Minot, ND – The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has named two Minotauros, Blake Lizotte and Casey Johnson to NAHL and Central Division All-Rookie Teams. Players are selected for the honor based on voting by the league’s head coaches. Only players that have no junior experience (at any level) or have played fewer than 10 NAHL games are eligible for consideration for All-Rookie honors.
Blake Lizotte was named to both the Central Division All Rookie team and the NAHL All-Rookie First Team. The 1997 birth year player was the youngest Tauro on the roster and was the only ’97 to finish in the top 25 in scoring in the NAHL with 14 goals and 38 assits.
Casey Johnson was named to both the Central Division All Rookie team and the NAHL All-Rookie Second Team. A 1996 birth year player Johnson finished the season with seven goals and 15 assists and a +9 rating.
Tauros Head Coach Marty Murray praised the duo; “both players have had outstanding years and have been a big part of our success. For first year players they have been very consistent and we have leaned on them all season.” Both Lizotte and Johnson represented the Tauros at the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, and both have continued to produce in the playoffs. Lizotte had three assists in the three game sweep of Bismarck while Johnson had two.
This is the second year in a row that the Tauros have had two players named to the NAHL All-Rookie Teams. Last season Jon Lizotte and Michael Louria were both named to the NAHL Second Team, this is the first year that the NAHL is announcing division teams. More hardware may be coming to Minot as the league will announce the remaining NAHL 2014-15 season awards over the next few weeks.
You can see Lizotte and Johnson in action this weekend as the Central Division Finals kick off in Austin. The Tauros have a block of tickets for the Riverside Arena for fans making the trip to Austin, to reserve one email contact@minotauroshockey.com. Fans who are not heading to Austin can come to the Maysa Arena on Friday and Saturday nights and watch the game with fellow Tauros fans at our road watch parties in the Trophy Room. Doors open at 6:30 both nights, and Maysa concessions and the Trophy Room Bar will both be open.