Union Recruit Recap - 11/27/13

by Ryan Fay

It's time for another check-in on the Union men's hockey recruits.

2014-2015 RECRUITS

Ammirato

F Roman Ammirato (Amarillo, NAHL) is riding a hot streak as he has eight points (2 g, 6 a) in his last five games. He registered his fourth three-point game of the season on Saturday with two goals and an assist. The 20-year-old has 26 points (6 g, 20 a) in 24 games this season. His 20 assists are the third-most in the league.

D Nick DeSimone (Buffalo Jr. Sabres, OJHL) is the latest recruit to join the fold having announced his commitment on November 17. He leads all OJHL blueliners with 29 points (8 g, 21 a) in 27 games. Check out these recent features on him.

F Tyler Hynes (Omaha, USHL), who turned 20-years-old on Saturday, gave himself an early birthday present as he picked up the game-winning goal in Omaha's 4-2 triumph at Fargo on Friday. Hynes, a Guilderland native, has six goals and five assists in 19 games this season.

D Connor Light (Omaha, USHL) is starting to show off the offensive side of his game. The 6-foot-5 blueliner has a goal and two assists in 17 games this season, but all three points have come in his last six games.

F Ryan Scarfo (Powell River, BCHL) has continued his strong season with eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) in nine November contests. He leads the River Kings with 29 points (12 g, 17 a) in 25 games this season.

2015-2016 RECRUITS

F Mark Dufour (Islanders Hockey Club, USPHL Premier) broke a season-high five game scoreless drought when he recorded a power play assist in the Islanders' 2-0 shutout of the Jersey Hitmen on Sunday. Dufour has seven goals and two assists in 19 games this season.

F Brett Supinski (Millbrook School) began his senior season at Millbrook on Saturday, picking up an assist in the Mustangs' 3-2 loss to Cushing Academy. He had 44 points (24 g, 20 a) in 20 games as a junior last season. The 18-year-old played with the Connecticut Wolf Pack this fall, collecting 22 points (11 g, 11 a) in 29 contests.

G Joe Young (Philadelphia Flyers, USPHL Premier) has racked up at least 31 saves in six straight games, bringing his season saves total to a league-leading 567. His .926 save percentage ranks third while his 2.69 goals against average is fifth-best.

2016-2017 RECRUITS

F Wade Novak (New Jersey Colonials U-16 National team) continues his blistering pace this season. He has goals in three of his last four games, giving him 12 in just 13 games. He also has chipped in seven assists. The 16-year-old leads the Colonials in goals and points.

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Dutchmen Recruit Recap - 11/4/13

by Ryan Fay

It has been a few weeks since the last recruit recap, so lets check in on how future Dutchmen are doing for their current teams:

2014-2015 RECRUITS

F Roman Ammirato (Amarillo, NAHL) chipped in a helper in Amarillo's 4-0 victory over Topeka on Friday. Ammirato has 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games. The 13 assists are tied for third-best in the circuit.

Light (USHL)

F Tyler Hynes (Omaha, USHL) was held off the scoresheet over the weekend, but the Guilderland native has gotten off to a strong start with 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists) in 13 contests. For a recent feature on Hynes, click here.

D Connor Light (Omaha, USHL) collected the first point of his junior hockey career with an assist in Omaha's 4-1 win over Lincoln on Saturday. Light, who has appeared in 11 games this season, is ninth in the league with a plus-10 rating.

F Ryan Scarfo (Powell River, BCHL) picked up a goal in Powell River's 4-3 loss to Nanaimo on Friday, and an assist in Powell River's 4-1 win over Nanaimo on Saturday. Scarfo has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 18 games. He ranks in the top 10 in the league in goals (10th) and points (9th).

2015-2016 RECRUITS

F Mark Dufour (Islanders Hockey Club, USPHL Premier) has seven points (6 goals, 1 assist) in 11 games. The six goals rank second on the team. After a weekend off, the Islanders Hockey Club returns to action this coming weekend for two games against the Connecticut Yankees.

