BY MIKE MASTOVICH
JOHNSTOWN — The Johnstown Chiefs will be without ECHL all-star Connor Shields tonight against the Kalamazoo Wings at Cambria County War Memorial Arena.
Shields was loaned to the American Hockey League’s Norfolk (Va.) Admirals for a game tonight in Wilkes-Barre.
With Shields out, the Chiefs signed three players on Tuesday: Forwards Jeff Martens and Tomas Klempa; and defenseman Jonathan Ralph.
“We expect it to be one game,” Chiefs General Manager Bill Bredin said of Shields’ call to the AHL. “But we’re thrilled that he’s going to get an opportunity to prove himself at the American League level. We think he’s earned that.”
In 32 games, Shields has
14 goals and 28 points for the Chiefs. He was the league’s rookie of the month in November.
Klempa, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound native of Prestany, Slovakia. He was scoreless in two games with Wheeling this season.
“Klempa was at camp with Wheeling. He ended up playing a couple games with Fort Wayne in the IHL,” Bredin said. “He was a teammate of (Chiefs foward) Bryan Marshall at (University of Nebraska-Omaha).
“He’s a smaller guy, but he’s highly skilled and very fast. He will increase our team speed.”
Klempa had three goals and five points in 24 IHL games with the Fort Wayne Komets this season. He had 42 goals in four college seasons.
The 5-11, 170-pound Ralph was scoreless in five games with Wheeling last season. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native had played two seasons at Bowling Green University and spent three years in the USHL.
“Ralph played at Bowling Green with (Chiefs defenseman) Russ Sinkewich and a couple games with Wheeling last year,” Bredin said. “He skates well and he’ll fill a void for us until we get healthy. He’ll have an opportunity to prove himself and potentially be here longer.”
Martens had eight goals and 19 points in 22 games with the Columbus Cottonmouths in the Southern Professional Hockey League. The 6-2, 217-pound left wing had a power-play goal and five power-play assists as well as a short-handed tally and three game-winners.
“He’s a bigger body,” Bredin said.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs second-year forward Mike Bartlett remained on loan to Lake Erie in the AHL.
Bartlett had 10 goals and
25 points in 30 ECHL games this season and already has a goal and an assist in his two games with Lake Erie.
“He played real well with Lake Erie,” Bredin said. “He’s a plus player. He has some points. He’s been a physical force. We know he’s capable of that.”
Bredin said the potential length of Bartlett’s stay is “day to day.”
Former Chiefs captain Randy Rowe was recalled by Lake Erie from the team’s new ECHL affiliate in Charlotte on Tuesday. Bredin said he wasn’t sure what impact that move will have on Bartlett.
