After a pair of wins over the Kenai River Browns Bears to close out September, the North Iowa Outlaws continued their dominance over Alaskan foes with two victories over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs last weekend.
 
“It’s been huge for us to get off to a good start and not have to battle from the bottom of the pack,” said Outlaws coach Dave Boitz, whose team sits atop the NAHL‚s Central Division with a 6-1-1 record. “It also builds excitement in the community, which is nice to see.”
 
On Friday, four different players scored as the Outlaws skated to a 4-1 win over Fairbanks.  Max Mobley (game-winner), Shea Walters and Krystian Dziubinski each tallied a goal and an assist for North Iowa, while goaltender Robby Moss turned aside 17 shots.
 
The next night, Moss‚ 31-save performance helped lift the Outlaws to a 2-1 win.  Kyle Politz scored the game-winning goal, with Walters adding the other North Iowa marker.
 
“We been playing great defense, extremely tough,” said Boitz, whose team has surrendered only 13 goals in its first eight games. “Our goaltending has been great, but our defense is the key.”
 
Moss has been nothing short of exceptional.  The St. Louis native, who turns 20 next week, holds a 5-0-1 record on the young season to compliment a sterling 1.31 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage.
 
“Robby was a little shaky in his first outing (a 4-3 shootout loss to Marquette at the NAHL Showcase in which Moss allowed three goals on 18 shots), but he’s been solid in every game he's played since.
 
“Last year at this time, we didn‚t know who our goalie would be, but this season Robby has been stellar and we don't have to worry at all.”
 
The Outlaws boast an experienced bunch in front of Moss, with eight of their top 10 scorers having already played a full season of junior hockey.
 
“Our vets have stepped up huge and have played terrific and very unselfish,” said Boitz. “They’re sharing in the scoring and are very much focusing on the team’s success this season as well as leading our younger guys.”
 
Leading the offensive charge is Walters.  The 20-year-old Bemidji State recruit played last season with Green Bay of the USHL and has five goals for 12 points in his first eight games with North Iowa.
 
“Shea has been great.  He‚s scoring and he‚s been great defensively,” said Boitz. “He's a great leader and works hard in practice.  He's a very mature player and a mature person and just a great kid to coach.”
 
Of the newcomers, goaltender Austin Maginnis, from Mason City, Iowa, has played well in his two starts, posting a 1-1 record along with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage, while forwards Politz, Alex Carlson and Jack Paul have also impressed early on.
 
“They‚ve all been good upfront working hard to make an impact,” said Boitz.
 
Defensively, AJ Knapp and Beau Braun have been logging their fair share of minutes effectively.
 
“They‚re doing a good job back there,” Boitz noted.
 
After two more home games this weekend against Springfield, the Outlaws will finally be tested outside North Iowa Ice Arena, as five of their next six games leading up to Thanksgiving will be contested on the road.
 
“We know we have skill upfront and our offense will continue to produce,” said Boitz.  “We just need to continue to play good defense and get good goaltending.”
 
STANDINGS/LEADERS
North Division
TEAM  GP W-L-OTL   PTS PCT GF GA
USNTDP  11 7-3-1   15 .682 42 27
St. Louis  8 7-1-0   14 .875 37 20
Traverse City 9 5-1-3   13 .722 31 24
Marquette 9 5-4-0   10 .556 32 32
Mahoning Valley 8 5-3-0   10 .625 25 27
Alpena  9 4-4-1   9 .500 32 33
 
South Division     
TEAM  GP W-L-OTL   PTS PCT GF GA
North Iowa 8 6-1-1   13 .813 27 13
Springfield 8 5-2-1   11 .688 34 24
Fargo-Moorhead 8 5-2-1   11 .688 33 23
So. Minnesota 8 3-3-2   8 .500 24 27
Bismarck  8 2-5-1   5 .313 15 35
Alexandria 6 1-5-0   2 .167 14 25
 
Central Division      TEAM  GP W-L-OTL   PTS PCT GF GA
Wichita Falls 8 6-1-1   13 .813 30 17
Fairbanks  10 6-4-0   12 .600 28 25
Topeka  8 4-3-1   9 .563 21 20
Texas  8 3-5-0   6 .375 23 25
Alaska  9 2-6-1   5 .278 19 43
Kenai River 11 1-9-1   3 .136 24 51
 
