SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … With the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans of primary importance, the American Hockey League has announced the suspension of play until further notice, effective immediately, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The AHL will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates on the 2019-20 season at the appropriate time.
By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Plattsburgh State’s sophomore netminder Ashley Davis (Winterville, N.C./Northwood School) has been named the Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) Goaltender of the Year, as announced by the conference office.
The NEWHL Goaltender of the Year award is presented to the goalie who receives the most points during voting for the All-League Team, which is voted on by the head coaches of the NEWHL.
Davis will be named to the NEWHL First Team when it is announced later this week.
In her first year seeing the majority of the playing time in net for No. 1 Plattsburgh State (25-1-0, 18-0-0 NEWHL), Davis has recorded an unblemished overall record (18-0-0) and owns a 12-0-0 mark during NEWHL conference play. She currently leads the league in goals against average (0.91), save percentage (.949) and winning percentage (1.000), while her 298 saves rank eighth.
Davis’ NEWHL numbers include a 0.86 goals against average and a .940 save percentage, and she has recorded 158 saves while allowing just 10 goals.
At the national level, Davis ranks second in total wins, tied for first in winning percentage, fifth in goals against average and 11th in save percentage in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey. She is tied for sixth in the nation in shutouts with six.
During the regular season, Davis was named the NEWHL Goalie of the Week four times.
This is the first NEWHL Goaltender of the Year award of Davis’ career.
By Warren Kozireski —
R.P.I. freshman defenseman and New York Rangers sixth round draft pick Simon Kjellberg was born in Nashville, TN while his father was playing in his second season for the expansion Nashville Predators, but was raised on the hockey rinks of his family’s native Finland.
Kjellberg was one of six blueliners the Rangers selected in his draft year as they began the rebuild of their blueline.
The 6’3”, 190 lb. left shot is off to great start to his collegiate career with a personal record five goals with six assists while playing in 28 games—all but two for the Engineers—heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
“October was hot (named ECAC Rookie of the Month for October), so just trying to keep building on how I started always trying to be better every game, but so far I think it’s been really good,” Kjellberg said in mid-February. “I think I’ve taken a step in my development.
“I think it’s a lot of confidence with the puck and without it. And I always try to get better with my skating and shooting, but confidence has been the biggest part.
“Usually I try to be both offense and defense and I try to be responsible in every zone. I try to contribute offensively, but try to stay stable in my defensive zone as well.”
The rookie is one of three freshmen on the Engineers blueline along with two other sophomores.
After multiple years developing in Sweden, Kjellberg came to North America last season to play in the USHL with Dubuque to get used to the smaller rink sizes and style of play and that has helped him with his adjustment to Division I hockey.
“I didn’t want to play another year in the Swedish junior league; I wanted to come over and try the smaller rink and it’s faster. I wanted to play college hockey, obviously, that’s the main reason.
“I hadn’t really talked to any college before I came over, so RPI wanted me and I really like the coaching staff and how they run it.”
His father, Patrick, played 394 games over five NHL seasons with Nashville, Anaheim and Montreal, so the Rangers hope that the bloodlines translate into a sixth-round steal.
He netted his first collegiate goal Oct. 12 versus UConn and is on the second power play unit for the Engineers where he had one of the team’s 18 power play goals as of Feb. 21. His skating and reach with a 6’3” frame are assets.
Kjellberg’s mindset is a pro career, but he seems very mindful of not rushing toward that goal, especially with the depth the organization has already at the position.
“I heard from my agent that there was a little bit of interest (in being drafted), so I was watching it on TV and when I heard my name it was very, very exciting. Just getting drafted was amazing; it doesn’t really matter where I was drafted.
“They (the Rangers) have a really deep d-corps from the draft and things like that, so I have to take my time here for four years of college and developing my game and see how far it goes. We’ll see how fast my development goes, but when I make the jump, I want to be ready so however long that takes.”
Update on Remaining NYSPHSAA Winter Championships
Ice Hockey Championships Will be Played, Spectators Not Permitted
Latham, NY – As of 3:22 PM on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the following revisions have been made to the upcoming New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s winter State Championships as a result of the coronavirus.
