First-year Wing Kelly earns NAHL community service award, playoff series resumes tonight

Mason Kelly knows how to stay out of the penalty box, at least off the ice.

In his first year as a member of the Aberdeen Wings, he has been named the North American Hockey League Community Service Award winner.

Kelly, a Michigan native, participated in more than 75% of the roughly 300 community service hours members of the Wings have logged in the Aberdeen since the start of the season.

Team projects have included reading to students at local elementary schools, helping with gym classes, making care packages for senior citizens, playing floor hockey at the Aberdeen Family Y and skating with middle-school students. Oftentimes, schools and organizations reach out to the franchise to arrange player appearances.

Kelly who has been playing hockey since he was 5, sees it as payback for the support the community gives to the team.

“I thought it felt good, I thought it could bring attention to the team as well. It was quite awesome, to be honest with you,” Kelly said. “I just feel like (the community) supports us every Friday and Saturday night. It was kind of my way to give thanks back for coming to the games.”

Aberdeen has the top attendance in the NAHL Central Division, averaging 1,504 fans per game, just ahead of Minot. That's the seventh-best total in the league.

“Aberdeen has been great to me. That’s kind of why I want to repay it. They’ve been great, I want to be great right back,” Kelly said.

While he volunteered as often as he could, he said he missed a few opportunities because he works part-time a Dunham's.

While it’s a personal award, the importance of interacting with the community starts at the top of the organization, said Aberdeen coach Steve Jennings.

“It’s really important for us … This comes right from Mr. (Greg) Odde and our ownership group. I think our giving back to the community and the people who support us during the season is something we take a lot of pride in. And I think these guys are very fortunate to be playing in a town that supports the team, and these little opportunities to give back, they’re very meaningful,” Jennings said.

A young leader on the ice

Kelly played in 38 regular-season games, scoring two goals and notching two assists. And in five playoff games, he has two assists. His role has grown bigger recently as Wings star Cade Neilson left to play for Great Britain in the world championships.

Jennings said that among the first-year players, Kelly has become a leader in the locker room.

“He’s a kid that the boys have fun with him, they rally around him and they certainly have respect for him and what he does,” Jennings said.

Playoff series with St. Cloud tied 1-1, moves to Aberdeen

During Game 1 of the Central Division Finals against St. Cloud, the Wings used a three-goal second period to take and 4-3 lead into the final 20 minutes. That's when the Norsemen would answer with Broten Sabo scoring his third goal of the playoffs, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra stanza, Aberdeen's Kyle Gaffney came up big. Jackson Yee fought for the puck in the St. Cloud zone, and when he gathered it, he found Gaffney in front of the goal. Gaffney's backhander found the back of net to win the game.

“I think Friday night we saw a really good effort, guys sticking with it when it was a little challenging and finding a way to push through. I thought that was really important for us," Jennings said.

In Game 2 Saturday in St. Cloud, Kelly said the team was "trying to do a little too much instead of throwing (the puck) at the net and crashing."

More: St. Cloud Norsemen answer back in Game 2, tie series with Aberdeen

In the 6-2 loss, the Wings were held to fewer than 10 shots on goal in the first two periods and, on the game, they were outshot 36-26. It was the first playoff loss for Aberdeen, which swept Austin in the opening round.

“It’s playoff hockey, so making everyone work and do their job under pressure is very important. For us, we definitely want to get shots on net and make them have to defend and the other side to get to the middle of the ice a little bit more, and I kind of felt like we didn’t do a consistent enough job on that Saturday. So, we’ll get better in that area," Jennings said.

But, he said, the team did what it needed to, grabbing a road win and opening the possibility of ending the series in Aberdeen.

“When you go on the road first, you at least want to come home with a split. So, I think that was really good that we came home that way. I would’ve loved to have a different result on Saturday, but in terms of putting ourselves in a position to come home with some confidence, I think we did a good job with that,” Jennings said.

St. Cloud boasts the reigning NAHL Regular Season MVP, Ryan O’Neill. He leads the Norsemen with nine points in the playoffs. That's tied for fourth-best in the league.

Despite his success this season, Jennings said the Wings haven't keyed in on individual as the Norsemen have number of other options, including Sabo, who has seven playoff points, and Max Strand, who has six.

“I don’t think we’ve gotten to the point where we try to over-focus on a particular kid or a small group of kids," Jennings said. "I think there are certain guys we want to pay attention to and be aware (of) when they’re on the ice. But you know, I think hyper-focusing on one player or a couple of players often is a recipe for over-focus and then creating other issues where people (you) should also be paying attention to and aren’t" get opportunities, which can be problematic.

For the Wings, Ronan Walsh has led the way point-wise in the playoffs with six points, four of them goals. Owen DuBois, Jacob Bosse and Gaffney all have five points. Anthony Galante, Hugo Allais and Will Gilson each have four playoff points.

Puck drop tonight and Saturday is set for 7:15 p.m. at Odde Ice Center.

“I think we’re just excited to get home, and (I’m) really hoping that people will come out and support us like they have been all year. I think we’re really grateful for that … Get in front of our home crowd and we’re looking for their support to help push us through,” Jennings said.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Kelly wins NAHL Community Service Award, playoffs shirt to Aberdeen