October 2014

NY HOCKEY OCTOBER 2014 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

ONLINE

THE PUCK DROPS ON THE 2014-15 SEASON!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Around the State / Page 2

2015 New York State Tournament Venues and Hosts February 27 - March 2, 2015 High School

HS Division

Saugerties

March 6 - 8, 2015 Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls Girls

Tier I Tier I Tier I Tier II Tier II Tier II Tier I Tier I Tier I Tier II Tier II Tier II

Bantam 14U Midget 16U Midget 18U Bantam 14U Midget 16U Midget 18U 14U 16U 19U 14U 16U 19U

Rochester Youth Amherst Youth Amherst Youth Rochester Youth Amherst Youth Amherst Youth Rochester Youth Amherst Youth Rochester Youth Rochester Youth Amherst Youth Rochester Youth

March 13 -15, 2015 Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Girls Girls

Tier I Tier II Tier III Tier III Tier III Tier III Tier I Tier II

Peewee 12U Peewee 12U Peewee 12U Bantam 14U Midget 16U Midget 18U 12U 12U

Rochester Youth Rochester Youth Amherst Youth Amherst Youth Amherst Youth Amherst Youth Rochester Youth Rochester Youth

March 6 - 8, 2015 Sr. Women Sr. Women

Sr. B Sr. C

Advertise Your Tournaments Here!

Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

TBA TBA

In This Issue: Buffalo Stars Beat......................34 Central NY....................................11 East NY..........................................18 EHL..................................................24 Junior A Hockey........................... 9 Men’s Collegiate Central........................................12 East..............................................18 North...........................................29 West.............................................41 Niagara Falls Arena...................32 North NY.......................................25 Pro News......................................... 9 RIT OpensArena........................... 4 Schenectady Honored............... 8 USA Prospects Game................44 Wieland & April Fools................. 6 West NY.........................................31 Women’s Collegiate Central........................................13 East..............................................20 North...........................................26 West.............................................36

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the 2014-15 season of ice hockey. It’s well underway in several arenas across the State.

We made it to the West and Central fall meetings; but due to family obligations had to forego the trip to East and North. We missed that trip, but hopefully we’ll see you during the season in an ice rink!

We’re still a staff of three and looking to cover as much as we can. We’ve managed to check out your websites for this months News and Notes column in each section, but really need your input. Just send us your stories and photos to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com or Randy@nyhockeyonline.com.

We’ve also added some new teams to our coverage including the Lockport Express, Roc City Rocks and Syracuse Stampeded, as well as the Elmira Jackals. These teams provide great hockey entertainment, and usually at much less cost than taking your teams or families to an NHL game. Check them out, along with all the great collegiate men’s and women’s ice hockey that NY has to offer.

Please “Like” us on Facebook and also if you want to receive this magazine directly to your e-mail account, send us your address at Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

Looking forward to seeing you all this season.

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

Columnists Warren Kozireski, Wkozires@brockport.edu Janet Schultz Randy Schultz Rob Sedia Chuck Gridley

Publisher &Managing Editor Randy Schultz Randy@nyhockeyonline.com

NY Hockey OnLine is an equal opportunity employer.

Contents 2014-15 NY Hockey Online All rights reserved

Designer/Photographer Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

NY Hockey OnLine is published monthly at no charge and can be accessed via the publication’s website www.nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Around New York/ Page 4 Mrs. Wanda Polisseni drops the ceremonial puck to officially open the Gene Polisseni Ice Arena at RIT. Taking the faceoff are Celeste Brown and Brad McGowan, representing the women’s and men’s ice hockey teams that will call the Center home. To her immediate right is Tom Galisano and to her left, President Bill Destler.

TIGERS OPEN NEW DEN

By Warren Kozireski Photos by Janet Schultz

RIT

officially opened their new $38 million ice hockey rink in a ceremony Sept. 18. The Gene Polisseni Center sits on the south side of the Student Alumni Union, boasts 4,000 seats plus 300 standing room and includes reserved chair-back seating, a special club section and six corporate suites—four on the club level, one on the media level and a unique bunker suite at ice level.

Gene Polisseni served as vice president of marketing at Paychex until he died in 2001. Most of his professional life was devoted to helping build the payroll services company, but hockey always remained his personal outlet. He organized youth and adult amateur leagues throughout the area and he regularly attended professional hockey games.

The Polisseni Center is among the few new arenas without a center-ice scoreboard. Instead, two 23-foot-by-13foot high-definition video boards—a gift from J.M. Allain ‘03, president and CEO of Trans-Lux Corp.

Both the women’s and men’s teams began practic-

ing on the ice surface the week of Sept. 15 with the first game an exhibition game for the women on Sept. 29 against followed by the first regular-season game Oct. 3 versus Union. The men’s exhibition game is Oct. 4 against Brock University with its season opening Oct. 10 versus St. Lawrence.

“I can’t wait to see what a sellout crowd will look and sound like here compared to Ritter,” said Churchville native and sophomore forward Garrett McMullen.

“With the Corner Crew and student section, it’s going to be a great place to play. It’s great to see everyone come together to support a top-notch facility.

“There is some added pressure now to win in front of even more fans, but it’s a good pressure. My first memories at eight-nine-ten years old is going to Ritter and thinking this was the NHL of Rochester. Once I decided to pursue hockey, my goal was to come back in Rochester. My freshman year last year was a great experience with Ritter’s last year and now this is just amazing.”

Tiger freshman forward Matt Mikowski from Cheektowaga and the Buffalo Jr. Sabres only saw Ritter Arena as a recruit watching from the stands, but still could draw comparisons.

“Very different, but I can see the same Ritter magic even though it was smaller. This is special.”

All of the 4,000 seats are gray and black except one, located in Section 107, Row K, Seat 8, that is orange in tribute to former RIT goaltender Green B. Williams from the class of 1978. After graduation he was killed in a pilot-training accident in 1984 while enlisted in the Air Force.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Around New York / Page 5 Each team has identical dressing room

RIT Band live and above on the scoreboard!

Brad McGowan and Celeste Brown take first shot !

Fan Appreciation Suite at ice level Finishing Touches

Each team has identical locker room

Celebrating their new home!

Tom Galisano (above) and Mrs. Gene Polisseni (below) dedicate the new arena

A Conga Line with their Fans

Pres. Destler makes his appearance!

The Louis Spiotti Jr. Hockey Fitness Center

Men and Women have identical team lounges

Training Room

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Around New York

/ Page 6

Punch Imlach, then general manager of the Sabres, was quoted as saying, “The company that’s at sea together builds closer ties.”

The release went on to say that the ship was still armed with nuclear warheads.

“In case we don’t like the way things are going in our rivalry with Toronto,” said Imlach, “we may just force our way through the Welland Canal and attack from Lake Ontario. But we hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Now would you buy a story like that? Would anybody be that foolish?

“A lot of people, not only from Buffalo, but from around the country, bit at that one,” recalled

BY RANDY SCHULTZ

F

or millions of people around the world, Christmas is usually celebrated on December 25.

But for former Buffalo Sabres public relations director, Paul Wieland, Christmas Day for him comes on April 1. April 1 is better known as April Fools’ Day to people in the United States and Canada.

It is a day when men, women and children play absurd, but harmless jokes. For Wieland, it is truly a special day.

“For me, it’s better than Christmas,” said Wieland, now a writing professor at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY. “It is my Christmas Day.” Back in the 1970s and 1980s Wieland would hit his media friends with a comical, yet phony, Aprils Fools’ press release on Sabres stationary. Each year in would manage to catch his share of “fools.”

One year Wieland had the Sabres announcing the purchase of the Navy cruiser, the “USS Little Rock” for a year-round training and recreation facility.

Paul Wieland: The Master Of April Fools Day! Wieland. “TV, radio, newspaper and magazine people from all over called me to find out what was really going on.

“I couldn’t believe it.”

Wieland began sending out April Fools press releases back in 1976. In that first attempt, he announced that the Sabres would train in Honduras on a banana oil surface.

There were some takers on that. But the release that gained him the greatest attention came a few years later.

That release stated that the Sabres were consider-

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com ing using an artificial surface called “Sliderex” to replace the ice in Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium (then the home of the Sabres).

The iceless surface was the dream scheme of a Nova Scotia farmer, Ramsey MacDonald, who had researched and perfected his artificial ice in a workshop located at back of his main cow barn.

Everything exploded when one Buffalo television sportscaster broke the release date of “April 1” and announced the plan the night before.

If that wasn’t enough, “the Hockey News,” the bible of hockey journalism, used the release verbatim.

The high point of this practical joke came when a Hamilton, Ontario newspaper called NHL President, Clarence Campbell, for his reaction.

“I guess he didn’t want to seem like he didn’t know what was going on,” stated Wieland. “Mr. Campbell was a very proud man who always had an answer for any question asked of him.

“So he gave the reporter a lot of quotes like, ‘the league is always trying to be a leader in technological innovation’ and ‘we plan to discuss plastic ice at this year’s league meeting.’

“The best part of all this was that as soon as Mr. Campbell finished his phone call with the reporter, he called us to find out just exactly what was going on.”

Not all of Wieland’s jokes came on April 1. Probably the joke that gained Wieland the most attention came in the spring of 1974 during the NHL Amateur Draft.

That year featured the first phone draft, with all NHL teams’ hooked together by phone. A far cry from today’s two-day drafts that are held in NHL arenas.

“We were doing the draft from our offices in Buffalo,” stated Wieland. “President Campbell would phone each team and then read and spell out the names of the previous round’s picks.

“It was a process that was wearing on all of us that were there in Buffalo that day (which included Sabres GM, George ‘Punch” Imlach; director of scouting John Anderson and Sabres head coach, Floyd Smith).”

So the Sabres foursome decided to spice things up.

“It was John Anderson who asked if we could draft a player who wasn’t eligible for the draft,” said Wieland. “I jumped right on it and said why couldn’t we just make up a fictional player.

Around New York / Page 7 “For some reason Anderson said he should be from Japan. I jumped right on it because I knew Japan had hockey.

“So it was decided that in the 11th round we would draft a player that didn’t exist. We came up with the name Taro Tsujimoto (Tsujimoto came from the name of a restaurant in the Buffalo area at the time).

“We told everybody that he played hockey in Japan for the Tokyo Kantanas (which is Japanese for Sabre). So Mr. Campbell had to spell out his name to every other NHL team representative for the remainder of the draft.

“This draft was slow to begin with. This slowed it down even more.

“There were 247 players drafted that year and all but one were real.”

The joke didn’t end there. When training camp came that Fall Taro was given the number 13, a position, vital stats (height and weight) and a stall in the dressing room.

“It was all in the record books at the time.”

Another year saw Wieland have a local artist create a Time Magazine cover of Gilbert Perreault proclaiming the Sabres as “America’s Hockey Team.”

The package even included a letter from President Ronald Reagan on “White House stationary” making the same declaration.

“A couple of days later a reporter from Associated Press called for a couple of quotes,” remembered Wieland. “He told me he thought I might have broken a couple of Federal Laws by forging the president’s signature and using White House stationary.

“He thought I might be indicted. Nothing ever happened, but it made it interesting for me with all the publicity it might draw.”

Even though he is no longer associated with the NHL, Wieland still has his share of fun on April 1.

“I’m just a guy who likes to have fun with others,” concluded Wieland. “I believe that even God must have a sense of humor.

“And so should we all.”

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Schenectady Youth Hockey Association Named a USA Hockey Model Association

Around New York / Page 8 the commitment of these associations to age-appropriate skill development,” said Kevin McLaughlin, senior director of hockey development for USA Hockey. “By taking this step, the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association is making a strong move to offer the best possible competition and training environment for its players.”

NY Hockey OnLine Magazine Congratulates Schenectady on this accomplishment and wishes them the best in their upcoming season!

By Wally Bzdell (This article taken from Schenetady’s website)

USA

Hockey announced recently that the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association earned designation as a USA Hockey Model Association, bringing the total number of model associations nationwide to 17.

With this designation, the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association has committed to fully implement programming dedicated to age-appropriate, age-specific skill development, in accordance with USA Hockey’s American Development Model, throughout the 8-and-Under (mite), 10-and-Under (squirt) and 12-and-Under (peewee) age classifications.

“Schenectady Youth Hockey is particularly proud of this recognition as it reinforces that we are a leader in the capital district, state wide, and nationally in providing the best possible hockey environment for our players, coaches, and families. We hope to continue to serve our local community through our high quality hockey programs and grow the game so that more boys, girls, and families can be part of a great sport experience.”

As a benefit of its Model Association designation, the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association will receive support from USA Hockey to implement the ADM throughout its programs, including in-person coaches training, on-ice instruction and parent education from USA Hockey’s national staff. Further, each Model Association will also receive equipment, signage and educational resources from USA Hockey.

“We’re excited to welcome our next wave of model associations and we’re excited for the kids who will benefit from

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

PRO NEWS • Of the six New York based American Hockey League teams, Adirondack has switched affiliates from Philadelphia to Calgary and were reassigned to the North Division in the Western Conference with Rochester and Utica.

