NY HOCKEY July/August 2014 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 9
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THE 2014-15 SEASON IS HERE! NEW ARENAS*COLLEGE PREVIEWS*NEW RECRUITS ALL IN THIS ISSUE
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In This Issue: Brockport’s Unger................36 Canisius Capobianco...........37 Central New York..................12 Coaching With Gridley.......... 6 Eastern New York..................21 Hockey Friendships............... 4 NY Arenas.................................. 7 Northern New York..............31 Potdams Lee...........................30 Western New York................35 USA Hockey Hall of Fame..10 USA Hockey News.........42, 43
Dear Readers, Well the 2014-15 season is upon us. Like many of you, NY Hockey Online has had a busy summer with family and vacations and a few minor illnesses. We determined early on that doing a monthly issue in June, July and August wasn’t necessary due to low response for requests for material and our readership numbers were down in June. So for future reference, we plan to do a monthly magazine beginning in September and running through June and then take July and August off. We’ve given you some in-depth information provided by our writers and the Sports Information Departments at the Colleges. This will give you a great insight into what types of players colleges are recruiting. For this coming season, we ask again that if you receive the magazine link in your email, please forward it to your players and/or families because we do not have access to the over 50,000 persons registered for ice hockey in New York. We also ask that you send us your news as it happens and we will place it in the upcoming edition. If you do it when you are at or return from a game/tournament, it will be fresh in your mind! We are also still seeking advertisers or a sponsor for the magazine. We will take your ads for fundraisers, tryouts, special events and offer you a special rate. Just contact me at Randy@nyhockeyonline.com or call 716-751-6524, We are looking forward to traveling around the State to meet you and watch your teams. If we are in your area, we will contact your organization and see what’s happening. If you have something special, please email or call us and let us know; we’re always looking for get-away-weekends!!! Sincerely, Randy Schultz Publisher NY Hockey OnLine Magazine www.nyhockeyonline.com Randy@nyhockeyonline.com
NY Hockey On-Line (E-Magazine) 3663 Irish Road Wilson, New York 14172 716-751-6524 nyhockeyonline@ nyhockeyonline.com Publisher &Managing Editor Randy Schultz Randy@nyhockeyonline.com Designer/Photographer Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
Columnists Warren Kozireski, Wkozires@brockport.edu Janet Schultz Randy Schultz Rob Sedia Chuck Gridley Tom Barnett NY Hockey OnLine is an equal opportunity employer. Contents 2012 NY Hockey Online All rights reserved NY Hockey OnLine is published monthly at no charge and can be accessed via the publication’s website www.nyhockeyonline.com
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Around the State / Page 4
Hockey: Building Lasting Friendships and Memories! by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
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hey say hockey builds lasting friendships. In the case of two young ladies from Williamsville’s Girl’s Varsity Ice Hockey Team, that friendship began before they were even born. Little did anyone know how it could grow! Brenda Burow and Krys Roetzer were friends in high school over 30 years ago. They attended each other’s weddings and then lost contact, as often happens. Brenda and Krys were reunited at a local hospital after Krys had just given birth to Jordan and Brenda was in for testing in anticipation of the birth of her child. With both women having two boys each at home, Krys just having a girl it seemed a good omen that Brenda might have a girl. Emily arrived in the Burow household two weeks after Jordan made her appearance with the Roetzer family. Again, Brenda and Krys parted ways only to meet up again five years later at the Amherst Ice Center when Emily decided she wanted to play hockey. The girl’s were playing for the same house team. Both girls actually began with figure skating and decided they preferred hockey. “I actually was bad at figure skating,” said Emily. “But I wanted to play hockey because that’s what my brothers were doing.” “I was figure skating and a friend who played hockey asked if I wanted to,” explains Jordan.
“No one in my family played hockey so Mom was hesitant but since there’s no checking in girl’s hockey she decided it was ok.” Although the girls are the same age, their birthdates put them a year apart in school and their addresses put them in different schools. However, hockey kept them together as they played their careers with North Buffalo, the Buffalo Regals and the Buffalo Stars. When the WNY Girl’s Varsity Ice Hockey Federation was born, they even ended up there together despite being at two different schools. Emily attended Williamsville West and Jordan, Williamsville East. The numbers gave way to one single Williamsville team and the girl’s were together!
Emily Burow, Jordan Roetzer; Yesterday and Today (Left Photo: Brenda Burow; Right Photo: Janet Schultz “We became friends because of hockey,” explains Emily, who graduated from Williamsville this year. “We were at different schools and probably wouldn’t have met,” she continued. With Emily on defense and Jordan a center, they also find they really watch out for each other on the ice. “We do get in trouble for it once in a while,” Emiy con-
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www.nyhockeyonline.com tinued. For instance, Jordan got into a fight, Emily stepped in and you then have the coach yelling. In addition the Burow’s and the Roetzer’s spend time away from hockey at the Burow’s summer cottage and the girl’s spend time socially like any other hockey or non-hockey playing girl. Emily now moves on to college, but they still will play Emily Burow some hockey together. For Jordan the hardest will be not having Emily on the Williamsville Varsity Team. “This is going to be hard,” said Jordan. “Varsity will be hard because we were Assistant Captains this past season. And since they room together it will make travel different. But hockey memories are what makes this game special They fondly remember playing for the Buffalo Bisons in two USA National games and placing seventh and second this season on their hometown ice! They tell about Emily being in the corner and the puck isn’t even there when an opposing player puts her up against the boards. Jordan goes to the rescue and before you know it they have the majority of the opposing team against the two of them. Obviously, referees had to sort it out. Another fond memory was playing Niagara in an “aggressive” game with 5 players in the penalty box one time. Emily went to jump out on the ice to help out and the Coach actually pulled her back by her ponytail. Jordan got out on the ice and accidentally ran the goalie and was suspended. “It was accidental,” explains Jordan. “I was going on the ice and she was coming off and we collided.” This season Emily played with a bad back. She got hit and while both Dads are on the ice to help her; Jordan is standing there yelling at the girl that did it. It’s memories like these that build lasting friendships. Now it’s time to move on with Emily heading off to Niagara County Community College for nursing. She will continue playing hockey, this season with the Buffalo Stars 19U and then hopes to find a women’s team to continue. Jordan returns to Williamsville’s varsity team and hopes to play DIII hockey at a college that can help her pursue a career in pharmacy. She will be playing with the new Niagara Junior Purple Eagles 19U team under Coach Scott
Around the State / Page 5 Welch. Both are looking forward to playing in the Empire State Games. They also have some thoughts to share with girls who want to play hockey. Neither played on a boy’s team but have taken clinics with boys. They have found that girls are super competitive and the males soon find out that hockey is not a joke with them. “With no checking girls have to develop their skills such as stick handling,” explains Emily. “We need more girl’s-only clinics,” says Jordan, who has helped with boys clinics. “There was a clinic with the Niagara University DI women’s program several years ago,” they explained. The clinic provided them with on and off-ice skills as well as lunch and interaction with the players. They felt they learned so much from the players and it gave them mentors. “We need more opportunities for girls to come out and try the sport,” they both agreed. “Girls in house programs need to come out and try out for varsity and travel teams. “We find our closest friends are those we play hockey with, or even against.” The reason—the travel. Between practice, games, traveling, meals together and time spent in hotels you really get to know and trust each other. They met girls and became friends for a weekend or week and then you don’t see them for awhile, but when you do they find they pick up right where they left off. “It’s like you never left,” said Emily. So often we’ve heard NHL players explain how they keep in touch with former teammates but it’s so refreshing to know that even at the grassroots level, girls and boys develop friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. “It’s not just your “teammates” that you bond with, but parents bond and connect (or reconnect) as well,” said Brenda. Emily is the daughter of David and Brenda Burow; she has two brothers Tim and Greg. Jordan is the daughter of Scott and Krys Roetzer and is the sister to Garrett and Josh. Hockey—Memories That Jordan Roetzer Last A Lifetime!
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Coaching With Gridley / Page 6
Coaching With Gridley
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his is the time of year when I start to hear from coaches who are trying to figure out what they need to do to become certified to coach during the upcoming season. I thought this would be a good time to revisit the process. The steps are outlined below, with the links for each step. Please note that the requirements are the same as last year, with one exception…this year coaches will also need to complete the Safe Sport Training (see below for details). • Register as a member USA Hockey. https:// www.usahockeyregistration.com/login_input.action • Complete NY Screening - http://www.commercialinvestigationsllc.com/VSSNYSAHA • Find, register and attend the required certification clinic. You can only attend one clinic per season. http://www.usahockey.com/page/show/892976coaching-clinics • Complete the online age-specific module(s) for the age level of play you are coaching. (Cost is $10 per module) (The online modules are available from September 1 to December 31.) http://www.usahock-
ey.com/page/show/892966-age-specific-modules • Complete the Safe sport Training. This is free, and can be accessed by going to http://training. safesport.org/. Please note that you must attend the required clinic and complete the necessary module(s) by December 31 of the current playing season to continue coaching on January 1. Clinics generally start after September 1st. There will be multiple clinics for each level in each of the four sections of New York. There are a few that are currently listed on the registration site; most will be posted to this site by August. We will host two Level 4’s this season in New York. The first one will take place in Cicero NY Sept 6th & 7th. You can register for this clinic now on the clinic registration site. The other Level 4 will take place in Rochester in December and will be posted in August or September. You can get additional coaching information and help right within your own association by contacting your Association ACE Director. If you are not sure who that person is in your association, you can find a list of all ACE Directors at http://www.nysaha.com/ page/show/885699-ace-coordinator-program. As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions regarding coaching certification. You can reach me at chuckgridley@aol.com. I want to wish all of you the best for the upcoming season. Chuck Gridley New York Coach-in -Chief
Photo Memories From Last Season!
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Around the State
NY Arena News A special section for reports on arenas being upgraded, built or plans for such. Let us know if your organization fits this description and send us your photos.
Home Advantage Ice Upgraded
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he Bronxville Youth Hockey Association will play in a facility that has garnered many upgrades during the off season. Greg Zerafa shared these photos and story with NY Hockey! Home Ice Advantage
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located in Tuckahoe, NY is a brand new facility slated to open in September 2014. Home Ice Advantage is made up of two separate ice surfaces, one 60’ x 100‘and another 28’ x 40. Home Ice plans on working directly with USA Hockey and adhering to the ADM program and guidelines. “We reached out directly to USA Hockey told them what we are about and have had nothing but 100 percent support from them.” The options for mite level programs and the organization the last few years has fallen by the wayside. Let’s face it, not everyone embraced cross-ice. We need to change the mindset, USA Hockey has invested in this model, and it’s here and is the new norm says Greg Zerafa senior manager at Home Ice. Home Ice Advantage will be running a 4 x 4 League which is made up of area mite level teams. We are still trying to get the word out that there are options for mite level teams. We offer the full ice experience on a smaller sheet of ice, giving the kids and parent the full ice experience they may feel they are missing, and it all falls into the ADM program and rules. More touches, quicker reaction, more skill are advantages of playing on a surface our size. Home Ice plans on running skill sessions and private lessons on its 28 x 40 Micro rink, we even have planned small area games for different age groups on this surface and it
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www.nyhockeyonline.com works well. For teams not willing to commit to the 4 x4 League, Home Ice is offering its Holiday Series which is a series centered around the Holidays, inviting Mite teams from all over to compete in highly competitive games. We feel this will give Mite teams something to look forward to during their season. The Holiday Series is spread out, taking place on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Martin Luther King and Presidents weekends. Some area teams have taken notice and have committed to Home Ice Advantage; Bronxville Youth Hockey will be running its mite program directly out of Home Ice. New Rochelle Youth Hockey will hold all of its practices, at all levels at Home Ice, dispelling the rumor that older age groups cannot benefit from small area practices. Both New Rochelle and Bronxville are participating in the 4 x 4 League, and are joined by Pelham and North Park Youth Hockey Associations. We have reached out to the area High School community and are trying to sell them on small area practices and skill sessions. The Director of Hockey at Home Ice Advantage is Kevin Wright. Kevin played hockey at St. Lawrence University from 1986 through 1990. During his time there, St. Lawrence University earned 2 ECAC Championships as well an NCAA Division 1 Championship Finals appearance. Kevin has coached youth hockey at many different levels using the knowledge gained to teach youth hockey players the skills that they will need to enjoy hockey and be successful at whatever level they aspire to. The Home Ice Advantage approach to hockey is based on Fun, convenience, quality instruction and building value and character in each of its members. We feel hockey is the greatest sport and want to make it available to all, especially in our direct area. Classes ranging from Nursery School Learn to Skate classes, late bloomer classes (11 and older) are all available. Adults are not left out of the Home Ice experience, we have several sessions dedicated to adult hockey such as a Sunday Morning skate where Home Ice provides coffee and bagels to all those who participate to the Old Timers Hockey which is open to skaters 45 and older. These sessions are run 3 x 3 on the Home Ice main rink. We tell adult players who are skeptical, try 3 X 3 on a 60 x 100 sheet at a high pace and let me know how you feel after. It is an excellent work out for any adult player regardless of skill level. An adult 3 x 3 league is also in the works. So if you are in the area and want to experience the Home Ice Advantage plan on visiting. All information on this article and information on the Mite Holiday Series are available at www.homeice.net
Around the State / Page 8
Dragons Return Home
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he Westchester Dragons return home to the Rye Playland (photo above) for 2014 after the rink was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. It is finally official. Playland Ice Casino opens September 1st and the Dragons will return home for the 2014-2015 season. The Dragons hit the ice Tuesday September 2nd 8-9pm and Thursday 9-4 from 8-10pm. The regular schedule will be on Wednesday 9-10pm and Thursday 8-10pm weekly. Home game will be played 10am either Saturday or Sundays. Away game will also be added. The team will play in 2 tournaments. The 1st is the Midget Classic in Foxboro on Columbus Weekend and the Pepsi Challenge in Newburgh Oct 25-26th. The Dragons will be playing teams in the Metro Elite League: http://www.metroehl.com/ Returning as coaches are Jim Fox and Victor Nordensen who are both former college hockey players and since graduation from Manhattanville have coached teams for us successfully. We look forward to a great season. Roster spots still available. Tell your friends now. Rich Guberti, Jim Fox, Victor Nordensen Dragons Hockey www.westchesterdragons.com
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www.nyhockeyonline.com Buffalo’s HARBORCENTER On Target for Fall Opening
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he Buffalo HarborCENTER is on target for an opening in the Fall. The final beam was put into place in June. The media were invited to watch the event and then toured the facility which features two ice pads, a hotel, restaurant, special locker rooms for the Canisius Men’s team and the Junior Sabres. The beam was autographed by the entire construction crew and members of the Buffalo Sabres organization including team, coaches, administrators, staff and owners. Here are photos from that day with John Koelmel and Cliff Benson putting the last signatures on the beam; the beam over Buffalo as it moves towards it’s final destination and workers anchoring it in place.
