The inaugural event comes during a special year for college hockey in Pittsburgh, as CONSOL Energy Center also will host the NCAA Frozen Four in April.

“We think the Invitational is another great step forward for college hockey in Pittsburgh,” said Jay Roberts, general manager of CONSOL Energy Center for SMG. “We’ve done well with Robert Morris games here at CONSOL Energy Center the past few years, and now with Penn State entering NCAA Division 1 hockey, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to build an annual event around those two programs.”

The tournament format and information about ticket sales will be announced at a later date.

“We are very excited about this new tournament and the opportunity to host it at CONSOL Energy Center,” said Robert Morris Head Men’s Hockey Coach Derek Schooley. “The Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational will be a great showcase for our sport as well as a tremendous warm-up for the 2013 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in April.

“We are grateful to both the Pittsburgh Penguins and CONSOL Energy Center, and we look forward to a successful partnership throughout next season.”

Pens winger James Neal supported his linemate via Twitter on Tuesday evening, sending this endorsement from his official account (@jneal_18):

Malkin is one of eight finalists in the EA Sports NHL 13 Cover Vote campaign. He is currently going head-to-head with Philadelphia forward Scott Hartnell in a round of voting that ends TOMORROW (THURSDAY, MAY 17), so join Neal and vote for Geno!!!

For full details on Malkin's cover vote campaign, click here.

Bill Cowher reached the pinnacle of his sport by leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl victory. But through all his years on NFL sidelines, he never forgot about another sport he loved.

Cowher grew up in Pittsburgh as a fan of the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets, the city's predecessor to the Penguins. His appreciation for hockey only grew when he was hired as the Steelers' coach in 1992 -- the same time another iconic Pittsburgher was cementing his own status within the city's sporting hierarchy.

"I knew Mario [Lemieux] and all those guys. I knew them very well," Cowher told NHL.com before his appearance on Cisco NHL Live to discuss MelanomaExposed.com, a website aimed at raising awareness about skin cancer. "Howard Baldwin was the owner back then and [Jaromir] Jagr came on the scene and they were a very talented team."

As he turned the Steelers into a consistent Super Bowl contender, the man who used to play ball hockey around town as a boy became an integral member of Pittsburgh's sporting fraternity. That meant developing a growing relationship with the Penguins.

"Everything was black and gold. That's what's unique about Pittsburgh. All the colors are the same," Cowher said. "I think the Penguins have been a big part of bringing pride to the sports scene. The Steelers have had success, but so have the Penguins."

When Cowher retired from the Steelers after the 2006 season and moved to Raleigh, N.C., the following year, there was a familiar face waiting for him -- Ron Francis, the Hockey Hall of Famer whom he befriended in Pittsburgh, had retired and become the Hurricanes' director of player development. In addition, many of Cowher's neighbors and friends happened to be hockey players.

"I moved and was next door to [Eric ] Staal and [Matt] Cullen, so I got to know a lot of the players," Cowher said. "Then I got involved when they were playing the Penguins. Everyone thought I switched alliances, but I was living down there at the time."

It was "getting involved" that momentarily got Cowher in trouble with the Pittsburgh faithful. Before Game 4 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals between the Penguins and Hurricanes, Cowher sounded the ceremonial pregame siren at PNC Arena. The gesture allowed him to get closer to the sport he had grown to love -- but it didn't come without some criticism.

"I got a lot of flack when I did that, as you would think," Cowher said. "There was no losing in that situation. I'm a big fan of the game."

It's hardly surprising that someone who always seems to cross paths with hockey players now includes an NHL player among his immediate family. His daughter, Meaghan, met Kings forward Kevin Westgarth when both were students at Princeton University; they were married last year. For Cowher, who attended L.A.'s Game 3 win against St. Louis in L.A., the Kings' lengthy playoff run has given him even more opportunity to enjoy the sport that seems to have followed him all his life.

"I enjoy watching the playoffs. I think playoff hockey has definitely gone to another level," Cowher said. "I just have a great respect for the game. Every night, you see someone step forward."

Author: Tal Pinchevsky | NHL.com Staff Writer

The deal begins with the 2012-13 season and runs through the 2014-15 campaign.

McNeill, 20, was drafted by Pittsburgh in the sixth round (170th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He spent the past season playing for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). McNeill appeared in 51 regular-season contests for the Colts, tallying 12 points (3G-9A) and a plus-9 rating. He added a plus-1 rating in 13 playoff games.

Prior to joining Barrie in an offseason trade, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound McNeill played his first two junior seasons with his hometown team, the London Knights. The defense-minded blueliner skated in 115 regular-season games with the Knights, scoring four goals, seven assists and 11 points. McNeill notched one assist and posted an even rating in 18 playoff games.

McNeill, who spent the 2010-11 season in London partnered with fellow Penguins defensive prospect Scott Harrington, has attended Pittsburgh’s annual prospect development camp in July, and rookie tournament in September, each of the past two years. McNeill posted two assists in three games during the 2010 rookie tournament, which was held in his hometown.

Below are notable dates and ratings from the ‘11-‘12 season.

There is no question about who is the biggest superstar at the IIHF World Championship.

Switching Pittsburgh's No. 71 to No. 11 on the red Russian jersey, Malkin has shined above the tournament's other stars. Russia beat Sweden on Friday, and Malkin won the game almost by himself - he scored a hat-trick and added two assists in a 7-3 win over a team with twelve NHL players in the lineup.

Malkin leads all players at the tournament with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in five games. Dallas Stars forward Loui Eriksson (Sweden) is next with nine points, while Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty (United States) and the Detroit Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg (Sweden) have eight.

After the Pens were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers, Malkin needed some time to find new motivation. But then, as every year when he had the opportunity to play for Russia, he decided to prolong his season and play for gold at the world championships.

"It was a tough decision. But after some time I realized that we cannot win every year with Pittsburgh," Malkin told NHL.com after coming to Sweden for the tournament. "There is so many good teams in the NHL and the competition is extremely hard. It is clear that sometimes there will be some teams that will find themselves in a better shape. We had great season, but everything was different in the playoffs. I was very disappointed, because our team was full of fantastic players and we felt very strong after Sidney Crosby came back. It still hurts when I think about it."

