4/18/04

Model Camp, Massachusetts Style

A camp for ’86 to ’88 birthdates based on the popular and successful Minnesota Model Camp will run from June 17-20 at the Mullins Center on the campus of UMass.

Unlike the Model Camp, players arriving at the Mullins Center, which has two sheets, can come from any town, state, province, or country. The camp, per NCAA regulations, is being filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The UMass camp will stress development. Every team, which will consist of nine forwards, five D, and two goalies, will be guaranteed three hours of practice and three games. Each team – there are eight in all – will be coached by a college coach. There will be symposiums each night, followed by a Q&A. Areas of discussion will include college admission, the NCAA clearinghouse process, and strength and conditioning.

The camp directors are Mark Dennehy (UMass) and Bruce Wolanin (Yale).

The camp, formally known as the U.S. College Hockey Advancement Camp, has a web site at www.uscha.net

4/18/04

U.S. Comes Close; Settles for Silver at World Under-18s

With Russia up 3-1 in the World Under-18 championship game today in Minsk, Belarus, U.S. forward Phil Kessel snapped a wrister past Russian goalie Anton Khudobin to cut the Russian lead to one goal with just 1:38 remaining and set up a frantic finish.

The U.S., with goaltender Cory Schneider pulled for the extra skater, then scored what initially appeared to be the game-tying goal with 13 seconds left on the clock. The goal, however, was disallowed due to a dislodged net, and Russia held on for the rest of what was a frantic finish, skating off with a hard-fought 3-2 victory

It was a 1-1 game going into the decisive third period. Earlier, the U.S. had gone up 1-0 on a powerplay blast from the point by Nate Hagemo at 15:57 of the first period. For the U.S., it was their seventeenth powerplay goal in the tournament's six games. The goal game on the fifth of six penalties the Russians had to kill in the first stanza.

In the second period, the U.S. had several defensive breakdowns, and relied heavily on Schneider. The only goal of the period was a game-tying tally by Russian defenseman Kirill Lyamin at the 6:53 mark.

The score stayed at 1-1 from that point until the third period, when Russia struck for a pair of goals 1:06 apart. The first came when Roman Voloshenko scored off a rebound at 4:54. The second, the goal that gave Russia the 3-1 lead and would turn out to be the game winner, came at the 6:00 mark. A power play tally off the stick of Dimitri Shitikov, the goal came 41 seconds after Nathan Gerbe was whistled off for a minor and misconduct for checking to the head.

The U.S. made it exciting at the end, but came up just a little short.

“This team can be proud they fought until the absolute last second of this game and all the games they played in the tournament,” U.S. head coach John Hynes said afterward.

Notes:

Russia outshot the U.S. 26-25, and Schneider had another outstanding performance, making 23 saves, as did Khuboin.Schneider finished the tournament with a 5-1 won-loss record, a .929 save percentage (2^nd best), and a 1.71 gaa (3^rd best). Marek Schwarz of the Czech Republic was the only goalie with better numbers.

The win gave the Russians their first victory here since 2001. The loss gave the U.S. their second medal here. In 2002, the U.S., with a core group of the same players that won gold in the World Juniors this past January – the ‘84s – beat Russia, 3-1, to take the gold.

Kessel, one of six ‘87s in the U.S. lineup, tied for the tournament lead in goals with seven and, with 10 points, finished fifth overall in scoring. The other ‘87s on the U.S. squad were goalie Jeff Frazee, defensemen Zach Jones and Jack Johnson, and forwards Jack Skille and Nate Gerbe.The rest of the squad, all ‘86 birthdates, consisted of Schneider in goal; Hagemo, Jason DeSantis, Mike Brennan, Topher Bevis, and Joe Grimaldi on the blueline; and Kevin Porter, Matt Auffrey, Bryan Lerg, Nathan Davis, Jarod Palmer, Kevin Swallow, Tom Fritsche, Brandon Scero, Chad Kolarik and Geoff Paukovich up front. The coaching staff consisted of Hynes, along with assistants Darrin Madeley and John Lilley.