LEADING SCORERS
PLAYER  TEAM P GP G A PTS
Cardwell, Adam WIC F 8 6 10 16
Peterson, Erik ALP F 9 4 10 14
Everett, Grant WIC F 8 3 11 14
Jendras, Corey TPK F 8 8 5 13
Graham, Derek MVY F 8 4 9 13
McCabe, Andrew FBX F 10 2 11 13
Salazar, Luke WIC F 8 6 6 12
Walters, Shea NIO F 8 5 7 12
(five players tied with 11)
 
LEADING GOALTENDERS
PLAYER  TEAM GPI MINS W-L-OTL   GAA SPCT
Maricic, Nick USA 3 178:47 2-1-0   0.67 .975
Moss, Robby NIO 6 366:52 5-0-1   1.31 .948
Jarboe, Mike WIC 7 423:56 5-1-1   1.70 .941
Callaghan, Thomas TXS 5 300 3-2-0   2.20 .929
Johnson, Mike STL 4 240 4-0-0   2.25 .910
 
GOALS
PLAYER  TEAM P GP G
Jendras, Corey TPK F 8 8
(seven players tied with 6)
 
ASSISTS
PLAYER  TEAM POS GP A
Everett, Grant WIC F 8 11
McCabe, Andrew FBX F 10 11
(two players tied with 10)
 
PLUS/MINUS
(four players tied at +9)
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
St. Louis forward Mike Leone struck for a goal and four assists last weekend as the Bandits celebrated two wins over Texas.  On Friday, the 19-year-old recorded an assist as St. Louis blanked the Tornado, 4-0.  The next night, the Dearborn Heights, Mich., native notched a goal and three assists in a 5-2 victory.  He was also a plus-3 for the weekend.
 
“Mike is a veteran in this league and he played like it last weekend, leading us to two wins against a very tough Texas team,” said Bandits coach-GM Jon Cooper.
 
HONORABLE MENTION: Alpena forward Erik Peterson; Mahoning Valley forward Alden Hirschfeld; St. Louis goaltender Cal Heeter
 
SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Wichita Falls goaltender Mike Jarboe backstopped the Wildcats to a pair of wins over Topeka last weekend, turning aside 70 of 73 shots.  On Friday, the 19-year-old made 33 saves in a 2-1 win over the RoadRunners.  The next night, the Grosse Point Park, Mich., native stopped 37 shots as the Wildcats skated to a 4-2 victory.
 
“Mike has been playing very consistent all season,” said Wildcats coach John Bowkus. “He gives us a chance to win every time he plays.”
 
HONORABLE MENTION: Kenai River forward Jeffrey Harris
 
CENTRAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
North Iowa goaltender Robby Moss stopped 48 of 50 shots last weekend as the Outlaws skated to a pair of wins over Fairbanks.  On Friday, the 19-year-old made 17 saves in a 4-1 triumph.  The next night, the St. Louis native turned aside 31 shots as North Iowa downed the Ice Dogs, 2-1.
 
“Robby is a terrific goaltender and has played a huge role in our team’s early-season success,” said Outlaws coach Dave Boitz.
 
HONORABLE MENTION: Fargo-Moorhead forward Mike Schumacher and defenseman Mark Johnson
 
LAST WEEK‚S SCORES/HIGHLIGHTS
Friday, October 5
Marquette 3 @ Alpena 2 (MAR: Jean, G, GWG, +2)
Kenai River 1 @ Bismarck 2 (BIS: Aide, 2A, +2)
Springfield 2 @ Fargo-Moorhead 5 (FM: Harrison, GWG, 2A, +3)
Fairbanks 1 @ North Iowa 4 (NI: Mobley, GWG, A, +2)
Texas 0 @ St. Louis 4 (STL: Heeter, 33 saves)
Traverse City 3 @ USNTDP 6 (USA: Morin-Ryan, G, A, +1)
Topeka 1 @ Wichita Falls 2 (WF: Jarboe, 33 saves)
 
