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RETURNS TO ACTION 鈥� Haines Junction native Reid Campbell is back on skates with the Mississippi RiverKings of the Southern Professional Hockey League after suffering a concussion in a pre-season game with the Rapid City Rush. Photo courtesy of the MISSISSIPPI RIVERKINGS
Reid Campbell scored his first professional goal Saturday night, while his team was on the penalty kill.
Reid Campbell scored his first professional goal Saturday night, while his team was on the penalty kill.
The 25-year-old defenceman, a native of Haines Junction, has spent the last two months skating with the Mississippi RiverKings 鈥� a Southern Professional Hockey League team based out of Southaven, Miss.
A streaking Campbell took a pass from teammate Bryon Paulazzo, finishing off a shorthanded three-on-one by burying a shot from the circle.
The third-period goal gave the hosts a much-needed insurance goal en route to a 4-2 win over the Peoria Rivermen at the Landers Center.
In October, Campbell suffered a concussion in a preseason game with the Rapid City Rush of the East Coast Hockey League.
The injury ended the five-foot-10, 185-pound blueliner鈥檚 hopes with the Rush, but RiverKings head coach and director of hockey operations Derek Landmesser soon came calling, offering Campbell another chance.
Tipped off by his former teammate, A.J. Aiken, Landmesser reached out to Campbell and worked out a deal to sign him in mid-November.
Aiken originally recruited Campbell to St. Norbert, where he went on to win three national championships with the NCAA鈥圛II Green Knights.
鈥淩eid has been a pleasant person to have on the team,鈥� Landmesser told the Star today. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a key piece to our back end. He鈥檚 a heart-and-soul guy and brings that energy and intensity every night.鈥�
On Nov. 15, Campbell recorded an assist in his first professional game with the RiverKings, a 3-2 loss to the Knoxville Ice Bears. To date, the Yukoner has one goal and six assists in 28 games with Mississippi, alongside a +4 rating and 16 PIM.
Landmesser said the blueliner is a big part of the club鈥檚 penalty kill, and any offense is a welcome bonus.
鈥淗e鈥檒l do whatever it takes to keep that puck out of our net,鈥� the coach said. 鈥淗e鈥檇 be the first person to tell you that he鈥檚 a defence-first type of defenceman. But he鈥檚 got good skill. He could very easily have four or five goals.鈥�
The RiverKings are currently ranked fifth in the eight-team league with a record of 18-15-0-2.
Campbell could not be reached in time for publication.
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