Eyewitness Report: Ryan Scarfo

by Ryan Fay

Up next in "Eyewitness Report" is 2014-2015 men's hockey recruit Ryan Scarfo.

A multi-sport standout at Governor's Academy (hockey, baseball, soccer), Scarfo enjoyed a strong junior season on the hockey team in 2011-2012. He led the team with 15 goals and finished second with 29 points in 29 games played.

But his senior season on the ice never got off the ground. After sustaining a broken collarbone during soccer season last fall, Scarfo was kept out of hockey action until January. According to the U.S Hockey Report, he then suffered a season-ending separated shoulder on his first shift back with the hockey team.

As Governor's Academy boys varsity hockey head coach Leon Hayward explains, Scarfo is healthy again and offers Dutchmen fans plenty of reasons to be excited.

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Ryan Scarfo
Height: 6'0" | Weight: 190 | DOB: 3/3/94 | Position: F | Shoots: L
Previous Team: Governor's Academy (MA) (NEPSIHA)
2011-2012 Stats: 29 gms, 15 g, 14 a, 29 pts (junior season)
2012-2013 Stats: Injured (senior season)
2013-2014 Team: Powell River Kings (BCHL)
Joining the Dutchmen for the 2014-2015 season
STRENGTHS: Scarfo is a strong skater with quick hands and a pro release. His release is probably his biggest weapon as a scorer. He has a strong hockey IQ. He also plays an extremely consistent game, and was always a factor in our biggest games. There is a pro element to his make-up as a player and as a person. He has never been afraid to outwork anyone. - Hayward

AREAS OF REFINEMENT: During his junior year, he passed the puck too often. I would like to see him shoot the puck more on a regular basis. Like any young, skilled offensive player, he needs to continue to work at his defensive game. - Hayward

HEALTH REPORT: He is young, so it is more a mental thing than battling the physical side of things. In the BCHL, he will need to be physical and bump guys, and from there he can really start to move forward towards getting his timing and game back. He has already played tournament games this summer, so as he heads off to Powell River, he is feeling strong and confident. He also put on about 10 pounds of muscle and is pushing 190-plus pounds. - Hayward

PROJECTION: He can become a high-end guy who scores and defends against the opposition's top lines. Union has a steal; he's someone who will help lead them to many more Frozen Four appearances. - Hayward

DID YOU KNOW?: Scarfo served as the senior class president at Governor's Academy last year.

Eyewitness Report: Mark Dufour

by Ryan Fay

In this installment of "Eyewitness Report," Kents Hill School boys varsity hockey head coach Larry Cockrell breaks down the game of his former player, Union men's hockey recruit Mark Dufour. Cockrell discusses Dufour's strengths, weaknesses, and what he could develop into at the Division I level.

Mark Dufour
Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 | DOB: 6/26/95 | Position: F | Shoots: R
2012-2013 Team: Kents Hill School (ME) (NEPSIHA)
2012-2013 Stats: 32 gm, 25 g, 15 a, 40 pts
2013-2014 Team: Middlesex Islanders (USPHL)Joining the Dutchmen in the fall of 2014 or 2015

Dufour (cred: Samantha McMahon)

STRENGTHS: Mark has very good size and handles the puck and puck protects extremely well. He also shoots the puck very well, so you couple those two strengths, and he is deadly around the net. I always felt if he was anywhere near the net in a scoring situation he would more often than not beat the goalie. - Cockrell

AREAS OF REFINEMENT: He will have to work on the other side of the puck -- playing good defense. He is totally capable of being tough defensively given his size and skating ability, but he tends to think too offensive sometimes (though that makes him a threat, too). Also, because he has very good hands, he sometimes holds on to the puck too long and puts himself in a bad position. As he matures as a player and learns to give the puck up to get it back, he will take his game to a totally new level. - Cockrell

PROJECTION: Mark is a very talented player who knows how to put the puck in the net. He is highly competitive and has a bit of a mean streak; he will battle. As he matures physically and as a player, I have no doubt he could be an impact power forward at the Division I level. - Cockrell

RELATED: Eyewitness reports on Michael Pontarelli and Connor Light 

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Eyewitness Reports on Pontarelli, Light

by Ryan Fay

It has been a busy last seven days in Union hockey recruiting.