ICE HOCKEY:
At the recommendation of the Commissioner of the Erie County Department of Health, fans will not be permitted to attend the NYSPHSAA Ice Hockey Championships at the LECOM-HarborCenter on March 14-15 (see attached correspondence). Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director, said “this is certainly not the type of championship atmosphere our association strives to provide to our student-athletes and their communities. This decision is being made at the recommendation of the Erie County Department of Health out of an abundance of caution as we address the coronavirus.”
The NYSPHSAA Ice Hockey Championships will be streamed LIVE on the NFHS Network as originally scheduled.
All media must apply for an event specific credential to cover the ice hockey championships. Media should send a credential request to Chris Watson, NYSPHSAA Director of Communications, at cwatson@nysphsaa.org no later than 4:00 PM Thursday, March 12.
Pre-purchased tickets for this championship event will be fully refunded in the next 24 hours.
ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomores Keeley Rose and Abbey Luth were second team selections and fellow sophomore Hailey Redders was an honorable mention selection for the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) All-Star team as announced on the conference website Wednesday.
Rose was the captain of the team and was fourth on the team with 24 points and second on the squad with her 17 assists as she led the team to a second place finish in the final regular season conference standings and a second consecutive trip to the UCHC Tournament. Rose was also a second team selection last year for Nazareth.
Luth, who transferred to Nazareth in the off-season, led the Golden Flyers with 35 points and had a team-leading 20 assists. Her 15 goal total was second on the team.
Redders, wh earned honorable mention honors last season, returns to the All-Conference team as she led the Golden Flyers with 16 goals and was second on the team with 32 points. She had a team-best 23 points in conference games including four game-winning goals.The Golden Flyers finished the season with an 18-5-3 record that included nine wins in the first 10 games of the season and an eight-game unbeaten streak through the middle of the season.
ROCHESTER, NY – Senior Michael Tilford not only earned First Team All-Conference honors from the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) but was also voted the top goaltender in the conference. The All-UCHC teams were announced Wednesday on the UCHC website (theuchc.com).
Tilford started every game down the stretch for the Golden Flyers who earned the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament and upended Elmira in the first round of the tournament before falling to #3 ranked Utica in the semifinal round.
Tilford finished with a .925 save percentage and a 2.38 goals against average overall. In conference games he boasted a 1.92 goals against average and a .938 save percentage with 320 saves and a 6-4-1 record.
He led the conference in save percentage and was third in the conference standings for goals against average.
The forward had six points in three games this past week
BINGHAMTON – The American Hockey League announced that forward Ryan Schmelzer has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 8, 2020.
In three games, Schmelzer recorded six points (two goals, four assists) against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday and Sunday and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday.
On Friday, Schmelzer had his first three-point night of his pro career, scoring the game-winning goal and picking up two assists in a 6-4 victory against the Penguins at home. Saturday, he registered a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Phantoms and added an assist in Sunday’s 3-0 win in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The Buffalo, NY native has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 51 games for Binghamton this season. Last year, he recorded 24 points in 66 games as a rookie. Prior to his professional career, Schmelzer spent four seasons at Canisius College, where he tallied 106 points (40 goals, 66 assists) in 143 games and was an all-conference selection and served as the team’s captain as a senior.
POTSDAM, N.Y.–SUNY Potsdam sophomore women’s hockey player Delphine Léonard (Anjou, Quebec/Dawson College Prep) has been named to the All-Northeast Women’s Hockey League’s second team. She was a member of the ECAC West’s All-Rookie Team in 2016-17 and second team All-NEWHL in 2017-18.
Léonard, an assistant captain and defenseman for the Bears, had four goals and eight assists for Potsdam this season. Her 12 points were seventh best in the NEWHL among blue liners this season. She was second on the team in power-play goals with three and ranked 10th in the conference. In four seasons with the Bears, Léonard totaled 11 goals and 30 assists in 96 games. She ranks 12 all-time on Potsdam’s NCAA-era scoring list and eighth in assists.
A two-sport athlete, Léonard ranks third in all-time victories as a goalkeeper for the women’s soccer program.
The Bears finished the season with an overall record of 10-12-2 and were fifth in the NEWHL with a 7-9-2 mark.
