KEARNEY, Neb. – Power play goal scored by Chris Wilkie. Assisted by Bobby Nardella.
Those words have been used by USHL public address announcers to describe a lot of Tri-City Storm goals this season.
Most Storm fans know Wilkie’s been at the top of the pile among the league’s goal scoring leaders for the majority of the season. After another strike on Saturday night, the Omaha native leads the USHL with 15 man-advantage tallies.
But while Wilkie has gotten the credit for putting the puck in the net, the Robin to his Batman has been defenseman Bobby Nardella. The blueliner leads the team with 29 assists, 19 of which have come with an opponent in the penalty box. In fact, Nardella has been credited with assists on 11 of Wilkie’s 15 power play goals.
“The power play runs off Bob,” says Wilkie. “When he’s moving the puck, that’s when we really click.”
Nardella has another description for why his point total is so high.
“With Chris Wilkie and the amount of goals he scores, whenever you give him the puck he has a chance,” Nardella said.
The duo’s most recent strike gave Nardella the team record for most assists and points by a defenseman in a single season; smashing a mark that was set back in 2003.
Raised in Rosemont, Ill., Nardella was acquired by the Storm in a trade with Sioux City at the end of last season after completing a full year with the Musketeers. From his first day on the ice with his new teammates, he never felt like the new guy.
“We had a good start,” Nardella said. “Everyone was working really hard in the beginning of the year. We had a good team and good chemistry so all the guys here made it pretty easy to transition.”
Wilkie said he knew the acquisition could make a difference this season.
“Coming in he was probably going to be our best defenseman,” Wilkie said. “He knew some of us already and I think that definitely helped him to be more comfortable.”
“He’s been one of our best players every night. He can control the pace of the game and that really helps our offense.”
The chemistry among the two and their success on the power play has made Tri-City one of the top threats in the league with the man-advantage all season. Most point to Head Coach Jim Hulton for the reason, but Nardella said Hulton let the players run with it.
“Coach put it on us as a unit to talk together and all be on the same page,” Nardella said. “He didn’t really tell us ‘do this’ or ‘do that’. He had the confidence in us to go out there and make the plays because he thinks we’re smart enough hockey players to do that ourselves.”
That confidence is something Nardella has grown into this season.
“When we made that trade last year, we were hoping Bobby would be that transitional, mobile defenseman that would be the quarterback on the power play,” Hulton said. “He certainly hasn’t disappointed. Almost right from the first day of camp he developed chemistry with Wilkie in particular.”
“I think this year my confidence is a lot higher than it was last year for me to make plays and create,” Nardella said. “I think it has been the main difference for me.”
As for giving a bunch of 18-year-olds that much control over his most effective special teams unit, Hulton said the players took ownership of it right from day one.
“They’re the eyes and the ears on the ice so they’re the best ones to make adjustments and figure out what’s going on,” Hulton said. “Maybe it’s an unorthodox approach, but I have that much trust and faith in the players and they’ve been terrific.”
Through the team’s 56 games, Nardella’s power play assist total is third-best in the USHL.
“We have a great unit,” Nardella said. “I think communication is key with the power play so we talk a lot. We’re pretty much on the same page and it has worked so far.”
Hulton is just happy to keep watching the puck go in the net and see numbers piling up in the win column.
“They have great complementary skills,” Hulton said of Wilkie and Nardella. “Chris is a pure shooter and a goal-scorer and Bobby is a pass-first guy. He’s great on the breakout, and he walks the blue line with poise and patience. You always have to have that one key ingredient to distribute the puck, and he’s been that right from day one.”
The Storm are back on the ice on Friday night in Sioux Falls, facing the Stampede at 7:05 p.m. They will then complete their home schedule the following evening against Cedar Rapids on Fan Appreciation Night at the Viaero Event Center at 7:05.
For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.
KEARNEY, Neb. – Zach Yon scored twice and the Fargo Force (24-26-6) used a three-goal second period to defeat the Tri-City Storm (34-15-6) 4-2 at the Viaero Event Center