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‘01s and ‘02s at Prep Cup

Last weekend, USHR ventured to Groton, Ashburnham, Winchendon and other Commonwealth outposts in search of a few good ‘01s and ‘02s.

And we found some. But, there were also 49 teams at this tournament, and they were spread out all over the place, so we couldn’t see everybody. But we did see about half the teams.

Here are the results from the semis and finals:

’01 Division:

Semifinals:
Mercer Chiefs 2, PAL Islanders 1
Rochester Monarchs 3, Neponset Valley River Rats 2 (OT)

Final:
Rochester Monarchs 4, Mercer Chiefs 1

’02 Division:

Semifinals:
Westchester Express 3, Bay State Breakers 1
Islanders Hockey Club 2, South Shore Kings 1

Final:
Westchester 2, Islanders Hockey Club 0

‘01s:

“A” Players:

Connor Guyette, Mar. ’01, LD, 5-10/180, #10 Neponset Valley River Rats --  Good-sized, smooth-skating defenseman from Waterbury Center, Vermont plays with a lot of poise. Takes care of defense first, but his offensive ability puts him over the top. Has the ability to take the puck where he wants, but he picks his spots very carefully. When he heads to the net it’s with an idea. 9th grader at the Hillside School will be coveted by a lot of prep schools.

Elijah Devereaux, ’01, LC, #12 Rochester Monarchs – Smooth, rangy skater with a long stride and wide base covers a lot of ice. Recalls Boo Nieves. A playmaking center with excellent hand-eye coordination and a good stick, Devereaux uses his height and reach to protect the puck well. Can skate it where he wants.  

Connor Tait, ’01 F, 6-0/175, #22 Team Maryland – Big right-shot power forward was physical and not afraid to use his size. A center, he has a good quick release to his shot, with no telegraphing. Went wide on defenders down the right side at will, using his long reach and strength to hold off defenders. Protects it very well. And sees ice well. Has a powerful stride and quick acceleration though he’s not very agile, just like many big kids his age. 

Brandon Sherman, Oct. ’01 G, 5-10/134, 5-10/134, #1 Neponset Valley River Rats – Was terrific in the Saturday night game at Walter Brown, a 1-1 tie vs. the Boston Jr. Terriers. Has really good size and technique, and terrific lateral ability. Came up with a handful of extremely athletic saves during a powerplay barrage. Only allowed one goal, and that came with eight seconds left and a 6x5 crash-the-net situation. Attleboro, Mass. native will be a 9th grader at Moses Brown.


“B” Players:

Quinn Armstrong, ’01 RD, 5-9/140, #27 Team Maryland – Mobile and decisive.
Made sound decisions. Strong first passes. Protects and values the puck. Defends 1v1 well. Played a strong two-way game. Doesn’t do anything that really wows you but the more you watch the more you see.

Jacob Zacharweicz, Feb. ’01 G, #33 PAL Jr. Islanders –Big, technically sound, quick goalie. We’ve seen him in two tournaments this fall. And he’s been good both times. 9th grader at Riverhead (NY) High School.

Mark Meinecke, ’01 D, 6-1/178, #7 Team Maryland – Very raw player but has a lot of tools to work with. Deceptively good skater who can pivot well and move laterally quickly. A left shot, he needs to work on being harder to play against, as he is bigger and stronger than most of the players on the ice and needs to show that more often. Needs to be a little more careful with the puck. Sometimes slaps at it instead of settling it first. Not offensive, but will break for net when opportunity is there. 9th grader from Potomac, Maryland. G

Nicky Niemo, Mar. ’01, RW, 5-4/120, #2 Green Mountain Glades – Niemo is a small, smart, quick forward. Doesn’t jump out at you, but always seems to make the right play. 9th grader at Middlebury Union High School

Jake Giannone, ’01, 5-11/170, #88 PAL Jr. Islanders – An all-around strong skater with good speed and agility for his size. Can really skate with the puck. Uses his body to shield the puck well and is solid defensively. Plays physically.

Joe Noone, April ’01, LD, 5-10/140, #3 Boston Jr. Terriers -- Moved the puck well. Did a good job keeping it away from the crease and getting it up ice. Noone is an 8th grader at the Hillside School.

Andrew Takacs, ’01 G, 5-9/145, #1 Team Maryland – Only allowed one goal when we were watching and it was through a screen, hitting the post and deflecting in. Really good laterally. Showed poise and confidence. 9th grader attends Dematha Catholic HS.

Bradley Farrell, Apr. ’01, LD, 6-2/170, #19 Boston Jr. Terriers – Farrell is enormous for his age, and he skates well. A lot of upside here. He’s a 9th grader at Mount St. Charles

Josh Albert, ’01, LW, #3 Rochester Monarchs – Right-shot LW played in the shadow of Devereaux. Not flashy, but solid. A player to keep an eye on.

Danny Weight, ’01 F, 5-10/165, #39 PAL Jr. Islanders – Offensively-gifted forward who wants the puck. Wins puck battles down low and will compete hard in the dirty areas. He’s strong on his feet, though he needs to get quicker and faster.

Jonah Janaro, May ’01 F, 6-0/150, #5 Neponset Valley River Rats – Big right-shot center from Essex, Vermont. Consistent scoring threat.

Liam White, May ’01 G, 5-2/120, #32 New England Junior Falcons – Small goalie played really well in 2-1 loss to Junior Terriers.

Cade Nagahama, ’01 F, 5-9/160, #9 East Coast Wizards – Belmont Hill student has a good combination of skills. Skates well. Aware. Made plays and had decent size. Consistently noticeable.

Nolan Collins, Mar. ’01 F, #87 Bay State Breakers -- Big, lanky LW was a bit ungainly, but has a long stride and got around the ice well. A ninth grader at BC High, he played an aggressive, physical game. Hard on the puck. Showed good anticipation, stripping D and breaking in alone on goalie.

Matt Crasa, Mar. ’01 F, 5-9/160, #22 PAL Jr. Islanders -- Skilled centerman wins draws, and is a strong passer and shooter. Is elusive. Cuts through D nicely, finds the holes.

Dominic Basse, ’01 G, 6-2/150, #40 Team Maryland – At 6’2”, he takes up a lot of net. Showed good positioning and was consistently square to the shooter. Not challenged a ton in Team Maryland’s game versus Boston Advantage, but he played well. Kept rebounds to a minimum.

Danny Cavanagh, ’01 RW, 5-7/135, #19 Providence Capitals Elite – Good skater; around the puck a lot, and competes.

Tyler Paquette, ’01 F, 5-11/165, #91 Mercer Chiefs – Big and aware. Forced a TO in center ice and went in on a breakaway, drilling it past PAL Jr. Islanders goalie. Big goal in a 2-1 semifinal win got everyone’s attention.

Nick Golis, ’02 G, 5-3/110, #30 Troy-Albany Titans – Golis is an ’02 playing up, and is deserving of it. Played on a team that couldn’t score, but he kept them in games.

