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Volume 4 Issue 19 | February 1, 2017
IHHF 2016 INDUCTEES
Nearly 250 people were present as the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame (IHHF) recently inducted its 12th class of inductees into its Hall of Fame. The honored inductees who were inducted on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at the Belvedere Banquet Hall in Elk Grove were (pictured above top left) Mike Rohdenburg, Mike Mullally, Tom Sharp (for deceased Dick Sharp), Steve Konroyd (bottom left) Dave Loughnane, Linda Becker, Myles Gottainer, Megan Bozek and Dave Siatta.

Illinois hockey has a very long and rich hockey history, due in large part, to the foundation laid down by these inductees. Their tireless dedication in making sure every individual who had a desire to participate in this great sport has had the opportunity to do so.  The mission statement of the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame is as follows: "To honor the excellence of those individuals who, through their exceptional endeavors both on and off the ice, have contributed in an extraordinary way to enhance the sport and image of hockey in Illinois."

You can learn more about the long hockey history each of these individuals has contributed as each member of the Class of 2016 is being featured in Snapshot.

On behalf of everyone involved in the game of hockey, we admire and thank each of the inductees into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2016. They truly are in a class all their own!
2016 IHHF BIO SERIES: MYLES GOTTAINER
In the 1940's Myles skated on the Chicago River (it was much cleaner in those years). He also skated in the old CBS studios before it was CBS. There was a pole in the middle of the rink and that was the one place where you learned to skate with your head up.  In 1954 Myles started working for a rink called Tower Cabana. He played with some great guys, one of whom was Rick Halpern. Rick was going in for a break away and of course he had a step on Myles so Myles tripped him. He slid into the boards and knocked himself out. From that day on, Myles always thought he was responsible for turning Rick from a conservative to a liberal. READ MORE>>
AHAI NEWS & INFORMATION
NOMINATE YOUR COACH FOR AHAI'S COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD!
AHAI recognizes that Illinois Hockey is comprised not only of incredible players, but also of great Boys'/Girls' High School and Youth/Girls' Hockey Coaches that guide our teams both on and off the ice. Candidates for AHAI's Boys'/Girls' High School and Youth/Girls' Hockey Coach of the Year Awards should embody good sportsmanship and respect toward teams, parents and officials while providing a positive High School or Youth/Girls' Hockey experience. Candidates should also teach positive life skills while demonstrating dedication, passion and commitment to community. Deadline to nominate is Saturday, February 18, 2017. NOMINATE NOW>>
2017 HIFE REGISTRATION
SET TO BEGIN FEB. 28TH
Registration Day for HIFE will take place on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 6:00pm until filled. Please note registration will only be done in person at Oak Lawn Ice Arena - no phone or email registrations will be taken and spots will not be held or reserved. HIFE is an AHAI supported vehicle providing young athletes from socioeconomically diverse backgrounds the opportunity to use ice hockey to promote academic achievement, responsibility, respect, teamwork and good character. VIEW FLYER>>
INSURANCE COVERAGES PROVIDED BY USAH TO ITS MEMBERS
By Don Allord, Central District Risk Manager  ~ By registering as a member of USA Hockey you are automatically enrolled in the USA Hockey insurance program. The following is a brief description of the insurance policies provided to registered members of USA Hockey. Your participation and registration with USAH affords you insurance coverage in 5 different areas: Excess Accident, Catastrophic, Liability, Directors & Officers Liability and Crime.  READ MORE  for a description of each type of coverage provided.
ASK THE OFFICIAL BY DAVE ZEDNIK
QUESTION: As a defenseman, if I am standing still in a spot and an offensive player skates backwards without looking runs into me and falls down, should I be called for tripping? ANSWER>>

QUESTION: What is the proper call for a penalized player (in the penalty box) who reaches out during play and punches the puck carrier who is skating near the box? ANSWER>>
JANUARY PHOTO OF THE MONTH ~ TOP 5!
Your votes have been counted and the Top 5 Photos for January have been selected! Congratulations to our winners! Click HERE to view our 18 Finalists and visit AHAI's Facebook Page to see all photos submitted in January! Can't wait to see the photos submitted for February!
David & James Maughan and Violet Kirk
Central Illinois Sled Hockey Association
"First Sled Game"
Kayla Doerre
Joliet Jaguars Squirt 5
"Having Fun!"
Anthony Aceste
Rockford Hockey Squirt
"Small Town Kid - Big Dreams"
Jordan Nuñez
St. Jude Knights Squirt Gold
"Five-Hole Celly"
Emma Olsen
Sabre Girls 19U
"High Five"