In the bronze medal game, the Czech Republic edged Canada, 3-2, with Roman Psurny scoring the game-winner with a little over 13 minutes remaining.

The final standings are: 1) Russia, 2) USA, 3) Czech Republic, 4) Canada, 5) Sweden, 6) Slovakia, 7) Finland, 8) Denmark, 9) Belarus, 10) Norway.
 

4/16/04   Update: Russia topped Canada, 5-2, in today's second semifinal, and will face the U.S. for the gold.   

Under-18s Edge Czech Republic; Gold Medal Game Next

The U.S. Under-18 Team, despite being outshot 36-21, edged the Czech Republic 3-2 in today’s first semifinal in Minsk, Belarus.

With the win, the U.S. moves on to Sunday’s championship game (10:00 am EST) vs. the winner of the Russia-Canada semifinal, currently underway. A win in that game would give the U.S. its second IIHF Under-18 Championship in two years. In 2002, the U.S. won its first-ever gold medal at the event, beating Russia. Last April, the U.S. reached the bronze medal game but lost to Russia.

The U.S. scored the only goal of the first period, a powerplay goal. Nathan Gerbe, from behind the net, hit Bryan Lerg with a perfect pass. Lerg fired it past Czech goaltender Marek Schwarz at the 10:25 mark.
 

After the Czechs tied it up on a Michal Gulasi goal early in the second period, the U.S responded with two goals roughly five minutes apart in the middle of the period. On the first, a powerplay goal, Tom Fritsche knocked home the rebound of a Kevin Porter shot from the blue line. Brandon Scero also picked up an assist on the goal, which gave the U.S. the lead for good. At 13:42 Phil Kessel scored his sixth goal of the tournament off a two-on-one with Jack Skille.  Also picking up an assist on the goal was Matt Auffrey. The Czechs added a powerplay goal late in the period to cut the U.S. lead to 3-2, but that was as close as they came: U.S. goaltender Cory Schneider shut them down the rest of the way, making 14 of his 34 saves in the final period.

Notes:

The U.S. Under-17 team opens second round NAHL playoff action with road games tonight and tomorrow night against the Springfield Jr. Blues.

In the opening round, the U.S., which finished the regular season fourth in the NAHL’s North Division, upset the first-place finishers, the Soo Indians. The U.S., coached by David Quinn, lost the playoff opener, but then won three straight – against a team that lost only six times during the regular season -- to take the best-of-five series.

4/14/04

Schneider Leads Under-18s Past Canada

Phillips Andover goaltender Cory Schneider kicked out 38 of 39 shots as the U.S. topped Canada, 2-1, Tuesday at the World Under-18 Championship in Minsk, Belarus on Tuesday.

With the win, the U.S., which was outshot 39-23, finishes round-robin play with a perfect 4-0 record, gains the top spot in Pool A, and, with the bye, moves directly into the semi-finals on Friday. They will play the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup between the Czech Republic and Sweden. As for Canada, they will have to beat Slovakia in Thursday’s other quarterfinal matchup in order to move on and face Russia, the Pool B winner, in the semis on Friday.

After a chippy first period which produced no goals but a combined 38 penalty minutes, the Canadians struck for the first – and only – time when Frederick Cabana of the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) surprised Schneider with a bad-angle goal just 1:28 into the second period. Notre Dame defenseman Wes O’Neill picked up the assist on the goal.

The 1-0 Canadian lead held until the 2:28 mark of the third period, when Phil Kessel tied the game at 1-1. On the goal, Kessel drove to the right face-off circle, pivoted away from a Canadian defenseman, and snapped one underneath the crossbar.

Six minutes later, U.S. defenseman Brett Bevis scored the game-winner on the powerplay, taking a pass from Jarod Palmer and firing one through traffic. The shot ricoched off a Canadian defenseman and past goaltender Devan Dubnyk.

