Wed. 11/30/22
Let the Games Begin
After a year lost to the pandemic, we had -- with the exception of some games lost to Omicron in early January -- a full season in '21-22. It was more than welcome.
For those new to prep hockey and/or this publication, here's how everything shook out last season.
Last Season's Champions:
Elite 8 -- #5 Salisbury 4, #3 Belmont Hill 1. Salisbury, which stood at 5-4-0 after the Flood-Marr, took off once the calendar turned to January. The win gave Salisbury its seventh title overall, and the sixth in coach Andrew Will's 13-year tenure.
Large School -- #2 Kent 4, #1 Brunswick 1. Dale Reinhardt's squad won 20 games, seven of which came in OT. This game was not one of those.
Small School -- #4 Pomfret 4, #2 Gunn 2. This was a rematch of the 2020 small school championship, which was won by Gunn. This time, Matt Goethals' squad prevailed.
USHR Individual Awards:
Player of the Year -- St. Mark's senior defenseman Michael Fisher. The Princeton recruit, in 28 games, had a 13-37-50 scoring line. In June, he was a third-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks. He's at Youngstown (USHL) this year.
Defenseman of the Year -- Fisher.
Forward of the Year (There were two last season) :
Salisbury senior right wing Dylan Hryckowian, who finished with a 16-27-43 line in 28 games. Hryckowian, a Northeastern recruit, is at Cedar Rapids (USHL) this season.
St. Sebastian's senior center Brendan Gorman, who had an 11-38-49 line in 25 games. Gorman is now at Princeton.
Notes:
-- The 2023 NEPSAC title games, AKA"Championship Sunday," will return to a neutral site this season. Location to be determined.
-- We're still missing a handful of schedules and rosters. We understand waiting until the last minute, but we need all of them in order to maintain 100% accuracy in league standings, RPI and JSPR, and player statistics. Thank you in advance.
Wed. 11/30/22
Dexter-Cushing Battle to a Tie
Brookline, Mass. -- Most of the time, ties are unsatisfying. Sometimes, though, it's something you can live with. That describes this game. Good pace, up-and-down action, plenty of scoring opportunities, and good goaltending. Both teams made some mistakes, and there was a little sloppiness, but no more than is usual in early-season play.
After a scoreless, feeling-out first period, things picked up in the second. Cushing drew first blood when junior Landan Resendes, a BC commit, finished off a cross-crease pass from Ethan Gardula, a UConn commit and fellow junior. Emerson Marshal, a new junior out of Gloucester High, also had an assist on the goal, which came at 3:26.
Dexter's Cullen Emery hit a post midway through the period.
Dexter killed a 5x3 Cushing PP.
But Dexter couldn't find the back of the net.
Finally, midway through the third, Dexter did indeed find the back of the net, when senior D and co-captain Sean Keohane, on the PP, took a pass from Emery and banged it home, stick side, at 8:27.
Five minutes later, at 13:51, Dexter took its first lead of the day when sophomore Nate Porter, from junior D Jonathan Lanza, made it 2-1.
But they couldn't hold the lead. With about two minutes remaining on the clock, Cushing found themselves on the PP. Resendes scored his second of the day, fishing the puck out of a scrum in front.
Both goalies played well. Cushing senior Cooper Rautenstrauch, from the Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16 team, kicked out 25 of 27 shots. Dexter senior Paul Dalessio stopped 24 of 26 at his end.
All in all, a good opening day tilt. Dexter next hosts St. Mark's on Friday night. Cushing hosts Winchendon, also on Friday night.
Tues. 11/29/22
Josh Ciocco and USHR, Some Fun Memories
The first time I saw Josh Ciocco play was in the summer of 1998, at USA Hockey's Select 15 Camp in Ann Arbor, back when the selected players would represent their districts instead of the color of their jerseys. Ciocco, an '83 birthdate from Atco, New Jersey, was a hard-nosed centerman playing for the Atlantic District, coached by John Riley (a former USHR contributor who coached in prep school and college, and is now working as a player development coach with the Philadelphia Flyers).
Ciocco would enter boarding school that fall, as a ninth grader at the Berkshire School. Seeing my write-up of players at the camp, Ciocco wanted to let me know there were a handful of other players representing the Atlantic District who were overlooked by their district but were possibly better than some of the selected players. Ciocco didn't just throw out some names. He wrote detailed reports on every player he mentioned.
If these had been written by a college recruiter, they'd have been of interest. But, given that they were written by a 15-year-old ninth grader, it was astonishing. Such a thing had never happened before -- and hasn't happened since. I wrote him a thank you note, and asked him to keep in touch. I also made a mental note that when the kid's playing career came to an end -- whenever that might be -- he was going to have a future in the game as a scout or coach. And that's exactly what happened. When Josh died at age 38 on October 3rd he was well-established, with a great future in front of him. Sadly, we'll never know exactly how great.