Cornwall Colts forward Michael Pontarelli is joining the Dutchmen this fall, a year earlier than expected, while former Phillips Academy Andover (MA) prep defenseman Connor Light committed for the 2014-2015 season.

Few Dutchmen fans have ever seen either prospect play, so for some additional insight, I went to a couple people who have.

Michael Pontarelli  Height: 5'7" | Weight: 183 | DOB: 12/22/93 | Position: F | Shoots: R
2012-2013 Team: Cornwall Colts (CCHL)
2012-2013 Stats: 53 gm, 52 g, 55 a, 107 ptsJoining Dutchmen this season
Cornwall Colts assistant coach Dustin Traylen, previously a goaltender at Clarkson from 2002-2005, weighs in on Pontarelli:

Pontarelli (cred: Pointstreaks)

"Michael has been an offensive machine over the last few years. He was far and away the best offensive player in the CCHL last season. He is a consistent scorer and that can be attributed to his diligent work on and off the ice. He is a game-changer and a difference maker in almost every game that he is a part of.

Michael is deceptively powerful; he is a baby faced assassin. He is really on strong the puck, which will serve him well in the corners at places like Cornell. He worked very hard on learning to play a solid two-way game last year, which previously had been a knock on him. His improvement is due in large part to Colts head coach Ian MacInnis, who worked tirelessly with him to improve that aspect of his game.

As [junior "A" hockey] player of the year in Canada, and more importantly a two-way contributor on [our] championship team, there is not a whole lot more we could have asked of him at the junior level.

It's never fair to look too far ahead, but if Michael continues to learn and adapt at the rate that he's going, he could be a four year force [at Union]. If the chemistry with his linemates is good early, you can anticipate production early and often."

Connor Light
Height: 6'5" | Weight: 205 | DOB: 2/8/95 | Position: D | Shoots: L
2012-2013 Team: Phillips Academy Andover (MA) (NEPSIHA)
2012-2013 Stats: 25 gm, 6 g, 5 a, 11 pts
2013-2014 Team: Omaha Lancers (USHL)Committed for 2014-2015 season
Phillips Academy Andover (MA) boys varsity hockey head coach Dean Boylan, formerly a defenseman at Yale from 1970-1973, breaks down Light:
 
"Connor obviously has great size (6'5"/205), but he has an exceptional skill set to complement that size. He has good hands and very good feet for a big man. He can shoot; he scored three goals in one period last year.

Light (cred: Phillips Academy)

He is still learning to make good decisions coming out of the zone. I can say the same thing about any young defenseman that I have coached.

I think Connor can eventually develop into a shut down defenseman who is sent out to play against the other team's top unit. As I said, he also has some very good offensive skills."


RELATED: Hawkesbury coach high on Union recruit Roman Ammirato

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Pontarelli joins incoming class

by Ryan Fay

Add one more player to list of incoming men's hockey recruits.

Michael Pontarelli, who most recently played for the Central Canada Hockey League's Cornwall Colts, will debut with the Dutchmen this fall. The highly-touted forward was scheduled to arrive for the 2014-2015 campaign, but the door opened to come a year early when Josh Jooris gave up his senior season and signed with the Calgary Flames on July 30.

Pontarelli (icelevel.com)

The 5-foot-8, 187-pound Pontarelli dominated in 53 games with the Colts last season. Despite missing the start of the season with mono, he led the circuit with 52 goals, 14 more than any other player. His 107 points also paced the league while his 55 assists ranked fifth. He was a major weapon on the power-play, finishing third in the league with 17 power-play tallies.

Pontarelli, a native of Laval, Quebec, was a big reason why Cornwall won the CCHL championship, netting 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 19 postseason contests.