After the beginning of the tournament, he seemed to find new verve right away. In his first game against Latvia, he scored two goals and added an assist to help Russia to a 5-2 win. He had at least a point in each of his five appearances, totaling twice as many points as Russia's second-best scorer, Alexander Popov, and six times more than another NHL star, Pavel Datsyuk, who remains behind expectations.

Malkin's performance has grown with the opponent, showing an amazing combination of skill, power, shooting efficiency and even fighting desire against Sweden. He clashed with Henrik Zetterberg and later with Johan Franzen, a reminder of the 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals between the Red Wings and the Penguins.

"There were some fights and a lot of provocation. But we went through that and came back hard in the third period," Malkin said after his team scored six straight goals to rally from a 3-1 deficit. "The fights were useless, but it's hockey and those things happen in big games like this. I did not want to fight with Franzen, instead I wanted to show good hockey."

That is exactly what Malkin did. The sold-out Ericsson Globe Arena was stunned with his marvelous dekes, passes and precise shots. Malkin scored twice from his usual spot in the right faceoff circle and finished the hat-trick with an odd man rush after some great passing with Popov. He wanted to demonstrate his dominance over the Swedes so much that he even tried a lacrosse-style offensive zone run -- he lifted the puck to his stick, dribbled with it through two defenders and stunned the crowd with his tricky move.

"I don't know," he answered the question, whether this was his best game of the season. "But for sure it was the best game of Team Russia. We showed strength and confidence. And we will need it, because (the next game) against the Czechs will be a tough one, too."

Russia remains unbeaten after five games in the Stockholm group. The team will probably face Norway or Latvia in the quarterfinals, which means a huge chance to advance to the medal rounds in Helsinki.

Just any medal is not enough for Malkin, who is playing in his fifth IIHF World Championship and yet cannot call himself a world champion.

"We have a great chance to win gold," he said. "I never won this tournament before and I'll do everything to help the team achieve that goal."

Author: Michael Langr

With the score tied at one in the second period, St. John’s was able to retake its one-goal edge at 11:35 with the help of the power play.

Gagnon pulled out of the near corner with the puck and slid a pass toward the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton crease that kicked off a skate and through the pads of netminder Brad Thiessen.

Fifty-seven seconds into the third frame, Gagnon provided the eventual game-winner when he cut out from behind the Penguins’ net and dumped in a shot from left circle that slipped inside the far post.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton cut St. John’s lead in half midway through the same period after the team hopped on a 5-on-4 advantage. Colin McDonald was able to settle down a deflected pass from Eric Tangradi and rip a shot to the top shelf to make the score 3-2.

The Penguins would have their opportunities to send the game past regulation, but IceCaps goalie Eddie Pasquale shut the door as he finished with 26 saves.

Trying to avoid a collapse after being up 3-1 in the series, St. John’s opened the game firing on all cylinders and enjoying the majority of offensive chances.

The IceCaps broke through at 11:52 when John Albert worked by the defense on the far boards of the Penguins zone and centered a pass that Ray Sawada fired into the net for a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins were able to even the match at 6:43 of the second when Tangradi sent an outlet pass from just inside his own blueline to spring Ryan Craig on a breakaway. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton captain fired a wrist shot from the hashmarks that sailed past the stick side of Pasquale.

Thiessen turned aside 24 of 27 shots, including three breakaway chances for St. John’s.

For the fifth time in the six games thus far in the series, the two teams entered the third period in a deadlock. Though the Penguins would be unable to convert on carryover power play time from the second frame, they would notch the game-winner soon thereafter.

Geoff Walker cut out from behind the St. John’s net to the far circle and wheeled a low shot that saw the puck bounce off IceCaps goalie Eddie Pasquale, hit the leg of Zach Sill and cross the goal line at 5:41. Sill was given credit for his third marker of the postseason.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton received some breathing room with 3:30 left until the final horn as Paul Thompson banked a pass to himself off the boards to race in for a breakaway goal – a backhander that slipped through the pads of Pasquale.

Skating on their second man-advantage of the opening frame, the Penguins took a 1-0 edge at 9:48 when Jason Williams’ point shot clipped off stick of an IceCaps defenseman and blooped into the net.

The IceCaps found their groove on the power play in the second period to take the lead. Patrice Cormier stationed himself atop the Penguins crease and tipped Paul Postma’s shot from the blueline past goaltender Brad Thiessen at 4:31.

Less than seven minutes later, working 5-on-4, Ray Sawada flicked in a rebound to make the score 2-1 after Thiessen stopped the first shot by defenseman Derek Meech.

St. John’s would get into some penalty trouble late in the second, giving Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a 4-on-3 power play. Cal O’Reilly gathered a loose rebound from Alex Grant’s slapshot and swept in the tying marker with 8.9 seconds remaining until the intermission.

Thiessen made 29 saves in the contest to up his postseason record to 6-5. Pasquale lost back-to-back games for the first time in the playoffs, turning away 27-of-31 shots.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins battle the St. John’s IceCaps in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Saturday, May 12 at 6:00PM EDT.

For the first time ever, fans are in control of who will be the next cover athlete for the world’s No. 1 hockey video game franchise. Malkin is currently one of eight finalists and will go head-to-head with Philadelphia forward Scott Hartnell in a round of voting held from May 11-17. The winner of the cover vote campaign will be unveiled as the EA SPORTS NHL 13 Cover Athlete at the 2012 NHL Awards on June 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas (click here to vote).

Fans worldwide are able to vote an unlimited number of times and are encouraged to vote as often as possible to ensure their favorite player advances through the rounds. Here’s the breakdown of how Malkin got to this point and how the campaign unfolds from here.

The campaign, which officially kicked off on March 29, began with a field of 60 NHL players, two from each of the 30 clubs. Each team’s pair of representatives – Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury for Pittsburgh – went head-to-head.

Over 10 million votes were cast in the opening round, where Malkin triumphed over teammate Fleury, advancing him to the Round of 32 that consisted of one player from each NHL team and a ‘wild card’ from each Conference (Philadelphia’s Scott Hartnell and St. Louis’ David Perron).