With 1:45 remaining, Dubnyk, of the Kamloops Blazers, was pulled for the extra attacker as Canada, needing a win – a tie wouldn’t do it – to advance, poured it on.

Schneider, though, barred the door.

Notes:

Schneider, who started all four games, finished round-robin play with a .937 save percentage and 1.30 gaa in 230-plus minutes played. Jeff Frazee played nine- plus minutes in the tournament, stopping the only shot he faced.

Phil Kessel finished round-robin play as the tournament’s leading scorer with a 5-3-8 line in the four games. Also in the top 20 were Brandon Scero (2-5-7), Bryan Lerg (1-6-7), Kevin Porter (2-4-6), Matt Auffrey (2-2-4), Tom Fritsche (1-3-4), and Chad Kolarik (1-3-3).

The U.S. scored a whopping 13 goals in 28 power play opportunities. Against Canada, however, they were 1-for-9.

The U.S. penalty killing was the second-best in the tournament, trailing only Slovakia. The U.S. shut down Canada, which went 0-for-8 on the powerplay.

Finals Standings:

Group A
1. USA (4-0-0)
2. Canada (3-0-1)
3. Sweden (2-0-2)
4. Denmark (1-0-3)
5. Belarus (0-0-4)

Group B
1. Russia (2-2-0)
2. Czech Republic (1-3-0)
3. Slovakia (1-3-0)
4. Finland (1-2-1)
5. Norway (0-0-4)

Quarterfinal Matchups:
Canada – Slovakia
Czech Republic – Sweden

The USA and Russia get byes and advance directly to the semifinals.

Belarus, Denmark, Finland and Norway drop to the relegation round.

4/14/04

NCAA Suspends Opt-in Rule

The NCAA has agreed to Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin’s proposal requesting that draft-eligible players already in college be allowed to enter the NHL draft without sacrificing their NCAA eligibility.

We don’t have the exact text of the ruling, but have been told that it’s more of a “stay” while permanent legislation is drafted. It’s also possible that any new CBA that the NHL and the NHLPA comes up with could contain changes to the draft rule that might make it unnecessary for the NCAA to even draft permanent legislation. But we’re getting into speculation here.

The bottom line for now is that twelve current NCAA players – eight of whom were on Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings – are now free to get drafted while retaining their college eligibility.

Those players are:

Drew Stafford, F, North Dakota
A.J. Thelen, D, Michigan State
Wes O’Neill, D, Notre Dame
Adam Pineault, F, Boston College
Steve Birnstill, D, Northeastern
Jeff Caron, D, Merrimack

Jonathan Sigalet, D, Bowling Green
T.J. Hensick, F, Michigan
Matt Cohen, D, Yale
Steve Hartley, G, Miami
Paul Szczechura, F, Western Michigan

Sean Bentivoglio, F, Niagara

The NCAA opt-in rule was adopted in 1995, but came to a head last year when the NCAA, for some strange reason known only to them, ruled that players not yet in college could opt in without sacrificing NCAA eligibility, but that players already in college would have to give up their eligibility in order to do the same.

Basically, Poulin and his fellow college coaches are trying to protect their players – and, by extension, their programs -- from agents and NHL clubs who may be encouraging players to opt in and go the major junior route.

Now, kids – in Poulin’s case, it’s 6’4” defenseman Wes O’Neill -- will be able to stay in college and improve against older and more experienced players. It’s also good for NHL teams, who get to follow their draft picks and watch them develop in college before committing large sums of money to them. And it’s good for fans of college hockey as it lessens the chances that high-end prospects will leave the college game prematurely.

As long as we’re on the subject of the draft and college, it’s a good time of year to remind everyone that where one gets drafted doesn’t mean much in the long run. There are former ninth rounders playing in the NHL and there are former first rounders who aren’t. It’s not a race. If you’re good enough to play in the NHL you’ll get there; if you aren’t you won’t. But you only have four years in college, and it never comes again. Enjoy it.

