Alumn-ICE Report: December 20, 2024
Graham Sward
A proud second-year member of the Western Hockey League, the Wenatchee Wild are continuing a celebrated WHL legacy that dates back to Edmonton, Alberta in 1996, continuing in Cranbrook, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba. These are the ICE alumni, who are now also members of the #WildFamily, making news in American pro hockey this week:
NHL
SAM REINHART, 2010-15 (33 GP, 20-22-42) – Has returned to the scoring column for the Florida Panthers on their lengthy road trip, picking up a goal and an assist in Monday’s 6-5 win at the Edmonton Oilers. His assist on Wednesday also factored into the Panthers’ 6-1 rout of the Minnesota Wild.
ZACH BENSON, 2020-23 (26 GP, 4-6-10) – Picked up an assist just 2:46 into Sunday’s game as the Buffalo Sabres fell victim to a Toronto rally in a 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.
CONOR GEEKIE, 2019-24 (30 GP, 5-5-10) – Fired off six shots and scored a third-period goal last Thursday in an 8-3 Tampa Bay Lightning defeat of the Calgary Flames – his assist helped set up Anthony Cirelli to get the scoring started in Thursday’s 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
ZACK OSTAPCHUK, 2022-23 (18 GP, 0-3-3) – Played less than nine minutes in the Ottawa Senators’ 3-0 win at the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, but made it count with an assist.
AHL
MATTHEW SAVOIE, 2019-24 (23 GP, 6-8-14) – Had an assist Saturday to help the Bakersfield Condors build a 5-1 lead before ultimately dropping a 6-5 overtime decision at the Toronto Marlies. His two goals in the third period Wednesday capped a 5-1 home victory over the Henderson Silver Knights, giving him his first multi-goal game in the pros.
NOAH PHILP, 2015-17 (20 GP, 7-6-13) – Posted an assist on a go-ahead goal Sunday in the Bakersfield Condors’ 3-2 win at the Toronto Marlies, and followed it up with the opening goal in Wednesday’s 5-1 win at home against the Henderson Silver Knights.
MICHAEL MILNE, 2018-22 (20 GP, 5-7-12) – Posted an assist in Tuesday’s 5-1 Iowa Wild victory over the Rockford IceHogs.
JACK FINLEY, 2021-22 (1 GP, 0-1-1) – Made his 2024-25 debut Wednesday and got started on the right foot, posting an assist to help the Syracuse Crunch notch a 5-2 victory at the Rochester Americans. Finley began the season on injured reserve for the Tampa Bay Lightning following offseason surgery.
GRAHAM SWARD, 2022-24 (1 GP, 0-0-0) – Made his AHL debut Sunday in a 4-0 Manitoba Moose loss at the Abbotsford Canucks. Sward was originally called up from November 17 to December 6, but never appeared for the Moose during that stretch. He was recalled on December 9, making his AHL debut Sunday in his hometown of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
ECHL
BRILEY WOOD, 2022-24 (24 GP, 8-11-19) – Has exploded onto the scoring scene for the Utah Grizzlies, running up a six-game point-scoring streak entering the weekend. He had points in all three games at the Tahoe Knight Monsters last weekend, with an assist in last Thursday’s 8-2 loss, a second-period game-tying goal in Saturday’s 5-2 loss and another assist Sunday in a 7-3 defeat. Not content with one or the other, Wood picked up one of each on Wednesday, including a game-tying goal with 3:54 to play in a 7-6 overtime loss at home to Tahoe.
BRETT DAVIS, 2016-19 (23 GP, 7-9-16) – Had five points in a three-game Rapid City Rush home series against the Wichita Thunder last weekend – his assist helped jump-start the scoring last Thursday in a 3-2 shootout loss to Wichita, followed by assists on both Rapid City goals in Saturday’s 9-2 loss. His game-winner three minutes into overtime propelled the Rush past the Thunder 3-2, adding to an assist he’d already picked up in the game.
BEN ZLOTY, 2018-23 (10 GP, 1-12-13) – Notched three assists over two Norfolk Admirals home games this past weekend, with one in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones. He added two more the following day in a 3-2 victory over the Cyclones.
