland said Ronsberg's approach to the game and the philosophy instilled in him by his father Stu (coach of the Wildcats) was especially important for Winkler. “I know their background philosophy in hockey is very similar to the philosophy we have and team is everything,” Sutherland said. “Sharing, hard work, self-discipline and being a two-way player is what we are all about and we know that Seth has been taught those similar values. He will fit on this team like a glove from day one because he believes in the 'what you get is what you earn' approach. That blue collar attitude usually bring with it great character and that is what we see in Seth.” 

Photo: Seth Ronsberg of the Wildcats dons the jersey of the Winkler Flyers for the first time while receiving a welcome to Manitoba from the Flyers Director of Player Personnel/Associate Head Coach Ernie Sutherland.

The Minnesota Wildcats are focused on developing young players, a long-term objective that requires significant amounts of one-on-one teaching time. With the addition of Don Babineau and Paul Gibson to its staff, the second-year Minnesota Junior Hockey League franchise now has five coaches for the upcoming season.

Babineau has been the head coach of the MJHL's Hudson Crusaders for the past two years and is a former head coach of the St. Paul Lakers and Northwest Knights. Gibson has coached both boys and girls high school hockey at Chisago Lakes. The two join returning Wildcats coaches Stu Ronsberg, Jim Stejskal and Cal Ballard in Maple Grove.

“Coach Stejskal, Coach Ballard and myself are enthused to have additional talent and energy on the staff,” Ronsberg said. “This will enable us to focus on other areas of training that time would not otherwise allow.”

Babineau, 32, has been an MJHL coach for the past 11 years and has won both an MJHL title and Coach of the Year honors. The obvious question for Babineau is why give up a head coaching position for an assistant's role?

“There were really two reasons,” he explained. “One is I wanted to be closer to home. The other is I have worked with these guys before, I know how they do things, I'm comfortable with the situation and I know we're on the same page. Most teams just operate year-to-year. The Wildcats have a philosophy and a long-term plan. I like the direction the team is going and the focus on player development. These are great people who understand that this is Tier III, not Tier I, and the objectives are different.”

Gibson, 41, is a native of St. Croix Beach. He played high school hockey at Stillwater and earned a scholarship to Northern Michigan before winning a Division III national championship at UW-River Falls. The Lindstrom resident has been an MJHL scout for the past four years and officiates high school hockey.

“We like Coach Babineau's approach to the game. He doesn't have the win-at-all-costs mentality. That fits the Wildcats organization and our coaching culture,” Ronsberg said. “Coach Gibson has a very even-keeled, disciplined approach to coaching and teaching,” he added. “We're exited to have Paul be part of the defensive side of the staff with Coach Stejskal.”

“Our strategy as an organization is to provide sound and focused training,” Ronsberg added. “We are simply executing a portion of our long-term strategy and part of that is to increase our coach-to-player ratio and expand given areas of talent and expertise.”

The Wildcats open the 2009-10 season with games September 4-5 against the Lakers and Minnesota Ice Hawks at the Maple Grove Community Center. 

Photo: It could get crowded behind the Wildcats bench this season with the addition of Don Babineau and Paul Gibson, bringing the number of coaches to five.

The Wildcats wrapped up their final tryout camp of 2009 August 2. The team will start two-a-day practices August 14 before opening the regular season at home September 4-5 against the Lakers and Ice Hawks.

The team's roster boasts a record 15 players from outside the state of Minnesota, including veteran defensemen Cameron Carns (Westminster, CO) and Evan Jones (Farmington Hills, MI) and starting goalie Mark Rajevski (Estonia). Newcomers include three from Colorado (Mark Owen, DJ Buglewicz, Tommy Moessner) and two Californians (Steve Terry, Spencer Gaalaas). Other out-of-state players and their origins include Tony Folk (Wisconsin), Matt Whitener (Missouri), Jon Gleinser (Texas), Kyle Roberts (North Dakota), Luke Lindholm (South Dakota), Adam Steen (Florida), and Schilar Kessler (Kansas).

Minnesotans on the pre-season roster include Chad Ballard & Brock Hill (Richfield), Cody Hasbargen & Josh Smart (Baudette), Matt Jones (Minneapolis), Shay Klitzke (Annandale), Dan Pletta (West Concord), Jordan Christianson (International Falls), Brendan Sullivan (Stillwater), Caleb Clark (Andover), Alex Langewicz (Fridley) and Chris Ryks (Bloomington).

Winger Brock Hill (Richfield, MN) brings experience to a young Wildcats lineup. The 19-year-old forward played college hockey last season for Gustavus Adolphus. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

It's time to get down to business. After a summer that included three tryout camps and the scouting of more than 1,000 players, the Minnesota Wildcats reported for duty August 13. More than 30 players are participating in 'Hell Week', a military-style team-building and conditioning exercise that includes four hours of ice time daily, strenuous dryland training and plenty of fun. 

Grant McGinnis, the Cats' primary recruiter, said the team expects to add 2-3 more players in the next week to complete a roster that includes athletes from 15 states and Europe. “We spent the weekend at the Alaska Avalanche North American league camp and we have three more players from there who are very interested in joining our club,” he said. “We could still lose a couple of our players to Tier II teams so we need to make sure we have enough depth just in case. Overall the talent level is much, much higher than last season so we're pretty happy with what we have.” 

The team expects to return six veterans. Forward Shay Klitzke (Annandale, MN) is the top returning scorer (16-38-54 in 43 games) while the defense will be anchored by Cameron Carns (Westminster, CO). Also returning is gritty forward Alex Langewicz (Fridley, MN), defenseman Cale Arhart (Chisago City) and starting goalie Mark Rajevski (Tallin, Estonia). Defenseman Brendan Sullivan (Stillwater, MN), who appeared in 15 games late last season, will also be back. Former goalie Chad Ballard (Richfield, MN) is trying his luck as a skater this season.

“We are definitely rebuilding from scratch,” McGinnis said. “Shay still has a very good chance of making a team in Canada but if he's back he will definitely be our leader. We expect a lot out of him. But we're also anticipating superior contributions from some of our rookies. If we hang onto Cody Hasbargen (Baudette, MN), he's going to be very good. Steven Terry (Santee, CA) is the kind of player who can bring people out of their seats. Brock Hill (Richfield, MN) and Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN) are very gifted players. We are excited!” 

NEWS & NOTES:  On-ice sessions are being held at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center in Stillwater. Ice times are listed below... Latest addition to the Wildcats lineup is forward Daniel Markstrom of Soldotna, AK. A proven scorer, Markstrom played last season for Soldotna High School and the Anchorage North Stars AAA midget team... The Wildcats will have the MnJHL's youngest team again this winter. The youngest skater is 15-year-old Spencer Gaalaas, who comes to Minnesota from the San Diego Saints AA midgets. Gaalaas, forward Lucas Lindholm (Nevada Stars AAA) and defenseman Brendan Sullivan (Stillwater, MN) were all born in 1993. Players born in 1992 include Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN), Kyle Roberts (Mandan, ND), Caleb Clark (Andover, MN) and one more player expected to sign this week.

