Two Knights selected in USHL Draft

For the first time in program history, two Knights players were selected in the United States Hockey League Phase II Draft this past Tuesday. Forward Ben Strinden (Fargo, ND) was selected in the sixth round, 82nd overall by the Muskegon Lumberjacks, and defenseman Jakob Stender (Alexandria, MN) was selected in the 14th round, 209th overall by the Fargo Force. Both players have been with the Knights since the program’s inception in 2018.

Strinden is coming off a season that had him second in scoring for the Knights, with 26 goals and 37 assists for a total of 63 points. He missed four games on the year to finish with 53 games played, and only accounted for 14 penalty minutes. He was also named to the NAPHL All-Star Game in December, but missed the game due to injury. Tendered to Minot of the North American Hockey League, he appeared in one game this year for the Minotauros, registering one goal. Strinden is the overall leading scorer in program history.

Stender led all defensemen in scoring for the Knights this year, and fifth overall for the Knights. Appearing in 51 games this year, he posted 14 goals and 30 assists for 44 points. Stender was also named to NAPHL All-Star Game, appearing on the victorious Team HockeyWolf. He is tendered to the Aberdeen Wings in the NAHL, and appeared in two games for them this season. Stender leaves Northstar as the fourth leading scorer in program history, and highest scoring defenseman.

Congratulations to both players on being drafted!

by Misgood_@dmin

18 Knights Named to NAPHL Honor Roll

NAPHL (@NAPHL) | Twitter

The North American Prospects Hockey League released their postseason honors this week, and the Northstar Knights showed that their success in the classroom matches their success on the ice. 18 Knights were named to the NAPHL Honor Roll for meeting academic standards and being nominated by a coach or member team.
The Knights were represented by goaltenders Camdyn Barber and Collin Soderholm; defensemen Luke Anderson, Chad Cousineau, Jacob Napier, Auston Neubauer, Tyler Ryder Jakob Stender, and Bryce Swalve; and forwards Zach Barros, Clayton Brown, KJ Hjelm, Brody Lucas, Anthony Menghini, Ben Oakland, Truett Olson, Jens Richards, and Ben Strinden.
Ten of the players honored are seniors and off to college or juniors, while the remaining eight have the chance to repeat the honor again next season. Out of the 18, seven have tendered with NAHL teams for next year: Anderson (MN Wilderness), Lucas (Janesville), Oakland (Austin), Richards (Austin), Ryder (Chippewa), Stender (Aberdeen), and Strinden (Minot). Congratulations to the Knights and to all those honored!

by Misgood_@dmin

Northstar Knights Hockey to Host Jersey Auction to Support LifeRight Outreach

Rick Randazzo FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/4/20
Northstar Knights Hockey
443-404-1747
[email protected]

Northstar Knights Hockey to Host Jersey Auction to Support LifeRight Outreach

Fundraiser Featuring Limited Edition “Jesus Jerseys”

Alexandria, MN: The Northstar Knights Hockey program to host a fundraising Jersey Auction at
the Norstar Sports Complex on March 21, 2020, during the Knight’s last home game of the
season against Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 Prep team. All proceeds from the auction of these
Limited Edition jerseys go to support LifeRight Outreach of Alexandria, to help in their fight
against addiction, alcoholism, and homelessness in Alexandria and throughout the greater
Minnesota area.

 The Northstar Knights player jerseys to be auctioned are Limited Edition jerseys printed
with the iconic painting “Forgiven” by popular artist Thomas Blackshear.
 “The image captures our desperate need for a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior,” said
Knights Head Coach John Olver, who came up with the idea for the jerseys.
 Auction runs for 5 days, starting March 16, 2020, and is linked from the Knights website.
 LifeRight will be available at the game for anyone who wants more information.

NORTHSTAR CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Northstar Christian Academy’s mission is to train students to independently and critically think,
while providing the opportunity to embrace the Biblical worldview as true and as the
foundation for learning. NorthStar Christian Academy strives to develop athletes to become
fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, with a foundation built on spiritual development,
academic advancement, and athletic excellence on the hockey rink. The Northstar Knights train
and compete at The Northstar Sports Complex in Alexandria, Minnesota, which is a 70,000
square foot sports complex that opened in September of 2018.

ABOUT LIFERIGHT OUTREACH
LifeRight Outreach is a non-profit organization serving the needs of the local and surrounding
communities of Alexandria, Minnesota and throughout the greater Minnesota area. LifeRight
Outreach helps those who suffer from addiction, alcoholism, and homelessness. LifeRight’s
transitional housing ministry aims to help men rebuild their lives and families. The ultimate goal
is that these men transition back into society and become productive members of their
communities. LifeRight strives to bring hope to the broken, hurting, lonely, and searching
through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who transforms us from the inside out.