4/9/04

Perhaps They Should Have Kept Lenny?

Earlier this week, Princeton recruit Nick Dodge, a center from the Oakville Blades (OPJHL) switched his college choice from Princeton to Clarkson.

Now, a second Princeton recruit, Jean-Francois Boucher of Upper Canada College, has bailed on Princeton.

Boucher will be attending Yale instead of Princeton. The March 8 firing of Len Quesnelle was integral in Boucher’s decision to head to New Haven.

A key recruit for Princeton, Boucher is a 6’0”, 195 lb. power forward who loves physical play and has a bit of a mean streak. A LW, he’s a 12/1985 birthdate and hails from Rosemere, Quebec. Boucher, who led UCC in both scoring (42-58-100 in 41 games) and penalty minutes this past season, was also the team’s captain.

Boucher’s father is Gaetan Boucher, a four-time Canadian Olympian in speedskating. Gaetan won a silver medal in Lake Placid (’80) and a double gold in Sarajevo (’84). Boucher’s mother, Karin Fleige, was a German Olympic speedskater. It’s safe to say the genes are good.

It’s been a month and a day since Quesnelle’s firing. The two assistants – Brian Wiseman and Mike Bois – are gone as well. There’s no one in the hockey office except a secretary.

The Princeton AD, Gary Walters, had, shortly after Quesnelle’s firing, indicated that the interview process would not be beginning until this month, when the NCAA’s men’s basketball committee, on which Walters sits, has wrapped up its work.

We attempted to reach Walters, but the AD’s office is closed today. We left a message, but haven’t heard back.

Both Dodge and Boucher were key recruits for Princeton. Quesnelle and his staff worked hard to get them to Princeton. Now, look for them to make Princeton’s life miserable for the next four years.

4/8/04

Two for UMass for ‘05

A pair of Bay Staters -- RW Alex Berry and LC Cory Quirk – have committed to UMass for the fall of ’05.

Berry, who’s 6’2”, 190 lbs. and a native of Danvers, Mass., played his sophomore year at Gov. Dummer, and his junior year at Cushing Academy. This fall, he’ll move again, to the Boston Junior Bruins (EJHL). He’s big and strong, with a decent scoring touch. In January, Central Scouting ranked him in the sixth round of North American skaters. He’s a 3/6/86 birthdate.

Quirk, a senior and the leading scorer on the Super 8 Championship-winning Catholic Memorial squad this winter, is a 5’10”, 175 lbs. native of Brockton, Mass. Quirk, a 7/3/86 birthdate, will play for the Sioux Falls Musketeers (USHL) next season.

Last summer, Quirk and Berry were teammates on the Mass. team at USA Hockey’s Select 17 Festival in St. Cloud, Minn.

4/8/04

Norton to be Named New Coach at Tilton

Pat Norton, an assistant at Northeastern University this past season, will be the new coach at the Tilton School.

Norton, a Concord, NH native, played for Dick Umile at UNH from 1992-96. After graduation, he served four years as an assistant at Norwich, then three as an assistant at UVM.

Norton, who’s the son of former UNH assistant and current college hockey TV analyst (and Woburn High School principal) Bob Norton, has also coached a number of New England teams at USA Hockey Select Festivals.

4/8/04

U.S. Opens World Under-18s with Win Over Denmark

The U.S. opened play at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships in Minsk, Belarus with a 5-2 win over Denmark today.

After a scoreless first period, the US took a 3-1 lead after two, and never looked back.

Scoring for the U.S., who outshot Denmark 33-11, were Kevin Porter (1g,2a), Phil Kessel (1 ppg, 2a), Buzz Fritsche (1g,1a), Nate Davis (1g,1a), Matt Auffrey (1g,1a), Bryan Lerg (2a), and Brandon Scero (1a). In net for the U.S. was Cory Schneider, who made nine saves.

