Welcome to another season of MiHockey’s Michi-gamer, now powered by Bauer Hockey.
We take great pride in our homegrown talent. Whether they grew up in the Mitten or we welcomed them here for college or juniors, they are our own. They represent the best place in the world for hockey.
Every night, we’ll keep an eye on those players, and every morning, we will pick one Michi-gamer of the night – one Michigan player who stood out above the rest.
DECEMBER 21 – T.J. HENSICK
When you’re playing at a point-per-game pace in the highest league that’s currently active, odds are you are going to fall on the Michi-gamer radar often. Last night, former Michigan Wolverines star and Howell native T.J. Hensick had a goal and an assist for the Peoria Rivermen in their 5-4 shootout win over the Charlotte Checkers. Hensick now has nine goals and 18 assists in 28 AHL contests this season; he is tied with six other players for the fifth spot in the league scoring race.
More MiHockey articles on Hensick:
Michi-gamer: Pride of the Mitten (Week of Dec. 10)
Michi-gamer: Pride of the Mitten (Week of Nov. 12)
Michi-gamer: The Pride of the Mitten (Week of Nov. 5)
DECEMBER 20 – LUKE GLENDENING
Sometimes, picking a Michi-gamer is way too easy…
Just days after getting called up by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Luke Glendening potted a goal in his first game with the AHL club yesterday. Glendening, the former University of Michigan walk-on turned team captain, kicked off the scoring in Wednesday night’s 4-2 victory over the Rochester Americans. But it wasn’t that he just scored his first goal. Glendening scored on his first shot – on his first-ever AHL shift. Talk about making a statement, especially considering he’s also the first Grand Rapids native to play for the Griffins. Prior to his recall, Glendening had played 27 games with the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate, the Toledo Walleye, in which he tallied 14 goals and seven assists.
More MiHockey articles on Glendening:
Glendening recalled by Griffins
Luke Glendening proves high school hockey works
Glendening discusses his first development camp experience
DECEMBER 19 – CODY CHUPP
Wheeling Nailers forward Cody Chupp had a goal and an assist last night in their 3-1 win over the Greenville Road Warriors. Considering he’s from Big Rapids, that makes him our Michi-gamer of the day. Chupp, a Ferris State alum (he played there from 2006-2010), has spent time in both the ECHL and the AHL upon graduation, having played in 58 games for the Texas Stars in 2010-11. Last year, he played in 15 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Penguins. In 21 ECHL games this season with Wheeling, he has six goals and five assists. Chupp wore the ‘C’ in Big Rapids for the Bulldogs, and he was named to the 2009-10 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award All-America Second Team during his senior season.
DECEMBER 18 – ANDY MIELE
We took a second look through this past weekend’s games, and it was easy to find today’s Michi-gamer. On Sunday, Grosse Pointe Woods native Andy Miele scored the game-winner for the Portland Pirates in a 3-2 victory over Worcester. Miele’s goal, his seventh of the season, was scored at the 5:53 mark of the third and final period. The former Miami RedHawks star and Hobey Baker winner, who signed as a free agent with the Coyotes’ organization in 2011, now has 20 points in 27 AHL games this year.
More MiHockey articles on Miele:
Shaved Ice – October 19 (See Miele star in a Gangam Style parody video)
DECEMBER 17 – RILEY BARBER
Livonia native and freshman forward Riley Barber, reigning CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Month for two months running, had himself a big weekend for his Miami RedHawks against Ohio State. Barber – a 2012 Washington Capitals draft pick – tallied an assist Friday night in a 1-1 tie that Miami won in a shootout (for purposes of the CCHA standings). He then went on to record a goal and an assist in a 3-1 Saturday night win for the RedHawks. Although Notre Dame has three games in hand, those wins kept Miami tied for first in the CCHA with the Irish at 30 points each. For Barber, those three points kept him atop the CCHA scoring leaders with five goals and 12 assists for 17 points through 14 games – and Barber’s first semester of college.
More MiHockey articles on Barber:
Riley Barber nabs CCHA Rookie of the Month honors…again
USA Hockey announces preliminary roster for World Junior team
Riley Barber receives national rookie of the month award
Michigan natives Czarnik, Barber honored by CCHA for October monthly awards
To see last week’s Michi-gamer nominations, click here.