Earlier in 2011, Ciocco had been working with a Toronto-based agent, Ian Pulver, but was getting tired of chasing after 15-year-old kids. He wanted to get back to what he was best at. That's when he circled back to USHR, reaching out to ask if he could help. I was undergoing a rather tough cancer treatment at the time, and was grateful for the offer. Josh stepped into the breach, providing scouting reports and articles. He was a good writer, too. He wrote the way he spoke, and it came out naturally on the page. There was nothing forced about it.
In December of 2011, Josh started arranging to bring two Toronto-area teams down to Boston. One was the Vaughan Kings U16 AAA team; the other was the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA team. And that's how, with the help of Northeastern and BU, which donated ice time, the First Annual U.S. Hockey Report International Showcase took shape. The Marlies featured an underager named Connor McDavid, who was still 14 when the tournament took place in early January of 2012. One of the teams on the American side was the Junior Bruins Empire League team, led by Jack Eichel. As most of you know, four years later, McDavid and Eichel would go on to be first and second overall picks in the 2015 NHL Draft. As for USHR's International Showcase, it turned out to be a one-off. It was kind of a shame that we never scheduled a Marlies-Junior Bruins matchup that weekend. But who knew?
Josh was also hired as an assistant on Paul Cannata's staff at Milton Academy, and from there began making his way up the college assistants' ladder, with stops at Alaska-Anchorage, Brown, and, for the last four years, Merrimack. There, he served on the staff of Scott Borek, who, back in the 2002-03 season, had recruited Ciocco, then playing for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL), to UNH. Ciocco would go on to become UNH's captain.
With those historical tidbits, we here at USHR are dedicating the season to Josh Ciocco.
C.W.
Sun. 11/27/22
Prep Composite Schedule, Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2022
Monday, November 28, 2002
2022 Piatelli Jamboree
Berkshire School, Sheffield, Mass.
West Rink
9:30 am -- Salisbury vs. Trinity-Pawling
11:30 am -- Berkshire vs. Hotchkiss
1:30 pm -- Canterbury vs. Salisbury
3:30 pm -- Berkshire vs. Northwood
East Rink
10:00 am -- Gunnery vs. Canterbury
12:00 pm -- Northwood vs. Kent
2:00 pm -- Hotchkiss vs. Trinity-Pawling
4:00 pm -- Gunnery vs. Kent
St. Paul's School Jamboree; Concord, NH (Day 2 of 2)
10:00 am -- Taft vs. Tabor
12:15 pm -- St. Paul's vs. Groton
Also:
Westminster @ Loomis Chaffee, 2:30 pm (S)
All of the above games are scrimmages
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
The Hill School @ Kimball Union, 4:30 pm
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Millbrook @ Canterbury, 2:30 pm
Westminster @ Deerfield, 3:00 pm (S)
Hotchkiss @ Frederick Gunn School, 3:00 pm
Taft @ Salisbury, 3:00 pm
Pomfret @ Noble & Greenough, 3:15 pm
New Hampton @ Winchendon, 3:30 pm
Worcester Academy @ Middlesex, 3:45 pm
Groton @ North Yarmouth Academy, 4:00 pm
Vermont Academy @ Brewster Academy, 4:00 pm
Hoosac @ Kent, 4:00 pm
Hebron @ Holderness, 4:00 pm
Milton @ St. Mark's, 4:00 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ BB&N, 4:00 pm
Rivers @ St. Sebastian's, 4:00 pm
Austin Prep @ Kents Hill, 4:15 pm
Governor's @ Proctor, 4:15 pm
Williston Northampton @ Avon Old Farms, 4:30 pm
Cushing @ Dexter, 5:00 pm
Stanstead College @ Tilton, 5:00 pm
Thursday, December 1, 2002
Berwick @ Kents Hill, 5:00 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Brunswick, 5:30 pm
Friday, December 2, 2002
Wyoming Seminary @ Bishop's College School, 11:45 am
St. Sebastian's @ Milton, 5:00 pm
Brewster Academy @ St. Paul's, 5:30 pm
Vermont Academy @ Williston Northampton, 6:00 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon vs. Wilbraham & Monson, 6:00 pm -- at UMass-Amherst Mullins Center
Académie Saint-Louis @ Tilton, 6:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Dexter, 6:15 pm
Rivers @ Thayer, 6:30 pm
Winchendon @ Cushing, 7:00 pm
Wyoming Seminary @ Ridley College, 8:15 pm
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Phillips Exeter Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
Kimball Union vs. Rivers, 3:30 pm (Rink A)
Frederick Gunn School vs. New Hampton, 4:00 pm (Rink B)
Brunswick vs. Exeter, 6:00 pm (Rink A)
Kent vs. Hebron, 6:30 pm (Rink B)