F Brett Supinski (Connecticut Wolf Pack U-18 National team) has piled up 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 29 games. Supinski is the most recently announced recruit; he committed to the program last week.

G Joe Young (Philadelphia Flyers, USPHL Premier) turned aside 25-of-27 shots as the Flyers downed the P.A.L Junior Islanders, 7-2, on Saturday. Young's 2.67 goals against average is fourth-best in the league, and his .927 save percentage is tied for third-best.

2016-2017 RECRUITS

F Wade Novak (New Jersey Colonials U-16 National team) has accumulated 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) in 8 games. He leads the team in points and goals. The Colonials haven't played since Oct. 6; they resume play this weekend. Novak is the younger brother of current Dutchmen forward Max Novak.


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Union Recruit Recap - 10/19/13

by Ryan Fay

It's time for another recap of the latest happenings among Dutchmen recruits.

2014-2015 commit Roman Ammirato (Amarillo, NAHL) collected three helpers in Amarillo's 7-1 romp over Corpus Christi on Friday, giving the forward 13 points (3 g, 10 a) through 11 contests. His 10 assists are tied for fourth in the league, and his 13 points are tied for fifth-best.

Hynes (USHL)

Guilderland native Tyler Hynes (Omaha, USHL) picked up a goal and an assist in Omaha's 5-3 victory at Chicago on Friday. The forward leads the league with a plus-10 rating, and has seven points (2 g, 5 a) through seven games. The offensive output has been a nice step-up from last year, when the 19-year-old went 6-9--15 in 53 games. Hynes, a teammate of current Dutchmen defenseman Jeff Taylor when the two were at Albany Academy, is set to join the Dutchmen next fall.

Another Omaha player arriving at Union next autumn is 6-foot-5 defenseman Connor Light. While Light remains without a point through seven games, he is tied for third on the team with a plus-7 rating.

Forward Ryan Scarfo (Powell River, BCHL) has potted a goal in three straight contests. Overall, the former Governor's Academy standout has 18 points (9 g, 9 a) through 13 games. His 18 points are tied for seventh-best in the circuit, while his nine goals are tied for fifth-best. Scarfo, 19, is slated to join Union next season, but is already on the radar of NHL teams.

Forward Mark Dufour, a 2015-2016 commit, has four goals in six games with the Islanders Hockey Club (USPHL-Premier). He missed four games after breaking and badly cutting a finger, but returned on Oct. 10.

Goaltender Joe Young, another 2015-2016 commit, has appeared in nine games for the Philadelphia Flyers (USPHL-Premier). He ranks fifth in the league with a 2.67 goals against average and a .932 save percentage. The 19-year-old hasn't allowed more than two goals in a game since Sept. 28, when he allowed four at the Junior Bruins.

Max Novak's younger brother, Wade Novak, recently committed to Union for the 2016-2017 season. Season stats are unavailable for the 16-year-old forward, who is currently skating with the New Jersey Colonials Midget 16 National Team.

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Recruit Recap - 9/17/13

by Ryan Fay

Several Dutchmen recruits have already started their season, and here's what they have done so far:

F Ryan Scarfo is off to a scorching start with the Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League. The 19-year-old missed last season due to injury, but has quickly regained his stride as he currently leads the BCHL with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) through four regular season games.
ETA at Union: 2014-2015

Scarfo (cred: BCHL.ca)

F Mark Dufour is also off to a hot start. Dufour has three goals through three regular season games with the Islanders Hockey Club of the United States Primier Hockey League.
ETA at Union: 2014-2015 or 2015-2016

D Connor Light has two goals in three preseason games with the Omaha Lancers of the U.S Hockey League. Both of Light's tallies were game winning goals.
ETA at Union: 2014-2015 

F Roman Ammirato and the rest of the Amarillo Bulls of the North American Hockey League will take part in the upcoming NAHL Showcase, which runs from September 18-22 in Blaine, Minnesota. The Bulls will play four regular season games in the showcase.
ETA at Union: 2014-2015 

G Joe Young stopped 18-of-20 shots, but was hung with a hard luck loss as the Philadelphia Junior Flyers of the USPHL fell 3-1 to the Portland Junior Pirates on September 7.
ETA at Union: 2015-2016

F Tyler Hynes has not appeared in preseason action for Omaha (USHL).
ETA at Union: 2014-2015

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Young apparently coming later than expected

by Ryan Fay

It was widely believed that Boston Junior Bruins (EJHL) goaltender Joe Young was coming to Union in the fall of 2014. Young's own Twitter account said "Union 2014." However, it now appears Young will arrive in the fall of 2015, as his account now says "Union 2015."

