Silvertips Alumni Update: May 3
It’s playoff time around the world of professional hockey, and a number of former Silvertips remain in action. While the exclusion of Florida and Tampa Bay from the NHL playoffs leaves us without a former Silvertip pursing the Stanley Cup this year, the playoffs are in high gear throughout the North American minor-pro league leagues. The European professional leagues have all but wrapped up their Championship series at this point.
The following is a rundown of some notable former Silvertips making news in the hockey world for the week of Friday, May 3:
National Hockey League
– Defenseman Radko Gudas (with the Silvertips from 2009-10) scored his second career goal in his last game with Tampa Bay on April 24 (a 5-2 win over Toronto), finishing his first run in the NHL with two goals, five points and a +3 plus/minus rating in 22 games in “the show.” With the Lightning left out of the NHL playoff mix, Gudas was then returned to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch for the playoffs. He scored a powerplay goal Thursday to help the Crunch complete a first-round sweep of the Portland Pirates and advance to the second round of the AHL playoffs. CLICK HERE for highlights from that game, including Gudas’ goal.
Overseas
– Congratulations are in order for defenseman Shaun Heshka (2003-06) and the Pori Aces (Ässät Pori), who rallied from a 2-1 series deficit to win Finland’s SM-Liiga Championship in six games over Tappara Tampere. Heshka finished with eight points (1g/7a) in 16 SM-Liiga playoff games. (CLICK HERE for the Aces’ Championship video, which features a glimpse of Heshka during the Championship celebration.)
It also appears that Heshka will be leaving Pori next season, as it was announced Thursday that he has signed to play in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League. Although his KHL team has not been announced, Heshka is rumored to be joining the Kazan Snow Leopards (Ak Bars Kazan) in Kazan, Tatarstan. An article on the Aces’ website quotes Director Mika Toivola as saying (translated through Google) “Heshka was a really big piece of our championship teams. He is a top player and top personality. We wish good luck to Shaun is his future challenges and I hope he and the Aces have another encounter one day.”
American Hockey League
– After helping the Milwaukee Admirals capture the #8 seed in the Western Conference, forward Zach Hamill (2003-08) leads Milwaukee with two points (1g/1a) in a first-round series against the top-seeded Texas Stars. The Admirals won Game 2, but currently trail two games to one in the best-of-five series with Game 4 set for Friday night.
– Forward Landon Ferraro (2010-11) has one assist in three postseason games so far as the third-seeded Grand Rapids Griffins lead the #6 Houston Aeros 2-1 in their first-round playoff series. Game 4 is Friday night in Grand Rapids. CLICK HERE for a feature story on Ferraro, who far exceeded his rookie totals with 47 points (24g/23a) for the Griffins during his second pro season.
– Defenseman Rasmus Rissanen (2009-11) and the Charlotte Checkers, the #4 seed in the Western Conference, hold a 2-1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Barons in the first round of the playoffs after blasting Oklahoma City 6-1 Wednesday in Game 3. The Checkers look to close out the Barons and advance to the second round in Game 4 on Friday night.
ECHL
– Taylor Ellington (2004-09) and Josh Birkholz (2010-12) of the #2 Cincinnati Cyclones have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after a six-game series victory over the #6 Gwinnett Gladiators in the second round. Birkholz (2g/1a in the playoffs) & Ellington (1g/2a) didn’t see much action in round two, but will look to help the Cyclones advance to the Kelly Cup Finals in a tough matchup with the top-seeded Reading Royals.
– Forward Brady Calla (2003-07) posted five points (1g/4a) in six games in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs, but #2 seed Ontario Reign suffered a six-game series defeat at the hands of the #3 Idaho Steelheads. Ontario held a 2-1 series lead before dropping three straight games as the Steelheads advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
– Defenseman Landon Oslanski (2012-13) and forward Cameron Abney (2007-10) of the #4 seed Stockton Thunder are in the Western Conference Finals after posting a thrilling six-game upset of the ECHL’s #1 overall seed, the Alaska Aces, in round two. Oslanski joined the team on an amateur tryout in time for Game 3 of the series and has played in Stockton’s last four games, while Abney has appeared in six postseason games for Stockton. Game 1 between the Thunder and Steelheads goes on Friday night, with the series winner headed to the Kelly Cup Finals.
Central Hockey League
– Kellan Tochkin (2008-11) finished up a solid rookie pro season by leading the CHL’s Missouri Mavericks in playoff scoring with 17 points (8g/9a) in 12 postseason games. After posting a 44-point regular season (15g/29a) to finish fourth on the team in scoring, Tochkin helped the fifth-seeded Mavericks top the #4 Rapid City Rush in six games in the first round of the playoffs. Missouri then fell just short against the top-seeded Allen Americans in a seven-game battle in the league semifinals.
That concludes this week’s alumni feature, but check back for more weekly updates on more former ‘Tips through the remainder of the 2012-13 season and playoffs around the hockey world. To keep up on all the latest Silvertips news, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