Time to send in those photos for February! Photos should include a brief caption along with player's name, their organization or club, and playing level. Submission deadline for the February Photo of the Month contest is Saturday, February 18th. Send photos to [email protected]. Good luck!
2017 ILLINOIS STATE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Our Special Edition State Tournament Newsletter is coming to your inbox  on February 13th!
HIGH SCHOOL
GIRLS
TIER I
TIER II

Click on the logos above to view State Tournament brackets for each division.
MEN'S & WOMEN'S ADULT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The AHAI Adult Committee is proud to present the 2017 Adult Illinois State Championship Tournament hosted by the AHAI Adult Committee and Seven Bridges Ice Arena.  The Adult State Tournament will take place April 26 - April 30, 2017.  For more information click HERE or contact Robert Fiorio, Tournament Director at [email protected]. REGISTER NOW>>
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY NEWS
2017 BOYS & GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STATE TEAMS ANNOUNCED
AHAI salutes and congratulates each of these fine young student athletes on their accomplishment. The  2017 Boys High School All-State game and the  2017 Girls High School All-State game will be played on Monday, February 13, 2017 at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois. The Girls' game will start at 6:30 p.m. and the Boys' game will begin at 8:35 p.m. The 2nd Annual Terry J. Stasica MVP Award will also be given to one player from the Boys' game and one player from the Girls' game. Each MVP will receive a  Terry J. Stasica memorial trophy,  Howies Hockey Tape prize package and a 10-week off-ice training package from  Tier 1 Athletic Performance.
Admission to the High School Hockey All-State Games is FREE. Players were selected by the High School Varsity coaches throughout the State of Illinois. Mark your calendars now to come watch the best play the best in both the girls and the boys divisions. Unable to attend? Thanks to our sponsor, Tier 1 Athletic Performance, AHAI will livestream both games via  The Cube.
PLAYERS INVITED TO 2017 AMERICA'S SHOWCASE TRYOUTS
America's Showcase will take place from April 20-24, 2017 at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The AHAI High School coaching community is honored to have the opportunity to be involved with the top High School players in Illinois. They feel that America's High School Showcase offers players a great opportunity to be exposed to Junior, College and Professional Scouts from throughout the USA and Canada and the honor to represent Illinois in the best High School Hockey event in North America. Teams from across the United States will compete and showcase their talents to scouts from every major hockey institution in the country. Click buttons below to view team rosters.  FULL ARTICLE>>


RENEGADES LOOKING TO BRING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY TO THE IHSHL SUBURBAN DIVISION
BG/H/W and Glenbard are top Combined Division teams once again
By Ross Forman ~ The co-op AWFM Renegades - a mix of players from Addison Trail, Fenton, Montini Catholic and Willowbrook High Schools - might well be the best local team that no one has heard about.  First, the team skates in the IHSHL's Suburban Division and has been a dominant force, to put it mildly. As of mid-January, the Renegades carried a 26-0 record. Yes, they are a perfect 26-0. FULL ARTICLE>>
GLENBROOK LEADS METRO GIRLS SCHOLASTIC DIVISION
By Pam Flores ~ There are still many games to be played in the second half of the season, but currently Glenbrook is on top of the Scholastic Division with 5 points. Close behind is New Trier Varsity and Fenwick with 3 points each. On top of the leader board in the Founders Division is Barrington with 5 points, followed by Lake Forest High School with 4 points and Lake Forest Academy with 3 points. COMPLETE UPDATE>>
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NEWS & INFORMATION
EDDIE OLCZYK YOUTH HOCKEY AWARD
The Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Blackhawk Charities are proud to present an award named after U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Olczyk to support young hockey players and teams in Illinois who may not have the means to play at a competitive level.  Since its inception in 2011, the Eddie Olczyk Award has distributed over $255,000 in grants, raised through Blackhawks Youth Hockey Summer Camps, to 114 individuals and seven organizations. To be considered for the grant process, you must submit a letter of inquiry by Wednesday, February 15, 2017. MORE INFORMATION>>
BMO HARRIS BANK JANUARY PLAYER, COACH & VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH
Pia Yfantis - Skokie Amateur Hockey Association