Tabor Academy Tournament (Day 1 of 2)
Pomfret @ Tabor, 5:30 pm
Albany Academy vs. Andover, 7:30 pm
Saturday's Regular Schedule:
North Yarmouth Academy @ Vermont Academy, 12:00 pm
Hoosac @ Austin Prep, 12:45 pm
Wyoming Seminary @ Rice Memorial, 2:00 pm
Stanstead College @ Cushing, 2:15 pm
Proctor @ Brewster Academy, 2:30 pm
Tilton @ St. Paul's, 2:30 pm
Portsmouth Abbey @ Kents Hill, 3:00 pm
The Hill School @ Avon Old Farms, 3:00 pm
Académie Saint-Louis @ Roxbury Latin, 3:00 pm
St. Mark's @ Winchendon, 3:30 pm
Berwick @ Worcester Academy, 3:30 pm
Loomis Chaffee @ Trinity-Pawling, 4:00 pm
Canterbury @ Hotchkiss, 4:15 pm
Salisbury @ Williston Northampton, 4:30 pm
Pingree @ Holderness, 5:00 pm
Millbrook @ Lawrenceville, 5:30 pm
Northfield Mt. Hermon @ Westminster, 6:00 pm
Deerfield @ Groton, 6:00 pm
Wyoming Seminary @ Rothesay Netherwood School, 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 4, 2002
Phillips Exeter Invitational (Day 2 of 2)
Hebron vs. Hoosac, 12:00 pm (Rink B)
Brunswick vs. New Hampton, 12:30 pm (Rink A)
Kent vs. Kimball Union, 2:30 pm (Rink B)
Frederick Gunn School vs. Exeter, 3:00 pm (Rink A)
Tabor Academy Tournament (Day 2 of 2)
Albany Academy vs. Pomfret, 12:00 pm -- at Tabor Academy Tournament
Andover @ Tabor, 2:00 pm -- at Tabor Academy Tournament
Sunday's Regular Schedule:
Stanstead College @ Dexter, 1:00 pm
The Hill School @ Lawrenceville, 1:00 pm
Thurs. 11/24/22
This Thanksgiving, a Time to Give Back
If there's one thing we're most thankful for on this -- and every day -- it's USHR readers. Every single one of you, past, current, and future. Without you, there would be no USHR. Simple as that. So, a heartfelt thank you to all.
For a number of years, I've had this idea kicking around my head. It's hard, at any prep school event, to avoid noticing the number of late-model luxury automobiles crowding the parking lots. Not all the cars, by any means, but... quite a few. It seems clear to this typist that there are people out there who can -- to varying degrees -- pay for their children's private school education without giving up much in the way of creature comforts. For others, this is less true, often dramatically so.
This winter Ukraine is in a desperate situation. As Putin's missiles systematically destroy the country's infrastructure, thousands are left in the dark, without heat, electricity, running water, and adequate health care. On top of all that, Ukrainians live under the specter of missiles raining down on their cities, while the country's youth puts their lives on the line, fighting for their country's sovereignty. In short, Ukraine is facing a brutal winter, the likes of which haven't been seen in Eastern Europe since World War II.
So here's an idea: Why not put a big contribution jar out on a table near the entrance to every prep school rink? For every game, or at least every game for which a large crowd is likely to show up. The Christmas tournaments present an opportunity. If someone has a mere nickel in his or her pocket, or a spare $100, drop it in. No hard sell, either. For as long as this typist can remember there have been Dana-Farber/Jimmy Fund boxes scattered around Fenway Park, mostly affixed to columns on the main concourse. No one's watching, but a good number of fans make a point of dropping something in -- sometimes a little; sometimes a bit more. It adds up.
For prep schools, an equivalent might be a box or a simple jar, unmonitored, into which money could be dropped.
Whether or not this idea becomes reality, here are a couple of links to use as a personal guide to helping Ukraine in its time of crisis.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/donate-relief-to-ukraine/
https://impactful.ninja/best-charities-for-ukraine/
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wed. 11/23/22
Thanksgiving Weekend Jamboree Schedule
Saturday, November 26, 2022
Belmont Hill Jamboree; Belmont, Mass.
8:30 am -- Belmont Hill vs. Proctor
10:00 am -- Upper Canada College vs. Winchendon
11:30 am -- Proctor vs. St. Mark's
1:00 pm -- Winchendon vs. Brunswick
2:30 pm -- Upper Canada College vs. St. Mark's
4:00 pm -- Brunswick vs. Belmont Hill
Sunday, November 27, 2022
St. Paul's School Jamboree; Concord, NH (Day 1 of 2)
10:00 am -- St. Paul's vs. Taft
12:15 pm -- Tabor vs. Groton
4:00 pm -- St. Paul's vs. Tabor
6:15 pm -- Taft vs. Groton
Monday, November 28, 2022
2022 Piatelli Jamboree
Berkshire School, Sheffield, Mass.