Nick Traggio, Aug. ’01 LD, 5-8/145, #17 New England Jr. Falcons – Plays an all-around sound game. Nothing flashy. Son of Hotchkiss coach Mike Traggio who, come to think of it, was that style of d-man too.

Addison Lawrence, June ‘01 G, 5-9/130, #30 Boston Jr. Terriers – Saw him twice and he was good, allowing one goal in each game.

John Lundy, ’01 F, 5-7/140, #86 PAL Jr. Islanders – Skilled forward who is crafty and slippery with the puck. Sees the ice well and makes plays.

Jack Bavis, ’01 F, #11 Boch Blazers – Works hard, competes, and has some offensive skills. Bavis, a centerman, skates with his head up, assessing his options. Plays with jam, finishes his checks, and battles hard along the walls and in the corners.

Conor Quinlan, ’01 F, 5-11/150, #21 East Coast Wizards – Has power forward potential. Attends Burlington High.

Griffin Conroy, ’01 G, 5-8/130, #1 Team Comcast – Played very well in his team’s game versus the PAL Islanders, keeping his team in the game with some huge saves which included a few breakaways and wide-open shots from the slot. Very sound positionally. Didn’t quit on plays.


‘02s:

“A” Players:

Tucker Hartmann, Apr. ’02 D, 5-7/125, #4 South Shore Kings – Highly mobile puck mover. Great hands. All his passes are on the money, even his redirects off the boards land unerringly on the sticks of teammates in motion. Hartmann might have the highest level of hockey sense of any player we saw all weekend, in either age group. An 8th grader, he’s from Southborough, Mass.

Anthony Cipollone, ’02 F, 5-4/133, #91 Westchester Express – From Purchase, NY. UVM recruit is extremely clever. Has a terrific stick and he excels in tight spots. Wasn’t as good here as we expected, but it was his second game of the day, and he might have been a little off. Still very good, though.

Matthew Beniers, Nov. ’02 LC, 5-4/105, #10 South Shore Kings – Had slow start to the game we watched but struck with a vengeance about 15 minutes in and just took over, leading the attack. Dangerous whenever the puck is on his stick. Has vision and excellent skills – skating, stickhandling, shooting, and passing. An 8th grader from Hingham, Mass. Younger brother of Milton Academy forward Bobby Beniers.


“B” Players:

Christian Jimenez, ’02 D, 5-8/179, #2 Westchester Express – Burly left-shot D can skate, defend, and make plays. He’s a tank and very difficult to move off the puck. Clears out in front with ease. Can skate end-to-end, and dish it. Has a hard shot. From Yorktown Heights, NY.

Brett Berard, Sept. ’02 F, 5-0/85, #9 South Shore Kings – The son of Holy Cross head coach Dave Berard has all the skills but is small, and can get neutralized in puck battles. Was good here, and will become more dangerous as he grows.  A 7th grader from East Greenwich, RI, Berard is a late birthdate. Just turned 13 last month.

Tim Lovell, ’02 D, #27 Boston Advantage – Undersized left-shot defenseman plays a fearless game and thinks the game well. Very smooth skater. Not afraid to challenge forwards twice his size. Has a high hockey IQ and competes hard.

Aidan Cobb, ’02 LC, 5-6/125, #16 Westchester Express – Consistently noticeable. Around puck a lot. From Ridgefield, Conn.

Van Bouttilier, ’02 F, #9 Boston Advantage – Plays a heavy, physical game. Is strong on the puck and protects it well. Initiates contact even with the puck on his stick. Makes plays too.

Kyle Saul, ’02 G, 4-10/83, #30 Westchester Express – Tiny and quick. He had a shutout when we watched. His team only allowed three goals all weekend and yes, his defensemen were probably better than another group here. Still, he made all the saves he had to.

Thomas Messineo, ’02 D, #18 Boston Advantage – Stocky defenseman moves well although he lacks quickness in his first few steps. Plays an assertive game. Is not afraid to jump into the rush. Has a heavy shot.

Frank Djurasevic, 5-9/140, #7 Westchester Express and Nicholas DeGaetani, ’02 RD, #12 Westchester Express – Both are right-shot defensemen, of which there appear to be fewer than ever – and both are just good, solid defensemen. The d-corps was a strong suit for Westchester. They cleared out in front well, and got the play going the other direction quickly.

Charlie Spence, Mar. ’02 D, 5-3/107, #13 South Shore Kings – Did a solid job. Nothing flashy. The South Shore Kings, like the Westchester Express, are a very skilled and well-coached team. All the kids have skill and know what to do when the puck is on their stick.

Nikita Kovalev, ’02 LC, 5-6/126, #14 Westchester Express – The Westchester Express offense was potent and Kovalev played his part. However, on any one of a number of other teams here, he would have been a clear-cut top forward. He’s the son of former NHLer Alex Kovalev.


 

A Special Invitation

New Groton School sophomore forward Santeri Hartikainen is on his way to Fort St. John, British Columbia, where he and his teammates on the Finland Under-17 Team will begin play tomorrow (Friday) with an exhibition game vs. the Czech Republic in preparation for Sunday's opener at the 2015 World Under-17 Challenge.

Hartikainen and Sioux Falls Musketeers (USHL) RW Eeli Tolvanen are the only two member of the Finnish squad who are playing outside of their home country's junior leagues.

Hartikainen, who is 6'1", 185 lbs., has been playing varsity soccer at Groton this fall as well as playing in the NEFPHL for Dan Ronan's Mass East Major (U19) squad. The Helsinki native is described by Bill Riley, his coach at Groton, as "a big centerman who has a nice set of hands, loves to dish it, and makes high-end intelligent plays."

"When he gets moving," Riley adds, "he can go through guys. He has high-end vision."


***
The U.S. squad, which will feature 20 full-time members of the U.S. Under-17 Team, will be augmented by 6'1" defenseman Tommy Miller (Victory Honda Midget Major) and 5'11" Sasha Chmelevski (Sarnia Sting -- OHL). 

The U.S. squad lost to Russia, 2-1, in last year's championship game. Sweden won the bronze, beating Finland, 3-1.

The U.S., the only full-time standing team in the tournament, has played in five of the last six championship games, winning two of them.

There are eight teams in the tournament: Canada Red, Canada White, Canada Black, United States, Finland, Russia, and Sweden.

The tournament's web site:

2015 World Under-17 Challenge


 

Beantown Fall Classic Schedule

This year's Beantown Fall Classic runs from Thurs. Oct. 29th (starting at 8:00 am) through Sun. Nov. 1st.

The tournament will be held on all six sheets at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Mass. A limited number of games will be held at Navin Arena (three miles east), and Northstar Ice Sports (eight miles south).

This is a 'working' schedule, so expect some changes. We'll update.


2015 Beantown Fall Classic Schedule

 

Prep Cup Rosters & Schedules

The 5th Annual Prep Cup, which will feature 26 '01 teams (Bantam Major) and 24 '02 teams (Bantam Minor) gets underway Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday the 25th at a number of rinks, with the bulk of the action at the Winchendon School, Cushing Academy, and Groton Academy.