Syracuse remains in the Eastern Conference in the Northeast Division while Binghamton will again be in the East Division also in the Eastern Conference. All except Adirondack remain with the same affliliates.

• The Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League were purchased by Terry Pegula and the Buffalo Sabres during the offseason.

• Rule changes for this year adopted by the AHL Board of Governors: Rule 85 (“Overtime”) -During the regular season, the sudden-death overtime period will be seven minutes (7:00) in length, preceded by a “dry scrape” of the entire ice surface.

-Teams will change ends at the start of overtime.

-Full playing strength will be 4-on-4 until the first whistle following three minutes of play (4:00 remaining), at which time full strength will be reduced to 3-on-3 for the duration of the overtime period.

-If the game is still tied following overtime, a winner will be determined by a three-player shootout.

Rule 20.4 (“Major Penalties”) -An automatic game misconduct will be applied to any player who has been assessed two major penalties for fighting or three major penalties for any infraction in the same game.

Rule 9.6 (“Helmets”) -A player on the ice whose helmet comes off during play will be assessed a minor penalty unless he immediately (a) exits the playing surface or (b) puts the helmet back on with the chin strap properly fastened.

Around New York / Page 9

Elmira Jackals

The Jackals, an affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres have single game tickets on sale now. Thirty-one of their 36 games are on weekends including the home opener on October 17 vs Kalamazoo. Go to Jackalshockey.com

Junior A Hockey

N

YHOL is working to develop relationships with these teams in order to bring you the most current information. These teams are a great way to support local hockey and provide an evening of great hockey entertainment.

Our next issue will provide you with more news about their players and ticket information

Lockport Express

The Express have had a delay in construction and their new ice arena in Lockport will not open until later in October.

They opened their Inaugural Season with a 5-1-0 record beating Wilkesbarre Miners 5-4 in their opener. They then split a pair with the Miners, and also split with neighborhing Roc City royals.

Roc City Royals

The Roc City Royals are off to a 2-4-0 record in their Inaugural Season recording their wins against the Syracuse Stampete (5-3_ and the Lockport Express (6-5). Their losses came at the hands of the Jersey shore Wildcats, Stampede and the Express.

The Royals will play Jersey on October 3 at Brockport at 7 p.m. followed by Cape Cod on October 10 and Jersey on October 11, both at the SUNY Morrisville ice arena.

Syracuse Stampede

The Syracuse Stampede began the 2014-2015 season a bit slow on dropping game one of the home and home series against the Roc City Royals 5-3 at Lakeshore Arena in Rochester. The Stampede ran into a bit of bus prob-

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Around New York / Page 10

lems on their trip to Rochester that put a time crunch on pre-game preparations for the team as they arrived in Rochester a mere 20 minutes before game time. The Stampede started slowly and found themselves behind after the first period 3-0. The second period seemed to be much more improved for the Stampede as both teams battled for two goals each in the second. The Stampede seemed to edge the Royals during the third period but just couldn’t muster enough firepower to catch the hard working Royals.

“ The first game was more of a feeling out for us,” stated Head Coach Mike Beavis. “We needed to get our feet wet and get things going. It is always tough to start with only a week or so to come together. “ Game two of the home and home started much the same for the Stampede. But the second period showed the home crowd that the Stampede came to play in Baldwinsville on Saturday night. The two teams battled back and forth through the first two periods and entered the third deadlocked at 3-3. The third period belonged solely to the Stampede as they opened the flood gates and scored 5 unanswered goals to seal their first victory of the season 8-3.

“It was nice to see the team come to life over the weekend and that all lines were contributing. We still will have to find a way to play a full sixty minutes to become successful this season.” Said Beavis.

They play out of the GBIA Arena in Baldswinville and also the Morrisville Ice Plex.

October Schedules Lockport Exress Oct. 4 Jersey Shore Oxt. 11 Cape Code Oct. 12 New England Oct. 18 Roc City Oct. 19 Roc City Oct. 25 Syracuse Oct. 26 Syracuse

5:30 pm 11 am 9:30 am 7 pm 12:30 pm 7 pm 1 pm

Dwyer Arena Morrisville Morrisville Cornerstone Lakeshore Cornerstone Cornerstoe

Roc City Royals Oct. 3 Jersey Shore Oct. 10 Cape Cod Oct. 11 Jersey Shore Oct. 18 Lockport Oct. 19 Lockport

7 pm 3 pm 10 am 7 pm 12:30 pm

Brockport Morrisville Morrisville Cornerstone Lakeshore

Syracuse Stampede Oct. 5 Wilkes Barre 5 pm Oct. 6 Wilkes Barre 10 am Oct. 10 AHI 3:30 pm Oct. 11 Junior Mariners 1 pm Oct. 11 New England 6 pm Oct. 18 Wilkes Barre 7 pm Oct. 19 Wilkes Barre 11 am Oct. 24 Lockport 7:30 pm Oct. 25 Lockport 7 pm Oct. 26 Lockport 1 pm

Coal Street Coal Street Morrisville Morrisville Morrisville Morrisville Morrisville Cornertone Cornerstone Cornertone

We invite all Junior teams to send us their press releases, schedules and contact information.

New York Hockey OnLine Magazine Wants Your News, Photographs, Advertisements!

All material should be sent to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com Call Randy Schultz with story ideas that you’d like us to cover!

716-751-6524 Randy@nyhockeyonline.com NY Hockey is Your Source for New York State Hockey News

AT ALL LEVELS!!

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

CENTRAL NEW YORK

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Central Hockey / Page 12 Sophomore netminder Charlie Finn returns after stealing the job early last season and will see his share of twogame weekends in front of freshmen Zac Hamilton and Bruce Racine.

Freshman forwards Mike Panowyk, Evan Peterson and Sebastian Weberg complete the five-player recruiting class.

October trips to St. Cloud State and Sacred Heart alternating with home series with Northeastern and Mercyhurst start the campaign. The Cornell home-andhome this year is January 30-31 starting on home ice and the team will also play in the Three Rivers Classic with host Robert Morris, Penn State and Western Michigan just prior to the New Year.

Central New York Men’s College Hockey Report

by Warren Kozireski Wkozires@brockport.edu

D1 CENTRAL PREVIEWS Colgate

T

he Raiders earned points in all but two games of the 2014 portion of the regular season and advanced all the way to the ECAC final to earn their first NCAA playoff bid since 2004-05. And, after losing just two seniors, optimism is riding high in Hamilton. They were picked to win in both the ECAC coaches and media pre-season polls.

Juniors Tyson and Tylor Spink combined for 63 points last season with classmates Darcy Murphy, Mike Borkowski and Kyle Baun close behind. North Syracuse native and senior captain Joe Wilson and Buffalo’s Andrew Black also topped 19 points and help solidify the top two lines.

Spiro Goulakos is no doubt the anchor of a defense that returns intact with juniors Ryan Johnston, Kevin Lough, senior Brendan Corcoran and sophomores Jake Kulevich and Brett Corkey.

Cornell

A

solid first four months to start last season gave way to just three regular season wins in January and February before a loss to eventual national champion Union in the conference semifinal. Now the team embarks on a new era minus three-year starter and local favorite Andy Iles in goal, but with just two forwards and one defenseman also graduating among the regulars, the Big Red are primed for another run.

Mitch Gillam will likely receive the first opportunity to secure the number one spot in goal as the only other on the roster to play last season, albeit in just 72 minutes.

Sophomore Ryan Coon and freshman Hayden Stewart will also battle for time.

John McCarron, Joel Lowry and Cole Bardreau (Fairport) begin their last season of eligibility and will be asked to shoulder the bulk of the offensive load. Christian Hilbrich is the only other returning forward to surpass ten points. Hulking sophomore Jeff Kubiak will also play an expanded role as will Matt Buckles and Jake Weidner.

Senior Joakim Ryan teams with classmate Jacob McDonald, junior Reese Wilcox and sophomores Patrick McCarron and Clint Lewis on a defense that can little afford an injury.

Freshmen forwards Jared Fiegl and Dwyer Tschantz were both selected in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft in the seventh round. Fiegl was selected by the Arizona Coyotes with the 11th pick of the seventh round (191st overall) and Tschantz was taken 11 picks later by the St. Louis Blues. Defensemen Ryan Bliss and Dan Wedman plus forwards Alex Rauter and Trevor Yates make up the rest of the newcomers.

The Big Red will host the U.S. Under-18 team to open Oct. 24 and will be at home Halloween weekend against Nebraska-Omaha.

Penn State will be the opponent at (Continued on Page 14)

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Central Hockey / Page 13

We also have two seniors and a junior in net for us that bring experience. Ashlynne Rando played a lot of minutes for us here in her first two seasons and now she’s an upperclassman with a little more understanding of the game.”

The Raiders open their 2014-15 season Oct. 2, when they travel to nearby rival Syracuse at 7 p.m.

The Raiders are lead by seniors Miriam Drubel, who tallied 10 goals and 13 assists last season; Melissa Kueber, who went seven and six, respectively for her 13 points; and junior Katelyn Parker, who added two goals and an assist just a year ago. Taylor Craig, Katie

by Janet Schultz Case, and Nicole Gass will also be key members of the Janet@nyhockeyonline.com Raiders squad as they look to make an impact in the league.

From the goalie position Colgate has three solid Colgate options in seniors Susan Allen and Brittney Brooks, he ECAC Coaches Pre-Season Poll while junior Ashlynne Rando sees numerous minutes between the pipes. has the Raiders in 8th place.

Head Coach Greg Fargo and his The Raiders have added a strong rookie class to staff have put together a core group of help the 15 returnees for the upcoming season student/athletes he hopes will give Colgate their first “We brought in seven first year players that can come in an make an impact for us immediately and ECAC title.

“We are really excited to start this year,” Fargo we are certainly going to lean on them to do so,” Farsaid. “One of the big keys for us is to just get off to go said.

“Our staff of assistant coaches a great start both in non-conference did a great job of recruiting. This and league play. Looking back at was a group that when we first our first couple years at Colgate Rochester’s got here we put a lot of time and we’ve been a little slow out of the Susan Allen energy into, knowing that down gate, a little slower than what we the road these were going to be would’ve wanted and although we some of the kids that were going finished strong down the stretch we to be the core of our team movkind of dug ourselves a hole. ing forward.

“The emphasis for us this year go “Right off the bat, all seven of ing into things will be to get out of them have the ability to provide the gate really strong, and we have our team with some things that a good group that can do it,” Fargo maybe we have been lacking a said. “We are really happy with the little bit in the past. Not only are group of returners, with most of these seven a skilled group they our upperclassmen being well exalso bring in a lot of experience perienced heading into their senior playing for championships, so year. we are hoping that kind of men “Where we are really strong is tality and make up in a player is on our defense. We are really exsomething that will make an imperienced there and we brought in pact on our culture here.” a couple of players who will help.

Central Women’s College Ice Hockey Report T

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Central Hockey / Page 14

(Central Collegiate Men Continued from Pg. 12)

Other Area Notes:

Madison Square Garden this season Thanksgiving weekend and they will make the annual trek to Florida with Lake Superior State, Notre Dame and Miami the final weekend in December. Denver also visits Lynah as the only other non-conference opponent in return for last season’s trip west that resulted in a gameending bench clearer.

Utica: Ed Olczyk, son of former NHL player, coach and broadcaster Ed Olczyk, has been named the new assistant coach for the Pioneers. He spent last season with the Bloomington Thunder of the Southern Professional Hockey League. Prior to turning pro, Olczyk spent four seasons at Massachusetts from 2009 to 2013, recording four goals and six points in 85 games.

(Womens Hockey Continued from Page 13)

Five league teams will open play during a three-day span beginning Oct. 2 as Colgate visits Central, N.Y. foe Syracuse. On Oct. 3 defending national champion Clarkson will begin a home-andhome series with Route 11 rival St. Lawrence, highlighted by a banner-raiser ceremony at Cheel Arena on Oct. 4. Union, which set a program for wins last season, will hit 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. Rensselaer opens the regular season with games at North Dakota and Bemidji State on October 3 and 4, respectively.

Cornell

T

he Big Red took part in the 2014 BEAR (Be Engaged and Responsible) Walk on August 28. The walk helps to foster a greater sense of community with the students and the community

residents.

Cornell was chosen to place second in the ECAC, after taking the championship for the past two years.

Senior forwards Jillian Saulnier and Brianne Jennerwere tabbed as Preseason All-Conference selections by the league.

Cornell finished third during the regular season in 2013-14, posting 33 points with a 15-4-3 record in conference play. Despite snapping its run of four consecutive ECAC Hockey Regular-Season Championships from 2010-13, the Big Red continued its trend of dominance in the conference tournament. Cornell knocked off regular-season champ Clarkson to win its fourth ECAC Hockey Tournament Championship in five seasons.

Head coach Doug Derraugh leads an extremely talented squad that has no intentions of relinquishing the title in 2014-15. Cornell figures to make a serious run for the title thanks to the return of its dynamic forward duo of Saulnier and Jenner.

