Hockey roundup: Plymouth's Simms mic'd up at worlds; Walleye alive in ECHL final

Plymouth's Kirsten Simms of the U19 Little Caesars team was mic'd up for practice during Team USA's pre-camp in Blaine, Minnesota ahead of the 2022 women's world U18 hockey championship in Madison, Wisconsin.

One of only two players (Danielle Burgen) who were members of the 2020 gold medal-winning team at the U18 championship, Simms was voted an assistant captain and has four assists in two games for the U.S. (2-0) heading into Thursday's game against Canada (1-1) at 9 p.m. The game will be rebroadcast on the NHL Network on Friday at noon.

“This group has waited a long time to be able to play in this tournament and I’m excited to be able to lead this great group of people both on and off the ice," Simms told usahockey.com. 

"Getting the chance to wear a letter, and seeing some of the people that I played with two years ago who I looked up to then, and now being in the same position is something I don’t take for granted.”

Also on the U.S. team are Little Caesars teammates Elyssa Biedermann (Franklin) and Cassie Hall (South Lyon) as well as Oakland Grizzlies goalie Annelies Bergmann (Detroit).

Walleye alive in ECHL final

The Toledo Walleye, the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, beat the Florida Everblades 4-1 in Game 3 of the Kelly Cup final on Wednesday at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla.

Macomb's Brandon Hawkins had two goals and one assist, West Bloomfield's Butrus Ghafari and Howell's TJ Hensick added assists and goalie Billy Christopoulos stopped 32 shots for the Walleye, who lost the first two games at home.

The Everblades lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 on Friday in Florida.