Around the State / Page 9
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Four To Go Into USA Hockey Hall of Fame
Brooklyn Native Lou Vairo Honored Karyn Bye Dietz (River Falls, Wis.), Brian Rafalski (Dearborn, Mich.), Jeff Sauer (St. Paul, Minn.) and Lou Vairo (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2014, it was announced by USA Hockey. “The class of 2014 is an extraordinary collection of individuals that have had an immensely positive impact on hockey in our country,” said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. “Cumulatively, they have been involved at every level of hockey and this group is a big reason why our sport has advanced to the point it has in the United States.” Lou Vairo, who has coached players at every level in the game, has been instrumental in the development of hockey in the United States for parts of the past six decades. In the 1960s, he was a leader in building grassroots programs in New York
USA Hockey / Page 10 City. During the 1970s he transitioned to coaching, highlighted by a 1976 national championship while directing the Austin (Minn.) Mavericks of the United States Hockey League. Vairo’s coaching career expanded to USA Hockey in 1979. He served as head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team from 1979-82 and once again in 2003. On five occasions (1983, 2000-03), he was head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. After contributing as a scout to the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, he served as head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and was an assistant coach for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that received the silver medal in Salt Lake City, Utah. From 1984-86, Vairo moved to the National Hockey League and was an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils. He then spent the next six seasons coaching in Holland and Italy, including stints working with both countries national teams. Vairo, USA Hockey’s director of special projects since 1992, was the driving voice in the formation of the Diversity Task Force that began in 1992 to help introduce hockey to inner city and minority children. He was at the forefront of helping develop many of USA Hockey’s most successful programs, including in coaching education and player development. Vairo introduced the United States to European concepts of training and playing in 1972, including methods he learned when studying with legendary Soviet coach Anatoly Tarasov. A long-time member of the IIHF Coaching Committee, Vairo concepted the current IIHF Development Camp that brings together players, coaches, and support staff from all IIHF members each summer in both Europe and Asia to foster the continued growth of the game. He was honored twice in 1994 for his lifetime commitment to hockey, receiving both the John “Snooks” Kelley Founders Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association, and the Walter Yaciuk Award from USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program. Vairo
received the NHL’s Lester Patrick Trophy in 2000 and in 2010 was named the recipient of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Paul Loicq Award. In May of 2014, he was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame. Karyn Bye Dietz, a pioneer in women’s hockey in the United States, has had a significant impact on the sport’s continued growth and evolution. She was one of the world’s elite forwards during her time on the U.S. Women’s National Team from 19922002. During that span she represented the United States at both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games. An alternate captain in 1998, Bye Dietz helped Team USA win the first gold medal ever awarded in women’s ice hockey at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. In that tournament she led the U.S. with five goals in six games, while her eight points were tied for first on the team. At the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Bye Dietz registered three goals and six points in a silver-medal showing in Salt Lake City, Utah. She participated in six International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships (1992, ‘94, ‘97, ‘99, 2000, ‘01), receiving a silver medal at each tournament. She also skated in the 1995 and 1996 IIHF Pacific Women’s Hockey Championships, at which the U.S. placed second both years. Bye Dietz accumulated 84 points (47-37) over 51 career games in a Team USA jersey. In 1995 and 1998, she was honored as USA Hockey’s
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www.nyhockeyonline.com Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year. In 2011, Bye Dietz became just the fifth woman to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. A native of River Falls, Wisconsin, who currently resides in Hudson, Wisconsin, Bye Dietz played college hockey at the University of New Hampshire from 1989-93, racking up 164 points in 87 games. She was enshrined into the UNH Hall of Fame in 1998. Brian Rafalski played 15 seasons of prof e s sional hockey, including 11 in the National Hockey League. The defensem a n , w h o g r e w up in the Detroit suburbs, began his NHL career in 1999-2000, helping the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup and receiving NHL All-Rookie Team honors. Three years later in 2003, he hoisted the Stanley Cup yet again with the Devils. In 541 regular-season games with New Jersey, Rafalski racked up 44 goals and 311 points. He was selected to play in the 2004 and 2007 NHL All-Star Games. He spent the last four seasons of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2008. He recorded 204 points (35-169) over 292 regular-season contests for the Red Wings. Overall, the 515 career points he accumulated in the NHL are 10thbest among American defensemen in league history. Rafalski began his professional career playing from 1995-99 in Sweden and Finland. Internationally, Rafalski was a member of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Win-
USA Hockey / Page 11 ter Games. He helped Team USA earn the silver medal at the 2002 and 2010 Olympics. At the 2010 Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Rafalski was named to the media all-star team and was honored as the tournament’s best defenseman by the directorate after tallying four goals and eight points in six games. Across three Olympics, he tallied five goals and eight assists in 17 games. He also played for the 2004 U.S. World Cup of Hockey Team, 1995 U.S. Men’s National Team, and 1992 (bronze medal) and 1993 U.S. National Junior Teams. During his four-year career at the University of Wisconsin, Rafalski amassed 20 goals and 98 points in 146 games. As a senior in 1994-95, he received a number of accolades, including American Hockey Coaches Association West All-America First Team, Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Year and All-WCHA First Team. Rafalski spent two seasons playing junior hockey in the U.S., including one year (1990-91) with the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League and the other campaign (1989-90) in the North American Hockey League as a member of the Melvindale Blades. Jeff Sauer, who grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and n o w calls Middleton, Wiscons i n , home, h a s spent more than 40 years coaching hockey, and has had nothing but success in his varied endeavors. Sauer’s 31-year NCAA Division I men’s college coaching career featured 655 wins (seventh all-time) and two national championships, both of which came at the University of Wisconsin (1983, 1990). Sauer led Wis-
consin to three NCAA Men’s Frozen Four appearances, 12 NCAA tournament berths, six Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff titles and two WCHA regular-season crowns in 20 seasons (1982-2002). He also spent 11 years (1971-82) as head coach of the men’s ice hockey team at his alma mater, Colorado College, where he was twice named WCHA Coach of the Year (1972, 1975). Throughout his college career, he served as head coach for multiple U.S. squads, including the 1995 U.S. Men’s National Team and U.S. teams that participated in the 1990 Goodwill Games, 1989 Pravada Cup and 1997 Tampere Cup. The 201415 season is Sauer’s fourth campaign as head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. He led the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2012 International Paralympic Committee Ice Sledge Hockey World Championship. Two years later, he was at the helm of the gold-medal winning 2014 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team in Sochi, Russia. Additionally, Sauer is president of the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association. He helped select the last five U.S. Deaflympic Ice Hockey Teams, while leading the team as head coach in the last three Winter Deaflympics, including a gold medal at the 2007 Deaflympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sauer has been honored with USA Hockey’s Distinguished Achievement Award (2000), the American Hockey Coaches Association’s John “Snooks” Kelly Founders Award (2004) and the NHL’s Lester Patrick Trophy (2011). He has also been inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame, Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame and the Colorado College Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2014 will be formally enshrined on Dec. 4 in Minneapolis/ St. Paul. U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are chosen on the basis of extraordinary contribution to the sport of hockey in the United States.
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CENTRAL NEW YORK
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Central Hockey / Page 13 six points and plus1 rating. Ts c h a n t z was taken with the 202nd pick by the St. Louis Blues. The 6’5”, 225 lb. was an overage selection, after being bypassed in the 2013 draft. But his stock rose after winning a Clark Cup title with the USHL’s Indiana Ice last season, where he ranked third on the team in scoring with 24 goals and 20 assists for 44 points in 52 games during the regular season. In addition to the those two, the Big Red welcome five other freshmen plus Gavin Stoick will rejoin the Big Red after spending the 2013-14 season back in the junior ranks while making the transition from defenseman to forward. Ryan Bliss (Defenseman-6-foot-1, 200 pounds--U.S. National Team Development Program), Alex Rauter (Forward--6-feet, 190 pounds--Wenatchee Wild NAHL, Hayden Stewart (Goalie--6-foot-3, 210 pounds--Indiana Ice USHL), Dan Wedman (Defenseman-6-foot-5, 205 pounds--Bonnyville Pontiacs AJHL) and Trevor Yates (Forward--6-foot-2, 205 pounds-Deerfield Academy), the son of Ross Yates, a former head coach of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch and current head coach of the Saint John SeaDogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team released its 2014-15 schedule, which features 17 home games—including two exhibitions—and the second edition of
Central New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski Wkozires@brockport.edu
COLGATE The Raiders 201415 schedule was released and will kick off on Oct. 10 at St. Cloud State before the home opening weekend against Northeastern Oct. 17-18. One of the highlights of the season is taking place prior to the new year as the Raiders play two games at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The tournament is being hosted by Robert Morris and features the Colonials, Western Michigan and Penn State. The Raiders open the tournament with the Broncos on Dec. 29.
CORNELL Forward recruits Jared Fiegl and Dwyer Tschantz were both selected in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Fiegl was selected by the Arizona Coyotes with the 11th pick of the seventh round (191st overall). The 6’1”, 212 lb. played in 45 games for the USNTDP, scoring two goals to go with four assists for
The Frozen Apple, when the Big Red takes on Penn State at Madison Square Garden in New York. After the annual Red-White Scrimmage on Saturday, October 18th, the Big Red will play consecutive exhibition games at home the following weekend. Cornell welcomes the U.S. National Team Development Program’s Under-18 squad back to Lynah Rink on Friday, Oct. 24. The regular season begins as it did last year, with a non-league pair of games against NebraskaOmaha of the National College Hockey Conference—this year at home. The opener will be Friday, Oct. 31, with the rematch on tap Saturday, Nov. 1 in the Mavericks’ first-ever trip to East Hill.
CORTLAND Joe Cardarelli has been named the team’s new head coach, succeeding interim head coach Tom Cranfield, who moved back to his previous role as Associate Director of Athletics. Cardarelli came to Cortland initially in August 2013 and served as an assistant coach. Prior to that he spent the previous two seasons as head coach of two Junior A programs, the Laconia Leafs of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and the Yellowstone Quake of the Northern Pacific Hockey League. He led Laconia to a program record-setting win total and Yellowstone to a 15-point winning percentage
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www.nyhockeyonline.com increase. Cardarelli’s coaching background includes three years as an assistant coach at SUNY Oswego as well as American International College and the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid.
ELMIRA Former Elmira College men’s ice hockey AllAmerican and team captain Mike Haviland (1990) has been named the head coach for the Colorado College men’s ice hockey program. Haviland, who has traveled throughout the various coaching ranks for the last 20 years, most recently was the head coach for the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Prior to leading the Bears this past season, Haviland served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-12, helping the franchise bring home the Stanley Cup in 2010. Josh Burnell has signed with EV Füssen of the Oberliga Süd in Germany.
HOBART
Central Hockey / Page 14 season in the East Coast Hockey League becoming the first player directly from an NCAA Division III program to make the ECHL’s All-Rookie Team, since the minor league began naming all-rookie teams in 2001. Richard also helped the Alaska Aces to their third Kelly Cup in program history.
OSWEGO The Lakers have announced their 2014-15 schedule for the 50th Anniversary season of hockey. Oswego will play 15 home games during the regular season and 26 contests in total including 16 games in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action. Everything will begin with an exhibition game at 7 p.m. on Oct. 25 as Oswego hosts the U.S. National Under-18 team at the Campus Center Ice Arena. Six days later the squad will open up regular-season play with a 7 p.m. road conference game at Buffalo State. The next night will pit the Lakers against Fredonia. Oswego will have its homeopener at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 when Cortland comes to campus. On the weekend of Nov. 14 and 15, the Lakers will host several 50th Anniversary Celebrations commemorating the past five decades of hockey at Oswego that
originated with a club team back in 1964. Friday night will have a 7 p.m. contest with SUNY Canton before Oswego takes on Nazareth College at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Oswego will play Utica as one of three games at the Frozen Dome Classic at Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome on Saturday, Nov. 22. Hosted by the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL who will play the Utica Comets, the rink will be set up similarly to the Carrier Dome’s basketball configuration which can seat more than 30,000 fans.