Photo:  Defenseman Cameron Carns of Colorado returns to the Wildcats this season, one of a handful of returning veterans. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

PRACTICE TIMES @ St. Croix Valley Rec Center

SATURDAY, AUG. 15 - 10:00 am & 4:30 pm

SUNDAY, AUG. 16 - 9:00 am & 9:00 pm

MONDAY, AUG. 17 - 7:40 am & 9:00 pm

Minnesota Wildcats alumni Seth Ronsberg was honored in his home town of Lake Elmo Wednesday at a private dinner attended by more than 100 friends, family, teammates and coaches. The Minnesota Junior Hockey League team announced it would be retiring Ronsberg's number 7 jersey later this season.

"What an honor," Ronsberg said. "I want to thank all of my coaches and teammates who made this possible. And I want to thank my family."

Ronsberg, the MnJHL scoring champion and Most Valuable Player this past season, leaves next week for Canada where he will skate for the Tier II Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The 18-year-old skated for nearly four years in the league for the St. Paul Lakers, Minnesota Owls and the Wildcats.

Photo: Seth Ronsberg and his father Stu, coach of the Minnesota Wildcats, posed by a replica of the jersey banner that will soon hang in the rafters at the Maple Grove Community Center. (photo courtesy of Eric Wicklund)

The Wildcats roster has undergone a complete makeover entering this season as the team has recruited 12 new out-of-state players along with 8 new Minnesotans. Here are a few of the players to watch on Opening Weekend.

RETURNING VETERANS

Shay Klitzke - F - Annandale, MN /// Alex Langewicz - F - Fridley, MN /// Shane Fabian - F - Savage, MN /// Chad Ballard - F - Richfield, MN

Cam Carns - D - Westminster, CO /// Cale Arhart - D - Chisago City, MN /// Brendan Sullivan - D - Stillwater, MN

Mark Rajevski - G - Tallinn, Estonia

OUT-OF-STATE RECRUITS

Lucas Lindholm - F - Pierre, SD /// Casey Skolnik - F - Ashland, OR /// DJ Buglewicz - F - Littleton, CO /// Daniel Markstrom - F - Soldotna, AK /// Kyle Roberts - F - Mandan, ND /// Spencer Gaalaas - F - Santee, CA /// Schilar Kessler - F - Wichita, KS

Tony Folk - D - Grantsburg, WI /// Adam Steen - D - Pinellas Park, FL /// Matt Whitener - D - St. Louis, MO 

Jon Gleinser - G - Katy, TX

MINNESOTA RECRUITS

Dan Pletta - F - Dodge County HS /// Brock Hill - F - Gustavus Adolphus College /// Matt Jones - F - Minneapolis East HS /// Josh Smart - F - Lake of the Woods HS /// Jordy Christianson - F - International Falls HS /// Caleb Clark - F - Andover HS /// Shane Herbert - F - Forest Lake HS ///

Cody Hasbargen - D - Lake of the Woods HS ///

Chris Ryks - G - Bloomington Jr Gold

Photo: 16-year-old Jordan Christianson has earned a spot on the Wildcats top line. The International Falls HS junior will be with the Cats until the Minnesota high school hockey season begins November 15th. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

The Minnesota Wildcats came from three goals down to earn a 5-5 scrimmage tie Wednesday with the Minnesota Owls in Maple Grove. The Cats top line accounted for three goals, including two by Shay Klitzke (Annandale, MN) and the game-tying goal by Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN) with assists from Brock Hill (Richfield, MN). Rookies Casey Skolnik (Ashland, OR) and Kyle Roberts (Mandan, ND) each recorded stylish top-shelf backhand goals for the Wildcats, both set up by rookie Schilar Kessler (Wichita, KS).

Standouts on defense included veteran Cameron Carns (Westminster, CO) and rookies Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) and Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD). Rookies Jon Gleinser (Katy, TX) and Chris Ryks (Bloomington, MN) shared goaltending duties.

GAME NOTES - Starting goaltender Mark Rajevski (Estonia) will not be available for this weekend's games. Rajevski and rookie defenseman Cody Hasbargen (Baudette, MN) are still in the hunt for Tier II spots with the Winnipeg Saints of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League...This Friday's game will mark the debut of Wildcats audio webcasts with play-by-play voice Joe Moore. Watch for the link to be posted here before Friday's game for this free service...Wildcats grad Seth Ronsberg made his Canadian debut Tuesday in his first exhibition game for the Winkler Flyers. Ronsberg scored the game-tying goal in the third period and hit the pipe in an overtime shootout as Winkler dropped a 4-3 decision to Portage. Click here for more details... Check out the Wildcats season preview on the MnJHL league website.

Photo: Rookie Casey Skolnik of Ashland, Oregon was among the goal scorers Wednesday in a 5-5 scrimmage tie with the Minnesota Owls. The Wildcats open the regular season Friday night at 7:30 pm against the Minneapolis Lakers.

John Gleinser, the Minnesota Wildcats goaltender from Katy, Texas by way of Hastings High School, stopped 53 shots Friday night in his junior hockey debut, stoning the Edina Lakers time after time. But in the third period, the Lakers finally dented the twine multiple times en route to an impressive 5-0 victory.

The re-tooled Lakers lineup also made an impressive debut. The Edina-based squad used impressive speed and an effective powerplay in outshooting the Wildcats 58-19. The Cats had difficulty exiting their own zone most of the night, thanks to strong forechecking pressure by Edina and some defensive confusion among the Wildcats forwards.

The Wildcats return to action Saturday night when their arch-rivals, the Minnesota Ice Hawks from Rochester, visit at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available at the door.

Photo: Goalie Jon Gleinser had an outstanding debut September 4th but the Wildcats dropped a 5-0 decision to the Edina Lakers. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

Winger Josh Smart (Baudette, MN) suffered a broken left arm Saturday night in the Minnesota Wildcats loss to the Minnesota Ice Hawks. Smart was hit from behind into the end wall at an awkward angle, causing a break in his forearm. There was no penalty called on the play. Smart will have surgery this week and will be out until early November.

Rookie Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD) suffered a mild concussion in the game. As was the case on virtually every Ice Hawks infraction of the overly-aggressive kind, no penalty was called on the play. Lucas is expected to return to action September 12th when the Wildcats host the Twin Cities Northern Lights.

Check out the entire Cats'  Team Roster complete with new numbers and home towns of every player, including the newest addition, AJ Fossen, a hard-hitting 16-year-old from Maple Grove. AJ is the first member of the Wildcats from our home town! The roster includes players from 12 different states, including Florida, California, Alaska and Texas.  Coming soon is the players photo gallery.

Please scroll down to read the most recent stories from the 2009-10 Wildcats season.