Because the ice isn't in at Lawrence Academy yet, a number of other rinks had to be secured late in the game, so the tournament is more spread out this year. So even though the main action will be at the aforementioned rinks, you will also find a smaller number of games at Gardner's Veterans' Arena, Fitchburg's Wallace Civic Center, Phillips Andover Academy, BU's Walter Brown Arena (a half-dozen games on Saturday), and even a single Saturday night '02 tilt at the Brooks School.

In addition, there will be a four-team mini-jamboree on Saturday, split between Andover and Walter Brown.

You will find everything you need here:

5th Annual Prep Cup Program



 

Patrick O'Sullivan Details Parental Abuse

Patrick O'Sullivan, who played in the U.S. National Team Development Program, the OHL, and for a half dozen NHL teams, is 30 now, and retired from hockey.

His story, Breaking Away: A Harrowing True Story of Resiliance, Courage, and Triumph, co-written with Gare Joyce, was released today by HarperCollins Canada -- and it lives up to its title. Many of you probably remember the news stories. How, after a particularly ugly confrontation following an OHL game in Mississauga in January 2002, O'Sullivan filed charges and took out a restraining order against his father, John O'Sullivan, a washed-up ex-minor league player who channeled his frustrations through his son.

It was O'Sullivan's first step in breaking away from the violent and abusive man who made his childhood a living hell.

Needless to say, O'Sullivan's stand -- in a year in which he would win both OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year awards -- became a major news story across Canada and throughout major junior and NHL circles.

But things had gone off the rails much earlier. USHR was on hand at the 1998 U.S. Hockey Select 15 Festival when John O'Sullivan falsified his son's birthdate and, by going outside of his home district of Michigan and registering Patrick in Winston-Salem, where he'd briefly played minor league hockey and his ex-wife lived, managed to get him into the 15 Festival -- as a 13-year-old.

It was a bizarre week, and one that is almost impossible to imagine 17 years after the fact. Today, with the rise of the Internet and all the recruiting sites and family advisors for young players, John O'Sullivan would likely have already committed his son to college and an OHL team -- probably on the same day. But back then, there was no 24/7 news cycle and stories broke slowly. Sometimes, you had to be there. We were. At the time, it seemed to be a case of one extremely wacked-out hockey dad. Unfortunately, shortly after, we began to hear the stories of abuse that ultimately led to O'Sullivan breaking from his violent father -- and his mother too. 

USHR News story from the Archives (1998)

Today's Story from the Toronto Sun

Get The Book from Amazon



 

East Coast College Cup Review

On Saturday, USHR made it down to the East Coast College Cup, which was held at numerous rinks across the Nutmeg State.

We chose centrally-located Champions Skating Center in Cromwell. On paper, it looked like the venue with the best matchups. On ice, the story was different. We found very few games with a quick pace and a high level of playmaking. Perhaps these are the dog days of fall hockey.

There were 49 teams at the tournament. The scores of the games we saw are listed at the end of the player comments below.

At the U16 level the best team overall was the North Jersey Avalanche. At the U18 level, the nod goes to the Neponset Valley River Rats, even though they were playing without their Avon Old Farms group, who had a school commitment. (Specifically, they were at the Sacred Heart--Arizona State game, which was the second annual benefit for the family of Jason Pagni, a former Avon and Merrimack defenseman and a longtime champion of Connecticut youth hockey. Pagni died early last year in a car accident at the age of 43.)

U16

‘B’ Players

Steven Agriogianis, ’99 F, 5-8/150, #10 North Jersey Avalanche U16 –A dynamic skater with quick feet, Agriogianis, who committed to Penn State after Saturday morning’s game, was consistently making plays. A junior at Delbarton, he played more on the perimeter than in the dirty areas. But he certainly sees the ice well. College: Penn State.

Skyler Brind’Amour,
’00 F, 6-1/160, #17 Carolina Jr. Hurricanes U16 – Brind’Amour is a lanky but strong skater with a long stride that we expect will become more powerful as he grows into his body. He has soft hands, a nice touch with the puck, and made some nice plays. His wide base makes him hard to knock off pucks. Uncommitted.

Brandon Tabakin, ’00 D, 5-6/130, #4 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Undersized defenseman has a high hockey IQ and is a smooth skater, though not a fast one. Moves well laterally on the offensive blue line and sees the ice. Likes jumping into the rush and does so with great confidence. Wants to be involved offensively – he’s hungry for the puck. His game resembles that of BU sophomore Brandon Fortunato, though a notch below. Uncommitted.

‘C’ Players

Matt Demelis
, ’99 F, 5-11/165, #9 Boston Advantage U16 – Raw skater has good hockey sense. Understands low support in his end and plays a 200-foot game. Didn’t have a great showing this weekend but we see the upside in his game. Was the leading scorer – as a sophomore -- on the Hingham High team that won the Mass. Div. I state championship last season. College: Northeastern University.

Diarmad DiMurro
, ’99 D, 5-8/155, #44 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Smooth-skating d-man can get up-ice quickly. Showed confidence with the puck on his stick. Has quick feet that allow him to escape forecheckers well. Makes a good first pass. Gaps up well and challenges frequently in the neutral zone. Has a tendency to try and do too much instead of distributing the puck. Offensive-minded, he needs to work on the defensive side of the game. Uncommitted.

Tyler Gratton, ’99 F, 6-0/175, #28 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Plays a power forward type of game, though he’s not really that physical. Skates well once he gets going, but he needs to work on his acceleration. Has a quick release to his shot, which makes him dangerous off the rush. Uncommitted.

Jordan Seyfert, ’99 F, 5-8/160, #16 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Seyfert is a good skater, though not a dynamic one. He’s just one of those players the puck seems to find. And when it does, he can get it on net, and finish. College: Merrimack.

Honorable Mention

Matthew Cameron
, ’00 F, 5-9/190, #15 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Cameron had a good showing here. Did a nice job winning puck battles and was strong on his skates. Very sturdy. Moved the puck well and showed some stick skills. A Pennsylvania native, he played for Little Caesar’s Bantam Major team last season. Uncommitted.

Ross Mitton, ’00 F, 5-9/170, #13 North Jersey Avalanche U16 – Bruising forward finishes his checks, is strong on his feet, and is as hard a competitor as we saw all weekend. Uncommitted.

Thomas Finck, ’99 F, 5-5/125, #89 Long Island Gulls U16 – The Gulls’ best player in their game against the Connecticut Wolf Pack, Finck is an undersized forward with quick feet. Sees the ice well and showed good positioning, which allowed him to break up plays and intercept passes. Despite his diminutive stature initiates – and wins -- puck battles against players far bigger and stronger than he. Uncommitted.

 U18

 ‘B’ Players

Ben Taylor, ’97 F, 6-3/190, #5 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Tabor Academy) – Taylor has good size and strength, and is strong on his feet and strong on pucks. Plays a heavy game. Has good instincts without the puck and showed consistently good positioning in all three zones. Plays a well-rounded 200-foot game. Committed to Brown University.