Schneider, from Phillips Andover Academy, is the only player head coach John Hynes brought in from outside the program. It’s an exceptionally young team, with six ‘87s on the roster.

After an off-day tomorrow, the U.S. meets Sweden on Saturday, host Belarus on Monday and Canada on Tuesday. Playoffs begin Wed. April 15, with the first place finishers in each division getting a bye. The title game is scheduled for Sun. April 18.

The U.S. is in Group A, which also includes Belarus, Canada, Denmark, and Sweden.

Group B consists of Slovakia, Russia, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Norway.

2004 U.S. Under-18 Team Roster

Updated List: NCAA Players Signing Pro Contracts

With BU's 6'4 junior defenseman Ryan Whitney forgoing his last year of eligibility to sign with the Pittburgh Penguins, there are now 31 NCAA players who've signed pro contracts in recent weeks. 

Please click below for the updated list. 

2004 College Players Signing Pro Contracts

4/7/04

Dodge Switch

In the wake of the firing of Len Quesnelle, the coach to whom he had earlier commmitted, Oakville Blades (OPJHL) forward Nick Dodge has switched his college commitment from Princeton to Clarkson.

A dynamic, playmaking center, Dodge, who's 5'9" and 160 lbs., captained his team to the Provincial League Western Conference finals. He finished the season with a 33-45-78 line in 45 games, making him his team's leading scorers. He also had 69 pims. Last season, he was named league rookie of the year.

A 5/1/86 birthdate, Dodge is a right-shot centerman.

4/7/04

Another Prep Coach Fired

BB&N head coach Angus Means has been fired.

Means, who will continue teaching at the Cambridge, Mass. day school, was reportedly told that he had not done a good job recruiting.  

The team improved, though. BB&N was 9-11-1 in Div. I play this season. The season before, they were 2-14-2.

Notes:

Former Lawrence Academy head coach Charlie Corey has accepted a teaching position at Bishop Brady HS in Concord, NH. Corey, who will teach history, will not be the head hockey coach, though it's possible he'll become an assistant both in hockey and soccer.

The principal at Bishop Brady is Jean Barker, the mother of former Lawrence Academy and current UNH defenseman Robbie Barker.

Corey will also be helping with the Greg Carter hockey camps. 

4/6/04

Joe Mahoney Wake and Funeral Info

The wake and funeral information for Joe Mahoney follows. Please note that the wake will be held in Plymouth, and not in South Boston (as we wrote yesterday).  

The final funeral arrangements for Joe Mahoney are:

4/5/04

Joe Mahoney, N.J. Devils Scout, Dies After Long Illness

Joe Mahoney, a long-time New England regional scout for the New Jersey Devils, died of a diseased lung at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital around 6:30 last night.

Mahoney, a South Boston native in his early sixties who lived with his family in Plymouth, Mass., had suffered from lung disease for quite a while. Even as his condition worsened, he could still be found at rinks whenever able. A true character, Mahoney always downplayed his condition, usually with a wry joke.

Mahoney was a hockey scout right to the end. Before the October 12^th RPI at Providence game, Mahoney collapsed at the top of a stairwell. His conditioned worsened throughout the winter. Less than two weeks ago, despite the fact that he was strapped to oxygen tanks 24 hours a day and in significant pain, he asked his friend, NY Rangers scout Bob Crocker, to take him to the Beantown Classic. He was talked out of it, but, as Crocker says, “His heart and mind were still willing.”

Mahoney was born and raised in South Boston. An ironworker for most of his life, he hooked on with the Los Angeles Kings and scouted for them before joining the Devils organization, which deserves kudos for taking care of him right up to the end, keeping him on the payroll even as his health made it difficult and then virtually impossible to get to games.

In return, Mahoney was passionate about the Devils, and his three Stanley Cup rings were a source of immense pride. Among the current Devils he scouted for the organization were Brian Gionta and Jay Pandolfo.