The top 16 vote-getters in that 32-player leaderboard format then advanced to the next round, which shifted to a bracket format. The 16 players were divided in half and seeded 1 to 8. Malkin received a No. 3 seed, pitting him against No. 6 Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning – the EA SPORTS NHL 12 cover athlete.

Thanks to the voting efforts of Pens fans everywhere, Malkin defeated Stamkos and has advanced to the next round of bracket voting, which begins Friday, May 11 and runs through Thursday, May 17. In this round, ‘Geno’ will go one-on-one with No. 2 Hartnell.

If Malkin receives enough votes to top Hartnell, he’ll move on to the semifinals, which will take place May 24-28.

You guys have been there for Geno every step of the way so far, and he needs your continued support! Please vote as often as you possibly can once voting gets underway and show your support on Twitter using #Vote71 – so we can get Geno to the next round.

Championship game results were:

• D -Street hockey (10 teams): Beat It (Murrysville) 5, Carnivores (Oakmont) 2. Outstanding players: Brian Alton, Beat It; Justin Dunnivan, Carnivores.

• Rec-Street hockey (16 teams): Brighton Hot Dog Shop (Butler) 5, Spare Parts (Ohio Township) 1. Outstanding players: John Matesic, BHDS; Anthony Perriello, Spare Parts.

• Rec-Puck roller (16 teams): Venom (Bethel Park) 4, Sharks (Robinson Township) 1. Outstanding players: Tyler Zaremski, Venom; Kevin Bishop, Sharks.

The victory was Beat It’s second straight. They are the first back-to-back champions in the history of the D-Street division.

“Great hockey all weekend and a full house: We had to turn away several teams due to time and space limitations,” said tournament director Mark Madden. “Pittsburgh was well-represented, and we had teams from DC, Ontario, Buffalo and North Carolina. Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, too.”

Dr. J. W. Thomas Byrd of the Nashville Sports and Orthopaedic Center performed the surgery. Michalek is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

Wednesday morning, Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis accompanied Bassett, 9, to Sloan Elementary School in Murrysville. Dupuis read to students, answered questions, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

“(My classmates) were like, oh my god you’re so lucky,” Bassett said, who rode with Dupuis in a limousine to school.

“We picked her up at her house and she was excited, it was fun to see,” Dupuis said. “She was a little nervous, shaking a little bit. She did a really good job.

“I have a second-grader myself so I felt right at home with her. I love it. I have four kids myself, I love being around kids. I love teaching them stuff or answering questions, just making them smile.”

The day began at Bassett’s home. Shannon – along with her parents, two sisters and two grandparents – welcomed Dupuis in the early morning. The Pens forward gave Shannon her own No. 1 jersey with her name on the back. He chatted with the family and posed for pictures.

Shannon and her mother, Christen, then road in a limousine with Dupuis to Sloan Elementary School, which Shannon said was the best part of her day.

Dupuis and Shannon sat in front of her second-grade class. Shannon and her classmates asked Dupuis questions ranging from why he wears No. 9 (his son was born on Feb. 9), who is the biggest team prankster (he wears a mask and No. 29), and if he’s glad the Flyers lost (Yes).

“Everybody tried to peak out their classroom door to get a peak of Iceburgh, or Shannon or myself,” Dupuis joked.

Dupuis then read to a crowd of students in the gym. The story was about a young hockey player named Shannon Bassett who was a late addition to the Pens team and became the hero of their game.

“Me, a French-speaking guy, reading a story for the kids was a little bit different,” Dupuis said, “but it was fun.”

Dupuis’ appearance was part of a contest through the Penguins and Verizon called “Show and Tell with the NHL.” Shannon was the big winner.

“I saw a blurb on the Penguins Facebook page about taking a player to school,” Shannon’s mother Christen said. “I thought that was cool so I put Shannon’s name in there never thinking (she would win). Her name got pulled and I got the phone call. When they told me I thought it was a joke.”

And after the day was over, Shannon couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s been amazing. It truly has,” Christen said. “Pascal Dupuis, what a gentleman, just a great guy. We’ll have memories forever and pictures. Truly I’m in awe. This is far more than I could have ever imagined.”

“It was a great morning,” Dupuis said. “I had a lot of fun doing it and I’m sure Shannon did too.”

The Penguins stayed alive in the best-of-seven series and forced a Game Six on Friday in St. John’s.

Knotted at two a piece heading into the third, the Penguins took their first lead of the game at 2:18 of the period. Jason Williams broke down the left wing of the St. John’s zone and stopped below the circle before finding Alex Grant in the high slot for a one-timer to the top corner.

Eleven seconds later the IceCaps hopped on the power play and would convert on Paul Postma’s long wrist shot that found its way around a slew of bodies and past Penguins goalie Brad Thiessen.

Thiessen left the game for several minutes late in the third period after suffering a cut during a collision in the crease. He would finish with 26 saves during 87:43 of playing time.

Postma’s marker would be the final goal for the next 48 minutes of hockey until Despres was able to send the Penguins off the ice in celebration. Pinching low into the near corner, the rookie defenseman threw a low wrister toward the pads of St. John’s goaltender Eddie Pasquale. Despres followed his own shot and gathered the rebound lying in the crease to backhand it home.

The IceCaps got a fortuitous 1-0 lead at 5:21 of the first period when Jason King’s clearing attempt skipped the length of the ice and over the stick of Thiessen into the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton battled back to tie the match at 8:12 of the second period on Paul Thompson’s first goal of the postseason. Skating 4-on-4, Cal O’Reilly circled into the right corner and found Paul Thompson between the hashmarks for heavy wrist shot that sailed over the blocker of Pasquale.

The IceCaps goalie made 42 saves on 45 shots, while playing 92:08 on the night.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins travel to St. John’s for Game Six on Friday, May 11 at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Shoppers can save 30% off the entire stock of ladies, men's and youth apparel as well as novelties and collectibles during this one-day event (excluding the Wendell August Forge Collection). A selection of game-used sticks and various banners from the 2011-12 season will also be available for sale.