UTICA Utica will play Oswego as one of three games at the Frozen Dome Classic at Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome on Saturday, Nov. 22. Hosted by the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL who will play the Utica Comets, the rink will be set up similarly to the Carrier Dome’s basketball configuration which can seat more than 30,000 fans. Sports Information Personnel: Please place Janet@nyhockeyonline.com on your email media list. We will post your press releases to our website and run your stories in NY Hockey OnLine Magazine.
Former defenseman, Brad Richard ‘13, made history in his first
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Central Women’s College Ice Hockey Report by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
COLGATE
Colgate head coach Greg Fargo has
slated a hard schedule for his 2014-15 women’s ice hockey team. The Raiders faceoff with five ranked opponents throughout the year, including two games with the reigning 2013-14 NCAA National Champions, Clarkson. Colgate also gets to compete with the team the Golden Knights defeated to make it into the title game when they travel to Mercyhurst for a twogame series with the Lacers. “We always look forward to testing ourselves against the nation’s best teams and we get to do that again this year, playing two Frozen Four teams,” Fargo said. “It’s always fun to play the best teams in the country. In addition to playing two 2013-14 Frozen Four teams, the Raiders will have league contests against ranked foes in Cornell, Harvard and Quinnipiac. “In ECAC Hockey, we know exactly what to expect,” Fargo said. “Every game is a real battle and the playoff races start very early in the season. We are all eager to get on the ice and get this upcoming season started.” Colgate begins with a minimum 34-game schedule, opening up the regular season at nearby rival Syracuse on Oct. 2. The Raiders Coach Fargo at hockey camp in Buffalo last summer! have an eight-game home stand from Oct. 18-Nov. 15
Central Hockey / Page 15 before hitting the road on Nov. 18 for a seven-game road swing. During that home stretch Fargo’s squad kicks off conference play welcoming No. 10-ranked Quinnipiac to Starr Rink on Oct. 31. Throughout the remainder of the year Colgate has three, two-game series with non-conference opponents in Robert Morris, Penn State and Vermont before it finishes off the remainder of the league season. The Raiders will also have an out-of-conference single game against Connecticut and Providence. When Feb. 27 rolls around Colgate will be hoping to continue its season during the ECAC Hockey Tournament.
CORNELL
Cornell is welcoming five new members, plus the return of Senior Forward Brianne Jenner to its 2014-15 season. Cornell is coming off its fourth ECAC Hockey Championship over the last five seasons and looking to return to the NCAA Frozen Four for the sixth consecutive season. Jenner is rejoining the team after winning a gold medal with Team Canada in the 2014 Olympics. New to the list of goaltenders is Amelia Boughn from Toronto and the Mississauga Junior Chiefs. Boughn helped the Chiefs win a silver medal in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League in 2014 and ranks second in the league with a .954 save percentage. “Amelia is a terrific goalie who has been recognized as one of the top goalies in Canada in her class. She is a real competitor and hard-working goaltender,” said the Cornell Coaching Staff. Next up is Defenseman Sarah Knee. Knee comes from the Toronto Aeros where she helped take a fourth-place finish in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League last season. Knee attended Canada’s National Women’s U18 Team Conditioning Camp and was invited to the Team Ontario Final Selection Camp. “Sarah is a big, strong, steady defenseman with a powerful shot. She has a real presence on the ice and adds another dimension to the blue line.” Coming from Shattuck-St. Mary’s is Mars, PA native Morgan McKim. She appeared in the USA Hockey National Champioship U19 Tournament with Shattuck, her third trip to the title game. She played with Team Pittsburgh U12 and Rochester (NY) Edge at U14. She has been invited to four USA Hockey Player Development Camps and selected to the USA Player Development All Star Team. She has also played for the Buffalo Bisons. “Morgan is a highly skilled forward who
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www.nyhockeyonline.com will help us at both ends of the ice. She plays with a lot of passion, energy and competitiveness. Erin O’Connor plays defense and comes from Evanston, Il. where she played for the Chicago Young Americans. Erin was a three-ytear captain with the Americans and helped them finish third in the nationals in 2011. She was a three-time Blackhawk Alumni All-Star Team participant, an Illinois girls hockey all-state selection and High Performance Hockey League Academic Achievement Award winner. “Erin is a very smart and solid defenseman. She handles the puck very well, moves it very well and is a great skater.” Lastley is Sydnee Saracco a defenseman from Countryside, Il and the Chicago Mission. She played eight seasons with the Mission, wining an Illinois State Championship and Central District Championship in each of those seasons. For seven seasons she served as Captain of the Mission, leading the squad to four third-place finishes and three second-place finishes at the USA Hockey Nationals. “Syd is a highly competitive and talented defenseman who will also be an offensive threat whenever she is on the ice.”
OSWEGO Sixteen women ice hockey players were named to the SUNY Oswego Commissioner’s All-Academic Team. They included Alexa Aramburu, Olivia Boersen, Monique Cornett, Catherine Cote, Chelsea Hunt, Leslie Jarvis, Ashley Lyman, Elizabeth Marks, Jayme McCreary, Monica Pattern, Madeline Paul, Melissa
Central Hockey / Page 16 Seamont, Emma Smetaniuk, Bridget Smith, Jocelyn St. Clair and Heather Trovato. The Lakers open their regular season on October 31 against Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont. Their home opener will find them hosting Cortland on November 7 and 8. They conclude their season against Elmira on February 21 and 22. The Oswego State athletics department has launched its new website with a new URL address. Along with the new design and layout of the site, fans visiting the site will enter through the new oswegolakers.com. After several months of working with SIDEARM Sports, the organization that powers the Oswego State Athletics’ website, the department is proud to bring what it believes is a fan-friendly design.
SYRACUSE The Orange will face four teams that reached the NCAA women’s ice hockey tournament including the reigning National Champions during the 2014-15 schedule, which was released by head coach Paul Flanagan on Thursday. The schedule includes 18 home contests which will be held at Tennity Ice Pavilion and has Syracuse playing North Dakota, who ranked eighth in the last year’s final USCHO.com poll, for the first time in school history. Highlighting this year’s schedule is a home-and-home series with Clarkson, the 2014 National Champion. The Golden Knights will travel to Syracuse on Saturday, October 25 for a 3 p.m. game after hosting the Orange on Friday afternoon. In total, Syracuse will play four
teams that went to the NCAA tournament including Boston College and Cornell who did not advance past the quarterfinals and CHA-foe Mercyhurst, which made its fourth Frozen Four appearance in the last six years. SU starts the season off playing 12 of its first 14 games at home, beginning the year with a Thursday night matchup with Colgate. The Orange then travel to Boston College to play for the “ACC Championship” trophy, a tradition the teams started last season as the only two ACC member schools with women’s ice hockey. ‘Cuse hosts four straight nonconference games, inviting Northeastern, UNH, Providence and UConn to Tennity Ice Pavilion over the next two weeks. After traveling to Clarkson for the first game of the home-and-home series, Syracuse hosts seven straight home contests. The team begins its College Hockey America schedule on Halloween against Penn State. The Orange then host Mercyhurst and Vermont for the next two weekends before beginning the bulk of its road games. SU plays 13 of the next 14 games at opponent sites, beginning with Robert Morris on November 21. Thirteen members of the Syracuse hockey team were named to the College Hockey America All-Academic Team, CHA Commissioner Robert DeGregorio announced. Freshmen Erin Brand, Laurence Porlier and Elizabeth Scala, sophomores Melissa Piacentini and Nicole Renault, juniors Kaillie Goodnough and Julie Knerr and seniors Kallie Billadeau, Jenesica Drinkwater, Cara Johnson, Brittney Krebs and Margot Scharfe were honored by the league for their academic success in 2013-14. The award is the fourth-straight for Billadeau, Johnson, Krebs and Scharfe. Knerr earned the honor for the third-straight time, while Goodnough was selected for the second
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www.nyhockeyonline.com year in a row. Renault and Piacentini were previously honored for their on-ice success this year, being named to All-CHA First and Second Teams respectively. To qualify for the CHA All-Academic Team, an individual must post a 3.0 grade-point average or higher in both semesters in which her team was competing. SU’s 13 selections are second to only 2010-11 season when the Orange had 14 players honored.
WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGE
William Smith College Ice Hockey Head Coach Jaime Totten recently announced that Kate Gallagher will join her staff as an assistant coach for the Herons inaugural season. Gallagher comes to Geneva after serving as an assistant coach at Plymouth State and Union College. As the defense and goalie coach at Plymouth State, Gallagher’s main responsibilities also included recruiting, analyzing game film and mentoring the student-athletes. “Kate has a terrifically warm, friendly, comedic personality which will develop an instant rapport with the student-athletes,” said Totten. “The team will feel very comfortable speaking with and learning from her. Kate balances her personality with the ability to teach, effectively getting her coaching points through to her student-athletes.” Gallagher gained additional coaching experience as the head coach of the Plymouth State club ice hockey team and worked as the goalie coach for
Central Hockey / Page 17 Holderness Preparatory School, the Plymouth Youth Hockey Association and the Laconia Youth Hockey Association. Following her graduation with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Union in 2012, Gallagher spent a year as a volunteer assistant for the Dutchwomen. The four-year varsity letter winner holds the Dutchwomen career records with a 2.61 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in her four years on the team. Gallagher also posted Union single season records with a 2.15 goals against average and a .937 save percentage in her senior season. She sits third on the all-time Union list for saves with 1,700. Gallagher served as an alternate captain as a senior, and was voted the George Morrison Most Valuable Player in both her junior and senior years. Gallagher earned New York State Championships in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006, playing for the Syracuse Stars, now known as the Syracuse Nationals, finishing third in the nation in 2004. “A successful student and goaltender at Union College, Kate has a strong understanding of the values of a liberal arts education and a passion for hockey,” said William Smith Director of Athletics Deb Steward. “We are excited to have Kate join Head Coach Jaime Totten in establishing the foundation and culture of William Smith ice hockey.” Ice hockey will be William Smith’s 12th varsity sport when it begins play in 2014-15. The Herons will compete in the ECAC West against Chatham, Elmira, Neumann, Buffalo State, Cortland, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, and Utica. William Smith will play its home games at the Geneva Recreation Complex, also known as The Cooler. Williams Smith opens their 201415 season against UMass-Boston in Boston. Their home opener will be against Utica College on November 8 in The Cooler. The following day they
face the Pioneers in Utica.
UTICA The Pioneers open with an exhibition game against the Oakville Hornets on home ice on October 31. They will then travel to take on William Smith College in their inaugural game on November 8 at 4 p.m. in Smith’s Cooler. The Pioneers then travel back to Utica against William Smith on November 9. They round out their season against Buffalo State College on February 20 and 21 in Buffalo.
CORTLAND
Thirteen women ice hockey players were named to Cortland’s Commissioner’s AllAcademic Team. They include Abbie Adams, Taylor Arenz, Sydney Carlucci, Margaret Corbett, Kelly Farinella, Caralie Fennessey, Katherine Gili, Sarah Hamilton, Chelsie Hausberger, Niamh OConnor, Ashley Terry, Gina Tomei andMelanie VanVliet.
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CENTRAL NEW YORK NEWS... Elmira Jackals Youth Hockey News
This year EJYH will be hosting a Try Hockey For Free Day event on November 8th. This is exactly what it sounds like- a chance for kids to come in and see if they like hockey without having to sign up, and pay, for an entire season. The goals of the program are to get more youth interested in hockey and to make our organization stronger in the years to come. If your child has a friend that might be interested, please share this news with them. There will only be 40 available spaces. Details will be posted on the website as soon as they are finalized. The Jackals will be hosting a Skate-a-Thon again this year to give players a chance to collect donations to help offset their registration fees. The Skate-a-Thon will be at the Ice Pavilion the weekend of September 20th (stay tuned for exact date and time). Equipment Sale/ Exchange Do you have gently used hockey equipment taking up space in your house? Are you in need of some new hockey equipment? If your answer to either question is yes, you may want to consider attending the equipment sale exchange that will be happening at the Skate-a-Thon. There will be space for people to set up equipment that they would like to give away, sell, or exchange. More details will come out with the Skate-a-Thon information.