West Rink
9:30 am -- Salisbury vs. Trinity-Pawling
11:30 am -- Berkshire vs. Hotchkiss
1:30 pm -- Canterbury vs. Salisbury
3:30 pm -- Berkshire vs. Northwood
East Rink
10:00 am -- Gunnery vs. Canterbury
12:00 pm -- Northwood vs. Kent
2:00 pm -- Hotchkiss vs. Trinity-Pawling
4:00 pm -- Gunnery vs. Kent
St. Paul's School Jamboree; Concord, NH (Day 2 of 2)
10:00 am -- Taft vs. Tabor
12:15 pm -- St. Paul's vs. Groton
All of the above games are scrimmages
Tues. 11/22/22
Large School/Small School Breakdown
Here's the Large School/Small School breakdown for the '22-'23 NEPSIHA season. For those of you new to prep hockey, and to USHR, the breakdown plays a role in the post-season seeding. More on that as the weeks pass. Suffice to say, the difference begins to play an increasingly larger role as teams get deeper into their seasons and RPI and JSPR become increasingly meaningful.
The schools in the left-hand column are large; those in the right-hand college are small.
It's also what allows for three separate post-season tournaments -- the Open (i.e., Elite 8). the Large School, and the Small School tournaments.
2022-23 NEPSIHA Large School/Small School Breakdown
Mon. 11/21/22
2022 Stanstead Tournament Results
The 2022 Stanstead College Prep School Showcase -- made up of teams from above and below the US-Canada border -- was held over the weekend in Stanstead, Québec.
All scores as well as players of the game for both winning and losing teams are attached, along with the showcase's All-Star Team.
Fri. 11/18/22
Join USHR
With its usual ‘soft opening,’ the 2022-23 prep hockey season is here. And not a day too soon.
One of the key things we will be doing this season – if we can find the right people – is expanding coverage a bit, trying to get back to the pre-Covid days, but with a little more oomph.
To do this, we will be looking for some talent. When -- and if -- we find people who are the right fit, we can put them to work right away. Many of these positions are fairly low-stress and can be done without traveling. So you don’t need to own a car. But if you’re a self-starter, that’s something we’re looking for.
And don’t be afraid to bring your own ideas.
Here's what we’re looking for:
-- A WRITER (or TWO!)
For anyone wishing to make a career as a sports reporter, this is a good way to find out if you have the knack for it. And if you do have the knack, it’s good training.
We’re looking for people who are quick studies, have a solid sense of grammar and sentence construction, curiosity and a sense of humor. It’s not too hard to find people who write well, and it’s not too hard to find people who understand hockey. But finding someone who can combine the two is special. And that’s what we’re looking for.
-- ONE SCOUT
The perfect candidate here is someone who can look at a player and identify his strengths, weaknesses, and character -- and then convey that in words without getting bogged down in jargon. Social skills are important here, as is humility. A good scout doesn’t look at a player once before passing judgment. He seeks out knowledgeable folks – like other scouts and, most importantly, a player's coach. Prep coaches are generous with their time, and are willing to provide a quote to convey what any given player does well, and what he means to his team. They’re an invaluable source.
We also believe that one can write about a player honestly without lapsing into negativity. This is especially important in a public forum such as USHR. We also believe that no one is born a scout. That comes from spending a lot of time in rinks, with eyes and ears open. And experience starts when you begin.
-- A PHOTO EDITOR
For this position, we need someone to communicate with our current photographers, as well as free-lance sports photographers seeking a forum for their work. Also, the schools themselves often have photographers shooting games; it will be necessary to reach out to the most talented of them. Most importantly, a photo editor’s key skill is having an eye for a good photo, i.e., the ability to identify photos capturing signal moments in a game, and for recognizing photos that ‘pop,’ even when reduced in size and/or cropped to fit the allotted space on the website.
-- MISCELLANEOUS
We’re also on the lookout for tech-savvy types to help with whatever is currently being utilized in the fast-moving world of social media. We have Twitter, but that’s about it. Graphic design is something else that would come in handy. Please get in touch if you’re interested in contributing.
So that’s it. There is much to do, and we’re looking for talent and potential.
Please contact:
Chris Warner
US Hockey Report
Editor and Publisher
1770 Massachusetts Ave., #195
Cambridge, MA 02140
cwarner@ushr.com
(617) 480-1755
New England Prep Hockey News
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