Cornell will start the 2014 season with the annual Red/ White Game at Lynah Rink on October 18. The opening

faceoff to the 2014 season will be on the road, as the team travels to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College for a two-game series on October 24-25. Women’s ice hockey plays its 2014 home opener on Halloween, as the team welcomes Princeton to Lynah for a 3 p.m. faceoff on Friday, October 31.

Syracuse

T

he Orange wer selected to place fourth in the CHA after the Coaches released their pre-season poll. Favorites this season are Robert Morris and Mercyhurst.

Syracuse finished 20-14-3 last season and have 17 returning players.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

CENTRAL NEWS Auburn Ice Hawks

Registrations are being taken until October 1. A Parents Meeting will be held that evening at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus.

Auburn has scheduled their season tournaments which include the Winter Freeze, December 6-7; Martin Luther King Day Tournament January 17 - 18; Cross Ice Festival, January 24-25 and a Pond Hockey Tournament on January 31. Check out their website at auburnicehawks.com

Camillius

Thanksgiving Tournament, November 28 - 30 and 3V3 Midget Tournament on January 18.

Elmira

Elmira is in need of referees. There will be a Referee Seminar on October 19. Contact John Longwell for information at longwell@corning-cc.edu

Ithaca Girls

Register by October 1. There are house teams at Initiation, 8U and 10/12U and tournament bound (Ithaca Shooting Stars) at 12U, 14U and 16/19U. The Ithaca Furies are a women’s rec C and D level team with home ice at Cornell’s Lynah Rink. Contact Theresa Brenum, tbrenum@hotmail.com if you know of any girls interested in playing.

The Shooting Stars Tournament will be held December 5-7. Information will be forthcoming.

Lysander

Lysander Youth Hockey Association is now a managing partner with the Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arenas.

Upcoming tournaments include the LYHA Thanksgiving Tournament on November 28-30 for house; LYHA Halloween Tournament, October 24-26 for travel, Lysander is accepting registrations on-line only. Go to lysanderhockey.com

Central Hockey / Page 15

New Hartford

Travel Tournament, November 7-9 Mite Meltdown, January 30 - February 1 House, February 6-8

Oswego

Oswego will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this season.

There will be a Referee Clinic on October 5. Contact Lpratt26@yahoo.com for information

Rome Youth Congratulations to Rome on their 50th

season!

Bring your bottles and cans to Kennedy Arena on October 25.

Or you an take them to D & B 5 Cent Return City and sign the book with your donation to Rome Youth Hockey.

Upcoming tournaments: Regional Silver Stick Qualifiers, December 5-7 John Corr PeeWee House, November 28-30 Rick Leferve Squirt House, November 14-16 Roy Austin Mite Festival, February 5-8

Southern Tier Hockey

Coaching clinics will be held October 25 in Skaneateles for Level 2 and 3; November 15; Clinton, Level 1, 2, 3; December 20 Binghamton, Level 1.

The Binghamton Senators House Jam Tournament will be held for Squirts on December 20; Dyno, January 3; PeeWee January 30 and Mites February 7.

Hockey 4 Hope registration is November 2 at 2 p.m.

Veterans Day Tournament is November 7-9.

Contact Sara Cohen at sthatourneydir@gmail.com

Valley Hockey

Meachem Arena has had a major renovation this offseason. Also, Valley has a new website, check it out at valleyyouthhockey.com

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Central Hockey / Page 16

Syracuse Warriors

The Warriors are a women’s Senior B team playing out of Cicero Twin Rinks. In the past they have participated in X-checking Colon Cancer, Lake George Invitational, Skating to STRIDE and the NYS tournaments. Contact Chris Croe at Crose9@aol.com Onondaga Youth Hockey OYH welcomes the following to the 2014-15 Board of Director: Kelly Grooms, Roger Wagner, Pat Mahar, Tim Quinn and Pat Griffon.

Onondaga will host the Thunder Halloween Tournament on October 24-26; King of the Rink, January 16-29; Thunder Rumble, March 20-22. We drove into Meachem Arena and took a couple photos and can’t wait to see the completed structure Contact Susan Carey at scareyesq@hotmail.com

Mohawk Valley Hockey

Mohawk Valley will partner with the Utica Comet of the AHL to feature the Utica Jr. Comets. They will also be partnering with Sports Performance Institute to provide strength and conditioning, nutrition programming.

Skaneateles

Coming up are the Battle of the Bantam Tournament, November 7-9; Squirt Shootout,December 1214; Pee Wee Power Play January 23-25, Mite Fest, February 28-March 1. Contact Jeff Lowe, jdlowe3@yahoo. com

Syracuse Youth Hockey

Syracuse has scheduled their Sixth Annual Thanksgiving Tournament for November 28-30; 13th Annual Columbus Day Shootout, October 11-13; President Day Squirt Showdown,February 14-16; Seventh Annual Girls Hockey Shootout (date tba) and the Syracuse Snow Shootout, January 9- 11.

Central Section Meeting Notes

NYHOL wants to thank Central for their hospitality at their Fall meeting. We certainly enjoyed talking with you and we left with story ideas which we will be following up on during the season.

during the upcoming season.

Some things we brought away from the meeting that will interest parents, coaches and hockey players include the announcement of a Safe Sport Class for all coaches, team managers and anyone in close proximity to children will be required. It is a free one and half hour program with certification that will last two years. Check with your Association on when they will be hosting a class.

Oswego Youth Hockey has an eye doctor that will do baseline evaluations on all players and record them. Coaches were also instructed on how to recognize concussion symptoms.

It is required that locker rooms be supervised by at least two screened adults. If there are mixed gender teams, there needs to be a separation of players until they are suited up.

Also no cell phones or cameras are allowed in locker rooms.

Parents please note that Adult Education is mandatory for at least one parent per family.

The Central Section will hold an ADM demonstration at the Utica Aud on October 16. Everyone is invited to attend the practice sessions which will feature Squirt/PeeWee/Bantam/Midget.

There are no cross ice exemptions for 8U in the Central Section. All Mites will play on 1/2 ice or cross ice. This is a USA Hockey mandate.

The Central Section no longer utilizes the sticker on the score sheets. Players shall be listed alphabetically.

The Central Section is in need for referees and also someone with the knowledge and desire to evaluate girls in the Section for Developmental Camps. Email Gary LeBrun, Central Section President, for information.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

East Hockey East Hot Prospects Steven Ruggiero and Jeremy Bracco

www.nyhockeyonline.com

East Hockey / Page 18

Eastern New York Men’s College Hockey Report

by Warren Kozireski

Wkozires@brockport.edu

D1 EAST PREVIEWS

Army

T

he Black Knights won just six games all of last season, but two came over the final two weeks of the regular seasons and one more happened in the first round of the playoffs lending some hope of momentum heading into 201415.

“We are really excited about this season,” head coach Brian Riley said. “We only lost one player to graduation and we feel we have a good nucleus of players coming back, which will make for an exciting season.”

Among those key returners is last year’s leading scorer as a freshman C.J. Reuschlein, Clint Carlisle, Joe Kozlak and Shane Hearn up front.

“These guys played a lot of minutes last season, which gave

them a lot of experience. We are looking forward to them providing the team with elevated roles in the upcoming season.”

Senior Maurice Alvarez will head up a defense of upperclassmen including Mac Lalor, Luke Jenkins, Christian Pomarico and Jonathan Gehrt along with sophomores Ryan Nick and Garret Peterson who all played 28 games or more last season.

Senior goaltender Rob Tadazak will miss the season due to injury, so the battle will be in net with Buffalo’s Parker Gahagen and Tanner Creel the sophomores plus recruit Cole Burns trying to secure the number one spot.

Parker Gahagen

and Nick DeCenzo “are going to compete for ice time on the forward lines.”

The team will jump right into Atlantic Hockey Association conference action without a tune-up when they host Sacred Heart, Canisius and Robert Morris each for two-game series’ to open the campaign. Brown at home and trips to Providence and Princeton dot the non-conference slate along with a tilt with the Russian Red Stars Dec. 30.

T

he seventh-seeded Engineers dropped a heartbreaking first round playoff series on home ice to Dartmouth after a pair of one-goal defeats to end their season. They begin the new season without four of their top six scorers after Ryan Haggerty and Mike Zalewski (New Hartford) gave up their eligibility to sign pro contracts.

Senior Matt Neal returns as the only player left who scored ten or more goals last season and is joined up front by Jacob Laliberte, who led the team in assists, Zach Mac Lalor

Newcomers Michael Preston, Blake Box and Jon Shecter will battle for minutes on the blueline while Tyler Pham

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com Schroeder, Mark McGowan and Milos Bubela.

Senior goaltender Scott Diebold (Buffalo) and junior Jason Kasdorf, who missed all but two games last season with an injury, will have a relatively untested defense in front of them led by junior Chris Bradley (Williamsville) with seniors Curtis Leonard and Luke Curadi plus a trio in Phil Hampton, Parker Reno and Craig Bokenfohr, who played in ten, 20 and 16 games last season respectively.

“We are excited for the season, we didn’t feel that we played to the level we were capable of last year,” head coach Seth Appert said. “We have been hard at work looking to change that with our work ethic, commitment, passion and competitiveness. We have arguably the toughest league and non-conference schedule in the country and it will serve as a great measuring stick for our team.”

Defenseman Michael Prapavessis was selected

by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2014 draft and headlines the freshmen class that also includes Viktor Liljegren, Louis Nanne and Drew Melanson at forward with Bradley Bell and Jared Wilson also on the blueline.

The Engineers open with the IceBreaker Tournament in Notre Dame with Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth in an early test followed by a two-game trip to Denver. A pair at Michigan, at New Hampshire and home games with Boston University and Miami will give the team plenty of PairWise (cough) RPI chances.

Union

H

ow do you replicate two-and-a-half months of virtual perfection? The Dutchmen didn’t lose a single game after January 31st and dismantled Dartmouth, Cornell, Colgate, Vermont, Providence, Boston College and Minnesota in the conference and national playoffs outscoring them 37-17 over eight games on their way to their first national title.

Now for the encore.

“Our approach this season is that we are not defending anything,” head coach Rick Bennett said. “We are in the same boat as the other 58 teams around the country. We are going to take the same approach as we have in previous seasons, and concentrate on what we have to do as a program.”

East Hockey / Page 19 The core of the championship team has moved on with six players departing, but the pieces are still in place to contend for another ECAC crown.

Forward Daniel Ciampini is back after leading last year’s squad with 23 goals with ECAC All-Rookie team selection Michael Vecchione, Max Novak, Michael Pontarelli, Eli Lichtenwald and Matt Wilkins all moving up to top-two line roles.

Niskayuna native Colin Stevens jumped into the national spotlight in goal last season and enters his senior year in goal after registering 28 wins with a 2.05 goals against average. Sophomore Alex Sakellaropoulos will also be asked to play more than the eight games he saw last season.

The key to the season will be how the defense shakes out after losing heart-and-soul leader Mat Bodie and Shayne Gotisbehere from the blueline.

Sophomore Jeff Taylor (Clifton Park) didn’t play like a freshman in the postseason and will be called on to play major minutes as will senior Charlie Vasaturo, junior Sebastien Gingras and sophomores Matt Krug (South Buffalo) and Noah Henry.

Forwards Spencer Foo and Kevin Shier highlight a newcomer class that also includes defenseman Nick DeSimone via East Amherst and the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and forward Tyler Hynes (Guilderland). Others are forward Roman Ammirato, defenseman JC Brassard, defenseman Connor Light and forward Ryan Scarfo.

The team opens with four of six non-conference games on home ice with American International and New Hampshire opening weekend and St. Cloud State sandwiched around a tri to Maine. They will also play in the Shillelagh Tournament at Notre Dame with Ohio State and Western Michigan at Thanksgiving and the Frozen Holliday Classic in Connecticut with Sacred Heart and UMass-Lowell.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

East Hockey / Page 20

Union

East Women’s College Report

A

li Boe was promoted to associate head coach for the Union women’s ice hockey team and Ashley Johnson will serve as a volunteer assistant coach

Johnson is a 2014 graduate of Union and played in 130 career games. She served as one of two captains in her senior year and works as a project engineer for PVA while pursuing her master’s in mechanical engineering.

With the completion of her MBA degree this past July, Union women’s hockey assistant coach Ali Boe has been promoted to associate head coach, the program announced today. The news comes on the heels of the most successful season in Dutchwomen history.

“I am so proud of Ali and how hard she has worked to complete her MBA” Union Head Coach Claudia Asano Barcomb said. “It has helped her grow as a professional and she has done an excellent job of balancing everything. Our team is privileged to have her as an associate head coach.”

Union won a school best nine victories during the 2013-14 season. The Dutchwomen also defeated Princeton for the first time in program history and set a new program best in power play goals with 25. Additionally, the team produced the third best power play in the conference and eighth best in the nation.

While at Union, Boe has helped the Dutchwomen goaltenders receive 13 ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week honors and one Goaltender of the Month honor. She also coached the program’s first All-ECAC selection in goaltender Lundy Day ‘09. And under Boe’ guidance, senior goaltender Shenae Lundberg has climbed the all-time ranks to become the program’s leader in wins and is on pace to eclipse the top spot in saves and shutouts in Dutchwomen history.