 ‘C’ Players

Vito Bavaro, Late ’97 F, 6-3/190, #17 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Brooks School) – Strong skater with size and good straight-line speed. Showed an ability to make plays at a high pace. College: Sacred Heart University.

Brandon Bussi, ’98 G, 6-2/180, #30 Long Island Hulls U18 – Took a 3-1 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers U18s, a game that could easily have been 7-1 or 8-1. At 6’3” he has good size and is technically sound. Moves quickly in net and competes on every play. Has an active stick when the puck is around him, keeping pucks from getting into the crease area. Needs to work on his rebound control, as a lot of pucks kicked back into the slot. Uncommitted.

Matt Cassidy, ’99 F, 5-11/175, #18 Team Comcast U18 – His skating is not pretty. We’ll call it deceptively good. Competed hard in all three zones. Kept his feet moving and won puck battles in the dirty areas of the offensive zone. Finishes his checks and plays with a bit of an edge. Uncommitted.

Tommy Craft, ’99 D, 6-5/215, #3 Connecticut Wolf Pack Split U18 (Deerfield Academy) – A huge defenseman, Craft’s skating ability, though not great, is steadily improving. His feet and lateral movement need work, but that’s to be expected for his age and size. Craft plays the body but isn’t overly physical. Didn’t show a lot of jam here. However, he keeps the game simple, clearing the puck out of his end by making the easy pass or putting it up off the glass. Has a heavy, hard shot. Gets caught up-ice at times, which makes you question his hockey sense. All said, he has a lot of tools to work with. An intriguing prospect. Uncommitted.

Honorable Mention

Danny Jacobs
, ’97 F, 5-10/160, #14 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Noble & Greenough) – Nobles senior had a strong showing here. An excellent forechecker, he pesters opponents trying to break the puck out. Showed a good stick and body positioning. And he did a nice job getting pucks on net. Uncommitted.


Saturday’s U16 games:
Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 4, North Jersey Avalanche 4
Boston Advantage 3, Connecticut Wolf Pack 3
Team Comcast 4, New Jersey Devils Youth Hockey Club 3
Connecticut Oilers 5, New Jersey Jr. Titans 2
North Jersey Avalanche 7, Valley Forge Minutemen 0
Long Island Gulls 5, Connecticut Wolf Pack 0
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Long Island Royals 3

Saturday’s U18 games:
Neponset River Rats 5, Tampa Scorpions 3
Connecticut Wolf Pack Split-Season 1, Cheshire Elite Hockey Academy 0
North Jersey Avalanche 4, New Jersey Rockets 1
Team Comcast 7, Cheshire Elite Hockey Academy 1
Philadelphia Flyers 3, Long Island Gulls 1


 

Beantown Fall Classic Team List

Here are the teams committed to appearing at the Beantown Fall Classic, which will be held this year at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Mass. from Thurs. Oct. 29th through Sun. Nov. 1st. 

In addition, all USPHL Premier teams will be there.

U16 Division

Adirondack Jr. Wings 16U
Anaheim Jr. Ducks
Boch Blazers U16-1
Boston Advantage
Boston Bandits
Boston Jr. Eagles
Buffalo Junior Sabres 16U AAA
Cape Cod Whalers U16
Chicago Mission Midget Minor
Compuware Midget Minor U15 AAA
Conn. Jr. Rangers U16
Detroit Compuware
East Coast Wizards 16U Elite
Exton Bulls U16
Frozen Tide Green
Frozen Tide White
Halifax McDonald’s Midget Major
Hill Academy U16
Honeybaked U15
Jersey Hitmen 16U
Junior Bruins U16
Long Island Gulls 16U
Michigan Hockey Advancement U16
New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
New Jersey Devils 16U National
NH Avalanche U16
North Jersey Avalanche 16 AAA
North Suburban Wings U16
Northern Cyclones 16U
Ontario Hockey Academy U16
PAL Jr. Islanders U16
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U16N
Portland Junior Pirates U16
Providence Capitals
Skipjacks Hockey Club U16
Syracuse Stars U16
Team Comcast U16
Texas Jr. Brahmas
Valley Forge Minutemen
Yale U16 Lions


U18 Division

Boston Advantage
Boston Bandits U18 Full
Boston Jr. Bruins Hockey U18
NEFPHL All-Star Team
Cape Cod Whalers U18
Chicago Mission U18
CP Dynamo 18U
Conn. Jr. Rangers
Detroit Belle Tire
Everest Academy U18
Exton Bulls
Frozen Tide Green
Hill Academy U18
Honeybaked 18U
IHC Showcase Team
IHC U18 Team
Jersey Hitmen 18U
Jersey Shore Whalers
JPHC U18
Junior Bruins Empire U19
Junior Bruins U18
Junior Bruins U19 Fall
Little Bruins
Little Caesar's Midget Major
Michigan Hockey Advancement U18
NH Avalanche
NH Jr. Monarchs U18
North Jersey Avalanche U18 AAA
North Suburban Wings
Northern Cyclones U18 Full
Northwood School Junior Team
Ontario Hockey Academy Gold
PAL Jr. Islanders U18
Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18
Portland Jr. Pirates U18
RNS Riverhawks
Skipjacks Hockey Club
Syracuse Stars U18
Team Comcast



 

NH Avalanche Midget Showcase Schedule

The New Hampshire Avalanche are hosting a U18/U16 tournament this weekend, with games being played at the Ice Den in Hooksett, NH and at St. Anselm’s Sullivan Arena in Manchester.

Here’s the schedule:

NH Avalanche Midget Showcase


 

East Coast College Cup Rosters & Schedule

The 2015 East Coast College Cup gets underway tomorrow and runs through Sunday at nine (!) rinks in Connecticut.

The tournament features twenty-five U16 teams and twenty-four U18 teams. The bulk of the games will be held at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell and Newington Arena in Newington. There is a four-game guarantee for all teams.

The link below will take you to a PDF of the tournament program, which is 37 pages thick and includes all rosters and schedules, as well as addresses for the various venues.


2015 East Coast College Cup Program



 

Cross Makes 33

Former Westminster (’08) and Boston College defenseman Tommy Cross will be making his NHL debut tonight when Boston faces off at Colorado.

Cross, a second-round pick of the Bruins in 2007, becomes the 33rd NEPSIHA player currently skating in the NHL.

-- One-third of that total (11) were first-round picks. Seven went undrafted. And everybody else was in between.

-- Avon Old Farms and Cushing Academy each have four players currently on NHL 23-man rosters. Nobles and Andover have three apiece. St. Sebastian’s, Hotchkiss, Belmont Hill, Thayer, Deerfield, Westminster and Salisbury each have two. Taft, Berkshire, Brunswick, NMH and Pomfret each have one.

-- Thirty of the New England prep players in the NHL are Americans. Three – Alex Killorn, Torrey Mitchell, and Brad Malone – are Canadians.

-- The 33 players are scattered across 20 NHL teams. Montreal, led by captain Max Pacioretty, leads with four, a number unimaginable in the not-too-distant past. Pittsburgh, Boston, and the New York Rangers each have three former NEPSIHA players. Vancouver, Carolina, San Jose and Tampa Bay each have two. A dozen other NHL teams have one.