The forward ended up with more hardware on his shelf than a hardware store, skating away with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Most Valuable Player award, the CJHL Top Forward award, the CCHL MVP, and the CCHL Sportsmanship and Ability Award.

Pontarelli, 19, figures to be a welcome addition to a team that will be looking to replace four 25-plus point scorers. In addition to Jooris, the fourth-leading scorer on last year's team with 28 points, the Dutchmen graduated Wayne Simpson (36 points), Kyle Bodie (33 points), and Greg Coburn (28 points). Simpson and Bodie were Union's top two scorers last year and Coburn was tied for fourth with Jooris.

Pontarelli tweeted his intention to return for a second season with Cornwall earlier this summer after a chance to play with the U.S Hockey League's Muskegon Lumberjacks didn't come together. The Lumberjacks traded up to select Pontarelli in the fifth round of the 2013 USHL draft.

Joining Pontarelli in this season's nine-member freshman class are forward Alex Gonye, defenseman Noah Henry, defenseman Matt Krug, forward Eli Lichtenwald, defenseman Griffyn Martin, goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos, defenseman Jeff Taylor and forward Mike Vecchione.

RELATED: Dutchmen wasted little time calling on Pontarelli

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Union the "obvious choice" for Light

by Ryan Fay

Phillips Academy product Connor Light recently committed to Union for the 2014-2015 season, and he didn't have a shortage of suitors at the Division I level.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound defenseman was also courted by three of Union's biggest league rivals: Cornell, Rensselaer, and Yale. Vermont, which is coached by former Union head coach Kevin Sneddon, also had interest in the 18-year-old.

But for Light, who had six goals and five assists in 25 games for Phillips last season, Union was the "obvious choice" for a combination of reasons.

"I knew I wanted to end up in the ECAC since over the past several years the league has proved to be one of the top leagues in college hockey, if not the best," Light explained. "Being back-to-back ECAC champions proves what Union is capable of and I just felt very comfortable with head coach Rick Bennett and his staff. [Union] is clearly a program that can develop players and push them to the next level, so I'm excited to have the opportunity to play for a proven program.

"Union is also a great place to be from an academic perspective, which really made Union the obvious choice for me."

As for what Union's staff liked about him, Light said, "I think the staff really liked my work ethic, knowing several of my coaches, how much improvement I've made to my game over the past couple years, and trying to be more than just a big, stay at home defenseman."

Light will play one season with the U.S. Hockey League's Omaha Lancers before joining the Dutchmen next fall. The Lancers drafted him in the second round (22nd overall) of the 2013 USHL draft. He'll be teammates this season with another Union recruit, forward Tyler Hynes, who will also join the Dutchmen next fall.

Light said he enters the upcoming season with a few clear objectives.

"At this point, I am more of a raw athlete than a refined hockey player, so hopefully this year in Omaha I can refine my skills and work on applying my physical abilities to the game," Light said. "This year should be a good way to challenge myself with a much quicker pace than what I am used to in prep school, so I'm excited to get out there and get to work."

NHL Central Scouting ranked him 185th among North American skaters in its final 2013 NHL draft rankings. The Sudbury, Massachusetts native wasn't drafted.

VIDEO: Connor Light 2012-2013 season highlights (Light is #2 in navy blue).

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Recruiting notes on Ammirato, Hynes

by Ryan Fay

Roman Ammirato, who recently committed to Union for the 2014-2015 season, played just 22 games for Shawn Anderson's Hawkesbury Hawks last season.

But the 5-foot-8, 157-pound centerman left a big impression.

Ammirato (Cornwall Standard-Freeholder)

"He is a very exciting and dynamic player," said Anderson, the co-owner/head coach of the Hawks, who acquired Ammirato in a January trade with Cornwall.

Anderson, a teammate of Union head coach Rick Bennett on the 1994-1995 Hershey Bears, also praised Ammirato for his compete level and scoring touch.

"Roman's strength as a player is that he is always competing," Anderson said. "You would think looking at him that he will be out-battled in one-on-one situations. It is the opposite; he wins most of his one-on-one's with his speed and smarts.

