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Mikesch named 7th Gamblers head coach (Video)

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The Green Bay Gamblers didn’t have to look very long or far for their next head coach after DerekLalonde left to take the Toledo job in the East

Pat Mikesch

Pat Mikesch

Coast Hockey League last week.

After serving three seasons as associate head coach and director of player personnel under Derek Lalonde, Pat Mikesch has been named the new head coach of the Gamblers.

Mikesch spent the last ten years developing as an assistant, the last three in Green Bay and the previous seven as an assistant at his alma mater, Michigan Tech of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.  On the international level, Mikesch led the United States U-17 team to three straight gold medals at the Five Nations Cup (2011, 2012 & 2013).  In Mikesch’s three years behind the bench at the Five Nations Cup, the U.S. team was a perfect 15-0.

At Michigan Tech, Mikesch was a four-year member of the Huskies hockey team.  He helped them to three WCHA Final Fives in four years.  Mikesch is one of the most decorated players to ever adorn the Huskies jersey, as he [Read more…]

Lalonde leaving Gamblers for Toledo

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Green Bay Gamblers head coach and General Manager Derek Lalonde is leaving the team to become the head coach of the Toledo Walleye of the

Derek Lalonde

Derek Lalonde

East Coast Hockey League.  Toledo is a professional team affiliated with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

In three seasons in Green Bay, Lalonde compiled a 114-56-14 regular season record with the Gamblers making the playoffs all three seasons he coached the team, including winning both the Clark and Anderson Cups in his first season when he was named USHL coach of the year.  Lalonde was the team’s sixth head coach.

Gamblers President Brendan Bruss said, “The USHL is a developmental league not only for players, but coaches as well.  We wish him nothing but the best as he takes this next step in his career.”

The Gamblers will immediately begin the process to find a new head coach.

Gamblers LaLonde to head U.S. Junior Select Team

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Green Bay Gamblers head coach Derek Lalonde has been named head coach for the

Derek LaLonde

Derek LaLonde

U.S. Junior Select Team that will compete in the 2013 World Junior A Challenge next month in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

The World Junior A Challenge is a six-team international tournament featuring the United States, Czech Republic, Russia, Switzerland, and two teams from Canada.  The U.S. team is annually made up of USHL players and has dominated the tournament, winning it four of the last five years.

Lalonde is currently in his third season behind the bench for the Gamblers and already has the team off to a 3-1-2 start.  During his first season in the League, LaLonde led the Gamblers to a team record 47 wins on the way to capturing the Anderson Cup for best regular season finish.  The 98 points earned in the standings established a new USHL record.  LaLonde then guided the team to the Clark Cup title in the playoffs.

 

Gamblers Lalonde is USHL Coach of the Year

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The United States Hockey League named Derek Lalonde of the Green Bay

Derek Lalonde

Gamblers the USHL’s Coach of the Year.  The award is determined by a vote of league coaches and general managers.

Lalonde led the Gamblers to a historic regular season in route to the team’s fifth Anderson Cup title with a league-best 47-9-4 mark during the 2011-12 regular season setting USHL records in points (98) and road wins (25) along with Tier 1 records in wins (47), fewest losses (9), goals scored (250) and goal differential (+112).  Lalonde also set a league record for most wins (47) in a season by a first year head coach.  The record was previously held by former Gamblers head coach Eric Rud (2010-11/41 wins).

Lalonde led the Gamblers to the team’s third straight Clark Cup Finals.  The Gamblers captured the franchises’ 4th Clark Cup championship after a 5-2 win over the Waterloo Blackhawks in the fifth and decisive game.

Gamblers win 2nd Clark Cup in three seasons

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The Green Bay Gamblers are Clark Cup Champions for the second time in the

Gamblers hoist Clark Cup

last three years, knocking off the Waterloo Blackhawks 5-2 before 7,007 fans at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

The Gamblers captured their 4th Clark Cup overall, beating the Blackhawks in the Best-of-5 series 3 games to 2.

The Gamblers registered the best record in team history, going 47-9-4.  They never lost back-to-back games all season.

For Gamblers coach Derek Lalonde, it’s a championship in his first season at the helm.

AUDIO: Derek Lalonde on winning a title in his first season as coach :20

The Gamblers got goals from Alex Broadhurst, Sam Herr, Max Hartner, Noland LaPorte and Ville Jarvelainen.

Goaltender of the year, Ryan McKay earned the win in the pipes, earning 22 saves on 24 shots.  The Miami of Ohio recruit has 81 career wins, the most ever in the history of any Gamblers goaltender.  He finished 9-3 in the postseason.

 

Gamblers need to do it on the road

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No team has won on the road this season like the Green Bay Gamblers have.

Derek LaLonde

Their 25 regular seasons wins away from the Resch Center is a United States Hockey League (USHL) record.

The Gamblers blew out Youngstown in the first game of their best-of-5 series 7-1 on Saturday night, but Derek LaLonde’s team couldn’t follow that up on Sunday with another win. 

Green Bay outshot the Phantoms 43-24, but the Gamblers lost their home ice advantage with a 5-3 loss to Youngstown. 

Special teams hurt the Gamblers.  They were 0 for 3 on the power play and 0 for 3 on the penalty kill.

The series now shifts to Youngstown for games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The Gamblers will need to win 1 of the 2 games on the road to force a fifth and deciding game on Friday.  The Gamblers went 2-0-1 at Youngstown this season.

 

Gamblers post historic regular season

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The 2011-12 hockey season has been filled with records for the Green Bay

Derek LaLonde

Gamblers of the United States Hockey League.

The Gamblers (47-9-4) not only set the USHL Tier 1 record for wins (47), points (98), least amount of losses (9) and road wins (25) in a single season, they also set Tier 1 records for goals scored (250) and goal differential (+112).

The Gamblers also, for a third straight year, led the league in goals against allowing a league low 138. [Read more…]