With home games coming up Saturday and Sunday in Maple Grove, the Minnesota Wildcats roster continues to evolve. The Cats this week added forward Jordan Myers (Santa Clarita, CA) who skated last year for the South Jersey Raptors of the International Junior Hockey League. The speedy winger (photo left) was sent to the Wildcats from the camp of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Winkler Flyers (Tier II Jr A).

Meanwhile, defenseman Cody Hasbargen (Baudette, MN) has made the opening-night roster of Winkler where he will be a teammate of last year's MnJHL and Wildcats MVP Seth Ronsberg (Lake Elmo, MN). Hasbargen had been expected to be a mainstay on defense this season in Maple Grove. Last year's number one goalie for the Wildcats, Mark Rajevski (Tallinn, Estonia) is expected to return to the team from Canada in the next few days, pending an international transfer.

At the same time, two players have left the team. Defenseman AJ Fossen (Maple Grove, MN) has decided to focus on school prior to the Minnesota high school season while defenseman Adam Steen (Pinellas Park, FL) has returned home for personal reasons. Forward Josh Smart (Baudette, MN) remains out of the lineup with a broken arm.

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, Sept. 12 vs Twin Cities Northern Lights (7:30 pm)

Sunday, Sept. 13 vs Minnesota Flying Aces (7:00 pm)

Both games at Maple Grove Community Center & live on the Internet. Tickets available at the door.

Rookies Kyle Roberts, Schilar Kessler and Jordan Christianson scored Saturday night for the Minnesota Wildcats to stage a dramatic comeback but it was not quite enough as the Cats dropped a 4-3 decision to the Twin Cities Northern Lights. Goalie Mark Rajevski, making his season debut after returning from tryouts in Canada, stopped 55 shots.

Twin Cities jumped to a 3-0 lead in the game, thanks to a pair of shorthanded goals and an uninspiring start by the home team. But the Wildcats found their legs in the second period to make a game of it. Minnesota was still pushing to tie in the final moments of the game with the extra attacker but the Lights held on for the victory in their first game of the year.

The Cats face off again Sunday at 7 pm against the Minnesota Flying Aces at the Maple Grove Community Center. The Aces lost 5-4 Saturday to the Wisconsin Mustangs at Spooner in the season-opener for both teams.

GAME NOTES: Rookie Spencer Gaalaas (Santee, CA) left the game in the second period with a shoulder injury that turned out to be a strain... Winger Shane Herbert (Forest Lake, MN) suffered a dislocated shoulder... Defenseman Cam Carns (Westminster, CO) was ejected for the second game in a row following a second-period fight.

Photo: Rookie Kyle Roberts of Mandan, ND had a goal, an assist and two penalties in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Twin Cities Northern Lights. (file photo)

Swedish import Michael Raynee probably doesn't belong in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. He's simply too good for Tier III Junior A hockey. The 20-year-old from Stockholm scored all four goals Sunday for the Minnesota Flying Aces to edge out the Minnesota Wildcats 4-3 in Maple Grove. Cats' captain Shay Klitzke (Annandale, MN)  had a goal and two assists, setting up linemate Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN) and feeding Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD) on the powerplay as the home team lost by one goal for the second straight game. Christianson added an assist for a two-point night.

The Wildcats dominated much of the time, outshooting the Aces 51-41 as goalie Mark Rajevski (Tallinn, Estonia) made 37 saves. But Raynee's dominating physical presence, superior puck skills and high-power shot proved too much.

The Wildcats return to action next Friday, Sept. 18 at home against the Hudson Crusaders before travelling to St. Cloud for back-to-back encounters with the Granite City Lumberjacks.

GAME NOTES - The Wildcats were without veteran defenseman Cam Carns (Westminster, CO) who has been suspended for a slash Saturday against Twin Cities... Spencer Gaalaas (shoulder), Shane Herbert (shoulder), Matt Jones (flu), Shane Fabian (flu) and Josh Smart (broken arm) were all unavailable for the Wildcats. As a result, the game marked the season debut for defensemen Matt Whitener (St. Charles, MO) and Brendan Sullivan (Stillwater, MN).

Photo: Swedish forward Michael Raynee was a dominant force Sunday, scoring four times for Little Falls in a 4-3 win over the Wildcats. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

The Minnesota Wildcats face their first three-game weekend of the season beginning Friday night at home and they'll have to get through it without defenseman Cameron Carns. The second-year Wildcat from Westminster, CO, has been suspended for five more games by the Minnesota Junior Hockey League as the result of a slash last Saturday against the Twin Cities Northern Lights. Carns served the first game of the six-game punishment Sunday. He will not be eligible to play again until October 3rd.

GAME NOTES - Condolences to play-by-play man Joe Moore on the loss of his father-in-law this week. In Moore's absence, Grant McGinnis will fill in behind the microphone Friday against Hudson... Forward Spencer Gaalaas (Santee, CA) is expected to play this weekend after missing Sunday's game with a shoulder strain. Forwards Shane Herbert (shoulder) and Josh Smart (broken arm) remain on the sidelines.

THIS WEEKEND

Cats vs Hudson Crusaders - 7:30 pm Friday in Maple Grove

Cats at Granite City - 7:30 pm Saturday in St. Cloud

Cats at Granite City - 4:30 pm Sunday in St. Cloud

The Minnesota Wildcats turned in another workmanlike performance Friday night in Maple Grove but had to settle for a third consecutive 4-3 defeat, this one at the hands of the Hudson Crusaders. But because it came in overtime, the Wildcats earned their first point of the season.

Spencer Gaalass (photo right), playing on the Wildcats top line with Jordan Christianson and Shay Klitzke, scored his first goal of the season while Schilar Kessler and Lucas Lindholm each had their second for the Wildcats. Defenseman Tony Folk recorded two assists.

Minnesota (0-4-1) returns to action Saturday night in St. Cloud against the Granite City Lumberjacks (1-1-0).  Watch the game at 7:30 pm live via the Jacks website at www.lumberjackshockey.com

After their worst performance of the season Saturday in St. Cloud, the Minnesota Wildcats shuffled the deck Sunday morning in preparation for an afternoon rematch. Cats coach Don Babineau will take his chances today with the junior hockey debut of 15-year-old Blake Koosmann of Stanchfield, MN. Koosman signed with the Wildcats as a 14-year-old training player who was not expected to see game action until at least Christmas. But his consistent work ethic, on-ice aggressiveness and positive attitude has earned him an opportunity. He is the only player in the league born in 1994.

At the same time, Clint Massey of Fridley will return to the MnJHL for the first time in two years. Ironically, Massey made his junior hockey debut with the St. Paul Lakers at the same age as Koosman but gave up the game a few years later. Now, two weeks into a comeback, the 19-year-old has dropped 20 pounds and will bring a real physical presence to the Wildcats. After Saturday's debacle, they'll need it!