ECHL Jackals
T
he Elmira Jackals, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and AHL’s Rochester Americans, announced today that goaltenders Josh Robinson and Travis Fullerton have signed Standard Player Contracts for the 2014-2015 season. “Josh is an ultra-competitive goaltender who battles hard and finds a way to win games,” said Jack-
Central Hockey / Page 18 als head coach Jamie Russell. “I had the pleasure of coaching Josh at Michigan Tech and am looking forward to helping him develop into one of the top goalies in the ECHL.” Robinson, 24, brings championship experience with him to Elmira. Last season, Robinson split time with the Idaho Steelheads and the Calder Cup champion Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. He posted a 6-6-0 record with a 3.30 goals-against-average and a .882 save percentage in 15 games with the Stars. The 6-foot-0 185-pound netminder also went 137-1 with a 2.58 goals-against-average and a .911 save percentage in 23 games for the Steelheads. Robinson manned the pipes for Idaho’s playoff run this past season, which ended at the hands of the eventual Kelly Cup champion Alaska Aces. In nine playoff games he posted a 2.07 goals-against-average and a .943 save percentage. Last season was Robinson’s second year with the Steelheads. In 2012-13, as a rookie, Robinson recorded a 27-8-4 mark with a 2.57 goals-against-average and a .925 save percentage in 39 games. He also logged a 2.50 goals-against-average and a .919 save percentage in 13 playoff contests with Idaho. “I am very excited to be a part of the Jackals organization,” said Robinson. “With the new players and staff in place for this season, I am really looking forward to being a big part of trying to bring the Kelly Cup to Elmira.” Prior to turning pro, Robinson played under Coach Russell for three of his four seasons (2008-2011) at Michigan Tech. During his senior season, he went 15-14-4 with a 2.83 goals-against-average and a .909 save percentage. Overall, throughout his four-year career at Michigan Tech, Robinson appeared in 90 games and posted a 21-47-8 record with a 3.56 goalsagainst-average and an .893 save percentage. Fullerton, 26, joins the Jackals after spending last season with the Las Vegas Wranglers. The workhorse netminder appeared in 45 games last year, which was tied for the league-lead among goaltenders. Fullerton also played 2612 minutes last season, which was the third-most minutes played in the ECHL. He finished the season with a 14-22-6 record, a 3.26 goals-againstaverage and a .910 save percentage. Fullerton joins Matt Tassone as the second Wrangler from their 201314 team to join the Jackals. The Riverview, NB native also played in two contests with the San Francisco
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Central Hockey / Page 19
Bulls at the conclusion of the 2012-13 campaign. He aris at thomaris@firstarena.com. posted a 0-0-1 record with a 1.59 goals-against-average and a .941 save percentage. “Travis is a warrior between the pipes,” said Russell. “He possesses a tremendous work ethic and displays his will to win each and every night. Travis and Josh will push each other for the starting job, which will create a competitive atmosphere throughout the season.” Prior to turning pro, Fullerton competed for five seasons at the University of New Brunswick in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). Fullerton played with recent Jackals signing, Thomas Nesbitt, for two seasons with the Varsity Reds. In his CIS career Fullerton compiled a record of 60-13-0 with a 1.87 goals-against-average and a .911 save percentage. He backstopped the University of New Brunswick to University Cup championships in 2009, 2011 and 2013. “I couldn’t be more happy to be joining the Jackals for the upcoming season,” said Fullerton. “I am excited to meet my teammates and enjoy a great season in Elmira.” Fullerton played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before attending the University of New Brunswick. He logged time with the Lewiston MAINEiacs and the Saint John Sea Dogs. Fullerton racked up a 41-46-1 record with a 3.43 goals-against-average and a .892 save percentage in 95 QMJHL games. Mark your calendars! The Jackals open their home schedule for their eighth season of ECHL hockey on Friday, October 17 against the Kalamazoo Wings at 7:05 p.m. Don’t miss a minute of the action with Jackals season tickets! Call 607-734-7825 or visit jackalshockey.com to order your season tickets today. Can’t make it to every game? No problem! The Jackals are offering 10 and 20-game select and flex ticket plans! Get ‘em while they’re hot! Jackals Happenings at the ECHL Level Stay up to date with all of the latest Elmira Jackals news on their website, jackalshockey.com; on facebook, elmirajackals; and on twitter, JackalsHockey. The Jackals first preseason game is on Friday, October 10 at 7:05 P.M. against the Reading Royals- this game is free to the public. The Jackals home opener will be against the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday, October 17 at 7:05 P.M
Street Hockey Tournament
First Arena is planning on hosting their first Street Hockey Tournament on Sunday, August 24. If you have any questions or want to find out how to sign up your team contact Glenn Thom-
Syracuse Cadets Take Championships
The Syracuse Cadets took charge with teams winning tournament play this summer. The Cadets won four Championships, crowning three teams (06s, 05s, 04s) in the North American Summer Championships in Marlborough Massachusetts and crowning the 03s Champions in the Rochester’s North American Player Shootout (Roc n hockey) Tournament. The Cadets 03s team that played in Marlborough also had a strong weekend winning the Silver trophy . All the Cadet teams that played this weekend competed at a high level and Syracuse Cadets program is extremely pleased with every teams effort. The Cadets are a Spring and Summer development program that provides players development training and the opportunity to play tournaments throughout the Northeast. They currently have 12 teams and over 150 members. Their players continue to have success with development and the teams are having tournament success also. They have had Cadet teams at the 06, 05, 04, 03 and girls u10 all winning tournament championships this season. Teams have participated in 11 different tournaments playing and competing in major Spring / Summer tournaments in Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Quebec and Buffalo. Their mission is to emphasize development and offer players the opportunity to compete at the highest level. Providing these opportunities combined with coaching staff’s commitment to development has given them the results and success we strive for. Winning tournaments is the icing on the cake but they are not defined by wins or losses, but by our players development and the commitment of putting in the effort to play at the highest level. Among the Cadets accomplishments are: Champion U10 Girls Cadets Cascades AAA Tournament Championship in Quebec Champion 06 Cadets AA North American Summer Championships in Marlborough Massachusetts Champion 05 Cadets AA North American Summer Championships in Marlborough Massachusetts
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www.nyhockeyonline.com Champion 04 Cadets AA North American Summer Championships in Marlborough Massachusetts Champion 03 Cadets AA North American Summer Championships in Marlborough Massachusetts Champion 03 Cadets AAA Rochester’s North American Player Shootout Other tournaments provided for Cadet players included the Niagara Bauer Challenge, Boston Shamrock Invitational, NAPS Buffalo, Toronto Showdown, Niagara Falls Challenge, Ontario Prospects Showcase Kingston, Boston Selects Tournament and Ottawa Victoria Day Classic.
Central Hockey / Page 20
Other Central News... ...Binghamton native Jerry D’Amigo signed with the Colorado Avalanche. Your Source For NYS Hockey News!
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More Memories from 2013-14!
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East Hockey
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East Hockey / Page 22
Eastern New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski
Wkozires@brockport.edu
ARMY The team announced that Zach McKelvie has been hired as an assistant coach. McKelvie comes back to West Point after winning the East Coast Hockey League title with the Alaska Aces this spring. He played in 42 games for the Aces, including the playoffs and had four points in the run to the Kelly Cup. He began his pro career with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League in 2011 and played a total of 29 games before skating in seven contests at the end of the season with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He spent most of his career with the AHLs Abbotsford Heat, which is part of the Calgary Flames system. He played 65 games with the Heat in over a season of action. McKelvie was a two-time Atlantic Hockey Association First Team selection for the Black Knights on the blueline. He was
the captain as a senior and an assistant captain as a junior. He finished his collegiate career with 56 points on 14 goals and 42 assists. The program is adding 11 new faces to the roster with seven forwards, three defenseman and one goaltender. Conor Andrle comes to West Point from the Brookings Blizzard of the North American Hockey League where he scored 34 points for the Blizzard last season with 16 goals and 18 helpers. Cody Boyd joins the squad from the Coquitlam Express, where he played in 70 games last season. Where his team won the BCHL Championship as a team captain contributing nine points in the playoffs scoring three goals and adding six assists for the Express. Blake Box spent two seasons on the blueline for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL. Box won the league award for hardest shot and finished with 19 points on three goals and 16 assists in 201314. Goaltender Cole Bruns is from the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He broke the USHL record for consecutive shutout minutes and finished with a 17-8-4 mark in his
second year with the Lancers. He posted a 2.27 goals against average and a .917 save percentage in over 1700 minutes played. Nick DeCenzo is a smart and competitive player and will help the Black Knights down the middle. He skated in 173 career games for the Blizzard and finished with 83 points on 24 goals and 57 assists including a career-high 32 points last season with nine goals and 23 helpers. Andy Faust joins via the Coulee Region Chill of the NAHL where he played in 60 games for the Chill in 2012-13 and then signed on with the Connecticut Oilers of the Eastern Hockey League. He was one of the top scorers in the EHL with 30 points in 24 games before being traded back to the Chill, where he appeared in 23 contests to finish out his junior career. Joe Llaurado played for the Dubuque Saints of the USHL, where he skated alongside 18 other Division I commits and four NHL draft picks. Llaurado was runnerup for Mr. Hockey in Wisconsin while at Marquette Senior High School. He scored 127 points in his final two seasons in high school. Brendan McGuire is on his way to Army after one season with the Amarillo Bulls of the NAHL, where he played in 55 games and tallied 22 points. The big 6-6 forward helped the Bulls to a firstplace finish in the south division with a 40-14-6 record. Tyler Pham joins the Black Knights after a championship season as a team captain with the Indiana Ice of the USHL. He contributed to the title with five points in 12 playoff games and had 22 points
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www.nyhockeyonline.com during the regular season in 57 games. Michael Preston also comes to Army from the Ice. The 6-2 defenseman appeared in 68 games last season, including the 12 games to win the title. He had three points in the run to the Clark Cup and recorded seven in the regular season, along with 129 penalty minutes. Joe Shector is another defenseman who played the last three seasons with the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the CCHL. He played a total of 184 games for the Senators and finished with 68 points. The 2014-15 schedule was also released with 18 regular season home games, including exhibition bouts against the Russian Red AllStars and Royal Military College. Along with non-league tilts against Providence, Brown and Princeton, the Black Knights are set for 29 regular-season Atlantic Hockey Association games. The annual Black-Gold Game gets the 2014-15 slate underway. The scrimmage at Tate Rink is open to the public and set for Saturday, Oct. 4. From there, the Black Knights officially open the regular season with seven-straight home games, beginning with three AHA weekend series.
HUDSON VALLEY CC There will be a general interest meeting for the 2014-15 season on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. in the Conway Ice Rink.
R.P.I.
East Hockey / Page 23
Freshman-to-be Michael Prapavessis was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round, 105th overall, of the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Also chosen was goaltender recruit Alec Dillon, who was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round. Prapavessis, a defenseman from Oakville, Ont., played in 47 games for the Patriots of the OJHL last season, registering five goals and 49 assists for 54 points. He led all blue-liners in scoring and was second overall in helpers, while notching 26 points on the powerplay. Dillon, who is 6-5, 170 pounds, was taken 150th overall. He played last season with Victoria in the British Columbia Hockey League, going 8-4-2 with a 2.88 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. The school announced its captains for the 2014-15 season. Senior defenseman Curtis Leonard will wear the ‘C’ with classmates Luke Curadi, Matt Neal and Mark McGowan the alternate captains. Four individuals were announced for induction into Rensselaer’s Athletics Hall of Fame as the Class of 2014 and includes 2000 grad Brian Pothier. A defenseman, Pothier played 142 games for RPI, tallying 17 goals and 57 assists for 74 points
with 150 penalty minutes. His best season came when he captained the team as a senior, notching 33 points on nine goals and 24 assists – all career-highs – in 36 games. He was selected All-ECAC, named to the ECAC All-Tournament Team and garnered AHCA National AllAmerica recognition. Pothier helped the Engineers to three 20-win seasons and a fouryear record of 83-50-12 (.613). He went on to play 12 seasons of professional hockey, including nine in the National Hockey League. In 362 NHL games, Pothier scored 26 goals with 92 assists for 118 points. He set career-highs of 77 games, 30 assists, 35 points and a plus-29 while with the Ottawa Senators in 2005-06. He also played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, concluding his career in May after playing two seasons for Geneve Servette in Swiss-A.
UNION Clifton Park native Jeff Taylor was chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the seventh round (203rd overall) of the NHL Entry Draft. Taylor becomes the seventh NHL Draft
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www.nyhockeyonline.com pick in Union’s history. Taylor led Union rookie defensemen in scoring (16 points) and blocked shots (26), while finishing a +20 – sixth-best on the team. He finished 14th among ECAC Hockey defensemen in conference scoring (nine points) and was named to the ECACH Media Association All-Rookie Team. Massena native Matt Hatch has signed a free-agent contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyer, after finishing his four-year collegiate career. One of three Dutchmen to appear in all 40 games this past season. He finished his career by scoring points (4-3) in five of his last six games. Hatch compiled 73 points (34 goals, 39 assists) and a plus/ minus rating of +64 in 148 career games. The Dutchmen released their 201415 schedule and the first six weeks is heavy in home dates, as the Dutchmen play nine of 12 games at Messa Rink. The national championship banner will be raised on opening night, Oct. 10, with an 8:00 p.m. faceoff against American International. Other non-conference opponents visiting Messa include New Hampshire (Oct. 11) and St. Cloud State (Oct. 24-25). Union travels to a pair of holiday tournaments, facing off against Notre Dame (Nov. 28) and either Ohio State or Western Michigan (Nov. 29) at the Shillelagh Tournament in South Bend over Thanksgiving weekend. The “U” also takes part in the inaugural Frozen Holiday Classic, meeting host UConn (Dec. 27) and either Sacred
East Hockey / Page 24 Heart or UMass-Lowell (Dec. 28) at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.
UNION SIGNS THREEYEAR EXTENSION FOR HOCKEY WITH EMPIRE BROADCASTING CORPORATION Union College has signed a threeyear extension with Empire Broadcasting Corporation for football and men’s ice hockey radio broadcasts. All home and away Dutchmen football and hockey games will be live on CBS Sports Network Sporty 1240 AM (WPTR-AM). In addition, “Union Hockey Coaches Corner,” the only live college coaches show from a restaurant, will be broadcast for the next three years during hockey season. The show comes live from The Van Dyck Restaurant & Lounge in Schenectady, and 11 shows will be aired for 2014-15 beginning Tuesday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m. (twice a month through March, with one show in December). The games and shows can also be heard on the web at http:// www.sporty1240.com/. Frank Rossi calls the games for Union football and Matt Dubrey is joined by Brian Unger for the hockey broadcasts. Dubrey hosts the coaches show. “Union College has a tradition of tremendous academic and athletic excellence and Empire Broadcasting is fortunate to be partnering up as the exclusive radio network for the next three years,”
said Neerav Patel, Chief Operating Officer/Principal of Empire Broadcasting Corporation. “We are pleased to continue our excellent relationship with Empire Broadcasting Corporation, particularly for a three year period,” said Eric McDowell, Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Information at Union.” I thank Neerav and his staff, and we look forward to the continued exposure and promotional opportunities with Walt Adams and other on-air personalities with their family of stations.” Empire Broadcasting includes 101.3 The Jockey, Mix 106.1 and 900AM WABY along with Sporty 1240 AM.