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights fall in Dixon Cup Championship

Knights fall in Dixon Cup Championship

The Northstar Knighs traveled to Troy, Michigan over the long weekend to compete for the NAPHL Dixon Cup Championship. After going undefeated through the semifinals, the Knights fell to Meijer AAA in the final game.
Friday morning's first game had the Knights against the Des Moines Buccaneers, who they remained undefeated against all season. They continued that trend with a 3-1 win, led by Talon Sigurdson's two goals scored five minutes apart int he first period. Ben Strinden would score in the second for insurance before a Des Moines goal in the third to make it 3-1. Strinden would add an assist, and Camdyn Barber stood tall in net with 10 saves on 11 shots for their first win of pool play.
Friday afternoon would again pit Northstar against a familiar opponent in the Everett Silvertips. The Knights tacked two goals on in the first ten minutes courtesy of Jacob Napier and Kade Peterson, but Everett would cut the lead to one seconds after Peterson's goal. However, the Knights came roaring out of the gates in the second with five goals. Talon Sigurdson would score two of his three in the second, Brody Lucas added two, and Nate Albers posted one. Ben Oakland, Sigurdson, and Menghini would score in the third for a 10-1 final. Zach Barros and Jens Richards would finish with three assists each on the day, and Collin Soderholm posted the win in net for the Knights.
Saturday's final pool play game had the Knights facing off against the New Jersey Jr. Titans, a team they had never faced before. The Titans would strike first two and a half minutes into the first period, but the Knights' Truett Olson would score late in the second to knot the game at one. A scoreless third led to a three on three overtime period, and it was Anthony Menghini who would be the hero and score thirteen seconds into the extra frame for a Knights win. Camdyn Barber would stop 15 of 16 shots to help carry the Knights to the quarterfinals.
Sunday morning began the elimination round of the Dixon Cup, and Northstar faced off against the Sioux Falls Power, who they had previously beaten in all games against them this year. That would continue to be the case as the Knights cruised to a 5-2 win behind Collin Soderholm's 14 saves on 16 shots. Jakob Stender and Anthony Menghini would each score twice, once in the first and once in the second, and Nate Cox tallied a goal in the third for insurance. Stender would also add an assist in the affair.
The semifinals had the Knights against another unfamiliar opponent in the Esmark Stars. Northstar would open the scoring on Ben Oakland's first period goal, However, Esmark would score twice to have the Knights trail entering the second period. Zach Barros would tie the game early, before Esmark answered back a minute later to agian go up one. The Stars would score once more in the frame to make it 4-2, but Luke Anderson scored in the latter half of the period to make it a 4-3 game. The Knights would come out and score three times in the third to register the comeback victory, with Talon Sigurdson, Anderson, and Ben Strinden scoring. Strinden would add two assist, Barros an assist as well, and Camdyn Barber stopped 16 of 20 shots in the victory.
Monday's final against Meijer was almost two months to the day that the two teams had last met, and unfortunately the score would yield the same. Meijer would score midway through the game to go up 1-0, and agian on an empty net to seal the 2-0 victory. Camdyn Barber stopped 13 of 15 shots in the loss.
The Knights stayed in The Mitten State for the week, and will play two more games before hitting the road home. They will play Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 pm eastern against Fox Motors at Southside Ice Arena in Grand Rapids, MI, and again at 5 pm eastern Friday at Culver Academy in Culver, IN against their prep team.

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights Announce Schedule Change for March 20-21 Weekend

The Northstar Knights would like to announce a schedule change for their final weekend series of the 2019-20 season.

 

WAS: 

March 20, 7:00 p.m. vs. Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 AAA  - Faribault, MN

March 21, 7:00 p.m. vs. Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 AAA - Alexandria, MN

 

REVISED:

March 20, 7:00 p.m. vs. Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 AAA - Alexandria, MN

March 21, 4:30 p.m. vs. Shattuck St. Mary’s PREP - Faribault, MN

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights jump to top-ten ranking for first time in team history

In the latest MyHockey Rankings for the week of Jan.15, the Northstar Knights have secured the position as the #10 U18 Tier I AAA team in the United States. This is the first time in program history that the Knights have cracked the top ten. 

The Knights have built off the rapid success of their inaugural season with a fantastic start to the 2019-2020 campaign. Northstar started the season with a sizzling 25-0 record, and currently sit at 34-3. Notable wins include a 6-1 win over RINK Hockey Academy from Winnipeg, MB (#18 AAA team in Canada), and a 2-1 overtime win against then-ranked #10 St. Louis AAA Blues (currently #13 U18 Tier I).

The Knights will be heading down to Blaine this weekend for NAPHL Showcase in Blaine. Saturday's game against Shattuck St Mary's AAA will be at 7 p.m., Sunday's games against Arizona and Colorado Springs will be at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Monday's final game against Florida will be at 8:15 a.m. All games will be played at the Schwan Super Rink. 

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights Sweep CarShield to kick off 2020

The Northstar Knights started the second half of the season the same way they started the first half, a sweep over CarShield AAA. The Knights traveled to St. Louis to secure a 5-1 and 5-2 win.

