Dutchmen, Black Bears fit to be tied (with postgame audio)

Box Score

Union freshman Brendan Taylor scored his first
collegiate goal on Friday.
(credit: Union College Sports Information)

by Ryan Fay

A roundup of Union's 1-1 non-conference tie against Maine Friday at Messa Rink.

TAYLOR GETS FIRST GOAL

A Union player had an important milestone on Friday: freshman forward Brendan Taylor registered his first collegiate goal.

The former Nanaimo Clippers star accomplished the feat at 4:27 of the second period. The tally came shortly after Taylor served a tripping penalty, and it gave Union a 1-0 lead that held up until Maine buried the equalizer in the latter stages of the third.

"Lich' [Eli Lichtenwald] had taken it to the net, and the puck just kind of popped out onto my stick," said Taylor, who also has an assist in three games this season. "I think the goalie still thought the puck was with him, and I kind of just wrapped it into the net."

The assists on Taylor's goal went to his new linemates, Lichtenwald and Tyler Hynes.

MAKING AN IMPRESSION

For the second straight game, that trio was put on the same line by Union head coach Rick Bennett.

Appropriately, they have been called the B-L-T line.

Serving as the fourth line on Friday, they were one of the brighter spots of the night for the Dutchmen. In addition to producing Union's only goal, they brought a lot of energy to the ice.

"They work extremely hard, and they got rewarded tonight," Bennett said. "[Hynes] drew a penalty, and they scored tonight. They get rewarded for hard work."

“We like to work hard and get in there,” Lichtenwald added. “We’ve got some good chemistry. All of our chances come from the forecheck. It started last week, and it’s carried over into this week.”

SPECIAL TEAMS A MIXED BAG

Union's penalty killing unit couldn't be off to a better start this season. The group has gone 11-for-11 in three games, including a 6-for-6 effort on Friday.

"The PK has been good to this point," said Hynes, a Guilderland native. "We've been putting a lot of work in on it, disrupting them a little bit coming up the ice and not letting them set-up."

On the other side of the equation, Union's power-play has struggled. The Dutchmen have cashed in once on 15 power-play chances this season. On Friday, their power-play unit went 0-for-5 while generating just five shots on the man advantage. They spent too much time passing the puck, especially late in the game.

“It’s simple hockey,” Bennett said. “It wasn’t simple tonight. We didn’t want to chip it in. We were looking for the pretty goal. I’m not sure who we’re trying to impress. We didn’t impress anybody. It’s as simple as that.”

"SAK" SOLID AGAIN

Union netminder Alex Sakellaropoulos had another strong outing on Friday.

He stopped 12-of-12 power play shots, and finished with 32 saves overall. His only blemish was Brian Morgan's game-tying goal from the right circle at 14:04 of the third.

"He played a great game," said Lichtenwald. "Everyone should be thanking him for the tie tonight."

Sakellaropoulos was elevated from backup to starter following the graduation of Colin Stevens in June. The junior has started all three of Union's games this season, going 1-0-2 with a 1.58 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.

RANDOM STAT
With the tie, Union is now 13-1-1 in their last 15 games against Hockey East opponents.

UP NEXT
A rematch with Maine awaits tonight at 7 at Messa Rink.

POSTGAME AUDIO

Bennett

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Lichtenwald, Hynes and B.Taylor

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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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Dutchmen recruit Hynes excelling in second USHL season

by Ryan Fay

Guilderland native and former Albany Academy forward Tyler Hynes was supposed to make his debut with the Union men's hockey team this fall.

But the 19-year-old recruit opted to wait another year and play a second season with the United States Hockey League's Omaha Lancers, where he recorded 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 53 games last season.

"I wasn't real happy with my performance last year," Hynes said. "My goal is to be the best player that I can when I get to Union. I didn't think I was ready this year, and I didn't want to wait a year or two at Union to get into the hang of things and get up to that speed."

Hynes

The decision to return to Omaha for a second season is paying off; his second season with the Lancers is proving to be a substantial improvement over his first.

Hynes is on pace to easily blow past his numbers from a season ago, as he has already accumulated nine points (four goals, five assists) in his first 11 games. Last year, he didn't collect his ninth point until February.

Hynes pointed to a change in his role as one key to his fast start this season.

"Last year, they had me as a real physical guy, more of a fourth-line, defensive-minded player," Hynes said. "This season, [first-year Lancers head coach Brian] Kaufman has given me more freedom offensively. He's put me with some more skilled players. I like to see myself as a little creative player, not uber-skilled, but skilled enough to be more than a fourth-line guy who's just going to lay the body. I got a little too into that role last year, and away from what got me there to that point."

Hynes also credited spending time over the summer at NHL skills coach Paul Vincent's development camp, something several other Union players have done in recent years.

"I did things there that I had never done before with my skating and especially my stick-handling," Hynes said. "Stick-handling is the biggest difference in my game. It has allowed me to create more time and space for myself. I've always had a pretty good shot, but last year I had trouble getting it off and trouble creating space. This year, I've added an extra step, which has helped me get around defenders instead of getting rubbed off into the boards. The game is a lot easier when you have a split-second more of space."

Kaufman, an assistant coach with the Lancers last season, added he sees another change in Hynes this year.

"He has a lot more confidence," Kaufman said. "Last year was a little bit of an adjustment for Tyler with a new league and a new surrounding. He knows he's ready to go now."

Despite the gains Hynes has made this season, Kaufman said there is still room for improvement before the forward makes his Union debut next fall.

"Just some of the details of the game, like making sure he's on the defensive side of pucks at all times," Kaufman said. "His compete level is great, but sometimes he's outside of the system. He runs around a little bit at times. He needs to continue to work on the mental side of the game."

When Hynes joins the Dutchmen, Kaufman said Union will be getting a player who can impact the game in a multitude of ways.

"He can be a great second or third line player," said Kaufman, who played Division I hockey at Miami (Ohio) from 2005-2009. "He'll play in front of the net on a power play, he's very good on the penalty kill, and he'll be a great energy guy. He'll finish checks, block shots, and do a lot of things not a lot of people are willing to do."

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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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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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