-- For the record, there are currently 350 Canadian-born players in the NHL and 167 Americans. The NHL counts them by country of birth. That means three current NHLers who have represented the US in international competition – Patrick Eaves, Taylor Chorney, and Cam Fowler – are counted as Canadian. But it balances out, as three players who have represented Canada in international competition – Sean Couturier, Marcus Foligno, and Tyler Myers – are counted as Americans.

-- The oldest American-born player is Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen, who turns 39 next month. The youngest, of course, is Carolina's Noah Hanifin, followed by Buffalo's Jack Eichel, both 18.

Here's the full list of NEPSIHA players in the NHL, current as of Wed. Oct. 14th.

Brian Boyle, C, Tampa Bay (St. Sebastian’s/BC) 1st round, 2003
Zach Bogosian, RD, Buffalo (Cushing/OHL) 1st round, 2008
Charlie Coyle, C, Minnesota (Thayer/BU) 1st round, 2010
Noah Hanifin*, LD, Carolina (St. Sebastian’s/BC) 1st round, 2015
Kevin Hayes, RW, NY Rangers (Nobles/BC) 1st round, 2010
Chris Higgins, LW, Vancouver (Avon/Yale) 1st round, 2002 #
Chris Kreider, LW, NY Rangers (Andover/BC) 1st round, 2009
Brooks Orpik, LD, Washington (Thayer/BC) 1st round, 2000
Max Pacioretty, LW, Montreal (Taft/Michigan) 1st round, 2007
Cory Schneider, G, New Jersey (Andover/BC) 1st round, 2004
Kevin Shattenkirk, RD, St. Louis (Brunswick/BU) 1st round, 2007
Connor Brickley*, C, Florida (Belmont Hill/Vermont) 2nd round, 2010
Tommy Cross*, LD, Boston (Westminster/BC) 2nd round, 2007
Jimmy Hayes, RW, Boston (Nobles/BC) 2nd round, 2008
Matt Nieto, LW, San Jose (Salisbury/BU) 2nd round, 2011
Alex Killorn, C, Tampa Bay (Deerfield/Harvard) 3rd round, 2007
Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles (Avon/UMass) 3rd round, 2005 #
Brian Strait, LD, NY Islanders (NMH/BU) 3rd round, 2006
Richard Bachman, G, Van. (Cushing /Colorado Coll.) 4th round, 2006 #
Torrey Mitchell, C, Montreal (Hotchkiss/Vermont) 4th round, 2004 #
Brad Malone, C, Carolina (Cushing/North Dakota) 4th round, 2007
Keith Yandle, LD,  NY Rangers (Cushing/QMJHL) 4th round, 2005 #
Mark Fayne, RD, Edmonton (Nobles/Providence) 5th round, 2005
Cam Atkinson, RW, Columbus (Avon/BC) 6th round, 2008 #
Nick Bonino, C, Pittsburgh (Avon/BU) 6th round, 2007 #
Ben Smith, RW, San Jose (Westminster/BC) 6th round, 2008 ##
Mark Arcobello, RW, Toronto (Salisbury/Yale) Undrafted
Mike Condon*, G, Montreal (Belmont Hill/Princeton) Undrafted
Bobby Farnham, RW, Pittsburgh (Andover/Brown) Undrafted
Brian Flynn, C, Montreal (Pomfret/Maine) Undrafted
Luke Glendening, C, Detroit (Hotchkiss/Michigan) Undrafted
Ben Lovejoy, RD, Pittsburgh (Deerfield/BC & Dartmouth) Undrafted
Kevan Miller, RD, Boston (Berkshire/Vermont) Undrafted

Notes:

# indicates players who were bypassed in their first year of eligibility for the NHL draft, but were taken the following year. Players with a ## means they were passed over in two drafts before being selected.

* indicates rookie status



Saturday at the Yale Jamboree
USHR was in attendance at the Yale Jamboree on Saturday in New Haven. We were able to see all six games at Ingalls Rink – three U16s games followed by three U18 games.

We have ranked 32 players we liked – nineteen U16s and thirteen U18s.

Here are the scores of Saturday’s games:

U16 – Northern Cyclones 7, Selects Academy (American) 0
U16 – Yale 4, Selects Academy (National) 3
U16 – Neponset River Rats 4, Springfield Rifles 2
U18 – Selects Academy 3, Yale (National) 0
U18 – Mid-Fairfield 2, North Jersey Avalanche 1
U18 – Neponset River Rats 2, Springfield Rifles 2

Players are ranked alphabetically within their grouping.

U16

‘A’ Players

Jack DeBoer
, ’00 F, 6-2/175, #11 Yale U16 National (Salisbury) -- DeBoer has a strong, powerful stride, but is not particularly fast as his feet lack quickness. However, that should improve as he grows into his body while skating on Salisbury’s Olympic sheet. For now, he’s strong on his skates and hard to knock off the puck, using his big frame to protect it. Has a heavy shot with a quick release. Didn’t have his best showing here, but he showed flashes of what he can become. Son of San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer. Played for NJ Colonials U14s last season. College: Boston University.

Drew Elser, ’00 F, 5-11/170, #8 Selects Academy U16 National -- May not have as much high-end skill as linemates Joel Farabee and Emilio Pettersen (see below) but Elser has a well-rounded game. Competes for pucks at both ends of the ice and is responsible. He initiates contact in puck battles and will throw his body around. Elser has a heavy shot with a quick release which makes him dangerous off the rush. College: University of Connecticut.

Joel Farabee, ’00 F, 5-10/150, #28 Selects Academy U16 National (South Kent) -- Farabee -- along with his linemate, Pettersen -- was one of the top players at the Yale Jamboree. A strong skater, his acceleration is very noticeable -- a few steps and he’s off to the races. Shows the ability to finish and has a scorer’s touch. Goes to the net hard. Good breaking the puck out from along the wall in his defensive zone. From Cicero, NY, a suburb of Syracuse. College: Uncommitted.

Patrick Moynihan, ’01 F, 5-10/150, #7 Neponset Valley River Rats U16 (Noble & Greenough) -- Underager was the best player for the River Rats. Combines a high hockey IQ with competitiveness. Cuts right through traffic and gets pucks to the net regularly. Initiates contact with bigger players when competing for pucks. Not afraid to get his nose dirty. Plays with a lot of heart and skill. College: Uncommitted.

Emilio Pettersen, ’00 F, 5-10/155, #20 Selects Academy U16 National -- A pleasure to watch, Pettersen, from Oslo, Norway, has all the tools to be a star at the next level. He's an exceptional skater and his feet are always moving. He has patience with the puck, pushes the pace of play with his skating, and moves the puck both quickly and creatively. Excellent vision. Also plays with a bit of an edge at times and he's not afraid to engage physically. College: University of Denver.