Free parking will be available in the South Lot until 4 pm. Guests can enter CONSOL Energy Center via the Trib Total Media Gate located along Centre Avenue. 

Ben Maxwell’s goal 27 seconds into the extra frame gave St. John’s the win and a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.

Tied 2-2, a scoreless third period would send the match past regulation and set up the IceCaps’ quick tally. A faceoff win the offensive zone by St. John’s led to a Brett Festerling shot that was blocked by the scrum in front of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton crease. Maxwell dug the puck out of the tangle of skates and backhanded a shot to the right side of goalie Brad Thiessen.

The Penguins controlled action in the first period and were able to jump ahead to a 2-0 lead after seven minutes of play. At the 4:30 mark, Eric Tangradi fed a pass out of the near corner that Colin McDonald accepted in the slot before deking an IceCaps defender and snapping a wrist shot over the glove of Eddie Pasquale.

Tangradi then pushed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s edge to two at 6:49, sweeping a centering feed from Geoff Walker under the outstretched glove of Pasquale for his fourth goal of the playoffs

St. John’s came storming back in the second to knot the score and eventually force overtime. Working on a 5-on-4 advantage, Derek Meech squeezed a long shot through the traffic in front of Thiessen to cut the Penguins’ lead in half.

With 3:25 left until the intermission, Paul Posta then threaded a cross zone feed from the top of the far circle that an uncovered Maxime Macenauer directed to the top of the net.

Thiessen stopped 26 shots for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Pasquale made 14 saves for the IceCaps. Both teams were scoreless in two power play opportunities

With the victory, St. John’s took a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The IceCaps got on the scoreboard first at 12:37 of the opening period as Zach Redmond held the puck in at the Penguins blue line and flung a pass to the far hashmarks that Trotter deflected over the blocker of goaltender Brad Thiessen. 

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton owned the second as they skated on three straight power plays and ended up outshooting St. John’s 11-0 in the period.  Only the stellar play of IceCaps goalie Eddie Pasquale kept the Penguins off the board. 

With 62 seconds left in regulation and skating with the extra attacker, the Penguins would finally find the back of the net.  After Colin McDonald’s initial chance in close was turned aside, Eric Tangradi pulled the loose puck off the back wall and tucked it inside the right post.

The two teams would head to overtime where Trotter struck again to end the game at the 10:02 mark.  Carl Klingberg led a 2-on-1 rush into the Penguins zone and had his wrist shot denied by Thiessen, but Trotter followed up to bang home the rebound for his fourth goal in this series. 

Thiessen stopped 16 shots of 18 shots in the contest as his postseason record goes to 4-4.  Pasquale made 28 saves for his second overtime win of the playoffs.

Last year, in its first year of operation, this one-of-a-kind program – “HEADS UP Pittsburgh” – provided free baseline concussion tests for more than 2,300 local youngsters in fewer than 60 days

“As we enter our second year, the goal of ‘HEADS UP Pittsburgh’ is to enhance the safety of local youth hockey through concussion education and awareness among players and their families,” said Dave Soltesz, president of the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. “The response in our first year from players, coaches, parents, and family members was remarkable, and we believe we can increase our reach by testing and educating more players and families this year.”

The free testing will be held on Saturdays from May 19 through June 16 at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine on the South Side, CCAC and various locations in the Pittsburgh area. It will be available to youth hockey players from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL) and the Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL), as well as others registered locally through USA Hockey programs. Players will be emailed a reminder to use their USA Hockey Code from their organizations. This will enable them to pre-register for testing at www.upmc.com/hockeytesting.

While players are being tested, their parents will meet with UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program staff to learn about “HEADS UP Pittsburgh.”

Participants must be at least 10 years old on the date of testing, and must be concussion-free for 30 days prior to the baseline. The entire process will take about one hour. Participants will receive a copy of their baseline results through a secure email system within two weeks of taking the test. Certified athletic trainers from the UPMC Sports Concussion Program will supervise the testing and educational process.

Players ages 10-12 are advised to get a baseline result every year. Players ages 13 and older should take one every other year. We strongly recommend registering early for baseline testing.

In the next round, Malkin will go one-on-one with Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar. Voting for that matchup will be held from May 11-17 and will be held on NHL.com at NHL.com/CoverVote.

The winner of the cover vote campaign will be unveiled as the EA SPORTS NHL® 13 Cover Athlete at the 2012 NHL Awards™ on June 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas.

Presented by BlackBerry® and hosted on NHL.com, the campaign gives fans the opportunity to select the face of the EA SPORTS NHL® franchise. Fans worldwide are able to vote an unlimited number of times and are encouraged to vote as often as possible at http://www.nhl.com/covervote to ensure their favorite player advances through the rounds. Fans can also get involved and tweet their support by using #NHL13Cover on Twitter.

Landing a spot on the first NCAA Women’s Division I Ice Hockey at Penn State is a big deal. An opportunity like this does not come easily. Jill Holdcroft knows that with hard work, dedication and a strong support system, the dreams that she sets out for herself are achievable.

Kylie Penticost: Tell me a little bit about yourself. (i.e.: family, hobbies outside of hockey, travel, etc.)

Jill Holdcroft: I was born and raised in State College, PA. I am 18-years-old and a senior at State College Area High School. I have two older brothers and a younger sister. I like playing soccer, volleyball, badminton, and biking.

KP: What are you taking in post-secondary school next year? In addition, what do you hope to do with it once you are finished?

JH: I’ll be attending Penn State next year and playing on their first NCAA Women’s Division I Ice Hockey team. I am thrilled to be part of a starting program, which is right in my hometown. My plan is to get my degree in Accounting and explore the accounting career field after college.

KP: Why did you choose to get into hockey, and how long have you played?

JH: I have been playing hockey for 10 years. My dad played hockey at Penn State when he was in college and he was able to get my two older brothers interested as well. After watching them play for a while, I finally got the opportunity to try the sport when I was 8 years old. I loved it! I already knew how to skate because I took skating lessons and I practiced on the outdoor rink that my dad sets up every winter in our yard. I started out playing boys hockey and was the only girl on almost all of the teams I have played on. When I was 13-years-old, I made the switch and started playing on girls teams.

