Hockey News Hockey News
News | Roster | Schedules--Results | Archives
2/2/07-Hockey
Showcase touts marquee matchups
By Chris Lau/Detroit Free Press
This year's Michigan High School Hockey Showcase, slated for next Friday and Saturday, is expected to feature exciting matchups, event organizer Andy Weidenbach said.
That's because the schedule of 32 games was determined in January, with half a season already played. In past seasons, the schedules were made the previous April, based on projections of what the best games would be.
The 32 participating teams will play two games, one each day. They were chosen based on presence of college and junior hockey prospects, difficulty of schedules and sportsmanship.
The showcase will take place at the three-rink Kennedy Recreation Center in Trenton, except for one game each day that will be played at Joe Louis Arena as part of the Hockey Day in Michigan festivities.
The games are non-conference, but will count in the overall records.
The showcase, an annual event since its inception in 2000, was put together by the MIHL, the city of Trenton and Trenton Public Schools to "get some of the best players in the state exposure to college and junior hockey scouts," said Weidenbach, coach of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood and president of the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League.
The state's top 10 Division 1 teams, top five Division 2 teams and top three Division 3 teams will be playing in the showcase.
One of the most intriguing matchups is East Kentwood and Orchard Lake St. Mary's, the No. 2 and No. 5 ranked Division 1 teams in the state, respectively. The game will pit East Kentwood forward and Dream Team candidate Eric Alexander against St. Mary's defenseman Mac Watts.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central vs. Cranbrook is a matchup of two No. 1 teams, in Division 1 and Division 3, respectively, which split their two games earlier this season. Another big draw of the contest is Catholic Central's Greg Merrill and Jeremy Christopher vs. Cranbrook's Dean Chelios and Andrew Miller.
"We made sure high-profile players are playing against other high-profile players," said Todd Johnson, an organizer and Catholic Central's.
Other changes include the addition of five-minute overtimes for regulation ties and Webcasts of select games on www.hshockeyweekly.com .
Copyright 2007, St. Mary's Preparatory, Orchard Lake, Michigan. All rights reserved.
No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.