By Warren Kozireski —
Though a senior, Niagara University defenseman Ryan Cook is in his first season with the Purple Eagles after transferring from Merrimack, where he played for three seasons.
Fellow Lancaster native Zac Herrmann is in his sophomore season after registering seven assists in 31 games one year ago.
They did not know each other prior to this season, they have two things in common. One is that they have been playing on the same defense pairing of late. The second?
“My dad used to coach him (Ryan),” Herrmann said.
“It was middle school hockey,” Cook recalled.
Cook has set a personal collegiate best with three goals this season and had tied his career high with five assists. And both finished the regular season with five points.
“One day in practice, coach just decided to put us together and the chemistry has just kind of been there and we work really well together,” Cook said. “We know where each other is going to be on the ice and it’s been really simple playing with him and I really enjoy it.”
“We kind of went through a dry spell for a bit and we were switching things up and it’s great with him being an older guy,” 2018-19 AHA All-Academic Team member Herrmann said. “I get bond with him and he’s been through it all as a senior now, so it’s been good.
“I knew of him, but being two years apart we didn’t really talk. We didn’t go to the same high school.”
Defense partners of late, the two took different paths to Monteagle Ridge.
The 6’3”, 220 lb. Cook came through the Buffalo Regals and Jr. Sabres before spending all but 28 games of his three junior hockey seasons in the NAHL with Aberdeen. He finished off his junior career with 25 points in 54 games before heading to Merrimack for three years and now Niagara.
“Honestly it’s a combination of a bunch of things,” Cook said about his decision to transfer. “I haven’t been close to home in about six years, so it has been awesome for my family and the coaching staff made it pretty much a no-brainer. Talking with them about plans for the program and helping me develop as a player.”
Herrmann, three years younger, played for the Nichols School and Buffalo Saints, then headed to Burlington for the 2015-16 season followed by Omaha and Odessa in the USHL and NAHL respectively.
Both also have brothers who played or are playing college hockey. Cook’s older brother Steven spent one season with Plattsburgh in Division III SUNYAC while Herrmann’s younger brother Lucas in in his freshman campaign with the University of New Hampshire in Hockey East.
Herrmann finally scored his first collegiate goal in his 60th game Feb. 28 in his 29th game against Robert Morris to win the family bet with Lucas, who was still searching for his first as a collegian as of Feb. 28 but only through 27 contests.
“At the start of the year my dad actually said the first one who scores gets $500, so it was an ongoing family thing, but right now I’m just worried about winning and hopefully getting more points than him.”
The Purple Eagles were again about a .500 team in conference play, but last year advanced to the Atlantic Hockey Championship after being in much the same position. Just four seasons ago they managed just three conference victories.
“I’ve been committed for three years, so I’ve seen everything pretty much everything,” Herrmann said. “Coach Lammers is a people person…and I’m excited that decided to come here and we have so much more here in the next couple of years.”
Cook isn’t looking ahead just yet and wants to continue playing after college, but would love to stay close to the rink.
“I would love to be around the game as long as I can,” the Sports Management major Cook said about his post-hockey plans.
TROY, N.Y. – The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced its monthly men’s hockey award winners for February and for the second month in a row, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Owen Savory has been named National Goalie of the Month.
A sophomore from Cambridge, Ont., Savory went 6-2-0 in February with a 1.51 goals against average and a league-best .954 save percentage in eight starts. Recording ECAC Hockey-highs in total saves (247) and shutouts (3), the conference Goaltender of the Month had save totals of 38, 37 and 29 in his three shutouts, including RPI’s first road whitewashing of Harvard since 2000.
Savory has started 24 games for the Engineers this season, posting a 13-9-2 record, with a 2.06 goals against average and a .932 save percentage and five shutouts – the most by an RPI netminder since Nathan Marsters ’04 had five in 2003-04. In 18 ECAC Hockey contests, the former St. Catharines Falcons standout went 11-6-1 with a 1.74 goals against average and a .941 save percentage and four shutouts. He led all conference goalies in both save percentage and shutouts, while ranking third in goals against average, fourth in winning percentage (.639) and seventh in total saves (479).