KP: What position do you play? In addition, why that particular position?

JH: I play forward, either center or wing, because I like forechecking and working the puck in the offensive zone. I like being a playmaker and setting my team up for good scoring opportunities. I also like being first to put pressure on the other team, knowing that I have teammates to back me up. I have recently been playing wing but I really enjoy taking face-offs and I am more than willing to step up when my coach needs me at center.

KP: What has been one of your most memorable hockey moments?

JH: My Pittsburgh Pens Elite girls’ team upset one of the top teams in the country for the league title in 2009. I scored the only goal in the game but the win was a complete team effort. The game was exciting with many close chances for both teams. Everyone on my team played extremely well and gave their best effort so the title was well deserved.

KP: Who has been your biggest supporter during your hockey career? How have they shown support?

JH: My whole family has been a big support - parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins - but I would say my Dad has been my biggest supporter. He has encouraged me to try out for teams; he has been the coach for most of the teams I played on; and he has always been there to offer hockey advice. He has taught me to work hard, to be disciplined and respectful. He has made countless amounts of sacrifices for my hockey and for that, I am grateful.

KP: As a female hockey player, what are some of the pressures or limitations you face with the sport?

JH: Women’s ice hockey is rapidly growing which is very exciting, however there are still fewer female players in hockey compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball. It can be tough being involved in a sport with a limited number of girls to relate too. I have been on many teams, with all boys, and there is definitely that pressure to play well and hold your own. A way I handle the pressure, I remind myself everyone on the team makes mistakes. All I can do is work hard and play my best.

KP: What piece of advice would you give to girls who are just starting out in hockey?

JH: Work hard and be the best that you can be. Fun should be the number one reason you play but hard work could take you a long way. Work hard in practice, during the game, and off the ice. Work hard at being a good teammate and a respectable opponent. Whether you plan on continuing hockey past high school or not, always give your best effort in every aspect of the game. There are few things better than being satisfied after a game, whether a win or a loss, because you played your very best.

KP: What is a hockey dream of yours, and why?

JH: My dream for the longest time was to play Division I hockey. Being able to fulfill that dream at Penn State in my hometown is more than I could ask for. It is going to be a great experience and a lot of hard work to be part of a new program. On the other hand, I hope to lead Penn State to their first CHA (College Hockey America) and maybe even to an NCAA championship before I graduate!

The score was also tied at one as the two teams entered the third period. St. John’s enjoyed an early power play opportunity, but it was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton getting the go-ahead marker. Cal O’Reilly led a shorthanded rush and hit Joey Mormina in front of the IceCaps net for a snapshot that found the top corner at 2:38.

The Penguins were able to build a two-goal cushion just over two minutes later with their own man-advantage. O’Reilly skated to the far circle and drew the defense down low before setting up Jason Williams, who blasted a slapshot from the point past IceCaps goalie Eddie Pasquale for his second of the playoffs. Williams has recorded points in all seven games so far in the playoffs (2g-8a).

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got the start they wanted in this game, outshooting St. John’s 11-0 at one point in the first period and eventually taking the 1-0 lead. Seventeen seconds after a man-advantage expired, Eric Tangradi worked the puck out of a scramble in the IceCaps crease and fluttered a shot over Pasquale.

St. John’s evened the score with 4:18 left until the first break while skating on the power play. Ben Maxwell was left alone in front to tip Derek Meech’s point shot through the pads of Brad Thiessen.

The Penguins received 22 saves from Thiessen as he upped his postseason record to 4-3. Pasquale made 35 saves for the IceCaps.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was 1-for-6 on the power play and 6-of-7 seven on the penalty kill.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins host Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinal versus the St. John’s IceCaps on Saturday, May 5 at 7:05 p.m.

The preliminary round begins Friday, May 4, but 'Geno' and his teammates won't start play until Saturday. Russia will play a total of seven games in the preliminary round in hopes of making it to the quarterfinals, which take place May 17.

The official tournament schedule can be found by clicking here. Below are Team Russia's games with the start times in EASTERN STANDARD TIME. Every game of the World Championship will be live streamed here.

With his team behind, 1-0, in the second period, Trotter caught up to a long flip pass by Spencer Machacek and buried the breakaway chance with a backhand shot at 7:25 that tied the score..

Trotter then gave St. John’s the lead for good 2:27 into the final period, splitting the Penguins defense and tucking the puck inside the near post.

John Albert helped cinch the win for the IceCaps with 1:54 left to play, intercepting a break-out pass by goalie Brad Thiessen and feeding Garth Murray for the tap-in goal.

St. John’s was able to control play for much of the first, owning a 20-4 shot advantage, but it was the Penguins who took the 1-0 lead into the intermission. 

With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton skating on its lone power play of the period, Jason Williams had his point shot blocked, but Colin McDonald tapped the loose puck to the right side of the net for Cal O’Reilly to zip over St. John’s goaltender Eddie Pasquale.  O’Reilly’s fourth of the season came at 4:42 of the first.

Later in the period, Thiessen robbed Jason King on a penalty shot with a glove save to keep the IceCaps off the scoreboard. 

Thiessen made 34 saves on 37 shots for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, while Pasquale upped his postseason record to 4-1 with 19 stops on the night.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins continue their Eastern Conference Semifinal series versus the St. John’s IceCaps with Game Two on Wednesday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

At an early age, Stephanie Walkom developed a strong passion for hockey. She was born in a country where streets shut down during a heated gold medal match-up; she moved to a city where the hockey fire has grown so bright – far beyond any other US city; and now, she has decided to make it her career goal to stay involved in sports.

Kylie Penticost: Tell me a little bit about yourself. (i.e.: family, hobbies outside of hockey, travel, etc.)
Stephanie Walkom: Both my mother and father were born and raised in Canada. My father grew up in North Bay, Ontario and my mother grew up in Hamilton, Ontario where I too was born and lived for one year before moving to Pittsburgh. I have a younger brother, Brendan (14) playing bantam AAA and a younger sister, Brianna (8) playing at RMU Island Sports Center. Outside of hockey, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling with them to Canada for summer vacation.

KP: What are you taking in post-secondary school next year? In addition, what do you hope to do with it once you are finished?