Mahoney’s formal hockey-playing career was limited. So, too, was his schooling. However, he was sharp, versed in a wide range of subjects, and possessed a phenomenal memory for names, people, and places. If you walked up to him and asked him about some obscure jazz musician or minor leaguer from decades ago, Mahoney would likely be able to tell you the guy’s life story – and then some.

Mahoney’s range of contacts was extensive, and he knew everybody and managed to keep in touch with everybody. He truly enjoyed the company of the hockey community. The embodiment of the term “old school,” Mahoney is the kind of guy that is becoming almost a dying species as the NHL becomes increasingly corporate. He’ll be missed.

Mahoney escaped death about five years ago when a car he was driving was blindsided by a nun at an intersection. Mahoney was instantly knocked out, but his car, in gear, kept going forward across a backyard and right into a swimming pool, where it sank to the bottom. Luckily a passing off-duty officer saw the accident, raced to the pool, tossed a huge rock through the windshield and was able to pull the unconscious Mahoney from the wreckage. Health-wise, Mahoney was never quite the same after that accident, but he pressed on until he could press on no longer.

Mahoney is survived by his wife, Elaine, four children, and 10 grandchildren.

An autopsy is being performed. Once a time and date are set, Mahoney will be waked at O’Brien’s Funeral Home in South Boston, just as John Cunniff, another South Boston native and Devils employee, was in April 2002.

As soon as plans are finalized, we will pass along all wake and funeral information.

4/4/04

GBL Jr. Bruins Top Shattuck for National Midget Title

The Greater Boston League Junior Bruins topped Shattuck-St. Mary’s 6-2 today to win the National Midget (17 and Under) title at Marquette, Michigan.

The Junior Bruins got goals from Cory Quirk, Billy Ryan, Chris Bourque (shorthanded), and Steve Smolinsky (powerplay), then added a pair of empty netters late.

BC High’s Joe Grossman kicked out 28 of 30 shots for the win. Shattuck outshot the Junior Bruins 30-28.

The Junior Bruins lineup boasted six Hockey East recruits in Bourque (BU), Ryan (Maine), Boomer Ewing (BU), Keith Yandle (UNH), Danny McGoff (BU), and Matt Greene (BC).

Bourque led the tourney in scoring, notching 22 points in six games, while Ryan was second, Smolinsky third, and Quirk fourth. Grossman was the tourney’s leading goaltender with a .944 save percentage and a 1.23 gaa.

4/4/04

Buffalo Saints Upset Shattuck for National 16-U Title

The Buffalo Saints upset Shattuck-St. Mary’s 4-2 to take the National 16-and-Under title in West Chester, PA today.

Shattuck, a powerhouse squad which outscored opponents by a 44-12 margin over the tournament’s six games, found themselves down 3-0 when, after a scoreless first period, the Saints got second-period goals from Matthew Bessing, Brian Keane, and Matthew Rang.

By the final buzzer, Shattuck had outshot the Saints 39-21, with the Saints’ William Sauer kicking out 37 shots, while Bryce Eberwein stopped 17 for Shattuck.

The tournament’s leading scorer was Pat Kane, a Buffalo native playing for Honeybaked. Kane had a 12-3-15 line. Tying him in points was Angelo Esposito, Shattuck’s ’89 from Montreal, who had a 6-9-15 line. Shattuck’s Garrett Roe was third in scoring with a 2-12-14 line.

In the 14-and Under Division, played in Pittsburgh, Honeybaked edged the California Wave, 3-2.

In the 12-and-Under Division, also played in Pittsburgh, Little Caesar's topped the Los Angeles Hockey Club, 4-1.

Palmer Steps Down at Brewster Academy

Brewster Academy hockey coach T.J. Palmer, who has been at the Wolfeboro, NH, prep school for 17 years, has stepped down as hockey coach. He will continue at the school as a history teacher, and soccer and baseball coach.

He will continue coaching hockey, but at a younger level, with his 10-year-old son's traveling team.

