St. Louis Jr. Blues (23-3-2, 48 pts) vs Milwaukee Power (22-7-2, 46 pts)
VENUE: Affton Ice Rink, Affton, Mo.
GAME TIMES: January 5 at 4 PM (all times Central)
WHERE TO FOLLOW: All Jr. Blues home games are streamed live and in high-definition on HockeyTV.com (subscription required). Jr. Blues director of media Kevin Gier will be on the call. On Twitter, follow @JrBluesHockey for live updates, as well as on Instagram @STLJrBlues
A QUICK RECAP: St. Louis easily beat Wausau 7-1 last Sunday, putting a two point cushion between themselves and Milwaukee on the Central Division log heading into this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash.
“A” THERE, MATTY!: It was a big weekend for Matt Monreal: not only did he score two goals and one assist in the win over the RiverWolves, the Wauwatosa, Wis. native extended his point-scoring streak to eight games and was named Bauer/NA3HL Central Division Star of the Week. To top it all off, he has been named to the Jr. Blues’ leadership group as an alternate captain.
HE’S THE ‘THAUPTS: Forward Jake Wiethaupt, fresh off signing an NAHL tender with defending Robertson Cup champions Shreveport at the Showcase, continued his hot form over the weekend as well, scoring a goal and an assist. The man from O’Fallon, Mo. also has a point streak heading into this weekend, as he has gotten on the score sheet in six straight games.
REPORTING FOR DUTY:This week the Jr. Blues acquired forward Nathan Sargent to add extra depth to the squad. Sargent, a 6’, 185 lb right-handed shot out of Wentzville, Mo., played previously for Carshield AAA in the NAPHL and Wentzville Timberland High: he joins the Jr. Blues from the Richmond Generals in the USPHL, where he scored 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 21 games this season. He has been assigned squad number 19.
SCOUTING THE POWER: Following a red-hot start, Milwaukee hit a snag at the Showcase, losing three tight decisions (3-2 to L/A, 5-1 to Texas, and 3-2 to Granite City) that saw their lead atop the Central Division evaporate in Blaine. Defenseman Jake Berry, son of head coach Fred Berry, leads all NA3HL defensemen in scoring with 64 points (13 G, 51 A): this also places him seventh amongst all skaters league-wide. Aaron Dickstein has been an iron man in between the sticks for the Power: he has played 28 of 31 games, with a 2.49 GAA and a .914 save percentage.
JUNIOR NOTES: As a special thank-you to our great fans, for Saturday’s game we’re bringing back one of our most popular promotions: dollar draft beers at Barc’s Place inside the Affton Ice Rink. Currently on tap are Bud Light and Michelob Amber Bock….At the conclusion of this season, the Jr. Blues will be auctioning off the sweaters worn for the past six seasons, giving you the chance to own a piece of our history. In addition, alumni who wish to purchase their old jersey will have their nameplate sewn on it. Keep an eye on our social media platforms as well as this site for information on the auctions.