Ben Pirko, ’99 LD, 6-1/160, #2 Selects Academy U16 National – Arlington, Virginia native is a solid all-around defenseman who thinks the game well. Reads plays well before they develop. Defends well with an active stick and plays the body. Strong on his feet; strong on pucks. College: Union.

 
'B’ Players

Corson Green, ’99 LD, 6-3/207, #22 Northern Cyclones U16 – A good combination of size and strength, Green, from Potsdam, NY, skates well for his size. Other players are almost looking to get out of his way at times. Has a heavy shot but needs to work on the quickness of his release. Showed poise holding the offensive blue line to keep plays alive. He’s not an overly physical player given his size and at times he looked disinterested. He’s effective when he wants to be, but needs to be more consistent. College: Uncommitted.

Conner Hutchison, ’00 LD, 5-11/170, #14 Selects Academy U16 National -- Struggled early – seemed to be fighting the puck -- but got better as the game progressed. Tries to play an in-your-face type game, finishing his checks and being hard to play against. Kept good gaps against the rush. Also showed a willingness to jump up into the play. Has an average shot but that will improve as he matures. Brother of Nick Hutchison (Salmon Arm – BCHL). College: Uncommitted.

Jack Nisbet, ’99 F, 5-11/170, #12 Neponset Valley River Rats U16 (Dexter) -- Although he didn't necessarily play that well, we still feel Nisbet is one of the better uncommitted forwards out there. He's a strong, fast skater with good puck skills, plays at both ends of the ice and can be a reliable two-way forward with a bit of an edge to his game. He just has to be more consistent, shift to shift, and game to game. Transferring to Dexter from BC High. College: Uncommitted.

Christian Thomas, ’99 F, 5-9/155, #8 Northern Cyclones U16 -- Good skater who uses body positioning to protect the puck along the wall and in the corners. Has a strong sense of where his teammates are and is able to find an open linemate more often than not. His shot is average as he doesn't have much strength behind it right now, but should improve as he matures. We question how dynamic Thomas will be facing bigger and stronger players at the next level. College: University of Vermont.

Tyce Thompson, ’99 F, 5-10/145, #9 Yale U16 National (Salisbury) – A good skater with quick feet, and excellent agility. His puck skills are strong and he utilizes them very effectively in tight spaces -- down low in front of the net, in the corners, etc. Thompson is a player who can play up and down in the lineup at the next level. He has top six skill, but he also works and competes so hard that he could be effective in a third line role. Difficult to play against. Extremely versatile and well-rounded. If he grows to be anything close to the size of his father, Brent, or older brother Tage, he could be a handful for opponents. College: Providence College.

Cullen Young, Late ’00 RD, 5-9/185, #14 Neponset Valley River Rats U16 (Avon Old Farms)  – Young, an undersized defenseman, was always the #1 guy in his age group growing up. While he does everything well, he will need to work on becoming more dynamic in order not to fall into the tweener category when it comes to the next level. He’s a good skater with decently quick feet and moves the puck quickly, usually making a good first pass. He plays a strong two-way game, engages physically, and works at being difficult to play against. College: Uncommitted.

‘C’ Players

Joey Cipollone, ’99 F, 5-11/150, #12 Yale U16 National (Loomis-Chaffee) – Very competitive. Tries to outwork the opposition on every shift, finishing his checks and making it hard on defensemen when he's bearing down on the forecheck. Played full season for the Connecticut Wolf Pack U16s last year; is now a new student at Loomis. College: University of Vermont.

Patrick Dawson, ’99 LD, 6-0/180, #3 Yale U16 National (Westminster) – Played one of his better games this fall. Showed poise, played physically and was strong on his feet. Good skater although his footwork still needs improvement. A Medway, Mass. native who will be a sophomore this season, he’s becoming more confident and harder to play against. College: Uncommitted.

Nick Hale, ’99 LD, 5-9/150, #6 Yale U16 National (Salisbury) – A solid two-way defenseman from the North Carolina Junior Hurricanes U16 program, Hale skates well, has quick feet, and moves well laterally. Defends effectively with an active stick, moves the puck with quickness and accuracy, and can jump into the rush. Still looking to get comfortable facing bigger and strong players than he’s been accustomed to. Will give Salisbury a small, quick, puck-moving D, something they didn’t have last year (not that it hurt them much). College: Uncommitted.

Anthony Mastromonica, ’00 F, 6-1/175, #27 Selects Academy U16 American -- Big forward from Long Island skates well. Is raw but looks to have a good skill set to work with including some skills with the puck. Competes and works hard at both ends of the ice. Far and away the best player on the American team. From Long Island Royals. College: Uncommitted.

Josh Sanchez, ’99 F, 5-9/175, #37 Northern Cyclones U16 (Albany Academy) -- Played well in the game against Selects (American). Sanchez skates well when he keeps his feet moving. Does a nice job of moving the puck up ice. At times he showed good puck skills, and he has a decently hard shot. From Potsdam, NY. College: Uncommitted.

Logan Scarlotta, ’99 RD, 5-10/190, #15 Selects Academy U16 National – Average-sized but thick defenseman whose skating has improved, especially his footwork. Scarlotta, from Gansevoort, NY, defends well and showed the ability to become more active in rushing the puck. Needs to play with more consistency. College: Uncommitted.

Devan Tongue, late ’99 F, 6-1/185, #20 Springfield Rifles U16 (Springfield Cathedral)  -- Big forward has intriguing size and his skating, while not pretty, is adequate. Shows good patience with the puck off the rush but didn't see a lot of high-end skill or ability to make plays. College: Uncommitted.


U18

‘A’ Players

Alexis Binner
, late ’98 LD, 6-3/190, #55 Selects Academy U18 National – Big, strong defenseman from Stockholm, Sweden consistently made a good first pass coming out of his defensive zone. Skates well, and has a big hard shot. His feet need work, especially his pivoting as he struggled a bit against faster forwards going wide on him. He's a late '98 and has pro upside. College: University of Maine.

Patrick Harper, ’98 F, 5-8/155, #7 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) - High hockey IQ and terrific playmaking ability. Knows where everyone is on the ice, is slippery with the puck and can skate through 2-3 players to get to the net. Tries to do too much by himself at times, which can lead to untimely turnovers. A dynamic forward who is a scoring threat every second he is on the ice. College: Boston University.

Adam Karashik, ’98 RD, 5-11/180, #16 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms)  -- A strong, smooth skater, Karashik has quick feet and is good laterally. A smart player, he reads the play well without the puck and breaks up a lot of plays in the neutral zone with an active stick. Likes jumping into the rush but does so in a timely fashion. Not afraid to sacrifice his body to block a shot. Had a strong showing here. College: University of Connecticut.

Ben Mirageas, ’99 LD, 6-0/175, #6 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Excellent skater with a long, smooth stride. Has the ability to evade forecheckers using his quickness and agility. Keeps tight gaps and challenges opposing forwards in the neutral zone. Consistently makes a good first pass coming out of his defensive zone. From Newburyport, Mass. College: Providence College.

