Alex was nice enough to take some time out of her very busy schedule (she is finishing school early so she can prepare for the USHL camp of the Steel) to answer some questions for Illegal Curve.

David:  How did you get into hockey?
Alex:  When we moved from California to Wisconsin, my older brother made an agreement with my parents that if we moved, then he would get to play hockey. So then I said if he gets to play hockey then I want to play too.

David:  How would you describe your style?
Alex:  I am very athletic and have quick movements. I put a lot of emphasis and focus on skating and I find ways to make myself bigger through my stance. Also, I make sure I have good positioning and think of every situation as a game situation. 

David:  Have you encountered any negative reactions/stereotypes?
Alex:  I’ve been very lucky with the teams that I have been on. My teammates and coaches have always been more than positive and have always treated me just like any other member of the team. Of course I’ve read some of the blogs that call me a publicity stunt and stuff, but that doesn’t phase me. 

David:  What sort of trash talk are you subjected to?
Alex:  Honestly, its hockey, of course there’s trash talk. But again, it doesn’t get to me, in one ear and out the other.

David:  You were the first ever female to be drafted in the USHL, what does that mean to you?
Alex:  I’m honored to be recognized like that. I think it’s a testament to how far women’s hockey has come. There are many other talented girls out there that hopefully will be able to showcase their talent someday too.

David:  Are you excited for Steel camp? What are your expectations?
Alex:  I am very excited for the camp. This will be a great opportunity for me and I look forward to competing vs. the top guys in the country at the camp.

David:  You’ve apparently committed to the University of Wisconsin, what drew you to that school?
Alex:  Wisconsin has so much to offer their students and athletes and it had everything I was looking for, not only in athletics, but academically as well. The athletic facilities are unbelievable and the coaching staff is great. I got a chance to play with Coach Johnson while on the U18 Worlds team and he made it such a great experience. I am very excited to play for Wisconsin.

David: You won a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship. The US Women are a powerhouse on the Olympic stage, how important is it to you to possibly play on that stage?
Alex:  The experience I had over in Germany at the World U18 Championships was amazing and by going to the camps I have played with some of the previous Olympians and the national team members. It makes me want to work that much harder to someday represent my country at the Olympics. 

David:  I’ve read that you want to play in an NHL game like Manon Rheaume, is that true and if so, what do you need to do to get yourself to that point?
Alex:  It would be amazing to play in an NHL game like Manon, but I also realize that the NHL goalies have an unbelievable amount of talent. As fun as it is for anyone to dream to play in the NHL, right now I am focused on the present and what I need to do to continue to improve. 

David:  What are your hockey goals? If you could envision the next 5-10 years what would they look like?
Alex:  My ultimate goal since I started playing hockey is to one day play in the Olympics. So, I am going to continue working as hard as I can to someday reach that goal.

I’d just like to again thank Alex for taking time out to answer our questions and I have no doubt that we will be seeing her competing with the Badgers for a Frozen Four in the near future and in a US Olympic jersey helping her country compete for hockey supremacy.

The teams break down as follows:

Goaltending-

Both teams feature excellent goalies who were 1-2 in wins this year and both top 5 in save percentage. Indiana rolls with Brett Bennett, a 20 year old goaltender from New York (and Coyotes draft pick) who has 2 years experience with the USNTDP and 2 years at Boston University. He provided the run and gun Ice with a steady influence all season and racked up 35 wins in the process.

While he doesn’t have the experience that Bennett does, Fargo’s Mike Lee is still an impressive goaltender. Headed for St. Cloud State next season and expected to be among the first few goalies selected in the draft, this Roseau, MN product gave the expansion Force instant credibility. A big yet mobile goalie, Lee has been great in the playoffs, stopping nearly everything thrown at him and leading the league in every statistical category.

Lee has the game and Bennett has the experience right now, so I am calling this one a draw.

Edge: Tie

Defense-

Indiana employs a nice mixture of skill and grit on the blueline. Torey Krug (+11 in the playoffs) and Loren Barron are the top puck movers and each have 6 points in 9 games thus far. The top 6 is rounded out by the towering Michael Owilli, Joe Hartman, Garrett Kennedy and Anthony Bitetto. All of these guys are plus players with the exception of Kennedy and can all chip in with a little offense if needed. Taylor Boldt will sometimes dress as a 7th defender. The size factor here is huge, as Fargo has some big forwards (Taranto, Birkholz) that can score and dominate down low. To me, this will be one of the key battles.

