Tomahawks Announce Roster

Press Release

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown Tomahawks General Manager Rick Boyd today announced the team's 26-man roster for its inaugural season in the North American Hockey League, including leading scorer Gage Christianson and 12 other players who skated for the franchise last season in Alaska as well as three others with ties to Pennsylvania.

Coach Jason Spence and the Tomahawks open the 2012-13 season with games Saturday (7:00 p.m.) and Sunday (2:00 p.m.) Sept. 8 and 9 in Port Huron, Mi. against the Port Huron Fighting Falcons. The Tomahawks then play four games in four days Sept. 12-15 at the NAHL Showcase Tournament in Blaine, Minn. before returning home to host the Michigan Warriors on Saturday, Sept. 29 (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 30 (1:00 p.m.).

"Our staff invested many hours pursuing talent to conduct the most competitive training camp possible, and given the skill, determination and commitment of those who attended camp, the ensuing roster decisions were very, very difficult,” said Boyd. “We believe the 26 players remaining with the team give us an excellent chance to make our first season in Johnstown a memorable one."

Spence agrees, saying, “We had to make a lot of very difficult decisions. But it’s a good thing when you have hard decisions to make because it speaks to how many talented players you have. We have a lot of leadership and players who truly believe in each other and in this team.”

Christianson scored 16 goals and had 53 points in 59 games last season, finishing among the NAHL's top 25 scorers and 14th in assists, to help Alaska to the Robertson Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Also returning this season are forwards Brandon Brossoit, Codey Hansen, Evan Hesse, Mitch Kontny, Cobi Smith-Mass, Jordan Watt, and Connor Wright. Returning defensemen include Kristaps Bazevics, Jeff Bergh, Jesse Kessler, and Casey Nelson. Goaltender Bodhi Engum also spent last season in Alaska.

Among the Tomahawks with ties to Pennsylvania are defenseman Cody Bentzel from Dauphin, forward Cody Boyd from Johnstown, and forward Bobby Tritschler from Lower Burrell.
Here is the complete Tomahawks roster:
FORWARDS

#	Name	Birth Place	Date of Birth	Height	Weight
7	Cody Boyd	Johnstown, PA	1/18/94	6-1	185
9	Evan Hesse	Monticello, MN	3/5/93	5-9	180
10	Cobi Smith-Mass	Anchorage, AK	8/19/92	6-2	190
11	Brandon Brossoit	Los Alamitos, CA	4/16/92	5-10	180
12	Codey Hansen	Anchorage, AK	2/14/92	6-1	185
14	Jaycob McCombs	Mt. Morris, MI	2/14/93	5-9	170
15	Payton Ruter	Spicer, MN	8/1/93	6-3	190
16	Connor Wright	Anchorage, AK	7/12/92	5-10	180
19	Jordan Watt	Orange, CA	6/24/93	5-10	172
20	JB Baker	Columbia, MD	1/16/95	6-0	181
21	Gage Christianson	Anchorage, AK	1/27/92	5-8	175
22	Bobby Tritschler	Lower Burrell, PA	6/15/93	5-11	185
26	Brandon Reinholz	St. Cloud, MN	2/16/93	6-1	180
28	Cody Gylling	Chandler, AZ	6/20/94	5-8	172
29	Mitch Kontny	Superior, WI	3/30/92	6-0	180

Defensemen

#	Name	Birth Place	Date of Birth	Height	Weight
2	Cody Bentzel	Dauphin, PA	6/22/93	6-3	225
4	Ian Spencer	Hawthorne, NJ	2/19/94	5-10	194
5	Kristaps Bazevics	Dauphin, PA	6/22/93	6-3	225
6	Nathan Morris	Arvada, CO	8/1/94	6-7	194
8	Casey Nelson	Wisconsin Rapids, WI	7/18/92	6-2	180
23	Jesse Kessler	Franklin, TN	6/21/93	5-10	195
24	Jeff Bergh	Hallock, MN	1/3/92	6-0	185
27	Jake Fairchild	St. Louis, MO	3/9/93	6-2	196

Goalies

#	Name	Birth Place	Date of Birth	Height	Weight
1	Matthew McLaughlin	West Bloomfield, MI	10/1/92	6-0	160
30	Chris Truehl	Stoughton, WI	10/27/93	6-3	185
35	Bodhi Engum	Burnsville, MN	6/11/93	5-9	175

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)