Feature Story

USA Hockey honors Fargo coach, goalie

 

By Brian Werger

 

The Fargo Force completed a rollercoaster first season in the USHL that culminated with a trip to the Clark Cup Finals. The club succeeded in the face of adversity and two members of that team are reaping the rewards of that perseverance as they have earned recognition from USA Hockey. Dean Blais was recently named as the head coach for the 2010 U.S. Junior National Team and goaltender Mike Lee was selected as the Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year.

Team USA will compete in the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship which is scheduled for December 26, 2009 through January 5, 2010 in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan. Dean Blais will lead the group of U-20 players at the event, marking the fourth time he has been behind the bench for that team.

“I am honored and excited to be the head coach of this team,” stated Blais. “It will be my fourth appearance with the U.S. National Junior Team and I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be a different experience this time. Fifteen years ago, the U.S. Team was finishing seventh or eighth in the world, but now they consistently compete for a medal, which is a testament to the improvement of USA Hockey.”

Blais, a native of International Falls, Minn., is no stranger to international competition, having served as both a player for the U.S. National Team in 1973 and as head coach for the U.S. National Junior Team in 1994 after stints as assistant coach in 1988 and 1989. He was scheduled to coach the 2005 U.S. squad, but resigned to take the position of associate head coach for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Blais also served as assistant coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and was an assistant for Team USA at the 2000 IIHF World Championship.

This season, Blais was selected as the USHL Coach of the Year in his first USHL stint, leading the expansion Fargo Force to a 32-23-5 regular season record and a trip to the Clark Cup Finals. Fargo, the youngest team in the USHL this past season, played through some adversity under Blais’ guidance – the club played its first eight games on the road while awaiting the completion of Fargo’s new Urban Plains Center, and won just three of their first 11 contests – but finished strong, entering the Clark Cup playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the League with a 15-4-3 record over the final 22 games of the regular season. Fargo then swept its first two playoff rounds and became just the second expansion club to reach the Clark Cup Finals in its first season of play, ultimately falling to the Indiana Ice, three games to one, in the best-of-five Finals.

Prior to the USHL, Blais was the head coach for the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team for 10 seasons (1994-04). He was twice named the National Coach of the Year and led the Fighting Sioux to the NCAA Championship in 1997 and 2000. He left the program with an overall record of 262-115-33. Before his post as head coach at UND, Blais was the head coach at Roseau High School. He led the school to a pair of state tournament appearances, winning the state title in 1991.

Another Roseau product, Mike Lee, played in Fargo this season and has benefited from Blais’ renowned talent for developing elite hockey players. Lee was selected as the USHL Goaltender of the Year and completed his first season in the league by earning a spot on the USHL All-Rookie Team. He posted a 26-15-4 record during the 2008-09 regular season with a 2.40 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .918 save percentage (SV%). His win total, save percentage, and minutes played (2,745) ranked second among USHL goaltenders. Lee’s three shutouts this season tied for second in the league, with all three coming during a spectacular 15-game span in goal from Jan. 31-March 28, when he registered a 12-1-2 record, 1.68 GAA, and .943 SV%.

In November, Lee helped the U.S. Junior Select Team capture a tournament title at the 2008 World Junior A Challenge while also being named to the All-Tournament Team after recording a perfect 4-0-0 record and a 2.00 GAA. NHL Central Scouting ranks him fourth among North American goaltenders leading into the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Lee also plans to continue his hockey career in his home state with a commitment to play collegiately at St. Cloud State University.

Lee was presented the Dave Peterson Goalie of Year Award during the USA Hockey Annual Congress in Colorado Springs, Colo. Presenting him the award was USHL Commissioner Skip Prince. 

“Congratulations to a strong goaltending talent and a great young man,” said Prince. “Mike took his game to a new level this season, and no one in U.S. hockey did it better.”

The USHL is celebrated its 30th season of junior hockey in 2008-09. With over 175 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools and 16 NHL Draft picks that played in the league this season, the USHL is the nation’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent.  For more information, visit us on the web at www.ushl.com.

 

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