Topeka Adds Trio Of Big Names Ahead Of Inaugural Season

Today the Topeka Scarecrows of the Federal Prospects Hockey League are proud to announce they have signed Goaltender Sammy Bernard, Forward Scott Coash and Forward TJ Sneath as the first goaltender and forward signings for the Scarecrows.

Bernard, a 31-year-old goaltender from Lafayette, CO, joins the Scarecrows after a season split as he began last season in Columbus with the River Dragons posting a 17-8-0 record with 3 shutouts, 2.83 goals against and a .917 save percentage before moving onto Baton Rouge where he helped propel the Zydeco to the postseason for the first time in Franchise history. Sammy's three shutouts had him tied for 3rd in the league. As a pro Bernard has found success wherever he has gone including a Finals run with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dogs.

"The old adage is Defense wins championships, and your last defense is the goalie. We built this team looking for a goaltender to be a leader. Sammy is a proven winner and when he was available, he was an easy choice. He's a building block for this franchise. I’m looking for great things from Sammy and look forward to him being a leader both on and off the ice." Coach Robbie Nichols said.

Sneath, a 30-year-old forward from Chino,CA, joins the Scarecrows after two seasons in Motor City with the Rockers. Despite only appearing in 70 games for the franchise, TJ posted an impressive 38 goals (3rd all time), 76 points and a 1.09 points per game (Both 5th all time). Sneath proved himself to be a consistent 19 goal scorer for his past two seasons and was a strong contributor to a Motor City playoff run two seasons ago. In six playoff games, TJ posted 8 points (5 goals,3 assists) to help Motor City reach the semifinals against Binghamton.

Nichols was asked about what Sneath brings to the team: “With TJ, I'm looking for him to be a leading forward for our squad. He's been around the league a couple of years, and we think he can bring solid leadership to our room. His play is consistent, and his talent and abilities will help the Scarecrows as we develop as a team."

Coash, a 28-year-old Forward from Plainfield,IL, joins Topeka after playing parts of four seasons in the FPHL. Having been a part of Danville, Motor City, and Monroe, Scott has been an offensive contributor throughout his pro career with his 171 points split almost evenly (82 g, 89 a), Coash has found ways to impact the game throughout the offensive zone. Aside from his success in the regular season, Scott has found his way to 4 points in 7 playoff games as well.

"Scott is an offensive leader. He's scored 40 goals in this league before, and we are expecting him to be an exciting player for fans to come cheer on here at the Stormont Vail Events Center. As someone who has not only found the back of the net but always found ways to contribute, we believe Scott can exemplify what we hope a Scarecrow will be going forward." Coach Nichols told media members.

Season Tickets and Group tickets (groups are 15+ tickets) are available now with Single Game Seats set to go live in the coming months. If you are interested in Season Tickets or Group Seats, please email FPHLTopeka@gmail.com or fill out the form on our website today. Home Opener against the Biloxi Breakers is October 17th and 18th here at the Stormont Vail Events Center at 7:05pm! #ProHockeyisBack