Game time today is 4:30 pm. The contest can be seen via the Granite City website at www.lumberjackshockey.com

Photo: 15-year-old Blake Koosmann has impressed the Wildcats enough to slip into the lineup just seven games into the season. (Photo by Eric Wicklund).

Losing seven straight games to open the 2009-10 MnJHL season is not exactly what the Minnesota Wildcats had in mind. Now the team, already hurting from a rash of injuries and player departures, has been bitten by the flu bug as several players are confined to home.  "It's not exactly what we had in mind, that's for sure," said team spokesman Grant McGinnis. "Even among the guys that were able to practice Tuesday a number were feeling pretty bad. We just have to let this thing run its course and get ourselves on track."

The list of walking wounded reads like a triage report: Josh Smart (broken arm), Chad Ballard (concussion), Shane Herbert (dislocated shoulder), Jordan Christianson (flu), Casey Skolnik (flu), Shane Fabian (flu), Lucas Lindholm (flu), Brendan Sullivan (hip), Cameron Carns (suspension). In addition, forward Matt Jones is attempting to crack the University of St. Thomas as a freshman and is currently skating with the Tommies, and forward Brock Hill has quit the team.

A roster that boasted more than 30 players to begin the season has now been substantially depleted. If the Cats were playing today, they would have just 18 skaters and three goalies to choose from including two additions from the practice roster, rookies Blake Koosmann (Stanchfield) and Brendan Rose (Prior Lake). "We just have to weather this storm," McGinnis said. "We lost our top three defenseman the night before camp opened and three of our top forward recruits a week before that. It has followed that pattern ever since. We're actively recruiting more players and trying to get the guys that are here healthy enough to play. Hopefully we'll turn the corner soon."

Photo: Forward Jordan Christianson (International Falls) is among the latest victims of a flu virus that has swept through the Wildcats lineup.

The Wisconsin Mustangs (3-0-0-1-7 pts) scored three times with the man advantage and once while shorthanded Saturday night to earn a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Wildcats (0-7-0-1-1 pt) in Spooner. Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) scored the lone goal for Minnesota.

The defeat cost the visitors more than just two points, however, as another of the Wildcats top players was lost to injury. Forward Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN) was hit hard into the boards in the second period and suffered a wrist injury. He'll have xrays Sunday morning to determine the extent of the mishap.

Christianson's injury adds to a long list of players who are unable to play. Casey Skolnik (Ashland, OR) dressed Saturday but was too sick to play even one shift. Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD) was too sick to travel.  One thing the Wildcats do have is an abundance of is goalies with four on the roster and one more in the wings. Newcomer Michael Deslauriers (Huron, SD) played well in his debut. No word on who will start Sunday in Bloomington against the Twin Cities Northern Lights.

Photo: The Wisconsin Mustangs recorded a 6-1 victory Saturday night in Spooner in their first meeting of the season with the Minnesota Wildcats. (photo courtesy of Dan Lee of www.leesphoto.net)

NEXT UP

Wildcats @ Twin Cities - Sunday @ 5:45 pm in Bloomington

It was a long time coming but the Minnesota Wildcats have finally cracked the win column, recording an impressive 5-3 victory over the Twin Cities Northern Lights Sunday in Bloomington. Fifteen-year-old Spencer Gaalaas led the way with a goal and two assists while Jonathan Gleinser turned aside 37 shots (one on a penalty shot) to earn the win. Gaalaas' linemate Jordan Myers added a goal and an assist while Kyle Roberts had two assists. Shay Klitzke, Caleb Clark and Jordan Christianson scored the other goals for the Wildcats.

It was a complete performance and two points earned by winning most of the one-on-one battles, finishing checks and playing disciplined hockey. DJ Buglewicz turned in his most tenacious performance of the season. Defensemen Cale Arhart, Tony Folk and Andrew Tylka were solid in their own end of the rink, as was Hunter Halonen in his first game of the season. And Blake Koosmann, the league's youngest player, sacrificed his body to make two big shot blocks in the game's final minute.

By winning, Minnesota (1-7-0-1-3pts) leap-frogged both Hudson (1-4-0-0-2pts) and the Flying Aces (1-4-0-0-2pts) in the MnJHL standings and into 7th place overall, just one point behind the Rochester Ice Hawks (2-2-0-0-4pts). The Crusaders were beaten 6-2 Sunday in Granite City (6-1-0-0-12pts) while the Aces were pounded 9-2 in Wisconsin (5-0-0-1-11pts). The Cats return to action next weekend in Little Falls Saturday and back in Bloomington Sunday.

Photo: Cats' forward Jordan Myers of Santa Clarita, CA had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 5-3 victory at Bloomington. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

"Welcome back Cam Carns. You have been sorely missed during your recent absence. Don't let it happen again!"  - Your loyal fans

It has been three weeks since veteran blueliner Cameron Carns (Westminster, CO) suited up for the Minnesota Wildcats. Carns was ejected from the game on September 12 against the Twin Cities Northern Lights for administering a healthy slash to the back of a Lights' leg. Now, after serving a six-game MnJHL suspension Carns will be back in the lineup Saturday when the Wildcats meet the Flying Aces for the second time this season.

The Cats have been thin on defense since learning 24 hours prior to the start of training camp that veteran Evan Jones (Detroit) and prize recruits Steven Terry (Santee, CA) and Cody Hasbargen (Baudette, MN) would not be joining the team this season. The lack of depth became even more evident with Carns' suspension and the absence of leading rookie Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD) with a severe flu. Lindholm is expected back this weekend, as well, giving the Wildcats reason to believe they can build on their first win of the season last Sunday.  Combined with the improved play of defenders Cale Arhart (Chisago Lakes) and Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) the Minnesota blue line corps is looking better, a trend that bore fruit Sunday with a 5-3 win over Twin Cities.

Photo: The return of Cam Carns' hard-hitting physical play should provide the Wildcats a boost this weekend. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, October 3rd - 7:00 pm @ Flying Aces (Little Falls)

Sunday, October 4th - 6:30 pm @ Northern Lights (Bloomington)

With just one victory on their dance card thus far, the Minnesota Wildcats are anxious to return to the scene of success. They'll do that Sunday when they go back to Bloomington Ice Garden, the site of last weekend's 5-3 victory over the Twin Cities Northern Lights. Game time is 6:30 pm.

Last night's trip to Little Falls was not quite so fruitful as the Cats dropped a 4-0 decision to the Minnesota Flying Aces. The Wildcats turned in a reasonably good performance but could not solve the netminding of AJ Underwood, who earned the shutout in his second start for the Aces. Underwood, who joined the Aces this week from Dubuque of the Central States Hockey League, made 33 saves while Jon Gleinser took the loss despite stopping 46. The real bugaboo for the Wildcats was an anemic powerplay, which went 0-for-6 on the night, a total of more than 9 minutes with an extra man.