SW: Next year I will be majoring in Communications and hope to work in the sports or business field upon graduation. Not sure exactly what I want to do but hope 4 years at Penn State will give me some career options.

KP: Why did you choose to get into hockey, and how long have you played?

SW: Before I played hockey, I was more into dancing and figure skating. However, when I was about eight years old I got bored with it, so my dad put hockey equipment on me and surprisingly, I enjoyed it a lot more than twirling around in a figure skating tutu. I have been playing on a team since I was nine years old and have loved it ever since.

KP: What position do you play? In addition, why that particular position?

SW: I play both left and right defense. Up until I turned 13, I played forward, but it turned out it wasn’t for me. My dad originally put me back on defense when we didn’t have enough for one of my girls U14 hockey games and I cried the entire game. After that, it just grew on me and now I love playing defense much more than I do playing offense.

KP: What has been one of your most memorable hockey moments?

SW: Winning Districts and going to National’s four times in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012 and getting to play hockey against the best players in the United States. These competitions have been incredible moments in my life. Although those are moments I’ll never forget, the most memorable moment was when I was fourteen. We were playing in a tournament up in Canada and my entire family was there, cousins and all. My Pittsburgh Team was in overtime and it had gone to a shoot out. When I went down, I got the puck past the goalie and into the net, and all I remember is everyone coming and piling on top of me. At the time, I felt like a superstar, it was the highlight of my hockey career so far.

KP: Who has been your biggest supporter during your hockey career? How have they shown support?

SW: Both of my parents have supported me since I first started playing. My dad has been coaching me since the beginning, taking me to almost every showcase and tournament when he isn’t working. My mom has also been there for me every step of the way, attending my games when she is not busy with Brendan and Brianna's activities, and helping me to reach my goals.

KP: As a female hockey player, what are some of the pressures or limitations you face with the sport?

SW: For me, I have never really had a problem with limitations on playing, aside from being angered when the referee calls one of my teammates for a checking penalty. I know we are allowed to bump each other, but I think the female leagues should be a little more lenient when it comes to girls checking. I felt pressure when I was younger and playing with the boys, but we were all good friends and they accepted me as a player.

KP: What piece of advice would you give to girls who are just starting out in hockey?

SW: I would tell them to keep practicing and working hard, but to have fun playing and making friends.

KP: What is a hockey dream of yours, and why?

SW: I have always wanted to play Division 1 ice hockey. Lucky for me, that dream is coming true.

It took almost two periods for either team to find the back of the net, but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton would stun Hershey with two goals seven seconds apart in the final minutes of the second frame.

A Bears’ high-sticking call resulted in a four minute power play for the Penguins and the home team would convert.  Colin McDonald knocked down a clearing attempt on the near wall and skated toward the crease where he backhanded the puck that Cal O’Reilly knocked over the blocker of Bears goalie Dany Sabourin at 17:31.

On the ensuing faceoff, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Brian Strait rimmed a puck into the Hershey zone that caromed off the corner boards into the slot. Zach Sill stepped up to whack the shot past an unsuspecting Sabourin for his second goal of the playoffs.

With their season on the line, the Bears came out flying to the start the third and needed only 23 seconds to the cut the Penguins’ lead in half.  Ryan Potulny entered the offensive zone on a 3-on-2 rush and wristed a shot from the far dot that found its way over the shoulder of netminder Brad Thiessen.

That would be last goal Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Thiessen allowed as they limited Hershey to just four shots the rest of the way.  The Penguins goalie made 18 saves overall for his third victory of the playoffs.

Sabourin stopped 26 out of 28 shots for the Bears. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton went 1-for-3 on the man-advantage and 2-of-2 on the penalty kill.

The Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and St. John’s IceCaps will begin on Tuesday, May 1 at 6:00PM EDT at Mile One Centre.

The Bears owned the lead after the first period thanks to rookie defenseman Cameron Schilling scoring his second goal in as many games. On an abbreviated power play after 4-on-4 hockey, Hershey made it 1-0 when Schilling drove the net and had Zach Miskovic’s centering feed deflect off his knee and over the leg pad of Penguins goalie Brad Thiessen.

The next power play chance for Hershey would come in the second and they would convert once again when Boyd Kane backhanded a rebound chance inside the right post at 7:52.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton cut the lead in half with 2:10 left in the same period after the Bears were unable to clear their own zone. Defenseman Alex Grant gloved down the loose puck at the blueline and stickhandled to the near circle before saucing a pass across the crease that Jason Williams knocked past goalie Dany Sabourin.

Kane gave the Bears some breathing room midway through the third period with his second power play goal of night, tipping Ryan Potulny’s point shot to the back of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton net.

Chris Bourque iced the game for Hershey on an empty-net tally with 34 seconds left in regulation.

Thiessen turned aside 19-of-22 shots for the Penguins, while Sabourin made 23 saves for the Bears.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins host Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal on Saturday, April 28 at 7:05 p.m.

But now the Penguins center may be taking home another piece of hardware, as Malkin was named as one of three finalists for the Hart Trophy as league MVP on Friday.

The other finalists are Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

It’s an honor that Malkin tried not to think about during the season, wanting to focus on team success instead of individual accolades, but it’s one that would mean everything to him with all the work he put in getting himself back to the dominant force he’s proven he can be.

“I think it’s very important for me and myself because most people don’t believe I can play at my level,” Malkin said. “I had a great summer and stayed positive. I don’t think about points. I came back this year and just start playing 100 percent every game. The points continued and kept coming and it’s just a great year.”

Voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (WHWA), the Hart Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged to be the most valuable player to his team. Lundqvist and Stamkos are certainly worthy candidates, but no player has meant more to his club and has done as much for their team as Malkin did in the 2011-12 regular season.

It all began last year, when Malkin suffered ligament damage in his right knee in early February, 2011 and missed the remainder of the 2010-11 season and playoffs.

Malkin worked tirelessly to strengthen the knee and improve his overall strength and conditioning last summer in his native Russia, waking up early every morning to log endless hours at the gym and the ice rink so that he could be, as he said, “his best for the team.”