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www.nyhockeyonline.com UNION The Union College women’s ice hockey team has received commitments from six freshmen to join the team in 201415. The announcement was made by head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb. The newest Dutchwomen include: forward Hannah Erickson (Crosslake, Minn./Achiever Academy), forward Erica Kelly (Buckingham, Quebec/King’s-Edgehill School), defenseman Caitlyn McLaren (Metcalfe, Ontario/Ottawa Lady Senators), goaltender Alexx Ridding (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie Junior Sharks), forward Nicole Russell (Livonia, Mich./Honeybaked), and defenseman Brandy Streeter (Morrisville, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons/Nichols School). Erickson is a smooth-skating forward who can bury the puck. She spent the 2013-14 season with the Achiever Academy Aces (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). Serving as team captain, she compiled 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 25 games. Erickson also played three seasons at the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vt., helping the Winter Hawks capture three Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) championships. During that three-year stretch, NAHA amassed a record of 154-42-22. Kelly impressed the Union coaching staff with her ability to play in all three zones. She has good defensive awareness and a knack for scoring goals. Kelly recorded back-to-back 100-point seasons skating for King’s-Edgehill School (KES) in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Last season as team captain, she stockpiled 63 goals and 55 assists for 118 points, earning North American Prep Hockey Association (NAPHA) Honorable Mention honors. In 2012-13, Kelly registered 94 goals and 56 assists for 150 points to pace the Valley High School Hockey League (VHSHL) in scoring. A two-time team MVP, she led KES to a pair of provincial Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation (NSSAF) championships and a two-year record of 67-14-5. Kelly’s grandfather, Billy Cameron, played two seasons in the National Hockey League. McLaren is a defensive defenseman with great size. Her consistency and ability to make good decision under pressure will be an asset. McLaren spent the past two seasons with the Ottawa Senators Intermediate AA team of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). In 2013-14, McLaren served as an assistant captain and totaled a goal and 11 assists for 12 points in 37 games as the Lady Sen’s leading defenseman scorer. Caitlyn’s brother, Connor, will be a freshman forward with the Princeton Tigers this fall. Ridding is a quick, athletic goaltender who plays the
East Hockey / Page 25 angles wells and is a fierce competitor. She tended net this past season for by Janet Schultz the BarJanet@nyhockeyonline.com rie Junior Sharks of the PWHL. She posted a 1.94 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage along with two shutouts in 19 starts, finishing with an 8-8-2-1 record. In 2012-13, Ridding backstopped the North Bay Ice Boltz Midget AA team to the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) provincial title. Russell blends great stick skills with quickness, and has great vision on the ice. She came up through the Detroitbased Honeybaked program, competing in the High Performance Hockey League. Russell spent five years with Honeybaked, winning back-toback state championships in 2013 and 2014. Russell was the top scorer from Michigan at the 2014 Toyota USA Hockey National Championships (Tier I Under-19 Division), where she compiled seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games. She has been invited to four Under-18 USA Hockey National Camps (2010-13). Streeter is a quick defenseman who doesn’t mind jumping into the offensive zone. She is also adept at making solid outlet passes. Streeter is an in-state product from Morrisville, located two hours west of Schenectady. She spent the past four years with the Buffalo Bisons program, most recently with the Bisons Under-19 squad. Streeter also skated for one of the nation’s top prep programs, the Nichols School in Buffalo. This past season as team captain, she helped the Vikings to 17 straight wins and a 31-4-3 record as Nichols won the North American Prep Hockey Association (NAPHA) title and the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) championship. Streeter is one of six players from Nichols moving on to the college ranks. “We are excited about this class because it is going to add depth to all ends of the ice,” says Asano Barcomb. “We look forward to their leadership, work ethic, energy and skill on the ice.” The Dutchwomen, coming off a school-record for wins in a season, open the 2014-15 campaign with an exhibition against the Ottawa Junior Seniors on Sept. 27 at Messa Rink.
East Women’s College Report
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www.nyhockeyonline.com The Dutchwomen look to continue to improve after setting program win records in each of the last two seasons. “We are very excited about next season as we have great players coming in to add depth to our overall team,” said head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb. “We are looking forward to building on the success of this year. We have set a goal of making the playoffs and our returners and incoming freshman have committed to the training to get us there as a team.” The Dutchwomen will open the season with a scrimmage against the Ottawa Jr. Senators on Sept. 27 before hitting the road for a two game set against Rochester Institute of Technology on Oct. 3-4, a team that the Dutchwomen secured a win and a tie at home last season. After that they return for a four game set against the University of Connecticut (Oct. 10-11) and Penn State University (Oct. 17-18). The Dutchwomen then embark on their longest road trip of the season that starts off with a series against the University of Vermont (Oct. 24-15). The Dutchwomen will then open up ECACH conference action on the road against Dartmouth (Oct. 31) and Harvard (Nov. 1). The Dutchwomen went 1-1 against the Big Green a year ago after securing their first league victory of the 2013-14 season and breaking a 30-game winless streak in a 3-0 shutout on Nov. 1, 2013 at Messa Rink. Union takes a break from league action on Nov. 7 when they travel to Providence before returning to ECAC Hockey play with a two-game set with Princeton (Nov. 14) and Quinnipiac (Nov. 15). The Dutchwomen will look to capitalize on their success against the Tigers last season after posting their first ever program victory over Princeton on Jan. 10, 2014. Following a two-and-a-half week break over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Dutchwomen travel to Boston for their only mid-week game of the year against Northeastern on Dec. 2 to close out the eight-game road trip. The Dutchwomen return home for the first time since Oct. 18 when they host conference schools Yale (Dec. 5) and Brown (Dec. 6). The Dutchwomen close out 2014 with a two-game set against Maine (Dec. 12-13), a team they split with a season ago. Union returns from another two-and-a-half week holiday break to open up their 2015 portion of the schedule when they host Quinnipiac (Jan. 2) and Princeton (Jan. 3). After that they will host rematches with Harvard (Jan. 9) and Dartmouth (Jan. 10) before traveling to Potsdam to take on the 2013-14 National Champions Clarkson Golden Knights on Jan. 16. Union will also take on St. Lawrence on Jan. 17 while in North Country. Union will return home for a home-and-home series against cross-town rival RPI on Jan. 23-24 before hitting the road for their first matchups of the season with Cornell (Jan. 30) and Colgate (Jan. 31).
East Hockey / Page 26 Union will host rematches with St. Lawrence (Feb. 6) and Clarkson (Feb. 7) before making their last road trip of the season for rematches with Brown (Feb. 13) and Yale (Feb. 14). Union will close out the regular season at home with a rematch with Colgate on Feb. 21 before saying goodbye to seniors Shenae Lundberg, Alex Tancrell-Fontaine, Kelly McGrath, Haley Welch, Christine Valente and Bryanne Panchuk on senior day against Cornell on Feb. 21. Elizabeth “Liz” Keady has been hired as assistant coach. A former standout at Princeton, Keady has spent the past two seasons as head coach for the girl’s varsity hockey team at Andover (Mass.) High School, coaching the girl’s varsity lacrosse team as well. Keady has also directed the North Shore Vipers Select program, working with the Under-19 and Under-16 teams and conducting skills sessions for age groups Under-10 through Under-19. Since June 2008, Keady has served as General Manager and Director of Hockey Training at the Institute of Performance & Fitness in Andover. In this role, she worked as a personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, developing sport specific training programs for hockey athletes, many of whom play at the Division I level. Keady has also been an instructor at hockey camps in New Jersey and Massachusetts. A native of Braintree, Mass., Keady played four seasons (2003-08) at Princeton, notching 38 goals, 41 assists and 79 points in 118 career games as a forward. She was named team MVP and Most Improved Player in 2004-05, scoring a career-high 15 goals. The same season she earned All-ECAC Hockey Honorable Mention and All-Ivy Second Team accolades. Keady missed the 2005-06 campaign to train with the U.S. National Team. She appeared in 16 games during the team’s 2005 Pre-Olympic Tour and was the last player cut from the 2006 Olympic squad. “We are very excited for Liz to join our staff,” said Asano Barcomb. “Liz has incredible work ethic and experience in women’s ice hockey. She is passionate about fitness and developing hockey players to their highest level. Our team will greatly benefit from having her on staff.” Twelve student-athletes were named to the 2013-14 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team. Nine of the Dutchwomen are repeat honorees, led by seniors Elsa Bruestle, Ashley Johnston and Maddy Norton, who became fourtime recipients. Rebecca Babiak* So., Geology; Elsa Bruestle*^+ Sr., History; Ashley Johnston*^+ Sr., Mechanical Engineering; Jessica Kaminsky* So., Liberal Arts Sciences; Shenae Lundberg*^ Jr., Psychology; Kelly McGrath*^ Jr., Arts; Maddy Norton*^+ Sr., History; Elizabeth Otten^ So., Psychology;
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www.nyhockeyonline.com Alex Tancrell-Fontaine Jr., Anthropology & English; Kathryn Tomaselli So., Computer Science; Christine Valente*^ Jr., Biology and Eastyn Yuen Fr., Liberal Arts/Sciences (* denotes selection to 2012-13 team ^ denotes selection to 2011-12 team + denotes selection to 2010-11 team)
MANHATTANVILLE
Manhattanville Returns Home
The biggest news for Manhattanville for this season is they are returning to their home arena! Following two years in Stamford, the Manhattanville men’s and women’s hockey teams are proud to return to Playland Ice Casino for the 2014-15 season, the Department of Athletics officially announced this week. Playland Ice Casino served as the home of the Valiants for a decade from 2002 until 2012, when parts of the venerable facility were badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy just weeks before the start of the 2012-13 campaign. After two seasons at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, Conn., Manhattanville will be back for its 11th season at the venerable facility, which was built in 1930 on the site of Westchester’s Playland Amusement Park in nearby Rye, N.Y. “It will be great to see our senior players finish their careers back at Playland after it was suddenly taken away from them as sophomores,” said head women’s hockey coach David Turco. “More so, I’m excited for our incoming freshmen and underclassmen who will get to experience our great locker room and facility for the first time.” “We couldn’t be more excited to return to Playland Ice Casino for the upcoming season,” said head men’s hockey coach Arlen Marshall ‘10. It’s an awesome place to call home for our players and coaching staff.” The Manhattanville programs have historically been very successful at Playland, as the men and women combined for an incredible 196-44-21 (.791) record in their first decade at the rink. The women’s team is an amazing 11218-7 (.843) all-time on the Playland ice, including a remarkable 85-6-2 (.925) against ECAC East Conference competition, while the men’s team is 84-26-14 all-time at Playland and has only eight losses in 58 home non-conference games over that span. Once the practice facility of the New York Rangers, Playland’s state-of-the-art facilities provide Manhattanville a huge off-the-ice advantage over its opponent, while on the ice the intimate setting delivers an intimidating gameday atmosphere that gives the Valiants a leg up from the opening faceoff. “We are looking forward to again benefitting from the close proximity to campus and feeling the support of our
East Hockey / Page 27 student body and surrounding hockey community,” Marshall said. “The environment for our 2014-15 home games will be really fun to be a part of.” The Manhattanville programs went a combined 25-145 in their two seasons at Terry Conners Rink, making the best of their time at the temporary home. “We want to thank the City of Stamford, Terry Conners Rink and everyone at the facility for all that they have done for us the past two seasons,” Turco added. “It was a tough transition for our programs that couldn’t have been at all possible if not for their help and support.” Both Manhattanville teams will begin the home portion of their 2014-15 schedules during the first full weekend of November. The home season starts with a rare Friday doubleheader at Playland, with the women’s team taking on Nichols at 3 p.m. followed by the men’s team hosting Hobart at 7 p.m. The 2014-15 Manhattanville College women’s hockey schedule was released as fourth-year head coach David Turco produced yet another challenging non-conference slate to complement a growing conference schedule. The Valiants have a challenging schedule on many fronts this year, with four NCAA Tournament squads on a ledger that features only nine home games – including just four contests at Playland Ice Casino over the final three months of the season. In what is becoming an annual tradition, the Valiants will start off the season at Norwich for the ECAC East-West Classic. The puck drops on the season at 5:00 p.m. on November 1, as the Valiants take on the defending national champions, Plattsburgh State, before a matchup with 2013 national champion Elmira the following day. The good news is that the team’s next five games are all back home, giving the Valiants a comfortable start to the ECAC East Conference schedule that has expanded to 17 games this year with the addition of both Franklin Pierce and the University of New England to the conference stable. The home slate begins on Friday, November 7, when the Valiants take to the ice at Playland Ice Casino for the first time in two years beginning at 3 p.m. The homestand continues the following weekend with Salve Regina and UMass Boston coming to Playland, and the home stretch concludes with both of last year’s ECAC East finalists, Castleton State and Norwich, coming to Rye on November 2122. Only one of the team’s next nine games comes at Playland, however, as the team must learn to win on the road at the season progresses. Included during the long stretch away from home is a tough NESCAC weekend at Amherst and Williams to close out the first semester on December
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www.nyhockeyonline.com 6-7, as well as a trip to Castleton State to take part in the Rutland Herald Invitational on January 9-10. The road trip comes to an end on January 23-24 when the Valiants host Plymouth State and New England College, but after that the only remaining home game on the schedule is the team’s first-ever meeting with Franklin Pierce on February 14. The regular-season ends the next weekend with two games at Saint Michael’s and Saint Anselm on February 20-21. The postseason starts up on February 28 with the ECAC East Tournament quarterfinals, followed by the semifinal round on March 7 and the championship game on March 14. All postseason games will be played at the rink of the higher seed. In Other Manhattanville News Incoming freshman Sarah Sinning was recently featured in an article by the Suffolk Times in advance of her representing her country at the Junior Women’s World Roller Hockey Championships in France. Joe Werkmeister’s article profiles Sinning and her transitions between roller hockey and traditional ice hockey, as well as the reasons why she chose to continue her hockey career collegiately at Manhattanville. To read the full article, click here: http://suffolktimes. timesreview.com/2014/06/49673/peconic-girl-to-represent-u-s-on-roller-hockey-team/
RENSSELAER
The captains of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s ice hockey team have been announced and seniors Ali Svoboda and Taylor Mahoney will both be wearing a ‘C’ for the 2014-15 season. Junior Mari Mankey will be the assistant captain for the team, which is coached by John Burke. “We are excited to have Taylor, Ali and Mari leading our team next season,” said Burke. “Each has earned the privilege and responsibility of serving as team leaders. They are caring, humble and dedicated individuals. All three are motivated to help our program attain all of its goals.” A forward from Arlington Heights, Ill., Svoboda was fourth on the team in scoring last season, notching seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. Playing in all 33 games, she tallied once on the power-play while being assessed 11 penalties for 30 minutes. Svoboda was the team’s third highest point-getter in ECAC Hockey play, registering 11 points on four
East Hockey / Page 28 goals and seven assists. The former Chicago Mission standout, she took six penalties for 20 minutes in 22 conference games. Appearing in 103 games for Rensselaer in her career, Svoboda has 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points. She set career-highs in goals, assists and points last year. Also a forward, Mahoney hails from Cary, Ill., and played in all 33 games for Rensselaer last season. She was fifth on the squad in points, with 15 on eight goals and seven assists. She led the team in power-play goals with four, while also tallying the Engineers’ only shorthanded marker. With one game-winning goal to her credit, she was assessed 14 minor penalties for 28 minutes. Mahoney notched eight points on five goals and three assists in 22 league games. Also former member of the Chicago Mission, she took eight penalties for 16 minutes in conference play. In 96 career games at RPI, Mahoney has 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. A forward out of Hopkins, Minn., Mankey scored five goals and added nine assists for 14 points in 2013-14 for Rensselaer. Appearing in all 33 contests, she buried two power-play tallies and had one game-winner. She also took 10 penalties for 20 minutes. Mankey was one of five Engineers to reach doublefigures in league scoring, posting 10 points on four goals and six assists in 22 games. Two of those goals on the manadvantage and the Hopkins High School graduate was assessed six penalties for 12 minutes. Through 68 collegiate games, Mankey has 11 goals and 12 assists 23 points. Rensselaer posted a 10-20-3 overall record in 2013-14 with a 6-14-2 ECAC Hockey mark. RPI opens with an exhibition game against the Ottawa Jr. Senators on September 26 at home. They follow that with a road trip to the Univeristy of North Dakota and Bemidji State University before they open at home on October 11 against the University of Vermont. Their first ECAC competitor is Harvard on October 30 at Cambridge, MA. and Dartmouth the following day in New Hampshire. The Engineers end the season with two home games, February 20 against Cornell and February 21 against Colgate.