BOBBY RUSSELL, 2016-18 (22 GP, 1-7-8) – Picked up an assist halfway through the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ 5-3 loss Saturday against the Atlanta Gladiators.
EASTON ARMSTRONG, 2022-24 (22 GP, 2-5-7 – Posted the insurance goal Friday in a 3-0 Atlanta Gladiators win against the Jacksonville IceMen.
OWEN PEDERSON, 2018-23 (11 GP, 2-4-6) – Notched his first goal in five weeks with the opening goal of a 4-3 Maine Mariners overtime win at the Worcester Railers.
REECE HARSCH, 2019-20 (16 GP, 2-2-4) – Made it back-to-back games with a goal by opening the scoring in the Idaho Steelheads’ 5-4 overtime loss Friday against the Tulsa Oilers.
NOLAN ORZECK, 2017-22 (15 GP, 0-4-4) – Returned to the scoring column for the first time in six weeks thanks to a first-period assist in Sunday’s 4-3 Allen Americans overtime loss to the Fort Wayne Komets.
CHASE BERTHOLET, 2019-22 (11 GP, 0-1-1) – Earned his first point in the pros with an assist Saturday in the Fort Wayne Komets’ 8-2 home win against the Allen Americans.
Also on Wenatchee’s alumni list are the standouts from its Junior A era (2008-2023) – these players laid the foundation for the WHL’s future success in the Wenatchee Valley. These are Wenatchee’s Junior A alumni who are making news in American pro hockey this week:
SAM MORTON, 2016-18/2019-20 (28 GP, 6-11-17) – Returned to the scoring column for the Calgary Wranglers on Wednesday, scoring the game’s first goal in a 2-1 loss at the Ontario Reign
DEVIN COOLEY, 2016-17 (14-4-0, 1.81) – Made 36 saves – his most in a game since October – but suffered a hard-luck loss Wednesday for the Calgary Wranglers in a 2-1 finish at the Ontario Reign.
KYLE MAYHEW, 2016-17 (22 GP, 3-20-23) – Finished with two assists in back-to-back games for the Fort Wayne Komets, starting with Saturday’s 8-2 win over the Allen Americans and continuing into Sunday’s 4-3 overtime victory. In the latter game, Mayhew had the secondary assist less than a minute into the extra session.
BRENDAN HARRIS, 2013-17 (15 GP, 6-7-13) – Not a repeat: Brendan opened the scoring for the Jacksonville IceMen against the Florida Everblades again for the second time in just over a week, helping Jacksonville earn a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday. His assist with 2:51 left in overtime helped set up a 2-1 win Wednesday at the Orlando Solar Bears.
TROY LOGGINS, 2013-14 (23 GP, 10-3-13) – Scored goals in all three of the Tahoe Knight Monsters’ home wins last weekend against the Utah Grizzlies. His goal in Wednesday’s 8-2 win came with just 1:46 left in the second period, followed by a go-ahead goal Saturday in a 5-2 victory. He tacked an assist onto a third-period goal in Sunday afternoon’s 7-3 victory.
BLAKE CHRISTENSEN, 2015-16 (9 GP, 2-2-4) – Notched multi-point finishes in back-to-back games for the Tahoe Knight Monsters, starting with a goal and an assist in last Thursday’s 8-2 win against the Utah Grizzlies. The following night he picked up two more assists, including the primary assist on the game’s last goal with 43 seconds to go.
AVERY WINSLOW, 2018-19 (17 GP, 0-6-6) – Had an assist Sunday for the Orlando Solar Bears in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
P.J. FLETCHER, 2018-19 (21 GP, 1-4-5) – Found himself on the move late last week in a trade to the Bloomington Bison, and scored his first point with the club in his third game – his assist helped the Bison get on the board Wednesday in a 3-1 win at the Indy Fuel.
JACOB MODRY, 2016-19 (6 GP, 0-1-1) – Landed in the scoring column for the first time this season, with an assist Thursday in the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ 3-0 home win against the Jacksonville IceMen.
MICHAEL BULLION, 2014-15 (4-7-1, 3.51) – Took a shootout loss Saturday as the Worcester Railers dropped a 3-2 contest against the Trois-Rivieres Lions, making 23 saves.