Boe enjoyed great success as a four-time letterwinner at Harvard. She backstopped the Crimson to three straight ECAC Hockey League tournament titles, two ECAC Hockey League regular season titles, and four NCAA tournament appearances including three Frozen Four championship game appearances from 2003-

by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

2005. She was selected to the 2005 and 2006 ECACHL All-Tournament teams and was a Frozen Four AllTournament selection in 2005. Boe was twice named All-Ivy Honorable Mention and was tabbed ECACHL Goalie of the Week four times in her career.

RPI

T

he Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) hockey programs have added Andrew Thomas to their staffs as the Operations Coordinator, it has been announced by Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton.

Thomas will assist both women’s and men’s hockey, handling video coordination, including breaking down games, preparation and pre-scouting for upcoming opponents; team travel coordination; and community relations. He will also serve as special events coordinator, including organizing alumni and community events.

Manhattanville

M

embers of the Manhattanville College women’s hockey team spent their Sunday volunteering at the fourth annual Evan Lieberman Westchester Medical Center Trauma Mud Run, continuing their tradition of helping out at the annual event.

The women came early and helped to set up the event and also remained on the course to run the individual obstacles and cheer on the participants as they ran through the woods, scrambled through mud, climbed obstacles and navigated Fire Towers.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

East Hockey / Page 21 Nearly 1,000 runners competed on the 5K obstacle course, which is a one-of-a-kind fundraiser for the Joel A. Halpern Regional Trauma Center and Burn Center.

Greater NY City will hold a four-

week Learn to Play Ice Hockey session for 5 to 7 year olds beginning October 4.

Long Island Gulls

riod.

The Oil Kings took the lead 2-1 late in the second period.

“We told the players we have plenty of time left to get two goals,” said Gulls head coach, Mike Quigley. “They would continue to work hard and never give up. We seemed to get stronger as the game went on.”

At the 7:32 mark of the third period, Joe Quigley put home a rebound to tie the game at 2-2.

The Gulls drove to the net and with 3:13 remaining in the game, Quigley buried the puck for the eventual game winner, 3-2.

“Our goalies continued to play strong with some big saves by Chris Stoffers and Justin Porrino,” said Quigley.

“The coaching staff is very proud of the team. Every player worked hard and contributed to the big win. We are very excited with this team and will have a lot of success this year.”

The Long Island Girls 14U team had a great weekend winning both games. They defeated the Northern Lights Silver, 3-1 and Montclair Blues, 4-0.

It was a great weekend for both the PeeWee Major team and the PeeWee Tier III teams.

Saturday started with the Tier III team facing off against Greater New York. They played a strong team

East News and Notes

The PeeWee Major ‘02 team would travel to Stamford, Conn. this weekend for a tournament.

The club opened up against the Wheatfield Blades, and outshot them 56-16. The Gulls came out on top with a 6-2 victory.

They played the CT Oil Kings in the second game and took a 1-0 lead, which held up until late in the third period. The game ended in a 1-1 tie and the Gulls lost in a shoot out.

The third game against the New York Aviators found the Gulls winning 6-3, advancing to the semifinals.

In the semis, the Gulls faced off against Aviator, again, and would go down 2-0 early. The players never quit and stormed back to take a 6-3 victory.

The Gulls played the Oil Kings in a rematch for the finals. It was a fast paced game back and forth, as both teams were evenly matched. Both goaltenders would make some key saves for both teams.

The Gulls scored halfway through the first with a nice backhand shot by Val Aleynik. The Oil Kings came back and tied it at 1-1 at the end of the first pe-

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com game and won, 12-1.

The PeeWee Major team played against the North Jersey Avalanche. The Gulls got off to a slow start, but the team would get stronger as the game went on.

The boys eventually would win the game, 5-0.

On Sunday, the Tier III team would play their first game in their league, the NYHA. The Gulls matched up against the Connecticut Barons, which was filled with ’02 players.

“It was going to be a tough game for us, said coach Mike Quigley. “We started a little slow, and it was a very fast paced game which is something we were not use to.”

The Gulls were down 2-0 at the end of the first, but cut into the lead after the second to make it 2-1.

With 26-seconds left in the third, the Gulls scored to tie the game 2-2.

The LI Gulls Mite Tier III team swept a three game weekend (Septgember 15) in convincing fashion versus the Long Island Rebels, Long Beach Major & Long Beach Minor teams. “ We played good position play and had solid puck movement,” said head coach Brett Erster. “Those were the key factors in a solid weekend of hockey.”

Both the Gulls PeeWee Tier I & III teams got off to a good start this past weekend (September 5-7) The PeeWee Major Tier I team played the Hartford Wolfpack in a hard fought game and on top with the victory, 4-2.

The PeeWee Tier III team played their first game against the Long Island Rebels. The Gulsl came out on top with an 11-5 win.

“Both teams work hard,” said head coach Mike Quigley. “We as a staff expect good things from both clubs the rest of the way.”

An amped up bunch of Squirt Major 10-years olds took the ice vs. the CT Wolfpack. They came out flying scoring three goals in the first period and never looked back.

They continued their attack in the second period scoring four more times. The Gulls started the season strong wining 9-2. Joey Racioppi was stellar in net, turning away 11 of 13 shots.

“It was a great way to start the season! We have a long season a head of us and we have a lot of work to do,” said head coach, Len Raimondi. “We started strong and will improve and get better from this

East Hockey / Page 22 game.”

The LI Gulls Mite Tier III team kicked off the 201415 campaign with a victory over the Long Island Royals.

“It was a strong team effort,” said head coach, Bret Erster. “A lot of the boys were evolved in the scoring and am excited for the rest of the season.”

Long Island Amateur Hockey Association has a

new website.

The Lady Islanders have a new website: ladyislanders.org

Brewster Hockey will host their Westchester Express Golf Outing on October 8.

The Mite Jamboree dates for 2014-15 are October 13, November 11, November 28, December 26, January 19 and February 16. March is TBA.

Bronxville Youth Hockey

Bronxville will be attending the Haunted Shootout in Marolboro, Ma. on October 31 to Novembef 2.

Their first Learn to Play Hockey program will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. on Saturdays at Home Ice Advantage in Tuckahoe. For information greg@homeice.net The Ice Cats are looking for Midget 16U (1998 & 1999) players for this season. Contact admin@icecathockey. com

Richmond Thunder

An explosive set of wins for the Richmond Thunder Squirt AA team!! Saturday at Nutley Clifton, followed by the LI Arrows earlier today.

Saturdays contest vs the Nutley Clifton Hockey Club ended in a 14-0 blowout, giving goaltender Joe Auletti the shut out has been waiting for. It was a win in the books (with goals and assists by Jace Lombardo, Joe Namyotov, Joe Marks, Pasquale Eve, AJ DeSimone, John Mahon, Donato Cuzzolino, and Tyler Kulbanskiy), but it was todays game out in Freeport, Long Island vs the LI Arrows that had everyone

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com chanting “LETS GO THUNDER!!”

Thunder fans were a little shaken when the LI Arrows opened up the game with 2 goals, 10 seconds apart, halfway through the 1st. But 2 minutes later, Jace Lombardo (assisted by John Mahon) got the 1st of what would be the next 4 consecutive goals of the game. Lombardo and Mahon duplicated their lines magic in the 2nd, followed by a goal by Joe Namyotov (assisted by Joe Marks) and then a goal by Joe Marks (assisted by Joe Namyotov) later in the 3rd.

The game was a constant force of pressure by both teams, 12 penalties were called in total, as things got heated on and off the ice. The Thunder held their own and rocked the penalty kill, while fans chanted “LETS GO THUNDER” loud and proud, in sync with the stick clap from the bench. As always, the team surrounded their goalie, Joe Auletti, in celebration at the final buzzer.

The Richmond Thunder Squirt AA team opened their 2014-2015 season with 2 big wins, indicating the start of a great season.

The season opener was against the Iceland Icecats in New Hyde Park. The games final score was 6-3, after 2 periods of going goal for goal, and the Thunder dominating the 3rd period with 4 goals.

Racking up the goals for the Thunder was Pasquale Eve with a hat trick, Donato Cuzzolino (1), and Gleb Polyakov (2, with 1 being a short handed net finder!).

Among the assists were Joe Marks (1), Joe Namyotov (1), Donato Cuzzolino (1), John Mahon (1), and AJ DeSimone (2).

The home opener vs the Brewster Bulldogs was a blow out, ending in 12-1. Within the first minute of the game, Jace Lombardo got them on the board, following up with 2 more goals, sealing off a hat trick, and adding 2 assists to his point collection. Joe Namyotov got 2 for us- one shorthanded, the other being a rocket shot from the blue line late in the 3rd.

Pasquale Eve had his second hat trick of the weekend, awarding him the Superman MVP of the weekend.

Also adding to the Thunders bucket of goals are Gleb Polyakov, Eric Braz, Joe Marks, and AJ DeSimone. Polyakov, Braz, and Eve also had their hand in several assists.

Goaltender Joe Auletti stopped 10 shots on goal, allowing only 1 to get by in the 3rd period. The final score of 12-1 sent the Bulldogs back to the doghouse,

East Hockey / Page 23 where they will await the Thunder for a rematch on Jan. 24, 2015.

Coaches Tommy Tirro, Luigi Tirro and John Mahon couldnt be prouder of the teams determination and hard work, and the parents along with them.

Saugerties welcomes the folloowing to their Board: President: Shawn Bodie Vice Pres: D J Matthews Treasurer: Kristen Crandall Secretary: Laura Swanson Board: Part affrey, Mike madgian, Gregp Speller, Brian Barnes, Erika Sammon.

Whiteplains:

The Pee Wee B team posted their first win of the season in a hard fought duel with the CT Barons Pee Wee A1 team behind a solid performance in goal by Ben Stephenson. The Plainsmen travelled up to the Sono Ice House to meet the Barons for this pre-season tune-up game. Action in the first period was fairly evenly matched but the Plainsmen pulled ahead on a goal by Sebi Andrade at 10:39 in the 1st period. Solid play and defensive effort kept the Barons scoreless in the first period.

The Plainsmen’s lack of ice time started to show as play was less solid in the 2nd period. The Barons spent more time occupying the Plainsmen defensive zone and out shot the Plainsmen. Then at 9:55 in the 2nd period, the Barons tied up the game with a wellplaced shot off a rebound save. Further drama ensued as the Barons gained a breakaway advantage on a Plainsmen line change and were fouled in a valiant but unsuccessful defensive effort by Joey Mosso, coming off the bench. Standout goalie, Ben Stephenson denied the Barons on the penalty shot and the period ended in a 1-1 tie.

The Baron’s onslaught continued in the third period, but your Plainsmen were up for the challenge.

Joey Mosso’s breakaway shot at 10:05 put the Plainsmen back in the lead. The Barons tied up the score again on a tap in as the puck sat on the Plainsmen goal line. But today, the Plainsmen were not to be denied.

With 1:13 remaining in the third period, Joey Mosso scored again with an assist from Jason Manorqui to put the Plainsmen ahead for good with a final score of

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com Plainsmen 3, CT Barons 2.

The Plainsmen were outshot 35 to 12 for the game but with an outstanding save percentage of 94.286%

by Ben Stephenson, the Barons were denied and the Plainsmen showed that quality over quantity can win the day.

Youth and College Organizations: Place Your Ad With NY Hockey Onine This is the Place to Advertise Your Tryouts * Events * Fundraisers * Recruit for Teams and College!

Ad Rates: Full Page: $225 Half Page: $125 Quarter Page: $80 Business Card: $50 Special yearly rates can be negotiated!

Ads are also placed on our website for the month!

NY Hockey Goes State-wide; so if you are looking for teams to fill your tournaments, this is the place to advertise!

Randy@nyhockeyonline.com 716-751-6524

East Hockey / Page 24

EHL

NY Bobcats Split Opening Weekend The New York Bobcats opened the 2014-15 Eastern Hockey League season in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 overtime win over the Walpole Express. However, the Bobcats were unable to complete the weekend sweep as the club fell to the Boston Bandits on Sunday, 3-0.

The Express jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the second period, but the Bobcats answered with two markers of their own from Corey Kennedy and newcomer CJ Totillo.

Down one in the third period, New York went on the power play and was able to tie the game at the 6:13 mark on Lucas Brown’s tally. The game would head into overtime, and with 3:29 left, defenseman Joey Maguire buried the game winner to send the Bobcats home victorious, 4-3.

Netminder Jordan Severo made 47 saves in his Bobcats debut to pick up his first win for the black and green.

On Sunday, the Bobcats took on the Bandits, who knocked out New York from the playoffs last season.

Boston lit the lamp in the second period on Jon Stickel’s tally and that would be enough as the Bobcats were shutout by the Bandits, 3-0.

Brandon Rathwell had a solid debut for the Bobcats also, stopping 39 shots in the loss.

New York (1-1-0-0) comes home this weekend to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights at the Twin Rinks at Eisenhower Park in a two game set.

Puck drop for Saturday, September 27, is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and Sunday September 28, for 11:15 AM. Make sure to come down early for the Bobcats home opener and wear your Bobcats pride! Plenty of prizes and giveaways all weekend long! For more information call (516) 677-9075 or log onto nybobcats. com!