Minnesota Wildcats alumnus Seth Ronsberg has been a dominant player for most of his life. Despite making the jump this year to Tier II Junior A in Canada, he is quickly establishing himself north of the border, as well. The 2008-09 MnJHL Most Valuable Player and Scoring Champion is on a roll with the Winkler Flyers.

Ronsberg, a native of Lake Elmo, has 8 goals and 14 points in his first 10 games in Manitoba. That puts him among the league's top 10 scorers. He is first among all rookies and was runner-up for MJHL Rookie of the Month for September. "My focus isn't to lead in points," he told the voice of the Flyers radio network Matt Friesen, "but to help my linemates and help the team win. But it is a compliment for sure."

Last Friday, with Minnesota State-Mankato University coach Troy Jutting watching him, Ronsberg scored two goals in the final 4 minutes of the game to send it into overtime. He then set up the game winner 17 seconds into the extra period to give Winkler a dramatic 5-4 win over the Portage Terriers. Sunday, Ronsberg scored two more as Winkler pasted Winnipeg South 7-1. It was Winkler's third straight victory to even their season record at 5-5-0.

In addition to MSU-Mankato, Ronsberg has been scouted by the University of North Dakota and the NHL's St. Louis Blues already this season. His future is clearly very bright and so is his new team's. "The confidence level has been growing tremendously," Ronsberg said. "Our spirits are high, everybody is working well together and we are having fun."

Photo: Seth Ronsberg, sporting the Winkler Flyers third jersey, had two more goals Sunday in a 7-1 victory. (photo courtesy of Winkler Flyers)

COMING UP

Saturday, October 10th - Wildcats @ Ice Hawks (7:05 pm in Rochester)

Friday, October 16th - Wildcats vs Wisconsin (7:30 pm in Maple Grove)

Saturday, October 17th - Wildcats vs Granite City (7:30 pm in Maple Grove)

Coming off a resounding defeat last Saturday in Rochester, the Minnesota Wildcats (1-10-0-1--3pts) road to victory will not get any easier. The Cats return home to Maple Grove to host two of the MnJHL's top teams - the Wisconsin Mustangs (7-1-0-1--15pts) and Granite City Lumberjacks (8-2-0-0--16pts). And they'll have to do it without the services of their top netminder Jon Gleinser (Katy, TX). After a great start in Rochester, Gleinser suffered an ankle sprain and had to leave the game with a shutout still in tact. He is not expected to return this weekend.

With newcomer Mike Deslauriers (Huron, SD) coming off two sub-par performances in a row and former starter Mark Rajevski (Tallinn, Estonia) having left the team to play in Canada, that leaves number three man Chris Ryks (Bloomington, MN) as an option. The team has also brought in Trey Flesch (Pequot Lakes, MN) who was recently released by the Mustangs. The real challenge for the Wildcats, however, is to play better positional hockey in their own end of the rink, something the team has been able to do only a handful of times in a dozen games.

GAME NOTES - Winger Josh Smart (Lake of the Woods) has resumed practicing with the team after rehabbing a broken arm for the past 10 games. There is no set time table for his return... Andrew Tylka (Eau Claire, WI) will serve the final two games of a three-game suspension for a match penalty incurred October 4 in Bloomington... Forward Chad Ballard (Richfield, MN) suffered a knee sprain in practice Tuesday and is day-to-day... Casey Skolnik (Ashland, OR) is expected back after battling the flu and a hip injury... Shane Herbert (Forrest Lake, MN) remains on the sidelines with a dislocated shoulder... Defenseman Thor Thorson (Chicago, IL) was returned to Central Wisconsin Saints Jr B after one game... Big defenseman Ben Anderson (Shakopee, MN) has joined the team on a tryout basis...

Photo: Goalie Jon Gleinser will not be available for this weekend's two-game home stand. The Hastings HS graduate is out with a sprained ankle. (photo courtesy of Eric Wicklund)

THIS WEEKEND

Friday, October 16 vs Wisconsin Mustangs - 7:30 pm

Saturday, October 17 vs Granite City Lumberjacks - 7:30 pm

Kyle Roberts scored twice and Jordy Christianson once but the Minnesota Wildcats fell one goal short Friday night, losing 4-3 to the first-place Wisconsin Mustangs (8-1-0-1--17pts) in Maple Grove. Captain Shay Klitzke recorded a pair of assists. Roberts and Klitzke are now tied for the team lead in points with 7 each. Christianson leads the Wildcats in goals with 4.

It was the fourth home game in a row that saw the Wildcats drop a 4-3 decision. Newcomer Trey Flesch of Breezy Point, MN, who joined the team after starting the season with the Mustangs, stopped 42 shots in his Minnesota debut but it was not quite enough. His counterpart, 6-foot-9-inch John McLean made 23 saves for Wisconsin.

The Wildcats (1-11-0-1--3pts) return to the ice Saturday at 7:30 pm when they host the Granite City Lumberjacks (8-3-0-0--16). When they last met, the Jacks outscored the Cats 27-1 in a two-game series in St. Cloud. Granite City is coming off a 4-2 loss Friday to the Minnesota Owls after losing last weekend to the Mustangs.

GAME NOTES -- Wildcats goalie Mike Deslauriers (Huron, SD) has been called up by North Iowa of the North American Hockey League. He is expected to join the Outlaws in Mason City next week... With a rash of injuries and illness, only three Wildcats have managed to play in all 13 games so far. Shay Klitzke, Kyle Roberts and Tony Folk haven't missed a game while five others have missed just one game apiece. The Cats currently have 8 players injured or ill... Newcomer Ben Anderson (Shakopee, MN) had an impressive debut for the Wildcats. The 6-3, 205 pound defenseman threw his weight around very effectively and brought some much-needed spark to the blue line corps... With the departures of goalie Mark Rajevski and defenseman Alex Langiewicz, only three Wildcats veterans remain on the active squad: Shay Klitzke, Cameron Carns and Cale Arhart.

Be sure to check out the new Minnesota Wildcats page on Facebook. Administered by Cats intern Travis Schuckert, our page features the latest and greatest on all things Wildcat. Communicate with other fans and players as you cheer on the Wildcats.

Rookie Kyle Roberts (Mandan, ND) and veteran Shay Klitzke (Annandale, MN) lead the Wildcats point race with 7 points each in 14 games. Jordan Christianson (International Falls, MN) leads all goal scorers with 4 while Spencer Gaalaas (Santee, CA) and Roberts have 3 each. Among defensemen, Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) and Andrew Tylka (Eau Claire, WI) lead with 4 points apiece. 

