Falcon Sports Archive

Nine members of the Falcons men's hockey team have been named to the 2003 All-WIAC team picked by the league coaches. Falcon Coach Steve Freeman was named the Coach of the Year.

Goalie Jacque Vezina (Sr., Hudson, Wis.), defenseman Adam Kragthorpe (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) and forwards Matt Elsen (Jr., Richfield, Minn.), Jamie Steinert (Jr., Maple Grove, Minn.) and Evan Stensrud (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) were all named to the first team. Forwards Josh Schlipp (So., Chisago City, Minn.) and Jim Murphy (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) and defensemen Mike Salmela (So., Duluth, Minn.) and Marc-Andre Lalande (So., Deux-Montagnes, Que.) were all given honorable mention.

Vezina, who was named to the first team in 2002 and 2001 and given honorable mention in 2000, has a 1.70 goals against average and a .932 saves percentage. He has a 9-4-1 record and has recorded three shuouts. Vezina set a school record for career shutouts with nine.

Kragthorpe, who was named to the first teamin 2002 and 2001 and given honorable mention in 2000, has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. He has scored three power-play goals. Elsen is tied for third on the team in points. He has 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points. He has scored six power-play goals and two game-winners. Steinert, who was given honorable mention to the team in 2002, is fifth on the team in points. He has 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. He has scored three power-play goals and one short-handed goal. Stensrud, who was given honorable mention to the 2001 team, is the team's leading scorer with 39 points. He has scored 12 goals and a team high 27 assists. He has three power-play goals and one game-winner.

Schlipp, who was named to the first team in 2002, is tied for third on the team with 30 points. He has a team high 16 goals and 14 assists. He has scored four power-play goals, one short-handed goal and one game-winner. Murphy, who was given honorable mention to the 2002 team, is second on the team with 33 points. He has scored 14 goals and 19 assists. He leads the team with eight power-play goals and five game-winners. Salmela is the top scoring defenseman for the Falcons. He has three goals and 17 assists for 20 points. He has one power-play goal and two game-winners. Lalande has scored four goals and has nine assists for 13 points. He has one power-play goal.

Freeman led the Falcons to a 22-4-1 overall record (as of Feb. 20). The Falcons placed second in the WIAC. Freeman was also named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1998.