East Youth News and Notes:
...Dix Hills begins their 15th season this year. That is 15 years of getting players and coaches started in Mites X-Ice Hockey. That’s 72 players, 15 coaches and 6 teams each season with some early graduates now playing in the ranks of Junior, College and Pro rookie games. Registration starts September 1st on the Dix Hills website.
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A
North Hockey / Page 30
round this time last summer, Chris Lee, a Bears’ ice hockey alum and 2004 graduate was inducted into the SUNY Potsdam Sports Hall of Fame along with basketball standout Edane Barton, lacrosse star Chris Mele and the famed 1972-73 wrestling team. Lee, a MacTier, Ontario native who is tied for 10th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 115 points, could not fathom the amount of success that he would earn over the course of the impending year. And, it all began when Lee agreed to play in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. After building a worldly resume playing in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), the American Hockey League (AHL), the Deutsche Eishockey League (Germany) and the Swedish Hockey League (SweHL) for 12 seasons, Lee sat down with his wife and decided that the risk of playing in another foreign country could well be worth the reward. Coincidentally, a stroke of fate had legendary NHL coach Mike Keenan, who had famously guided the New York Rangers to its 1994 Stanley Cup win against the Vancouver Canucks, signing on the dotted line to become the Magnitogorsk Metallurg Steelmen’s new coach. And so on April 30 of this year, there was Lee, Podam’s fifth hockey All-American, rejoicing in celebration with Coach Keenan and his Steelman teammates as they hoisted the Gagarin Cup on Russian soil. History would be made in the process, as Keenan became the first North American coach to take the top prize in Russian club hockey history. “For my first year, I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Lee said. “Thousands of people attended our victory parade, so to see how much people appreciated it, meant a lot. This was my third trip to the finals and I had come up short two times before. So, I had those demons. But, when we pulled it off, it was such a crazy thing. It’s hard to put into words, but it just felt like the most rewarding season I’ve ever had as a pro. This was my first championship in professional hockey and that’s always the end goal.” Playing as the fourth highest scorer on the Steelman, Lee was a part of a team that went 35-11-0-8 and captured Russia’s version’s of the Stanley Cup championship by outlasting Prague Kev four games to three in a best-of-sevengame series. The 33-year-old defenseman racked up 12 goals and 19 assists during 47 regular season games and then added
three goals and six assists in 21 playoff games. Keenan and Lee share North Country hockey routes. Prior to coaching, Keenan began his playing career back in 1969 for St. Lawrence University, while Lee began his college career with the Bears back in 2000. “We talked about it a few times,” Lee said. “It’s pretty neat for us to both have played in upstate New York. It’s funny how small the world is. He [Keenan] demands hard work, wants everybody to buy into the system and put in a honest effort. He instilled that in us. The players had a lot of respect for him so they looked forward to working with him. Everyone reacted well to him. He got every ounce out of everybody.” As for Keenan’s reputation as a hard-edged coach, Lee said much of that is overblown. “He has his moments where he’s going to get upset, but every coach is like that,” Lee said. “He’s so much more composed than what can be shown on YouTube clips. He’s a family man and makes sure everybody is doing well. He’s great to talk to and when it comes to hockey, it’s all business.” The KHL has drummed up a strong reputation for being one of the most competitive hockey leagues on the global stage. “When I spent my last few years in Europe, I started to learn how respected that league was (the KHL) and how talented the players were,” Lee said. “To me, it’s the second best league in the world. I’m always trying to improve so this was a step up in my career. I was excited for the challenge. It’s an exceptional league. The speed and talent of the players is fantastic. There are a number of guys who could be in the NHL who are playing here.” Despite only knowing little of the Russian language, Lee said he has been fortunate enough to have North American coaches and others around him who speak English as their first language. One of the team’s assistant coaches speaks English, Russian and German while their masseur attended college in Virginia and speaks Russian as well as English. The adjustment to the culture is omnipresent. Lee said it’s most noticeable in the way that Russians drive and how roads are laid out for traffic.
Potsdam’s Lee Takes Gagarin Cup
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Northern New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski
Wkozires@brockport.edu
CLARKSON Clarkson’s Class of 2018 includes nine freshmen. Defenseman Terrence Amorosa via the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) was a fifth-round NHL Draft choice (132) of the Philadelphia Flyers. Forward Janick Asselin From the Sherbrooke Cougars (QJHL) averaged almost two points per game with 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points and a plus/minus of +34 through 48 games. Forward Ben Dalpe from the Penticton Vees (BCHL) recorded 41 points on 17 goals and 24 assists in 56 games. Forward Dylan Gareau via the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) scored eight goals and seven assists in 16 regular-season games for the CCHL Champion Canadians. Forward Brett Gervais was team captain of the Robertson Cup champion Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL). Defenseman Tyko Karjalainen played for Jokerit U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga) in Sweden where he recorded five goals and 28 assists. Forward Nic Pierog from the Penticton Vees (BCHL) tallied five goals to go along with six assists in 19 games late in the season. Defenseman Kelly Summers via the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) was a 2014 seventhround NHL Draft choice (189) of the Ottawa Senators. Forward Sam Vigneault played for Andre-Laurendeau Boomerang (QCHL) and was their second leading scorer in 2013-14 with 60 points on 28 goals and 32 assist in 37 games in the QCHL. The Knights open the regular season with three straight road games starting with a game at Niagara University on Friday, October 10, followed by a game at RIT’s brand new Gene Polisseni Center on October 11. A home-and-home series against 2014 NCAA participant University of Vermont is next with the Knights playing at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington on October 17 and hosting the Catamounts in the home opener at Cheel Arena on October 18.
North Hockey / Page 31 PLATTSBURGH Five members of the team were honored at the team’s annual break-up dinner. Sophomore forward Michael Radisa was selected as the team’s most improved player. For the second-straight season the scholar-athlete award was given to junior forward Michael Cassidy (West Seneca), a business administration major who has received State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) All-Academic honors twice. He was also named to the SUNYAC Commissioner’s List as a sophomore. Cassidy finished the season with five goals and nine assists for 14 points. Kyle Hall was recognized as the 2014 Mike Daoust Rookie of the Year after leading all Cardinal freshmen with 12 points. Senior goaltender Sam Foley received the Chester A. Grabowski Award which is given annually to the player who most typifies Plattsburgh State Cardinal Hockey, demonstrating supreme sportsmanship, leadership, hard work and dedication. This is the second time Foley has received the Grabowski award. And Mathieu Cadieux was named the Cardinals’ most valuable player after finishing the year with an 18-5-2 record. He earned All-SUNYAC Second Team honors after posting a career-best 1.65 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.
ST. LAWRENCE A two game home series against WCHA champion and NCAA tournament entry Ferris State in mid-October is one of the highlights of St. Lawrence University’s men’s nonleague hockey schedule for 2014-15. The Saints will open the season with nine nonleague games, including a home and home nonleague series with arch-rival Clarkson, before starting ECAC play Nov. 7-8 at Brown and Yale. The Saints open its season with an Oct. 4 exhibition game against Carleton University and start NCAA play on Oct. 10 when it is the first visiting team in the opening of RIT’s new hockey facility. The Saints will play at Niagara on the 11th and at Vermont on Oct. 14 before their NCAA home openers with Ferris State on Oct. 17-18. League play starts at Brown and Yale on Nov. 7-8 with a road trip to Colgate and Cornell the following weekend. The Saints will host Princeton and Quinnipiac for home league openers Nov. 21-22.
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North Hockey / Page 32 sists, while freshman Jessica Kistabish (Pikogan, QUE) netted the eventual game-winner 3:15 into the third. Dana Morrison provided a clutch short-handed tally early in the second period. Another impressive SUNY Canton victory came on the road on February 15th as the Roos traveled up Route 11 to take on SUNY Potsdam. Kistabish had a phenomenal outing finishing with a hat trick and one assist including scoring the game-winner on the power play in a 4-3 overtime win. Kistabish and Cree led the Roos offensively with 24 points apiece. Kistabish produced 16 goals, eight assists, five game-winning goals and five power play markers. Cree posted a team-high 12 assists to go with 12 goals. Shayna Dominique (Misstissini, QUE) was a fortress in net all season compiling a 2.83 goals against average and .919 save percentage while stopping 784 shots on the season. She had 32 or more saves in 15 contests and averaged
North Women’s College Report by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com
CANTON The SUNY Canton women’s ice hockey program made tremendous strides finishing with an impressive 8-14-3 record in its first season as a varsity program. The Roos, who had less than 10 players on their club roster a year ago put together a remarkable season defeating powerhouses such as SUNY Cortland, Buffalo State, SUNY Potsdam and Division I Sacred Heart University. In just their second series of the season the Roos tied the Red Dragons 1-1 in overtime before a 3-0 triumph against SUNY Cortland the following afternoon. At one point in the season SUNY Canton carried a six game unbeaten streak that included two ties and four wins in succession. During that streak SUNY Canton earned a sweep of the Bengals outscoring Buffalo State 9-4 in two contests. The Roos earned their most impressive win of the season on January 17th when they defeated D-1 Sacred Heart, 3-2. Karley Cree (Hogansburg, NY) was huge finishing the game with a goal and two as-
31.4 stops per outing. The rookie stopped 40 or more shots three times with her season-high coming against Utica College (46). For her efforts between the pipes this season Dominique was named SUNY Canton’s Female Rookie of the Year. With an extremely impressive season playing a schedule against all NCAA teams for the first time the SUNY Canton women’s ice
hockey program seems poised for success in the years to come. Canton Head Coach Melissa Lomanto announced the addition of nine players to the 2014-15 roster including Goalie Tori Gokey from Fairport and the Rochester Edge; Megan Plumb, Morristown and the Potsdam Ice Storm; McKayla Duffy, Bloomingdale, Chazy U19 and Saranac Lake High School and Ogdensburg’s Margaret Troiano from the Potsdam Ice Storm. Other players include Rebecca DiNardo, Ottawa Ice Senior A/ AA; Peyton Stafne, St. Louis Park Oioles; Kjrstin Hoberg, Grand Forks Knightriders; Alicia Eamon, Cornwall Typhoons Midget AA and Lindsey Hall, Hamilton Hawks MIdget AA. Canton opens their season against Chatham University in Pennsylvania on October 30. Their first home game will be November 21 against Stevenson University. They end their season February 10 against Utica College in Utica.