Malkin returned to Pittsburgh for training camp with a renewed competitive edge and motivation, and it resulted in an incredible comeback season.

Malkin, 25, scored 50 goals for the first time in his career and added 59 assists for a league-best 109 points in 75 games, earning him his second Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion.

Despite missing seven games due to injury, Malkin defeated Stamkos by 12 points – the largest margin of victory for a scoring champion since 1999 – and led the NHL with a 1.45 point-per-game average.

“He’s been a great player this year,” center Jordan Staal said a few weeks ago. “Points-wise you see it, but just taking over games and just having that desire to win every game and score the big goals. He’s done so many good things this year, it’s definitely no question that he should be up for the MVP.”

“He’s a good leader,” added forward Chris Kunitz. “He’s a guy that goes out and plays as hard as he can every night. He doesn’t take off shifts. He definitely carries us through a lot of games just with his attitude.”

The other finalists are Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (WHWA), the Hart Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged to be the most valuable player to his team. The winner will be announced at the NHL Awards show, which will be held on Wednesday, June 20 at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas.

The 2012 NHL Awards will be broadcast nationally in the United States on NBC Sports Network.

Malkin, 25, is a Hart finalist for the third time in the last five seasons. He finished runner-up behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin back-to-back seasons in 2009 and ’08. Should he win, Malkin would become the fourth player in franchise history to do so, joining Mario Lemieux (3 times), Sidney Crosby (1) and Jaromir Jagr (1).

Malkin enjoyed a superb comeback year, tallying 50 goals for the first time in his career and adding 59 assists for a league-best 109 points – earning him his second Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion.

Malkin defeated Stamkos by 12 points – the largest margin of victory for a scoring champion since 1999.

In winning his second Art Ross Trophy, Malkin became the third player in franchise history to win multiple scoring titles (Mario Lemieux, 6; Jagr, 5). Malkin won the scoring title despite missing seven games due to injury in October. He averaged a league-best 1.45 points per game (min. 41 games) and he also led all NHL players with 339 shots.

Malkin was at his best during the during the 40 games when captain Sidney Crosby was sidelined from Dec. 8-March 11, helping the Penguins remain among the NHL’s elite teams despite the absence of Crosby and several other top players. During that span, Malkin led all NHL players with 60 points (29G-31A) – an average of 1.5 per game. His 29 goals ranked second behind only Stamkos (34).

Pittsburgh’s team MVP for the third time in five seasons, Malkin was dominant down the stretch, helping the Penguins secure home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fifth straight season. Malkin ended the regular season on an eight-game point streak – including multiple points in six of those contests – and with points in 14 of his final 15 games for a total of 28 (12G-16A).

After the Penguins came back from a two-goal deficit, Hershey’s Kyle Greentree gave the Bears the lead once again with seven minutes left in regulation.  A failed clearing attempt by the Penguins left Greentree alone in the slot, where he one-timed Jacob Micflikier’s pass off the near post and into the net.

With 2:17 remaining in the third, a late man-advantage helped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to rally once again and force overtime as Alex Grant’s rifle shot from the point slipped through the pads of Hershey goaltender Dany Sabourin.

It would be a power play in the opening minutes of overtime that allowed the Bears to skate away with the victory.  Penguins goalie Brad Thiessen got a blocker on a shot from the point by Tomas Kundratek, but could not seal the left post before Potulny fired back the rebound at 2:57.

Despite recording only six shots during the first period, the Bears were able to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.  D.J. King started the scoring at 6:15 as he threw a pass from behind the Penguins’ net that banked off of a skate and across the goal line. 

Hershey then went up by two when Cameron Schilling fired a slapshot from the far point that beat a screened Thiessen to the glove side with three minutes until the break.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got on the board just 38 seconds in with the help of some carry-over power play time.  After Jason Williams found Walker with a cross-zone pass, the Penguins right-winger swept a backhand shot that Sabourin denied with his skate, but Cal O’Reilly cut in front to deposit the loose puck. 

The Penguins knotted the score at 6:22 of the third with Paul Thompson taking advantage of a turnover deep in the Hershey zone and centering in front to a wide-open Eric Tangradi for his first goal of the post season.

Thiessen took his first loss of the playoffs with 15 saves on 18 shots.  Sabourin stopped 26 in the win for Hershey. 

Game 4 will be played Friday, April 27 at 7:00 PM at the GIANT Center.

EA SPORTS™ announced today that Evgeni Malkin is one of 16 NHL players who has advanced to the next round of the EA SPORTS NHL®13 Cover Vote presented by BlackBerry®. Beginning today on NHL.com at NHL.com/CoverVote, the cover vote campaign shifts to a 16-player bracket format as players compete in head-to-head matchups for a spot in the quarterfinals. The winner of the cover vote campaign will be unveiled as the EA SPORTS NHL® 13 Cover Athlete at the 2012 NHL Awards™ on June 20 at the Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas.

NHL 13 Cover Athlete Voting Schedule:

Presented by BlackBerry® and hosted on NHL.com, the campaign gives fans the opportunity to select the face of the EA SPORTS NHL® franchise. Fans worldwide are able to vote an unlimited number of times and are encouraged to vote as often as possible at http://www.nhl.com/covervote to ensure their favorite player advances through the rounds. Fans can also get involved and tweet their support by using #NHL13Cover on Twitter.

The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters inducted, Mike Lange, the "Voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins" into its Hall of Fame today.

"It is an honor to recognize and salute a broadcaster with such talent," said Richard Wyckoff, PAB's President. "He is unique in professional sports, not only for his 36 seasons with the Penguins, but for his creative and colorful style of play-by-play announcing. Mike makes you feel as if you are in the arena with him. He makes magic happen and the game comes alive on the radio."

PAB's Hall of Fame includes legendary broadcasters as Dr. Frank Conrad, founder KDKA AM, Frances Doherr Sturtevant, America's first female radio general manager (WCAE/WTAE), Joe Baudino, Westinghouse, Bill Burns, KDKA TV, Bill Cardille, WPXI TV, Dick Clark, Fran Fisher, the Voice of Penn State Football, Leo Rosenberg, America's first newscaster, Ron Davenport, Sheridan Broadcasting and Warren Maurer, Westinghouse Broadcasting.