‘B’ Players

Jamie Armstrong
, ’98 F, 6-2/190, #12 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) – Armstrong, a power forward, has strong strides but needs to work on his overall quickness. Warwick, RI native uses his body very effectively to hold off defenders while protecting the puck as he drives to the net. Has a heavy shot with a quick release. College: Northeastern University.

Taggert Corriveau, ’97 F, 6-2/183, #8 Mid-Fairfield Rangers U18 (Westminster) -- Thinks the game very well and has good positioning in all three zones. Understands the concept of low puck support when regrouping through the neutral zone and showed the ability to make plays with the puck. He is an okay skater but not very fast while his feet need improvement. College: St. Lawrence University.

Bobby Hampton, late ’97 F, 5-11/180, #10 North Jersey Avalanche U18 – Good skater has patience and sees the ice well. His positioning when he doesn't have the puck is very good. He consistently kept his stick in the right lane and on the ice, making himself available to his teammates with a good target for a pass or redirect. Needs to be more consistent. College:  Northeastern University.

Tom Lee, late '97 F, 5-8/155, #22 Yale U18 National (Salisbury) -- Late '97 birthdate from Calgary, Alberta was Yale's best player on Saturday. A good skater with quick feet which are constantly moving, especially down low, below the goal line. Moves the puck through the neutral zone and distributes it well. High hockey IQ. College: Uncommitted.

Carter Long, ’98 RD, 6-2/198, #7 Selects Academy U18 National -- Big defenseman moves well, defends with an active stick, and finishes his checks. College: University of Vermont.

Johnny McDermott, ’97 F, 6-2/194, #16 Mid-Fairfield Rangers U18 (Westminster) - Has size and skates well, with a wide base. A hard worker, McDermott can create havoc on the forecheck, getting on top of opposing d-men fast. Sometimes gets to running all over the ice. College: Boston University.

Greg Printz, ’98 F, 6-2/196, #17 Selects Academy U18 National -- Ejected early in the second half of the game for a hit from behind, but played well up until that point. He’s a big body who uses his size to advantage, especially in front of the net. Protects the puck well and takes it to the net. Is hard to defend against. College: Providence College.

‘C’ Players

Matt Allen
, ’99 F, 6-1/175, #9 Neponset Valley River Rats U18 (Avon Old Farms) -- Good skater was zipping the puck around in the offensive zone and involved physically by finishing his checks. Smithfield, RI native is a transfer from Selects Academy. College: Providence College.

Matt Koopman, ’98 F, 5-10/173, #15 Mid-Fairfield Rangers U18 (Berkshire) – Marblehead, Mass. native was consistently noticeable. He was around the puck a lot, skates well, has quick feet, and gets up the ice in a hurry. College: Northeastern University.

 

 

Top ‘01s at the Chelsea Piers Showdown

USHR traveled down to Stamford, Conn. over the past weekend to watch the ‘01s in action at the SuperSeries Showdown at Chelsea Piers.

Shattuck-St. Mary’s (4-0-1) was dominant. A 27-hour ride from Faribault, Minn., which included a four-hour stop when the team bus broke down in Pennsylvania, did little to slow them, though they did seem flat in the late game on Friday, needing to come-from-behind to tie the Boston Junior Eagles, 3-3. For the weekend, Shattuck, in five games, outscored their opponents, 23-4. They shut out three teams, and were a pleasure to watch. They have puck skills and vision up and down the lineup. We thought last year’s SSM U14 team with T.J. Walsh, Oliver Wahlstrom was good. But this group plays better as a team, and is deeper.

The Toronto Marlies, possibly the biggest U14 team this  typist has seen, went 3-1-1, as did the Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers and Little Caesar’s. The Chicago Mission went 3-2-0. The Anaheim Jr. Ducks and the PAL Jr. Islanders each finished 2-3-0. The NJ Colonials (1-3-1), the Minuteman Flames (1-4-0), and the Boston Jr. Eagles (0-4-1) rounded out the group.

Could it be that playing in the NHL is a stepping stone to coaching U14 teams? Half the teams qualify under that criteria: Gino Cavallini (Chicago Mission), Craig Johnson (Anaheim Ducks), Marty McInnis (Boston Jr. Eagles), Brian Rolston (Little Caesar’s), and Doug Weight and Radek Martinek (PAL Jr. Islanders).

Here are our top players from the weekend. Please note that the only team we didn’t see was Anaheim, for which we apologize. Bad scheduling!


1. Luke Toporowski, LW, 5-10/162, #77 Chicago Mission U14 – A constant force. Plays hard. Always has the puck on his stick, always pushing the pace. Takes it to the net at will. Good hands, plays with an edge, and uses his body to protect the puck well. Extremely strong on his skates. Opposing defensemen had their hands full. Older brother, D Jake Toporowski, is playing major junior in the WHL.

2. Marshall Warren, D, #77 New Jersey Colonials U14 – Smooth-as-silk skater with size can take it end to end with ease -- and does so frequently. Has so much poise on the offensive blue line. Against the Marlies, with his team trailing 1-0 late in the final minutes, a puck came loose in the slot. Warren jumped up and hammered it top corner to lift his team into a 1-1 tie. Harvard recruit.

3. Trevor Zegras, LC, #11 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers U14 – Terrific hands and playmaking ability. Smooth on his skates. Agile. Lightning quick. Terrific hand-eye coordination. Scored nice backhand goal vs. the Marlies on Saturday afternoon while slashing to the net. Scored another when he curled out from behind the net and roofed one. Also had an assist, thus figuring in all three goals while leading his eam to 3-1 win. Quite a performance.

4. Hunter Weiss, LD, 6-2/180, #26 Chicago Mission U14 – Huge, nasty defenseman with a ton of upside. Looks like a pro already. A strong skater who is impossible to budge. An enforcer who’ll rush to stick up for his teammates. Can go over the line, as he did in one game on a hit in the corner, leveling a kid. Has good stick skills and contributes offensively, but puts a priority on play in his own end. Old school.

5. Robert Mastrosimone, LC, 5-8/140, #14 Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 – Terrific passes and vision. If he has the puck in open ice, he’s ultra-dangerous. Great stick. Has a great sense of when to move the puck, and when to hold it. Doesn’t force plays.

6. Cam York, LD, 5-9/145, #2 Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 – Anaheim, California native is fun to watch. Quick, confident, mobile, sees the openings, and can carry the puck wherever he wants. Great PP guy.

7. Chase McInnis, LC, #6 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – Excellent skater who has very good hands, makes plays, and isn’t fazed by traffic, cutting directly to the net. Son of Marty McInnis, and younger brother of Luke. 

8. Braden Doyle, LD, 5-10/145, #7 Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 – Lynnfield, Mass. native and a former Minuteman Flame ’01, Doyle is sturdy on his skates, has good size, and makes sound decisions. Equally good defensively and offensively. A very well-rounded and  efficient player.

9. Grant Silianoff, F, 5-9/145, #9 Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 -- High-end speed off the wing. Had opposing d-men backpedaling like mad.

10. Derek Mullahy, G, 5-10/150, Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 – Scituate, Mass. native played three games and posted three shutouts. His lateral movement is excellent. Sees the puck well through traffic.