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

North Hockey North Hot Prospect Jordan Greenway

www.nyhockeyonline.com

North Hockey / Page 26 Meghan to our staff here at Clarkson,” said Desrosiers. “With her wealth of experience as a player and proven leadership abilities she will certainly be a great mentor to our players. Meghan’s passion and work ethic will be contagious to not only the players on our roster, but also to the young women we are recruiting.

“She is a great ambassador of Women’s Hockey and will prove to be an excellent role model for young females in our community. I am looking forward to getting Meghan on campus so we can sit down as a staff with Britni and start planning how we will defend our National Championship. I personally am excited to learn from Meghan and Britni as they both have a lot to share.”

A two-time Olympic silver-medalist with USA Women’s Hockey, Duggan has extensive experience with the United States National program. She skated in both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, serving as USA’s captain at this past Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. A native of Danvers, MA, Duggan also represented the U.S. at five Women’s World Championships, capturing a gold medal four times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013) and one silver (2007).

“I’m honored to join the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey Coaching Staff and excited to work with such a talented group of players,” stated Duggan. “I would like to thank Matt Desrosiers and the athletics department at Clarkson for the opportunity to coach while continuing to train and compete for the U.S. Women’s National Team and in the CWHL. I’m eager to get started and look forward to helping the Golden Knights move forward with another successful season.”

Clarkson University Women’s Hockey Head Coach Matt Desrosiers has also announced the addition of Britni Smith as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights.

A former

North Women’s College Report

by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

Clarkson

T

he Clarkson Golden Knights will raise the banner on their championship season on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. game against cross-town rival St. Lawrence University.

Meghan Duggan, a two-time Olympic silver-medalist and standout performer for USA Hockey, is returning to the collegiate ranks as a new assistant coach for the defending National Champion Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team, the school announced today.

Duggan joins Head Coach Matt Desrosiers and newly hired Assistant Coach Britni Smith in guiding the Golden Knights.“I am very excited to welcome

Britni Smith standout at St. Lawrence University, Smith spent the 2013-14 campaign as an assistant coach with the University of Toronto and played professionally in the Canadian Women’s Hockey league (CWHL).

“I am very excited to welcome Britni to Clarkson as she will be a valuable addition to our staff,” stated Desrosiers. “She comes very highly recommended as she possesses a great work ethic and a strong hockey mind. Britni is familiar with ECAC Hockey and the North Country having had a successful playing career at St. Lawrence University. She has had experience playing and coaching at the Canadian National level as well as coaching in the CIS. With all the experience she has gathered from her time at St. Lawrence and after her graduation, she will be able to make the transition to Clarkson seamless. I am very excited to work alongside Britni and look forward to growing and learning as a coach with her help.”

As the top assistant at the University of Toronto, Smith helped to lead the Varsity Blues to a 21-9 overall record, including a 17-6 CIS mark last season.

“I am extremely honored and beyond excited to have the opportunity to work with the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team,” said Smith. “I am really looking forward to working with such a talented group of ladies and alongside Matt

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com this season. I am very excited to get things started and to make an impact on an already successful program, while also learning and growing as a coach.”

An all-star defenseman for St. Lawrence, Smith played in 146 games for the Saints (2006-10) and accumulated 74 points on 20 goals and 54 assists from the blueline. As a senior, she was named a top-10 finalist for the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey. Smith tallied the third-most points in the country by a defenseman in 2009-10, recording eight goals and 17 assists.

The Port Perry, ONT native also gained Second Team All-ECAC Hockey honors in her junior and senior years and was a threetime conference All-Academic team member.

Smith has extensive experience playing with Canada’s National programs. She skated with Team Canada’s Under 22 team for four years (2006-10) and participated in four Air Canada Cup Tournaments, winning the Gold Medal three times and the Silver Medal once.

While the Golden Knights were en route to claiming the University’s first-ever NCAA National Title last March, Smith was enjoying a memorable moment of her own. Playing professionally for the Toronto Furies, and alongside Clarkson alum Brooke Beazer ‘08, Smith scored one of the biggest goals in CWHL history on March 22. Just 33 seconds into overtime, Smith tallied the only score in the 2014 Clarkson Cup Championship to lift the Furies to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Blades, giving Toronto its first title.

Clarkson Preview Just over six months removed from winning the 2014 Na-

tional Title, the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team has shifted from enjoying the festivities honoring the historic accomplishment and has refocused on the work necessary to begin defense of its crown in 2014-15.

As the team to beat on everyone schedules, the Golden Knights will face a demanding 34-game regular-season slate, featuring the 22-game ECAC Hockey circuit and eight contests against teams from last year’s NCAA Tournament. Clarkson, which will host 15 games at Cheel Arena, will also play in it’s first-ever in-season tournament. Guided by seventh-year head coach Matt Desrosiers, a young Golden Knight squad gets things rolling when the 12th season in the program’s history begins in early October with a home-and-home, non-league series against St. Lawrence. With one more celebration remaining before the season gets into full swing, Clarkson raises its NCAA Championship banner when it hosts the Saints on Saturday, October 4 in the home-opener at Cheel after facing its rival in Canton the previous night.

Much has changed for the Green and Gold since the Knights capped off a 31-5-5 season with the University’s first-ever NCAA

North Hockey / Page 27 Championship on March 23. First-year assistant coaches Meghan Duggan and Britni Smith join Desrosiers behind the bench, while six promising newcomers join the veterans on the ice. Clarkson will also look to overcome the graduation loss of the talented seven-member Class of 2014, which featured the NCAA Player of the Year, three 100-point scorers and the program’s all-time winningest goaltender.

Although replacing the contributions of the most successful class in Clarkson’s history will be challenging, the Knights do return 14 letterwinners who played key roles in the championshipwinning season.

Clarkson, which also claimed its first ECAC Hockey regular-season title with a 16-2-4 conference mark, begins play in the highly competitive 12-team conference, on October 28 hosting St. Lawrence.

FORWARDS:

Much of the Knights’ fire power up front graduated in May as Jamie Lee Rattray (181 pts), Carly Mercer (150), Brittany Styner (111), Vanessa Gagnon (69) and Shelby Nisbet (40) combined for 551 (214-337) career points during their stellar four-year careers.

Rattray, who led the country in points last year, tallied 29 goals and 37 assists and was honored with the Patty Kazmaier Award as the nation’s top player.

Clarkson will look towards senior Christine Lambert (Thetford Mines, QUE), juniors Shannon MacAulay (Mt. Herbert, PEI), Olivia Howe (Moose Jaw, SASK) and Cayley Mercer (Exeter, ONT), and sophomore Genevieve Bannon (Candiac, QUE) to continue their fine play from last year and spearhead the offense.

The Knights’ lone senior forward, Lambert, a solid two-way center and one of the team’s best on the faceoff, recorded 16 points (9-7) in 2013-14, and scored a goal in both of the Frozen Four games.

MacAulay emerged as a major force up front in postseason play, recording two goals and two assists in three NCAA Tournament contests, including the game-winner, unassisted on a breakaway, in the 5-4 championship-game win over Minnesota. She finished with 24 points (13-11) on the year and is coming off a solid showing with Canada’s U22 Team this August.

Howe enjoyed a strong run in the 2014 portion of the schedule with 15 (6-9) of her 24 (9-15) points coming in the second half of the season. She connected for four game-winning goals, including the deciding score in overtime against Union in the regularseason finale to help lift the Green and Gold to the ECAC title.

After sitting out her first season at Clarkson recovering from an injury, Mercer came through with a solid sophomore campaign and should be even better in her junior year. She skated in all 41 games recording three goals and 19 assists.

Clarkson’s top returning scorer, Bannon made a significant impact on a talented veteran team last year and was a finalist for ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year. She finished with 10 goals and

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com 17 assists playing in all 41 games.

With a year of experience under her belt, sophomore Jessica Gillham (Uxbridge, ONT) will be looked upon to play a larger role this winter and increase her offensive production. She dressed for 35 games last year, scoring one goal (the game-winner in the victory over Dartmouth at Cheel) and two assists.

Four freshmen - Brielle Bellerive (North Vancouver, BC), Katelyn Fournier (Ottawa, ONT), Lauren Lefler (Windsor, ONT) and Amanda Titus (Stittsville, ONT) - will be asked to step in right away and help make up for the loss of the departed veterans.

Bellerive skated for Okanagan Hockey Academy in the JWHL last year and has competed at the National level with the Canadian U18 team, winning gold at the 2014 World Championships.

A member of the Ottawa Lady Senators in 2013-14, Fournier has also been a four-time participant in OWHA’s U18 Team Ontario selection camp. Lefler served as captain for the Bluewater Junior Hawks (PWHL) and won a silver medal with U18 Team Ontario Blue at the 2013 Canadian National Championships. Titus played alongside Fournier with Ottawa and also has some experience in Canada’s National programs.

DEFENSE: Boasting five starting defenders from last year’s championship team, including one of the top players in the country, the

Knights should be dominant in their own zone again this winter.

Seniors Jennifer Shields (Ingersoll, ONT) and Daniella Mat-

teucci (Fruitvale, BC) are three-year veterans on the backline and provide steady stay-at-home play. A Top 10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and a first-team All-American, junior Erin Ambrose (Keswick, ONT) along with classmate Renata Fast (Burlington, ONT) give Clarkson two of the better defensemen in the country. After enjoying strong collegiate campaigns last winter, Ambrose and Fast were standouts on the blueline for Canada’s U22 Team this past August.

Shields has been a solid contributor since her freshman campaign when she was Clarkson’s Rookie of the Year. She has skated in 114 games, recording 12 assists and a +42 plus/minus rating.

Matteucci, who has also seen time up front, has played in more career games (116) than any other current Golden Knight, posting three goals and eight assists.

Combining prolific offensive skills and tenacious defensive play, Ambrose, who served as Canada’s U22 captain this summer, is the premier defenseman in the country. She led Division I in scoring from the blueline last year with 50 points (7 more than any other defender in the country) and was second among all players in the nation for assists per game with 35. Ambrose, who missed the Knights’ NCAA Tournament run with an injury, will play a leading role in the Knights’ success in 2014-15. Ambrose was named to ECAC Hockey’s 2014-15 Preseason All-League team.

Fast gained tremendous confidence down the stretch last year

North Hockey / Page 28 and emerged as one of the best players in the NCAA Tournament.

Named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament team, she recorded 12 points (2-10) and finished with a +36 plus/minus rating.

Sophomore Corie Jacobson (Warren, ONT) had a solid start to her collegiate career, skating in 16 games and recording two goals and three assists, and should be a factor again after overcoming an injury that forced her to miss the final 21 games.

Freshman Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, IL) will round out the Clarkson defensive core and help make up for the loss of Vanessa Plante to graduation. She was a first-team JWHL All-Star last season for the Boston Shamrocks and has experience in USA Hockey’s developmental camps.

GOAL:

Two-time ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year Erica Howe has graduated, having taken 90 career wins, 14 shutouts and .941 save percentage with her. Two-lightly used, but capable seniors, an untested sophomore and a promising freshman will battle to take her place as the Knights’ starter in the crease.

Jenna Boss (Little Canada, MN) and Emily Horn (Hamilton, ONT) both enter their fourth year with the program, but have seen little game action between the pipes. Boss was the only Clarkson goaltender other than Howe to play last year when she saw her first collegiate action. She played the final 20 minutes of the opening-game victory over RIT, turning aside all three shots she faced. Horn, who sat out last year, has played in 101 career minutes through three games. She posts a .931 save percentage, a 1.18 goals against average and a 1-0 record.

McKenzie Johnson (Eden Prairie, MN) did not see any NCAA game action last year, but will look to build upon the valuable experience she gained in practice as a rookie.

Highly regarded freshman, Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, ONT) will push the veterans for the number-one role. Tiley started for the KW Rangers last season and backstopped Canada’s U18 team at the 2014 World Championships going 3-0 while allowing just one goal en route to the gold medal.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

North Hockey / Page 29

DIVISION I NORTH PREVIEWS Clarkson

Northern New York Men’s College Hockey Report

T

he Golden Knights started last season hot with 13 wins over the first half of the schedule before managing just eight—plus one postseason win—after December.

It marked their best season in six years, but with four of their top five scorers departing, they will focus on their veteran core on the blueline and in goal to win games this season.

“We graduated some very good forwards that played big minutes the last few years so we will need young players to step in and replace those guys, so time will tell if we have enough players ready and able to step up and contribute immediately,” head coach Casey Jones said. “We feel good about our group but it lacks experience.

“Our defensive corps has a chance to be very good. We are big and athletic on the back end and have depth, so I expect the competition to bring out the best in our guys. I also expect us to get some offense from this unit which should help our young forwards.

“In nets, I feel that Steve Perry finished the year very strong and is primed to take another step. We have battled youth and inexperience at this position the last few years, but finally have a veteran group with a junior and two sophomores, so there will be good competition at the position for playing time.”