CLARKSON
The hard work and talent from past recruiting classes resulted in the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team winning the 2014 NCAA National Championship. The Golden Knights will now look towards the Class of 2018 to play a key role in the continued success of the program, which enters its 12th season of Division I play in 2014-15. Seventh-year head coach Matt Desrosiers and assistant coach Matt
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www.nyhockeyonline.com Kelly have added four forwards – Brielle Bellerive, Katelyn Fournier, Lauren Lefler and Amanda Titus, one defenseman – Savannah Harmon, and one goaltender – Shea Tiley to the talented Green and Gold roster. The six members of the Golden Knights incoming class will add to the depth of a Clarkson squad that graduated seven players - forwards Vanessa Gagnon, Carly Mercer, Shelby Nisbet, Jamie-Lee Rattray and Brittany Styner, defenseman Vanessa Plante and goaltender Erica Howe - from this past year’s team which skated to 31-5-5 overall record, including a first place 16-2-4 ECAC Hockey mark and the University’s first-ever NCAA title. “We are very excited to be welcoming six incoming student-athletes to the Clarkson family,” stated Desrosiers. “This group of freshmen as a whole brings a wide variety of skills, talents, and characteristics that will fit well with our returning core group of players. This freshman class not only possesses a great deal of experience, but they also bring with them many leadership qualities that will be very valuable moving forward in their Clarkson careers.” Desrosiers added, “The team dynamics will change a little with the loss of our seven graduated seniors, but with the experience and confidence our returnees gained during our National Championship season last year, it should help our freshman class make the transition to college hockey much easier. With the success and poise our returning players showed, especially during our NCAA tournament run, we are excited about what they will bring this upcoming season. They were able to score some big goals down the stretch and contributed heavily to Clarkson winning its first National Championship.”
Gagnon Recognized Vanessa Gagnon was nominated for the 2014 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. An assistant captain for the Golden Knights, Gagnon earned numerous accolades during her career. This year alone she was named tothe 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Women’s At Large First Team, received the Sara Devens Award, ws named ECAC Hockey’s Mandi Schwartz Student-
North Hockey / Page 33 Athlete of the Year and honored as an NCAA Elite 89 Award winner. The senior forward, who was also selected as Clarkson’s Ed Sayer Awardee scored 18 goals, including 5 game-winners and 15 assists along with boasting a +43 plus/minus rating to help the Golden Knights to the University’s first-ever NCAA Championship this past March. She holds a 4.0 GPA in business administration, currently one of Clarkson’s only two students to maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA in the MBA program. The naming of the Woman of the Year will be made October 19.
Golden Knights Named to ECAC Hockey All-Academic Teams These women were named to the 2014 ECAC All-Academic Team: Jenna Boss; Renata Fast, Erica Howe, McKenzie Johnson, Christine Lambert, Daniella Matteucci, Carly Mercer, Cayley Mercer, Vanessa Plante, Jennifer Shields, Brittany Styner andGagnon. Clarkson will open their season at St. Lawrence on October 3. The following evening they will face the Saints once again but in their home arena with the NCAA Championship Banner Raising ceremony. The game will begin at 4 p.m. in Cheel Arena.
PLATTSBURGH Sydney Aveson Named Capital One Academic AllAmerican, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient
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remarkable season between the pipes by Sydney Aveson continues to be rewarded as the recent graduate was named to the Capital One Academic AllAmerica First Team for the Division III Women’s AtLarge Program. Aveson was also selected as one of 58 winter student-athletes to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A West Covina, Calif. native, Aveson is the lone ice hockey representative on the 2014 Capital
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www.nyhockeyonline.com One Academic All-America Division III Women’s AtLarge First Team and is one of three women’s ice hockey players to be recognized on this year’s Division III At-Large Team. Aveson graduated in May with a bachelor’s of science in expeditionary studies and will be continuing her studies in the fall at Plattsburgh State. In addition to achieving Capital One Academic All-America status, Aveson was only ice hockey player to earn an NCAA Winter Postgraduate Scholarship this year. Each winter, 29 male and 29 female winter sports student-athletes from across all divisions are honored with an award for $7,500. Similar awards are given each season to fall and spring student-athletes, totaling 174 individual winners each academic year. These final two awards mark the end of one of the finest seasons put together by a Division III goaltender. Aveson helped lead the Cardinals to their third national championship, posting a 22-1-1 record and a Division III-best 0.57 goals-against average. She became Plattsburgh State’s third recipient of the Laura Hurd Award, which recognizes Division III women’s ice hockey player of the year. As only the second goaltender to ever win the Laura Hurd Award, Aveson was also named a First Team All-American as well as ECAC Women’s West Player of the Year. She set NCAA single-season records with a .971 save percentage and 14 shutouts while anchoring a Plattsburgh State defense that allowed just 19 goals on the season – an average of 0.63 goals per game. (Lee Continued) “The way they drive is unbelievable,” Lee said. It’s a little frightening. There is no paint to divide any lanes. It’s like a free for all. I decided to hire a driver. I’m about five minutes from the rink. Every country that I play in has their differences and is a little different than you’re used to so you have to adapt.” The core of the Steelmen will remain intact for the 201415 campaign. “We had a number of free agents and our GM said that he would do his best to keep the team together,” Lee said. “He’s done that because we have only lost two guys to free agency and a couple of young guys moved to other teams to get opportunities. But, he did an outstanding job of keep-
North Hockey / Page 34 ST LAWRENCE Sixteen St. Lawrence women’s hockey student-athletes were named to the 2013-14 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team, the league announced Tuesday. A total of 160 women’s hockey student-athletes league wide were recognized for their efforts in the classroom. Seniors Dayle Wilkinson and Mel Desrochers earned their third and fourth All-Academic nods, respectively, joining eight other Saints as repeat honorees this season. Those players include: Sydney Bell, Jenna Marks, Abbey McRae, Amanda Boulier, Margo Lund, Mikaela Thompson, Carrie Wilder and Ellie Williams. Victoria Leimgardt, Kayla Raniwsky, Brooke Webster, Dominique Korakianitis, Giulia Mazzochi and Kirsten Padalis each earned All-Academic status for the first time in their careers. Players are eligible for the All-Academic team if they earn a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or have a GPA over 3.00 over the past three semesters. The Saints open their 2014-15 season against McGill University in an exhibition match on September 24 at home. They open the season against NCAA Champion Clarkson on October 3 at home. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
ing the team together.” The season carried out highs and lows, but the team showed that it could bounce back. “It was good overall,” Lee said. “There were some bumps in the road. We were trying to get the players to implement into the new system. We didn’t have a great start, but then everything started to sink in. We lost three of our first four games in overtime. Once we got rolling, we kept it going through the playoffs. The Finals was a heck of a series between two really good teams. It was a fantastic season especially for my first season over there. We had a lot of great comebacks and we proved to be a resilient team.” Lee has just returned to Russia to attend training camp, which opens on July 21. The season will begin in September.
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West Hockey / Page 36
BROCKPORT’S UNGER EARNS FIRST HEAD COACHING POSITION By Warren Kozireski
for three seasons starting with the 2008-09 ECAC Northeast championship year. Then he accepted the position as Assistant Coach with the College at Brockport program and his recruiting efforts helped them earn their first playoff appearance this past season since the 2009-10 campaign. “The hard part is leaving knowing that these are my guys that I helped recruit and next year the first group
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rockport High School graduate Nick Unger has been a winner both as a player and assistant coach in his hockey career and now will attempt to extend that success to another level as head coach of the National Sports Academy prep school program in Lake Placid. “This is another step for me with the ultimate goal of becoming a college hockey coach someday, but those jobs are hard to get without prior head coaching experience,” said Unger by phone. Unger finished his high school career as goaltender for the Blue Devils team that went 13-1 and went all the way to the state semifinals before falling to Williamsville North. That season paved the way for the team to win the state title the following year. After joining SUNY canton for one year and playing for the Buffalo Lightning (now Jr. Sabres) program, Unger went on to Nichols College and, after graduating in 2008, became Assistant Coach
should be turning the corner as upperclassmen,” said Unger. “But when an opportunity like this arises, you have to jump at it; I will be watching from a distance.” Unger begins his new position August 1st and follows in the footsteps of other National Sports Academy coaches including current Rochester Amerks head coach Chadd Cassidy and newly named Cortland head coach Joe Cardarelli among a long list. “I’ve known since high school
that I wanted to get into coaching from helping out with coaching clinics as far back as 16 years old. I enjoyed it and always wanted to know more about the drills and styles of play. “Athletic Director Don MacAdam has more than 40-years experience in hockey and has done a great job moving coaches on to higher levels with all of his connections. “I like the recruiting aspect and helping mold the players both on and off the ice; basically become an extension of their family. “While I was in college I knew that that was the level I wanted to reach long term, and hopefully this experience will help get me there.”
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CANISIUS CAPOBIANO HEADS TO FLYERS CAMP
West Hockey / Page 37
GRIFFS NEW HOME: HARBORCENTER
instruction along with the annual Trial on the Isle in Stone Harbor, New Jersey on Monday, July 14. Capobianco enjoyed a recordbreaking career in his four seasons at Canisius. He finished his tenure in March with school records in saves (3,061), save he most decorated goalie in the school’s history, percentage (.920), goals against 2014 Canisius graduate average (2.71) and shutouts Tony Capobianco (Mississauga, (eight). Ontario) was invited to partici- The Mississauga, Ontario pate in the Philadelphia Flyers also owns four-single-season records set during the 2012Development Camp. The six-day camp was held 13 campaign, while leading at the Virtua Center Flyers Skate the Griffs to their first conferZone in Voorhees, New Jersey. ence championship. He set the It brought together many Flyers program’s standards in saves of tomorrow, with the organiza- (1,256), save percentage (.929), tion’s young prospects gather- shutouts (four) and goaltender ing for five days of drills and victories (18). Capobianco’s
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1,256 saves rank as the 12thmost in NCAA history and the most since the 1988-89 campaign. Capobianco also proved to be a clutch postseason player during his career, helping Canisius to the 2013 Atlantic Hockey Championship and a second appearance in the title game in 2014. In 13 career Atlantic Hockey Tournament games, Capobianco owned an 11-2-0 record, 2.35 goals against average, .936 save percentage and three shutouts. A member of the 2013 Atlantic Hockey All-Tournament Team, he owns the top two saves marks in the tournament’s history (249 in 2014; 235 in 2013). After finishing his collegiate career, Capobianco played for the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL and the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL in March and April. Capobianco also participated in the Minnesota Wild Development Camp last summer. Senior Ryan Bohrer (West St. Paul, Minn.) and sophomore Stephen Miller (Boxborough, Mass.) of the Canisius College hockey team were both honored as Atlantic Hockey Scholar Ath-
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www.nyhockeyonline.com lete of the Year for the second time during their career, announced by the league on Monday. Overall, a school-record 23 Griffs were recognized on the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team – four more than the previous school standard set during each of the last two seasons. Both Boher and Miller posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average to collect the league’s top academic honor for the second time during their career. Bohrer also earned the accolade during the 2011-12 campaign, while Miller was named Scholar Athlete of the Year last season. It marks the sixth time in the last nine years that a Griff has collected the honor and the first time that a Canisius student-athlete has earned the accolade twice. Bohrer and classmates Kyle Gibbons and Taylor Law were each named to the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team for the fourth time during their career. Seniors Tony Capobianco and Patrick Sullivan and juniors Cody Freeman, Matthew Grazen, Doug Jessey, Carl Larsson, Mitch McCrank and Tyler Wiseman all collected the honor for the third time with Miller, senior Ben Danford, juniors Stephen Farrell, Logan Roe and Braeden Rigney and sophomores Adam Harris and Chris Rumble earning the accolade for a second time. Sophomore Ralph Cuddemi and freshmen Shane Conacher, Geoff Fortman, Jack Hidi and Josh Kielich were named to the all-academic team for the first time. The Griffs have advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Championship in each of the last two seasons, winning the program’s first title in 2013. Canisius is now set to enter a new era this season when it begins play at the HARBORCENTER – a $172 million multipurpose hockey and entertainment complex that sits directly across from the First Niagara Center. (Story courtesy of Canisius Sports Department)
West Hockey / Page 38
Western New York Men’s College Hockey Report by Warren Kozireski
Wkozires@brockport.edu
BROCKPORT Former assistant coach Nick Unger (Brockport) has accepted the head coaching position with the National Sport Academy in Lake Placid for the coming season. (See Related Story on Page XX) Former Manhattanville assistant coach Steve Mallaro has been named to replace him. Before Manhattanville Mallaro played one season of professional hockey in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) with the Elmira Jackals, Trenton Titans and the Gwinnett Gladiators. Prior to his professional playing days, Mallaro took the ice for the Oswego Lakers of the SUNYAC Conference where he was a member of the 2009-10 SUNYAC Championship team.
CANISIUS The Golden Griffins 2014-15 season features 16 home games in the inaugural season of HARBORCENTER. The 34-game schedule, which includes two additional home games at First Niagara Center against Western Michigan October 10-11. The team’s first games at the newly-constructed HARBORCENTER are set for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with 7:35 pm.
