A rare Friday without a Lincoln Stars hockey game allowed a group of players to attend Nebraska’s football game against Colorado last week.

Forward Kirt Hill was there, standing in the student section, and having a great time. Hill grew up watching his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers play in the Canadian Football League.

Canadian and American football has its differences, though, including the size of the field, number of players on the field at one time and where the goalposts are located.

The difference between playing hockey in Canada and the United States, however, isn’t as great as one might imagine, Hill said. And thankfully for Lincoln, Hill has adjusted to the United States Hockey League quite nicely. Hill leads the division-leading Stars in goals (eight) and assists (16), and is third overall in scoring in the 12-team league.

His arrival just before the regular season helped fill several voids, including adding to a young group of forwards the experience that comes from having played 250 junior hockey games. More of a playmaker than a pure goal scorer, Hill has given a boost to a team that didn’t know who its main offensive contributors might be.

The past four seasons, Hill played in the Western Hockey League, one of the major junior leagues in Canada, which are allowed to pay its players. Hill was with Regina for the past 11/2 seasons, but the combination of breaking his hand during training camp and rosters being limited to three 20-year-old players meant Hill needed to find a new team.

With the injury, Hill hadn’t played a game in six months, but it wasn’t long before he’d established himself as one of Lincoln’s top players.

In discussing Hill, Lincoln coach Jimmy McGroarty includes references to former and current Lincoln players David Reekie, Jason Gregoire and Ryan Kretzer.

Reekie, the UHSL goaltender of the year, also joined Lincoln from the WHL, and had previously played for Regina. Reekie helped turn a team that struggled early last season into the one that was one victory from advancing to the finals.

“He’s the David Reekie of last year, except he’s a forward,” McGroarty said. “If we need a goal or a push, he’s the first guy to get us going.“

Like Gregoire, the USHL player of the year last season and another Winnipeg product, Hill has a knack for being in the right area to score goals.

On one of his best goals this season, Hill shot the puck off the glass back to himself and scored. On another goal, during the biggest win of the year against Indiana, Hill swooped in and scored after the puck bounced off the goaltenders’ pad.

Neither Hill (5-foot-11) nor Kretzer (5-foot-7) were blessed with great size, but both play bigger than they appear.

“Those two aren’t afraid to stick their nose into the middle of people’s business,” McGroarty said.

While Hill knew of the USHL, he didn’t know what to expect. The differences between the WHL and UHSL are few, Hill said. Junior hockey in Canada and junior hockey in the United States both means long bus trips and passionate crowds.

“I thought it was fast here at first, but I don’t know if it was because I was out of shape,” Hill said. “I think the players here might be a little faster and play with more energy.“

Having played in the WHL since he was 16, Hill played with and against several players now in the NHL, including Sidney Crosby.

There are more high-profile players in the WHL, but more depth in the USHL, Hill said.

“I don’t know if there is any major adjustments, it’s usually the same systems,” he said. “The biggest thing is getting to know new guys after being on the same team for so long. Everybody here was pretty open-arms. You just have to adjust to a new environment and going on the road and playing in new rinks. It’s kind of fun.“

Hill has enjoyed his two months in Lincoln, especially when his Indianapolis Colts win and he can walk probably through the locker room with his Colts’ gear on.

He never played football, but growing up Hill went to Winnipeg games and watched the NFL. The Nebraska vs. Colorado game was his first taste of college football.

“The Nebraska game was pretty cool to see how big it was,” Hill said. “I didn’t know people supported it that much. The whole downtown was red, and the game was just crazy. It was a good experience.”

Briefly

Omaha native Matt Bruneteau has been called up from the Stars’ affiliated roster for December. On Oct. 31, he became the first Nebraska native to play for the Stars.

Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com.