Fargo employs a somewhat patchworked defensive corps that has become quietly effective. Led by Tampa prospect Luke Witkowski and newcomer Eammon McDermott, the Force defense has become an efficient unit. Not overly offensively talented, they can still provide some offense from the back end. More importanly, they are able to make a good first pass and shut down the other teams top units. Steve Spinell, Jake Arashenko (the lone Force player with playoff experience), Grant Scott (a converted forward) and Tom McCarthy rounding out the top 6. Chris Franks also sees a little bit of time on the point, getting into 3 games thus far.

Despite Indiana’s use of a balanced top 6, I give the edge to Fargo here for their play thus far. You can’t argue with success.

Edge: Fargo

Forwards-

Led by UND recruit Mike Cichy, the Ice boast an impressive stable of forwards. Seemingly all blessed with great offensive talent and instincts, the Ice can roll out 2 lines that can kill you and a couple that can hurt you real bad. Cichy leads all playoff point getters with 16 thus far. In fact, Indiana boasts the top 3 point producers in the playoffs. Only one forward has yet to tally a goal and all of them have found the scoresheet at least once. The balance here is astounding, and Fargo will have their hands full containing this bunch. In addition to Cichy, players to watch are Zach Golembiewski, Brandon Richardson and Stan Galiev (a very talented 16 year old).

The Force are able to claim 4th leading playoff scorer Andy Taranto (10 points in 6 games). Taranto and his center Matt Leitner have been somewhat of an unstoppable force since Christmas, with Taranto racking up 28 goals since the mid-season break. Chase Grant supplies the energy and grit on the top line on what has become a very potent unit. The Force also have some depth, with a second unit consisting of Nate Condon, Josh Birkholz and typically Corey Leivermann. First year player Colten St. Clair has had a strong showing thus far, with 5 points in 6 games. Others to watch include speedster Oleg Lee and Keegan Flaherty, who along with Birkholz are prospects for this spring’s entry draft.

Indiana wins this one because of their depth and offensive talent.

Edge: Indiana

Coaching/Special Teams/Intangibles-

Indiana is led by first year man Jeff Blashill, who has had success at the various levels where he has coached (including 6 years at Miami). Blashill took over in the spring and promptly guided the Ice to a very respectable 3rd place finish in the ultra competitive Eastern Division (2 points out of first).

Fargo is led by former UND Fighting Sioux (where he won 2 national titles) coach Dean Blais. Another first year USHL coach, Blais also coached the Force to a 3rd place finish after a rough start to the season. He has yet to lose a playoff game this year.

Indiana has not been able to translate their potent offensive weapons into a steady power play on the road as of yet, but they do boast an impressive 36.8% conversion rate at home. To top it all off they have 4 shorthanded goals so far.

Fargo has the best overall conversion rate on their powerplay, going 10 for 33 overall with most of their goals coming on the road, where the Force have yet to lose.

As for intangibles, the Ice have been quite good at home this playoff season while we already know that the Force are a force on the road. Indiana has endured two very tough series thus far while Fargo has enjoyed two mild series’ with ample time off in between. The long rest after the first did not seem to negatively affect the boys from Fargo, so I doubt this layoff will slow them down either. Indiana gets the luxury of starting at home and has the nicer bus to travel on. Fargo has the momentum and the confidence.

I give a slight edge to Fargo here mostly due to coaching. Blashill is excellent, but Blais is nearly a legend.

Edge: Fargo

Prediction: Fargo in 4. I think Indiana’s offensive talent gets them at least one victory, but Fargo looks to be on a mission.

Here is the interview:

Illegal Curve: The Omaha Lancers were the class of the USHL last season, winning both the Anderson and Clark Cups. How do you think they will do this year under new head coach Bliss Littler?

Ryan: I think everyone will be in for a different season in Omaha. Littler likes to play a defensive game and I’m not sure how it will go with the fans and players. Omaha appears to have some question marks in net, but they boast a couple of the top players in the entire league in Danny Kristo and Louis LeBlanc. They have a lot of offensive firepower, so they should have no problem scoring, but the goalies need to keep the puck out of the net. They should still be near the top of the league, even with the change of playing styles.
 
Illegal Curve: Lincoln lost its top goaltender in David Reekie and some veteran forwards in Travis Erstad, Jason Gregoire and Jared Festler. Do you think they will be able to compete this year?

Ryan: Lincoln might be the oldest team in the league right now. Coach McGroarty went out and added a lot of kids with juniors experience, and a lot of them have prior USHL experience. They also face some questions in net, but have Alan Armour, who was a top goalie in a Canadian junior league last season. I’m not sure how well the players on this team can score, but if they can, watch out. 
 