"His size is deceiving and he plays a lot like [Tampa Bay Lightning forward] Martin St. Louis. He scores points whether it is filling the net or making the plays to help put the puck into the net."

Ammirato scored points in spades last year, finishing as the fourth-leading scorer in the Central Canada Hockey League with 83 points (34 goals, 49 assists) in 61 games played between stops in Cornwall and Hawkesbury.

According to Anderson, Union was one of "four or five" schools he spoke with about Ammirato after the Williamstown, New Jersey native joined his club in January.

Anderson said Ammirato could be a "highlight player" at the Division I level, but could still benefit from adding additional physical strength as he moves up the hockey chain.

The 19-year-old will play this upcoming year with Amarillo of the North American Hockey League prior to coming to Union for the 2014-2015 season.

"It will be very difficult to fill the void of a player like Roman. We will miss him on the ice," Anderson said. "The Hawks are very proud of Roman and wish him all the best."

ARRIVAL DELAYED

Union fans will have to wait a year to watch forward Tyler Hynes, who was previously expected to join the Dutchmen this fall.

Hynes, a Slingerlands native who played prep hockey at Albany Academy with incoming defenseman Jeff Taylor, has decided to play a second season with the U.S Hockey League's Omaha Lancers. He's now scheduled to arrive at Union in 2014-2015.

"I was supposed to come in this year but I felt like I wasn't ready and the coaches at Union supported my decision to stay in the USHL one more year," Hynes said. "I want to be the best player I can be when I get to Union and in this case that meant playing another year of junior hockey."

In 53 games played with Omaha last season, the 19-year-old had six goals and nine assists.

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Dutchmen announce 2013-2014 recruiting class

by Ryan Fay

The Union men's hockey team announced its incoming recruiting class on Thursday.

The eight member freshman class includes forward Alex Gonye, defenseman Noah Henry, defenseman Matt Krug, forward Eli Lichtenwald, defenseman Griffyn Martin, goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos, defenseman Jeff Taylor and forward Mike Vecchione.

“I’m very happy with this class,” Union head coach Rick Bennett said in a release. “You always want to bring in a group that’s better than the one that just left, but that’s going to be a tough challenge with this group of players. It’s up to them to see if they can accomplish that. I feel our assistant coaches Joe Dumais and Jason Tapp did a tremendous job balancing last season with recruiting.”

Below are some capsules on each player with insight from their previous coaches and/or Bennett.

Defensemen

Jeff Taylor is a local kid, a native of Clifton Park who played at Albany Academy prior to spending last year with Dubuque of the U.S Hockey League. Taylor helped Dubuque capture a Clark Cup Championship, registering 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) in 57 games played.

Taylor (USHL)

The 19-year-old drew raves from now former Dubuque head coach Jim Montgomery, who has since moved on to be the head coach of Division I Denver. The former RPI assistant predicted Taylor will be an impact freshman.

"His [best assets] are quickness and his intelligence," Montgomery told me earlier this year. "He's an extremely smart player with great instincts. He's very valuable all over the ice, especially breaking the puck out."

Taylor is listed at 6-foot, 180-pounds.

"He still needs to get stronger like any teenage athlete," Montgomery said. "He needs to continue to build muscle mass in the weight room so he can have the physicality needed at the college level."

Griffyn Martin, who checks in at 6-foot, 175-pounds, played prep hockey at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut. A former Yale commit, Martin was one of Avon's three captains this past year and scored three goals and added 14 assists in 29 games played. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player.

“Griffyn is a physical defenseman who in time can develop into a really good player for us," Bennett said. "He’s a tremendous character guy to have on your team."

Matt Krug, a Buffalo, New York, native, spent the past two seasons with the Indiana Ice of the USHL. In 56 games played last season, the 20-year-old scored two goals and chipped in nine assists.

"He is a character kid who works hard and has a good first pass," Indiana head coach Jeff Brown told me earlier this year. "He's more of a stay at home defenseman. He's a good leader. Krug won’t step in and be an impact guy, but over the course of his time at Union, he will be a regular and a big part of the future."

