Jan. 18, 2007
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Alaska hockey alumnus Ryan Lang, a forward who donned a Nanook jersey from 2000-2004 and is the current captain the East Coast Hockey League's Augusta Lynx, participated in the 2007 Rbk Hockey ECHL All-Star Game at the Idaho Steelhead's Qwest Arena Wednesday night in Boise, Idaho as a member of the American Conference roster.
The American Conference defeated the National Conference, which included two players from the Alaska Aces of Anchorage, 6-3. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound center registered one assist in the All-Star game and was also the second fastest skater in the RBK Hockey Fastest Skater skills competition.
Lang set up teammate Brad Schell of Gwinnett for the first goal of the game at 4:26 of the first frame, and was four one-thousandths shy of winning the fastest skater title with a time of 14.654. Joe Jensen of Wheeling and the American Conference won the race with a time of 14.650.
A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Lang was not an original selection to the American Conference squad, however last week the ECHL announced that Lang and three others were additions to the roster to replace injured teammates. Lang was inserted into the starting lineup for his conference because he had the next most votes.
Alaska head coach Tavis MacMillan, who recruited Lang to the Nanooks program from his juniors' team and was his assistant coach during his collegiate career, was excited for Lang and his professional accolades.
"Ryan's success is not surprising at all," said MacMillan. "He has worked very hard to make himself a better player. Ryan has a very professional approach to the life and the game of hockey. We, the Nanook Family, could not be more proud of his accomplishments"
In his third professional season and second with the Augusta, the 26-year-old Lang leads the Lynx and is fifth in the ECHL with 46 points in 35 games, while his team-leading 29 assists tie him for fifth in the league. He is one point shy of equaling his point total from a year ago when he had 18 goals and 29 assists in 69 games. Lang was pulled up for one game last year to play with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.
Prior to joining the Lynx, he played his rookie season with the Charlotte Checkers where he registered 13-18--31 in 69 games and 4-4-8 in 15 playoff games.
In his four-year career as a Nanook, Lang collected 28-39--67 in 139 career games, saving his best performance for last with 10-14-24 in 36 games his senior season.
He graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks after completing his collegiate eligibility in the spring of 2004 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education.
Coincidentally, Lang had played for another Nanook hockey alumnus prior to joining Alaska's program in 2000. One of the Nanooks current assistant coaches, Wade Klippenstein, mentored Lang when he played for the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.