Illegal Curve: What are your thoughts on the new team in Fargo , the Force?

Ryan: Fargo has failed more than once in the past, so I hope they can thrive this time around. They are getting a shiny new arena, so that should definitely help. Adding a coach of Dean Blais’ caliber is never a bad thing for the USHL either. Fargo is going to be very young, but they might be a team to watch as the season progresses. Blais plucked a couple of highly touted players out of Minnesota High School in goalie Mike Lee and forward Josh Birkholz. This team has a lot of good players, but they are young and inexperienced right now. I like Fargo joining the league. They have a top notch coach and will be an asset to the league, I have a feeling. North Dakota has a strong following with the Sioux hockey team, so hopefully some of them will want to catch some of their future players in Fargo and make the trip.

Illegal Curve: In addition to Fargo , there are 3 new coaches and 2 former assistants now working as head coaches, how do you think they will fare?

Ryan: It was definitely an interesting off-season. You had the two most winningest coaches retire and move up, respectively. I’ll take a brief look at each new coach:
Des Moines – J.P. Parise: I think this is a great hiring. He knows his hockey, as one of his sons (Zach) is a pretty good NHL player. I think Parise was the head guy for Shattuck, so he has experience with lots of top notch players. In addition, the Buccaneers also added arguably the best assistant coach in the USHL in Scott McConnell.

Fargo – Dean Blais: As I stated before, Blais is a top notch coach and is a great addition to this great league. Fargo should get lots of quality players who want to play for a great coach. Fargo should be a fun team to watch this season and (hopefully) many more to come. Blais has had success from the HS level up to the NCAA level, so you know he knows what it takes to get his team ready and competitive.

Green Bay – Jon Cooper: Possibly one of the best coaches in the US junior circuit right now, but will face the huge task of reviving Green Bay to their glory days. Cooper spent time with the NAHL’s St. Louis Bandits, where he won back-to-back championships. He seems to have a great eye for talent and is good at getting the best out of his players. Green Bay should be a team to watch this season.

Indiana – Jeff Blashill: Jeff is still pretty unknown to me, so I won’t say much. He came down from the college ranks as an assistant and will now guide a very successful Indiana organization. Blashill should help kids understand how to obtain a college scholarship since he has probably dealt with that stuff before. He is also in for a challenging season, as Indiana only returns a handful of veterans.

Omaha – Bliss Littler: Bliss has had much success in the past, but many are quite skeptical of how he will do in Omaha. I have my doubts as well, but Omaha has a lot of talent up front that will be able to keep them in games. Bliss likes to run a defensive system, so he will need his goalies to stay focused and make key saves.

Sioux City – Todd Knott: At first, I was quite skeptical of this choice. After getting to know his style and the players he has brought in, I really feel Knott is going to surprise a lot of people this year.

Tri-City – Tom Rudrud: Rudrud has been Littler’s right hand man for many years, and it is now his turn to take a shot at the head coaching gig in the USHL. Rudrud took over briefly for Bliss in Topeka, so he has a little bit of experience behind the bench for a USHL club. I feel Rudrud is the true wildcard of the new coaches. He will likely have a similar style to Littler, but if he opens it up a little bit, this team could be really fun.

Illegal Curve: The USHL prides itself on sending players to college, who would you identify as early favorites to earn scholarships this year?

Ryan: Good question. Lots of kids seem to be coming to the league already with scholarships anymore, but there are always those diamonds in the rough. Some players that are uncommitted veterans that stick out to me are: Mike Seidel (Cedar Rapids), Chris Knowlton (Des Moines), Chris Forfar (Lincoln), Ben Arnt (Omaha), Mitch Bruijsten (Sioux City), and Eric Hartzell (Sioux Falls). A kid like Seidel really sticks out to me. He will be a 3rd year guy and has had lots of success. I am really surprised he has made it 3 years without committing. Hartzell is the lone goalie on the list, but the rest seem to be gearing up to show everyone what they have. Hartzell is one of the top goalies in the league, so it shouldn’t be long before Eric commits to a college. As for USHL rookies, these players stand out to me: Cody Murphy (Cedar Rapids), Reed Seckel (Green Bay), Dan Cecka (Indiana), Shane Berschbach (Indiana), Brandon Richardson (Indiana), Brett Chartier (Lincoln), Joey Caveney (Sioux City), and Dan Sova (Waterloo). Caveney and Richardson are 88’s, so they have a lot more at stake this season. Richardson had some great years in Pembroke, but hadn’t committed to a school. He had been drafted by USHL teams twice before this season. Chartier is a type that could be like Jason Gregoire. Lincoln seems to find these Canadians from Manitoba that explode on the scene. These lists are not of all the players who could/should get a scholarship soon, because there are many more who are deserving as well.