Juniors Paul Geiger and Kevin Tansey plus senior James Howden and sophomores James de Haas and Brian Hinz will man five of the six spots in front of sophomore Perry or junior Greg Lewis in goal. Geiger and de Haas combined to score five of the team’s 33 power play goals last season.

The top lines are wide open with returnees Jeff DiNallo, Joe Zarbo (Grand Island) and Pat Megannety leading the way. More will be needed offensively from second-year forwards A.J. Fossen, Jordan Boucher and Penguins draft pick Troy Josephs.

by Warren Kozireski

Wkozires@brockport.edu

Kelly Summers, a seventh round Ottawa draft pick in June, will likely get an immediate shot at a starting role among the top six on defense as will Terrence Amorosa, a fifth-round pick of Philadelphia via the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) and Swedish native Tyko Karjalainen.

Forward Janick Asselin averaged almost two points per game with 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points and a plus/minus of +34 through 48 games with Sherbrooke. Other forwards include Ben Dalpe from the Penticton Vees (BCHL), Dylan Gareau via the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL), Brett Gervais, Nic Pierog and Sam Vigneault.

The Knights open on the road with Niagara, RIT, a home-and-home with Vermont and a pair at home with Bowling Green before a home-and-home series with arch rival St. Lawrence Halloween weekend.

Trips to Merrimack and Michigan State also dot the non-conference schedule.

St. Lawrence

S

ome key wins down the stretch gave the Saints a home playoff series before falling to Colgate in the quarterfinals, but now they embark on the post-Greg Carey era also without his brother, three defensemen and their starting goaltender.

“We graduated and lost to professional hockey a large percentage of our scoring from last year and will be a very young hockey team,” head coach Greg Carvel said. “Two-thirds of our team will be freshmen and sophomores as well as all of our defense and most likely our starting goaltender.

“I believe that we have a strong freshman class, many of which will

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com be expected to play big roles on our team from day one. As always with a young team, we will have our growing pains but I am excited about our future.

Co-ECAC Rookie of the Year Gavin Bayreuther will anchor the defense with fellow sophomore Eric Sweetman the only other returning blueliner who played in more than 18 games last season.

Senior co-captains Gunnar Hughes and Pat Doherty (Hamilton) will be expected to contribute more numbers up front while Brian Ward, Drew Smolcynski and Greece native Woody Hudson all return for their second year with the team.

Sophomore goaltender Tyler Parks played 300 minutes last season with a 2.99 goals against average, but struggled with his save percentage.

Among the recruits, “Kyle Hayton may very well begin in goal as a freshman. Christian Horn, transfer from University of Minnesota is expected to contribute offensively. Nolan Gluchowski and Mitch Eden should be regulars on defense from the onset.”

The Saints will be the opponent for the first men’s hockey game at RIT’s new arena to open the season.

Ferris State arrives for a pair in week two prior to a trip to Miami of Ohio. The Saints will have a homeand-home with Vermont and a trip to Northeastern around the holidays for their other non-ECAC opponents.

OTHER AREA NOTES: St Lawrence- former Rochester Institute of Technology goaltender Jared DeMichiel was named assistant men’s hockey coach. DeMichiel, who has been the assistant coach at Nazareth since January of 2012, replaces Kris Mayotte, who took an assistant position at Providence in mid-summer. DeMichiel was the RIT goalie during their run to the Frozen Four in the 2009-10 season.

Potsdam-Michael Callan was announced as the team’s new assistant coach replacing Sean O’Malley, who has assumed the top assistant coaching position at Lake Forest. Callan was a graduate assistant for the men’s ACHA Division I team at Ohio University for the past two seasons. From 2007 to 2010 he was the Director of Hockey Operations at Clarkson University.

West Hockey / Page 30

North News and Notes Adirondack Youth Hockey

will hold their Fire On Icde Tournament December 1- 14 and thir Extreme Freze Tournament, January 23-25.

Clifton park

New this year, Skating and Skills instructed by Ron Kuhl’s Hockey Hut. The Clifton Park Youth Hockey Association program provides learn to skate and play hockey programs for boys and girls ages 3-8. NO Skating Experience Required.

Two weekly practice sessions that are fun, organized with professional instruction.

Troy-Albany Jr. Engineers wil hold their Rink Rat 22nd Annual Touranment on February 13-16 nd February 14-17.

Contact Julie at jbrazier@nycap.rr.com

Watertown

Remember Robert J. “Robbie” Horton Tournament, October 31 thrugh November 2.

Rapids Tournament, February 6-8 for house squirts and peewees.

Contact Kelly at Kmilkowich@gmail.com Thanksgiving Tournament, November 24- 30 2015 Lake PlacidTournament, Janaury 21-24

Whitestown

Mark Mowers House Tournament, Janaury 23-25 Rob Eshe Tournament, February 6-8 Bob Mercurio Extreme Freeze for Mites, March 6-8 Chekc out their website at sites.google.clom/site/whitestownwolfpack

Plattsburgh

Roadrunner Rubmle, Februaqry 7-8 PYH Mite Shootout, February 21

Saranac Lake Storm Tournaments

Veterans Chill for PeeWee, January 2-4 Veterans Chilld for 12U Girls, January 2-4 Veterans Chill Squirt, January 23-25 Veterans Chill Bantam, Janaury 30 - February 1 Veterans Chill MIte, March 7 -8 Vetarns Chill Mini Mite, March 8

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

West Hockey North Hot Prospect Joseph Cecconi

www.nyhockeyonline.com

West Hockey / Page 32

Renovated Hyde Park Shining!

By Randy Schultz

G

ene Carella remembers skating when the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion opened its doors for the first time back in 1968. It was an exciting time for young hockey players in the Niagara Falls, NY area.

Several years later Carella would bring his four sons to play youth hockey in the same arena.

It was also the beginning of what would turn out to be a career of coaching youth hockey at Hyde Park.

In 1990 Carella began presenting tournament opportunities for the former Grand Niagara Cataracts Hockey Association. By the end of the decade he developed Niagara Sports Tournaments, providing youth hockey to hundreds of teams in

the US and Canada.

Finally, in 2012, Carella was awarded the right to operate the Ice Pavilion. The two regulation size hockey rinks are rented by local and out-of-town hockey players for leagues, tournaments and pick-up games.

“We saw a facility that was in need of repair,” recalled Carella, a professor of Biology at Niagara County Community College. “The facility was old and a lot of things were in desperate need of repair or replacement.

“But we were worried about the cooling unit, the cooling tower.

The city helped take care of that.

“Then the city stepped in and made a commitment to fix all of the compressors. Which they did.

“You have to understand that the agreement between me and the city is that the city takes care of the maintenance of the physical plant and Zamboni, while I take care of day-to-day operation of the building.”

Next on the agenda was fixing up the locker rooms, rebuild t h e stands and rebuild the players benches.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

In less than two years the locker rooms have been repainted, the stands have been rebuilt, shower facilities have been retiled and bathrooms repainted.

Add to that the fact that just prior to Carella taking over, the city had stepped in and rebuilt the entrance to the facility, the lobby area, including new concession facilities and upgraded pro shop and skate sharpening room.

“Each year the city has stepped up and improved something in the building,” stated Carella, who resides in Lewiston. “This year we had a new backroom and bar area rebuilt.

“It’s a place where teams can go after their game and relax, have some food and drink. Right now we are renting the room out for people to rent for family parties and have the events catered.

“There is a three to five year plan in the works right now. Each year there are new things to improve upon.

“Eventually both rinks will be rebuilt.”

Carella looks ahead with a great of optimism.

“My son, Michael, and I are in this for the long

West Hockey / Page 33

hall,” concluded Carella. “I’m a Niagara Falls boy, born and raised here.

“I want to see this facility succeed. I want the Niagara Falls area succeed.

“With my other business, I have proven what I can do to help the Niagara Falls economy. Youth hockey has proven that it can help the economy in the area in a big way.

“We bring in a lot of business with youth hockey between the months of November and February each year. Not only with restaurants and hotels, but with shopping in the area.

“We are getting teams from all over the US and Canada coming here. We want them to have a great experience.

“I think they’re beginning to see that in the last two years. And to me, it is only going to grow.

“In the next five to 10 years I want Hyde Park Ice Pavilion to become one of the best hockey facilities in Western New York.

“And I think we are well on our way to that goal.”

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

West Hockey / Page 34

Buffalo Stars Beat

On Saturday, August 16th, a bunch of girls from the 19UTB and 19UNTB team, along with Coach Dawn, got together for some team bonding. They participated in the 5K Color Run charity event! As you can see a good time was had by all.

Stars U15 Start Strong

T

he Buffalo Stars Midget U15 team participated in the Niagara University Invitational Tournament this past weekend and claimed victory in a wild weekend of hockey.

In game one on Friday, the Stars opened with a decisive victory over the Niagara Coyotes 6-0. Anthony Gallo recorded a hat trick and single tallies were earned by Josh Hussar, Nathan Gentile and Elliott Whittaker. Connor King was solid in net turning back 17 Coyotes shots to earn the shutout.

The Stars played twice on Saturday and barely squeaked by with a pair of 1-1 ties. The first game of the morning saw the Stars come out flat against a very determined Clarence Mustangs team. The Stars had already beaten and tied the Mustangs in this early pre season and they were on a mission to end that pattern. However, the stellar goaltending of Alex Paul kept the Stars in the game as Buffalo came from behind off the stick of Will Mann to record the tie.

In the evening contest the stars faced off against

theWheatfield Blades and once again, the Stars came out flat. Only stellar goaltending, this time from Connor King, kept the Stars in the game. Once again, Buffalo rallied from behind to tie as Ethan Alexin tallied late in the third period to advance Buffalo to the Championship round.

The division was tight and a Wheatfield victory would have kept Buffalo out of the Championship game. The Blades pulled their goaltender in a desperate attempt to gain victory but King stood tall and snatched victory for the Stars.

On Sunday, the Stars would face the Coyotes for the gold. The Coyotes had made a determined preliminary round rebound claiming victory over Clarence and a hard fought tie with Wheatfield to propel into the final game.

However, the Coyotes rally was not to be as the Stars came out and dominated the game from the opening faceoff. The Stars scored in the first two shifts off the stick of Anthony Gallo and Ethan Alexin. Buffalo never looked back as Will Mann and Devin Conrad added a pair and Josh Hussar tallied once and the Stars skated to a convincing 7-0 victory.

Alex Paul turned back 15 Coyotes shots to earn the shutout.

The Stars U18 team also participated in the weekend tournament and came out with a 1-3 record. The Stars fell to Bud Bakewell 6-4; Caz 4-0 and Clarence 3-2 before rebounding with a solid 5-2 victory over the Purple Eagles on Sunday.

You can follow the Buffalo Stars on line at:www.buffalostars.com

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Buffalo Stars Spotlight Players of the Week

September 4

Our first Buffalo Stars Spotlight Player of the season is Kyle Kwiatkowski of our U15 Midget AA team. Congratulations Kyle.

Kyle is 15 years old from Lancaster and plays Defense. He is a sophmore in high school looking at a career in engineering or as a history teacher.

His favorite NHL player is Anze Kopitar and his favorite college team is the Michigan State Spartans.

He enjoys watching sports, Xbox, skiing and his favorite food is tacos and bacon burgers.

His personal hero is is grandfather Robert Schoenthaler because of his service with the U.S. Navy.

His role model is Walt Disney for his vision of looking to the future and continued improvement.

Kyle’s goal for this season is to work harder in the cornrs.

West Hockey / Page 35 Stamcos.

His role models are his parents because they make good decisions that benefit he and his family.

His Grandmother is his personal hero because she always has time for work, four kids, 10 grandchildren.

Alex also plays tennis and golf and enjoys archery and Fantasy Football.

His goal for this season is to improve every time he goes on the ice and to get better as a team as the year progresses.

Stars Open Season With Salute to Troops

The Buffalo Stars opened their 2014-15 season with a Salute to the Troops. They held a Chinese Auction with proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Following an emotional Opening Ceremony the U15, U16 and U18 teams took to the ice.

The U15 team beat the Rochester Grizzlies 2-1 while the U16 and U18 teams found themselves short. Syracuse beat the U16 team 4-3 and Cazenovia took the U18 team 5-1.

(NYHOL Thanks Peter Preteroti for his submissions to tha magazine)

September 14 The Buffalo Stars Youth Spotlight Player for the Week Ending September 14th is Alex Paul of the U15 AA Team.

Alex is 15 years old and plays in goal for the Stars. He is a sophomore and is favorite subject is mathematics.

He is considering a career in engineering.

Alex’s favorite college team are the UB Bulls and his favorite NHL player is Steven

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Western New York Women’s College Hockey Report

by Janet Schultz Janet@nyhockeyonline.com JDSchultz3663@gmail.com

Preview Everyone is smiling at RIT and for good reason. The men’s and women’s ice hockey teams have a new home as they open their 2014-15 season.

The Gene Polisseni Center has been dedicated and the teams have taken the ice in preparation for their season openers (at press time).

Coach Scott McDonald isn’t one to dwell on the past season, but the women are coming off an exciting season and looking forward to hitting the ice and charting a new course, one which they hope takes them to the Frozen Four in their third year as a CHA DI team. (They weren’t eligible for the Championship the past two seasons due to a ruling that make a new DI team sit out the championship for two seasons).