Henry

Bennett hopes the 6-foot-1, 198-pound Krug will develop into a Shawn Stuart style defenseman.

Noah Henry, a Seattle, Washington native, is the fourth defenseman coming in. The 19-year-old Henry started last season with the British Columbia Hockey League's Penticton Vees before being dealt to Powell River in mid-November. In 52 combined games played, the 6-foot, 190-pound Henry had two goals and 14 assists. 

“Noah is a defenseman with tremendous speed," Bennett said. "That’s really going to help us with our breakouts, which helps our defensive zone. He’s really going to help us there and we’re excited about that."

Forwards

Prep star Alex Gonye could be one player looked upon to replace some of the offense that left the program with the graduations of top scorers Wayne Simpson and Kyle Bodie and the early departure of fourth-leading scorer Josh Jooris, who signed with Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Gonye, a 19-year-old Deerfield (M.A) Prep product, is known for having a scoring touch. He scored 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 24 games played this past season.

“Alex will be given a very good chance to develop into a top forward here," Bennett said. "He brings a lot of offense and very good vision on the ice, and he can shoot the puck. We think he’ll be able to grow into the daily grind of college hockey and the physicality on this level.”

Another scoring threat coming in is 20-year-old Saugus, Massachusetts native Michael Vecchione. He decommitted from New Hampshire prior to committing to Union and had a breakout season last year in his second season with Tri-City of the USHL. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound forward upped his offensive contributions considerably with 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) in 63 games played. 

Vecchione (USHL)

"He's really developed as a player," Tri-City head coach Josh Hauge told me earlier this year. "He has a confidence now that he can score at this level. Statistically, he's improved a lot but his overall game has also improved by a lot... areas like his defensive play, his ability to block shots, play tough, and do the little things.

"The thing the fans notice is just how good of a skater he is. He's extremely fast, plays at a fast pace, and has a natural ability to score goals."

Eli Lichtenwald, 20, split last season between Omaha of the USHL and Nipawin of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. After a midseason trade to Nipawin, where he played in 2010-2011 and earned SJHL rookie of the year honors, Lichtenwald took off and scored 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 19 games played.

Lichtenwald is one of Union's larger recruits in recent memory as he checks in at 6-foot-6, 235-pounds. For a player so big, the native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan still has a lot of room to grow.

"The biggest thing with Eli is that he has a lot of room to improve," Nipawin head coach Doug Johnson told me earlier this year. "He is a late bloomer. He was an average midget player that blossomed his first year of junior and will only get better in the future. What Union fans see from Eli as a freshman won't even be comparable to what they see from him as a senior.

"I firmly believe Eli has the ability to be a very good regular with the possibility to be an impact player if he keeps developing like I believe he will."

Goaltender

When Troy Grosenick gave up his senior year of eligibility to the San Jose Sharks in April, the Dutchmen needed to add another goaltender for the upcoming season.

Enter 19-year-old Alex Sakellaropoulos.

The native of Tinley Park, Illinois played the past two seasons with the Chicago Steel of the USHL. He posted a 22-20-2 record in 48 contests last year with a 3.03 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts.

“When Troy (Grosenick) signed, our assistants did a great job getting Alex, an excellent goaltender, to come to Union," Bennett said. "We’re looking for big things from Alex.”

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Sakellaropoulos is the odds on favorite to serve as the primary backup to junior Colin Stevens in the upcoming season.

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Ammirato commits to Union

by Ryan Fay

Roman Ammirato, a center for the Hawkesbury Hawks of the Central Canada Hockey League, announced on Wednesday that he has committed to Union for the 2014-2015 season.

"Off to play D1 Hockey at Union College in 2014-2015," Ammirato tweeted. "Couldn't be any happier!! #Dutchmen #UnrealFeeling."

The 20-year-old Williamstown, New Jersey native spent the past two seasons in the Central Canada Hockey League.