Waiting a year would seem to make sense. After Troy Grosenick gave up his senior year of eligibility to sign with the San Jose Sharks earlier this month, Union received a commitment for next season from Chicago Steel (USHL) netminder Alex Sakellaropoulos. Young would now be the fourth goaltender on the roster for 2014-2015, joining Colin Stevens (then a senior), Sakellaropoulos (then a sophomore), and Dillon Pieri (then a senior).

That glut eases up the following year as both Stevens and Pieri will have graduated. The Dutchmen could have Sakellaropoulos, Young, and another goaltender for the fall of 2015.

Young, who turned 19 this week, had a 2.71 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in 30 games for the Junior Bruins this past season.

Grosenick era ends as goalie signs with Sharks

by Ryan Fay

Troy Grosenick has played his last game for Union.

According to reports, the junior goaltender has opted against returning for his senior season and has signed with the San Jose Sharks. Where and when he'll make his pro debut has yet to come out.

After playing sparingly as a freshman under Keith Kinkaid, Grosenick earned the starting gig the following season after Kinkaid signed with the New Jersey Devils. He responded by winning 22 games while posting a 1.65 goals against average and a .936 save percentage in 34 games. That kind of play resulted in an All-America honor and made him one of ten Hobey Baker finalists, but the award ultimately went to Minnesota-Duluth's Jack Connolly.

Grosenick's junior season wasn't quite as strong but plenty good enough with 17 more victories along with a 2.12 goals against average and a .923 save percentage in 34 contests. The Wisconsin native played his best in March when the Dutchmen were making another postseason run, going 6-1 with a 1.61 goals against average and a .946 save percentage.

All told, Grosenick played in 71 games at Union, going 39-16-9 with a 1.89 goals against average, a .930 save percentage, and seven shutouts. The 39 wins rank second in the program's Division I era (trailing only Kris Mayotte's 46) while the goals against average and save percentage marks rank first.

It's the right time for Grosenick to test the pro waters. He proved last year wasn't a fluke, he turns 24 before next season, and can't wait forever to go pro. He would have been the oldest player on the Union team had he returned.

Grosenick's starting job will almost certainly go to soon-to-be 20-year-old Colin Stevens, a junior next season. The Niskayuna native has performed well when called upon the last two years, including a 1.62 goals against average, a .931 save percentage, and three shutouts in 12 games this past season. In place of an injured Grosenick, Stevens blanked Clarkson, 4-0, on March 2nd to help Union clinch home ice and a first round bye in the ECAC playoffs.

There may be some growing pains with Stevens in his first full season in goal, but his upside is very high and if he develops as I expect him to, I don't think Union will miss a beat in goal. He's further ahead in his career than Grosenick was at the same age. Some observers have noted Stevens, lean and lanky at 6'4, 170, could stand to add some more weight. That may be even more important in anticipation of a full playing load.

Grosenick's departure leaves Union with two goalies, Stevens and third stringer Dillon Pieri. The only known goaltending recruit is Joe Young, but he isn't supposed to come until the 2014-2015 season. It's possible he could arrive a year early, as Stevens did when Kinkaid went pro. Young, who turns 19 later this month, posted a 2.71 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in 30 games for the EJHL Boston Junior Bruins this past season. If Young doesn't come early, another goaltender will be brought in.

Union has now lost players to the pro ranks in three straight years. Aside from Kinkaid two years ago and Grosenick now, Jeremy Welsh signed with the Carolina Hurricanes last spring with a year of eligibility left on the table.