UPCOMING GAMES

Saturday, Oct. 24 vs Twin Cities - 7:30 pm @ Maple Grove

Sunday, Oct. 25 vs Minnesota Owls - 7:00 pm @ Maple Grove

Saturday, Oct. 31 vs Rochester Ice Hawks - 7:30 pm @ Maple Grove

Sunday, Nov. 1 vs Minnesota Owls - 7:00 pm @ Maple Grove

Chris Ryks was signed as a third goalie by the Minnesota Wildcats out of open tryouts this past summer. But the Bloomington native's work ethic and attitude earned him the opportunity to start in net for the first time Saturday night . Ryks made the most of it, turning aside 31 shots in the first two periods and making save after save. Unfortunately, his teammates, continuing a disappointing trend, could do little at the other end of the ice.

By the third period, even Ryks couldn't bar the door as the Twin Cities Northern Lights (8-6-0-1--17pts) scored three goals early in the final 20 minutes to cruise to an 8-1 victory. Despite a steady stream of power play opportunities, the Wildcats did little to generate offense, managing just 13 shots on goal in the first two periods while going 0-for-9 with the man advantage.

The game also marked the return of forward Josh Smart (Baudette, MN) who broke his arm September 5th. Smart was expected to play only sparingly but instead took a regular shift and managed Minnesota's only goal of the game. The Wildcats (1-13-0-1--3pts) return to action Sunday at 7 p.m. when they host the Minnesoa Owls for the first time this year.

Photo: Josh Smart scored the Wildcats only goal Saturday in his return to the lineup after missing 12 games with a broken arm. (photo courtesy of Eric Wicklund)

The Minnesota Wildcats prepare to take on the Rochester Ice Hawks once again this weekend. This frightful Minnesota Junior Hockey League rivalry looks to continue Saturday, October 31st at 7:30 pm in Maple Grove. That game is the first of a two-game home weekend, with the Minnesota Owls returning Sunday at 7 pm.

GAME NOTES - The Wildcats have signed 19-year-old Matt Junker, a product of Stillwater HS... Forward Jordan Christianson has returned to International Falls for the high school season... Forward Josh Smart (Baudette, MN) returned to action last weekend, scoring the only goal in Saturday's loss to the Northern Lights, before abruptly leaving the team Tuesday... Goalie Jonathan Gleinser (Katy, TX) remains sidelined with a high ankle sprain. Forwards Caleb Clark (knee), Shane Herbert (shoulder) and Spencer Gaalaas (shoulder) are also sidelined. Casey Skolnik and Lucas Lindholm missed practice all week due to the flu.

SPECIAL PRICING SATURDAY

Anyone wearing a Halloween costume will be admitted free to Saturday's game against Rochester. Special pricing for the game is as follows:

ADULTS - $8

STUDENTS - $6

ADULT OR STUDENT IN COSTUME - FREE*

CLOWNS(any age) - $10

*except clown costumes

THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES

Saturday, Oct. 31 vs Rochester Ice Hawks - 7:30 pm @ Maple Grove

Sunday, Nov. 1 vs Minnesota Owls - 7:00 pm @ Maple Grove

The Minnesota Wildcats will host the Wisconsin Mustangs Saturday night at 7:30 on the heels of their finest performance of the season Friday in Isanti. It took the second-place Minnesota Owls (11-4-0-1) four periods and eight rounds of shootout to edge the Cats 5-4. Rookie Casey Skolnik (Ashland, OR) scored two goals while Daniel Markstrom (Soldotna, AK) chipped in a goal and two assists in a dominant performance. Brendan Rose (Prior Lake, MN) had two points, including his first goal in junior hockey. Goalie Mike Deslauriers (Huron, SD) stopped 39 shots.

"It was our most complete effort of the season," said Cats' coach Paul Gibson. "We had several chances to win it in the overtime. We were in their end the whole time putting pressure on. It was definitely a step in the right direction."

GAME NOTES - Captain Shay Klitzke (Annandale, MN) played defense for the first time Friday night and turned in an outstanding performance on the blue line... Rookie Caleb Clark (Andover, MN), already out of the lineup with a knee injury, is the latest in a long line of Wildcats to come down with the H1N1 virus... Goalie Jon Gleinser (Katy, TX) remains out of the lineup with an ankle injury... 15-year-old rookie Blake Koosmann (Stanchfield, MN) played in front of his home audience for the first time in Isanti, recording one assist on the night... Big hit of the night was delivered by 15-year-old Spencer Gaalaas (Santee, CA) when he leveled an Owl in open ice... Forward Schilar Kessler (Wichita, KS) and defenseman Matt Whitener (St. Charles, MO) have left the team.

Big points are up for grabs this weekend, and the Minnesota Wildcats are in desperate need of them.  With a record of 1-17-0-2 and four games remaining in the first half of the season, Minnesota is still just 4 points behind the Minnesota Flying Aces and 8 behind the Hudson Crusaders.  If they can get rolling, the Maple Grove-based squad can still make some noise in the second half.

Scoring leaders Jordan Myers (Santa Clarita, CA), Kyle Roberts (Mandan, ND), and Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) look to lead the Cats to victory.  The Lakers (23 pts) come to The Grove on Friday the 13th.  Then Granite City (30 pts) rolls in Saturday night.  Finishing off the weekend is the Wisconsin Mustangs (23 pts) on Sunday. Get out and support your Wildcats.  Tickets for all three games are available at the door.

Photo: Rookie Kyle Roberts will have to come up big this weekend if the Wildcats are to gain points against three of the MnJHL's top teams. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday, November 13 - 7:30 pm vs Edina Lakers

Saturday, November 14 - 7:30 pm vs Granite City

Sunday, November 15 - 7:00 pm vs Wisconsin

The Wildcats were awarded an additional two points last week when the Edina Lakers were discovered to have played an ineligible player in two games. That turned a lopsided Cats' loss November 20 into a 1-0 victory.

Goalie Jon Gleinser (photo) has resumed skating but probably won't strap on the pads for at least another week. “In my mind he established himself early in the season as one of the top goalies in this league,” said Wildcats coach Paul Gibson. “His work ethic and attitude are unbelievable. You talk about dedication. I think getting solid, consistent goaltending is going to make a huge difference. He's going to make those first and second saves that give our guys a chance to clear the puck out. We're all eager to get Jon back.”  Goalie Michael Deslauriers has been returned to the Wildcats after a brief callup to the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He is expected to start tonight in Hudson.

When it comes to rough stuff between the whistles the Wildcats may lead the league. But that isn't going to put more wins on the board. “We have got to be more disciplined,” Gibson said. “We've proven to the rest of the league that we can handle ourselves physically. The fact is, we've won most of those battles but that can't be our focus." Forwards DJ Buglewicz and Caleb Clark and defenseman Cameron Carns have established themselves as three of the league's top pugilists.  "We have got to win the battles on the ice and not take stupid penalties," Gibson said, "and not get caught up in all the extra stuff.”

Forward Casey Skolnik did not return from Oregon following the Thanksgiving break. He has asked for a trade and has been placed on the suspended list... The Wildcats have signed forward Cole Davidowski, who turns 17 today, from Totino-Grace High School. 