PAB represents all the free-over-the-air broadcasters serving the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Looking back, Tara Soukup, a 17-year-old Baldwin High School senior, is pleased that she has made it through 12 years of school and had the privilege of playing two seasons of varsity hockey. However, to her surprise, she also made Baldwin history in the process.

Kylie Penticost: Tell me a bit about yourself. (i.e.: family, hobbies outside of hockey, travel, etc.)

Tara Soukup:I do not have any siblings but am very close to my cousins on both sides of my family. In addition to hockey, I also play lacrosse.  My older cousin, Eddie, played it in high school. He used to always toss me the ball and taught me how to cradle. In my freshman year I was double-rostered in both JV and Varsity; I played every game for both teams that season, and would be exhausted at the end of game nights. However, I was in really good shape! I also love to ski, and now Eddie lives in Vail so I have been out there to ski. It is awesome! I also love to swim and this summer will be my third season lifeguarding at Sandcastle.

KP: What are you taking in post-secondary school next year? In addition, what do you hope to do with it once you are finished?

TS: I plan to major in Pre-Med. I would like to become a physician’s assistant and specialize in surgery, but I am leaving my options open to possibly go on to become a physician. With school being so expensive I am considering obtaining my PA license, work for a while, and then continue my education if I want to become a physician.

KP: Why did you choose to get into hockey, and how long have you played?

TS: Ever since I was a child, I was surrounded by hockey. I grew up playing with equipment in my Dad’s hockey store. My parents started me skating at age two in an Ice Babies class at Southpointe and then had more skating lessons at Mt. Lebanon. My Dad started me in a developmental hockey program at Mt. Lebanon when I was four. I tried a few seasons of soccer too but it just was not as much fun as hockey! My first amateur club team was with SHAHA as a Mite at age 8. I stayed with SHAHA through Squirts and my first year of PeeWee. I then moved to the Arctic Foxes to join their girls U19 team when I was 12. We had a good team the first year but then many of the players graduated from high school and the team was no longer competitive. I then joined the boys Arctic Foxes Bantam team for a year and then played one year of Bantam with Mon Valley. I made the Ohio Flames Tier 1 AAA U16 girls team where I played U16 for two years and then U19 this year. I also joined the Baldwin Varsity team last year and played again with them this year. I enjoyed playing for every one of these hockey organizations. 

KP: What position do you play? In addition, why that particular position?

TS: I play defense. I am not sure why exactly. I guess I’m a pretty physical player so I enjoyed that aspect of the defensive position in hockey. Interestingly, I play center in lacrosse and don’t enjoy defense in lacrosse at all.

TS: There are so many memories I’ve had, it’s hard to pick just one.

I broke my arm at a tournament in Philadelphia when I was playing Bantam with the Arctic Foxes. I had to revisit the ER the next day and when I returned to the rink to watch my team, the boys had bought pink tape to use that day since I couldn’t be there to play. That was so thoughtful and meant a lot to me.

Another great memory was when my team and I won the gold for the West during the Keystone games and the boys won too so the West won the Roger Sharrer trophy for the first time. We’re friends with the Sharrer family so it was special to be able to win that for our area of the state.

It was also great to win the Bantam A Major Season Championship banner with my Mon Valley team. And when I was with the Ohio Flames there were so many crazy adventures because of all the travel.

KP: Who has been your biggest supporter during your hockey career? How have they shown support? 

TS: Without question, it has been my parents. Either one or the other has been to almost all of my games. In all these years there are probably no more than five games in which neither of them could be there and it was for reasons that were unavoidable. My Dad has coached some of my teams and he, of course, is why I began to play this sport. My Mom had the more flexible schedule so most of the transportation, especially with the Ohio Flames, has been because of her. But, she says she loved it. We sure did have a lot of fun. However, there were challenges too. It can be quite expensive to be on a travel hockey team and my parents have made many sacrifices so that I could pursue this sport.

KP: What does it mean to you that you are the first female player ever to play on Baldwin's high school hockey team?

TS: I really didn’t know that I was the first female until the team had put it on their Facebook page prior to my first game with them.  The guys welcomed me to the team last year and I think it was because they knew I could contribute to the team.  They were a little protective but that’s ok, it was nice to know they had my back.   I hope that I have set a good example for the younger girls in the Baldwin developmental program and have shown them that if they work on their game now someday they can play Varsity too.

KP: As a female hockey player what are some of the pressures you face or limitations you face with the sport?

TS: I don’t feel that there are really any limitations but there are pressures. I think a girl has to be an even more skilled player than some of the boys in order to be accepted. Sometimes I also felt pressure because I know that people are more likely to make judgments about girls playing on boys’ teams. As a girl on a boy’s team I think there is pressure to be just as strong, fast and rough as the boys. I know there are quite a few girls who play on Varsity teams and some who play on Midget teams in the Pennsylvania Amateur Hockey League; I am sure many of them felt as I did. Sometimes you feel that people watch you to see if you are really good enough to be playing Varsity or Midgets. Because of this, you feel that if you make a mistake it is viewed more critically. Of course, the reverse is true too. If you make a good play, I think people are more easily impressed than they would be if one of the boys on the team made the same play.

KP: What piece of advice would you give to girls who are just starting out in hockey?

TS: Hockey is an incredibly fun game. Girls sometimes think they will get hurt but with the amount of equipment you wear really provides a lot of protection. Work on your skills, especially your skating and shooting. Don’t be discouraged by the roughness and speed of hockey. As your skills advance these things, become less of an issue. Believe in yourself.  Work hard to the best you can be. The largest growth in USA hockey has been with females. There are all kinds of teams at varying levels. There are even older women taking up the sport because it is so much fun.

KP: What is a hockey dream of yours, and why?

TS: A hockey dream I have always had was to play college hockey. I never set my goal to be on the Olympic team but I always worked extremely hard and sacrificed a lot for my love of hockey. And now, my dream is coming true! I also dream that someday there will be so many girls playing hockey in this area that there will be Varsity girls’ teams, just as there are now in hockey hotbeds like Minnesota. That would be awesome!