However they hoisted the 2013-14 Conference Championship banner.

“We certainly have a target on our backs,” said McDonald. “A lot of teams will be out to knock us off as defending champions.

“We upset a lot of teams last year and we were very successful with everyone in our conference.

“Our expectations are as high as they every have been.”

“It’s been a great journey,” aid Senior Captain Lindsay Grigg. “We’ve been successful and my Senior year will be awesome. We turned some heads!”

“I’m really looking forward to it and spending the year with a great group of girls and hopefully defend our championship and go even further.”

“We’re all looking forward to building on what we started last year,” said Senior Forward Marissa Maugeri.

West Hockey / Page 36 “We set the bar pretty high and I think we can do it,” she said.

For Senior Captain Celeste Brown the entire year will be bittersweet. She’s come through four years of exciting hockey and now a new building.

“It went too fast,” said Brown. “It’s our last year together as a team, the last year playing for RIT and it’s going to be exciting.”

“We don’t dwell on last year, we remember it and build off it,” she continued.

RIT has a large Senior class and with that comes a lot of leadership and experience playing in championship games.

A small freshman class will be able to watch the older players and get acclimated.

“That’s a lot easier with a small freshman class than a large one,” explained McDonald.

McDonald sees the strength of this year’s team to be just that--leadership.

“We excel in the big game, the bigger the game and better we play,” he continued.

“Based on last year seeing what we were able to do with such a big group of girls coming in, I’m just looking forward to topping that and going further,” said Brooke Stoddart. “We have each other’s backs.”

McDonald will be relying on his seniors to give it their all so they can go out in a big way.

“We’re a coachable bunch,” said Grigg. “We might not be the most skilled team but we work the hardest.”

As juniors, players seem to have their breakout year

Lindsay Grigg and Celeste Brown

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com so he will be relying on those players for additional le adership.

He also knows that last season his then freshmen, now sophomores have gained a lot Maddie Grisko, Captain of the Amherst/ of valuable SweetHome Women’s Varsity Team last season. experience on the ice and will transition easily into upperclassmen.

“Based on last season we see what we did, McDonald sees his five freshmen has needed a lot of development.

“They are a raw bunch but the potential is there. It will take time but they will add depth to the team,” he explained.

McDonald has added one New York native to the team in Maddie Grisko from the Buffalo.

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.

She 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. She captained the Sweet Home/Amherst team for three years , as a two-time All-Western New York first team selection and also played four years of varsity softball for Amherst High School, where she was a All-Erie Country Interscholastic Conference first team selection in 2014.

What some consider a short bench with 22 players, McDonald explains that RIT has had 21-22 players on their bench for the past several years and managed a DIII championship and DI conference championship.

“When we came down the stretch last year it was a short bench and it didn’t really seem to hurt us,” he says “The team steps up when there is an opportunity.”

About their new home, “It’s amazing,” he said. “It was fun to finally get out to practice on it and we’re getting settled day by day.”

For McDonald it’s time to start new memories in the Gene Polisseni Center, and as a full-fledged DI program in the

West Hockey / Page 37

Lauren Carroll in game against Colgate last season.

CHA. The women’s ice hockey team was the first to play in the arena with an exhibition game and their home opener.

“We’ve been here the whole time and this summer I could see the arena change everyday,” Grigg explained.

“It’s amazing!”

“We had a great atmosphere in Ritter and I think that will follow us here and may even be better,” Grigg continued.

“I’m really excited to play in this arena,” aid Jessica Paton. “Ritter is smaller and we don’t have the big window with the natural sunlight.” (Which could cause one team or another a problem on bright, sunny days!)

Sophomore Forward Mackenzie Stone said the new rink will set the bar for them this season and it will build momentum for the season and it will carry through.

The freshman have a great outlook on the season.

Lauren Carroll just wants to play. She’s actually played against RIT when she played for Oakville (Ont) and found the RIT girls to be intimidating on the ice.

“I feel good and I’m excited,” said Victoria Pitawanakwat. “I chose RIT for its hockey program and its school programming.”

The girls see Robert Morris and Mercyhurst as their toughest opponents.

“We beat them last year,” said Grigg. “Those games will be that much bigger.”

“No team, no game is the same,” said Brown.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

West Hockey / Page 38

Jr. Purple Eagles Soar!

NJPE 19U Tier 1 Finish Second At Beantown Classic

T

he Niagara Jr Purple Eagles 19U Tier 1 Team opened up their season with an outstanding showing at the Boston Beantown Classic Showcase Tournament by finishing 2nd in a field of 60 teams from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This season marks Niagara’s move to fielding a Tier 1 Tournament Bound 19U team with the goal of providing the best exposure for Western New York girls by participating in the most highly scouted College Showcase Tournaments in North America.

As the Purple Eagles entered their first Showcase Tournament, there was a buzz about the team from Niagara.

The team started off the tournament with an impressive 5-0 win against Can Am United, a team with a combination of both American and Canadian players. In the second game of the day, Niagara took control of the game early and won by a convincing score of 4-0 over Pro Hockey of Toronto.

By day 2 of the tournament, the college coaches were now heavily watching the Niagara Jr Purple Eagles as the team won the morning game by a score of 3-1 over the Titans. Niagara’s 4th game of the tournament would pit the Purple Eagles against the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Prospects whose goalie plays for the Canadian 18U Team. UNB scored in the opening minute of the game and both teams traded scoring opportunities before the Purple Eagles tied the game with less than 4 minutes left. Neither team would score in overtime and the game was decided in a shootout with the Purple Eagles netting the only shootout goal for the 2-1 victory. The Purple Eagles would advance to the playoffs on Sunday.

Niagara faced the West Coast Selects, whose goalie plays for the U.S. 18U Team, on Sunday morning. The Purple Eagles took advantage of rebounds and won the game by a score of 3-0. As the team moved onto the Quarter Finals, they played Skate to Excellence, a team from Minnesota, and won by another convincing score of 3-0.

As the Purple Eagles advanced to the Semi-Finals, the team would face the Minnesota White Caps (Black Team) which is an All Star Team of the top players from Minnesota that included over 14 Division I players and a number of U.S. 18U players. The Minnesota White Caps came out flying and dominated play early on. As the game went on, the Purple Eagles finally broke through and scored on a slap shot from the point. Niagara played a strong game defensively and held on for the 1-0 victory. The Purple Eagles advanced to the Finals against the Montreal Express, which has a number of players from the Canadian 18U, 22U, and National Team. The Championship Game was fast paced with Montreal scoring the first goal on a rebound. Both teams traded scoring opportunities with Montreal sealing the game with their second goal of the game with a little over 5 minutes left.

It was a tremendous start for the Niagara Jr Purple Eagles 19U Tier I team as the college coaches were impressed by the talent on the team. By Saturday of the tournament, the college coaches were wrapped around the arena watching the Purple Eagles’ players.

The goal of the Niagara Jr Purple Eagles is to give girls in Western New York the maximum exposure to the college coaches, preparing the players to play in college, as well as to compete at the State and National Level. The Purple Eagles are schedule to compete in the North American Hockey Academy Tournament in Vermont over Labor Day weekend along with the Stoney Creek Jr Sabres University Showcase Tournament in mid-September. Both tournaments are by invitation only. The team will also travel to Detroit in late October to play in the U.S./Canada Cup Series. Niagara will also participate in the Fire on Ice Tournament in Rochester in early November, as well as the East Coast Wizards Tournament after Christmas.

The team currently has 5 players verbally committed to Division I College Programs, as well as a number of other seniors looking to make their college choices in the upcoming months. The team’s current record is 7-1.

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

NJPE 19U Tier I Finish With Win AT NAH The Niagara Jr Purple Eagles 19U Tier 1 Team participated in the North American Hockey Academy College Showcase Tournament in Burlington, VT over the Labor Day weekend.

Niagara opened the tournament against the PWHL’s Oakville Jr. Hornets. The Purple Eagles came out sluggish and ended up losing by a score of 3-0. The Purple Eagles would then take on the Alaska All Stars in the night cap and with a much improved effort, won by a score of 3-0.

As the Purple Eagles entered the weekend their first game on Saturday was against the Minnesota Starzz.

It was an exciting game as the Purple Eagles were leading 1-0 with a little over 5 minutes left in the game. The Starzz scored 2 quick goals on Purple Eagle miscues to take the lead 2-1 with 3 minutes left in the game. The Purple Eagles would not be denied as they stormed back with 2 goals in the last 3 minutes to win the game by a score of 3-2. The win would advance Niagara to the ‘A’ Championship Playoffs where they would face the Bay State Breakers from the Boston area.

The Purple Eagles took a 1-0 lead half way through the final period. The Purple Eagles could not hold onto the lead and with less than 4 minutes to go in the game, Bay State scored 2 late goals to win the game 2-1.

To close out the tournament, the Purple Eagles took on the Minnesota White Caps which is an All Star Team from Minnesota. The Purple Eagles took an early lead and had a total team effort in winning the game by a score of 3-1.

Niagara’s current record is 13-3 and the team is now preparing for the Stoney Creek University Showcase Tournament in mid-September.

NJPE 19U Quarter Finalist at Stoney Creek The Niagara Jr Purple Eagles 19U Team continued their strong play this season by making it to the quarter finals in the Stoney Creek University Showcase Tournament in mid-September. The tournament features 64 of the best teams from across Canada and the U.S. along with over 100 college coaches and scouts in attendance.

Niagara started the tournament with a 3-3 tied against the Kingston Jr Wolves after leading for most of the game.

West Hockey / Page 39 The Purple Eagles dominated the nightcap game on the tournament’s opening day by defeating the Pacific Steelers from Vancouver, BC by a score of 3-1.

On day two of the tournament, Niagara played some of the best hockey of any team in the tournament by winning games against two PWHL power house teams. In the first game of the day, the Purple Eagles scored early and controlled most of the play to beat the Oakville Jr Hornets who two weeks earlier won the NAHA Labor Day Tournament and are currently undefeated in the PWHL this season. In the second game of the day and the first round of playoffs, Niagara scored two goals by mid-way through the game and held on to defeat one of the tournament favorites, the Toronto Aeros 2-1.

In Sunday morning’s quarter final match up, the Purple Eagles faced the eventual tournament winners, the Chicago Mission who is consistently ranked as one of the Top 3 Teams in the United States with a number of US U18 Players. Niagara took a 1-0 lead making it 5 straight games in which the Purple Eagles struck first. Chicago tied the game late in the second period. Late in the third period, Chicago became the first team to take the lead against Niagara all weekend. The Purple Eagles put pressure on the Chicago goalie in attempt to even up the score, but gave up an empty net goal as time was winding down.

Niagara is next scheduled to play a 3 game series against the Boston Shamrocks and then will compete in the U.S. /Canada Cup Series Detroit in late October. The series is an invitational only tournament between 8 of the best U.S. teams vs 8 of the best Canadian teams.

Niagara’s record is 16 Wins, 4 Losses, and 1 Tie. (NYHOL thanks Scott Welch for his submissions on the girls at NJPE Hockey)

Webster Challenge Winners Named Congratulations to the division champions and all the teams playing in the Cyclone Challenge for their fine efforts.

Championship game results: PW Minor: Webster Cyclones 4

Rochester Monarchs AAA 2

PW Major: Cazenovia Chiefs 5 - Perinton Blades 4

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com Bantam Minor: Webster Cyclones 5

Monroe County Eagles 4 (OT) Bantam Major: Webster Cyclones 0 - Batavia Ramparts 3 Midget 15/16U: Webster Cyclones (Horan) 4 - Onondaga 0 ​ The annual Webster Cyclone Challenge travel tournament was a huge success and WYHA would like to thank all the fine teams that played in the tournament. Also a big thank you to both our home rink, Webster Ice Arena and the Paul Louis Arena for their support over the weekend. Finally, WYHA would like to also thank all the great parents/ families that supported the club and kids by volunteering over the weekend. The players would not have had this great tournament and experience if it was not for the outstanding parent volunteers!!

Amherst

Top Gun Tournament January 16-19; applications still being accepted. Contact Russ Gugiono and Russ.gugino@ doodlebugs.com

Bisons

The Buffalo Bisons are partnering with the Canisius College Men’s Ice Hockey team. The college players will show the Bisons what its like to run drills at that level.

Thanks Bisons for the link to NYHOL Magazine.

Canandaigua

The 2014 Ingle Cup Travel Tournament is November 22-24 for PeeWee and October 11-13 for Bantam Major.

Rochester Youth Hockey

Tournament dates for this season include: ‘04 AAA Invitational, December 5-7 Fire On Icew, November 7 - 9 ‘05 AAA Invitational, Dec. 5-7 Mite Challenge, February 8 ‘04 AA Round Robin, November 1-2

Jamestown Lakers

MidWinter Classic, February 14-16

Tri County

Breaking the Ice Tournament was held September 2618 at Brockport.