Saturday, October 6
Mahoning Valley 2 @ Alpena 3 (ALP: Degrazia, 3A)
Kenai River 3 @ Bismarck 4 (SO) (BIS: Curry, G, SOG)
Springfield 5 @ Fargo-Moor. 4 (SO) (SPR: Rowe, G, SOG, 2A, +1)
Fairbanks 1 @ North Iowa 2 (NI: Moss, 31 saves)
Alaska 3 @ Southern Minnesota 2 (ALK: Anger, G, A, +1)
Texas 2 @ St. Louis 5 (STL: Leone, G, 3A, +2)
Marquette 1 @ Traverse City 4 (TC: Urbaniak, G, 2A, +1)
Topeka 2 @ Wichita Falls 4 (WF: Everett, G, A, +2)
 
Sunday, October 7
Mahoning Valley 6 @ Alpena 4 (MV: Snead, G, GWG, +2)
Alaska 2 @ Southern Minnesota 4 (SM: Inderieden, 2G)
Marquette 4 @ Traverse City 6 (TC: Thompson, 2G)
 
AROUND THE NAHL
CONNOLLY TO BOSTON UNIVERSITY: Former Fargo-Moorhead forward Chris Connolly, 20, has verbally committed to Boston University (Hockey East) for the 2008-09 season.  The Duluth, Minn., native played two seasons for the Jets from 2005-07.
 
HIRSCHFELD HEALTHY: After missing the first six games of the season due to injury, second-year Mahoning Valley forward Alden Hirschfeld, 19, returned to the lineup last weekend and contributed two goals and two assists in a two-game split with Alpena. “Hirsch is obviously a big part of the team and we missed him a lot,” Phantoms coach-GM Bob Mainhardt said.
 
ON THE MARK: Fargo-Moorhead defenseman Mark Johnson, 19, scored his third goal of the season in the Jets‚ 5-4 shootout loss to Springfield on Saturday. “Even though we‚re not looking for our defenders to score a ton, he‚s definitely helped,” said Jets coach Chad Johnson.
 
HEET WAVE: St. Louis goaltender Cal Heeter, 19, picked up his second career NAHL shutout on Friday, making all 33 saves in the Bandits‚ 4-0 whitewash of Texas.  Heeter recorded his first shutout last season with Wichita Falls.
 
MILES BRINGS SMILES: Traverse City goaltender Miles Williams, 20, backtopped the North Stars to a pair of wins over Marquette last weekend, turning aside 49 of 54 shots.  The Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., native is 4-0-1 on the season.
 
BOBCATS BREAK THROUGH: After starting the season 0-5-1, Bismarck picked up its first two wins of the year last weekend over Kenai River.
 
SEEING DOUBLE: Kenai River twins Jeffrey and Kevin Harris, 19, of Simi Valley, Calif., combined for two goals in three assists last weekend as the Brown Bears went 0-1-1 against Bismarck.
 
ZEBRA ON THE MOVE: The Central Hockey League has hired NAHL linesman Brock Geris, 27, for the 2007-08 season.
 
THE WEEK AHEAD
Tuesday, October 9
Springfield @ St. Louis, 10:35 am
 
Friday, October 12
Alaska @ Alexandria, 7:00 pm
Traverse City @ Alpena, 7:00 pm
Wichita Falls @ Fairbanks, 7:30 pm
Fargo-Moorhead @ Marquette, 7:30 pm
Bismarck @ Southern Minnesota, 7:00 pm
St. Louis @ Springfield, 7:30 pm
Texas @ Topeka, 7:05 pm
Mahoning Valley @ USNTDP, 7:30 pm
 
Saturday, October 13
Alaska @ Alexandria, 7:00 pm
Wichita Falls @ Fairbanks, 7:30 pm
Fargo-Moorhead @ Marquette, 7:30 pm
Bismarck @ Southern Minnesota, 7:00 pm
Springfield @ St. Louis, 7:15 pm
Texas @ Topeka, 7:05 pm
Alpena @ Traverse City, 7:05 pm
Mahoning Valley @ USNTDP, 7:00 pm
(all times local)