He started last season with the Cornwall Colts, where he was a teammate of fellow 2014-2015 Union recruit Michael Pontarelli. Ammirato was traded to the Hawks in early January. Between the two stops, he played in 61 games and finished as the fourth-leading scorer in the CCHL with 83 points (34 goals, 49 assists).

The 5-foot-8, 157-pound Ammirato piled up 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 37 games with the Colts during the 2011-2012 season.

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Pontarelli staying in Cornwall

by Ryan Fay

Prized 2014 men's hockey recruit Michael Pontarelli announced on Sunday that he will play a second season with Cornwall of the Central Canada Hockey League.

"I've decided to play in Cornwall for one more year," Pontarelli tweeted. "Time to start getting ready for our season as defending champs."

Speculation had been running rampant about where the budding star would play in the fall. After blitzing through the league -- the 19-year-old forward lead the CCHL in scoring with 52 goals and 55 assists -- some believed there was little point to returning for a second season.

One of those individuals was Hawkesbury (CCHL) head coach Shawn Anderson, who once coached Pontarelli. Anderson recently told the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder that he didn't think Pontarelli had much to gain by playing a second season in the CCHL.

Muskegon of the Untied States Hockey League appeared to be one possible alternative. The Lumberjacks traded up to select Pontarelli with the 53rd overall pick in last month's USHL draft. He competed in Muskegon camp over the weekend and scored one goal.

Other speculation had Pontarelli coming to Union a year ahead of schedule. The Dutchmen graduated its top two forwards, Wayne Simpson (36 points) and Kyle Bodie (33 points).

Pontarelli was recently named the unanimous choice for CCHL MVP and the CCHL Sportsmanship and Ability Award. He was also selected as the first-ever Canadian Junior Hockey League MVP and CJHL Top Forward.

Coming attractions: defenseman Jeff Taylor

by Ryan Fay

The Dutchmen will have voids to fill on the blueline next season with the pending graduations of Greg Coburn, Ryan Forgaard, and Shawn Stuart.

One player who could occupy one of those spots is Clifton Park native Jeff Taylor, a recruit scheduled to come in this fall.

Taylor, who previously played at Albany Academy, is currently with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the U.S Hockey League (USHL). He has three goals and 15 assists in 43 contests and his +32 rating is fourth best in the league.

For some insight on the 18-year-old defenseman, I chatted with former RPI assistant coach Jim Montgomery, now the general manager and head coach of the Fighting Saints.

UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): What are some of Taylor's strengths?

JIM MONTGOMERY (JM): His quickness and his intelligence. He's an extremely smart player with great instincts. He's very valuable all over the ice, especially breaking the puck out.

UHN: How much progression have you seen from him in his time with you this year?

JM: Quite a bit. His confidence has grown and so has his maturity level. He quarterbacks our power play and he's a big part of the nucleus of our team that's in first place.

UHN: Where does he need to improve going forward?

JM: He still needs to get stronger like any teenage athlete. He needs to continue to build muscle mass in the weight room so he can have the physicality needed at the college level.

UHN: As someone who has coached in both the ECAC and the USHL, how big of a jump is for a player to go from one league to the other?

JM: It's always another level when you go from junior hockey to college hockey. But the easiest transition by far is to go from the USHL to college hockey.

UHN: Why's that?

JM: We're the best preparatory league. We play at a high level as far as speed, strength, and conditioning. The USHL does all the elements of college hockey at a level below. Our schedule mirrors that of college hockey where we're basically a Friday-Saturday league. Our players work out twice a week, they practice four times a week, and they play twice a week. Everything leads to your body and routine getting used to college hockey.

UHN: How would you gauge Taylor's readiness for Division I college hockey?

JM: He'll be an impact freshman.

Recruit Lichtenwald on tear in SJHL (w/ Q&A)

by Ryan Fay

Men's hockey recruit Eli Lichtenwald has been surging since being re-acquired by the Nipawin Hawks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) in late December.

Lichtenwald, who is set to join the Dutchmen this fall, has 21 points (8 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games since the trade with Omaha of the U.S Hockey League.  