Saturday afternoon's game got off to a rough but solid start, as the Knights were tasked with killing a five minute penalty early in the game. Northstar was successful on the kill, which eventually led to KJ Hjelm's goal halfway through the first period. The lead was extended to 2-0 after Ben Strinden found Anthony Menghini on a shorthanded breakaway chance to close out the first. Kade Peterson and Menghini would score minutes apart in the second for a 4-0 lead, but CarShield would score shortly thereafter to make it 4-1. Jens Richards would finish out the scoring on the day with a powerplay goal at the end of the second for a 5-1 Knights victory. Strinden would finish with two assists on the day, and Peterson added an assit to go with his goal. Collin Soderholm played solid in net with 27 saves on 28 shots to secure the win.
Sunday's second game had the Knights down late in the first, but an Anthony Menghini powerplay goal with 30 seconds to go in the period tied it up heading into the second. CarShield would again go up one on a shorthanded goal, but Jakob Stender would score late in the second to tie the score back up. The third period would be all Knights, as Ben Oakland, Truett Olson, and Zach Barros would score for a 5-2 win. Stender would add an assist with his goal, Barros added two assists, and Bryce Swalve would grab an assist as well.
The Knights are back in action this weekend for the NAPHL Showcase in Blaine. Saturday's game against Shattuck St Mary's AAA will be at 7 p.m., Sunday's games against Colorado Springs and Arizona will be at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Monday's final game against Florida will be at 8:15 a.m. All game s will be played at the Schwan Super Rink.

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights to add U15/U16 high school team for 2020-21 season

Northstar Christian Academy has officially announced that they will be fielding a U15/U16 high school team for the upcoming 2020-2021 season. With the rapid success of their now two year old prep team, the Knights are looking forward to building that same success at the 15/16 level. 

“The Knights are super excited to be able to offer U15 and U16 players and families from around the country the opportunity to be a part of our program next year,” said Northstar Hockey Director Rick Randazzo. “Our unique mix of spiritual development, academic advancement and athletic excellence is something that has been extremely successful with our prep team and we look forward to the increased impact we will have by adding a second team next season.”

The team will play a mix of high school and academy teams, as well as join the prep team in the  North American Prospects Hockey League. They will compete in 65-70 games in a schedule that will feature top academies from both the United States and Canada, as well as some of the top U16 AAA teams. 

Similar to the prep team, the U15/U16 team will feature a daily schedule that provides two to three hours of ice a day between team practice and individual skill development. Although a coach has not been announced yet, Prep Head Coach John Olver and Assistant Coach/Skill Director Tim Jackman will play an instrumental role in the formation of the new program. 

Northstar Christian Academy is a faith based hockey academy fully devoted to the foundational pillars of spiritual development, academic excellence, and athletic achievement. Here at Northstar, we believe that before a player can reach his full hockey potential, he first must become the very best man that he is capable of being. The Knights currently play a mix of academy teams, as well  in the North American Prospects Hockey League High Performance Division, and are currently the #2 ranked independent prep team in the United States. 

 

by Misgood_@dmin

Knights sweep Power going into break

The Northstar Knights started off their Thanksgiving break on a high note with two wins over the Sioux Falls Power. Saturday's game yielded a score of 3-1, as did Sunday's game.
The first game of the series was scoreless all throughout the first period, but Chad Cousineau scored his first of the year off a KJ Hjelm feed to open the scoring five minutes into the second. Sioux Falls would tie the game on the power play nine minutes later, and the teams stayed tied heading into the third. Ben Strinden led the Knights charge to victory with two goals in four minutes, including a shorthanded goal for insurance for a 3-1 final. Anthony Menghini, Talon Sigurdson, and Luke Anderson registered assists. Colin Soderholm kept the Knights in the game early, but it was Chris Brown comin in relief after a Soderholm injury to claim the victory for the Knights. the two stopped 14 of 15 shots on the night.
Sunday's game had the Knights off to a fast start. After a disallowed goal a minute in, Tyler Ryder got the Knights on the board off a Maks Bure assist two minutes later. Kade Peterson would score his first of two on the day midway through the second, before scoring again two minutes into the third. Sioux Falls scored to put the Knights' lead at two, but Camdyn Barber stood strong in net and got the victory, 3-1. Jacob Napier and Talon Sigurdson had assists, and Bure finished with two assists. Barber stopped 22 of 23 shots in the win, and played outstanding during a five minute powerplay for Sioux Falls.
The Knights will be back in action at home on December 7 and 8 against the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals. Saturday's game will be at 7 p.m., and Sunday's game at 12 pm.

by Misgood_@dmin

The Junior Hockey Podcast: A Leap of Faith Led to Top-Level Hockey Program

Northstar Christian Academy Hockey Director Rick Randazzo was recently featured in an article for The Junior Hockey Podcast, "A Leap of Faith Led to Top-Level Hockey Program." Randazzo talks about the formation of FCA Hockey, the 50 States 50 Cities Tour, and the idea and creation of NCA.

Check it out here:

https://www.tjhpodcast.com/a-leap-of-faith-led-to-top-level-hockey-program/

by Misgood_@dmin