Make plans to be at the game this Friday, December 11 when we honor Seth Ronsberg, the 2008-09 Most Valuable Player and Scoring Champion of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. We'll be hanging a banner during the first intermission, officially retiring Seth's #7 Wildcats jersey.

Ronsberg moved on this season after four years in the MnJHL. The 18-year-old is playing for the Winkler Flyers of the Tier II Junior A Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He recorded his first hat trick of the season last weekend and is one of the top rookies in the MJHL. The 6-2, 205-pound forward from Lake Elmo has 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games for the Flyers.

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday, Dec. 11 - Wildcats vs Hudson - 7:30 pm @ Maple Grove

Sunday, Dec. 13 - Wildcats @ Edina - 5:30 pm @ Minnesota Made 

Former Wildcats captain Shay Klitzke had a goal and an assist Wednesday as the Minnesota Wildcats fell to the Minnesota Flying Aces 4-1. The 20-year-old from Annadale turned in a nice performance in front of college scouts as the Cats lost their second straight at the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase in Blaine.

Kyle Roberts (photo) scored the lone goal for the Wildcats on a setup from Tony Folk, a nifty top-shelf wrist shot on a breakaway in the game's first minute. The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period before the Wildcats turned in another flat second period, giving up three goals while being outshot 19-2.

Neither team scored in the third as the Wildcats outshot Little Falls 13-9. Chris Ryks (Bloomington) made 37 saves for the Wildcats, who return to action Saturday at 7:30 pm in Maple Grove against the Twin Cities Northern Lights.

As far as the Minnesota Wildcats are concerned this Friday's game in Hudson is their first of the season in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. With mostly bad memories from a first half that produced just one victory, the Wildcats have begun anew following a week-long break.

“We're starting fresh here,” said Paul Gibson (photo) who will carry the team's coaching reins going forward along with Cal Ballard and newcomer Scott Lynch. “ We're very happy to have Coach Lynch here with us. He's an excellent coach, he played college hockey at Minnesota and he played professional hockey, too. He knows his stuff and the guys would be well-advised to listen.”

Gibson hopes simpler will be better going forward. “We're going to focus on one system that really suits our team and we're going to get really good at it rather than throwing three or four options at the guys,” explained the coach. “We want to do less stopping and starting going up the ice. We want to carry a little more momentum.”

The team has named veterans Cam Carns and Chad Ballard and rookie DJ Buglewicz as captains and much of the leadership burden will fall on their shoulders as the coaches attempt to recapture the players' attention and  get them moving in a unified direction. The players have set a collective objective of cutting the team's miserable goals against average in half while doubling its offensive output. To do that, the coaches will shrink the number of players seeing regular ice time, additional talent will be brought in and everyone will be implored to work harder and be more focused on their own progress.

“We have to keep things in perspective. We're young and we're inexperienced,” Gibson said. “But where would you rather be at 16 or 17 years old, playing Junior hockey or still back on your high school or JV team like the rest of the guys in this league were at that age? Hopefully when our guys are 19 or 20 they'll be playing at a higher level somewhere.” 

When it comes down to it, the difference between the first- and second-half of the Cats' campaign will have to be hard work. “Bottom line,” Gibson said, “we need to have the desire to compete regardless of the score.” 

NEXT GAMES

Friday, Dec. 4 - 7:00 pm @ Hudson

Saturday, Dec. 5 - 7:05 pm @ Rochester

Tony Folk (Grantsburg, WI) scored four goals and added an assist Friday night to lead the Minnesota Wildcats to their first home victory of the season. After tying the game with just 36.9 seconds remaining in the third period and the goaltender pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Folk took a perfect feed from Jordan Myers (Santa Clarita, CA) on a 2-on-1, burying the puck in the back of the net for a 5-4 OT win over the Hudson Crusaders.

Daniel Markstrom (Soldotna, AK), on a setup by Folk, had the other goal for the Wildcats while Myers finished the night with three assists. Goalie Mike Deslauriers (Huron, SD) made 52 saves for the victory. The Wildcats return to action Sunday at 5:30 pm in Edina against the Lakers, who have only won once in their last six games.

NEWS & NOTES

Tony Folk's four goals Friday give him a team-high 9 for the season to go with 11 assists in 28 games, most of which he played as a defenseman. Jordan Myers (6-13-19) and Daniel Markstrom (6-4-10) are tied for second place with 6 goals apiece... The Wildcats have signed two more players this week, adding defenseman Sam Berndt (1992) from Totino-Grace HS and forward Tyler Brower (1993) of Edina. One more signing of an MnJHL veteran is expected shortly... Forward Brendan Rose (Prior Lake, MN) missed Friday's game with a concussion suffered in practice on Wednesday.

Photo: Rookie Tony Folk of Grantsburg, WI combined with linemates Jordan Myers and Lucas Lindholm in a dominant performance. (photo by Eric Wicklund)

The Minnesota Wildcats will play a pair of rare day games this week at the Minnesota Junior Hockey League Showcase in Blaine. Minnesota will face the Hudson Crusaders at 12:45 pm at the Schwan's Super Rink on the campus of the National Sports Center. The Wildcats scored a come-from-behind 5-4 victory in overtime when the two teams played last Friday in Maple Grove.

The MnJHL Showcase is held to give college scouts a convenient opportunity to see the league's players in a condensed format within a three-day period. The draw is divided into thirds (top 3, middle 3, bottom 3 based on league standings as of December 1) with each team playing the other two teams in their pool. These games will count in the league standings.

WILDCATS SHOWCASE GAMES

Tuesday, Dec. 15 vs Hudson - 12:45 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 16 vs Little Falls - 12:15 pm

Both games at the National Sports Center in Blaine

Last week at this time Minnesota Wildcats forward Spencer Gaalaas was back home in San Diego surfing in the Pacific Ocean. His teammate Jordan Myers was riding ATVs just east of Los Angeles while other players took family vacations and caught up on their sleep. Now it's back to reality as the Wildcats return to action New Year's Day with a 7:05 pm game in Rochester. They'll return home Saturday for a game against the Minnesota Owls at 7:30 pm.

The Wildcats' lineup shuffle continues with the addition of two veteran forwards from the Twin Cities Northern Lights. Jim Crandall (Robinsdale), 19, practiced Tuesday with the Cats for the first time and looked right at home on the team's first line with Tony Folk and Jordan Myers. Nineteen-year-old forward Andy Tufto (Chaska), who played for Colorado of the Western States Hockey League last year, joined the team Wednesday.

Photo: It's always a battle when Cam Carns and the Wildcats travel to Rochester.

NEWS & NOTES

The Wildcats have lost defenseman Connor Miles (Sparta, WI) for 6 weeks with a broken hand suffered in an altercation two weeks ago... Goalie Jon Gleinser (Katy, TX), who has been out since October with a high-ankle fracture, will not return this season... Captain Cam Carns (Westminster, CO) will wear a cast on his broken hand for two more weeks but is expected to be able to play.