Lichtenwald had spent the past season-plus with Omaha, where he collected 29 points (8 g, 21 a) in 70 games.

The forward previously played for Nipawin during the 2010-2011 campaign and accumulated 45 points (21 g, 24 a) in 56 contests en route to league rookie of the year honors.

For some insights on Lichtenwald, I checked in with Doug Johnson, head coach and general manager of the Hawks. Johnson, who also coached Lichtenwald in his first go-around in Nipawin, describes what kind of player he is, his upside in Division I, and more.

Lichtenwald (Nipawin)

UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): What kind of player is Lichtenwald?

DOUG JOHNSON (DJ): Eli will be an all around player. His most intriguing attribute is his size (6'6"/216). He takes up a lot of space which helps him defensively but also offensively using his reach to protect pucks. For a big player he skates incredibly well and has an extremely good skill set. The biggest thing with Eli is that he has a lot of room to improve. He is a late bloomer. He was an average midget player that blossomed his first year of junior and will only get better in the future. What Union fans see from Eli as a freshman won't even be comparable to what they see from him as a senior.

UHN: What type of upside does he have at the Division I level -- a depth guy? a regular? an impact player? 

DJ: I firmly believe Eli has the ability to be a very good regular with the possibility to be an impact player if he keeps developing like I believe he will. The level of his success will be very dependent on how he adjusts to the speed of college hockey and how his skating improves as he moves forward. He is a very good skater for 6'6, but still has room for improvement. Knowing Eli, he will make the necessary strides.

UHN: How would you gauge his readiness for Division I college hockey? 

DJ: Like most players, Eli will probably have his bumps along the way during his freshman season. But I believe he will be able to step in and contribute right away in whatever role the coaching staff wants from him. His willingness to do whatever it is needed from the team and his ability to play all those roles will help him make the transition to the college hockey.

UHN: His numbers in Nipawin are a lot better than what he did in Omaha. What do you attribute that to? Is the USHL that much tougher?

DJ: From my time coaching in the USHL, I do know that the USHL is a stronger league than the SJHL. I don't think this is the main reason his numbers have improved as dramatically as they have though. Does the competition make some difference? Absolutely. But I believe that the role we have him playing in and the opportunity to showcase his skill are the biggest factors in his increased production. He showed his first year of junior hockey that he has the skill and ability to be a top six forward. A player doesn't forget how to score or how to make plays. They just need to have the opportunity to showcase their skills and the confidence from their coaches to allow them to make plays.

Whatever happened to... Drew Brown?

by Ryan Fay

When Union received a commitment from Drew Brown in the fall of 2010 for the following season, it was considered a big get.

Brown was from Grass Lakes, Michigan and Union had beaten out a storied program in Michigan for the services of one of their home state kids.  It happened before the Cleary Cups, the Whitelaw Cup, and the Frozen Four appearance. It was all the more impressive when one considers Union couldn't offer an athletic scholarship while Michigan could have.

"Michigan wanted him," Brown's prep school coach, Matt Herr, told the United States Hockey Report at the time. "They were pushing him hard to come there. But coach [Nate] Leaman at Union showed him that he would have a chance to be a top-two line guy with them."

Brown's arrival would have been at an important time for the program, which was then bracing for the loss of seven seniors, including the program's Division I era points leader, Adam Presizniuk, and a solid point producer in John Simpson.

In his final season of prep school hockey, Brown showed considerable offensive potential by amassing 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in just 27 games for Kent School in Connecticut.

The reports on Brown were as glowing as the statistics would suggest.

Brown (Providence)

"The thing that Drew brings to the table is he's a pure goal-scorer, a natural. He has a really good release with his shot," Herr told Mark Divver of the Providence Journal in May 2011. "He's a hard-working kid. He's a kid that'll work for everything he gets."

However, dreams of Brown bringing that scoring touch to Union came to an end when Leaman and assistant coach Ben Barr bolted for the same jobs at Providence. 

