Lone Star Brahmas Look To Add Scoring Punch
By Kirk Estes
The Lone Star Brahmas have been struggling early this season to put the puck in the net. In 15 games played they have scored two goals or less nine times. Brahmas Captain AJ Duggan leads the team in goals scored with five in 14 games. However, despite their scoring woes, the Brahmas have been in most games. Eight of the Brahmas 11 losses have been by two goals or less.
Head Coach Dan Wildfong has made some tweaks to the system which has produced better results over the past few weeks. Lone Star is 3-3-0 in their last six games and the focus has now turned to the roster looking for increased scoring. In the past two weeks, four Forwards have been added to the Brahmas protected list. On the 19th the Brahmas added Kellen Wasell. This past week Conner Enciso, Sebastian Vidmar and Drew Gannon were added as well.
Three of the new Forwards have already seen ice time with Lone Star and produced immediate results. Both Enciso and Wasell have put the puck in the net while Gannon has added an assist. So far Vidmar has not played a game with the Brahmas.
Kellen Wasell
Photo Courtesy of NAHL.com
Wasell is a 5’ 10” – 170 pound native of Edmonds, WA. He brings 74 games of NAHL experience to the Brahmas having spent the 2011/12 season with the Kenai River Brown Bears. He played seven games with KenaiRiver last season before moving to the Dallas Ice Jets of the WSHL where in just 28 games he racked up 31 points on 10G-21A to go along with 42PIMs. Wasell broke camp with the Wichita Falls Wildcats this season and skated in seven games scoring 1G-3A before being released in early October. Since joining the Brahmas Wasell has played in three games with 1G-1A.
Conner Enciso
Photo Courtesy of NAHL.com
Enciso is aspeedy 5’ 11” – 161 pounder from Commerce Township, MI. After playing 10 games with Port Huron Enciso was released by the Falcons on October 17th. He had scored 1G-3A with the Falcons. Enciso was a team mate of Wasell last season with the Dallas Ice Jets where he played 44 games scoring 70 points on 29G-41A and was whistled for 38PIMs. Since joining the Brahmas Enciso has played in two games and has netted two goals.
Drew Gannon
Photo Courtesy of NAHL.com
Gannon is a local prospect hailing from Plano, TX. The 6’ 0” – 165 pound forward opened this season with the Odessa Jackalopes playing six games with 1G-1A. Gannon received his release from the Jackalopes early in October. During the 2012/13 season Gannon played in 40 games with the Dallas Stars U18 team. He registers 29 points on 16G-13A with just 16PIMs. In his only game to date with the Brahmas, Gannon got the chance to face the Jackalopes and was credited with an assist.
Sebastian Vidmar
Photo Courtesy of USHL.com
The Malmo, Sweden native began the season in the USHL, but played only three games with no scoring. He was the #54 overall pick of the Youngtown Phantoms in the 2013 USHL Draft. Vidmar will bring a lot of international experience to the Brahmas roster. Last season Vidmar played 45 games for the Malmo Red Hawks J20 Super Elite team putting in 26G-19A to go along with 111PIMs. Vidmar is 6’ 2” – 185 pounds.
Shane Joyce
Photo Courtesy of NAHL.com
The Brahmas also added Goalie Shane Joyce to the roster to replace Mattais Soderqvist who joined his college team and Sean Keating who was traded to another league. Joyce played last season with the Portland Jr Pirates of the EJHL where he finished with a 3.99GAA and .861SV% in 16 games. This season the 6’ 2” – 190 pounder from Pembroke, MA has been playing for the Texas Jr Brahmas of the WSHL, so Dan Wildfong was familiar with Joyce and his abilities. Joyce was 2-3-0 in six games with the Jr Brahmas this season. He will step into the backup role behind Jacob Nehama.
The Brahmas are off this weekend, but will resume their NAHL South Division schedule on Tuesday November, 5th opening a two game set at home against the division leading Amarillo Bulls. Tickets are still available for both games and can be purchased by calling the Lone Star Brahmas Sales Office at 817-336-4423 or at the NyTex Sports Centre Box Office.