Johnstown, PA – After sweeping this weekend’s three-game series with the Springfield Jr. Blues, the Johnstown Tomahawks today announced a trade with the Odessa Jackalopes to add more offense to the Tomahawks line-up.
Johnstown acquired forward Alex Alger and defenseman Lane Valimont in exchange for forward Zach Zech and defenseman Dakoda Menslage.
Alger, who is committed to Miami University of Ohio, has 22 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games this year, with 49 penalty minutes. A native of Livonia, Mich., Alger will have one year of junior eligibility remaining after this season.
Valimont, of Whitefish Bay, Wisc., has 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists) and 66 penalty minutes in 37 games this season. Valimont, 20, is in his final year of junior eligibility.
Zech had 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) and 65 penalty minutes in 33 games for Johnstown, while Menslage had added 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) and 101 penalty minutes with the Tomahawks.
Tomahawks general manager Rick Boyd said the move was made to add more offense to the Johnstown line-up as the team nears the NAHL trade deadline.
“We’ve had some inconsistency this season, so we felt it was time to bring in some fresh faces to provide more offense. This move is about helping us win now.”
Boyd said the new acquisitions are anxious to help Johnstown push towards the team’s third consecutive playoff berth.
“Both players are excited about the opportunity to come to Johnstown.”
The Tomahawks are now back in fourth place of the North Division, two points ahead of Springfield for the final playoff spot and just one point behind the Soo Eagles for third place. Boyd acknowledged that additional moves could be made to bolster the line-up as the Tomahawks near the roster deadline.
“We owe it to our fans to build off the momentum of the weekend and keep it going,” he said.
The Tomahawks return home to the Cambria County War Memorial for a three-game homestand Feb. 12-14. Individual game tickets starting at $9 for adults or $6 for kids under 12 are available at www.johnstowntomahawks.com. For additional information, call the team office at 814-536-4625.