Brown decommitted and followed the pair to Rhode Island. It didn't hurt that Noel Acciari, a prep school teammate of Brown's, had previously committed to Providence for former Friars coach Tim Army.

The 20-year-old Brown ranked fifth on the Friars in scoring during his freshman season with 18 points (4 goals, 14 assists) in 38 games. The freshman showed discipline with just 8 penalty minutes all season.

But his sophomore season hasn't been an improvement. He's been in and out of the lineup for the last couple months and only has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 16 games. 

Touted as a "pure goal scorer," Brown has just seven goals in 54 career games with Providence.

"The hype about Brown probably outraced the reality," one Providence insider said. "Yes, he had very good numbers but that was in prep hockey. A year in the USHL might have given a better read on his future in Division I. However, I wouldn't call him a disappointment. He is a solid player who still has a chance as a junior and senior to put up some decent numbers."

Brown isn't the only near Union player that now plays for Providence.

"Two kids who play a prominent role and many more minutes than Brown -- Ross Mauermann and Stefan Demopulos -- likely would have ended up at Union if Leaman and Barr hadn't decided to move on to Providence.

"Both were pretty much unknowns coming out of the NAHL and USHL, yet they have emerged as very important players at Providence. Their success certainly speaks to Leaman's and Barr's ability to identify talent," the insider said.

Mauermann is second on the Friars with 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 25 games. Demopulos, currently out with an upper-body injury, is tied for third on the club with five goals in 12 games.

Though he would never officially play at Providence, goaltending recruit Julien Laplante also went to Providence with Leaman and Barr in the wake of an NCAA violation levied on him. See a related story on Laplante here.

Q&A with Tri-City Storm head coach / GM Josh Hauge

by Ryan Fay

Josh Hauge, the head coach and general manager of the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League, has an interesting connection to the Union men's hockey team.

Not only is he coaching a player set to come next season, Michael Vecchione, he's also coaching a player who recently left the program, Trevor Mingoia.

Vecchione, who had a power play goal and two assists in last night's 5-2 win over Sioux City, has 14 goals and 23 assists in 40 games this season.

Since departing Union, Mingoia has two goals and 20 assists in 29 contests, including an assist on Vecchione's goal last night.

On Wednesday, I conducted a phone interview with Hauge and asked him about both players and more.

UNION HOCKEY NEWS (UHN): For those who may not know, how good is the talent level in the USHL?

JOSH HAUGE (JH): It's the best 16-to-20 year olds in the country who aren't in college hockey. It's the top tier in United States junior hockey and a great league.

UHN: What are the benefits of playing in the USHL prior to college hockey?

JH: A player gets to be bigger, stronger, and faster. A player can really develop and mature. He finds out what it takes to manage his time and live away from home.

UHN: What kind of player has Vecchione been for you the past couple years?

Hauge (Tri-City Storm)

JH: The thing the fans notice is just how good of a skater he is. He's extremely fast, plays at a fast pace, and has a natural ability to score goals.

UHN: Vecchione has eight more points in nine fewer games than he did last year. What's behind the improvement?

JH: He's really developed as a player. He has a confidence now that he can score at this level. Statistically, he's improved a lot but his overall game has also improved by a lot... areas like his defensive play, his ability to block shots, play tough, and do the little things.

UHN: What's the biggest thing Vecchione will need to improve on at the college level?

JH: He needs to get that confidence right away that he can score at the collegiate level. It's a big adjustment for any player. But if he goes in there and plays confident, he'll be able to make a difference right away.

UHN: When Mingoia left Union, how did he end up in Tri-City?

JH: There were rumors that he was leaving school and we called some different people. I called the coaching staff at Union and they said they were talking but hadn't heard anything officially. The Union coaching staff was great through the whole process in helping us get Mingoia here. Even though [Union] didn't work out for him, I respect the way they took care of their player.

UHN: What have been your impressions of Mingoia since he joined your club?

JH: He's a great skater and he plays fast. I think he's learning to play a little tougher and a little harder than he did in college hockey. He'll be more successful the second time wherever he ends up next year.