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www.nyhockeyonline.com FREDONIA Eric Preston is the latest member of Fredonia’s two NCAA final four hockey teams to receive induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame as one of five inductees
this October. As a freshman, he was a member of the winningest team in program history, the 1993-94 team which went 29-1-4 and finished third in the nation. The Blue Devils were national runners-up the following year. The Blue Devils lost just six of 68 games during his four seasons. Preston was the 1993-94 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and made the 1996-97 SUNYAC Second Team all-conference. He remains second in career goals (89) and career power-play goals (41) and third in career points (194) and career assists (105). Holder of a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Preston resides in Phoenix, Ariz., where he’s a senior loan officer for Alliance Home Loans. Members of the 1993-94 and 1994-95 teams also have been invited back to be recognized as part of the event.
NIAGARA The Purple Eagles announced their schedule for the 2014-15 season and will open their campaign at Dwyer Arena against two ECAC opponents--Clarkson on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. and St. Lawrence on Saturday at 7 p.m. NU’s first home-and-home series will be against defending Atlantic Hockey champions Robert Morris when the Purple Eagles play at the Colonials on Friday, Oct. 17 before welcoming RMU to Niagara on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Niagara will then visit 2014 NCAA Tournament participant Notre Dame from Oct. 24-25 at 7 p.m. on both nights. NU will step back into conference action for the next 14 games including its longest Niagara will have its longest homestand of the season.
West Hockey / Page 39 long six-game road trip visiting Sacred Heart, Air Force Academy and 2014 Frozen Four participant North Dakota.
R.I.T. The Tigers officially announced their incoming recruits with seven freshmen, including Cheektowaga native Max Mikowski. Forwards Mark Golberg, Mikowski (Buffalo Jr. Sabres), Myles Powell, and Anthony Repaci join defensemen Matt Abt and twin brothers Brady and Chase Norrish. Mikowski, a bruising 6-foot-3 forward, enjoyed a strong season for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 2013-14, recording 59 points on 23 goals and 36 assists, while racking up 77 minutes in penalties. He becomes the fourth Tiger on the 2014-15 roster from Western New York joining Dan Schuler, Mike Rotolo and Garrett McMullen. In addition, defenseman Greg Among will join the team as a transfer from UMass Lowell. Per NCAA rules, Among will have to sit out the 2014-15 season, but will be eligible in 2015-16 for his junior season. The team also released their 2014-15 schedule with 16 regular season home games in its inaugural season at the 4,200-seat Gene Polisseni Center. On Saturday, Oct. 4, RIT opens the new rink hosting Brock University of Ontario in an exhibition contest at 7:05 p.m. The following weekend, the Tigers begin regular season play at the brand new building, as longtime ECAC foes St. Lawrence and Clarkson visit on Oct. 10-11. The Tigers will play Division I powerhouse, Boston College at Blue Cross Arena during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 18.
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Western New York Women’s College Hockey Report by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com JDSchultz3663@gmail.com
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
Bengals Head Coach Candace Moxley has been named as the Video Coach for Hockey Canada’s U22 National Development Team for the second consecutive year. She is with Team Canada at their National Development Camp in Calgary and will meet up with her Assistant Coach when the US team plays Canada on August 21, 22 and 24. The team will also play in the 2015 Meco Cup in Germany in January. Moxley is entering her second season as the Bengals Coach after leading the team to their first ECAC West playoff series in six years. Assistant Coach Lucy Schoedel has been named goal-
West Hockey / Page 40 ie coach for the U18 USA National Women’s Ice Hockey Team and will serve in that capacity at the Lake Placid Women’s Ice Hockey Festival in August. Schoedel joined the Bengals last season after serving as an assistant coach at Brown University and at Wesleyan University. She made a Frozen Four appearance in 2008 with the University of New Hampshire before transfering to Syracuse University. Schoedel is a two-time MVP with the Orange and was also a two-time nominee for the Patty Kazmaier Award. The Bengals Women were well represented when the Commissioner’s List/All Academic Team list was announced recently. Congratulations to Heather Neubuger, Melissa Ash, Christina Zandri, Megan Niesyty, Jordan Lee, Jeyna Minnick, Sarah Quigley and Morgan Haettich. The Bengals open their season on October 31 against Plymouth State in New Hampshire. They then face Nichols College and Potsdam on the road before returning for a home doublehead opener on November 14 and 15 against Neumann. The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. They will play William Smith College in its inaugural year on January 23 and 24 at home. The Bengals will close out the season with a doubleheader against Utica at home on February 20 and 21.
RIT RIT women’s hockey goaltender Ali Binnington selected to participate in Canada’s National Team Development Camp
Goaltender Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs) of the RIT women’s hockey team is one of 42 players who have been invited to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp, whch will take place Aug. 8-17 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. Binnington will enter her senior season for the Tigers in 2014-15. From the selection camp, Hockey Canada will choose 22 players for a three-game series against the United States’ Women’s Under-22 Select Team, scheduled for
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West Hockey / Page 41 (.975 save percentage and 0.77 goals against average) over that span. Binnington made at least 30 saves in a game 13 times this season and had four games with at least 40 stops.
Women’s hockey unveils Class of 2018; six student-athletes to join squad
Aug. 21-24 in Calgary, Alta. Binnington enjoyed a tremendous year for the Tigers in 2013-14, leading the Tigers, in just their second season as a Division I program, to the College Hockey America Championship, where she was named the CHA Tournament Most Valuable Player. Binnington, the CHA Regular Season Goaltender of the Year, garnered 2013-14 All-United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) Third Team honors. In June, Binnington was named a Co-SIDA/Capital One Academic All-American for the second straight season. Overall, Binnington finished the season 16-9-2 with a 1.72 goals against average, .944 save percentage, and six shut outs. Her .944 save percentage ranked third nationally, she was tied for fifth in shutouts, and ninth nationally in goals against average. Binnington set RIT records for most games played (28), minutes played (1,640), and saves (788). She ended the season by winning seven straight contests, allowing just six goals on her last 240 shots faced
Head Coach Scott McDonald and Assistant Coach Matt Woodard are excited to announce the RIT women’s hockey Class of 2018 on Monday, July 21. The class of six student-athletes includes four defensemen and two forwards. Four players hail from the province of Ontario in Canada, while two are from the United States. “We are very excited for the youth and energy of this class,” said McDonald, who is entering his ninth season behind the bench at RIT. “I’d like to thank Matt (Woodward) and former assistant coach Shivaun Siegl for helping bring in a great class. We have addressed needs on the defense that will allow a few players to move back to their natural forward position and make our lineup deeper and more balanced.” Up front, Darcy Henderson (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Jr. Barracudas) and Victoria Pitawanakwat (Manitowaning, Ontario/Sudbury Lady Wolves) will look to compete for time right away and add to a deep offensive squad. Henderson played the 2013-14 season for the Burlington Jr. Barracudas of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, recording 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists in 37 contests. Previously, the 5-foot-7 forward played two seasons with the Brampton Jr. Thunder with current
RIT goaltender Brooke Stoddart (Elmvale, Ontario/Elmvale). Pitawanakwat, who stands 5-foot-9, played the 2013-14 season for the Sudbury Lady Wolves of the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League, helping lead the squad to an 18-2-2 mark. “Darcy (Henderson) is a gritty, tough forward, who plays well in all of the tough areas of the ice,” said McDonald. “Her energy and determination on the ice is tough to match. Victoria (Pitawanakwat) is a strong power forward, who is extremely gifted in front of the net and has a knack to score. We are excited to see her reach her full potential at RIT.” On defense, Lauren Carroll (Carlisle, Ontario/Oakville Jr. Hornets), Maddie Grisko (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Bisons), Haley Northcote (Cumberland, Ontario/Minnesota State University), and Christa Vulgar (Crystal Lake, IL/Chicago Mission) are poised to step in and make an immediate impact in 2014-15. Carroll, who stands 5-foot-10, played the last two seasons for the Oakville Jr. Hornets of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League. Last season, she tallied eight points on three goals and five assists in 35 games, while serving as an assistant captain. In 2012-13, Carroll chipped in with seven assists in 38 contests. Grisko played the 2013-14 season for the Buffalo Bisons of the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League, while also playing for the Sweet Home/Amherst High School squad. Grisko, who stands 5-foot-6, had 18 points on seven goals and 11 assists for the Bisons in 45 contests, while tallying 22 goals and 12 assists for 34 points in 22 games for Sweet Home/Amherst. Northcote, a 5-foot-7 blueliner
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www.nyhockeyonline.com is RIT’s first transfer at the Division I level, as she played the previous two seasons for Minnesota State Mankato of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). In two seasons for the Mavericks, she tallied three assists in 54 games. Last year, Northcote played in 33 contests for Minnesota State. Northcote, who will be a junior for the Tigers in 2014-15, played her junior hockey with the Nepean Wildcats of the PWHL. Vulgar played last season with the Chicago Mission, one of the top junior teams in the United States, helping them record a 72-7-2 mark. The 5-foot-3 defender was a captain for the under-16 and under-12 Mission squads and was the Bauer International Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2012. “Lauren (Carroll) has great size and mobility, and a great shot from the point,” said McDonald. “She will be tough to play against in front of our net. Maddie (Grisko) has good size and speed and will add depth to our defensive corps. Haley (Northcote) is an exciting addition, as our first Division I transfer. She knows what the Division I grind is like and has great hockey sense. What Krista (Vulgar) lacks in size, she makes up with determination and grit. She is a fierce competitor who understands the game well and will not shy away from any match up.” RIT moves into the 4,300-seat Gene Polisseni Center this season and will be eligible for the NCAA Championship for the first time as a Division I program in 2014-15. RIT finished the 2013-14 season with a 20-15-3 mark and won the CHA Championship in just its second season as a Division I program. “As always, we like to bring in student-athletes who have good character and are willing to work hard with all of the adversity that comes at the collegiate level. We feel that this group will elevate our program once again to another level.”
West Hockey / Page 42
USA Hockey Participates in 2014 IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp in Vierumaki, Finland COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced that six players and two staff members participated in the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s High Performance Camp in Vierumaki, Finland at the Sports Institute of Finland. The camp provides 180 players born in 1996 from 18 nations with a training program that creates an environment for success as elite women’s ice hockey players, both on and off the ice. The U.S. was represented by forwards Lexie Laing (Marblehead, Mass.) and Maliya Rodgers (Minnetonka, Minn.), and defensemen Sydney Baldwin (Shorewood, Minn.), Megan Keller (Farmington, Mich.) and Toni Ann Miano (Bronx, N.Y.), as well as goaltender Erin O’Neil (Minnetonka, Minn.). On behalf of USA Hockey, equipment manager Scott Eastman (White Bear Lake, Minn.) and strength coach Dawn Strout (Waterville, Maine)took part in the mentoring program. Eastman served as equipment manager for the men’s ice hockey team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (WCHA) for the previous five seasons. Strout has spent the past four years at Colby College (NESCAC) as the school’s first-ever strength and conditioning coordinator.
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NY State Girls Invited to USA Development Camp!
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mong the 69 players invited to the 2014 USA Hockey Women’s National Festival in Lake Placid, 9 of them are from New York State. Among those invited are New Yorkers Courtney Burke, Albany, Defense; Emily Pfalzer, Getzville, Defense; Taylar Cianfarano, Oswego, Forward; Miye D’Oench, New York, Forward; Maddie Elia, Lewiston, Forward; Elizabeth Gerace, Jamestown, Forward; Emily Janiga, East Aurora, Forward; Kelley Steadman, Plattsburgh, Forward and Dana Trivigno, Setauket, Forward. Courtney Burke most recently played for the University of Wisconsin. She is a defenseman from Albany. Emily Pfalzer, Getzville, plays for Boston College of the HEA and is also a defenseman. Oswego’s Taylar Cianfarano attends the National Sports Academy. She is a forward. Forward Miye D’Oench is playing for Harvard University and comes from New York City. Maddie Elia, Lewiston, attends and plays forward for Boston University. Elizabeth Gerace, Jamestown, comes from the North American Hockey Academy where she is a forward. Forward Emily Janiga is playing for Mercyhurst College and her home is East Aurora. Kelley Steadman, Plattsburgh, plays forward for the Tornado Moscow and Forward Dana Trivigno plays at Boston College and calls Setauket home. The camp is being held August 12 through 16 and will be used to select the 22-player rosters for a pair of series
against Canada held simultaneously from Aug. 21-24 in Calgary, Alberta, at Canada Olympic Park. The U.S. entries will feature an under-18 team and 22-and-under team. Highlighting the roster for the Festival are four members of the silver medal-winning 2014 U.S. Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team, including Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.), Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill.), Michelle Picard (Taunton, Mass.) and Lee Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.). Ten members of the 2014 U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team -- Grace Bizal (Minnetonka, Minn.),Jincy Dunne (O’Fallon, Mo.), Rebecca Gilmore (Wayland, Mass.), Megan Keller (Farmington, Mich.),Lexie Laing (Marblehead, Mass.), Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass.), Patricia Marshall (Thief River Falls, Minn.), Abby Roque (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.), Melissa Samoskevich (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and Sophie Skarzynski (Wilmette, Ill.) -- are also on the Festival roster. The Festival schedule can be found at www.nyhockeyonline.com or by going to the USA Hockey website. All practices and scrimmages are open to the public. (Photos courtesy of various collegiate/team websites)
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