Illegal Curve: Keeping that mindset, can you think of a few players who might go in next year?s NHL Entry Draft?

Ryan: Louis LeBlanc is expected to be a 1st round selection, so that should help the USHL. Sioux City’s Seth Helgeson has also been talked about being taken in the 1st round, so it could be another solid season for the USHL. Nathan Fournier of the World of Junior Hockey Blog ranked Fargo’s Mike Lee in his top 30, so there is a chance he could hear his name called in Day 1 as well.

Illegal Curve: What about players that may be selected for the US entry at the World Junior?s.

Ryan: I don’t think there are usually many from the USHL that make the US World Junior team, but I really think Omaha’s Danny Kristo has a good shot at making it. Mike Lee is a guy who could sneak in there as well, but I wouldn’t expect many from the USHL to make it at all.

Illegal Curve: Finally, who are your picks for East and West Champion? Anderson Cup? Clark Cup?

Ryan: Wow, I generally try to stay away from predictions so I don’t jinx my team, but I’ll break that tradition this time. I think the West is going to be really strong this year, so it is literally anyone’s division to win. Right now, I’d have to say Lincoln is the early candidate to take the West. Lincoln has one of the older teams in the league, and most of their players have USHL experience, which will definitely help. I also think the East will be congested right up until the end with a lot of quality teams in that division this year. As of now, I think I have to give Waterloo the nod over the rest, mostly because of their veteran goaltender and their coach. As for the Anderson Cup, that is going to be an extremely tight race as well. With the experience Lincoln brings to the table, I am going to give them the slight advantage right now. I’ll give Waterloo the edge for the Clark Cup, not only because they should have a good team, but because it is extremely rare for a team to win both Anderson and Clark Cups.

Ryan Fitzgerald-F-(1993) Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (5’11, 165)- A smart centerman who plays a smart 2-way game. He finishes his checks well and is always around the puck.

Troy Slider-F-(1992) Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (6’1, 175)- Offensive type center who can play in all situations. He mans the point on the PP and distributes the puck very well. Good down low.

Ken Cullen-F-(1992) Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (5’9, 146)- Speedy little winger who finishes well.

Zak Turco-F-(1992) Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (6′, 180)- A very smart player with excellent hands and instincts. Plays a responsible game and can make something happen with the puck.

Wes Beck-D-(1992) Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (6’3, 180)- A good skating defenseman who plays a heads up game. Plays in all situations.

Jacob Reiner-D-(1993) Colorado Thunderbirds (5’11, 170)- Strong player who is good down low and on the boards. He is very physical in front of the net.

Alex Temby-D-(1992) Colorado Thunderbirds (6′, 182)- Excellent defender who plays a physical, no-nonsense game. Blocks shots and is the triggerman on the PP, where he uses his heavy shot effectively.

Colin Jacobs-F-(1993) Dallas Stars AAA (6′, 180) Approximate- Smart centre who plays well in both ends and is very vocal on the ice. Makes good plays and is a good 2-way player. Team leader with a quick shot.

Grant Williams-F-(1992) Dallas Stars AAA (5’10, 170) Approximate- Speedy player who is good on face-offs and plays the half-boards effectively on the PP.

Valtteri Nieminen-F-(1992) Dallas Stars AAA (5’11, 175) Approximate- Smart winger with good speed who plays a responsible and is good in his own end. Kills penalties and isn’t afraid to play in traffic.

Keep in mind that these players aren’t draft eligible until 2010 at the earliest. Watch for them to come up on the radar sooner though as they find their way to college, the USHL or Canadian Major Junior.

This is the new Fargo Force blog brought to you by The Forum’s beat reporter for the team.

I’ll give you as much information as I can regarding the team, and anything that is happening within the league, any other related junior hockey information, and updates on what’s going on with the Force’s home in south Fargo — the UP Center.

Judging by the early returns, this USHL team should be pretty popular, since around 2,000 season tickets have already been sold.

Glad to have you aboard.

In getting down to the lower minors, we encounter the question of how to rate teams in leagues with so few teams.

After all, technically they’re all top 10, because there’s only six of them. Are the Knoxville Ice Bears really that different from the Huntsville Havoc? The margins become much thinner here, but rank them we must.

As for the United States League, with 12 teams in the circuit, the top 10 becomes so crucial. Is it fair only two teams get the boot? Based on our judgment, it had to be done.