skip navigation

TC Tourney Players To Watch

By Craig Peterson, 12/26/19, 11:30AM EST

Share

Event highlights holiday-shortened Dream Team of the Week

It’s not officially the second half of the season, as many teams around the state have yet to reach that 12-13 game plateau. However, Christmas time and holiday break always seems to mark the middle of the hockey calendar in my book and from here on out tends to feel like the back half of the slate.

While it may be a holiday-shortened week of games, we’ve got some fantastic matchups and a couple tournaments, so it should still be a jam-packed couple days of action. I know it’s only been a few days away from the rink, but with Christmas parties, a wealth of food and indulging, I’ve got to be careful avoiding any holiday hangovers with this week’s picks.

TOP PERFORMERS

WEEK 2

Austin Combs, Milford

6 G, 4 A

16 FPS

WEEK 1

Doug Wood, University Liggett

3 G, 8 A

14 FPS

WEEK 3

Mason Kelly, Forest Hills Central

4 G, 3 A

11 FPS

WEEK 2

Andrew Potyk, Lake Orion

4 G, 1 A

9 FPS

WEEK 3

Dylan Dooley, Detroit Catholic Central

3 G, 3 A

9 FPS

 

Big games and tournaments this weekend are always a challenge on the heels of holiday celebrations. Lots of teams jumping right into action with little or no prep time leading up to games immediately after Christmas. Could be some ugly games, could be some grind-it-out type games… Enough excuse making and delaying… Let’s get back after it!

Week Six

Monday, December 23rd - Sunday, Dec. 29th

FORWARD, Senior Alex Schaumburger, Salem

SCHEDULE: 12/26 vs. Saginaw Heritage, 12/27 vs. TBD, 12/28 vs. TBD

I’ve been keeping Schaumburger in my back pocket for the Dream Team of the Week, waiting for the most opportune moment to insert him into the lineup. This week is that week with three games at the Traverse City tournament. Schum is just making teammates around him better, dishing and distributing the puck to people in space and generating a ton of offense along the way. In eight games, the 5-foot-10 centerman has compiled three goals and 13 points helping the Rocks to a seven-game win streak. If that run is to survive a tough tournament weekend, Schaumburger will have to continue that tear and carry Salem’s streak in the New Year with a couple big performances.

 

FORWARD, Senior Nick Sommerfield, Traverse City Central

SCHEDULE: 12/26 vs. Toledo St. John’s (OH), 12/27 vs. TBD, 12/28 vs. TBD

Sommerfield has been a stud for the undefeated Trojans. On a team with seven skaters averaging a point per game, the senior forward is leading the charge with an impressive nine goals and 16 points through eight games. He’s riding a six-game goal streak, and the only Trojan with a point in every single outing this season. This year’s TC Tourney has some exceptionally talented squads, so Sommerfield could draw challenging matchups this weekend but I’m hoping he can carry some of that heat from the first half of the season out of the holiday break with him.

FORWARD, Junior Dean Loukus, Calumet

SCHEDULE: 12/27 @ Hancock, 12/28 @ TBD

Another forward I’ve been waiting on, as he can be lethal on any given week. Loukus has five goals and 16 points in eight games despite having a schedule that has been one of the tougher ones to begin this season. In 12 career games against Hancock in particular, the junior forward has seven goals and 20 points, including a goal and two assists earlier this year. Okay, apologies for the numbers overload there but Loukus has been tremendous, the Friday matchup bodes well and it almost doesn’t matter who the Copper Kings draw on Saturday, he’s a point-producing machine. 

 

DEFENSEMAN, Senior Dominic Rossi, Howell

SCHEDULE: 12/27 @ Alpena, 12/28 vs. TBD

The 6-foot-1 lefty has the potential to explode on the score sheet and really dictate the flow of the game when he’s on the ice. Rossi has seven goals and 13 points from the blue line and is second among Highlanders in scoring. My one concern is he can either boom or bust, with those 13 points coming in five games and zero points in the other four contests. Admittedly, that’s a bit unfair as he can impact the game without adding to the stat line. Given his matchup with Alpena, though, I’m confident Rossi can exploit the Wildcats as they’re susceptible to giving up goals in bunches. After that, I’ll be looking to see if he can post back-to-back big games Up North this weekend.

DEFENSEMAN, Senior Shane Romback, Macomb Dakota

SCHEDULE: 12/27 @ Stoney Creek, 12/28 @ Rochester United

When he gets on the score sheet, Dakota is undefeated (6-0-0). When he doesn’t, they’re not (0-2-0). Romback is a big lefty that can be extremely effective for the Cougars and engaged in all three phases of the game. Don’t be fooled by his opponents here either. Both Rochester programs may not have glowing records — Stoney Creek is 2-7-0 and RU is 1-7-0 —  but dang are they playing teams tough. Dakota will definitely want to stave off any indications of an upset this weekend, and to do so, Romback will have to be involved at both ends of the ice. 

GOALIE, Senior Jacob Winters, Saginaw Heritage

SCHEDULE: 12/26 @ Salem, 12/27 vs. TBD, 12/28 vs. TBD

The Hawks will double their number of games played at the TC Tournament this weekend. In three games to this point, Winter is 2-1-0 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .949 save percentage. Not a huge sample size, but with three more highly competitive games on the calendar this weekend, I anticipate the 6-foot goaltender to see plenty of action. With ample amount of practices early in the season, I’m confident coach J.J. Bamberger has got things pretty well buttoned up as far as defensive-zone responsibilities go. Winters, and Heritage, could be in line for a very successful Northern Michigan trip.

Who am I missing? Put some players on my radar HERE and tell me who I should be taking in the Dream Team of the Week.