Additions in December include:

#6. Tyler Brower, Fwd, Edina HS

#14. Scott Rethwill, Def, Hudson Crusaders

#18. Sam Berdnt, Fwd, Totino-Grace HS

#23. Jim Crandall, Fwd, TC Northern Lights

#24. Cole Davidowski, Fwd, Totino-Grace HS

#28. Andy Tufto, Fwd, TC Northern LIghts 

UPCOMING GAMES

WILDCATS @ Rochester, Friday, Jan. 1 @ 7:05 pm

WILDCATS vs Owls, Saturday, Jan. 2 @ 7:30 pm 

After more than a week of waiting and wondering, the Minnesota Wildcats got some good news Saturday: forward Chad Lowell is going to report for duty Sunday afternoon in Isanti. The 6-foot, 175-pound forward from White Bear Lake is expected to play against the Minnesota Owls at 2:30 pm. Acquired in a trade from the Fresno Monsters of the Western States Hockey League, the 19-year-old Lowell had initially declined to report to Minnesota.

"Obviously this is great news," said Grant McGinnis of the Wildcats management team. "Chad is a difference maker. I mean, the guy had 13 points in his first five games at Fresno. He has been in and out of their lineup with injuries but even if he's not 100 percent he is going to provide us with a big lift. We certainly could use it."

Lowell is expected to center the Wildcats second line with Spencer Gaalaas (Santee, CA) and Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD). He'll replace winger Blake Koosman (Stanchfield, MN). The 15-year-old rookie (photo above) took a slapshot to the jaw Friday night against Granite City that will keep him out of the lineup for 2-3 weeks.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats also added defenseman Zach Marlow from Park Cottage Grove HS. The 5-11, 225-pounder has been practicing with the team all week and may also suit up against the Owls.

For the Minnesota Wildcats (3-33-2) the 2009-10 MnJHL season has been a struggle from day one. Meanwhile, first-place Granite City has been rolling along (31-7-1) in coach Brad Willner's first season with the St. Cloud-based Lumberjacks. Tonight in Maple Grove, last place meets first place at 7:30 pm. The teams have met four times previously this season with Granite City winning all four games by a combined margin of 45-5!

NEW FACES -- Minnesota will bring two new faces to the contest. Goaltender Kirk McGinley, 18, comes to the Wildcats from Hill-Murray High School. At 6-2 and 225 pounds, McGinley is an imposing figure in the nets. The Woodbury resident grew up playing in San Diego, CA and Austin, TX before playing his high school hockey for the Pioneers. Physical defenseman Mike Walker of Richfield will make his home-ice debut for Minnesota. He collected an assist in his first outing last weekend in Little Falls.

NO-SHOWS -- Skilled forward Chad Lowell (White Bear Lake), acquired in trade from Fresno of the Western States Hockey League, is refusing to report to the Wildcats. Ditto for goalie Fredrik Reiser (Stockholm, Sweden) who was assigned by Granite City to the Wildcats last week. "Players don't want to report to a last-place team and that's understandable," said Grant McGinnis of the Wildcats' management group. "But these guys need to play. If they don't get ice time they're junior careers will stagnate and other teams will be hesitant to pick up a guy with a reputation as a quitter. It's a common mistake young players make, one that will haunt them for years to come."

SUSPENSIONS -- Cats forward Caleb Clark (photo above by Eric Wicklund) has been suspended for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs by the MnJHL. The 17-year-old's third major benching of the season came as a result of an incident last Saturday against the Minnesota Flying Aces.

The Minnesota Wildcats have acquired two excellent prospects in preparation for the stretch run of the MnJHL season. Minnesota native Chad Lowell was acquired in a trade with the Fresno Monsters of the Western States Hockey League. The White Bear Lake graduate was an offensive force for the first-place Monsters before suffering a broken wrist. Despite missing 6 weeks, the 19-year-old was still among Fresno's top 10 scorers. He is expected to make his debut with the Wildcats this Friday, January 22nd when the Granite City Lumberjacks visit Maple Grove.

The other newcomer is defenseman Mike Walker of Richfield. After a stint playing college football, the big, physical blueliner is back on skates. Walker, 19, played his first game for the Wildcats this past Saturday in Little Falls.

Photo: White Bear Lake native Chad Lowell (#14 above) should give the Wildcats some much-needed offensive punch. (photo courtesy of Bob Martinez)

The Hudson Crusaders (15-28-6) clinched 7th place in the MnJHL standings Sunday with their 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wildcats, setting the stage for the Wildcats post-season. The Cats will travel to Exchange Arena in Little Falls March 3rd for a 6:15 pm encounter with the 8th-place Minnesota Flying Aces (14-31-2). The winner of that game will advance to a best-of-three series against the Rochester Ice Hawks (39-8-1). Hudson will face Granite City (35-11-2) in another first-round matchup while opponents for the other two series will be determined by the outcome of this weekend's games.

This was not the matchup the Wildcats had been hoping for. Winless against the Aces in six attempts during the regular season, the Wildcats were outscored 44-7 in the series that began with Michael Raynee's four-goal game in a 4-3 win September 13 in Maple Grove.

Despite their series dominance and a steady influx of talent from the Tier II North American Hockey League all season, the Aces have just 8 wins in 42 games against the other seven teams in the MnJHL. Little Falls has lost six in a row heading into the final weekend of the regular season and has won just once in its last 10 games against teams other than the Wildcats.

UPCOMING GAMES

Feb. 27 @ Minn Owls, 7:30 pm

Feb. 28 @ Twin Cities, 5:45 pm

March 3 @ Little Falls, 6:15 pm (Post-Season Play-in Game)

Chris Ryks (Bloomington, MN) made 28-saves in a spectacular performance Friday night to lead the Minnesota Wildcats to a 4-2 victory over the Hudson Crusaders in Minnesota's final home game of the season.  Trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes (the Cats had a first-period goal waved off for a man-in-the-crease violation) the Cats scored three times in the second period before turning in a steady final 20 minutes for their 4th victory of the year.

Jordan Myers (Santa Clarita, CA) scored his 12th and 13th goals of the season for the Wildcats, who took 5 of 6 points on home ice this season against Hudson. Newcomer James Buttermore (Mahtomedi, MN) had a goal and an assist while 16-year-old Lucas Lindholm (Pierre, SD) recorded his 5th goal of the year.

The victory was the Wildcats first since December 11th (also over Hudson), a 15-game, two-month winless drought. The team's final 6 games of the regular season will all be on the road, including a 7 pm encounter Saturday night in Spooner, WI against the Wisconsin Mustangs. Wisconsin upset the Ice Hawks 8-4 Friday in Rochester.

Photo: The Wildcats Chris Ryks turned in his best performance of the season Friday night to lead the Wildcats to a 4-2 win over Hudson. (photo by Eric Wicklund)