COACH OF THE MONTH
Michael Glass - Loyola Academy Girls Varsity & Winnetka 12U

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Salmaan Chaudhri - Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey
The Chicago Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank are committed to honoring our hockey community by congratulating each month during the season, a Youth Hockey Player, Amateur Hockey Coach and a Hockey Volunteer. Criteria is based on hockey accomplishments, volunteer activities in the nominee's community and a demonstrated passion, dedication and spirit through commitment to community. In determining the Youth Hockey Player of the Month, the judges will also consider the nominee's academic accomplishments and involvement with his/her school. Click  HERE  for Nomination Form.
NIHL NEWS & INFORMATION
By Ruben Medina, NIHL Statistician ~ The  list of unbeaten teams is constantly decreasing. There are only 10 teams left in NIHL that are unbeaten this Regular Season, down from twenty the week before. Just 3 teams are still unbeaten and un-tied. Please remember that Presidents Cups are awarded only to the No. 1 team in the 1st Tier of the Gold B, Silver, Bronze and Girls 14U divisions; and to No. 1 teams in Elite, Gold A and Girls 10U, 12U and 16/19U divisions. With the Regular Season's end fast approaching which of these teams will be able to finish without a Loss? UNBEATEN LIST>>
NIHL'S CINDERELLA STORIES
By Ruben MedinaEach season, the various NIHL divisions' Standings start to reveal who the favorites are going to be for the NIHL Wolves Cup Tournament. True, most NIHL Championships are won by teams seeded 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th; but, just like the NCAA's March Madness; there's always some surprises. If you add up the Mite thru Midget divisions and all the Elite, Gold, Silver, etc. levels; there are 20+ championships played each season in the NIHL Wolves Cup. If all the games went the way you'd expect, we could save a lot of time and just award Championship banners to the No. 1 Seeds. But, what makes sports fun and entertaining is the unexpected, the uncertainty, the unusual results that remind us that you can't take anything for granted. READ MORE>>
PLAYERS, LEADERS & CLUBS IN THE NEWS
ALWAYS FAMILY: JAGUARS RAISE FUNDS TO PUT OTTE BACK ON THE ICE
Brandon has been in the news and invited to events lately, following his diagnosis with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in January of 2016.
By Allison Selk ~ Nine-year-old Brandon Otte woke up the morning of Sunday, Jan. 23, grabbed his iPod, slid on his inline skates, and watched hockey while he zoomed around his Shorewood home. He knew that, in just a few hours, he would take on the role of honorary coach of the Peewee 1 Joliet Jaguars hockey team, and he had to put on his game face.  "The team needs to do their defense better - that's what coach says. They need to stay in their positions; stay where the coach tells them and not go everywhere," Brandon said when asked about his strategy for the game against the Crystal Lake Yellowjackets.  READ MORE>>
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS SPECIAL HOCKEY TEAM TAKES TO UC ICE
Fifty-seven  Chicago Blackhawks Special Hockey (CBSH)  players took the ice at the United Center on January 8th before the Hawks  vs. Nashville Predator's game.  Chicago Blackhawks Coach, Joel Quenneville made a special appearance to help coach the teams on the bench.
VIPERS HOCKEY CLUB ~ 2017 PCA-CHICAGO HONOR THE GAME AWARD
Congratulations to the Vipers Hockey Club...2017 PCA-Chicago Honor the Game Award Recipient for organizational excellence in youth sports! Click on the video above to find out how the Vipers embody excellence in youth sports.

2017 HOBEY BAKER MEMORIAL AWARD NOMINEES INCLUDE 5 PLAYERS WITH TIES TO ILLINOIS
The Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois is proud to share that Louie Belpedio, Anders Bjork, Stefanos Lekkas, Anthony Louis and Cal Petersen are part of the distinguished list of nominees for the 2017 Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Click HERE to cast your vote today! READ MORE>>
UPCOMING EVENTS
PETE'S POWER PLAY BENEFIT
The Admirals Hockey Club invites you to attend Pete's Power Play Benefit on Sunday, Febuary 26th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at Center Ice of DuPage. All proceeds will benefit Pete Powers, an Admirals coach who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. VIEW FLYER for complete event details.
WILMETTE GIRLS TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE DAY
Interested in Girls Hockey? Come and join the Wilmette Girls Hockey teams for a free special skate and try hockey on Saturday, February 11 from 6:15pm to 7:20pm at Centennial Ice Arena. Girls of all ages and skills are welcome! VIEW FLYER>>