From EHExtra.com

By Jody Korch

MENOMINEE — Aaron Maas isn’t sure just what he’s getting into but knows it’ll be an experience of a lifetime.

On Sept. 28, he’ll travel to Krasnoyark, Russia, to compete in the Student Hockey Challenge. Maas has been chosen to play forward for the 2018 Men’s Division III Select Team, comprised of 22 players representing 14 colleges and universities.

The Select Team will play against teams from the European University Hockey Association and the Russian Student Hockey League. They’ll play six games — one game a day — before flying back to New York on Oct. 7.

“Definitely excited,” said Maas, a 2016 Menominee High School graduate. “Never been overseas in Europe or Russia or anything.”

Although Maas will face a language barrier, he said that traveling with 20 to 30 other Americans will help.

“Kind of a once in a lifetime thing,” Maas said. “Definitely we’re going to compete and showcase the league that we’re all from.”

Maas plays for the Michigan Wolverine club hockey team, which plays in the 14-team Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference. There are more than 500 collegiate club hockey teams across the nation. Maas was among about 200 players from 10 club hockey conferences to be invited to a tryout in Philadelphia on April 12-15. From that tryout he was selected for the U.S. team to play in Russia. The tryout consisted of four games.

“I started out a little rusty because I hadn’t skated in about four weeks,” Maas said. “Once I got a game or two in I felt a lot more confident, got my game back.”

Michigan State University coach Don Headley is the head coach of the Select Team. He is assisted by Joe Mazzie, head coach at Farmingdale State College. 

Maas scored 171 goals and 84 assists for back-to-back M&M Thunder high school state title teams. After a year away from hockey, he joined the Wolverine club hockey team. This past winter, he scored a team-high 32 points in 30 games.

In about a month, the U.S. Select Team will head to Albany, N.Y., for several practices.

Krasnoyark is a city of about a million people in central Siberia and is known for scenic beauty.

“There will be time to sight see,” Maas said. “We only have one game a day so we’re definitely going to have time to relax.”

In the meantime, the 170-pound Maas is making his Wolverine club hockey coach happy by adding 20 pounds of muscle to his frame with weightlifting and dryland training.

Maas credits his parents (Mike and Brenda) and his high school hockey coach, John Mans, for cultivating his love of hockey.

“My dad (Mike), ever since I started playing hockey, said to always pursue your opportunities,” Aaron said. “John Mans was always pushing me, and he taught me probably the majority of what I know about hockey.”

(Originally published at http://ehextra.com/Content/SPORTS/Sports-Articles/Article/Maas-to-sample-Russian-hockey/14/37/48844)