Nationally, Savory currently ranks second in shutouts, seventh in save percentage and 12th in goals against average. His five shutouts are one shy of the school record of six, which is held by Laing from the 1999-00 season.
Savory collected his fourth MAC Goaltending Goalie of the Week award on Monday after going 2-0 last week with league-bests in goals against average (0.50), save percentage (.985), saves (66) and shutouts (1). He opened the week by stopping all 29 shots in a 2-0 shutout of Harvard. On Saturday, he made 37 saves in a 4-1 victory at Dartmouth, help RPI clinch fourth place in the conference standings and a bye through the opening round of the playoffs.
In 49 career games at RPI, Savory is 18-24-5, with a 2.26 goals against average and a .929 save percentage, which both rank first in program history. His six career shutouts are fourth all-time.
The Engineers, who are 17-15-2 overall, went 13-8-1 in ECAC Hockey, earning a First Round bye in the conference tournament. They host a best-of-3 quartefinal series March 13-15 at the Houston Field House.
Former Canisius forward Nick Hutchison has signed a standard player contract with the Adirondack Thunder, organization officials announced on Monday.
The Thunder are the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils and the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Devils.
Hutchison becomes the first member of the Class of 2020 to sign a professional contract following the conclusion of the Golden Griffins’ season last weekend. His signing also reunites Hutchison joins former Canisius teammate Alex Jaeckle ’19, who joined the Thunder in January via trade.
A native of Hicksville N.Y., Hutchison appeared in 140 games during his four seasons at Canisius, compiling 60 goals and 53 assists for 113 points. One of just three players in the Division I era of the program to reach the 60-goal plateau, Hutchison ended his collegiate career ranked among the school’s top 10 for career points and power-play goals (26) during its Division I history.
Serving as an assistant captain for the 2019-20 season, Hutchison led the Griffs with 18 goals and finished tied with linemate Matt Hoover for the team lead with 32 points. Named the Atlantic Hockey Player of the Month for December, Hutchison ended the regular season tied for second in goals (15) and fourth in points (27) among AHA players during conference play.
WINTHROP, Mass. – Ben Sokay and Chad Veltri have been awarded monthly honors from Atlantic Hockey following impressive performances throughout the month of February.
Sokay led the AHA – and was tied for fourth in the country – in scoring over the last month, posting 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in nine games. Sokay was also a league-best plus-9 in February, and had five multi-point games as the Purple Eagles went 6-3 to vault into the fifth seed for the Atlantic Hockey playoffs.
This marks the first monthly award of Sokay’s career. On February 11, Sokay was named the AHA’s Player of the Week after a four-point (2 G, 2 A) weekend that helped Niagara to a sweep of Mercyhurst.
Veltri was stellar in February, going 6-2 in nine appearances. His .948 save percentage was fifth in the nation and tops in Atlantic Hockey, while his 1.60 goals-against average was eighth nationally and also led the AHA. Veltri earned his first career shutout against Mercyhurst on February 7, and got his second against Robert Morris on February 28.
This is the fourth overall award that the league has bestowed upon Veltri. He has won three weekly awards since February 11, and this is the first monthly honor of his career.
Canisius freshman forward Keaton Mastrodonato received a pair of awards from Atlantic Hockey this week as he was recognized as both the league’s Rookie of the Week as well as its Rookie of the Month for February.
A native of Powell River, British Columbia, Mastrodonato received his first Rookie of the Week honor after recording three points to help the Golden Griffins close out the regular season with sweep of Mercyhurst.
In game one of the series, Mastrodonato tallied two goals, including his first career game-winning tally, in a 3-2 victory over the Lakers. He followed up that effort by assisting on the game-winning goal in Canisius’ 6-0 triumph over Mercyhurst in the series finale the following evening.
Mastrodonato’s three-point effort versus the Lakers capped what was a highly-productive final month of the regular season for the first-year forward, as he paced the Griffs in both goals (5) and points (9). He registered points in seven of nine games played during the month, highlighted by a pair of multiple-point performances versus Mercyhurst and Robert Morris (Feb. 22).
Mastrodonato is the third Canisius player in as many months to be recognized with a monthly award from the league. Senior Nick Hutchison was named the league’s Player of the Month in December while his linemate Matt Hoover took home the honor for January.