Brewster was one of the top Div. II teams this past season, spending a good chunk of the season as USHR's #1-ranked team.

Any coaches out there looking for a prep job in one of New England's more scenic areas should call A.D. Doug Algate as soon as possible. Algate's office number is (603) 569-7115.  

Notes: NY/Mid-Atlantic won the Hockey Night in Boston title game on Wednesday night, shutting out the EJHL All-Stars, 2-0. NY/Mid-Atlantic, which actually had kids from all over the map, was led by the goaltending of Casey Tuttle of Augusta, Maine and the Kent's Hill School and Stephan Grauwiler of Switzerland and the National Sports Academy. In the second period, Northeastern-bound Carter Lee of the Canterbury School put his team up 1-0. Jeff Beck of Warrington, PA and the Hill School added an empty-netter for the final margin of victory. The EJHL All-Stars, which played without any members of the Junior Bruins, spent a large part of the game killing off penalties.

Wheeler Commits to Gophers

6'4", 195 lb. Breck School junior RW Blake Wheeler, the top-rated U.S. high school/prep player for June's NHL draft, committed to the University of Minnesota this afternoon.

Wheeler, who had a 44-56-100 line in 31 games this year, made his final choice from between Boston College and the Gophers.

Wheeler told us that it was a tough decision. "I don't really see too many major differences between the two schools," he said. "What it really came down to was the chance to play in front of the home folks and family."

Wheeler said that particular aspect was brought home to him during the Minnesota State High School Tournament three weeks ago. "During the semi vs. South St. Paul it hit me that I could have this every night. It definitely had an impact on my decision." Breck, led by Wheeler's 11 points (in three games), went on to win the Class A title, finishing with a 28-1-2 record.

Another factor in his decision, Wheeler said, was his hope of being accepted into the U's prestigious Carlson School of Management. 

As for how long, given NHL pressure, that he might be staying with the Gophers, Wheeler said, "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. At least three years would be great, but I'll just wait and see. Certainly not before I'm ready."

Wheeler will join the Gophers in the fall of '05. He says he will wait until after June's USHL draft before making up his mind as to whether he returns to Breck for his senior year or joins the Green Bay Gamblers, who selected him in last summer's USHL underage draft.

Wheeler, a big power forward who's an excellent skater, was projected 46th overall among North American skaters in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Ranking in January. An 8/31/86 birthdate, he's from Wayzata, Minn., where he helped lead the Wayzata Bantams to the Tier I Nationals in Colorado Springs. There, over the course of his sophomore year, his stock shot up dramatically. A large contingent of NHL scouts could be found at virtually every Breck game this season.    

4/1/04

With Nikiforov, Minutemen’s L.I. Militia Grows

5’6”, 145 lb. Suffolk PAL Midget AAA forward Vladimir Nikiforov has committed to UMass.

Currently in the tenth grade, Nikiforov will arrive in Amherst in the fall of ’06.A left wing, Nikiforov is a small but superbly skilled and imaginative player with high-end puckhandling skills.

Nikiforov is the third young Long Islander – all Suffolk PAL players -- to have committed to UMass in recent weeks. Preceding him were forwards James Marcou (Suffolk PAL Midget AAA) and Nick Grasso (Suffolk PAL Jr. B). Behind them, there’s an additional batch of Div. I prospects on the Island.

Nikiforov, a 10/7/87 birthdate, is the son of Aleksey Nikiforov, a former Dynamo Riga player who, in his native Lithuania, coached the likes of NY Rangers Darius Kasparaitis and Washington Capitals RW Dainius Zubrus. The elder Nikiforov, 46, studied under the “Grandfather of Russian hockey”, the late Anatoly Tarasov, and moved to the U.S. from Lithuania in 1994, settling on Long Island.Nikiforov coached Long Island natives Michael Komisarek and Chris Higgins (both in the Montreal Canadiens organization) in their younger days.