West Hockey / Page 40 Genesee Amateur Hockey

Congratulations to the 22014-15 Board of Directors: Steve Tanner, President; Dale Hutchins, VP WNY; Mike Freeman, VP Empire; Eve Hens, Treasurer; Stephanie Call, Registrar; Clarence Conrad, Secretary and At Large Members: Erik Triftshauser, Chaunda Hertel, Kathy Antinore, Bob Grimm, Christine McAQuillan, Sharon ValyearGreay and Paul Wasilewski

Buffalo Regals

The Girls 10U team took the Oakville Tournament and the Boys 16U team won the USHL Atlantic Challenge.

Cazenovia Hockey

The Pee Wee Major team won the Webster Cyclone Challenge beating Webster, Rochester and Perinton before meetig Perinton in the Finals and beting them 5-4.

The 16U boys team cleaned up Cazenovia Park this summer. Coach Nelson Sheehan believes that hockey goes beyond the ice and includes service to the community.

Livingston

A goalie clinic will be held October 12 from 2:10 rto 3:10 p.m. and on October 29 from 2 to 3 p.m. These are open to all goalies.

Haseks Heroes

Former Buffalo Sabre John Tucker has been named General Manager of Haseks Heroes. In addition to programming for Haseks Heroes he will be managing the Riverside and Cazenovia (city-owned) ice rinks.

Wheatfield Blades

The Blades 16U AAA Tier I team won the Labor Day Faceoff in Boston.

Other Notes: The West Section welcomes the Buffalo Ice Breakers women’s C rec team. They will skate out of Hockey Outlet in Niagara Falls. Women over the age of 18 interested in this team should contact Allyson Zurawski at amz2314@gmail. com The Ice Breakers will be playing in tournaments in Clarkson in October and Cleveland in November to open their season. “We practice a little, play college tams and any adult tournaments we can,” said Zurawski. “We also try and keep costs down.”

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Western New York Men’s College Hockey Report

by Warren Kozireski

Wkozires@brockport.edu

2014 WEST PREVIEWS Canisius

D

espite winning just two regular season games after Feb. 1, the Golden Griffins got hot at the right time and advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Championship game for the second consecutive year before falling to Robert Morris.

And despite losing three of their to-five scorers in Kyle Gibson, Ben Danford and Patrick Sullivan, expect to return for a third time.

“Our expectations haven’t changed,” head coach Dave Smith said. “We just now have two freshmen classes that believe that Canisius hockey should be nowhere else but in the championship game.”

The top line down the stretch last season returns intact in Ralph Cuddemi, Mitch McCrank and Shane Conacher. Cuddemi finished tied for the team lead in goals with 15, McCrank was fifth in assists and Conacher was tied for third in assists as a freshman.

C o d y Freeman, Braeden Rigney, Tyler Wiseman, Doug Beck and Matthew Grazen (East

West Hockey / Page 41 Amherst) are all back for their senior campaigns along with sophomores Jack Hidi and Josh Kielich (Orchard Park) up front.

Seniors Doug Jessey and Logan Roe will anchor the defense with junior Chris Rumble expected to quarterback the top power play unit after he registered 19 points in a season that started late due to his cancer recovery. Junior Mathew Backhouse and sophomore Geoff Fortman will also see plenty of minutes again on the blueline.

In goal, the team loses its all-time leader in most stat categories in Tony Capobianco, but has complete confidence in junior Keegan Asmundson, who had a better goals against average and save percentage in his two year career albeit in many fewer games.

“This has become our normal path for our goaltenders,” Smith said. “Capo replaced Dan Morrison, who had set most of the goaltending records and now Keegan. He has waited his turn for two years and is poised and ready to take the next step.”

The team welcomes eight freshmen to the program in forwards David Parrottino (Lincoln-USHL), Jeff Murray, Ryan Schmelzer, Nolan Sheeran and Mike Sabatini (Sault Ste. Marie-NAHL), defensemen David Bennett (Cumberland-CCHL) and Jack Stander (Sioux Falls-USHL) plus goaltender Reilly Turner (Cumberland-CCHL).

“We are excited by our entire recruiting class and look forward to the eight freshmen making an immediate impact this season.”

The team will moves to the HarborCenter as its home rink, but play its first two regular season games at First Niagara Center hosting Western Michigan. Ohio State will be the opponent in the first games at HarborCenter Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and the team will travel to Maine for its other two non-conference games in early January.

“It is a special facility and you can’t underestimate the power of the Buffalo Sabres and the NHL and the facility in our future recruitment,” Smith said.

“We’re excited about drawing larger crowds and it’s difficult to measure how good that feels.”

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

(Continued on next page)

www.nyhockeyonline.com

Niagara

A

fter earning just three wins in the 2013 portion of last season’s schedule, the Purps rebounded to finish sixth in the conference and advance to the playoff semi-finals before being eliminated.

And, after losing just four seniors, they hope to build on that momentum in 2014-15.

Hugo Turcotte had a breakout sophomore year leading the team in goals and assists with Isaac Kohls, a quintet of sophomores in TJ Sarcona, Stephen Pietrobon, Brock Edwards, Patrick Conte (Niagara Falls) and Phil Nasca plus juniors Dan Kolenda and Mike Conderman (Greece) returning up front. Also back are senior forwards Sam Alfieri (Buffalo) and Chris Lochner off injury-plagued campaigns.

“We have a lot of depth returning up front,” head coach Dave Burkholder said. “We struggled on the power play, but the learning curve of last season should be in our favor.”

For the second year in a row the defense was hit hard with the graduation of Matt Williams and Kevin Ryan, but Atlantic Hockey All-Rookie selection and Niagara Falls native Vince Muto and co-captains Kevin Albers and Matt Dineen return on the backline along with junior Matt Chirantano plus sophomores Tyler Akeson and Kevin Patterson.

“Albers is the stay-at-home guy who logs about 27-30 minutes a game, so we will build around him this season. And Muto was in Montreal’s camp this summer so we are nine deep there with recruits and really strong.”

In goal, sophomores Jackson Tiechroeb and Adrian Ignani battled it out for most of last season and will again with the coaching staff expected to ride the hot

West Hockey / Page 42 hand.

The squad welcomes seven new additions including local product Lawrence Smith (Grand Island) on the blueline via Carleton Place (CCHL).

Others are fellow offensive blueliner Keegan Harper, a trio of centers in Luke Edwards (brother of Brock), Robert Angiolella and Derian Plouffe, plus forwards Stanislav Dzakhov and speedster Albin Karlsson.

The Purple Eagles begin the season with non-conference home games with Clarkson and St. Lawrence and will travel for airs at Notre Dame and North Dakota. The AHA schedule begins and ends with homeand-home series with Robert Morris in October and February.

RIT

T

he Tigers went winless over a nine-game stretch from late-January through February that dropped them through the standings and resulted in a first round road playoff series, which they lost to Holy Cross.

Now they embark on this season after losing two of the top offensive defensemen and two of their top scoring forwards—ultimately 35 of 94 total goals. And from a team that finished second-to-last in conference goals scored to begin with.

“I’m not really that worried about our offense,” head coach Wayne Wilson said. “We expect to have Matt Garbowsky (who missed all but 13 games with an injury) back for a full year

Have NYHOL Sent to YOUR E-Mail Box! Send Janet@nyhockeyonline.com your address NOW!

www.nyhockeyonline.com and guys like a Caleb Cameron; I’ve seen what he can do offensively from when I saw him in the recruitment process.”

Sophomore Todd Skirving and junior Dan Schuler (Webster) return after posting solid seasons.

Seniors Brad McGowan and Brandon Thompson, junior Josh Mitchell and sophomore Danny Smith will also be given opportunities to fill the goal void.

Juniors Alexander Kuqali and Brad Shumway are the mainstays on the defense along with a trio of sophomores in Dustin Fostvelt, Alex Perron-Fontaine and Michael Holland, who all played in in 19 or more games in their inaugural college seasons. The team received a huge break as they also add Greg Amlong as a transfer from UMass Lowell. The Riverhawks released him from his scholarship, so he does not have to sit out one year.

Another key will be in the crease. “We need to find a number one goalie who can consistently stop the puck,” Wilson said. “Up until Shane’s (Madalora) graduation we always had the best goalie in the league and we need to get back to that. All have had their ups and downs and we can’t name a starter right now.”

Mike Rotolo (Greece) looked like he would emerge last fall, but stumbled down the stretch. Then Jordan Ruby was given a shot before also struggling.

And Ken McLean played just one game last season as a sophomore. Rotolo won nine of the team’s 12 games last season, so will likely get first dibs.

The team has added seven newcomers with four forwards, including Cheektowaga and Buffalo Jr. Sa-

bres alum Max Mikowski, and three defensemen.

“Max may not show up on the score-sheet right away, but physically he can be a difference maker around the net.”

Mark Golberg (Cumberland) and Myles Powell (Cowichan Valley), and Anthony Repaci (Toronto Jr. Canadians) step in at forward with Matt Abt (White-

West Hockey / Page 43 court) and twin brothers Brady and Chase Norrish (Yorktown Terriers) joining the blueline corps.

The Tigers will inaugurate the long-awaited Polisseni Center on October 10th against St. Lawrence with Clarkson the following night. Boston College is the opponent for the annual Homecoming game at the Blue Cross Arena Oct. 18. The team will travel to Yale to battle Wilson’s son Stu in late-November and will play in the Mariucci Classic in Minnesota in early January to complete their non-conference schedule.

OTHER AREA NOTES Nazareth-former RIT Tiger goaltender and Golden Flyer assistant coach Jared DeMichiel has left for the same role at Division I St. Lawrence. Former Geneseo Knight forward Phil Rose replaces him after coaching junior hockey in Boston with the New England Jr. Huskies and Islanders Hockey Club last year. Rose was the head coach of the inaugural Islanders U18 team and assistant on the Islanders U16 team. His first year coaching was with the Huskies ESHL and Empire Jr. B teams in 2011-12.

Niagara-former Purple Eagles goaltender and assistant coach Greg Gardner is now an assistant coach with Mercyhurst. He spent the last few seasons in the same role at Princeton.

Buffalo State-the Bengals have named Steve Murphy as assistant coach. Murphy has multiple years of combined experience coaching, scouting, officiating and playing. Most recently, Murphy was the assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He was a fouryear Division III hockey player at both Curry College in Massachusetts and Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota. Murphy also was a head referee in the NAHL for the 2011-12 season and spent two years as a head scout in the NAHL for the Kenai River Brown Bears.

Other-Victor sophomore defenseman David Farrance made a verbal commitment to play at Boston University.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

West Hockey / Page 44

Prospects Show Their Stuff in Buffalo!

It wasn’t so much the 6-3 score that had the fans in Buffalo talking. It was the comments like “Who’s going first in the NHL Draft?” “These kids are playing great hockey” “Who will Buffalo draft?” “These are talented young players.”

The evening gave young and old a chance to witness good hockey skills developed through the American model.

Focusing in on some New York natives--Jeremy Bracco, Freeport; Jordan Greenway, Canton; Joseph Cecconi, Youngstown and Steven Ruggerio, Kings Park.

Bracco has committed to Boston College of Hockey East. The 5’9” forward plays on the U.S. National U18 Team.

Greenway has made his college selection Boston University and also plays for the USA U18 team. Greenway is a 6’5” forward.

Cecconi plays for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and has made a commitment to the University of Michigan (Big Ten). He is a 6’2” defenseman.

Ruggiero is also a member of the USA U18 team and has committed to Penn State University of the Big Ten. He is a defenseman at 6’3”.

Bracco and Greenway played for Team Michael Grier and Cecconi and Ruggiero played for Team Edward Olczyk.

The first period, filled with great skating and skills but a chance for these players to get used to each other, ended 0-0.

At 5:35 of the second Alec Baer shot one in for Team Grier and the game was under way. Team Olczyk responded to tie the game briefly.

NY’s Bracco scored, assisted by Jack Eichel, taking the game to 2-1; followed by another Team Grier goal shot in by Karch Bachman, assisted by Baer and Brandon Carlo.

Team Olczyk put another one on the scoreboard taking the game to 3-2 as the second ended. That goal came off the tick of Tom Novak, assisted by Brock Boeser and Grant Gabriele.

Team Grier struck at the 11:13 mark of the third period when Jack Eichel scored, assisted by Greenway and Carlo.

Another goal just 4 minutes later by Bracco and assisted by Greenway and the score was now 5-2.

Connor Moynihan put in another and it was 6-2.

However Team Olyczyk didn’t give up and at 19.08 they put in their third goal of the evening, ending a night of great hockey.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com

www.nyhockeyonline.com

West Hockey / Page 45

Steven Ruggiero and Greenway both saw some penalty minutes.

Ruggiero for roughing and Greenway for a high stick.

Notes: Between periods members of the Niagara Junior Purple Eagles youth hockey association gave the audience a demonstration of cross-ice hockey.

Also in the stands were Joseph Cecconi’s own fan club. Cecconi comes from Youngstown, just 20 minutes north of the City of Buffalo.

Buffalo Sabre Drew Stafford made the Player of the Game presentation to Jack Eichel.

NYHOL Wants Your News and Photos!

Send it to Janet@nyhockeyonline.com