11. Brodie McDougall, RW, 6-4/195, #92 Toronto Marlies U14 – Huge winger looks like a condor on skates – has an enormous wingspan. Is skinny as can be. However, he covers a lot of ice with his huge stride. Hasn’t put it all together – it’s a long way down to his feet -- but with his frame and long stride, he could become something.

12. Kaden Bohlsen, F, 6-0/155, #12 Shattuck-St. Mary’s U14 – Big winger, a power forward in the making. Gets around the rink very well. Has a good stick, and, like most of his teammates, plays with a lot of poise and confidence.

13-14. Matthew Barbuto, G, 6-0/145, #34 and Justin Lee, G, 5-7/115 #29 Toronto Marlies U14 – This Marlies tandem gave up only six goals over five games. They allowed three in a loss to Mid-Fairfield (Barbuto was in net for that one) but apart from that allowed only one goal over the other four contests. They were the last line of defense on a big defensive squad that, over its five games, scored only 10 goals. Forgive us for lumping them together, but, while Lee played better, Barbuto, due to his size, likely has greater upside.

15. Dom Fensore, LD, #27 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers U14 – Mobile d-man – athletic and quick. Great stick, sees the passing lanes, jumps up into the rush, and doesn’t mind standing up to bigger opponents.

16. Erik Yelle, RD, 6-2/170, #18 Toronto Marlies U14 – Great frame. Steady defensive defenseman. Keeps his shot low. Really good snap shot. Anchors the blue line for a team that only allowed six goals over five games. Third cousin to former NHLer Stefane Yelle. Both his parents were Olympic swimmers.

17. John Farinacci, RC, #87 New Jersey Colonials U14 – Did not play the Friday afternoon game vs. the Marlies, but was there for the night game vs. the Mission. Very noticeable. Has size, smarts, and can skate. Would have liked to have seen him in one more game. Nephew of Harvard coach Ted Donato.   

18. TJ Koufis, RF, 5-10/168, #88 Chicago Mission U14 – Has size, is physical, drives the net, sees the ice well, and has a nice touch with the puck. Made a nice pass out of the corner for his team’s first goal of the weekend.

19. Jayden Struble, LD, #11 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – Rhode Island native has size and uses it well. Physical d-man will rush the puck, but also makes nice passes, and has a strong wrister. Employed it to give his team a 2-1 lead over S-SM.

20. Conor Lovett, RC, #9 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – Sees the ice very well. Gets the puck and moves it quickly. Heady player with a nice touch.

21. Spencer Knight, G, #30 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers U14 – Knight, who committed to Boston College last month, was lit up on Saturday night, giving up six goals to Shattuck. Great prospect, but off-night knocked him down the list. That said, he didn’t allow more than two goals in any of his other games.

22. Daniel D’Amico, LC, 5-9/150, #89 Toronto Marlies U14 – Keeps feet moving and makes on-the-money passes. Very aware. Protects the puck well, and has a good shot. Had a clean breakaway in one game and, from 10-15 feet, just drilled a slapper to the top corner. Goalie couldn’t even move on it.

23. Jack Cronin, RW, #3 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – South Hamilton, Mass. native is solidly built, likes the physical game, has a hard and accurate shot it, works hard, and gets in on the forecheck quickly.

24. Owen Lindmark, RC, 5-10/150, #22 Chicago Mission U14 – Has size, and is strong on his skates. Sees the ice well. Has a quick release.

25. Sam Antenucci, LC, 5-9/149, #91 Little Caesar’s U14 – Good-sized centerman was consistently noticeable. Plays aggressively, keeps his feet moving, is strong on his skates, and drives to the net.

26. Tyler Amaral, LD, 5-8/150, #8 Toronto Marlies U14 – On a big, highly defensive team, Amaral providing quickness and mobility on the blue line.

27. Alex Vlasic, LD, 6-0/145, #7 Chicago Mission U14 – Tall, lanky, steady d-man keeps it simple and makes the right plays. Good shot. Keeps it low, and accurate.

28. Ryan Callan, LC, 5-11/155, #87 Toronto Marlies U14 – Nice combination of skills. Has size, good hands, plays physically in all zones, and has hockey sense.

29. Pierce Stastney, RW, 5-5/120, #17 Chicago Mission U14 – Smooth skater, and pinpoint passer. Very poised and precise. Got physically overmatched at times, but has skill and sees it.

30. Aaron Aboodi, LW, #9 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers U14 – Is overshadowed a bit by playing on a line with Trevor Zegras, but Aboodi is no slouch. Has a good head for the game, good stick, can score. He and Zegras showed a strong understanding of where on the ice each other was.

31. Jacob Zacharewicz, G, 6-0/160, #33 PAL Jr. Islanders U14 – Good-sized goalie must have faced at least 40 shots in a 5-1 loss to the Mission on Saturday. The shots he allowed were all extremely tough chances, if he had a chance on them at all. And many of his saves were good ones.

32. Alexandros Gaffney, LW, #10 New Jersey Colonials U14 – Was nowhere near as good as when we saw him last month at the Harvard ’01 combine. Just didn’t have many touches when we were watching. Was a non-factor vs. S-SM on Saturday.

33. Ryan Pineault, D, #7 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers U14 – Smallish defenseman lacks flash, but makes a lot of nice passes, defends well, and makes good decisions.

34. Matt Boldy, LC, #2 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – Small, quick, clever centerman wins draws, always keeps his feet moving and his head up, looking to make plays.

35. Henry Wilder, G, #30 Boston Jr. Eagles U14 – Was extremely good Friday night vs. S-SM. Faced a ton of shots and held a 3-2 lead going into the final minute but, with the extra attacker on, a bad-angle shot deflected off a skate and found the back of the net. A heartbreaker.

36. John Lundy, LC, 5-7/140, #86 PAL Jr. Islanders U14 – Has a good burst of speed wide -- is really nice skater with quick hands. Drops back and plays the point on the power play.


Around the Rinks

Avon freshman D Ben Mirageas looking for an opening.
Avon freshman D Ben Mirageas looking for an opening. (Photo: J. Alexander Imaging)
 
UNH '16 recruit Justin Fregona and St. Andrew's College split their weekend series vs. Shattuck-St. Mary's Feb. 20-21 in Aurora, Ont.
UNH '16 recruit Justin Fregona and St. Andrew's College split their weekend series vs. Shattuck-St. Mary's Feb. 20-21 in Aurora, Ont. (Photo: Lazy Poet Creative)
 
Junior Matt Dillon, looking up-ice, leads all Cushing defensemen in scoring.
Junior Matt Dillon, looking up-ice, leads all Cushing defensemen in scoring. (Photo: J. Alexander Imaging)
 
KUA's 6'2" junior Jake Massie is Central Scouting's top-ranked prep/HS d-man for June's NHL Draft.
KUA's 6'2" junior Jake Massie is Central Scouting's top-ranked prep/HS d-man for June's NHL Draft. (Photo: J. Alexander Imaging)